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Water use efficiency (WUE) is key to linking the water, carbon, and nutrient cycles in terrestrial ecosystems. However, the coupling between WUE and leaf nutrients is still poorly understood in subtropical forests. Here, the stable carbon isotope technique was employed to estimate the leaf-scale WUE of five common tree species (Castanopsis eyrei, Symplocos laurina, Machilus grijsii, Ternstroemia gymnanthera, and Rhododendron ovatum) in different habitat types (i.e., hillside, near the top of the peak, and peak) in a subtropical broad-leaf evergreen forest on the western slope of Wuyi Mountain, southern China. In addition, leaf carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) contents were also measured to assess plant nutrient utilization and its relationship with WUE. From the hillside to the peak, soil water content showed a decreasing trend, whereas the soil total C, N, and P contents showed an increasing trend. Regardless of species, the leaf δ13Cp value and WUE showed an increasing trend from the hillside to the peak, mainly due to an increase in soil water deficit and light. The leaf N and P contents showed an increasing trend from hillside to peak due to an increase in soil nutrients, while the leaf C: N ratio, C:P ratio, and N:P ratio showed a decreasing trend. The regression analysis showed that leaf-scale WUE was positively correlated with the leaf N and P contents but negatively correlated with the leaf N:P ratio, especially for the three species (C. eyrei, S. laurina, and T. gymnanthera). These results indicated that the differences in soil water availability, light, and soil development resulting from different habitats have a significant impact on leaf-scale WUE and nutrient status on Wuyi Mountain. Therefore, there may be a close relationship between WUE and leaf nutrients, which would help us to better understand the water-, carbon-, and nutrient-coupled relationships for the evergreen broad-leaved tree species in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the field of spinal cord injury (SCI) have garnered significant attention for their potential applications in diagnosis and therapy. However, no bibliometric assessment has been conducted to evaluate the scientific progress in this area. A search of articles in Web of Science (WoS) from January 1, 1991, to May 1, 2023, yielded 359 papers that were analyzed using various online analysis tools. These articles have been cited 10,842 times with 30.2 times per paper. The number of publications experienced explosive growth starting in 2015. China and the United States led this research initiative. Keywords were divided into 3 clusters, including "Pathophysiology of SCI", "Bioactive components of EVs", and "Therapeutic effects of EVs in SCI". By integrating the average appearing year (AAY) of keywords in VoSviewer with the time zone map of the Citation Explosion in CiteSpace, the focal point of research has undergone a transformative shift. The emphasis has moved away from pathophysiological factors such as "axon", "vesicle", and "glial cell" to more mechanistic and applied domains such as "activation", "pathways", "hydrogels" and "therapy". In conclusions, institutions are expected to allocate more resources towards EVs-loaded hydrogel therapy and the utilization of innovative materials for injury mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calsequestrin 1 (CASQ1) is the most crucial Ca2+ binding protein localized in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of skeletal muscle. With high capacity and low affinity for Ca2+, CASQ1 plays a significant role in maintaining a large amount of Ca2+ necessary for muscle contraction. However, only five mutations in CASQ1 have been identified to date. Here, we report a 42‐year‐old Chinese female patient who presented with a 12 years history of slowly progressive upper limb weakness, predominantly affecting distal muscles, which was uncommon comparing to other CASQ1‐related patients. Next‐generation sequencing (NGS) analysis revealed a novel heterozygous mutation (c.766G > A, p.Val256Met) in CASQ1. Functional studies confirmed the likely pathogenicity of this variant. Muscle histopathology revealed rare optically empty vacuoles in myofibers and atypical eosinophilic granules in the cytoplasm, which has not been observed before. We also performed a literature review on all the pathogenic mutations in CASQ1 and summarized their genetic and clinical characteristics. This is the first report on CASQ1‐related myopathy from China, further expanding the mutation spectrum of CASQ1 gene and provides new insights into the function of CASQ1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Glycogen storage disease (GSDs) is characterized by abnormally inherited glycogen metabolism. GSD IXd, which is caused by mutations in the PHKA1 gene, is an X-linked rare disease with mild myopathic symptoms. To date, only 13 patients with GSD IXd have been reported. In this study, we aimed to expand the clinicopathological-genetic spectrum of GSD IXd at a neuromuscular center in China. Methods: Data on patients diagnosed with GSD IXd at our neuromuscular center were collected retrospectively. Clinical features, electrophysiology, muscle pathology, and genetic information were analyzed. Results: Between 2015 and 2021, three patients were diagnosed with GSD IXd based on clinical manifestations, pathological findings, and genetic testing. One patient presented with mitochondrial myopathy. All patients exhibited muscle weakness and elevated levels of creatine kinase. Electromyography-detected myopathic changes were found in two patients, whereas one patient refused to undergo this examination. Pathological examinations in all patients revealed subsarcolemmal accumulation of glycogen under PAS staining. All patients had mutations in the PHKA1 gene and the patient with mitochondrial myopathy also had a mutation in the MT-TL1 gene. Conclusion: Our study expands the clinicogenotype and phenotype of GSD IXd in a Chinese population. Our study also expands the known mutation spectrum for GSD IXd, contributing to a better characterization and understanding of this ultrarare neuromuscular disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS) encompasses a heterogeneous group of inherited disorders affecting nerve transmission across the neuromuscular junction. The aim of this study was to characterize the clinical, physiological, pathohistological and genetic features of nine unrelated Chinese patients with CMS from a single neuromuscular centre. A total of nine patients aged from neonates to 34 years were enrolled who exhibited initial symptoms. Physical examinations revealed that all patients exhibited muscle weakness. Muscle biopsies demonstrated multiple myopathological changes, including increased fibre size variation, myofibrillar network disarray, necrosis, myofiber grouping, regeneration, fibre atrophy and angular fibres. Genetic testing revealed six different mutated genes, including AGRN (2/9), CHRNE (1/9), GFPT1 (1/9), GMPPB (1/9), PLEC (3/9) and SCN4A (1/9). In addition, patients exhibited differential responses to pharmacological treatment. Prompt utilization of genetic testing will identify novel variants and expand our understanding of the phenotype of this rare syndrome. Our findings contribute to the clinical, pathohistological and genetic spectrum of congenital myasthenic syndrome in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ticks are an important group of arthropod vectors. Ticks pose a profound risk to public health by transmitting many types of microorganisms that are human and animal pathogens. With the development of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology and viral metagenomics, numerous novel viruses have been discovered in ticks and tick-related hosts. To fully understand the virus spectrum in ticks in the Zhoushan Archipelago of Zhejiang province in China, ticks were collected from Qushan Island, Zhoushan Island, and Daishan Island in the Zhoushan Archipelago in June 2016. NGS performed to investigate the diversity of tick-associated viruses identified 21 viral sequences. Twelve were pathogenic to humans and animals. Trough verification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) revealed the existence of three tick-associated viruses with extensive homology with Dabieshan, MG22, and Odaw virus. Other NGS-detected sequences that could not be amplified by PCR were highly homologous (92-100%) with known pathogenic viruses that included hepatitis B virus, papillomavirus, and human mastadenovirus C. This is the first study to systematically apply high throughput sequencing technology to explore the spectrum of viruses carried by ticks in the Zhoushan Archipelago. The findings are fundamental knowledge of the diversity of tick-associated viruses in this region and will inform strategies to monitor and prevent the spread of tick-borne diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GNE myopathy is a heterogeneous group of ultrarare neuromuscular disorders caused by mutations in the GNE gene. An estimated prevalence of 1~21/1,000,000 leads to a deficiency of data and a lack of availability of samples to conduct clinical research on this neuromuscular disorder. Although GNE, which is the mutated gene responsible for the disease, is well known as the key enzyme in the biosynthesis pathway of sialic acid, the clinicopathological‐genetic spectrum of GNE mutant patients is still unclear and expanding. This study presents ten unrelated patients with GNE myopathy, discovering five novel missense mutations. Clinical, electrophysiological, imaging, pathological and genetic data are presented in a retrospective manner. Interestingly, several patients in the cohort were found to have peripheral neuropathy and inflammatory cell infiltration in muscle biopsies, which have seldom been reported. This study, conducted by a neuromuscular centre in China, is the first attempt to highlight these abnormal clinicopathological features and associate them with genetic mutations in GNE myopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban greenspaces are recognized as a benefit to pollinator conservation. Selective planting of attractive flowering plants can improve the conservation value of urban greenspaces. However, the functional traits of flowering plants that moderate pollinator preference merits further study. We analyzed 98 ornamental plants and spontaneous plant species for ten categories of floral and plant traits across twelve parks or campus greenspaces in Wuhan, a megacity located in central China. Our results revealed that: (1) Plant species vary enormously in their pollinator visitation rate. (2) For Lepidoptera, the number of individuals to the plot was lower for disk/bowl-shaped flowers than other flower shapes, and it was negatively corelated with corolla tube length. The number of Diptera individuals to the plot was higher for white, red/pink and yellow/orange flowers than blue/violet flowers. (3) Honeybees preferred exotic annual/biennial herbaceous species, with disk/bowl and flag flowers. Solitary bees preferred horizontal, lip or flag flowers. Diptera most frequently visited upward-facing, yellow/orange flower heads and Lepidoptera preferred horizontal, funnel-shaped flowers or flower heads. Blue/violet flowers and a diverse floral orientation were preferred by most pollinator groups. We recommend planting native woody plants (Nandina domestica , Thymus quinquecostatus , Lagerstroemia indica , and Tamarix austromongolica) and attractive exotic plants (Centaurea cyanus, Borago officinalis, Portulaca grandiflora , and Echinacea purpurea) to support multiple pollinator groups. As preferences differ among pollinators, increasing the species richness of flowering plants is conducive to promote overall pollinator diversity. • Flower shape may be the most important floral traits for attracting pollinators of the flowering plants in urban greenspaces. • Some native woody plants and attractive exotic plants are recommended to enhance the value of urban greenspace in sustaining biodiversity for a subtropical city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The West Development Program, initiated in 2000 by the central government of China, has attracted huge investments in the arid and semiarid regions of northwest China. As a consequence of this development, environmental pollution and ecological degradation have been widely reported. The Silk Road economic belt proposed by China promotes further economic development in the regions, but rational planning and regular monitoring are essential to minimize any additional negative impacts of the anthropogenic activities. This article reports an investigation on the distribution, enrichment and sources of trace metals in the topsoil in and around the Ningxia Hengli Steel Wire Plant (HSWP) situated along the Silk Road economic belt. The concentrations of Cd, Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn, Ni, Mn, V and Co in the surface soils of the study area vary, respectively, in the following ranges: 0.083-18.600, 21.9-2681.0, 58.0-100.0, 14.6-169.9, 59.0-4207.3, 19.3-40.8, 411-711, 55.2-76.6 and 7.46-25.21 mg/kg. The concentrations of Cd, Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn and Co are significantly higher than their local background values. Pollution levels of these trace metals in the surface soils were assessed using contamination index (Cif), geo-accumulation index (Igeo), modified contamination degree (mCd) and pollution load index. The potential ecological risks caused by the metal pollution were assessed by means of potential ecological risk factor (Eif) and potential ecological risk index. The Spearman correlation and cluster analysis were applied to determine the contamination sources. The HSWP zone, associated with very high potential ecological risk caused by Pb and Cd, is more seriously contaminated by trace metals than the residential zone. This study indicates that Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn and Co mainly originate from industrial pollution, whereas Cr, Mn, Ni and V result from both industrial activities and natural processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mortality rate higher than 90 % was observed in a larva-rearing facility for Pacific cod, Gadus macrocephalus, in China. Larvae showing clinical signs of infection were collected. Initial suspicion of nervous necrosis virus (NNV) infection was confirmed by sequencing, absolute quantification real-time PCR (A-qPCR), and electron microscopy. The nucleotide sequence of RNA2 was 1,375 bases long (GenBank no. KM576685), coding for a single ORF corresponding to the capsid protein from residues 21 to 1034. Phylogenetic analysis of the capsid protein sequence showed that PCNNV belongs to the barfin flounder NNV (BFNVV) genotype. An amino acid sequence alignment revealed 39 differences between the cold- and warm-resistant viral groups, suggesting that PCNNV evolved under temperature selection. The 3-D structure of the predicted capsid protein was modeled to identify potential epitopes, and the gene was expressed in Escherichia coli, yielding a protein with a molecular mass of 55 kDa. During PCNNV outbreaks, the viral copy number was found to reach 10 per ng of total RNA, which could be considered the lethal copy number of NNV in cod. The gonads, eggs, fertilized eggs and asymptomatic cod fry were all positive for PCNNV, indicating viral vertical transmission as the main source of the viral load. The amount of virus in the apparent healthy fry or survivors seemed to decrease gradually with development. These results might lead to efficient diagnostic methods to help farmers select NNV-free broodfish for cod breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In order to put forward a reasonable mining scheme to ensure the safety of Bulang River-Red Stone Bridge water source, the standard visualization software Visual MODFLOW is adopted to simulate the groundwater flow in the study area. The model identification and verification results indicate that the model can reflect the actual hydrogeology conditions, and can be used to forecast groundwater flow. Based on comparative analysis of the prediction results of mining schemes, a reasonable scheme with exploitation quantity of 35000 m3/d is determined to ensure the normal operation of the water source, under which neither the local ecological environment nor the Hailiutu River flow is influenced. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Aimed at the problem of water shortage for irrigation while reducing the water transfer from the Yellow River in Yinchuan plain, by using hydrogeological numerical model, this paper proposed a set of solutions of combining well irrigation and channel irrigation to satisfy the water demand of agriculture. The result shows that, when the reduction is less than 400 million m3/a, increasing well irrigation can meet the demand of agriculture, while the reduction is between 400 and 930 million m3/a, increasing well irrigation as well as decreasing the field irritation quota can also work. But as for the reduction is greater than 1 billion m3/a, we cannot meet the demand of agricultural irrigation, and this will have great effect on the social economy and ecological environment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Since the People's Republic of China was found in 1949, there have been intermittent efforts to define and redefine the concept and scope of 'regional planning' to meet different political and economic needs. Chinese scholars suggest that there have been three upsurges of regional planning over the last 60 years. This article aims to provide a critical understanding of the wider development context, process, nature and purpose, and the content and principles of the new wave of regional planning in China. The aim is to find out whether the latest surge in regional planning serves as a policy instrument to coordinate territorial development trajectories and manage development resources to achieve balanced and sustainable development patterns in China. The article also discusses whether there are ways for regional planning to play a more strategic role in promoting both functional and spatial integration to achieve a more sustainable growth regime in China. These issues will be examined via the case study area around Jiangsu Province and the surrounding Yangtze Delta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New wide-angle reflection and refraction seismic data provide constraints on the structure of the upper lithosphere, and test models of its evolution to raise the northeastern part of the Tibetan Plateau. Amplitudes observed for reflections from the crust–mantle boundary are sufficiently large to suggest that there is no significant partial melt in the deep crust. The data show an increase of the crustal thickness between terranes from north of the Kun Lun Fault into the Qang Tang of central Tibet, and a contrast among their intracrustal images and compositions. In the north, P and S velocities are consistent with a dominantly felsic composition and show that only the upper crust thickened. South of the Kun Lun Fault a thicker crust made of two layers could result from the superposition of the originally thin crust of the Bayan Har terrane on the lower part of the crust of the domain to the north, which upper crust it shoved and thickened. Different modes of crustal thickening, either by thickening of individual layers or superpositions and imbrication among them appear to work jointly to raise the topography. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) is a group of clinically and genetically heterogeneous neuromuscular disorders. LGMD-R7, which is caused by telethonin gene (TCAP) mutations, is one of the rarest forms of LGMD, and only a small number of LGMD-R7 cases have been described and mostly include patients from Brazil. A total of two LGMD-R7 patients were enrolled at a Chinese neuromuscular center. Demographic and clinical data were collected. Laboratory investigations and electromyography were performed. Routine and immunohistochemistry staining of muscle specimens was performed, and a next-generation sequencing panel array for genes associated with hereditary neuromuscular disorders was used for analysis. The patients exhibited predominant muscle weakness. Electromyography revealed myopathic changes. The muscle biopsy showed myopathic features, such as increased fiber size variation, muscle fiber atrophy and regeneration, slight hyperplasia of the connective tissue, and disarray of the myofibrillar network. Two patients were confirmed to have mutations in the open reading frame of TCAP by next-generation sequencing. One patient had compound heterozygous mutations, and the other patient harbored a novel homozygous mutation. Western blotting analysis of the skeletal muscle lysate confirmed the absence of telethonin in the patients. We described two LGMD-R7 patients presenting a classical LGMD phenotype and a novel homozygous TCAP mutation. Our research expands the spectrum of LGMD-R7 due to TCAP mutations based on patients from a Chinese neuromuscular center., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Titin, one of the largest proteins in humans, is a major component of muscle sarcomeres. Pathogenic variants in the titin gene (TTN) have been reported to cause a range of skeletal muscle diseases, collectively known as titinopathy. Titinopathy is a heterogeneous group of disabling diseases characterized by muscle weakness. In our study, we aimed to establish the clinicopathological-genetic spectrum of titinopathy from a single neuromuscular center. Three patients were diagnosed as having definite titinopathy, and additional three patients were diagnosed as having possible titinopathy according to the diagnostic criteria. All the patients showed initial symptoms from age one to 40 years. Physical examination revealed that five patients had muscle weakness, and that one patient experienced behavioral changes. Muscle biopsy specimens obtained from all six patients demonstrated multiple myopathological changes, including increased fiber size variation, muscle fiber hypertrophy or atrophy, formation of centralized cell nuclei, necklace cytoplasmic bodies, and formation of rimmed vacuoles and cores. Genetic testing revealed 11 different TTN alterations, including missense (6/11), nonsense (2/11), frameshift (2/11), and splicing (1/11) mutations. Our study provides further evidence that TTN mutations are more likely to be responsible for an increasing proportion of various myopathies, such as hereditary myopathy with early respiratory failure (HMERF), core myopathy, and distal myopathy with rimmed vacuoles, than currently recognized mutations. Our findings expand the clinical, pathohistological and genetic spectrum of titinopathy., (© 2021 Japanese Society of Neuropathology.)

Background: It has been suggested that the adjunctive use of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) with intense pulsed light (IPL), known as ALA-IPL photodynamic therapy (PDT), increases the benefits of IPL therapy for photoaging., Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ALA-IPL PDT for photoaging in Chinese subjects with Fitzpatrick skin types III and IV., Method: This was a prospective, controlled, split-face study with 26 subjects. Subjects received three split-face treatments 4 weeks apart. A blinded investigator assessed the signs of photodamage. Satisfaction was also assessed., Result: Twenty-four subjects completed the trial. Better results were achieved for global score, fine lines, and coarse wrinkles on the PDT/IPL treated side than on the IPL-only side at the final visit (50% vs 12.5%p=.005 for global score, 70.8% vs 33.3%p=.009 for fine lines, 50% vs. 12.5%, p=.005 for coarse wrinkles). Phototoxic reactions such as erythema and edema were the primary side effects, as well as an increase in postinflammatory hyperpigmentation., Conclusion: ALA-IPL PDT has superior rejuvenation effects over IPL alone in Chinese subjects. Taking reasonable precaution to prevent the postinflammatory hyperpigmentation is the most important point in making ALA-IPL PDT a successful therapy., (© 2010 by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Inc.)