Testing the ectomycorrhizal-dominance hypothesis for ecosystem multifunctionality in a subtropical mountain forest.

Mycorrhizal associations are key mutualisms that shape the structure of forest communities and multiple ecosystem functions. However, we lack a framework for predicting the varying dominance of distinct mycorrhizal associations in an integrated proxy of multifunctionality across ecosystems. Here, we used the datasets containing diversity of mycorrhizal associations and 18 ecosystem processes related to supporting, provisioning, and regulating services to examine how the dominance of ectomycorrhiza (EcM) associations affects ecosystem multifunctionality in subtropical mountain forests in Southwest China. Meanwhile, we synthesized the prevalence of EcM-dominant effects on ecosystem functioning in forest biomes. Our results demonstrated that elevation significantly modified the distributions of EcM trees and fungal dominance, which in turn influenced multiple functions simultaneously. Multifunctionality increased with increasing proportion of EcM associations, supporting the ectomycorrhizal-dominance hypothesis. Meanwhile, we observed that the impacts of EcM dominance on individual ecosystem functions exhibited different relationships among forest biomes. Our findings highlight the importance of ectomycorrhizal dominance in regulating multifunctionality in subtropical forests. However, this ectomycorrhizal feedback in shaping ecosystem functions cannot necessarily be generalized across forests. Therefore, we argue that the predictions for ecosystem multifunctionality in response to the shifts of mycorrhizal composition could vary across space and time.

Prevalence and genotype distribution of human papillomavirus infection among 66000 women from 2014 to 2023 in the plateau region of Southwest China.

BACKGROUND: Persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) plays a key role in the onset of cervical cancer. This study was designed to examine the epidemiological trends and genotype distribution of HPV from 2014 to 2023 in the plateau region of Southwest China. METHODS: The findings could offer valuable insights for clinical screening of cervical cancer and the formulation of HPV vaccination policies. This retrospective study analyzed 66,000 women who received HPV-DNA testing at the First People's Hospital of Qujing, Yunnan, China, between 2014 and 2023. The cohort consisted of 33,512 outpatients, 3,816 inpatients, and 28,672 individuals undergoing health examinations. Cervical cells were collected for DNA extraction, and PCR amplification along with Luminex xMAP technology were used to detect 27 HPV genotypes. The data analysis was conducted using GraphPad Prism and IBM SPSS Statistics 27 software. RESULTS: The overall HPV infection rate at the First People's Hospital of Qujing declined from 24.92% in 2014 to 16.29% in 2023, averaging 16.02%. Specific infection rates were 18.50% among outpatients, 12.97% among inpatients, and 13.53% for health examination attendees. The predominant high-risk HPV genotypes identified were HPV52 (2.61%), HPV16 (2.06%), HPV58 (1.81%), HPV53 (1.55%), and HPV39 (1.09%). Meanwhile, the most frequent low-risk HPV genotypes were HPV6 (1.30%), HPV61 (1.21%), and HPV11 (0.85%). In HPV-positive cases, the distribution of single, double, triple, and quadruple or more infections were 79.90%, 15.17%, 3.59%, and 1.33%, respectively. The proportions of pure LR-HPV, pure HR-HPV, and mixed infections were 22.16%, 67.82%, and 10.02%, respectively. Age-specific analysis revealed a bimodal distribution of HPV infection, with the infection rate rapidly decreasing from 44.02% in the ≤ 19 age group to 19.55% in the 20-29 age group and 13.84% in the 30-39 age group, followed by a gradual increase to 14.64% in the 40-49 age group, 16.65% in the 50-59 age group, and 22.98% in the ≥ 60 age group. The coverage rates of the three available vaccines are all below 50%. The results of this study indicated a declining trend in HPV prevalence in the plateau region of Southwest China over the period from 2014 to 2023, especially in the reduction of genotypes targeted by vaccines. CONCLUSION: There were significant variations in the genotypes prevalent among different age groups, years, and patient sources within the same region. The underwhelming vaccination rates emphasize the critical need for developing either a multivalent vaccine or a personalized vaccine that targets the HPV genotypes common in the Chinese population. Furthermore, vaccinating adolescents to curb HPV infection and ensuring regular cervical cancer screenings for postmenopausal women are crucial steps.

Distinctive plastome evolution in carnivorous angiosperms.

BACKGROUND: Independent origins of carnivory in multiple angiosperm families are fabulous examples of convergent evolution using a diverse array of life forms and habitats. Previous studies have indicated that carnivorous plants have distinct evolutionary trajectories of plastid genome (plastome) compared to their non-carnivorous relatives, yet the extent and general characteristics remain elusive. RESULTS: We compared plastomes from 9 out of 13 carnivorous families and their non-carnivorous relatives to assess carnivory-associated evolutionary patterns. We identified inversions in all sampled Droseraceae species and four species of Utricularia, Pinguicula, Darlingtonia and Triphyophyllum. A few carnivores showed distinct shifts in inverted repeat boundaries and the overall repeat contents. Many ndh genes, along with some other genes, were independently lost in several carnivorous lineages. We detected significant substitution rate variations in most sampled carnivorous lineages. A significant overall substitution rate acceleration characterizes the two largest carnivorous lineages of Droseraceae and Lentibulariaceae. We also observe moderate substitution rates acceleration in many genes of Cephalotus follicularis, Roridula gorgonias, and Drosophyllum lusitanicum. However, only a few genes exhibit significant relaxed selection. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that the carnivory of plants have different effects on plastome evolution across carnivorous lineages. The complex mechanism under carnivorous habitats may have resulted in distinctive plastome evolution with conserved plastome in the Brocchinia hechtioides to strongly reconfigured plastomes structures in Droseraceae. Organic carbon obtained from prey and the efficiency of utilizing prey-derived nutrients might constitute possible explanation.

Genetic imprints of grafting in wild iron walnut populations in southwestern China.

BACKGROUND: Anthropogenic activities are causing unprecedented loss of genetic diversity in many species. However, the effects on genetic diversity from large-scale grafting onto wild plants of crop species are largely undetermined. Iron walnut (Juglans sigillata Dode) is a deciduous nut tree crop endemic to southwestern China with a long history of cultivation. Due to the rapid expansion of the walnut industry, many natural populations are now being replaced by cultivars grafted onto wild rootstocks. However, little is known about the potential genetic consequences of such action on natural populations. RESULTS: We sampled the scion and the rootstock from each of 149 grafted individuals within nine wild populations of J. sigillata from Yunnan Province which is the center of walnut diversity and cultivation in China, and examined their genetic diversity and population structure using 31 microsatellite loci. Scions had lower genetic diversity than rootstocks, and this pattern was repeated in seven of the nine examined populations. Among those seven populations, AMOVA and clustering analyses showed a clear genetic separation between all rootstocks and all scions. However, the two remaining populations, both from northern Yunnan, showed genetic similarity between scions and rootstocks, possibly indicating that wild populations here are derived from feralized local cultivars. Moreover, our data indicated probable crop-to-wild gene flow between scions and rootstocks, across all populations. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that large-scale grafting has been causing genetic diversity erosion and genetic structure breakdown in the wild material of J. sigillata within Yunnan. To mitigate these effects, we caution against the overuse of grafting in wild populations of iron walnut and other crop species and recommend the preservation of natural genotypes through in situ  and ex situ conservation.

Multiple paternally inherited chloroplast capture events associated with Taxus speciation in the Hengduan Mountains.

Mountainous regions provide a multitude of habitats and opportunities for complex speciation scenarios. Hybridization leading to chloroplast capture, which can be revealed by incongruent phylogenetic trees, is one possible outcome. Four allopatric Taxus lineages (three species and an undescribed lineage) from the Hengduan Mountains, southwest China, exhibit conflicting phylogenetic relationships between nuclear and chloroplast phylogenies. Here, we use multi-omic data at the population level to investigate their historical speciation processes. Population genomic analysis based on ddRAD-seq data revealed limited contemporary inter-specific gene flow involving only populations located close to another species. In a historical context, chloroplast and nuclear data (transcriptome) consistently showed conflicting phylogenetic relationships for T. florinii and the Emei type lineage. ILS and chloroplast recombination were excluded as possible causes, and transcriptome and ddRAD-seq data revealed an absence of the mosaic nuclear genomes that characterize hybrid origin scenarios. Therefore, T. florinii appears to have originated when a lineage of T. florinii captured the T. chinensis plastid type, whereas plastid introgression in the opposite direction generated the Emei Type. All four species have distinct ecological niche based on community investigations and ecological niche analyses. We propose that the origins of both species represent very rare examples of chloroplast capture events despite the paternal cpDNA inheritance of gymnosperms. Specifically, allopatrically and/or ecologically diverged parental species experienced a rare secondary contact, subsequent hybridization and reciprocal chloroplast capture, generating two new lineages, each of which acquired a unique ecological niche. These events might have been triggered by orogenic activities of the Hengduan Mountains and an intensification of the Asian monsoon in the late Miocene, and may represent a scenario more common in these mountains than presently known.

Protein Labeling Facilitates the Understanding of Protein Corona Formation via Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer and Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy.

Once nanoparticles enter into the biological milieu, nanoparticle-biomacromolecule complexes, especially the protein corona, swiftly form, which cause obvious effects on the physicochemical properties of both nanoparticles and proteins. Here, the thermodynamic parameters of the interactions between water-soluble GSH-CdSe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots (GSH-QDs) and human serum albumin (HSA) were investigated with the aid of labeling fluorescence of HSA. It was proved that the labeling fluorescence originating from a fluorophore (BDP-CN for instance) could be used to investigate the interactions between QDs and HSA. Gel electrophoresis displayed that the binding ratio between HSA and QDs was ∼2:1 by direct visualization. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) results indicated that the distance between the QDs and the fluorophore BDP-CN in HSA was 7.2 nm, which indicated that the distance from the fluorophore to the surface of the QDs was ∼4.8 nm. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) results showed that HSA formed a monolayer of a protein corona with a thickness of 5.5 nm. According to the spatial structure of HSA, we could speculate that the binding site of QDs was located at the side edge (not the triangular plane) of HSA with an equilateral triangular prism. The elaboration of the thermodynamic parameters, binding ratio, and interaction orientation will highly improve the fundamental understanding of the formation of protein corona. This work has guiding significance for the exploration of the interactions between proteins and nanomaterials.

Long duration of atrial high-rate episode is more favorable in predicting ischemic stroke than high CHA2 DS2 -VASc score.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the roles of duration and burden of atrial high-rate episode (AHRE) on ischemic stroke in patients with pacemaker implantation. METHODS: Patients with pacemaker implantation for bradycardia from 2013 to 2017 were consecutively enrolled. Data such as gender, age, combined diseases, type of AF, left atrial size, left ventricular size, left ventricular ejection fraction, CHA2 DS2 -VASc score, and anticoagulants were collected. The burden and duration of AHRE based on different interval partition were also recorded in detail to evaluate the impacts on ischemic stroke. Cox regression analysis with time-dependent covariates was conducted. RESULTS: A total of 220 patients with AHRE were enrolled. The average follow-up time was 48.42 ± 17.20 months. Univariate regression analysis showed that diabetes (p = .024), high CHA2 DS2 -VASc score (≥ 2) (p = .021), long mean AHRE burden (p = .011), long maximal AHRE burden (p = .015), long AHRE duration lasting≥48 h (p = .001) or 24 h (p = .001) or 12 h (p = .005) were prone to ischemic stroke. Further multivariate regression analysis showed that long duration of AHRE (≥48 h) (HR 10.77; 95% CI 3.22-55.12; p = .030) were significantly correlated with stroke in patients with paroxysmal AF. There was no significant correlation between the type of AF and stroke (p = .927). CONCLUSION: The longer duration of AHRE (≥48 h) was more favorable in predicting ischemic stroke than high CHA2 DS2 -VASc score (≥2).

Predictors of pacing-induced cardiomyopathy detection and outcomes demonstration after conduction system pacing upgrade on patients with long-term persistent atrial fibrillation.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the predictors of pacing-induced cardiomyopathy (PICM) and illustrate the safety and feasibility of conduction system pacing (CSP) upgrade on patients with long-term persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS: All patients with long-term persistent AF and normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥50% were consecutively enrolled from January 2008 to December 2017, and all the patients with atrioventricular block (AVB) and high right ventricular pacing (RVP) percentage of at least 40%. The predictors of PICM were identified, and patients with PICM were followed up for at least 1 year regardless of CSP upgrade. Cardiac performances and lead outcomes were investigated in all patients before and after CSP upgrade. RESULTS: The present study included 139 patients, out of which 37 (26.62%) developed PICM, resulting in a significant decrease in the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) from 56.11 ± 2.56% to 38.10 ± 5.81% (p< .01). The median duration for the development of PICM was 5.43 years. Lower LVEF (≤52.50%), longer paced QRS duration (≥175 ms), and higher RVP percentage (≥96.80%) were identified as independent predictors of PICM. Furthermore, the morbidity of PICM progressively increased with an increased number of predictors. The paced QRS duration (183.90 ± 22.34 ms vs. 136.57 ± 20.71 ms, p < .01), LVEF (39.35 ± 2.71% vs. 47.50 ± 7.43%, p < .01), and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD) (55.53 ± 5.67 mm vs. 53.20 ± 5.78 mm, p = .03) improved significantly on patients accepting CSP upgrade. CSP responses and complete reverse remodeling (LVEF ≥50% and LVEDD < 50 mm) were detected in 80.95% (17/21) and 42.9% (9/21) of patients. The pacing threshold (1.52 ± 0.78 V/0.4 ms vs. 1.27 ± 0.59 V/0.4 ms, p = .16) was stable after follow-up. CONCLUSION: PICM is very common in patients with long-term persistent AF, and CSP upgrade was favorable for better cardiac performance in this patient population.

Phylogenetic Relationships and Next-Generation Barcodes in the Genus Torreya Reveal a High Proportion of Misidentified Cultivated Plants.

Accurate species identification is key to conservation and phylogenetic inference. Living plant collections from botanical gardens/arboretum are important resources for the purpose of scientific research, but the proportion of cultivated plant misidentification are un-tested using DNA barcodes. Here, we assembled the next-generation barcode (complete plastid genome and complete nrDNA cistron) and mitochondrial genes from genome skimming data of Torreya species with multiple accessions for each species to test the species discrimination and the misidentification proportion of cultivated plants used in Torreya studies. A total of 38 accessions were included for analyses, representing all nine recognized species of genus Torreya. The plastid phylogeny showed that all 21 wild samples formed species-specific clades, except T. jiulongshanensis. Disregarding this putative hybrid, seven recognized species sampled here were successfully discriminated by the plastid genome. Only the T. nucifera accessions grouped into two grades. The species identification rate of the nrDNA cistron was 62.5%. The Skmer analysis based on nuclear reads from genome skims showed promise for species identification with seven species discriminated. The proportion of misidentified cultivated plants from arboreta/botanical gardens was relatively high with four accessions (23.5%) representing three species. Interspecific relationships within Torreya were fully resolved with maximum support by plastomes, where Torreya jackii was on the earliest diverging branch, though sister to T. grandis in the nrDNA cistron tree, suggesting that this is likely a hybrid species between T. grandis and an extinct Torreya ancestor lineage. The findings here provide quantitative insights into the usage of cultivated samples for phylogenetic study.

Phylogenomics and the flowering plant tree of life.

The advances accelerated by next-generation sequencing and long-read sequencing technologies continue to provide an impetus for plant phylogenetic study. In the past decade, a large number of phylogenetic studies adopting hundreds to thousands of genes across a wealth of clades have emerged and ushered plant phylogenetics and evolution into a new era. In the meantime, a roadmap for researchers when making decisions across different approaches for their phylogenomic research design is imminent. This review focuses on the utility of genomic data (from organelle genomes, to both reduced representation sequencing and whole-genome sequencing) in phylogenetic and evolutionary investigations, describes the baseline methodology of experimental and analytical procedures, and summarizes recent progress in flowering plant phylogenomics at the ordinal, familial, tribal, and lower levels. We also discuss the challenges, such as the adverse impact on orthology inference and phylogenetic reconstruction raised from systematic errors, and underlying biological factors, such as whole-genome duplication, hybridization/introgression, and incomplete lineage sorting, together suggesting that a bifurcating tree may not be the best model for the tree of life. Finally, we discuss promising avenues for future plant phylogenomic studies.

Clinical observation on the treatment of ankle fracture with buttress plate and traditional internal fixation and its effect on GQOLI-74 score and Baird-Jackson score.

Objective: To explore the curative effect of buttress plate and traditional internal fixation in the treatment of ankle fracture, so as to provide potential reference for the clinical treatment of this disease. Methods: This is a clinical comparative study. The subjects of this study were one hundred patients with ankle fracture treated in Mindong Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University from January 2019 to December 2021. Enrolled patients were randomly divided into the control group and the experimental group. Patients in the control group were treated with traditional internal fixation, and those in the experimental group were provided with buttress plate. Patients were compared in several aspects such as the comprehensive quality of life assessment questionnaire (GQOLI-74), Baird-Jackson score and postoperative complications. Result: The experimental group showed improved Baird-Jackson score after treatment, significantly higher fracture healing rate than that of the control group three months after treatment. Besides, there was no significant difference in the complications between the two groups, with good prognosis after timely treatment. Conclusion: Internal fixation with buttress plate has obvious advantages in the treatment of ankle fractures, which can effectively improve the quality of life and promote the rapid healing of fractures. It is worthy of clinical promotion and application.

Fluorescent Labeling of Human Serum Albumin by Thiol-Cyanimide Addition and Its Application in the Fluorescence Quenching Method for Nanoparticle-Protein Interactions.

A boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY)-based fluorescent probe, BDP-CN, was synthesized in this work. It had a fluorescence emission maximum at 512 nm and a high quantum yield (48%). As evidenced by agarose gel electrophoresis and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, it could realize the fluorescent labeling of human serum albumin (HSA) through a thiol-cyanimide addition. Interestingly, f-HSA, defined as HSA labeled by BDP-CN, had an even higher quantum yield (77%). In addition, BDP-CN would not affect the secondary structure of HSA. Based on the successful formation of f-HSA, it was further applied to study the interactions with nanoparticles. The fluorescence quenching of f-HSA by dihydrolipoic acid-coated gold nanoclusters (DHLA-AuNCs) obeyed a dynamic mechanism, consistent with the intrinsic fluorescence quenching of HSA by DHLA-AuNCs. The association constant Ka between f-HSA and DHLA-AuNCs at 298 K was 1.5 × 105 M-1, which was the same order of magnitude as that between HSA and DHLA-AuNCs. Moreover, the interactions of f-HSA with glutathione-coated gold nanoclusters confirmed that the labeled fluorescence could replace the intrinsic fluorescence to monitor the interactions between proteins and nanoparticles. By this method, strong fluorescence ensures better stability and reproducibility, excitation at a longer wavelength reduces the damage to the proteins, and covalent conjugation with cysteine residues eliminates the inner filter effects to a great extent. Therefore, the strategy for the fluorescent labeling of HSA can be expanded to investigate a broad class of nanoparticle-protein interactions and inspire even more fluorescent labeling methods with organic dyes.

Phylotranscriptomics of Theaceae: generic-level relationships, reticulation and whole-genome duplication.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Theaceae, with three tribes, nine genera and more than 200 species, are of great economic and ecological importance. Recent phylogenetic analyses based on plastomic data resolved the relationships among the three tribes and the intergeneric relationships within two of those tribes. However, generic-level relationships within the largest tribe, Theeae, were not fully resolved. The role of putative whole-genome duplication (WGD) events in the family and possible hybridization events among genera within Theeae also remain to be tested further. METHODS: Transcriptomes or low-depth whole-genome sequencing of 57 species of Theaceae, as well as additional plastome sequence data, were generated. Using a dataset of low-copy nuclear genes, we reconstructed phylogenetic relationships using concatenated, species tree and phylogenetic network approaches. We further conducted molecular dating analyses and inferred possible WGD events by examining the distribution of the number of synonymous substitutions per synonymous site (Ks) for paralogues in each species. For plastid protein-coding sequences , phylogenies were reconstructed for comparison with the results obtained from analysis of the nuclear dataset. RESULTS: Based on the 610 low-copy nuclear genes (858 606 bp in length) investigated, Stewartieae was resolved as sister to the other two tribes. Within Theeae, the Apterosperma-Laplacea clade grouped with Pyrenaria, leaving Camellia and Polyspora as sister. The estimated ages within Theaceae were largely consistent with previous studies based mainly on plastome data. Two reticulation events within Camellia and one between the common ancestor of Gordonia and Schima were found. All members of the tea family shared two WGD events, an older At-γ and a recent Ad-ß; both events were also shared with the outgroups (Diapensiaceae, Pentaphylacaceae, Styracaceae and Symplocaceae). CONCLUSIONS: Our analyses using low-copy nuclear genes improved understanding of phylogenetic relationships at the tribal and generic levels previously proposed based on plastome data, but the phylogenetic position of the Apterosperma-Laplacea clade needs more attention. There is no evidence for extensive intergeneric hybridization within Theeae or for a Theaceae-specific WGD event. Land bridges (e.g. the Bering land bridge) during the Late Oligocene may have permitted the intercontinental plant movements that facilitated the putative ancient introgression between the common ancestor of Gordonia and Schima.

Resolution, conflict and rate shifts: insights from a densely sampled plastome phylogeny for Rhododendron (Ericaceae).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Rhododendron is a species-rich and taxonomically challenging genus due to recent adaptive radiation and frequent hybridization. A well-resolved phylogenetic tree would help to understand the diverse history of Rhododendron in the Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains where the genus is most diverse. METHODS: We reconstructed the phylogeny based on plastid genomes with broad taxon sampling, covering 161 species representing all eight subgenera and all 12 sections, including ~45 % of the Rhododendron species native to the Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains. We compared this phylogeny with nuclear phylogenies to elucidate reticulate evolutionary events and clarify relationships at all levels within the genus. We also estimated the timing and diversification history of Rhododendron, especially the two species-rich subgenera Rhododendron and Hymenanthes that comprise >90 % of Rhododendron species in the Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains. KEY RESULTS: The full plastid dataset produced a well-resolved and supported phylogeny of Rhododendron. We identified 13 clades that were almost always monophyletic across all published phylogenies. The conflicts between nuclear and plastid phylogenies suggested strongly that reticulation events may have occurred in the deep lineage history of the genus. Within Rhododendron, subgenus Therorhodion diverged first at 56 Mya, then a burst of diversification occurred from 23.8 to 17.6 Mya, generating ten lineages among the component 12 clades of core Rhododendron. Diversification in subgenus Rhododendron accelerated c. 16.6 Mya and then became fairly continuous. Conversely, Hymenanthes diversification was slow at first, then accelerated very rapidly around 5 Mya. In the Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains, subgenus Rhododendron contained one major clade adapted to high altitudes and another to low altitudes, whereas most clades in Hymenanthes contained both low- and high-altitude species, indicating greater ecological plasticity during its diversification. CONCLUSIONS: The 13 clades proposed here may help to identify specific ancient hybridization events. This study will help to establish a stable and reliable taxonomic framework for Rhododendron, and provides insight into what drove its diversification and ecological adaption. Denser sampling of taxa, examining both organelle and nuclear genomes, is needed to better understand the divergence and diversification history of Rhododendron.

Plastid phylogenomic insights into relationships of all flowering plant families.

BACKGROUND: Flowering plants (angiosperms) are dominant components of global terrestrial ecosystems, but phylogenetic relationships at the familial level and above remain only partially resolved, greatly impeding our full understanding of their evolution and early diversification. The plastome, typically mapped as a circular genome, has been the most important molecular data source for plant phylogeny reconstruction for decades. RESULTS: Here, we assembled by far the largest plastid dataset of angiosperms, composed of 80 genes from 4792 plastomes of 4660 species in 2024 genera representing all currently recognized families. Our phylogenetic tree (PPA II) is essentially congruent with those of previous plastid phylogenomic analyses but generally provides greater clade support. In the PPA II tree, 75% of nodes at or above the ordinal level and 78% at or above the familial level were resolved with high bootstrap support (BP ≥ 90). We obtained strong support for many interordinal and interfamilial relationships that were poorly resolved previously within the core eudicots, such as Dilleniales, Saxifragales, and Vitales being resolved as successive sisters to the remaining rosids, and Santalales, Berberidopsidales, and Caryophyllales as successive sisters to the asterids. However, the placement of magnoliids, although resolved as sister to all other Mesangiospermae, is not well supported and disagrees with topologies inferred from nuclear data. Relationships among the five major clades of Mesangiospermae remain intractable despite increased sampling, probably due to an ancient rapid radiation. CONCLUSIONS: We provide the most comprehensive dataset of plastomes to date and a well-resolved phylogenetic tree, which together provide a strong foundation for future evolutionary studies of flowering plants.

1,3-Benzodioxole Derivatives Improve the Anti-Tumor Efficiency of Arsenicals.

Arsenicals have been widely used in the treatment of cancers such as leukemia and other tumors. However, their side effects limit their clinical application. Stiripentol, a second-line adjunctive treatment for epilepsy with a good safety profile, inhibits microsomal cytochrome-P450-family enzymes to extend the retention time of co-administration. Inspired by the metabolism of stiripentol, the 1,3-benzodioxole responsible for the inhibition and its metabolic derivatives were conjugated with arsenical precursors. The fabricated arsenicals were eliminated much slower in mice and maintained an efficient concentration in the blood for a longer time than that of the arsenical precursors. They also performed better in anti-proliferation by inhibiting the thioredoxin system to induce oxidative stress, and concomitantly to initiate apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. The fabricated arsenicals reversed the hemogram of tumor-bearing mice to normal and eliminated the tumor without causing damage to any organs, exhibiting a good design strategy and pre-clinical application for leukemia and other tumors.

Natural hybridization among three Rhododendron species (Ericaceae) revealed by morphological and genomic evidence.

BACKGROUND: Natural hybridization can influence the adaptive response to selection and accelerate species diversification. Understanding the composition and structure of hybrid zones may elucidate patterns of hybridization processes that are important to the formation and maintenance of species, especially for taxa that have experienced rapidly adaptive radiation. Here, we used morphological traits, ddRAD-seq and plastid DNA sequence data to investigate the structure of a Rhododendron hybrid zone and uncover the hybridization patterns among three sympatric and closely related species. RESULTS: Our results show that the hybrid zone is complex, where bi-directional hybridization takes place among the three sympatric parental species: R. spinuliferum, R. scabrifolium, and R. spiciferum. Hybrids between R. spinuliferum and R. spiciferum (R. ×duclouxii) comprise multiple hybrid classes and a high proportion of F1 generation hybrids, while a novel hybrid taxon between R. spinuliferum and R. scabrifolium dominated the F2 generation, but no backcross individuals were detected. The hybrid zone showed basically coincident patterns of population structure between genomic and morphological data. CONCLUSIONS: Natural hybridization exists among the three Rhododendron species in the hybrid zone, although patterns of hybrid formation vary between hybrid taxa, which may result in different evolutionary outcomes. This study represents a unique opportunity to dissect the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms associated with adaptive radiation of Rhododendron species in a biodiversity hotspot.

Differential expressions of anthocyanin synthesis genes underlie flower color divergence in a sympatric Rhododendron sanguineum complex.

BACKGROUND: The Rhododendron sanguineum complex is endemic to alpine mountains of northwest Yunnan and southeast Tibet of China. Varieties in this complex exhibit distinct flower colors even at the bud stage. However, the underlying molecular regulations for the flower color variation have not been well characterized. Here, we investigated this via measuring flower reflectance profiles and comparative transcriptome analyses on three coexisting varieties of the R. sanguineum complex, with yellow flush pink, bright crimson, and deep blackish crimson flowers respectively. We compared the expression levels of differentially-expressed-genes (DEGs) of the anthocyanin / flavonoid biosynthesis pathway using RNA-seq and qRT-PCR data. We performed clustering analysis based on transcriptome-derived Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) data, and finally analyzed the promoter architecture of DEGs. RESULTS: Reflectance spectra of the three color morphs varied distinctively in the range between 400 and 700 nm, with distinct differences in saturation, brightness, hue, and saturation/hue ratio, an indirect measurement of anthocyanin content. We identified 15,164 orthogroups that were shared among the three varieties. The SNP clustering analysis indicated that the varieties were not monophyletic. A total of 40 paralogous genes encoding 12 enzymes contributed to the flower color polymorphism. These anthocyanin biosynthesis-related genes were associated with synthesis, modification and transportation properties (RsCHS, RsCHI, RsF3H, RsF3'H, RsFLS, RsANS, RsAT, RsOMT, RsGST), as well as genes involved in catabolism and degradation (RsBGLU, RsPER, RsCAD). Variations in sequence and cis-acting elements of these genes might correlate with the anthocyanin accumulation, thus may contribute to the divergence of flower color in the R. sanguineum complex. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that the varieties are very closely related and flower color variations in the R. sanguineum complex correlate tightly with the differential expression levels of genes involved in the anabolic and catabolic synthesis network of anthocyanin. Our study provides a scenario involving intricate relationships between genetic mechanisms for floral coloration accompanied by gene flow among the varieties that may represent an early case of pollinator-mediated incipient sympatric speciation.

Appropriate intraprocedural initial heparin dosing in patients undergoing catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation receiving uninterrupted non-vitamin-K antagonist oral anticoagulant treatment.

BACKGROUND: To clarify the appropriate initial dosage of heparin during radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) receiving uninterrupted nonvitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC) treatment. METHODS: A total of 187 consecutive AF patients who underwent their first RFCA in our center were included. In the warfarin group (WG), an initial heparin dose of 100 U/kg was administered (control group: n = 38). The patients who were on NOACs were randomly divided into 3 NOAC groups (NG: n = 149), NG110, NG120, and NG130, and were administered initial heparin doses of 110 U/kg, 120 U/kg, and 130 U/kg, respectively. During RFCA, the activated clotting time (ACT) was measured every 15 min, and the target ACT was maintained at 250-350 s by intermittent heparin infusion. The baseline ACT and ACTs at each 15-min interval, the average percentage of measurements at the target ACT, and the incidence of periprocedural bleeding and thromboembolic complications were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in sex, age, weight, or baseline ACT among the four groups. The 15 min-ACT, 30 min-ACT, and 45 min-ACT were significantly longer in the WG than in NG110 and NG120. However, no significant difference in 60 min-ACT or 75 min-ACT was detected. The average percentages of measurements at the target ACT in NG120 (82.2 ± 23.6%) and NG130 (84.8 ± 23.7%) were remarkably higher than those in the WG (63.4 ± 36.2%, p = 0.007, 0.003, respectively). These differences were independent of the type of NOAC. The proportion of ACTs in 300-350 s in NG130 was higher than in WG (32.4 ± 31.8 vs. 34.7 ± 30.6, p = 0.735). Severe periprocedural thromboembolic and bleeding complications were not observed. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with AF receiving uninterrupted NOAC treatment who underwent RFCA, an initial heparin dosage of 120 U/kg or 130 U/kg can provide an adequate intraprocedural anticoagulant effect, and 130 U/kg allowed ACT to reach the target earlier. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registration number: ChiCTR1800016491, First Registration Date: 04/06/2018 (Chinese Clinical Trial Registry http://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx ).

Brady-arrhythmias in patients with atrial fibrillation and heart failure of reduced ejection fraction: is his-bundle pacing superior to biventricular pacing？.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy and safety of His-bundle pacing (HBP) compared with the traditional biventricular pacing (BVP) on patients with brady-arrhythmias, who suffer from permanent atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). METHODS: All patients with brady-arrhythmias, permanent AF and HFrEF were continuously enrolled from January 2017 to July 2019 and followed up for at least 12 months. The differences in QRS duration (QRSd), New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), tricuspid regurgitation grade, mitral regurgitation grade, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), and left atrial size were compared. RESULTS: A total of 52 patients were enrolled: 37 patients were with HBP and 15 patients with BVP. There was no electrode dislodged, perforation, infection or thrombosis during the follow-up of 18.12 ± 4.45 months. The success rate for HBP implantation was 88.10%. The capture threshold of his-bundle and the threshold of the left ventricular lead remained stable during follow-up. LVEF increased to higher than 50% in 11 patients with HBP (29.73%). The NYHA classification (both p < .001), LVEF (both p < .001) and LVEDD improved significantly during the follow-up in both groups. NYHA (p = .030), LVEF (p = .013), and LVEDD (p = .003) improved in patients with HBP compared with BVP. CONCLUSION: HBP was safe and more effective in improving the cardiac function and remodeling in patients with brady-arrhythmias, permanent AF and HFrEF compared with BVP.