Assembly and comparative analysis of the complete mitochondrial genome of Fritillaria ussuriensis Maxim. (Liliales: Liliaceae), an endangered medicinal plant.

BACKGROUND: Fritillaria ussuriensis is an endangered medicinal plant known for its notable therapeutic properties. Unfortunately, its population has drastically declined due to the destruction of forest habitats. Thus, effectively protecting F. ussuriensis from extinction poses a significant challenge. A profound understanding of its genetic foundation is crucial. To date, research on the complete mitochondrial genome of F. ussuriensis has not yet been reported. RESULTS: The complete mitochondrial genome of F. ussuriensis was sequenced and assembled by integrating PacBio and Illumina sequencing technologies, revealing 13 circular chromosomes totaling 737,569 bp with an average GC content of 45.41%. A total of 55 genes were annotated in this mitogenome, including 2 rRNA genes, 12 tRNA genes, and 41 PCGs. The mitochondrial genome of F. ussuriensis contained 192 SSRs and 4,027 dispersed repeats. In the PCGs of F. ussuriensis mitogenome, 90.00% of the RSCU values exceeding 1 exhibited a preference for A-ended or U-ended codons. In addition, 505 RNA editing sites were predicted across these PCGs. Selective pressure analysis suggested negative selection on most PCGs to preserve mitochondrial functionality, as the notable exception of the gene nad3 showed positive selection. Comparison between the mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes of F. ussuriensis revealed 20 homologous fragments totaling 8,954 bp. Nucleotide diversity analysis revealed the variation among genes, and gene atp9 was the most notable. Despite the conservation of GC content, mitogenome sizes varied significantly among six closely related species, and colinear analysis confirmed the lack of conservation in their genomic structures. Phylogenetic analysis indicated a close relationship between F. ussuriensis and Lilium tsingtauense. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we sequenced and annotated the mitogenome of F. ussuriensis and compared it with the mitogenomes of other closely related species. In addition to genomic features and evolutionary position, this study also provides valuable genomic resources to further understand and utilize this medicinal plant.

Intestinal mRNA expression profiles associated with mucosal healing in ustekinumab-treated Crohn's disease patients: bioinformatics analysis and prospective cohort validation.

BACKGROUND: Variations exist in the response of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) to ustekinumab (UST) treatment, but the underlying cause remains unknown. Our objective was to investigate the involvement of immune cells and identify potential biomarkers that could predict the response to interleukin (IL) 12/23 inhibitors in patients with CD. METHODS: The GSE207022 dataset, which consisted of 54 non-responders and 9 responders to UST in a CD cohort, was analyzed. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified and subjected to Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was used to screen the most powerful hub genes. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the predictive performances of these genes. Single-sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA) was used to estimate the proportions of immune cell types. These significantly altered genes were subjected to cluster analysis into immune cell-related infiltration. To validate the reliability of the candidates, patients prescribed UST as a first-line biologic in a prospective cohort were included as an independent validation dataset. RESULTS: A total of 99 DEGs were identified in the integrated dataset. GO and KEGG analyses revealed significant enrichment of immune response pathways in patients with CD. Thirteen genes (SOCS3, CD55, KDM5D, IGFBP5, LCN2, SLC15A1, XPNPEP2, HLA-DQA2, HMGCS2, DDX3Y, ITGB2, CDKN2B and HLA-DQA1), which were primarily associated with the response versus nonresponse patients, were identified and included in the LASSO analysis. These genes accurately predicted treatment response, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.938. T helper cell type 1 (Th1) cell polarization was comparatively strong in nonresponse individuals. Positive connections were observed between Th1 cells and the LCN2 and KDM5D genes. Furthermore, we employed an independent validation dataset and early experimental verification to validate the LCN2 and KDM5D genes as effective predictive markers. CONCLUSIONS: Th1 cell polarization is an important cause of nonresponse to UST therapy in patients with CD. LCN2 and KDM5D can be used as predictive markers to effectively identify nonresponse patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial registration number: NCT05542459; Date of registration: 2022-09-14; URL: https://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov .

Importance of the ECM-receptor interaction for adaptive response to hypoxia based on integrated transcription and translation analysis.

Low dissolved oxygen (LO) conditions represent a major environmental challenge to marine life, especially benthic animals. For these organisms, drastic declines in oxygen availability (hypoxic events) can trigger mass mortality events and thus, act as agents of selection influencing the evolution of adaptations. In sea cucumbers, one of the most successful groups of benthic invertebrates, the exposure to hypoxic conditions triggers adaptive adjustments in metabolic rates and behaviour. It is unclear, however, how these adaptive responses are regulated and the genetic mechanisms underpinning them. Here, we addressed this knowledge gap by assessing the genetic regulation (transcription and translation) of hypoxia exposure in the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus. Transcriptional and translational gene expression profiles under short- and long-term exposure to low oxygen conditions are tightly associated with extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interaction in which laminin and collagen likely have important functions. Finding revealed that genes with a high translational efficiency (TE) had a relatively short upstream open reading frame (uORF) and a high uORF normalized minimal free energy, suggesting that sea cucumbers may respond to hypoxic stress via altered TE. These results provide valuable insights into the regulatory mechanisms that confer adaptive capacity to holothurians to survive oxygen deficiency conditions and may also be used to inform the development of strategies for mitigating the harmful effects of hypoxia on other marine invertebrates facing similar challenges.

Perceived stress and influencing factors for the people at high risk to COVID-19 in centralized quarantine camps in Wenzhou, China.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to assess stress levels and related factors during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic among individuals in centralized quarantine camps in Wenzhou, China. METHODS: The survey was conducted using a questionnaire. The questionnaire included questions on sociodemographic characteristics, life events related to the COVID-19 and stressful situations, as well as Perceived Stress Scale-14. Participants included close contacts of patients with COVID-19 or at-risk individuals in quarantine camps. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze different factors affecting perceived stress. RESULTS: The prevalence of high stress among quarantine camp participants was 37.45%. Of the 881 respondents, 51.99% were concerned about the difficulty of controlling the epidemic, 46.20% were concerned about the health of themselves and their family members and 39.61% were concerned about not being able to leave their homes. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed statistically significant differences in the prevalence of stress among different groups for certain variables, including occupation, education level and knowledge of COVID-19 (all P < 0.05). Our study found that at-risk individuals and close contacts experienced high levels of stress in quarantine camps during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that centralized quarantine policies should be adapted and optimized to minimize negative psychological effects on quarantined individuals.

Exosomal microRNAs regulate the heat stress response in sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus.

Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles that contain nucleic acids such as microRNAs and may participate in important biological processes. We made the initial report of exosomes from sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus, that were classically cup-shaped and had an average size of 74.65 nm, and identified specific exosome biomarkers (HSP70, TSG101, and CD9). We explored changes in the global expression of microRNAs in exosomes from the commercially important A. japonicus under normal conditions and heat-stressed conditions for 3 and 7 d. We found that heat stress increased exosome production and modified the expression profiles of the microRNAs that they contained. Novel_mir31, novel_mir132, novel_mir26, miR-92_1, and novel_mir27 were commonly found to be differentially expressed in three comparison groups, indicating their importance in the heat stress response. The microRNA expression levels were validated by qPCR. Function analysis of the target genes of these microRNAs indicated they were involved mainly in replication and repair in the initial response of A. japonicus to heat stress exposure. Conversely, during acclimation to the high temperature conditions, the target genes of the differentially expressed microRNAs were primarily involved in metabolism adjustments. Our results will contribute to a better understanding of the regulatory roles of exosomes in sea cucumber, and provide insights into the functions of sea cucumber exosome-shuttled microRNAs against environmental stresses exacerbated by global warming.

Aestivation in Nature: Physiological Strategies and Evolutionary Adaptations in Hypometabolic States.

Aestivation is considered to be one of the "purest" hypometabolic states in nature, as it involves aerobic dormancy that can be induced and sustained without complex factors. Animals that undergo aestivation to protect themselves from environmental stressors such as high temperatures, droughts, and food shortages. However, this shift in body metabolism presents new challenges for survival, including oxidative stress upon awakening from aestivation, accumulation of toxic metabolites, changes in energy sources, adjustments to immune status, muscle atrophy due to prolonged immobility, and degeneration of internal organs due to prolonged food deprivation. In this review, we summarize the physiological and metabolic strategies, key regulatory factors, and networks utilized by aestivating animals to address the aforementioned components of aestivation. Furthermore, we present a comprehensive overview of the advancements made in aestivation research across major species, including amphibians, fish, reptiles, annelids, mollusks, and echinoderms, categorized according to their respective evolutionary positions. This approach offers a distinct perspective for comparative analysis, facilitating an understanding of the shared traits and unique features of aestivation across different groups of organisms.

Single-Cell Transcriptome and Pigment Biochemistry Analysis Reveals the Potential for the High Nutritional and Medicinal Value of Purple Sea Cucumbers.

The sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus has important nutritional and medicinal value. Unfortunately, we know little of the source of active chemicals in this animal, but the plentiful pigments of these animals are thought to function in intriguing ways for translation into clinical and food chemistry usage. Here, we found key cell groups with the gene activity predicted for the color morphology of sea cucumber body using single-cell RNA-seq. We refer to these cell populations as melanocytes and quinocytes, which are responsible for the synthesis of melanin and quinone pigments, respectively. We integrated analysis of pigment biochemistry with the transcript profiles to illuminate the molecular mechanisms regulating distinct pigment formation in echinoderms. In concert with the correlated pigment analysis from each color morph, this study expands our understanding of medically important pigment production, as well as the genetic mechanisms for color morphs, and provides deep datasets for exploring advancements in the fields of bioactives and nutraceuticals.

Characterization and Expression Analysis of Regeneration-Associated Protein (Aj-Orpin) during Intestinal Regeneration in the Sea Cucumber Apostichopus japonicus.

Apostichopus japonicus achieves intestinal regeneration in a short period after evisceration, and multiple genes are involved in this process. The transcriptome of A. japonicus was screened for regeneration-associated protein (Aj-Orpin), a gene that is specifically upregulated during intestinal regeneration. The expression and function of Aj-Orpin were identified and investigated in this study. The 5' and 3' RACE polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to clone the full-length cDNA of Aj-Orpin. The open reading frame codes for a 164 amino-acid protein with an EF-hand_7 domain and overlapping signal peptides and transmembrane regions. Moreover, Aj-Orpin mRNA and protein expression during intestinal regeneration was investigated using real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot. The expression pattern of Aj-Orpin in the regenerating intestine was investigated using immunohistochemistry. The results showed that Aj-Orpin is an exocrine protein with two EF-hand-like calcium-binding domains. Expression levels were higher in the regenerating intestine than in the normal intestine, but protein expression changes lagged behind mRNA expression changes. Aj-Orpin was found to play a role in the formation of blastema and lumen. It was primarily expressed in the serosal layer and submucosa, suggesting that it might be involved in proliferation. These observations lay the foundation for understanding the role of Orpin-like in echinoderm intestinal regeneration.

Estimating animal population size with very high-resolution satellite imagery.

Very high-resolution (VHR) satellite sensors can be used to estimate the size of animal populations, a critical factor in wildlife management, and acquire animal spatial distributions in an economical, easy, and precise way. We developed a method for satellite population size estimation that includes a noninvasive photogrammetry, from which the animal's average orthographic area is calculated, and an imagery interpretation method that estimates population size based on the ratio of an observed animal population area to the average individual area. As a proof of concept, we used this method to estimate the population size of Whooper Swans (Cygnus cygnus) in a national nature reserve in China. To reduce errors, the reserve was subdivided into regions of interest based on locations of Whooper Swan and background brightness. Estimates from the satellite pixels were compared with manual counts made over 2 years, at 3 locations, and in 3 land-cover types. Our results showed 1124 Whooper Swans occupied a national nature reserve on 15 February 2013, and the average percent error was 3.16% (SE = 1.37). These results demonstrate that our method produced robust data for population size estimation that were indistinguishable from manual count data. Our method may be used generally to estimate population sizes of visible and gregarious animals that exhibit high contrast relative to their environments and may inform estimations of populations in complex backgrounds.

Estimación del Tamaño de las Poblaciones Animales Mediante Imágenes Satelitales de Muy Alta Resolución Resumen Los sensores satelitales de muy alta resolución (VHR) pueden utilizarse para estimar el tamaño de las poblaciones animales, un factor muy importante para el manejo de fauna, y para adquirir las distribuciones espaciales de los animales de una manera económica, sencilla y precisa. Desarrollamos un método para la estimación satelital del tamaño poblacional que incluye fotogrametría no invasiva, a partir de la cual se calcula el área ortogonal promedio del animal, y un método de interpretación de imágenes que estima el tamaño poblacional con base en la proporción del área poblacional observada de un animal con respecto al área individual promedio. Como demostración conceptual, usamos este método para estimar el tamaño poblacional del cisne trompetista (Cygnus cygnus) dentro de una reserva natural nacional en China. Para reducir los errores, subdividimos la reserva en regiones de interés con base en las ubicaciones de los cisnes y el brillo del fondo. Las estimaciones a partir de los pixeles satelitales fueron comparadas con los conteos manuales realizados a lo largo de dos años en tres ubicaciones y en tres tipos de cobertura de suelo. Nuestros resultados mostraron a 1124 cisnes ocupando una reserva natural nacional el 15 de febrero de 2013 y el error porcentual promedio fue de 3.15% (SE 1.37). Estos resultados demostraron que nuestro método produjo datos sólidos para la estimación del tamaño poblacional que eran indistinguibles de los datos obtenidos mediante el conteo manual. Nuestro método puede usarse de manera generalizada para estimar el tamaño poblacional de especies gregarias y visibles que exhiben un contraste alto en relación con su entorno y puede orientar las estimaciones de poblaciones con fondos complejos.

Emerging roles of circRNAs in regulating thermal and hypoxic stresses in Apostichopus japonicus (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea).

Some sea cucumbers are economically and ecologically important, but they are threatened by thermal and hypoxic stress in changing oceanographic conditions. We construct circRNAs profiles, reveal circRNAs characters, and illustrate the potential regulatory roles of circRNAs in one commercially important species of sea cucumber, Apostichopus japonicus. Reads are distributed in intergenic (44.14%), exonic (48.26%) and intronic (7.60%) regions of the genome. A total of 1684 circRNAs were identified, and the most common spliced length is 269 nt in the present study. In three treatments (HT [thermal stress], LO [hypoxic stress], and HL [combined thermal and hypoxic stress]), 24, 27 and 27 differentially expressed (DE) circRNAs were identified, respectively. Five novel DE-circRNAs commonly occur in these treatments (novel_circ_0003311, novel_circ_0000229, novel_circ_0003944, novel_circ_0001458 and novel_circ_0000707), and based on them, potential circRNA-miRNA binding pairs were predicted. Sanger sequencing, RNase R treatment experiment and qPCR validation identified the accuracy of the circRNAs. Key circRNAs identified in the present study were covalently closed and were more stable under RNase R treatment than linear RNAs. Based on function analysis, circRNAs could regulate metabolic process, signal transduction, and ion responses in A. japonicus when exposed to thermal and hypoxic stress, and 'regulation of response to stimulus' is a common gene ontology (GO) term that is significantly enriched in each treatment; GO terms for 'DNA' and 'stress' are commonly enriched in heat-related treatments (HT and HL); and GO terms for 'protein' are commonly enriched in hypoxia-related treatments (LO and HL). When environmentally stressed, 'metabolism,' 'transport and catabolism,' 'membrane transport,' and 'signal transduction' were significantly responded in sea cucumber based on KEGG analysis. We provide insights into circRNA functions in stress regulation and lay a foundation for invertebrate circRNA research.

Effect of chronic exposure to microplastic fibre ingestion in the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus.

Microplastics (MPs) in the form of microfibres (MFs) are of great concern because of their size and increasing abundance, which increase their potential to interact with or be ingested by aquatic organisms. Although MFs are the dominant shape of MPs ingested by sea cucumbers in habitats, their effect on sea cucumbers remains unclear. This study examined the effect of dietary exposure to MFs on the growth and physiological status of both juvenile and adult Apostichopus japonicus sea cucumbers. MFs were mixed into the diet of sea cucumbers for 60 d at environmentally relevant concentrations of 0.6 MFs g-1, 1.2 MFs g-1 and 10 MFs g-1. Dietary exposure to MFs, with concentrations at or above those commonly found in the habitats, did not significantly affect the growth and faecal production rate of either juvenile or adult sea cucumbers. However, a disruption in immunity indices (acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase activity) and oxidative stress indices (total antioxidant capacity and malondialdehyde content) was observed in juvenile and adult sea cucumbers, indicating that these indices might be useful as potential biomarkers of the exposure to MF ingestion in sea cucumbers. This study provides insights into the toxicity mechanism of MF ingestion in a commercially and ecologically important species.

Quantitative microbiome profiling links microbial community variation to the intestine regeneration rate of the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus.

The intestinal microbiota may play important roles in regenerating intestine of the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In the present study, a germ-free sea cucumber model was developed, and the intestinal microbial differentiation of faster and slower regenerating A. japonicus individuals during intestine regeneration was analyzed. The results revealed that depletion of the intestinal microbiota resulted in elevated abundance of the potential key players Flavobacteriaceae and Rhodobacteraceae during intestine regeneration and thus promoted the intestine regeneration rate of A. japonicus. Metagenomic analysis revealed that the increased abundance of Flavobacteriaceae elevated the enrichment of genes associated with carbohydrate utilization, whereas the abundant Rhodobacteraceae-enriched genes were associated with polyhydroxybutyrate production. We identified microbiota abundance as a key driver of microbial community alterations, especially beneficial microbiota members, in the developing intestine of A. japonicus. This study provides new insights into the mechanism of host-microbiota interactions related to organ regeneration.

MiR-155 inhibition alleviates suppression of osteoblastic differentiation by high glucose and free fatty acids in human bone marrow stromal cells by upregulating SIRT1.

Diabetic osteoporosis is a severe and chronic complication of diabetes in the bone and joint system, and its pathogenesis is needed to be explored. In the present study, we examined the effect and underlying mechanism of miR-155 on osteogenic differentiation in human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) under high glucose and free fatty acids (HG-FFA) conditions. It was shown that miR-155 levels in hBMSCs increased corresponding to the time of exposure to HG-FFA treatment. MiR-155 expression was altered by transfecting miR-155 mimic or miR-155 inhibitor. HG-FFA exposure resulted in an obviously decrease in cell viability and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and downregulated the expressionof runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) and osteocalcin (OCN) in hBMSCs. Transfection of miR-155 mimic further exacerbated HG-FFA-induced inhibitory effect on osteogenic differentiation, and miR-155 inhibitor neutralized this inhibitory effect. Luciferase assays confirmed that SIRT1 was a direct target of miR-155 and can be negatively modulated by miR-155. Furthermore, SIRT1 siRNA partially counteracted miR-155 inhibitor-induced upregulation of SIRT1in HG-FFA-treated hBMSCs. SIRT1 siRNA also reversed the promotional effect of the miR-155 inhibitor on ALP activity and expression of the Runx2 and OCN proteins under HG-FFA conditions. In conclusion, the results suggest that miR-155 suppression promoted osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs under HG-FFA conditions by targeting SIRT1. Inhibition of MiR-155 may provide a new therapeutic method for the prevention and treatment of diabetic osteoporosis.

The sea cucumber genome provides insights into morphological evolution and visceral regeneration.

Apart from sharing common ancestry with chordates, sea cucumbers exhibit a unique morphology and exceptional regenerative capacity. Here we present the complete genome sequence of an economically important sea cucumber, A. japonicus, generated using Illumina and PacBio platforms, to achieve an assembly of approximately 805 Mb (contig N50 of 190 Kb and scaffold N50 of 486 Kb), with 30,350 protein-coding genes and high continuity. We used this resource to explore key genetic mechanisms behind the unique biological characters of sea cucumbers. Phylogenetic and comparative genomic analyses revealed the presence of marker genes associated with notochord and gill slits, suggesting that these chordate features were present in ancestral echinoderms. The unique shape and weak mineralization of the sea cucumber adult body were also preliminarily explained by the contraction of biomineralization genes. Genome, transcriptome, and proteome analyses of organ regrowth after induced evisceration provided insight into the molecular underpinnings of visceral regeneration, including a specific tandem-duplicated prostatic secretory protein of 94 amino acids (PSP94)-like gene family and a significantly expanded fibrinogen-related protein (FREP) gene family. This high-quality genome resource will provide a useful framework for future research into biological processes and evolution in deuterostomes, including remarkable regenerative abilities that could have medical applications. Moreover, the multiomics data will be of prime value for commercial sea cucumber breeding programs.

A deposit-feeder sea cucumber also ingests suspended particles through the mouth.

Although the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus has been characterised as a deposit feeder, nutrients sourced from the water column have been recorded in the intestines of this species. However, the mechanisms whereby nutrients in the water enter the intestinal tract of A. japonicus, and whether other suspended particles can be ingested via the mouth of A. japonicus adults, remain unknown. Here, we reveal how A. japonicus ingests suspended particles through the mouth. We used synthetic particles and video recording to confirm the suspension uptake by the sea cucumber. Apostichopus japonicus continued to ingest suspended particles (if present) over time, and the particle ingestion rate was positively correlated with the concentration of suspended particles (Pearson correlation: r=0.808). Additionally, clearance rates of the suspended particles ranged from 0.3 to 0.9 l h-1 The findings of this study thus provide evidence of a previously undescribed particle uptake mechanism in a commercially important species.

The Handling of Oxalate in the Body and the Origin of Oxalate in Calcium Oxalate Stones.

Urolithiasis is one of the most common urologic diseases in industrialized societies. More than 80% of renal stones are composed of calcium oxalate, and small changes in urinary oxalate concentrations affect the risk of stone formation. Elucidation of the source of oxalate and its mechanism of transport is crucial for understanding the etiology of urolithiasis. Sources of oxalate can be both endogenous and exogenous. With regard to oxalate transport, tests were carried out to prove the function of solute-linked carrier 4 (SLC4) and SLC26. The molecular mechanism of urolithiasis caused by SLC4 and SLC26 is still unclear. The growing number of studies on the molecular physiology of SLC4 and SLC26, together with knockout genetic mouse model experiments, suggest that SLC4 and SLC26 may be a contributing element to urolithiasis. This review summarizes recent research on the sources of oxalate and characterization of the oxalate transport ionic exchangers SLC4 and SLC26, with an emphasis on different physiological defects in knockout mouse models including kidney stone formation. Furthermore, SLC4 and SLC26 exchangers provide new insight into urolithiasis and may be a novel therapeutic target for modification of urinary oxalate excretion.

Effects of dam impoundment on the soil seed bank in a plateau wetland of China.

Dam impoundment, which rapidly changes hydrologic regimes and greatly alters aquatic environments, plays a critical role in the seed germination and seedling growth of wetland plants, especially influencing their seed banks. In this study, a soil seed bank experiment was carried out along a water level gradient for the Lake Lashi wetland in the Northwest Yunnan Plateau of China. The objectives of this study were to determine the effect, driver and dynamic mechanism of dam impoundment on the soil seed bank of plateau wetlands using partial least squares (PLS) regression and chaotic dynamic methods. The results showed that the soil seed bank had significant differences in seed density, species composition, and water ecotype of the plant species between the flood zone (perennially flooded area, seasonally flooded area, and flood plain area) and nonflood zone (control area) in the plateau wetland. The seed bank density was obviously lower in the perennially flooded area and higher in the seasonally flooded area and flood plain area, with values that were 39.88%, 153.53%, and 146.47% that of the control area, respectively. After dam impoundment, the number of plant species gradually increased; however, the dominance of the dominant species became less obvious, and the species diversity indices decreased significantly, e.g., by 15.47% for the Simpson diversity index and 72.39% for the Shannon Wiener diversity index. Our study showed that dam impoundment has made the Lake Lashi wetland complex chaotic ecosystem switch between order and disorder through self-organization and that the species composition of the soil seed bank continuously experienced self-adaptation. These results provide a reference for scientific evaluations of the effects of dam impoundment on wetland ecosystems and provide guidance for the protection and management of plateau wetland ecosystems.

Time course analysis of immunity-related gene expression in the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus during exposure to thermal and hypoxic stress.

Temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration are important abiotic factors that can limit the growth and survival of sea cucumbers by affecting their immune systems. As global warming intensifies, sea cucumbers are increasingly exposed to adverse environmental conditions, which can cause severe economic losses and limit the sustainable development of sea cucumber aquaculture. It is therefore important to better understand how sea cucumbers respond to environmental stress, especially with regard to its effects on immunity. In the present study, the time series of immunity-related gene expression in sea cucumbers under thermal and hypoxic stresses were analyzed separately. The expression trends of 17 genes related to the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) pathway, the protease family, the complement system, heat shock proteins (HSPs) and the transferrin family during exposure to two stresses at eight time points were concluded. These genes have interconnected roles in stress defense. The expression levels of genes relating to the NF-κB pathways and HSPs were strongly affected in the sea cucumber thermal stress response, while melanotransferrin (Mtf), ferritin (Ft) and mannan-binding C-type lectin (MBCL) were affected by hypoxia. In contrast, complement factor B (Bf), myosin V (Mys) and serine protease inhibitor (SPI) were not that sensitive during the initial period of environmental stress. Similar expression patterns under both thermal and hypoxic stress for certain genes, including an increase in Hsp90 and decreases in lysozyme (Lys), major yolk protein (MYP) and cathepsin C (CTLC) were observed in sea cucumbers. Conversely, NF-κB and Hsp70 were differentially affected by the two stress treatments. Lysozyme-induced immune defense was inconstant in sea cucumbers coping with stress. A gene ontology (GO) analysis of the selected genes revealed that the most co-involved terms related to immunity and iron ion. Our analysis suggests that sea cucumbers demonstrate complex and varied immune responses to different types of stresses. This dynamic image of the immune responses and stress tolerance of sea cucumbers provides new insights into the adaptive strategies of holothurians in adverse environments.

The effect of self-referencing on memory for different kinds of source information.

Self-referential processing has been proven to be effective in improving source memory. However, it is unclear whether different types of source information would be consistently enhanced when an item is self-referentially processed. In two experiments, the authors examined the influence of the self (compared with other-referencing and semantic processing) as well as learning intention (incidental/intentional learning) on memory for two types of source information (spatial location and colour) that differ in the amount of cognitive resources they require to be encoded in memory. Results show that self-referencing has enhanced memory for spatial location of words whatever this information is learned intentionally or incidentally, whereas it cannot facilitate memory for the colour of words under the intentional learning condition, nor can it under the incidental condition. These findings suggest that self-referential processing is beneficial in memory improvement but not all-powerful, a source self-reference effect is subject to source information type.