Molecular analyses display the increasing diversity of Podostemaceae in China.

•Four newly recorded species of Podostemaceae from southern China were identified by molecular and morphological evidence.•17 plastomes of Podostemaceae were newly sequenced and two novel polymorphic barcodes (ccsA and ndhA) detected.•Our findings reveal greater species richness (15 species from five genera) of Podostemaceae in China and supply molecular resources for research on taxonomy and phylogenomics of this enigmatic aquatic family.

Measles Virus-Based Vaccine Expressing Membrane-Anchored Spike of SARS-CoV-2 Inducing Efficacious Systemic and Mucosal Humoral Immunity in Hamsters.

As SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve and COVID-19 cases rapidly increase among children and adults, there is an urgent need for a safe and effective vaccine that can elicit systemic and mucosal humoral immunity to limit the emergence of new variants. Using the Chinese Hu191 measles virus (MeV-hu191) vaccine strain as a backbone, we developed MeV chimeras stably expressing the prefusion forms of either membrane-anchored, full-length spike (rMeV-preFS), or its soluble secreted spike trimers with the help of the SP-D trimerization tag (rMeV-S+SPD) of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2. The two vaccine candidates were administrated in golden Syrian hamsters through the intranasal or subcutaneous routes to determine the optimal immunization route for challenge. The intranasal delivery of rMeV-S+SPD induced a more robust mucosal IgA antibody response than the subcutaneous route. The mucosal IgA antibody induced by rMeV-preFS through the intranasal routine was slightly higher than the subcutaneous route, but there was no significant difference. The rMeV-preFS vaccine stimulated higher mucosal IgA than the rMeV-S+SPD vaccine through intranasal or subcutaneous administration. In hamsters, intranasal administration of the rMeV-preFS vaccine elicited high levels of NAbs, protecting against the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2 variant challenge by reducing virus loads and diminishing pathological changes in vaccinated animals. Encouragingly, sera collected from the rMeV-preFS group consistently showed robust and significantly high neutralizing titers against the latest variant XBB.1.16. These data suggest that rMeV-preFS is a highly promising COVID-19 candidate vaccine that has great potential to be developed into bivalent vaccines (MeV/SARS-CoV-2).

Children aged 0-14 years had a far lower mortality risk during the entire COVID-19 pandemic in four major industrial countries: an observational study.

The purpose of this study is to describe the morbidity and mortality of children during the entire COVID-19 pandemic. Age-disaggregated data of 108,003,741 cases and 560,426 deaths were collected from Canada, France, Germany, and Italy. The number of cases and deaths per million people per week, as well as case fatality rates (CFRs), were calculated for patients aged 0-14 and ≥ 15 years. During the first pandemic period in the four countries, starting from weeks 4 to 11 (in 2020) and ending at week 22 (in 2021), the number of deaths per million people per week and the CFRs in the ≥ 15 years age group were 500 to 2513 and 442 to 1662 times greater, respectively, than those in the 0-14 years age group. The number of deaths per million people per week was significantly lower in the first pandemic period than in the second pandemic period, which started at week 23 (2021) and ended from week 22 to week 25 (2023). During the second pandemic period in the four countries, the disparities between the ≥ 15 years and 0-14 years age groups decreased, and the number of deaths per million people per week in the ≥ 15 years age group was 76 to 180 times greater than it in the 0-14 years age group. CONCLUSION:  Children aged 0-14 years had a far lower mortality risk during the entire COVID-19 pandemic, and the impact of viral variants and/or vaccination on the mortality rate is difficult to distinguish. WHAT IS KNOWN: • Although extensive studies have focused on COVID-19-induced mortality, most of them are provisional reports performed during the unfolding of the pandemic and provide imprecise conclusion. WHAT IS NEW: • We described the morbidity and mortality for children aged 0-14 years using complete survey data recorded during the entire COVID-19 pandemic. • The number of deaths per million people per week was far lower in children aged 0-14 years, while the number of deaths per million people per week in children aged 0-14 years was significantly higher in the second period which starting from week 23 (2021) and ending at week 22 to 25 (2023) than in the first period which starting from week 1 to 11 (2020) and ending at week 22 (2021).

The protective effects of Arctiin in asthma by attenuating airway inflammation and inhibiting p38/NF-κB signaling.

Asthma is a common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways, which affects millions of people worldwide. Arctiin, a bioactive molecule derived from the traditional Chinese Burdock, has not been previously reported for its effects on asthma in infants. In this study, an asthma model was established in mice by stimulation with ovalbumin (OVA). Bronchoalveolar lavage (BALF) was collected from OVA-challenged mice and the cells were counted. Lung tissue was harvested for hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and measurement of Wet/Dry weight ratios. The expressions of proteins were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blots. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in lung tissue was measured using a commercial kit. We found that Arctiin had beneficial effects on asthma treatment. Firstly, it attenuated OVA-challenged lung pathological alterations. Secondly, it ameliorated pro-inflammatory response by reducing the number of inflammatory cells and mitigating the imbalance of Th1/Th2 factors in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BALF) of OVA-challenged mice. Importantly, Arctiin ameliorated OVA-induced lung tissue impairment and improved lung function. Additionally, we observed that oxidative stress (OS) in the pulmonary tissue of OVA-challenged mice was ameliorated by Arctiin. Mechanistically, Arctiin prevented OVA-induced activation of p38 and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). Based on these findings, we conclude that Arctiin might serve as a promising agent for the treatment of asthma.

A green and environmentally benign route to synthesizing Z-scheme Bi2S3-TCN photocatalyst for efficient hydrogen production.

Designing and developing photocatalysts with excellent performance in order to achieve efficient hydrogen production is an important strategy for addressing future energy and environmental challenges. Traditional single-phase photocatalytic materials either have a large bandgap and low visible light response or experience rapid recombination of the photogenerated carriers with low quantum efficiency, seriously hindering their photocatalytic applications. To solve these issues, an important solution is to construct well-matched heterojunctions with highly efficient charge separation capabilities. To this end, an in situ sulfurization reaction was adopted after the deposition of Bi3+ supramolecular complex on a layered supramolecular precursor of tubular carbon nitride (TCN). X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns confirmed that the as-prepared sample has a good crystalline structure without any other impurities, while high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) revealed that the heterojunction possesses a 2D structure with a layer of nano-array on its surface. Combined Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) revealed the interfacial interactions. Owing to the formation of the Z-scheme heterojunction, the visible light adsorption and the separation efficiency of the photo-generated carriers are both obviously enhanced, leaving the high energy electrons and high oxidative holes to participate in the photocatalytic reactions. As a result, the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate of Bi2S3-TCN achieves 65.2 µmol g-1·h-1. This proposed green and environmentally benign route can also be applied to construct other sulfides with 2D TCN, providing some important information for the design and optimization of novel carbon-nitride-based semiconductors.

Understanding Melt Pool Behavior of 316L Stainless Steel in Laser Powder Bed Fusion Additive Manufacturing.

In the laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing process, the quality of fabrications is intricately tied to the laser-matter interaction, specifically the formation of the melt pool. This study experimentally examined the intricacies of melt pool characteristics and surface topography across diverse laser powers and speeds via single-track laser scanning on a bare plate and powder bed for 316L stainless steel. The results reveal that the presence of a powder layer amplifies melt pool instability and worsens irregularities due to increased laser absorption and the introduction of uneven mass from the powder. To provide a comprehensive understanding of melt pool dynamics, a high-fidelity computational model encompassing fluid dynamics, heat transfer, vaporization, and solidification was developed. It was validated against the measured melt pool dimensions and morphology, effectively predicting conduction and keyholing modes with irregular surface features. Particularly, the model explained the forming mechanisms of a defective morphology, termed swell-undercut, at high power and speed conditions, detailing the roles of recoil pressure and liquid refilling. As an application, multiple-track simulations replicate the surface features on cubic samples under two distinct process conditions, showcasing the potential of the laser-matter interaction model for process optimization.

Evaluating imputation methods for single-cell RNA-seq data.

BACKGROUND: Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) enables the high-throughput profiling of gene expression at the single-cell level. However, overwhelming dropouts within data may obscure meaningful biological signals. Various imputation methods have recently been developed to address this problem. Therefore, it is important to perform a systematic evaluation of different imputation algorithms. RESULTS: In this study, we evaluated 11 of the most recent imputation methods on 12 real biological datasets from immunological studies and 4 simulated datasets. The performance of these methods was compared, based on numerical recovery, cell clustering and marker gene analysis. Most of the methods brought some benefits on numerical recovery. To some extent, the performance of imputation methods varied among protocols. In the cell clustering analysis, no method performed consistently well across all datasets. Some methods performed poorly on real datasets but excellent on simulated datasets. Surprisingly and importantly, some methods had a negative effect on cell clustering. In marker gene analysis, some methods identified potentially novel cell subsets. However, not all of the marker genes were successfully imputed in gene expression, suggesting that imputation challenges remain. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, different imputation methods showed different effects on different datasets, suggesting that imputation may have dataset specificity. Our study reveals the benefits and limitations of various imputation methods and provides a data-driven guidance for scRNA-seq data analysis.

Comparitive Analysis of the Chloroplast Genomes of Three Houpoea Plants.

The genus Houpoea belongs to the family Magnoliaceae, and the species in this genus have important medicinal values. However, the investigation of the correlation between the evolution of the genus and its phylogeny has been severely hampered by the unknown range of species within the genus and the paucity of research on its chloroplast genome. Thus, we selected three species of Houpoea: Houpoea officinalis var officinalis (OO), Houpoea officinalis var. biloba (OB), and Houpoea rostrata (R). With lengths of 160,153 bp (OO), 160,011 bp (OB), and 160,070 bp (R), respectively, the whole chloroplast genomes (CPGs) of these three Houpoea plants were acquired via Illumina sequencing technology, and the findings were annotated and evaluated. These three chloroplast genomes were revealed by the annotation findings to be typical tetrads. A total of 131, 132, and 120 different genes were annotated. The CPGs of the three species had 52, 47, and 56 repeat sequences, which were primarily found in the ycf2 gene. A useful tool for identifying species is the approximately 170 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) that have been found. The border area of the reverse repetition region (IR) was studied, and it was shown that across the three Houpoea plants, it is highly conservative, with only changes between H. rostrata and the other two plants observed. Numerous highly variable areas (rps3-rps19, rpl32-trnL, ycf1, ccsA, etc.) have the potential to serve as the barcode label for Houpoea, according to an examination of mVISTA and nucleotide diversity (Pi). Phylogenetic relation indicates that Houpoea is a monophyletic taxon, and its genus range and systematic position are consistent with the Magnoliaceae system of Sima Yongkang-Lu Shugang, including five species and varieties of H. officinalis var. officinalis, H. rostrata, H. officinalis var. biloba, Houpoea obovate, and Houpoea tripetala, which evolved and differentiated from the ancestors of Houpoea to the present Houpoea in the above order. This study provides valuable information on the genus Houpoea, enriches the CPG information on Houpoea genus, and provides genetic resources for the further classification of and phylogenetic research on Houpoea.

Development of genomic resources for Wenchengia alternifolia (Lamiaceae) based on genome skimming data.

Wenchengia alternifolia (Lamiaceae), the sole species of the genus Wenchengia is extremely rare and is currently listed as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List. The species had long been considered endemic to Hainan Island, China and was once believed to be extinct until a small remnant population was rediscovered at the type locality in 2010. Four more populations were later found on Hainan and in Vietnam. In order to develop genomic resources for further studies on population genetics and conservation biology of this rare species, we identified infraspecific molecular markers in the present study, using genome skimming data of five individuals collected from two populations on Hainan Island and three populations in Vietnam respectively. The length of plastome of the five individuals varied from 152,961 bp to 150,204 bp, and exhibited a typical angiosperm quadripartite structure. Six plastid hotspot regions with the Pi > 0.01 (trnH-psbA, psbA-trnK, rpl22, ndhE, ndhG-ndhI and rps15-ycf1), 1621 polymorphic gSSRs, as well as 1657 candidate SNPs in 237 variant nuclear genes were identified, thereby providing important information for further genetic studies.

Effects of Ru doping on the structural stability and electrochemical properties of Li2MoO3 cathode materials for Li-ion batteries.

The Li2MoO3 (LMO) material is one promising cathode material for lithium-ion batteries due to its high specific capacity and absence of oxygen release. However, its surface instability in air and poor conductivity have limited its application. To solve these problems, the Ru element has been successfully introduced into the LMO lattice with the aid of the molten salt method. XRD and TEM characterization showed that the introduction of Ru does not change the crystal structure but expands the crystal plane spacing of the {001} facets, which is further evidenced by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. XPS and EDS tests indicated that the introduction of Ru inhibits the oxidation of Mo species and leads to a more uniform distribution of the material. In addition, DFT calculations revealed that covalent interactions are formed between Mo4d/Ru4d and O2p orbitals, leading to a significant reduction of the band gap. Therefore, Ru-doped samples exhibit good electrochemical performances. The initial discharge capacity of an LMRO-2 sample reaches 299.1 mA h g-1 at a 1C rate, and the capacity remains at 125.2 mA h g-1 after 100 cycles. In comparison, the initial discharge capacity of pure phase sample LMO is only 250.5 mA h g-1 under the same conditions, and the capacity remains only at 76.5 mA h g-1 after 100 cycles. The present results confirmed that Ru doping is an effective strategy to improve the performance of the LMO cathode material.

Application of fractional exhaled nitric oxide and nasal nitric oxide in control evaluation of bronchial asthma and diagnosis of allergic rhinitis in children. / 口鼻呼出气一氧化氮检测在儿童支气管哮喘控制评估及过敏性鼻炎诊断中的应用.

OBJECTIVES: To study the association of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and nasal nitric oxide (nNO) with asthma control and their value in the diagnosis of allergic rhinitis in children. METHODS: A total of 186 children aged 5-12 years, who attended the outpatient service of the Department of Respiration, Shanghai Children's Hospital due to bronchial asthma and/or allergic rhinitis or who underwent physical examination, were enrolled as subjects, with 52 children in the asthma group, 60 children in the asthma+allergic rhinitis group, 36 children in the allergic rhinitis group, and 38 children in the control group. FeNO, nNO, and pulmonary function were compared between groups. RESULTS: The asthma+allergic rhinitis, asthma, and allergic rhinitis groups had a significantly higher level of FeNO than the control group (P<0.05). The asthma+allergic rhinitis and allergic rhinitis groups had a significantly higher level of nNO than the asthma and control groups (P<0.05). The uncontrolled asthma and partially controlled asthma groups had significantly higher levels of FeNO and nNO than the completely controlled asthma group (P<0.05). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that nNO had an area under the ROC curve of 0.91, with a sensitivity of 80.0% and a specificity of 89.5% in the diagnosis of allergic rhinitis in children with asthma (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The combined measurement of nNO and FeNO can be used to evaluate the control of asthma, and the measurement of nNO can help with the diagnosis of allergic rhinitis in children with bronchial asthma.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Phyllagathi hainanensis (Melastomataceae) and phylogenetic analysis.

Phyllagathi hainanensis (Merr. et Chun) C. Chen is a small shrubs of Melastomataceae. It is only distributed in Hainan provinces of China. The complete chloroplast genome of P. hainanensis is reported in this study. The complete chloroplast genome of P. hainanensis is 156,123 bp in length with a typical quadripartite structure, consisting of a large single-copy region (LSC, 85,497 bp), a single-copy region (SSC, 17,076 bp), and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs, 26,775 bp). There are 129 genes annotated, including 37 transfer RNA genes, 8 ribosomal RNA genes, and 84 proteincoding genes. The complete plastome sequence of P. hainanensis will provide a useful resource for phylogenetic studies in Melastomataceae.

Characterization of the complete chloroplast genome of Scorpiothyrsus erythrotrichus (Melastomataceae), an endemic to Hainan.

Scorpiothyrsus erythrotrichus belongs to Melastomataceae. Here, we present its complete plastome. To our knowledge, this is the first reported complete chloroplast genome of S. erythrotrichus. The complete plastome of S. erythrotrichus is 160,731 bp in length with a typical quadripartite structure, consisting of four regions: large single-copy (LSC) region (85,483 bp), small single-copy (SSC) region (17,007 bp), and two inverted repeat regions (IRs, 26,780 bp). It contains 128 genes (79 coding genes, four rRNAs, and 30 tRNAs). The overall GC content is 36.9% and in the LSC, SSC, and IR regions are 34.70%, 30.40%, and 42.50%, respectively. Our study contributes to the molecular phylogenetic studies of Scorpiothyrsus and Melastomataceae.

An evaluation of a medical student international service-learning experience in Southeast Asia.

Background: International service-learning trips (ISLTs) are structured experiences in a different country where students interact and engage in cross-cultural dialog with others. Month-long ISLTs originating from North American or European medical schools enhance clinical acumen, cultural awareness, and global health familiarity. The impact of experiences shorter than 1 month or those that originate from Asia is unknown. We aimed to determine the impact of a short-term ISLT on medical students' clinical and cultural competence. Methods: At Duke-National University Singapore, we developed an ISLT incorporating peer-assisted learning and a 1-week on-site experience delivering supervised primary care, health screening, and health education in an underserved Southeast Asian community. Using a prospective controlled design, we assessed its impact on medical students' clinical and cultural competency using validated surveys. We compared medical students who participated in the ISTL (intervention group) to a control group of students before and after the ISTL experience. We analyzed responses using univariate analysis and the Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: : Sixty-six students responded to the survey (100%). After the ISTL, the intervention group (n = 32) showed an increase in their ratings of clinical competency (preexperience mean = 3.39, postexperience mean = 3.81, P < 0.01) as well as an increase in their cultural competency domains (preexperience mean = 3.61, postexperience mean = 4.12, P < 0.01). Post the ISTL, students in the intervention group rated their clinical and cultural competency higher than the control group (n = 34) (clinical: intervention postexperience mean = 3.81, control postexperience mean = 3.30, P < 0.01; cultural: intervention postexperience mean = 4.12, control postexperience mean = 3.50, P < 0.01). After the ISTL, the intervention group reported increased ratings of self-efficacy (pre mean = 3.99, post mean = 4.29, P = 0.021), which were higher than the control group (pre mean = 4.29, post mean = 3.57, P < 0.01). Discussion: : This short-term ISLT in an Asian medical school improved students' clinical and cultural competency and self-efficacy. Our findings suggest a positive impact of short-term ISLTs if designed and implemented with a student learning focus.

Steroid myopathy in a child with diffuse alveolar hemorrhage: a case report.

Steroid myopathy (SM) is a side effect of glucocorticoid administration. Previous reports of SM after glucocorticoid therapy for respiratory diseases have focused on asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in adults or adolescents. To our knowledge, there have been no reports of SM after treatment with glucocorticoid for diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) in preschoolers. We present a 4-year-old girl with DAH requiring the treatment with methylprednisolone, who was transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) due to respiratory failure caused by severe pneumonia requiring mechanical ventilation. When transferred to respiratory department, the strength of the limbs of the patient decreased, and her lower limbs were paralyzed. We performed relevant examination to rule out juvenile dermatomyositis and other diseases such as deep venous thrombosis of lower limbs, Guillain-Barre syndrome that may cause the decline of muscle strength. SM was considered based on the clinical characteristics and risk factors of the child, so glucocorticoid treatment was tapered following the treatment regimen for DAH and SM. The muscle strength of the child completely recovered, which further confirmed our diagnosis of SM. In pediatrics, SM should also be a concern when patients with respiratory disease experience decreased muscle strength following glucocorticoid therapy.

DFT Investigation of Hydrogen Atom Abstraction from NHC-Boranes by Methyl, Ethyl and Cyanomethyl Radicals-Composition and Correlation Analysis of Kinetic Barriers.

Understanding the hydrogen atom abstraction (HAA) reactions of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-boranes is essential for extending the practical applications of boron chemistry. In this study, density functional theory (DFT) computations were performed for the HAA reactions of a series of NHC-boranes attacked by •CH2CN, Me• and Et• radicals. Using the computed data, we investigated the correlations of the activation and free energy barriers with their components, including the intrinsic barrier, the thermal contribution of the thermodynamic reaction energy to the kinetic barriers, the activation Gibbs free energy correction and the activation zero-point vibrational energy correction. Furthermore, to describe the dependence of the activation and free energy barriers on the thermodynamic reaction energy or reaction Gibbs free energy, we used a three-variable linear model, which was demonstrated to be more precise than the two-variable Evans-Polanyi linear free energy model and more succinct than the three-variable Marcus-theory-based nonlinear HAA model. The present work provides not only a more thorough understanding of the compositions of the barriers to the HAA reactions of NHC-boranes and the HAA reactivities of the substrates but also fresh insights into the suitability of various models for describing the relationships between the kinetic and thermodynamic physical quantities.

Hippocampal CD39/ENTPD1 promotes mouse depression-like behavior through hydrolyzing extracellular ATP.

Emerging evidence implicates that low levels of ATP in the extracellular space may contribute to the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). The concentration of extracellular ATP is regulated by its hydrolase ectonucleotide tri(di)phosphohydrolase (ENTPD). However, the role of ENTPD in depression remains poorly understood. Here we examine the role of CD39 (known as ENTPD1) in mouse depression-like behavior induced by chronic social defeat stress (CSDS). We demonstrate that CSDS enhances the expression and activity of CD39 in hippocampus. The CD39 functional analog apyrase also induces depression-like behavior, which can be ameliorated by ATP replenishment. Pharmacological inhibition and genetic silencing of CD39 has an antidepressant-like effect via increasing hippocampal extracellular ATP concentration, accompanied with an increase in hippocampal neurogenesis and dendritic spine numbers in defeated mice. These results suggest that hippocampal CD39 contributes to CSDS-induced depression-like behavior via hydrolyzing extracellular ATP, indicating that CD39 may be a promising new target for the treatment of depression.

DFT investigation of hydrogen atom-abstraction reactions of NHC-boranes by various carbon-centered radicals: barriers and correlation analyses.

In this study, we employed a quantum-mechanical computational method to investigate the hydrogen-atom abstraction reactions of two nitrogen heterocyclic carbene boranes (NHC-boranes), NHC-BH3 and NHC-BH2CN, by a series of carbon-centered radicals bearing various substituents. We explored the degree of correlation of the activation and free energy barriers to their components. Furthermore, we also investigated the effects of the radical and substituent sizes, nucleophilicity/electrophilicity indices, and the spin density distribution of the radical reactants on the three fundamental barriers and the thermal contribution of the reaction energy to the kinetic barrier. Using the generated data, we assessed the abilities of the various radical reactants to abstract the hydrogen atom from NHC-boranes. Further, we performed a similar analysis after dividing those radical reactants into four groups, which were classified based on the dominant factor affecting their electronic density distribution, which involves the inductive effect, conjugation, hyperconjugation, and the feedback of lone-pair electrons. The results and conclusions of this investigation not only provide insight into the relationships between some of the key kinetic and thermodynamic parameters, which is useful for understanding the dynamics of such hydrogen-abstraction reactions, but also provide information for selecting suitable radical reactants for further experimental investigations.

Does the Neophyl-like Rearrangement Play a Decisive Role in Intramolecular Cyclization of Iminyl Radicals? A Combined Quantum Chemistry and Numerical Simulation Investigation of the Cyclization Mechanism and Product Distributions of Bicyclic 2-Allyl-2-methyl-2,3-dihydro-1 H-inden-1-iminyl Radical and Several Iminyl Model Compounds.

In this study, we performed a theoretical investigation of the intramolecular cyclization of bicyclic 2-allyl-2-methyl-2,3-dihydro-1 H-inden-1-iminyl radical 1 along with several iminyl model compounds. The results were used to comparatively evaluate the reaction mechanism suggested previously, in which the neophyl-like rearrangement was deemed to play a decisive role. The present computation and numerical simulation identify the experimentally observed endo product in the high-temperature cyclization of 1. The product results from a kinetically controlled endo cyclization-reduction pathway involving an initial reversible 5- exo ring-closure/ring-opening process, not via 5- exo cyclization/neophyl-like rearrangement/ endo-radical reduction pathway as proposed previously. Considering many available theoretical and experimental results, the neophyl-like rearrangement seems to play only a minor role in the intramolecular cyclization of N- and C-centered radicals. The structural effect of cyclized radical intermediates of bicyclic 1 leads to a lower thermodynamic reaction energy of exo cyclization than of endo cyclization, which together with the temperature effect should be responsible for the formation of the dominant endo product in the high-temperature region. Additionally, this investigation provided further insight into the cyclization of 1 and compounds structurally similar to 1; that is, control of endo- or exo-regioselective products is readily available by regulating the reaction temperature.

Correction: Taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity of vascular plants at Ma'anling volcano urban park in tropical Haikou, China: Reponses to soil properties.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0198517.].