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Seed plants comprise angiosperms and gymnosperms. The latter includes gnetophytes, cycads, Ginkgo, and conifers. Conifers are distributed worldwide, with 630 species distributed across eight families and 70 genera. Their distinctiveness has triggered much debate on their origin, evolution, and phylogenetic placement among seed plants. To better understand the evolution of gymnosperms and their relation to other seed plants, we report here a high-quality genome sequence for a tree species, Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata), which has excellent timber quality and high aluminum adaptability and is a member of Cupressaceae with high levels of heterozygosity. We assembled an 11.24 Gb genome with a contig N50 value of 2.15 Mb and anchored the 10.89 Gb sequence to 11 chromosomes. Phylogenomic analyses showed that cycads sister to Ginkgo, which place to sister in all gymnosperm lineages, and Gnetales within conifers sister to Pinaceae. Whole-genome duplication (WGD) analysis showed that the ancestor of seed plants has differentiated into angiosperms and gymnosperms after having experienced a WGD event. The ancestor of extant gymnosperm has experienced a gymnosperm-specific WGD event and the extant angiosperms do not share a common WGD before their most recent common ancestor diverged into existing angiosperms lineages. Analysis of the MADS-box gene family ofC. lanceolatarevealed the developmental mechanism of the reproductive organs inC. lanceolata, which supported the (A)B(C) model of the development of gymnosperms reproductive organs. In addition, astringent seeds and shedding of whole branches (with withered leaves) might be a strategy ofC. lanceolatathat evolved during long-term adaptation to an aluminum-rich environment. The findings also reveal the molecular regulation mechanism of shade tolerance inC. lanceolataseedlings. Our results improve the resolution of ancestral genomic features within seed plants and the knowledge of genome evolution and diversification of gymnosperms.

To compare and analyze the clinical manifestations and sleep structure of children with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopneasyndrome (OSAHS) with different body mass index (BMI).452 children who were diagnosed with OSAHS between December 2016 and February 2021 by the Department of Respiratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Soochow University were included in the study. All of them did polysomnography (PSG). They were divided, according to their BMI, into the normal BMI group, the overweight group, and the obesity group. Their clinical data and PSG results were collected.287 boys (63.5%) and 165 girls (36.5%) were enrolled, with their age ranging between 3 and 15, and the median age being 5.5 (4.5, 7.0). Their BMI ranged between 12.09 kg/mObesity worsens the degree of hypoxia in children with OSAHS and affects their sleep structure.

To summarize the evidence from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practice in the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and provide timely clinical practice guidance.The guidelines were developed in accordance with the World Health Organization rapid guideline process. The evidence on TCM for COVID-19 from published guidelines, direct and indirect published clinical evidence, first hand clinical data, and expert experience and consensus were collected. The grading of recommendations assessment, development and evaluation (GRADE) method was used to grade the evidence and make the recommendations.Based on the available evidence, the guidelines recommended 17 Chinese medicines for COVID-19: 2 Chinese herbal granules, 7 Chinese patent medicines, and 8 Chinese herbal injections.As the literature search was conducted on March, any subsequent versions of these guidelines require an up-to-date literature review. We hope that the evidence summary in these will be helpful in global efforts to address COVID-19.

The stretch bending properties of a new Z-section stainless steel profile were investigated by simulation. The causes of the forming defects, such as section distortions and poor contour precision, were analyzed, and the corresponding controlling methods were proposed. The results show that the main forming defects for the stretch bending of the Z-section profile were the flange sagging, the sidewall obliquing inward, the bottom surface upwarping, and the bad contour accuracy; the cross-section distortions were mainly induced by the shrinkage of the side-wall, which could be eliminated by increasing the sidewall height of the profile reasonably; the poor contour precision was mainly due to springback, which could be controlled by modifying the die surface based on the springback amount; for the investigated bending beam, the proper sidewall height compensation was 2 mm, and the suitable die surface modification amount was 1. 2 times of the springback amount, when the elongation was 10% of the initial profile length. Stretch bending tests were conducted on a new type of die with adjustable bending surfaces, and high quality components were achieved, which verified the effectiveness of the defect controlling measures.

An experimental apparatus with cooling system and pressure-adjustment assembly for simulating quenching was constructed to investigate the effect of contact pressure on the microstructures and mechanical properties of hot-stamping parts. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the microstructures of the as-quenched parts were conducted; moreover, hardness and tensile tests were performed to measure their mechanical properties. The results indicated that contact pressure during quenching strongly affected the structures and performances of hot-stamping components. An excessive low contact pressure led to insufficient martensitic transformation. The critical contact pressure for complete martensitic transformation for 4.0 mm 22MnB5 steel was 0. 4 MPa when the temperature of the coolant was 20 °C. However, in consideration of the efficiency of practical production, a contact pressure higher than 1.25 MPa is recommended.

Objective To observe the clinical effects of acupoint injection therapy plus massage on primary dysmenorrhea (PD).

Repeated applications of bordeaux mixture (a blend of copper sulfate and calcium hydroxide) and pyrethroid insecticides (Pys) have led to elevated copper (Cu) and Pys concentrations in vineyard surface soils. To understand the potential influence of Cu on the fate of Pys in the soil environment, we selected two Pys, cypermethrin (CPM) and lambda-cyhalothrin (λ-CHT), and two typical Chinese vineyard soils, Haplic Acrisol and Luvic Phaeozem, as experimental samples. The dissipation experiment was conducted at room temperature in the dark, and the transport of both Pys through the soils was investigated using soil thin-layer chromatography. The results showed that the transport of Pys in both soils increased as the Cu2+ concentration increased from 0 to 100 mg L−1, and Pys were more transportable in Haplic Acrisol (HA) than in Luvic Phaeozem (LP) under the same experimental conditions. For CPM, only 100 mg L−1 of Cu2+ significantly (P < 0.05) increased Pys transport through both soils relative to water. Lambda-CHT was significantly (P < 0.05) transported through HA by all the Cu2+ concentrations compared to water, and all but the 1 mg L−1 of Cu2+ significantly (P < 0.05) increased the transport of λ-CHT through LP relative to water. However, the dissipation rates of CPM and λ-CHT decreased with the addition of Cu to soils. Our findings suggest that the risk of groundwater contamination by Pys increases in the soils with elevated Cu concentrations.

SiO2aerogels, the lightest solid material have attracted much attention recently. However, it is difficult to be used in practical applications due to its fragility. A facile one step polymerincorporation sol-gel process, together with a surface modification and a normal temperature drying process, was developed to prepare silica-fiber composite aerogels. Four fibers (polyester fiber, polypropylene fiber, lignin fiber, polycrylonitrile fiber) were selected to enhance the intensity of silica aerogels, respectively. The obtained samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) specific surface area. Results showed that samples have a plenty of hydrophobic methyl group attached to their surface. The continuous network structure composed of silica aerogels of high purity are non-crystallized, porous, surface areas from 800 to 980 m2/g and light weight nano-materials. Adsorption experiment of the above samples over organic solution (benzene, toluene) was tested. The composite aerogels absorbed the organic liquids by nearly 6-8 times its own mass, showing potential application in organic absorption.

Copper hydroxyphosphate,as self-assembled nanoparticles, was synthesized by using a hydrothermal method,with cupric acetate (Cu(CH3COO)2·H2O) and diammonium hydrogen phosphate ((NH4)2HPO4) as raw materials. Physical property of copper hydrophosphate was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Ultraviolet obvious diffuse reflection(UV-vis DRS). No surfactants or templates were added in the procedure of preparation. By simply adjusting the pH from 3 to 9, the morphology of copper hydrophosphate varied from microrods to walnutshaped microspheres. Photocatalytic activity of the samples was also investigated. Photo decoloration of Rhodamine B in water under visible light irradiation shows that copper hydrophosphate (pH=7) have the best photocatalytic activity: Photodecoloration activity of 100 mL Rhodamine B (10 mg/L) was 98 % under illumination for 30 min.

Using Y2O3, Mn(CH3COO)2·4H2O as raw materials and glacial acetic acid as solvents, YMnxFe1-xO3 precursors (x= 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5) have been prepared under 80°C water bath conditions. Perovskite YMnxFe1-xO3 samples were achieved after calcination over 900 °C for 4 h. Structure of the samples was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Ultraviolet obvious diffuse reflection(UV-vis DRS), and Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). Photocatalytic activity of the samples was also investigated. Results showed that all the samples with stable perovskite structure had high light absorption in visible-light region, suggesting good visible light harvesting. SEM image showed that the samples were sponge-like and porous agglomerates. Photodecoloration activity of 100 mL Rhodamine B (10 mg/L) was 16~56 % under illumination for 150 min. Oxygen vacancies of the perovskite may explain the high activity of x = 0.1 sample.

Cotton ovule cultures have obvious advantages over whole plants when experimental protocols call for inhibitors, radio-labeled precursors or controlled environmental conditions to be tested. The responses of ovule expansion growth and attached fiber elongation to external factors require accurate measurement techniques. This paper presents a new method for digital image analysis of the growth area of cotton ovules with fibers at high resolution. The method was characterized under constant conditions and during dynamic responses to different levels of ABA (abscisic acid) treatment. The growth area was treated as area occupied within the outline of the Petri dish image of the growing ovule with fibers. Growth area increase showed the same trends as fiber length increase and was significantly correlated with the fiber length increase under different levels of ABA treatment (r 2 = 0.97). This new analysis method provides a simple, noninvasive, and more accurate approach for growth analysis in the cotton ovule culture system. Using this method, the effects of ABA on expansion growth of ovule with fibers were characterized.

Both the partially reduced and non-reduced multi-component heteropoly compound catalysts with Keggin structure were prepared and used for the selective oxidation of propane. The catalysts were characterized by IR, H2-TPR, NH3,-TPD, SEM and XRD. The addition of Cs increased the selectivity of acrylic acid and acetic acid. The selective oxidation performance was greatly improved with the addition of As. Among all of the tested catalysts, the catalytic performance of the Cs1.8Fe0.16HxPVAs0.4Mo11O40 (non-reduced) was the best and the maximum yield of acrylic acid reached 16.42%.

Titania particles doped with nitrogen were sol-gel and hydrothermally synthesized in autoclave from TiOCl 2 and mesoporous titania with 0.5 %(in mole) Fe 3+ , Cu 2+ , V 5+ and Pd 2+ as dopants were also prepared based on the above synthesis method. Structure of the samples was characterized by XRD, TEM, BET specific surface area, BJH pore size distribution and UV-vis/DRS. The photocatalytic activity was investigated under visible light irradiation(λ≥410 nm) and formaldehyde was taken as test gas. It is found that the prepared samples are anatase titania with average grain size of about 10 nm and the BET specific surface area of about 130 m 2 /g. Band gap of the titania samples doped with Fe 3+ , Cu 2+ , V 5+ , Pd 2+ and TiO 2 /N is 2.99, 2.93, 2.36, 2.92, 2.87 eV, respectively. The photo-degradation rate constant of titania samples with 0.5 %(in mole) Fe 3+ , Cu 2+ , V 5+ , Pd 2+ doping and TiO 2 N is 0.0063, 0.0086, 0.0049, 0.0031 and 0.0033/min, respectively. Good dispersion of Cu dopant onto the surface of titania, adequate surface area of Cu-TiO 2 /N photocatalyst may contribute to its comparatively higher photocatalytic activity.

Using nitrate precursors, a novel microwave-assisted progress for the preparation of nanocrystalline pure YFeO3 phase has been developed. Synthesis of perovskite YFeO3 has been achieved with carbon to enhance microwave absorption, polyvinyl alcohol as inhibitor and urea as homogeneous precipitator. The precursor led to formation of phase pure YFeO3 nanocrystalline (52-64 nm) after calcination. The obtained YFeO3 samples were characterized by XRD analysis, N2 adsorption, FT-IR, SEM, TEM, UV-vis/DRS. The synthesis is a fast, simple and inexpensive process and such nanosized YFeO3 has a potential application in photocatalysis under visible light irradiation due to its structure of perovskite-type and photo-absorption property.

The gene encoding the BmalphaTX14 (alpha-neurotoxin TX14) protein, derived from the cDNA library of the Chinese scorpion Buthus martensii Karsch, was expressed in Pichia pastoris. The recombinant protein was purified by metal chelate affinity chromatography and gel filtration chromatography. Using patch-clamp technique, electrophysiological activity of rBmalphaTX14 was identified. In the neurons isolated from mice trigeminal root ganglion, the Na+ current amplitude was reduced by 80% under whole cell patch-clamp recording. There were no apparent modifications to the gating mechanism in the presence of rBmalphaTX14. Although BmalphaTX14 shared a high amino acid sequence similarity with other typical alpha-toxins, it has different effects on neurons. Further electrophysiological analysis suggested that rBmalphaTX14 selectively blocked Na+ channels and is a member of a new group of scorpion toxins.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) in the treatment of subacute thyroiditis.MethodsRandomized controlled trials found in PubMed, Cochrane Library, and three Chinese databases were selected. RevMan 5.2 software was used to analyze the data with relative risk or mean difference, expressed with 95% of confidence interval. The quality of trials was assessed and graded the quality of evidence with GRADE profiler software.ResultsTwenty one studies were included. CHM was superior to Western Medicine (include prednisone and NSAIDs) in abating fever, relieving thyroid pain, recovering blood sedimentation, improving thyroid function, and preventing hypothyroidism (P0.05) were found in recovering blood sedimentation and improving thyroid function. The incidence of adverse reactions in treatment group was lower than that in control group (relative risk was 0.12 and 95% confidence interval was 0.03-0.51). The methodological quality of trials is generally poor with a high risk of bias.ConclusionCHM (particularly CHM combined with Western Medicine) used to treat subacute thyroiditis may improve clinical symptoms and signs, reduce relapse rate, and alleviate the side effects of hormones. Due to poor methodological quality of included trials, further more high-quality studies are warranted to confirm the effectiveness and safety of CHM.

To evaluate the practical value of a new technology for objective measurement of accommodation of human eyes.It was a comparative study of some techniques for measuring the accommodation of human eyes. Twenty-six outpatients (20 male, 6 female, 10-37 years old) that were suspected to be abnormal in accommodation were examined with Nidek ARK-730 (with software AA-1 inside). The measurement results from the instrument were compared by Kappa test with the clinical impression and comprehensive impression based on measurement results and clinical information.The abnormality rate of accommodation of the patients were 61.5%, 46.2%, 61.5% from the instrument, clinical impression and comprehensive impression respectively. The agreement was weak with Kappa value 0.244 between results from the instrument and clinical impression. The agreement was mild with Kappa value 0.513 between results from the instrument and comprehensive impression. The agreement was high with Kappa value 0.698 between results from clinical impression and comprehensive impression.The new technology is a progress and complementary to the traditional technology for accommodation examination. With the help of the new technology, some complicated patients could be diagnosed. The diagnose procedure of the instrument remains to be improved. The comprehensive impression based on measurement results and clinical information has more practical value.

Based on the full-length cDNA of BmalphaTX14 from Chinese scorpion Buthus martensii Karsch (BmK), gene of the mature peptide of BmalphaTX14 was cloned into the yeast expression vector pPIC9K. After transforming, screening and inducing, tricine-SDS-PAGE and Western blot proved that rBmalphaTX14 protein was expressed in the medium for up to 84 hours, getting nearly 120 mg/L. Recombinant BmalphaTX14 was purified rapidly and efficiently through Ni-NTA-agarose, polyethylene glycol precipitation and gel filtration chromatography. The purified rBmalphaTX14 proved to have the anti-insect activity by toxicity assay. Meanwhile, genomic gene of BmalphaTX14 was cloned and sequenced by PCR method, sequence analysis of this gene showed that BmalphaTX14 had an intron of 408 base pairs located at the signal peptide encoding region, which was similar with the characteristic of other alpha-type sodium ion-channel toxin. Considering both the genomic organization and the peptide function, BmaTX14 proved to be a membership belonging to alpha-type sodium ion-channel toxin.

Scorpion venoms contain different types of low molecular mass toxic peptides acting on ion channels. Many cDNAs and genomic genes encoding these toxins have been isolated and sequenced while the mechanisms of expression and regulation of scorpion toxins is not well studied yet. BmTXK beta, one of the four putative long-chain potassium channel toxins, is isolated from the cDNA library of the venom gland of Chinese scorpion BmK (Buthus martensii Karsch). It has an 886 bp intron located in the mature peptide while other scorpion toxins' introns are located in the signal peptide. The special genomic organization of BmTXK beta makes it a good object to study the mechanism of expression and regulation of scorpion toxins. With primers designed according to the already known sequence of BmTXK beta, its 5' and 3' flanking regions are cloned by the Vecttorette II Staorette Pack method and sequenced. Analysis of the sequence shows that another intron longer than 997 bp is located in the signal peptide region of BmTXK beta, which makes BmTXK beta different from all the other scorpion toxins that have no intron or only one intron in the signal peptide. The special genomic organization of BmTXK beta indicates that BmTXK beta is a new membership of long-chain potassium channel toxin.