Search

Woody plants are crucial components of forest ecosystems and play critical roles in regulating community succession and ecosystem function. Studying woody plant diversity and its influencing factors is thus important for understanding and protecting forest ecosystems. Quercus aliena var. acutiserrata is an important deciduous broadleaf species in the warm–temperate forest of central China. Multiple regression and structural equation modelling were used to discuss the effect of biotic and soil factors on tree species diversity across seven relative density gradients of Q. aliena var. acutiserrata trees in this zone. Our results showed that the following: (1) Species diversity showed significant decreasing trends with increasing relative density of Q. aliena var. acutiserrata. (2) As the relative density of the oak tree increased, some biotic factors (canopy density, and mean DBH) and soil factors (Soil SOC, AP, and AK) all showed significantly increasing trends, whereas the DBH variation (CVD) and soil pH displayed decreasing trends. (3) Biotic factor (e.g., mean DBH, CVD, and competition interaction) had strong direct effect on species diversity, and soil factors exerted indirect roles on tree diversity via biotic factors. Our results provide insight into biodiversity protection and scientific management in this warm–temperate natural oak forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prognosis of patients undergoing hepatectomy combined with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and TACE alone was examined in order to better understand the role of hepatectomy in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this work, we also created a model and investigated the variables influencing overall survival (OS) in HCC patients. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 1083 patients who received TACE alone as the control group and 188 patients who received TACE after surgery in a total of 1271 HCC patients treated with LR + TACE or TACE at three third-class hospitals in China. It was done using the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) technique. The differences in OS between the two groups were compared, and OS-influencing factors were looked at. The main endpoint is overall survival. In this study, the COX regression model was used to establish the nomogram. Results: The median OS of the LR + TACE group was not attained after PSM. The median OS for the TACE group was 28.8 months (95% CI: 18.9–38.7). The median OS of the LR + TACE group was higher than that of the TACE group alone, indicating a significant difference between the two groups (χ2 = 16.75, P < 0.001). While it was not achieved in the LR + TACE group, the median OS for patients with lymph node metastases in the TACE group alone was 18.8 months. The two groups differed significantly from one another (χ2 = 4.105, P = 0.043). In patients with distant metastases, the median OS of the LR + TACE treatment group was not achieved, and the median OS of the TACE group alone was 12.0 months. The difference between the two groups was sizable (χ2 = 5.266, P = 0.022). The median OS for patients with PVTT following PSM was 30.1 months in the LR + TACE treatment group and 18.7 months in the TACE alone group, respectively. The two groups differed significantly from one another (χ2 = 5.178, P = 0.023); There was no discernible difference between the two groups in terms of median overall survival (OS), which was 30.1 months for patients with lymph node metastasis and 19.2 months for those without (P > 0.05); Regarding the median OS for patients with distant metastases, which was not achieved and 8.5 months, respectively, there was a significant difference between the two groups (χ2 = 5.759, P = 0.016). We created a new nomogram to predict 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates based on multiple independent predictors in COX multivariate analysis. The cohort's C-index is 0.705. The area under the curve (AUC value) for predicting 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates were shown by the subject operating characteristic (ROC) curve linked to the nomogram to be 0.730, 0.728, and 0.691, respectively. Conclusions: LR + TACE can increase OS, delay tumor recurrence, and improve prognosis in HCC patients when compared to TACE alone. Additionally, the nomogram we created does a good job of forecasting the 1-year survival rate of hepatocellular carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green flash light (FG) and green countdown (GC) are the two most common signal formats applied in green-red transition that provides drivers additional alert before termination of green phase. Due to their importance and function in stop-pass decision-making process, proper use of them has become a critical issue to greatly improve the safety and efficiency of signalized intersections. Gradually e-bike riders have become more important commuters in China, however, the influence of FG or GC on them is not clear yet and need pay more attention to it. This study chooses two almost identical intersections to obtain highly accurate trajectory data of e-bike riders to study their decision-making behaviors under FG or GC. The e-bike riders' behavior is classified into four categories and is to identify their stop-pass decision points using the acceleration trend. Two binary-logit models were built to predict the stop–pass decision behaviors for the different e-bike rider groups, explaining that the potential time to the stop-line is the dominant independent factor of the different behaviors of GC and FG. Furthermore empirical analysis of decision points indicated that GC provides the earlier stop-pass decision point and longer decision making duration on the one side while results in more complexity of decision making and greater risk of stop-line crossing than FG on the other side. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The richness of different life forms improved with WT and ST, except liana species. • The densities of shrub and tree species had a positive linear relationship with ST. • The densities of herb and liana species had a parabolic relationship with ST. • The similarity of different life forms increased with ST and WT, except herb species. • Our finding accelerates the early stage of forest restoration and succession. Soil translocation is recognized as a promising method to recover degraded ecosystems and save regionally threatened species, however, the diversity and density of woody species, and the similarity of germinated seedlings between translocated site and donor forest are always low, and few studies have paid attention to the manageable environmental factors for seed germination when forest topsoil exposed to strong light condition. In this study, we tested how shading treatment (ST) and watering treatments (WT) affect the germination of species in translocated forest topsoil and whether different life forms respond differently to different ST and WT following soil translocation. We found that the richness of shrub species had a positive linear relationship with WT, and increased by 0.8 species when additional 10 L m−2 water was added. The richness of trees species was positively linearly correlated with ST and increased by 0.5 species when 10 units of shade degrees was increased. The effect of ST on richness was greatest for total species, followed by herb and tree species, while the effect of WT affected these in the order total > herb > shrub species. The densities of shrub and tree species had a positive linear relationship with ST and increased by 1.0 and 1.2 seedlings m−2 when 10 units of shade degrees were increased respectively. Whereas, the densities of total species, herb species, and liana species had a parabolic relation with ST, reaching maximum densities of 79.8, 39.8, and 5.3 seedlings m−2 at shade degrees of 70%, 45%, and 27.5%, respectively. Moreover, the similarity between germinated communities and donor forest had positive linear relationship with ST and WT, except for herb species. Therefore, in theory, ST and WT significantly improved the diversity, density, and similarity of woody seedlings in translocated forest soil, but the density of herb and liana species decreased respectively when shade degrees exceeded 45% and 27.5% respectively. In practice, putting soil under moderate or heavy shade (shade degrees range from 45% to 70%) is a promising method to duplicate a diverse and similar forest if translocation process coincides with the rainy season. This finding can be incorporated into the practice and management of natural forest restoration and accelerate the early stage of forest restoration and succession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To develop and validate a pretreatment computed tomography (CT)-based deep-learning (DL) model for predicting the treatment response to concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) among patients with locally advanced thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (TESCC).Methods and Materials: We conducted a prospective, multicenter study on the therapeutic efficacy of CCRT among TESCC patients across 9 hospitals in China (ChiCTR2000039279). A total of 306 patients with locally advanced TESCC diagnosed by histopathology from August 2015 to May 2020 were included in this study. A 3-dimensional DL radiomics model (3D-DLRM) was developed and validated based on pretreatment CT images to predict the response to CCRT. Furthermore, the prediction performance of the newly developed 3D-DLRM was analyzed according to 3 categories: radiation therapy plan, radiation field, and prescription dose used.Results: The 3D-DLRM achieved good prediction performance, with areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.897 (95% confidence interval, 0.840-0.959) for the training cohort and 0.833 (95% confidence interval, 0.654-1.000) for the validation cohort. Specifically, the 3D-DLRM accurately predicted patients who would not respond to CCRT, with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 100% for the validation cohort. Moreover, the 3D-DLRM performed well in all 3 categories, each with areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of >0.8 and positive predictive values of approximately 100%.Conclusion: The proposed pretreatment CT-based 3D-DLRM provides a potential tool for predicting the response to CCRT among patients with locally advanced TESCC. With the help of precise pretreatment prediction, we may guide the individualized treatment of patients and improve survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the intensification of human activities and global climate change, large areas of forest have been degraded and converted to other land uses. Soil translocation, which transfers the topsoil of donor forest to the receiving site to allow for the germination and reestablishment of soil seed bank and seedling, is a promising method for restoring vegetation that is similar to the donor forest. However, the lower similarity between the germinated community and donor forest has diminished its application against the ecological restoration and biodiversity compensation. We hypothesized that the exposure of donor forest soil to strong sunlight and early herb/liana competition may block germination and establishment of woody species (trees and shrubs) following soil translocation. To test this, here we investigated the effect of shading and weeding treatment on woody species assembly and seedlings growth at a karst rocky desertification area in southwest China. The results showed that soil translocation in blank control significantly increased the richness and similarity of woody species compared with receiving site. Moreover, soil translocation with shade treatment not only increased the richness and density of species during the germination period, but it also improved the survival and growth of most species—especially Osteomeles anthyllidifolia , Fraxinus malacophylla , Quercus baronii , and Rhamnus parvifolia —when compared with soil translocation in blank control after 18 months. Additionally, although soil translocation with blank control and weeding, and soil translocation with shade and weeding increased neither the number of woody species nor the density of shrubs species, they improved the density and similarity of tree species as well as the similarity of shrub species. We concluded that soil translocation with shade and weeding is likely more effective and helpful to restore the vegetation that is more similar to the donor forest in semi-humid regions of southwest China and comparable regions worldwide. But in practice, only soil translocation with moderate shade is deemed the optimal restoration method because it maintain the "recovery effect" while decrease the labor cost. Nevertheless, we should further assess the longer-term development and stabilization of established vegetation. • Soil translocation with shade improved the germination of species richness and density. • Soil translocation with shade contributed to the species survival and growth. • Weeding increased further the density and similarity of tree species. • Our finding accelerates the early stage of forest restoration and succession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Gram-stain-negative, non-spore-forming, motile, aerobic, rod-shaped bacteria strain, designated LCB8 T , was isolated from the insect Teleogryllus occipitalis captured from a deserted cropland in Shuangliu district, Chengdu, PR China. Phylogenetic analysis on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that the strain represented a member of the genus Ochrobactrum , family Brucellaceae , class Alphaproteobacteria. Ochrobactrum pecoris CCUG 60088 T (97.9 %) and Ochrobactrum haematophilum CCUG 38531 T (98.8 %) were identified as the most closely related phylogenetic neighbours of strain LCB8 T . The novel strain was able to grow at salt concentrations of 0-4.5 % (w/v), pH 5-9 and temperatures of 20-42 °C. The major quinone system was ubiquinone Q-10, the major fatty acids were C 18 : 1 ω7 c , C 16 : 0 and C 18 : 0 . The major polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol and four undefined aminolipids. The major polyamines were putrescine and spermidine. Genome sequencing revealed a genome size of 4.76 Mbp and a DNA G+C content of 57.1 mol%. These phenotypic, genotypic and chemotaxonomic traits excellently supported the affiliation of LCB8 T to the genus Ochrobactrum . Pairwise determined whole-genome average nucleotide identity (ANI) values indicated that strain LCB8 T represents a novel species, for which we propose the name Ochrobactrum teleogrylli sp. nov. with the type strain LCB8 T (=KCTC 72031 T =CGMCC 1.13984 T ).

A novel Gram-stain-positive, coccoid or short rod-shaped, moderate-orange-pigmented, halotolerant and psychrotolerant bacterium, designated strain SCU63 T , was isolated from a saline soil sample in China, and characterized by a polyphasic taxonomic approach. 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of strain SCU63 T to species in the genera Planococcus and Planomicrobium ranged from 96.5 to 98.6 %. Phylogenetic trees as well as diagnostic signature nucleotides in the 16S rRNA gene sequence supported the view that this strain should be assigned to the genus Planococcus. Further, average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization analyses confirmed the separate species status of strain SCU63 T relative to the closely related taxa. The isolate grew at 0-40 °C (optimum, 30-35 °C), at pH 6.5-9.0 (pH 7.0-7.5) and in the presence of 0-15 % (w/v) NaCl (3 %). The principal fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, C16 : 1ω7c alcohol, iso-C16 : 0 and iso-C14 : 0, and the dominant isoprenoid quinones were MK-8 and MK-7. The peptidoglycan type was determined to be A4α (l-Lys-d-Glu), and the polar lipids contained diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified aminophospholipid and one unidentified lipid. The DNA G+C content was 44.6 mol%. Based on the genotypic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data, strain SCU63 T can be classified as a novel species in the genus Planococcus, for which the name Planococcushalotolerans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SCU63 T (=CGMCC 1.13628 T =KCTC 43001 T ).

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the outcomes of endovascular recanalization for native superficial femoral artery (SFA) chronic total occlusion (CTO) in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) after femoropopliteal bypass failure with limited surgical revascularization options., Background: Endovascular recanalization of native artery occlusions has been recently used as a new alternative for threatened limbs after bypass graft occlusion. The feasibility and efficacy has not been widely reported., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 45 consecutive patients (45 limbs) undergoing endovascular recanalization of native SFA occlusion following failed femoropopliteal bypass between June 2010 and December 2016., Results: All limbs had Transatlantic Inter-Society Consensus class C (26.7%, 12/45) or D (73.3%, 33/45) lesions with a mean lesion length of 29.8 cm. The technical success rate was 95.6% (43/45 limbs). The ABI showed a significant increase from 0.3 ± 0.1 pre-procedure to 0.7 ± 0.1 post-procedure (P < 0.01). Two early (<30 days) below-knee amputations due to acute thrombotic ischemia occurred during perioperative period and resulted in one death due to myocardial infarction. The mean follow-up was 42.7 months (1-62 months). Two patients were lost to follow up. The primary patency rates at 12 and 36 months were 54% and 51%, respectively. Secondary patency rates at 12 and 36 months were 78% and 61%, respectively. Limb salvage rate was 95% and amputation-free survival rate was 88% at both 12 and 36 months., Conclusion: Recanalization of native SFA CTO due to failed femoropopliteal bypass offers a feasible and safe alternative to surgical reconstruction with acceptable limb salvage., (© 2017, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Fossil resources, i.e. concentrated carbon from biomass, have been irrecoverably exhausted through modern industrial civilization in the last two hundred years. Serious consequences including crises in resources, environment and energy, as well as the pressing need for direct and indirect exploitation of solar energy, pose challenges to the science and technology community of today. Bioenergy, bulk chemicals, and biomaterials could be produced from renewable biomass in a biorefinery via biocatalysis. These sustainable industries will match the global mass cycle, creating a new form of civilization with new industries and agriculture driven by solar energy. Industrial biotechnology is the dynamo of a bioeconomy, leading to a new protocol for production of energy, bulk chemicals, and materials. This new mode of innovation will place the industry at center stage supported by universities and research institutes. Creativity in industrial biotechnology will be promoted and China will successfully follow the road to green modernization. China's rapid economic development and its traditional capacity in fermentation will place it in an advantageous position in the industrial biotechnology revolution. The development and current status of industrial biotechnology in China are summarized herein.