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Maintaining ecological balance relies on biodiversity, and habitat network construction plays an imperative role in preserving biodiversity in regional areas. Nevertheless, there is a problem with the current habitat network construction, which focuses exclusively on ecological benefits without taking other benefits into account as well. In this paper, six species of birds with varying habitat types and varying adaptabilities to city life are selected as target species to build a habitat network based on the InVEST model, Circuit Theory, and Linkage Mapper, focusing on nuclei, patches, corridors, and islands for the harmonious coexistence of human-green space-birds in the most densely populated area of Nanjing, and to refine landscape design techniques for habitat creation. Below is a summary of the main results. Firstly, there is a direct relationship between species distribution and migration capabilities and the urbanization adaptation capabilities of species. Meanwhile, habitat quality has a significant impact on bird species distribution. Furthermore, the habitat network in Nanjing’s main urban area has a distributed and partially degraded core area, a single connectivity structure with poor functionality, and significant fragmentation of habitat patches. Finally, as a result of the above results, two perspectives of ecological landscape planning and design are proposed to optimize the relevant green space landscape in Nanjing’s central urban areas based on biodiversity and satisfying the tripartite symbiosis of humans, green space, and birds in the city. By planning and implementing habitat networks, it is possible to enhance the habitat quality of urban green spaces to a certain extent and provide new ideas for the overall planning of urban–natural systems.

Antiviral treatments for Bell palsy have been widely used, but there is no definite conclusion of which is the most effective antiviral drug. We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) including network meta-analysis to investigate the comparative effectiveness of antiviral treatments for Bell palsy. RCTs comparing effectiveness between antiviral treatments and placebo were included. Risk of bias within and across studies was assessed with the Cochrane tool and the GRADE approach, respectively. Random-effects pairwise meta-analyses were conducted, followed by network meta-analysis. Three electronic databases were searched from inception to May 18, 2020. 11 trials and 3393 patients with four arms and eleven contrasts were included. Significant differences were observed between placebo and famciclovir with respect to overall recovery and no statistically significant differences were found from other comparisons. Treatment ranking based on the evidence network indicated that famciclovir shared the best results, followed by valacyclovir, acyclovir, and finally placebo. Adverse events of famciclovir were too rare and slight to be analyzed. Our confidence in pairwise comparisons was moderate to low, due to study limitations, inconsistency, and imprecision; our confidence in ranking was moderate, due to study limitations. Inconsistency is not deemed to exist by a loop-specific approach and node-splitting procedure. Results of exploring publication bias are satisfying. According to pairwise and network comparisons, famciclovir could be better than placebo and the effectiveness of other antiviral treatments are similar. For clinical efficacy, famciclovir obtains the best recovery rate of facial function for Bell palsy. Acyclovir has the lowest rate of synkinesis, though, it is not adequately recommended and more superior trails are needed in the future.

Improving the electrocatalytic properties by regulating the surface electronic structure of supported metals has always been a hot issue in electrocatalysis. Herein, two novel catalysts Pd/B-N-Ti

Sclerotherapy for venous malformation has been widely used; however, no guidelines are available to assess the effectiveness of different sclerotherapy agents. We conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis to investigate the effectiveness of sclerotherapy agents for venous malformations.Three electronic databases were searched from their inception (1950) to April 29, 2021. Studies comparing the effectiveness of different sclerotherapy agents were included. The risk of bias within and across studies was assessed. Pairwise meta-analyses were conducted, followed by a network meta-analysis. We also assessed inconsistency and publishing bias using various approaches.Seven studies with 547 patients in six arms were included in the present study. We defined the response and complete response as two separate outcomes. Significant differences were observed in four comparisons with respect to the response (ethanol vs bleomycin, ethanol vs polidocanol, ethanol vs sodium tetradecyl sulfate, polidocanol vs sodium tetradecyl sulfate). No statistically significant differences were found in the other comparisons. The evidence network revealed that for the response outcome, ethanol ranked first, followed by pingyangmycin, polidocanol, sodium morrhuate, bleomycin, and, finally, sodium tetradecyl sulfate. For the complete response outcome, pingyangmycin had the best results, followed by sodium morrhuate, polidocanol, ethanol, bleomycin, and, finally, sodium tetradecyl sulfate. Major complications, such as facial nerve palsy, serious local swelling, and necrosis, had occurred mostly in the ethanol group and rarely in the other groups. Because of the limited data, no further analysis of major complications was conducted. Our confidence in the comparisons and rankings was low. We found no verified inconsistency or publishing bias in the present study using the existing approaches.Ethanol showed a significantly better response statistically compared with the other agents. However, ethanol had also resulted in the highest incidence of complications. Pingyangmycin showed the second-best response, best complete response, and a low rate of complications, respectively. Overall, pingyangmycin achieved excellent performance and balance in terms of the different outcomes. However, they could not be adequately recommended from the available data. More superior trials, especially randomized controlled trials, are needed in the future.

In this article, the novel N-doped Ti3C2 support Pd-based catalyst (Pd/N-Ti3C2-28 h) is successfully prepared by suitable HF-etching and NH3.H2O doping, which possess the conspicuous lamellar morphology and uniform metal Pd distribution. The Pd/N-Ti3C2-28 h with N-doping has the higher content of Pd (~5.33 at%) than that of without N-doping (~1.38 at%) under the same mass of Pd loading. Being explored as the catalyst for ethanol electrooxidation in alkaline medium, the Pd/N-Ti3C2-28 h catalyst exhibits the higher electrochemically active surface areas, ethanol oxidated current densities (~36.71 mA.cm−2) and electrochemical stability than those of the Pd/Ti3C2-28 h, the other Pd/N-Ti3C2 catalysts with different HF-etching time (20,24 and 32 h), and the commercial Pd/C (j = ~12.73 mA.cm−2). Such excellent electrocatalytic performance can be ascribed to synergy of obvious layer-structure of the Ti3C2 support and the NH3.H2O doping, which lead to the higher binding energy and more electron transfer of the metal Pd and Ti3C2, thereby improving the Pd loading on the Ti3C2. And the current densities after 200 redox cycles of Pd/Ti3C2-28 h can retain 78.3% of the maximum capacity, demonstrating the high cycle stability. Thus, the Pd/N-Ti3C2-28 h can become the potential candidates as the anode catalyst for the ethanol electrooxidation in alkaline medium.

Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) is often difficult to restore due to their low seedling survival rates. Therefore, we hypothesized that the elodeid macrophytes serve as effective “nursery” areas to promote success for seedlings of other SAV. However, the high density of the elodeid community may inhibit the establishment of other SAV. An experiment was conducted to explore this “nursery effect” as a restoration approach to increase the success of seed restoration. Two elodeid species were pre-planted into mesocosms to create three levels of “nursery beds” i.e., bare, sparse (approx. 100 g m-2) and dense (approx. 200 g m-2). Seeds of Vallisneria spiralis were then placed into these beds to test the seed germination and growth of V. spiralis seedlings. After three months, seed germination was lower in the bare treatment than in the sparse and dense treatments. The growth of V. spiralis seedlings was greater in the sparse treatment than in the bare and dense treatments. These results revealed tha...

Inorganic carbon and temperature are 2 important factors that regulate the growth of submerged macrophytes. However, experimental evidence regarding the eco-physiological changes that occur in submerged macrophytes in response to elevated CO2 and temperature is still limited. To investigate how the submerged macrophyte Vallisneria natans (Hydrochari- taceae), a common species in the waters of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, responds to these factors, we conducted a mesocosm experiment using simulated CO2 elevation (by bubbling CO2 into experimental water) and ambient temperature warming systems. During the 60 d experiment, CO2 elevation significantly increased the inorganic carbon concentration in the water column. The warming systems elevated average water temperature by approximately 3°C. The elevation of CO2 levels significantly enhanced the photosynthetic performance, growth and clonal propagation of V. natans. When combined with an increase in CO2, elevated tempera- tures also promoted photosynthesis and growth. The individual ramet biomass of V. natans decreased with increasing temperature, but only significantly under ambient CO2 levels. CO2 ele- vation increased both stolon elongation and bud number. At elevated CO2 concentration, more biomass was allocated to the stolons, roots and buds, while less biomass was allocated to the leaves. These results indicate that the eco-physiological responses of V. natans should increase its stress tolerance in aquatic plant communities under future spatial and temporal variation in CO2 levels, however, further research is required.

As a fundamental part of greenspace, urban water landscape contributes greatly to the ecological system and at the same time supplies a leisure area for residents. The paper did an analysis on the number of aquatic plant communities, the form of water spaces, and water quality condition by investigating 135 quadrats (90 at amphibious boundary and the land, 45 in the water) in 45 transects of 15 urban and suburban parks. We found that water spaces had monotonous forms with low biodiversity and poor water quality. In addition, urban water landscapes hardly provided ecological functions given excessive construction. Accordingly, a proposition to connect tradition with modernism in the improvement and innovation of urban water landscape planning was put forward, and further, the way to achieve it was explored. By taking Qinhu Wetland Park as a case, the principles and specific planning methods on macro- and microperspectives were discussed to guide the development of urban landscape in eastern China.