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Myriophyllum spicatum, a semi-aquatic plant, can develop heterophylly by forming both submerged and aerial leaves to adapt to water level variations in its habitat. The aerial leaves exhibit shorter and fewer lobes, but thicker cuticle and developed stomata than submerged leaves. The heterophylly exhibited by M. spicatum could be controlled by hormones including abscisic acid, indole-3-acetic acid, and Jasmonic acid, as their levels were consistently higher in aerial leaves than in submerged leaves. Genes responsible for the formation of cuticle and stomata exhibited elevated expression in the aerial leaves, offering a molecular explanation for their structural adaptations to terrestrial environment. Moreover, aerial leaves exhibited greater resistance to intense light, while submerged leaves demonstrated a pronounced capacity of utilizing HCO3− for photosynthesis. Differential gene expression patterns pertaining to photosynthesis, carotenoid production, and HCO3− utilization elucidated the molecular mechanisms driving M. spicatum’s photosynthetic adaptations to aquatic and terrestrial environment. In conclusion, the ability of M. spicatum to withstand changing water levels can be linked to its adaptable phenotype and the genetic characteristics inherited from its terrestrial ancestors, both of which are governed by hormonal regulation. These features may allow M. spicatum to outcompete other macrophytes that are more sensitive to water level fluctuations in their growing surroundings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eutrophication of water bodies causes the disappearance of submerged macrophytes and frequent blooms of phytoplankton, which leads to changes in the underwater light environment in the aspect of light intensity and light quality. However, compared with underwater light intensity, only few studies have been concentrated in the effect of light quality on submerged macrophytes. The effect of light quality on plants is heterogeneous, and there are two absorption peaks in red and blue wavelengths. Thus, we carried out a mesocosm experiment to study the effects of a series of red and blue light ratios (red/blue light ratio = 1/8, 1/4, 1/1, 4/1, and 8/1) on two submerged macrophyte species, Hydrilla verticillata and Vallisneria natans. We hypothesized that functional traits (growth strategy, morphological, photosynthetic, and nutritional traits) of submerged macrophytes will be modified by different red/blue light ratios. With the increase of red/blue light ratio, plant height of the two submerged macrophytes decreased, while tillers number increased. We could not completely verify our hypothesis, but we found species-specific differences. The leaf area of H. verticillata under 8/1 red/blue light ratio was significantly higher than that under 1/8 red/blue light ratio, whereas the leaf area of V. natans under 4/1 red/blue light ratio was lower than that under 1/8 red/blue light ratio. Our results are helpful to understand the disappearance mechanism of submerged macrophytes in eutrophic lakes and devise more appropriate measures for the recovery of submerged macrophytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquatic plants are a crucial component of the aquatic ecosystem in the Tibetan Plateau region. Researching the adaptability of plateau aquatic plants in photosynthesis to the plateau environment can enhance understanding of the operational mechanisms of plateau ecosystems, thereby providing a scientific basis for the protection and management of plateau aquatic ecosystems. This study presents an investigation of photosynthetic inorganic carbon utilization strategies and photosynthetic efficiency of 17 aquatic plants under natural growing conditions in Niyang River basin on the Tibetan Plateau. In pH-drift experiments, 10 of 17 species were able to utilize HCO3–, and environmental factors like water pH were shown to have a significant effect on the ability of the tested species to utilize HCO3–. Titratable acidity in the leaves of Stuckenia filiformis, Zannichellia palustris, Batrachium bungei, and Myriophyllum spicatum showed significant diurnal fluctuations at certain sampling sites, indicating the presence of CAM. In B. bungei, water pH positively correlated with CAM activity, while CO2 concentration negatively correlated with CAM activity. The chlorophyll fluorescence analysis revealed that aquatic plants inhabiting the Tibetan Plateau exhibited photosynthetic adaptations. In conclusion, the aquatic plants on the Tibetan Plateau employ diverse strategies for utilizing inorganic carbon during photosynthesis, exhibiting their flexible adaptability to the native high-altitude habitats of the Tibetan Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study was to determine the associations of self-perception, motor skills, and clinical features of young school-age children with glaucoma (CG). This is a cross-sectional observational study. Children from preschool to second grade, including CG (N = 19), children with amblyopia (CA, N = 28), and controls (N = 32), completed the Manual Dexterity and Aiming and Catching Scales of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2nd edition (MABC-2), including Manual Dexterity, Aiming and Catching, and Balance. CG, CA, and their parent completed the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children, respectively, assessing the child's cognitive competence, peer acceptance, physical competence, and maternal acceptance. The Kruskal–Wallis H test and Bonferroni post hoc test compared motor skills among groups. Spearman's correlation analysis evaluated the correlations between motor skills, self-perception, and clinical features. The CG reported lower peer acceptance than CA (P = 0.040), and the parents of CG reported lower cognitive competence than CG reported (P = 0.046). Compared with controls, CG had worse performance of Aiming and Catching, and Balance (P = 0.018 and P = 0.001), and CA had worse performance of Balance (P = 0.009). The motor skills were comparable between CG and CA. For CG, older age correlated with worse competence of Aiming and Catching (r = − 0.620, P = 0.005), better best-corrected visual acuity of better-seeing eye correlated with higher competence of Manual Dexterity and Balance (r = − 0.494, P = 0.032, and r = − 0.516, P = 0.024), and longer duration of glaucoma correlated with worse competence of Manual Dexterity (r = − 0.487, P = 0.034). Conclusion: Glaucoma and amblyopia have significant negative impacts on children's daily motor skills. The acuity of a better-seeing eye is an important factor influencing motor movement. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, ChiCTR2100050415. What is Known: • The state of mental health in early childhood influences the development of their future personality and physical development. The prognosis and management of glaucoma may seriously impair the mental health development of the affected children. However, the exploration of psychological aspects and motor movement of childhood glaucoma was limited. What is New: • Children with glaucoma have impaired motor skills and self-perception development, especially in terms of peer socialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to determine degree of postoperative pain and the incidence of serious postoperative pain after glaucoma surgery and further to identify the associated risk factors. Methods: A total of 194 consecutive patients who were diagnosed with glaucoma and underwent glaucoma surgery were enrolled in this study. The intensity of postoperative pain was evaluated using numerical rating scale (NRS) within 24 h after surgery; NRS ≥ 5 was considered as clinically significant postoperative pain. Risk factors associated with the development of postoperative pain were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: Clinically significant postoperative pain was experienced at any time after glaucoma surgery in 41.75% of the patients, which peak at 2 h. 27.8% of the patients requested analgesic medication within 24 h after surgery. According to multivariate logistic regression analysis, preoperative anxiety (OR = 4.13 [1.29–13.2], p = 0.017), cyclophotocoagulation (OR = 30.9 [3.47–375.1], p = 0.002), and phacotrabeculectomy combined with or without intraocular lens implantation (OR = 30.0 [2.69–335.6], p = 0.006) were associated with increased clinically significant postoperative pain. Interestingly, patients with diabetes and/or hypertension were associated with less postoperative pain after glaucoma surgery (OR = 0.23 [0.08–0.64], p = 0.005). Conclusion: Patients undergoing glaucoma surgery tend to experience postoperative pain in the early postoperative period. Anxiety level and surgery types of cyclophotocoagulation and phacotrabeculectomy are risk factors for postoperative pain. Patients with diabetes and/or hypertension are less likely to develop postoperative pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urea is the most frequently applied nitrogen (N) fertilizer in agriculture, while its loss is assumed triggering algal blooms in adjacent water bodies. In this context the present study assessed the growth, photosynthetic activity as well as toxin production of Microcystis aeruginosa at different urea concentrations (0.125, 1.25, 12.5, 250 and 2,500 mg/L) using BG11 (containing 250 mg/L NO-N) as control. The results showed for all endpoints that M. aeruginosa is capable of using urea as N source: the two highest urea treatments delivered comparable values like the control. Low urea concentrations (0.125 and 1.25 mg/L), which were comparable to environmental urea levels, did not sustainably promote the growth, photosynthesis and toxin production of the test species. While, in certain microenvironments urea might potentially reach the concentrations that may affect M. aeruginosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated illness uncertainty, anxiety and depression among glaucoma patients and cataract patients in China. 263 patients with primary glaucoma and 100 patients with age-related cataract were recruited sequentially from Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center between October 2013 and March 2016. All the participants completed questionnaires for socio-demographic information, Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale (MUIS) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). 25 of the 263 glaucoma patients and 21 of the100 cataract patients finished two copies of the same questionnaires before and after surgery. Statistics were analyzed using SPSS17.0 software. We observed that glaucoma patients had higher MUIS and HADS score than did cataract patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated risk factors for illness uncertainty, anxiety and depression for glaucoma patients were high HADS score, poor visual acuity (VA) in the better eye and education level respectively. Risk factors for the same parameters of cataract patients were high HADS-A score, poor VA in the better eye and high illness uncertainty respectively. Scores of MUIS and HADS both decreased after surgery, but the change in HADS score among glaucoma patients was not significant. Clinical workers should take these factors into account to improve therapy, especially for glaucoma patients who undergo surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tracing sources of aeolian sediment is key to reconstructing earth surface processes in arid areas and interpreting the paleoenvironmental significance of aeolian sequences. However, the difference of geochemical characteristics between different fractions of sediments in the Yarlung Zangbo River Basin (YZRB) is still unclear, so we want to identify which fraction of sediments is more suitable for tracing sediment sources. Considering the long distance between different wide valleys in the YZRB, we wonder whether there is any difference between these wide valleys in terms of geochemical characteristics of sediments. Forty-three surface sediment samples in the YZRB are collected, and the grain-size distributions and the major-element composition for 37 samples and the trace and rare earth element composition for the coarse (75-500 μm) and fine (< 75 μm) fractions of all samples are determined. The results reveal the following: (1) the fine fractions of the deposits contain more environmental information, suggesting that the fine fractions cannot be directly compared between different climate zones for provenance identification and that appropriate coarse fractions, based on the grain-size distribution of the targeted sediments, are more ideal for tracing sediment sources; and (2) geochemical characteristics of various sediment types show spatial heterogeneity. The coarse and fine fractions of the loose sediment samples can be divided into two regional groups based on geochemical characteristics: the Maquanhe zone in the upper reach, the Xigaze, Shannan and Mainling zone in the middle reach, which is consistent with the geological background of the YZRB; (3) aeolian deposits in the YZRB are a local origin and predominantly derived from the adjacent loose sediments, and fluvial sediments in the upper reach contribute little to the aeolian sands in the middle reach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]