Population differentiation and dynamics of five pioneer species of Gaultheria from the secondary forests in subtropical China.

BACKGROUND: The influence of native secondary succession associated with anthropogenic disturbance on the biodiversity of the forests in subtropical China remains uncertain. In particular, the evolutionary response of small understory shrubs, particularly pioneer species inhabiting continuously disturbed habitats, to topographic heterogeneity and climate change is poorly understood. This study aimed to address this knowledge gap by focusing on the Gaultheria crenulata group, a clade of small pioneer shrubs in subtropical China. RESULTS: We examined the genetic structure and demographic history of all five species of the G. crenulata group with two maternally inherited chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) fragments and two biparentally inherited low-copy nuclear genes (LCG) over 89 natural populations. We found that the genetic differentiation of this group was influenced by the geomorphological boundary between different regions of China in association with Quaternary climatic events. Despite low overall genetic diversity, we observed an isolation-by-distance (IBD) pattern at a regional scale, rather than isolation-by-environment (IBE), which was attributed to ongoing human disturbance in the region. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the genetic structure of the G. crenulata group reflects the interplay of geological topography, historical climates, and anthropogenic disturbance during the Pliocene-Pleistocene-Holocene periods in subtropical China. The observed IBD pattern, particularly prominent in western China, highlights the role of limited dispersal and gene flow, possibly influenced by physical barriers or decreased connectivity over geographic distance. Furthermore, the east-to-west trend of gene flow, potentially facilitated by the East Asian monsoon system, underscores the complex interplay of biotic and abiotic factors shaping the genetic dynamics of pioneer species in subtropical China's secondary forests. These findings can be used to assess the impact of environmental changes on the adaptation and persistence of biodiversity in subtropical forest ecosystems.

Deficiency of leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 aggravates thioacetamide-induced acute liver failure and hepatic encephalopathy in mice.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is closely associated with inflammatory responses. However, as a crucial regulator of the immune and inflammatory responses, the role of leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) in the pathogenesis of HE remains unraveled. Herein, we investigated this issue in thioacetamide (TAA)-induced HE following acute liver failure (ALF). METHODS: TAA-induced HE mouse models of LRRK2 wild type (WT), LRRK2 G2019S mutation (Lrrk2G2019S) and LRRK2 knockout (Lrrk2-/-) were established. A battery of neurobehavioral experiments was conducted. The biochemical indexes and pro-inflammatory cytokines were detected. The prefrontal cortex (PFC), striatum (STR), hippocampus (HIP), and liver were examined by pathology and electron microscopy. The changes of autophagy-lysosomal pathway and activity of critical Rab GTPases were analyzed. RESULTS: The Lrrk2-/--HE model reported a significantly lower survival rate than the other two models (24% vs. 48%, respectively, p < 0.05), with no difference found between the WT-HE and Lrrk2G2019S-HE groups. Compared with the other groups, after the TAA injection, the Lrrk2-/- group displayed a significant increase in ammonium and pro-inflammatory cytokines, aggravated hepatic inflammation/necrosis, decreased autophagy, and abnormal phosphorylation of lysosomal Rab10. All three models reported microglial activation, neuronal loss, disordered vesicle transmission, and damaged myelin structure. The Lrrk2-/--HE mice presented no severer neuronal injury than the other genotypes. CONCLUSIONS: LRRK2 deficiency may exacerbate TAA-induced ALF and HE in mice, in which inflammatory response is evident in the brain and aggravated in the liver. These novel findings indicate a need of sufficient clinical awareness of the adverse effects of LRRK2 inhibitors on the liver.

The role of Pleistocene dispersal in shaping species richness of sky island wintergreens from the Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains.

In addition to topography and climate, biogeographic dispersal has been considered to influence plant diversity in the Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains (HHM), yet, the mode and tempo of sky island dispersal and its influence on species richness has been little explored. Through phylogenetic analysis of Gaultheria ser. Trichophyllae, a sky island alpine clade within the HHM, we test the hypothesis that dispersal has affected current local species richness. We inferred the dynamics of biogeographic dispersal with correlation tests on direction, distance, occurrence time, and regional species richness. We found that G. ser. Trichophyllae originated at the end of the Miocene and mostly dispersed toward higher longitudes (eastward). In particular, shorter intra-regional eastward dispersals and longer inter-regional westward dispersals were most frequently observed. We detected a prevalence of eastward intra-region dispersals in both glacial periods and interglacials. These dispersals may have been facilitated by the reorganization of paleo-drainages and monsoon intensification through time. We suggest that the timing of dispersal corresponding to glacial periods and the prevalence of intra-region dispersal, rather than dispersal frequency, most influenced the pattern of species richness of G. ser. Trichophyllae. This study facilitates a more comprehensive understanding of biodiversity in the sky islands within the HHM.

Characterization of the Complete Chloroplast Genome of Gaultheria nummularioides D.Don 1825 (Ericaceae).

Gaultheria nummularioides D.Don 1825 (Ericaceae) is a traditional Chinese medicinal plant used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. The complete chloroplast genome of G. nummularioides has been sequenced and assembled. The genome is 176,207 bp in total with one large single copy (LSC: 107,726 bp), one small single copy (SSC: 3,389 bp), and two inverted repeat regions (IRa and IRb; each 32,546 bp). The chloroplast genome encoded a total of 110 unique genes; the GC content of these genes is 36.6%. The results based on phylogenetic analysis of the complete chloroplast genome suggests that G. nummularioides diverged later than G. praticola, the sister relationship between G. nummularioides and the clade comprising G. fragrantissima Wall. 1820 and G. hookeri C.B. Clarke 1882 was strongly supported. This study provides additional information on the genetic diversity of G. nummularioides, its closely related taxa, and further exploration of chloroplast genomes in the Ericaceae family.

Sodium Chloride Increases Aß Levels by Suppressing Aß Clearance in Cultured Cells.

Recent studies suggest that high-salt diet is associated with cognitive decline in human and mouse. The fact that genetic factors account for less than 50% cases of sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD) highlights the important contribution of environmental factors, such as high-salt diet, in AD pathogenesis. However, whether and how high-salt diet fits the "amyloid cascade" hypothesis remains unexplored. Here, we show sodium chloride (NaCl) could increase Aß levels in the medium of HEK293 cells overexpressing amyloid precursor protein (APP) or C99 fragment. NaCl treatment dose not affect APP level, gamma secretase level or activity. Instead, NaCl treatment suppresses the capacity of cells to clear Aß and reduces Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) level. Finally, NaCl treated THP-1 or BV2 cells are inefficient in clearing Aß when co-cultured with rat primary neurons. Our study suggests that high-salt diet may increase AD risk by directly modulating Aß levels.

[The new method monitoring crop water content based on NIR-Red spectrum feature space].

Moisture content is an important index of crop water stress condition, timely and effective monitoring of crop water content is of great significance for evaluating crop water deficit balance and guiding agriculture irrigation. The present paper was trying to build a new crop water index for winter wheat vegetation water content based on NIR-Red spectral space. Firstly, canopy spectrums of winter wheat with narrow-band were resampled according to relative spectral response function of HJ-CCD and ZY-3. Then, a new index (PWI) was set up to estimate vegetation water content of winter wheat by improveing PDI (perpendicular drought index) and PVI (perpendicular vegetation index) based on NIR-Red spectral feature space. The results showed that the relationship between PWI and VWC (vegetation water content) was stable based on simulation of wide-band multispectral data HJ-CCD and ZY-3 with R2 being 0.684 and 0.683, respectively. And then VWC was estimated by using PWI with the R2 and RMSE being 0.764 and 0.764, 3.837% and 3.840%, respectively. The results indicated that PWI has certain feasibility to estimate crop water content. At the same time, it provides a new method for monitoring crop water content using remote sensing data HJ-CCD and ZY-3.

[Estimating canopy water content in wheat based on new vegetation water index].

Moisture content is an important indicator for crop water stress condition, timely and effective monitoring crop water content is of great significance for evaluate crop water deficit balance and guide agriculture irrigation. In order to improve the saturated problems of different forms of typical NDWI (Normalized Different Water Index), we tried to introduce EVI (Enhanced Vegetation Index) to build new vegetation water indices (NDWI#) to estimate crop water content. Firstly, PROSAIL model was used to study the saturation sensitivity of NDWI, and NDWI# to canopy water content and LAI (Leaf Area Index). Then, the estimated model and verified model were estimated using the spectral data and moisture data in the field. The result showed that the new indices have significant relationships with canopy water content. In particular, by implementing modified standardized for NDWI1450, NDWI1940, NDWI2500. The result indicated that newly developed indices with visible-infrared and shortwave infrared spectral feature may have greater advantage for estimation winter canopy water content.

Clinicopathological features of Churg-Strauss syndrome with severe nerve degeneration: a case report.

Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is a rare autoimmune vasculitis of unknown etiology that involves small- and medium-sized blood vessels. Its onset is thought to be associated with adult-onset asthma, and vasculitis typically involves vessels in the lungs. However, due to increased blood and tissue eosinophilia, vasculitis may result in the involvement multiple systems of (neurological, skin, etc.). We report a case of CSS with manifestations that included skin purpura and severe peripheral nerve degeneration in a 56-year-old woman with a recent history of asthma. After the treatment with methylprednisolone and standard immunosuppressive therapy, her rashes resolved, there were no acute asthma attacks, and the numbness in her lower limbs improved.

[Spectroscopic studies on the relationship between heat treatment process and immunogenicity of beta-lactoglobulin in milk].

The thermal denaturation of beta-lactoglobulin of milk was investigated by using DSC, circular dichroism spectra, and fluorescence spectra systematically. And its corresponding immunogenicity was tested with ELISA experiments. In addition, bioinformatics methods were also used to explain the spectral characteristics and its corresponding immunogenic change, analyze the conformational changes of the protein during thermal denaturation, and discuss the relationship between conformational change of beta-lactoglobulin caused by heat and immunogenic change. Results from this study should be useful to the establishment of a spectral method examining the extent of thermal denaturation of the food allergen, and be helpful to the understanding of the mechanism of immunogenic change of food allergen treated by heat.

Investigation of urban water quality using simulated rainfall in a medium size city of China.

Road-deposited sediment (RDS) is an important environmental medium for impacting the characteristics of pollutants in stormwater runoff; it is of critical importance to investigate the water quality of urban environments. The paper develops a rainfall simulator as an important research tool to ensure homogeneity and reduce the large number of variables that are usually inherent to urban water quality research. The rainfall simulator was used to experiment runoff samples from typical residential and traffic areas in the Zhenjiang. The data show that land use is one of the major factors contributing to the difference in the pollutants concentration in the RDS. The maximum mean EMC for TN, TDN, TP, and TDP at residential area was 5.52, 3.07, 1.65, and 0.36 mg/L, respectively. The intense traffic area displayed the highest metal concentrations. Concentrations of runoff pollutants varied greatly with land use and storm characteristics. The correlation of pollutant concentrations with runoff times was another predominant phenomenon. Peaks in pollutants concentration occurred at 1 and 10 min during the whole storm event. A concentration peak that correlates with a peak in runoff flowrate correlates with rainfall intensity. The pollutant loadings (kilograms per hectare) in the Zhenjiang were 11.39 and 55.28 for COD, 8.42 and 57.48 for SS, 0.11 and 0.88 for TN, 0.02 and 0.14 for TP, 0.02 and 0.09 for Zn, and 0.01 and 0.04 for Pb. The higher rainfall contribute to the higher pollutant loading at the residential and intense traffic areas, as a result of the pollutant loadings direct dependence on rainfall intensity. The results confirmed that the rainfall simulator is a reliable tool for urban water quality research and can be used to simulate pollutant wash-off. These findings provide invaluable information for the development of appropriate management strategies to decrease nonpoint source contamination loading to the water environment in urban areas.

Review of the diagnosis and clinical features of multiple sclerosis in China.

This review focused on the diagnosis and clinical features of multiple sclerosis (MS) in China. We have identified the published researching information from 1976 to 2008 in China. The key issues related to the diagnosis and clinical features of MS in China were summarized. The first patient with MS in China was reported in 1926 from Xiehe hospital. Case reports on MS have been increasing during recent decades. Almost all the patients with MS were confirmed by the McDonald criteria (1977) before 1984. After the year of 1992, even to this day, the Poser criteria were widely used in China. Although the new diagnostic criteria, McDonald criteria (2001), were presented in 2001, only few papers published in Chinese were reported. The most frequent initial symptoms or signs of the patients with MS were optic nerve, motor weakness and sensory symptoms. The most frequent location of MS lesions over the course was found to be the spinal cord, followed by the cerebrum and optic nerves. Almost all patients had been treated with corticosteroids. This review supported previous observations in Chinese patients with MS. However, further studies are needed to understand epidemiologic features of MS in China.