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Abstract Clematis nannophylla is a perennial shrub of Clematis with ecological, ornamental, and medicinal value, distributed in the arid and semi-arid areas of northwest China. This study successfully determined the chloroplast (cp) genome of C. nannophylla, reconstructing a phylogenetic tree of Clematis. This cp genome is 159,801 bp in length and has a typical tetrad structure, including a large single-copy, a small single-copy, and a pair of reverse repeats (IRa and IRb). It contains 133 unique genes, including 89 protein-coding, 36 tRNA, and 8 rRNA genes. Additionally, 66 simple repeat sequences, 50 dispersed repeats, and 24 tandem repeats were found; many of the dispersed and tandem repeats were between 20–30 bp and 10–20 bp, respectively, and the abundant repeats were located in the large single copy region. The cp genome was relatively conserved, especially in the IR region, where no inversion or rearrangement was observed, further revealing that the coding regions were more conserved than the noncoding regions. Phylogenetic analysis showed that C. nannophylla is more closely related to C. fruticosa and C. songorica. Our analysis provides reference data for molecular marker development, phylogenetic analysis, population studies, and cp genome processes to better utilise C. nannophylla.

ABSTRACT About 35% of grassland in Sanjiangyuan area of China has degenerated into black‐soil mountain. Artificial grassland is considered to be an effective measure to alleviate the severely degraded grassland in the alpine region of the three rivers and has been widely used. However, the pattern, potential function, and changes of carbon and nitrogen contents of soil microorganisms in degraded grassland in Heimushan by planting artificial grassland are still unclear. In this study, mixed‐sown artificial alpine grassland (AG) was the focus of our study, whereas degraded black‐soil mountain grassland (BG) and natural alpine grassland (NG) served as controls. Illumina 16S and ITS gene sequence analyses were used to analyze the community structure of the soil bacteria and fungi. The functional groups of NG, AG, and BG were predicted using the FAPROTAX and FUNGuild databases. In addition, the levels of soil carbon, nitrogen, and soil enzyme activities were evaluated. The results indicated a significant increase in the aboveground biomass of BG due to the planting artificial grassland. Moreover, the contents of total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), ammonium nitrogen (NH4+−N), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), and leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) increased in the soil. Planting artificial grasslands changed the composition of bacterial and fungal communities. Among these, the bacterial community was more sensitive to planting artificial grasslands. The relative abundance of bacterial functional groups involved in carbon and nitrogen cycling changed significantly, suggesting that bacteria may play a role in regulating nutrient cycling during artificial grassland planting. Soil TC, TN, LAP, and NH4+−N affected the microbial community structure related to carbon and nitrogen. NH4+−N and β‐1,4‐glucosidase were carbon and nitrogen factors, respectively, that affected functional changes in fungi. These results indicate that planting artificial grasslands can effectively enhance the productivity of degraded black‐soil mountain and regulate soil microbial communities and soil physical and chemical properties.

Abstract Despite the initial efficacy of enzalutamide in castration‐resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), inevitable resistance remains a significant challenge. Here, the synergistic induction of copper‐dependent cell death (cuproptosis) in CRPC cells is reported by enzalutamide and copper ionophores (elesclomol/disulfiram). Mechanistically, enzalutamide treatment increases mitochondrial dependence in CRPC cells, rendering them susceptible to cuproptosis, as evidenced by specific reversal with the copper chelator tetrathiomolybdate. This susceptibility is characterized by hallmarks of cuproptosis, including lipoylated protein aggregation and iron‐sulfur cluster protein instability. Interestingly, the mitochondrial matrix reductase, FDX1, specifically correlates with elesclomol sensitivity, suggesting a potential mechanistic divergence between the two copper ionophores. Notably, this synergistic effect extends beyond in vitro models, demonstrating efficacy in 22Rv1 xenografts, mouse Pten p53 knockout organoids. Importantly, enzalutamide significantly enhances copper ionophore‐mediated cytotoxicity in enzalutamide‐resistant cells. Collectively, these findings indicate that enzalutamide and copper ionophores synergistically induce cuproptosis, offering a promising therapeutic avenue for CRPC, potentially including enzalutamide‐resistant cases.

Abstract Reaumuria songarica, a drought‐resistant shrub, is widely distributed and plays a crucial role in the northern deserts of China. It is a key species for desert rehabilitation and afforestation efforts. Using the Maxent model to predict suitable planting areas for R. songarica is an important strategy for combating desertification. With 184 occurrence points of R. songarica and 13 environmental variables, the optimized Maxent model has identified the main limiting factors for its distribution. Distribution patterns and variation trends of R. songarica were projected for current and future climates (2030s, 2050s, 2070s, and 2090s) and different scenarios (ssp_126, ssp_370, and ssp_585). Results show that setting parameters to RM (regulation multiplier) = 4 and FC (feature combination) = LQHPT yields a model with good accuracy and high reliability. Currently, R. songarica is primarily suitable for desert control in eight provinces and autonomous regions, including Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Ningxia. The total suitable planting area is 148.80 × 104 km2, representing 15.45% of China's land area. Precipitation (Precipitation of the wettest month, Precipitation of the warmest quarter, and Annual precipitation) and Ultraviolet‐B seasonality are the primary environmental factors limiting the growth and distribution of R. songarica. Mean temperature of the warmest quarter is the primary factor driving changes in the distribution of suitable areas for R. songarica under future climate scenarios. In future climate scenarios, the suitable planting area of R. songarica will shrink, and the distribution center will shift towards higher latitude, potentially indicate further desertification. The area of highly suitable habitat has increased, while moderately and less suitable habitat areas have decreased. Increased precipitation within R. songarica's water tolerance range is favorable for its growth and reproduction. With changes in the suitable cultivation area for R. songarica, priority should be given to exploring and utilizing its germplasm resources. Introduction and cultivation can be conducted in expanding regions, while scientifically effective measures should be implemented to protect germplasm resources in contracting regions. The findings of this study provide a theoretical basis for addressing desertification resulting from climate change and offer practical insights for the development, utilization, introduction, and cultivation of R. songarica germplasm resources.

Due to current global population growth, resource shortages, and climate change, traditional agricultural models face major challenges. Precision agriculture (PA), as a way to realize the accurate management and decision support of agricultural production processes using modern information technology, is becoming an effective method of solving these challenges. In particular, the combination of remote sensing technology and machine learning algorithms brings new possibilities for PA. However, there are relatively few comprehensive and systematic reviews on the integrated application of these two technologies. For this reason, this study conducts a systematic literature search using the Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and PubMed databases and analyzes the integrated application of remote sensing technology and machine learning algorithms in PA over the last 10 years. The study found that: (1) because of their varied characteristics, different types of remote sensing data exhibit significant differences in meeting the needs of PA, in which hyperspectral remote sensing is the most widely used method, accounting for more than 30% of the results. The application of UAV remote sensing offers the greatest potential, accounting for about 24% of data, and showing an upward trend. (2) Machine learning algorithms displays obvious advantages in promoting the development of PA, in which the support vector machine algorithm is the most widely used method, accounting for more than 20%, followed by random forest algorithm, accounting for about 18% of the methods used. In addition, this study also discusses the main challenges faced currently, such as the difficult problems regarding the acquisition and processing of high-quality remote sensing data, model interpretation, and generalization ability, and considers future development trends, such as promoting agricultural intelligence and automation, strengthening international cooperation and sharing, and the sustainable transformation of achievements. In summary, this study can provide new ideas and references for remote sensing combined with machine learning to promote the development of PA.

IntroductionSeed traits related to recruitment directly affect plant fitness and persistence. Understanding the key patterns and influencing factors of seed trait variations is conducive to assessing plant colonization and habitat selection. However, the variation patterns of the critical seed traits of shrub species are usually underrepresented and disregarded despite their vital role in alpine desert ecosystems.MethodsThis study gathered seeds from 21 Asterothamnus centraliasiaticus populations across the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, analyzing geographical patterns of seed traits to identify external environmental influences. Additionally, it explored how seed morphology and nutrients affect germination stress tolerance, elucidating direct and indirect factors shaping seed trait variations.ResultsThe results present substantial intraspecific variations in the seed traits of A. centraliasiaticus. Seed traits except seed length-to-width ratio (LWR) all vary significantly with geographic gradients. In addition, the direct and indirect effects of climatic variables and soil nutrients on seed traits were verified in this study. Climate mainly influences seed nutrients, and soil nutrients significantly affect seed morphology and seed nutrients. Furthermore, climate directly impacts seed germination drought tolerance index (GDTI) and germination saline-alkali tolerance index (GSTI). Seed germination cold tolerance index (GCTI) is influenced by climate and soil nutrients (mostly SOC). GDTI and GSTI are prominently influenced by seed morphology (largely the seed thousand-grain weight (TGW)), and GCTI is evidently affected by seed nutrients (mainly the content of soluble protein (CSP)).DiscussionThe findings of this study amply explain seed trait variation patterns of shrubs in alpine desert ecosystems, possessing significant importance for understanding the mechanism of shrub adaptation to alpine desert ecosystems, predicting the outcomes of environmental change, and informing conservation efforts. This study can be a valuable reference for managing alpine desert ecosystems on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

Abstract Background Prescribing the optimal antipsychotic treatment to schizophrenia is very important as it is well established that patients have different sensitivity to the available antipsychotic drugs. The genotype of the HTR2A T102C (rs6313) polymorphism has been suggested to affect the efficacy of antipsychotic drugs, but the results of different studies have been inconsistent Methods In this study, a meta-analysis was used to ascertain the association between allele and genotype polymorphism of rs6313 and the efficacy of antipsychotic drugs. Related studies publicated from January 1995 to December 2021 were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science databases. The correlations between allele and genotype polymorphism of rs6313 and the responder rate and scale score reduction rate of antipsychotics were analyzed. In addition, subgroup analyses were performed on time, drug, and ethnicity. Results A total of 18 studies were included. The meta-analysis showed that allele and genotype polymorphisms at the rs6313 locus overall were not associated with antipsychotic drug responder rate or scale score reduction rate. Ethnicity subgroup analysis showed that antipsychotic drugs were more effective in patients with allele T in the Caucasian population. Indian patients with the TT genotype had the lowest scale score reduction rate and poor drug treatment effect. East Asian patients with the TC genotype had better treatment effect, whereas in patients with the CC genotype, the treatment was less effective. Drug subgroup analysis showed that patients with the TC genotype treated with clozapine had the highest responder rate and score reduction rate. Conclusions The association between rs6313 polymorphism and the efficacy of antipsychotic drugs is mainly influenced by drug and ethnicity. Caucasian patients with the T allele respond better to drug therapy, and Asian patients with TC genotype. The TC genotype was also a good predictor of the efficacy of clozapine treatment.

Dissolution of lithium cobalt oxide (LCO) is the key step for the recovery of valuable metals (e.g., Co and Li) from spent LCO-based lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the dissolution process of LCO either needs toxic solvents, and high temperature, or shows low efficiency. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are potential green solvents to dissolve LCO. Here, DESs with polyethylene glycol (PEG) as hydrogen bond acceptor and ascorbic acid (AA) as hydrogen bond donor are found to dissolve LCO with 84.2% Co leaching efficiency at 80 oC and 72 h, which is higher than that from the reported references by common DESs. Furthermore, both DESs components (i.e., PEG and AA) are cheap, biodegradable, and biocompatible. AA could be easily and abundantly extracted from natural fruits or vegetables. It provides a new guide for the green, mild, and efficient dissolution of LCO aiming at sustainable recovery of spent LIBs.

The frequent occurrence of global climate change and natural disasters highlights the importance of precision agricultural monitoring, yield forecasting, and early warning systems. The data assimilation method provides a new possibility to solve the problems of low accuracy of yield prediction, strong dependence on the field, and poor adaptability of the model in traditional agricultural applications. Therefore, this study makes a systematic literature retrieval based on Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and PubMed databases, introduces in detail the assimilation strategies based on many new remote sensing data sources, such as satellite constellation, UAV, ground observation stations, and mobile platforms, and compares and analyzes the progress of assimilation models such as compulsion method, model parameter method, state update method, and Bayesian paradigm method. The results show that: (1) the new remote sensing platform data assimilation shows significant advantages in precision agriculture, especially in emerging satellite constellation remote sensing and UAV data assimilation. (2) SWAP model is the most widely used in simulating crop growth, while Aquacrop, WOFOST, and APSIM models have great potential for application. (3) Sequential assimilation strategy is the most widely used algorithm in the field of agricultural data assimilation, especially the ensemble Kalman filter algorithm, and hierarchical Bayesian assimilation strategy is considered to be a promising method. (4) Leaf area index (LAI) is considered to be the most preferred assimilation variable, and the study of soil moisture (SM) and vegetation index (VIs) has also been strengthened. In addition, the quality, resolution, and applicability of assimilation data sources are the key bottlenecks that affect the application of data assimilation in the development of precision agriculture. In the future, the development of data assimilation models tends to be more refined, diversified, and integrated. To sum up, this study can provide a comprehensive reference for agricultural monitoring, yield prediction, and crop early warning by using the data assimilation model.

The increasing carbon dioxide emissions from human activities present a significant global concern, with approximately two-thirds of greenhouse gas emissions attributed to household activities. The Carbon Generalized System of Preferences (CGSP) has emerged as a pivotal mechanism to incentivize voluntary carbon reduction in community households. This paper examines the development of a community digital management platform designed to incentivize voluntary carbon reduction at the community level, highlighting the critical role of reducing emissions in urban community life to meet carbon peak and neutrality targets. This study employs the TAO model of Three-Way Decision to establish a closed-loop operational framework for the CGSP digital platform. The platform features a Trisection mechanism to record and quantify low-carbon behaviors, an Action mechanism to classify and reward community members, and an Outcome mechanism to assess overall community carbon reduction achievements. Additionally, a user interface tailored for community users is developed to enhance platform accessibility. The proposed platform presents a practical and innovative solution for exploring emission reduction potential in urban communities. By systematically recording low-carbon behaviors, providing targeted rewards, and conducting comprehensive assessments, the platform aims to guide community residents in adopting sustainable practices. This study offers a valuable reference for the digital transformation, intelligent system construction, and development of new urban functional units within communities.

Combined with vortex light and airglow, some different physical phenomena are presented in this paper. Based on the ground-based airglow imaging interferometer (GBAII) made by our group, a liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) device on one arm of a wide-angle Michelson interferometer (MI) of the GBAII is replaced by the reflector mirror to become the GBAII-LCoS system. LCoS generates a vortex phase to convert a Gaussian profile airglow into a vortex light pattern. After the Gaussian profile vortex light equation is obtained by combining the Gaussian profile airglow with the Laguerre–Gauss light, three different physical phenomena are obtained: the simulated Gaussian vortex airglow beam exhibits a hollow phenomenon with the introduction of the vortex phase, and as the topological charge (TC) l increases, the hollow range also increases; after adding the vortex factor, the interference fringe intensity can be ‘broadened’ with the optical path difference (OPD) and TC l increases, which match the field broadening technology for solid wide-angle MI; the ‘Four-point algorithm’ wind measurement for the upper atmosphere based on the vortex airglow is derived, which is different from the usual expressions. Some experimental results are presented: We obtained the influence modes of vortex light interference and a polarization angle from 335° to 245°. We also obtained a series of interference images that verifies the rotation of the vortex light, onto which is loaded a set of superimposed vortex phase images with TC l = 3 into LCoS in turn, and the interference image is rotated under the condition of the polarization angle of 245°. The controlled vortex interference image for different TC and grayscale values are completed.

Abstract Multiple kernel subspace clustering (MKSC) has attracted intensive attention since its powerful capability of exploring consensus information by generating a high-quality affinity graph from multiple base kernels. However, the existing MKSC methods still exist the following limitations: (1) they essentially neglect the high-order correlations hidden in different base kernels; and (2) they perform candidate affinity graph learning and consensus affinity graph learning in two separate steps, where suboptimal solution may be obtained. To alleviate these problems, a novel MKSC method, namely auto-weighted multiple kernel tensor clustering (AMKTC), is proposed. Specifically, AMKTC first integrates the consensus affinity graph learning and candidate affinity graph learning into a unified framework, where the optimal goal can be achieved by making these two learning processes negotiate with each other. Further, an auto-weighted fusion scheme with one-step manner is proposed to learn the final consensus affinity graph, where the reasonable weights will be automatically learned for each candidate graph. Finally, the essential high-order correlations between multiple base kernels can be captured by leveraging tensor-singular value decomposition (t-SVD)-based tensor nuclear norm constraint on a 3-order graph tensor. Experiments on seven benchmark datasets with eleven comparison methods demonstrate that our method achieves state-of-the-art clustering performance.

Abstract Microclimate heterogeneity in Southeast Asia and its implications for biodiversity remain understudied. We investigated microclimate changes between 1982 and 2017 using high‐resolution data and a patch‐mosaic model. Our findings reveal a decline in microclimate heterogeneity (as indicated by Shannon's diversity index) and a significant increase in elevation. Topographical factors (∼50.6%) and climatic factors (∼21.5%) primarily influenced the decline. Spatial heterogeneity weakened with larger moving windows and coarser grid‐scale data sets. Our study suggests that shifting mountainous microclimates play a crucial role in mediating biodiversity in Southeast Asia.

Abstract Overgrazing leads to grassland degradation and productivity decline. Rest‐grazing during the regreen‐up period can quickly restore grassland and fertilization is a common restoration strategy. However, the effects of rest‐grazing time and fertilization on soil microorganisms are unclear in the alpine grasslands. Therefore, the experiment of rest‐grazing time and fertilization was carried out to explore the response of soil microorganisms to rest‐grazing time and fertilization measures. A field control experiment with rest‐grazing time and fertilization as factors have been conducted from the time when grass returned to green till the livestock moved to the summer pasture in Dawu Town of Maqin County of China. The primary treatment we established was the five rest‐grazing time, including rest‐grazing time of 20 days, 30 days, 40 days, 50 days, and traditional grazing was used as a check group. At the same time, the secondary treatment was nitrogen addition of 300 kg·hm−2 in each primary treatment. The results showed that the total phospholipid fatty acid (total PLFA), actinomyces (Act), and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) showed an ever‐increasing biomass with the increase of rest‐grazing time and the highest was at 50 days of rest‐grazing, and they were all significantly higher than CK. In addition, soil microbial biomass carbon‐nitrogen ratio (MBC/MBN) had great influence on the change of microbial community. Applying nitrogen fertilizer can increase the maximum value of biomass of all PLFA groups and the biomass of all PLFA groups changed in an “inverted V” shape with the increase of rest‐grazing time. Besides, instead of MBC/MBN, NO3−‐N was positively correlated with the biomass of all PLFA groups, which actively regulated the trend of microbial functions. The longer rest‐grazing time is more conducive to the biomass of all PLFA groups. However, applying nitrogen fertilizer could break this pattern, namely, the 30 days rest‐grazing would be beneficial to the biomass of all PLFA groups. These findings provide key information that rest‐grazing during the regreen‐up period is benefiscial to the all PLFA groups and fertilization could change the response of microorganisms to rest‐grazing, which provide reference measures for the restoration of degraded alpine meadows.

To enhance the precision of detecting defects on steel plate surfaces and diminish the incidences of false detection and leakage, the ESI-YOLOv8 algorithm is introduced. This algorithm introduces a novel EP module and integrates the large separation convolutional attention module and the spatial pyramid pooling module to propose the SPPF-LSKA module. Additionally, the original CIOU loss function is replaced with the INNER-CIOU loss function. The EP module minimizes redundant computations and model parameters to optimize efficiency and simultaneously increases the multi-scale fusion mechanism to expand the sensory field. The SPPF-LSKA module reduces computational complexity, accelerates model operation speed, and improves detection accuracy. Additionally, the INNER-CIOU loss function can improve detection speed and model accuracy by controlling the scale size of the auxiliary border.The results of the experiment indicate that, following the improvements made, the algorithm’s detection accuracy has increased to 78%, which is 3.7% higher than the original YOLOv8. Furthermore, the model parameters were reduced, and the verification was conducted using the CoCo dataset, resulting in an average accuracy of 77.8%. In conclusion, the algorithm has demonstrated its ability to perform steel plate surface defect detection with efficiency and accuracy.

Fraxinus angustifolia is a type of street tree and shade tree with ornamental value. It has a beautiful shape and yellow or reddish purple autumn leaves, but its leaf color formation mechanism and molecular regulation network need to be studied. In this study, we integrated the metabolomes and transcriptomes of stage 1 (green leaf) and stage 2 (red-purple leaf) leaves at two different developmental stages to screen differential candidate genes and metabolites related to leaf color variation. The results of stage 1 and stage 2 transcriptome analysis showed that a total of 5,827 genes were differentially expressed, including 2,249 upregulated genes and 3,578 downregulated genes. Through functional enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes, we found that they were involved in flavonoid biosynthesis, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, pigment metabolism, carotene metabolism, terpenoid biosynthesis, secondary metabolite biosynthesis, pigment accumulation, and other biological processes. By measuring the metabolites of Fraxinus angustifolia leaves, we found the metabolites closely related to the differentially expressed genes in two different periods of Fraxinus angustifolia, among which flavonoid compounds were the main differential metabolites. Through transcriptome and metabolomics data association analysis, we screened nine differentially expressed genes related to anthocyanins. Transcriptome and qRT-PCR results showed that these nine genes showed significant expression differences in different stages of the sample, and we speculate that they are likely to be the main regulatory factors in the molecular mechanism of leaf coloration. This is the first time that we have analyzed the transcriptome combination metabolome in the process of leaf coloration of Fraxinus angustifolia, which has important guiding significance for directional breeding of colored-leaf Fraxinus species and will also give new insights for enriching the landscape.

To illustrate the erosion mechanism of the edge aperture by high-energy ions, a three-dimension simulation model was established, and a particle-in-cell method was applied in tracking the hitting processes as well as a Monte Carlo collision method was used to deal with the particles’ collision. Numerical results showed that the potentials interacted among the sheaths of adjacent holes and the beam ions were over-focused in the accelerator gap, causing some ions to be intercepted on the downstream wall of the decelerator grid. This was a typical under-perveance characteristic of the beam current, operating at significantly less than the optimal perveance and corresponding to lower beam currents than optimal combination, which pushed the sheath to the left farther into the plasma. The farther the grid was, the more serious erosion patterns developed. In addition, the charge exchange ions were attracted and bombarded on the decelerator and the accelerator grids, respectively. The ion optics of the 30 cm ion thruster was optimized from four-zone to three-zone, where the plasma density upstream of the screen grid was increased by 1.5% and the perveance characteristics of the beam ions were improved such that many ions struck the edge hole. The background pressure was reduced from 3.0 × 10−3 to 8.0 × 10−4 Pa to decrease the erosion depths of the grids caused by the charge exchange ions, about 9.09% and two orders of magnitude, respectively, for the accelerator and decelerator grids.

This research work delves into the potential impact of occupational stress on the mental health, performance, and job satisfaction of civil aviation pilots. To explore this triadic relationship, a battery of six distinct scales was employed, including the Chinese Civil Aviation Pilot Occupational Stress Scale, the Symptom Check List-90 (SCL-90), the Flight Performance Scale, the Job Satisfaction Scale, the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ), and the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ). A total of 131 valid questionnaires were collected for analysis, yielding a valid response rate of 65.5%. The findings demonstrate a negative correlation between occupational stress experienced by Chinese civil aviation pilots and their mental health, performance, and job satisfaction. Notably, a positive coping style was identified as a moderator in the relationship between occupational stress and flight performance, effectively mitigating the negative impact of stress on flight performance. Similarly, a negative coping style was found to moderate the relationship between occupational stress and job satisfaction, attenuating the adverse effects of occupational stress on job satisfaction. This study underscores the predictive utility of investigating the occupational stress experienced by pilots for understanding their mental health, performance, and job satisfaction. Furthermore, it highlights the potential for adjusting the negative impact of occupational stress on flight performance and job satisfaction through interventions that target pilots’ coping styles.

The alpine sandy dune ecosystem is highly vulnerable to global climate change. Ecological stoichiometry in plants and soils plays a crucial role in biogeochemical cycles, energy flow and functioning in ecosystems. The alpine sandy dune ecosystem is highly vulnerable to global climate change. However, the stoichiometric changes and correlations of plants and soils among different types of sandy dunes have not been fully explored. Three sandy dune types (moving dune, MD; semifixed dune, SFD; and fixed dune, FD) of the Sophora moorcroftiana shrub in the middle reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River were used as the subjects in the current study. Plant community characteristics, soil physicochemical properties, carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) contents of leaves, understorey herbs, litter, and soil microbes were evaluated to explore the C:N:P stoichiometry and its driving factors. Sandy dune type significant affected on the C:N:P stoichiometry in plants and soils. High soil N:P ratio was observed in FD and high plant C:P and N:P ratios in SFD and MD. The C:N ratio decreased with sand dune stabilization compared with other stoichiometric ratios of soil resources. Leaf C:P and N:P ratios in S. moorcroftiana were higher than those in the understorey herb biomass, because of the low P concentrations in leaves. C, N and P contents and stoichiometry of leaves, understorey herbs, litter and microbe were significantly correlated with the soil C, N and P contents and stoichiometry, with a higher correlation for soil N:P ratio. P was the mainly limiting factor for the growth of S. moorcroftiana population in the study area and its demand became increasingly critical with the increase in shrub age. The variation in the C:N:P stoichiometry in plants and soils was mainly modulated by the soil physicochemical properties, mainly for soil moisture, pH, available P and dissolved organic C. These findings provide key information on the nutrient stoichiometry patterns, element distribution and utilization strategies of C, N and P and as well as scrubland restoration and management in alpine valley sand ecosystems.

Plant growth and development are closely related to water availability. Water deficit and water excess are detrimental to plants, causing a series of damage to plant morphology, physiological and biochemical processes. In the long evolutionary process, plants have evolved an array of complex mechanisms to combat against stressful conditions. In the present study, the duration-dependent changes in ascorbate (AsA) and glutathione (GSH) contents and activities of enzymes involved in the AsA-GSH cycle in hairgrass (Deschampsia caespitosa) in response to water stress was investigated in a pot trial using a complete random block design. The treatments were as follows: (1) heavily waterlogging, (2) moderate waterlogging, (3) light waterlogging, (4) light drought, (5) moderate drought, (6) heavily drought, and (7) a control (CK) with plant be maintained at optimum water availability. The hairgrass plants were subjected to waterlogging or drought for 7, 14, 21 and 28 days and data were measured following treatment. Results revealed that hairgrass subjected to water stress can stimulate enzymatic activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione reductase (GR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR) and L-galactono-1, 4-lactone dehydrogenase (GalLDH), switched on the ascorbate-glutathione (AsA-GSH) cycle and the L-galactose synthesis, up-regulated the contents of AsA and GSH, and maintained higher ratios of ascorbate to dehydroascorbate (AsA/DHA) and reduced glutathione to oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) to alleviate potential oxidative damage. However, the light waterlogging did not induce hairgrass under stress to switch on the AsA-GSH pathway. In general, the critic substances and enzyme activities in AsA-GSH metabolic pathway increased as the increase of water stress intensity. As the increase of exposure duration, the critic antioxidant substances content and enzyme activities increased first and then maintained a relatively stable higher level. Our findings provide comprehensive information on biochemical responses of hairgrass to hydrological change, which would be a major step for accelerating ecological restoration of degradation alpine marshes in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

Objective: To compare the degree of agreement and consistency of urodynamic studies (UDS) with low urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) questionnaires for evaluating LUTS in cervical cancer patients following radical hysterectomy (RH) and pelvic lymphadenectomy. Methods: From January 2012 to March 2015, 204 cervical cancer patients who underwent RH in 13 hospitals were evaluated using the Incontinence Questionnaire-Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (ICIQ-FLUTS) and the Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS). Urodynamic tests were also performed on these patients during the same period. Results: Study participants’ age ranged from 23 to 75 years, with a mean (standard deviation) of 48.0 ​± ​9.3 years. Using questionnaires, the prevalence of patients with LUTS symptoms, including storage symptoms, voiding symptoms, stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and overactive bladder (OAB) was 86.3%, 77.0%, 62.7%, 52.9% and 14.7%, respectively. For UDS, the corresponding prevalence was 89.7%, 70.1%, 66.7%, 46.6% and 13.2%, respectively. The diagnostic concordance of questionnaires and UDS for storage symptoms, voiding symptoms, SUI and OAB was 79.9%, 66.7%, 66.7%, 57.4% and 79.9%, respectively. For voiding symptoms, the correlation coefficient was 0.272, which was higher than that of storage symptoms, SUI and OAB. Conclusions: In cervical cancer patients who have undergone RH, there was a moderate degree of agreement between UDS and symptom questionnaires in evaluating LUTS, but the consistency was poor. Medical personnel should be adequately trained in UDS to ensure LUTS are adequately diagnosed in patients.

“Pits-and-grooves” patterns on the downstream accelerator grid surface had a severe effect on the thruster life; however, the sputtering patterns on the decelerator grid upstream surface were also observed after the thruster worked for over 3000 h. Reduction of the thruster diameter was adapted to prevent the erosion rate at the decelerator grid, but it decreased the thruster performance. Therefore, balancing the lifetime and performance was so critical for the optimization design of ion thruster. A three-dimension numerical model was established, and a Particle-In Cell-Monte-Carlo-Collision method was applied to investigating the hitting process and sputtering mechanism of a 30 cm ion thruster. Based on the experimental beam ion density profile in the plume, ion optics was divided into three regions, where the center region accounted for 73.3% of the effective extraction diameter of 30 cm. Beam ions in the center and the center-edge region were focused very well, and no ions striked directly on any grid surface, whereas ions at the edge were under-focused and had a cross-over interception. Decreasing the screen grid diameter from 13 to 12 could reduce the maximum erosion depth of the decelerator grid from 1.0 × 10−3 to 9.0 × 10−4, which only resulted in a 0.03% decrease of thruster performance. The maximum erosion depth of the accelerator grid caused by charge exchange xenon ion bombardment was 1.0 × 10−3 locating in the center region, which was twice that of 9.0 × 10−4. Improving the flatness was the way to extend the thruster lifetime. The maximum error of simulation was about 4.38%. The simulation results can provide technical reference for the optimization design of the ion thruster.

To obtain the acceleration characteristics of frictional collision between potato and rod, and reveal the mechanism of potato peel damage, a frictional collision test rig was designed to conduct single factor test and peel damage threshold test. Results showed that the maximum frictional collision acceleration (MFCA) decreased linearly with the increase of potato mass and increased linearly with the increase of initial height. The MFCA of potato colliding with the horizontal rod was smaller than that with the vertical rod, and the MFCA with the rolling rod was smaller than that with the fixed rod. The MFCA decreased in turn when potato was collided with 65Mn-rubber, 65Mn-plastic and 65Mn. The acceleration threshold of peel damage for 250 g potato was the smallest when it collided with 65Mn rod fixed in the horizontal direction from 50 mm height, which was 15.56 m/s2. The acceleration threshold was the largest for the collision with 65Mn-rubber rod fixed in the vertical direction, which was 113.6 m/s2. The research methods and conclusions of this article provided a basis for the analysis of potato peel damage mechanism, and also provided a reference method for researches on the peel damage of solid–like agricultural materials and food.

Abstract Background The loss of ovarian function in women, referred to as premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), is associated with a series of concomitant diseases. POI is genetically heterogeneous, and in most cases, the etiology is unknown. Methods Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed on DNA samples obtained from patients with POI, and Sanger sequencing was used to validate the detected potentially pathogenic variants. An in silico analysis was carried out to predict the pathogenicity of the variants. Results We recruited 24 patients with POI and identified variants in POI-related genes in 14 patients, including bi-allelic mutations in DNAH6, HFM1, EIF2B2, BNC, and LRPPRC and heterozygous variants in BNC1, EIF2B4, FOXL2, MCM9, FANCA, ATM, EIF2B3, and GHR. No variants in the above genes were detected in the WES data obtained from 29 women in a control group without POI. Determining a clear genetic etiology could significantly increase patient compliance with appropriate intervention strategies. Conclusions Our study confirmed that POI is a genetically heterogeneous condition and that whole-exome sequencing is a powerful tool for determining its genetic etiology. The results of this study will aid researchers and clinicians in genetic counseling and suggests the potential of WES for the detection of POI and thus early interventions for patients with POI.

Abstract Osteosarcoma is a primary malignant bone tumor, which affects children, adolescents, and young adults commonly. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been proved to be dysregulated in different cancers, including osteosarcoma. Although miR‐320a has been implicated in many types of malignancies, little is known about the role of miR‐320a in osteosarcoma. In this study, we show that the overexpression of miR‐320a or knockdown of cytoplasmic polyadenylation element‐binding protein 1 (CPEB1) inhibited osteosarcoma cell migration and invasion. miR‐320a downregulates CPEB1 expression by directly targeting the CPEB1 3′‐UTR. Furthermore, CPEB1 reintroduction reversed the antiproliferation, antimigration, and antiinvasion roles of miR‐320a, indicating that miR‐320a might function as a tumor suppressor in osteosarcoma through CPEB1. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that miR‐320a plays a critical role in osteosarcoma progression and may provide a potential therapeutic target for osteosarcoma.

Abstract Background The cancer cell metastasis and the acquisition of chemotherapy resistance remain huge challenge for ovarian cancer treatment. Previously, N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2 (NDRG2) serves as a tumor suppressor for many cancers. Here, we attempted to investigate the specific roles of NDRG2 in ovarian cancer. Methods The expression levels of NDRG2 were detected by qRT-PCR or Immunoblotting. CCK-8 assay was employed to examine the cell viability of ovarian cancer cells. The colony formation ability was determined by colony formation assay. Flow cytometry analyses were performed to detect the cell apoptosis and cell cycle. Xenograft tumor assay was performed to detect the in vivo function of NDRG2. Results We revealed that NDRG2 mRNA expression and protein levels were downregulated within both ovarian cancer tissues and cell lines. The overexpression of NDRG2 dramatically inhibited the cell viability and colony formation and tumor growth, whereas promoted the cell apoptosis, cell cycle arrest in G1 phase within ovarian cancer cells. More importantly, NDRG2 overexpression significantly enhanced the suppressive roles of cisplatin (DDP) in ovarian cancer cell viability. On the contrary, NDRG2 silence exerted opposing effects on ovarian cancer cells. Conclusions In summary, we provide a solid experimental basis demonstrating the tumor-suppressive effects of NDRG2 in inhibiting the cell proliferation, enhancing the cell apoptosis, eliciting the cell cycle arrest in G1 phase, and promoting the suppressive effects of DDP on the viability of ovarian cancer cells. NDRG2 administration presents a potent adjuvant treatment for ovarian cancer therapy.

Abstract Background Abdominal myomectomy (AM) and laparoscopic myomectomy (LM) are commonly see surgery for the uterine fibroids, several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have compared the role of AM and LM, the results remained inconsistent. Therefore, we attempted this meta-analysis to analyze the role of LM versus AM in patients with uterine fibroids. Methods We searched PubMed et al. databases from inception date to July 31, 2019 for RCTs that compared LM versus AM in patients with uterine fibroids. Two authors independently screened the studies and extracted data from the published articles. Summary odd ratios(OR) or mean differences(MD) with 95% confidence intervals(CI) were calculated for each outcome by means of fixed- or random-effects model. Results Twelve RCTs with a total of 1783 patients were identified, with 887 patients for and 897 patients for AM. Compared with AM, LM could significantly decrease the blood loss (OR = − 29.78, 95% CI -57.62– − 0.95), shorten the duration of postoperative ileus (OR = − 10.91, 95% CI -18.72– − 3.11), reduce the length of hospital stay (OR = − 1.57, 95% CI -2.05– − 1.08), but LM was associated with longer duration of operation (OR = 16.10, 95% CI 6.52–25.67) and higher medical cost (OR = 17.61, 95% CI 7.34–27.88). Conclusions LM seems to be a better choice for patients with uterine fibroids, more related studies are needed to identify the role of LM and AM for the treatment of uterine fibroids.

A novel bidirectional remotely controlled device for static and dynamic compression/decompression using diamond anvil cells (DACs) has been developed that can control pressure in an accurate and consistent manner. Electromechanical piezoelectric actuators are applied to a conventional DAC, allowing applications under a variety of pressure conditions. Using this static and dynamic DAC (s-dDAC), it is possible to addresses the poorly studied experimental regime lying between purely static and purely dynamic studies. The s-dDAC, driven by three piezoelectric actuators, can be combined with a time-resolved spectral measurement system and high-speed imaging device to study the structural changes, chemical reactions, and properties of materials under extreme conditions. The maximum compression/decompression rate or pressure range highly depends on the culet size of the anvil, and a higher compression rate and wider pressure range can be realized in a DAC with smaller anvil culet. With our s-dDAC, we have been able to achieve the highest compression rate to date with a 300 μm culet anvil: 48 TPa/s. An overview of a variety of experimental measurements possible with our device is presented.

Pilots are highly susceptible to anxiety symptoms due to the uncertainty of the dangers of aviation operations and the potential terror and insecurity that pilots experience over time. This research aims to understand the complex relationship between the occupational stress and group anxiety symptoms of Chinese civil aviation pilots, and to analyze the type A behavior pattern (TABP) as a mediator for both issues. The occupational stress, anxiety symptoms and TABP of Chinese civil aviation pilots are investigated by using questionnaires based on the effort-reward-imbalance (ERI) scale, the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and a TABP scale established based on Chinese people’s inherent characteristics. The study revealed that higher occupational stress experienced by Chinese civil aviation pilots exacerbated their anxiety symptoms, and that overcommitment and TABP mediated the relationship between occupational stress and anxiety symptoms.

Lycopene is an important natural red pigment with strong singlet oxygen and peroxide free radical quenching ability. Ethanol directly destroys the epithelial cells of gastric mucosa, causing oxidative damage and inflammation. To evaluate the effect of lycopene on the ethanol induced gastric injury, 112 adult male Kunming mice were randomly divided into normal control, lycopene control, gastric injury control, omeprazole (20 mg/kg) positive control, and lycopene experimental groups (at doses of 10, 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg body weight) in this study. The general and pathological evaluation, gastric secretion, as well as the levels of antioxidant and inflammatory factors were detected. In lycopene experimental groups, the amount of gastric juice were lower than that in the gastric injury control group; the levels of T-SOD, and the levels of MDA and inflammatory factors (MMP-9 and MCP-1) decreased. However, general and pathological evaluation of gastric tissues revealed that lycopene (especially at high doses) could aggravate acute gastric mucosal injury induced by ethanol. Therefore, lycopene (especially at high doses) aggravates acute gastric mucosal injury caused by ethanol, but this was not due to oxidative stress or inflammatory factors. In lycopene control group, the levels of MTL, T-SOD, and NO increased, but the levels of ALT and AST decreased, indicating that lycopene has a protective effect on the stomach and liver when ethanol wasn't taken. It reminds us that, when alcohol is consumed in large quantities, consumption of lycopene products should be carefully considered.

In deepwater gas well testing, the high-pressure and low-temperature environment in the wellbore provides conditions for hydrate formation. When the thermodynamic inhibitor is used, it needs a large amount and is difficult to inject. Low-dose hydrate inhibitors such as kinetic inhibitors are rarely used in high supercooling and natural gas–dominated environments. The mixed use of thermodynamic inhibitors and kinetic inhibitors provides a new way. By simulating the wellbore temperature and pressure conditions during the deepwater gas well testing, the inhibiting effect of the mixtures of PVCap and methanol with various concentrations was experimentally tested by using rocking cells with a step-cooling method at 21MPa. The effect of PVCap and its mixture with methanol on hydrate plugging was evaluated by monitoring the movement of slider in the rocking cell. The results showed that 5 wt%, 16 wt%, and 20 wt% methanol mixed with 0.5 wt% PVCap could prolong the induction time, and the higher the methanol concentration, the longer the hydrate induction time. Among them, the best combination of 20wt% methanol and 0.5wt% PVCap can inhibit the hydrate for 379 min. The hydrate was formed but did not block the rocking cell, indicating that the combination of PVCap and methanol could not only prolong the hydrate formation time but also avoid the blockage after hydrate formation. The hydrate formation rate with various inhibitor concentrations was calculated; it may provide some guidance for making a shut-in plan for on-site wells.

We previously determined that the cyclase inhibitor tripropylamine (TPA) significantly enhances lycopene accumulation in Blakeslea trispora. To elucidate the mechanism of TPA-enhanced lycopene accumulation, the untargeted metabolome of B. trispora treated with TPA was analyzed by UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS. Forty-two differential metabolites were identified, of which 15 significantly differential metabolites meeting the following parameters were screened: variable importance for the projection > 1, P < 0.05, and fold change > 1.5. The down-regulated metabolites were mainly cyclic dipeptides, bacteriostatic compounds, and lipids, while the up-regulated metabolites were mainly unsaturated fatty acid. Furthermore, the bacteriostatic ability was poor, the extracellular and intracellular pH levels were high, and hyphae with vesicles were swollen locally in B. trispora after treatment with TPA. Our data suggest that the TPA enhances lycopene accumulation not only by inhibiting the cyclization of β-carotene but also by down-regulating cyclic dipeptides for quorum sensing; up-regulating unsaturated fatty acids, 1-palmitoyl-2-hydroxy-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine, and 4-hydroxybenzoate and down-regulating choline, resulting in locally swelling mycelium with vacuoles; and down-regulating bacteriostatic metabolites for metabolic flux redistribution.

The complete chloroplast genome of Pennisetum centrasiaticum was sequenced and reported here. The total genome size was 138,294 bp in length, containing a large single-copy region of 81,229 bp, a small single-copy region of 12,419 bp, and a pair of inverted repeat regions of 22,288 bp. The GC content of P. centrasiaticum chloroplast genome was 38.6%. It encodes a total of 119 unique genes, including 81 protein-coding genes, 34 tRNA genes, and four rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis showed a strong sister relationship with Cenchrus ciliaris and Cenchrus purpureus. Our findings provide fundamental information for further evolutionary and phylogenetic researches of P. centrasiaticum.

Rigorous molecular characterization of biological systems has uncovered a variety of gene variations underlying normal and disease states and a remarkable complexity in the forms of RNA transcripts that exist. A recent concept, competitive endogenous RNA, suggests that some non-coding RNAs can bind to miRNAs to modulate their role in gene expression. Here, we used several platforms, integrating mRNA, non-coding RNAs and protein data to generate an RNA-protein network that may be dysregulated in human glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Publicly available microarray data for mRNA and miRNA were used to identify differentially expressed miRNAs and mRNAs in GBM relative to non-neoplastic tissue samples. Target miRNAs were further selected based on their prognostic significance, and the intersection of their target gene set with the differentially expressed gene set in Venn diagrams. Two miRNAs, miR-637 and miR-196a-5p, were associated with poor and better prognosis, respectively, in GBM patients. Non-coding RNAs, ENSG00000203739/ENSG00000271646 and TPTEP1, were predicted to be miRNA target genes for miR-637 and miR-196a-5p and positively correlated with the selected mRNA, CYBRD1 and RUFY2. A local protein interaction network was constructed using these two mRNAs. Predictions based on the ENSG00000203739/ENSG00000271646-miR-637-CYBRD1 and TPTEP1-miR-196a-5p-RUFY2 regulation axes indicated that the two proteins may act as an oncogene and tumor suppressor, respectively, in the development of GBM. These results highlight competitive endogenous RNA networks as alternative molecular therapeutic targets in the treatment of the disease.

Abstract Background Long non‐coding RNA (lncRNA) has been regarded as crucial regulator for cancer progression. Roles of KCNQ1 opposite strand/antisense transcript 1 (KCNQ1OT1) in cancers including osteosarcoma and colon cancer have been previously reported. However, its role in ovarian cancer (OC) remains unclear. Methods Expression level of KCNQ1OT1 on OC cells and normal cell was analyzed with quantitative real‐time PCR. Gain and loss‐of‐function experiments were performed to analyze the biological roles of KCNQ1OT1 in OC. Moreover, whether KCNQ1OT1 functions its role via mediating MICRORNA‐142‐5p (MIR‐142‐5p)/calpain 10 (CAPN10) axis was analyzed. In addition, effects of KCNQ1OT1, MIR‐142‐5p, and CAPN10 on overall survival of OC patients were analyzed at Kaplan–Meier plotter website. Results We showed KCNQ1OT1 was elevated expression in OC cells and indicated poorer overall survival of OC patients. Besides, we found KCNQ1OT1 could promote OC cell proliferation and migration in vitro. Moreover, MIR‐142‐5p was found reduced expression, while CAPN10 was found elevated expression in OC cells compared with normal cell. Kaplan–Meier curve analysis showed low MIR‐142‐5p or high CAPN10 expression were indicators for poorer overall survival of OC patients. At length, we showed KCNQ1OT1 could regulate OC development via MIR‐142‐5p/CAPN10 axis. Conclusions Taken together, KCNQ1OT1 upregulates CAPN10 expression via sponging MIR‐142‐5p, thus promoting the proliferation and migration of OC.

Cationic metal-organic frameworks provide promising opportunities to capture anionic pollutants, but stable frameworks with sufficiently large pores are lacking. Here the authors present a thorium-based mesoporous, cationic and hydrolytically-stable MOF that can rapidly trap inorganic and organic anionic pollutants.

Zirconium phosphonate based metal-organic frameworks often exhibit superior chemical stabilities, but typically exist as poorly crystalline or amorphous materials. Here the authors exploit an ionothermal method to obtain highly porous and remarkably stable single crystalline zirconium phosphonate frameworks that can efficiently remove uranyl ions from aqueous solutions.

In this study, immobilized COX-2 was successfully constructed through glutaraldehyde-mediated covalent coupling on functional silica gel microspheres. The optimum conditions, properties, and morphological characteristics of the immobilized COX-2 were investigated. The optimal immobilization process was as follows: about 0.02 g of aminated silica gel microspheres was activated by 0.25% GA solution for 6 h and mixed with 5 U of free recombinant COX-2 solution. Then, the mixture was shaken for 8 h at 20 °C. Results showed that the immobilized COX-2 produced by this method exhibited excellent biocatalytic activity, equivalent to that of free COX-2 under the test conditions employed. The best biocatalytic activity of immobilized COX-2 appeared at pH 8.0 and still maintained at about 84% (RSD < 7.39%, n = 3) at pH 10.0. For temperature tolerance, immobilized COX-2 exhibited its maximum biocatalytic activity at 40 °C and about 68% (RSD < 6.99%, n = 3) of the activity was maintained at 60 °C. The immobilized COX-2 retained over 85% (RSD < 7.26%, n = 3) of its initial biocatalytic activity after five cycles, and after 10 days storage, the catalytic activity of immobilized COX-2 still maintained at about 95% (RSD < 3.08%, n = 3). These characteristics ensured the convenient use of the immobilized COX-2 and reduced its production cost.

Nucleobase and nucleoside compounds exist widely in various organisms. An often occurring problem in the discovery of new bioactive compounds from natural products is reisolation of known nucleobase and nucleoside compounds. To resolve this problem, a capillary electrophoresis-high resolution mass spectrometry (CE-HR-MS) method providing both rapid separation and accurate mass full-scan MS data was developed for the first time to screen and dereplicate known nucleobase and nucleoside compounds in crude extracts of natural products. Instrumental parameters were optimized to obtain optimum conditions for CE separation and electrospray ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ESI-TOF/MS) detection. The proposed method was verified to be precise, reproducible, and sensitive. Using this method, known nucleobase and nucleoside compounds in different marine medicinal organisms including Syngnathus acus Linnaeus; Hippocampus japonicus Kaup and Anthopleura lanthogrammica Berkly were successfully observed and identified. This work demonstrates that CE-HR-MS combined with an accurate mass database may be used as a powerful tool for dereplicating known nucleobase and nucleoside compounds in different types of natural products. Rapid dereplication of known nucleobase and nucleoside compounds allows researchers to focus on other leads with greater potential to yield new substances.

We previously screened the novel gene Ds-26-16 from a 4 M salt-stressed Dunaliella salina cDNA library and discovered that this gene conferred salt tolerance to broad-spectrum organisms, including E. coli (Escherichia coli), Haematococcus pluvialis and tobacco. To determine the mechanism of this gene conferring salt tolerance, we studied the proteome of E. coli overexpressing the full-length cDNA of Ds-26-16 using the iTRAQ (isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification) approach. A total of 1,610 proteins were identified, which comprised 39.4% of the whole proteome. Of the 559 differential proteins, 259 were up-regulated and 300 were down-regulated. GO (gene ontology) and KEGG (Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes) enrichment analyses identified 202 major proteins, including those involved in amino acid and organic acid metabolism, energy metabolism, carbon metabolism, ROS (reactive oxygen species) scavenging, membrane proteins and ABC (ATP binding cassette) transporters, and peptidoglycan synthesis, as well as 5 up-regulated transcription factors. Our iTRAQ data suggest that Ds-26-16 up-regulates the transcription factors in E. coli to enhance salt resistance through osmotic balance, energy metabolism, and oxidative stress protection. Changes in the proteome were also observed in E. coli overexpressing the ORF (open reading frame) of Ds-26-16. Furthermore, pH, nitric oxide and glycerol content analyses indicated that Ds-26-16 overexpression increases nitric oxide content but has no effect on glycerol content, thus confirming that enhanced nitric oxide synthesis via lower intercellular pH was one of the mechanisms by which Ds-26-16 confers salt tolerance to E. coli.

We analyze Range-free localization algorithms of WSN and propose a new localization algorithm based on amendatory simulation curve fitting theory. Firstly, we present the current research status of localization technology and some improved Range-free localization algorithms based on the modification of hop distance and selection of anchors. Secondly, we analyze the disadvantages of those algorithms. Thirdly, we propose a new algorithm based on amendatory simulation curve fitting (ASCF) through selecting more accurate reference distance and anchors. The new algorithm can improve the localization accuracy. At last, simulation experiments are conducted, and the experimental results indicate that the new algorithm can enhance the localization accuracy efficiently.

The deterioration of alpine grassland has great impact on ecosystem services in the alpine region of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. However, the effect of grassland degradation on ecosystem services and the consequence of grassland deterioration on economic loss still remains a mystery. So, in this study, we assessed four types of ecosystem services following the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment classification, along a degradation gradient. Five sites of alpine grassland at different levels of degradation were investigated in Guoluo Prefecture of Qinghai Province, China. The species composition, aboveground biomass, soil total organic carbon (TOC), and soil total nitrogen (TN) were tested to evaluate major ecological services of the alpine grassland. We estimated the value of primary production, carbon storage, nitrogen recycling, and plant diversity. The results show the ecosystem services of alpine grassland varied along the degradation gradient. The ecosystem services of degraded grassland (moderate, heavy and severe) were all significantly lower than non-degraded grassland. Interestingly, the lightly degraded grassland provided more economic benefit from carbon maintenance and nutrient sequestration compared to non-degraded. Due to the destruction of the alpine grassland, the economic loss associated with decrease of biomass in 2008 was $198/ha. Until 2008, the economic loss caused by carbon emissions and nitrogen loss on severely degraded grassland was up to $8 033/ha and $13 315/ha, respectively. Urgent actions are required to maintain or promote the ecosystem services of alpine grassland in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

Land-cover datasets are crucial for earth system modeling and human-nature interaction research at local, regional and global scales. They can be obtained from remotely sensed data using image classification methods. However, in processes of image classification, spectral values have received considerable attention for most classification methods, while the spectral curve shape has seldom been used because it is difficult to be quantified. This study presents a classification method based on the observation that the spectral curve is composed of segments and certain extreme values. The presented classification method quantifies the spectral curve shape and takes full use of the spectral shape differences among land covers to classify remotely sensed images. Using this method, classification maps from TM (Thematic mapper) data were obtained with an overall accuracy of 0.834 and 0.854 for two respective test areas. The approach presented in this paper, which differs from previous image classification methods that were mostly concerned with spectral “value” similarity characteristics, emphasizes the "shape" similarity characteristics of the spectral curve. Moreover, this study will be helpful for classification research on hyperspectral and multi-temporal images.