The SMXL8-AGL9 module mediates crosstalk between strigolactone and gibberellin to regulate strigolactone-induced anthocyanin biosynthesis in apple.

Although the strigolactone (SL) signaling pathway and SL-mediated anthocyanin biosynthesis have been reported, the molecular association between SL signaling and anthocyanin biosynthesis remains unclear. In this study, we identified the SL signal transduction pathway associated with anthocyanin biosynthesis and the crosstalk between gibberellin (GA) and SL signaling in apple (Malus × domestica). ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL5 (HY5) acts as a key node integrating SL signaling and anthocyanin biosynthesis, and the SL response factor AGAMOUS-LIKE MADS-BOX9 (AGL9) promotes anthocyanin biosynthesis by activating HY5 transcription. The SL signaling repressor SUPPRESSOR OF MAX2 1-LIKE8 (SMXL8) interacts with AGL9 to form a complex that inhibits anthocyanin biosynthesis by downregulating HY5 expression. Moreover, the E3 ubiquitin ligase PROTEOLYSIS1 (PRT1) mediates the ubiquitination-mediated degradation of SMXL8, which is a key part of the SL signal transduction pathway associated with anthocyanin biosynthesis. In addition, the GA signaling repressor REPRESSOR-of-ga1-3-LIKE2a (RGL2a) mediates the crosstalk between GA and SL by disrupting the SMXL8-AGL9 interaction that represses HY5 transcription. Taken together, our study reveals the regulatory mechanism of SL-mediated anthocyanin biosynthesis and uncovers the role of SL-GA crosstalk in regulating anthocyanin biosynthesis in apple.

Rice false smut virulence protein subverts host chitin perception and signaling at lemma and palea for floral infection.

The flower-infecting fungus Ustilaginoidea virens causes rice false smut, which is a severe emerging disease threatening rice (Oryza sativa) production worldwide. False smut not only reduces yield, but more importantly produces toxins on grains, posing a great threat to food safety. U. virens invades spikelets via the gap between the 2 bracts (lemma and palea) enclosing the floret and specifically infects the stamen and pistil. Molecular mechanisms for the U. virens-rice interaction are largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that rice flowers predominantly employ chitin-triggered immunity against U. virens in the lemma and palea, rather than in the stamen and pistil. We identify a crucial U. virens virulence factor, named UvGH18.1, which carries glycoside hydrolase activity. Mechanistically, UvGH18.1 functions by binding to and hydrolyzing immune elicitor chitin and interacting with the chitin receptor CHITIN ELICITOR BINDING PROTEIN (OsCEBiP) and co-receptor CHITIN ELICITOR RECEPTOR KINASE1 (OsCERK1) to impair their chitin-induced dimerization, suppressing host immunity exerted at the lemma and palea for gaining access to the stamen and pistil. Conversely, pretreatment on spikelets with chitin induces a defense response in the lemma and palea, promoting resistance against U. virens. Collectively, our data uncover a mechanism for a U. virens virulence factor and the critical location of the host-pathogen interaction in flowers and provide a potential strategy to control rice false smut disease.

Synthesis and properties of free-standing monolayer amorphous carbon.

Bulk amorphous materials have been studied extensively and are widely used, yet their atomic arrangement remains an open issue. Although they are generally believed to be Zachariasen continuous random networks1, recent experimental evidence favours the competing crystallite model in the case of amorphous silicon2-4. In two-dimensional materials, however,  the corresponding questions remain unanswered. Here we report the synthesis, by laser-assisted chemical vapour deposition5, of centimetre-scale, free-standing, continuous and stable monolayer amorphous carbon, topologically distinct from disordered graphene. Unlike in bulk materials, the structure of monolayer amorphous carbon can be determined by atomic-resolution imaging. Extensive characterization by Raman and X-ray spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy reveals the complete absence of long-range periodicity and a threefold-coordinated structure with a wide distribution of bond lengths, bond angles, and five-, six-, seven- and eight-member rings. The ring distribution is not a Zachariasen continuous random network, but resembles the competing (nano)crystallite model6. We construct a corresponding model that enables density-functional-theory calculations of the properties of monolayer amorphous carbon, in accordance with observations. Direct measurements confirm that it is insulating, with resistivity values similar to those of boron nitride grown by chemical vapour deposition. Free-standing monolayer amorphous carbon is surprisingly stable and deforms to a high breaking strength, without crack propagation from the point of fracture. The excellent physical properties of this stable, free-standing monolayer amorphous carbon could prove useful for permeation and diffusion barriers in applications such as magnetic recording devices and flexible electronics.

Strategies and Lessons Learned from Total Synthesis of Taxol.

Taxol (paclitaxel), the most well-known taxane diterpenoid, is the best-selling natural-source anticancer drug ever produced and one of the most common prescriptions in the treatment of breast, lung, and ovarian cancers, saving countless lives around the world. Structurally, Taxol possesses a highly oxygenated [6-8-6-4] core bearing 11 stereocenters, seven of which are contiguous chiral centers. Moreover, the extremely strained bicyclo[5.3.1] undecane ring system with a bridgehead double bond is a unique structural feature. All these features make Taxol a highly challenging synthetic target. Tremendous synthetic efforts from more than 60 research groups around the world have already culminated in ten total syntheses and three formal syntheses, as well as more than 60 synthetic model studies of Taxol. This review is intended to provide a long-overdue appraisal of the great achievements in the total syntheses of Taxol reported in the last few decades. In doing so, we summarize the development of synthesis toward Taxol from 1994 to 2022, including the evolution of synthetic strategy for accessing this complex molecular scaffold and key lessons learned from such endeavors. Finally, we briefly discuss the future of the research in this area.

UBC9-mediated SUMOylation of Lamin B1 enhances DNA-damage-induced nuclear DNA leakage and autophagy after spinal cord injury.

Recent studies have shown that nucleophagy can mitigate DNA damage by selectively degrading nuclear components protruding from the nucleus. However, little is known about the role of nucleophagy in neurons after spinal cord injury (SCI). Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence were performed to evaluate the nucleophagy after nuclear DNA damage and leakage in SCI neurons in vivo and NSC34 expression in primary neurons cultured with oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) in vitro, as well as the interaction and colocalization of autophagy protein LC3 with nuclear lamina protein Lamin B1. The effect of UBC9, a Small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) E2 ligase, on Lamin B1 SUMOylation and nucleophagy was examined by siRNA transfection or 2-D08 (a small-molecule inhibitor of UBC9), immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence. In SCI and OGD injured NSC34 or primary cultured neurons, neuronal nuclear DNA damage induced the SUMOylation of Lamin B1, which was required by the nuclear Lamina accumulation of UBC9. Furthermore, LC3/Atg8, an autophagy-related protein, directly bound to SUMOylated Lamin B1, and delivered Lamin B1 to the lysosome. Knockdown or suppression of UBC9 with siRNA or 2-D08 inhibited SUMOylation of Lamin B1 and subsequent nucleophagy and protected against neuronal death. Upon neuronal DNA damage and leakage after SCI, SUMOylation of Lamin B1 is induced by nuclear Lamina accumulation of UBC9. Furthermore, it promotes LC3-Lamin B1 interaction to trigger nucleophagy that protects against neuronal DNA damage.

Pushing the Limits of Capacitively Coupled Contactless Conductivity Detection for Capillary Electrophoresis.

Capillary electrophoresis with capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection (CE-C4D) has proven to be an efficient technique for the separation and detection of charged inorganic, organic, and biochemical analytes. It offers several advantages, including cost-effectiveness, nanoliter injection volume, short analysis time, good separation efficiency, suitability for miniaturization, and portability. However, the routine determination of common inorganic cations (NH4+, K+, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, and Li+) and inorganic anions (F-, Cl-, Br-, NO2-, NO3-, PO43-, and SO42-) in water quality monitoring typically exhibits limits of detection of about 0.3-1 µM without preconcentration. This sensitivity often proves insufficient for the applications of CE-C4D in trace analysis situations. Here, we explore methods to push the detection limits of CE-C4D through a comprehensive consideration of signal and noise sources. In particular, we (i) studied the model of C4D and its guiding roles in C4D and CE-C4D, (ii) optimized the bandwidth and noise performance of the current-to-voltage (I-V) converter, and (iii) reduced the noise level due to the strong background signal of the background electrolyte by adaptive differential detection. We characterized the system with Li+; the 3-fold signal-to-noise (S/N) detection limit for Li+ was determined at 20 nM, with a linear range spanning from 60 nM to 1.6 mM. Moreover, the optimized CE-C4D method was applied to the analysis of common mixed inorganic cations (K+, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, and Li+), anions (F-, Cl-, Br-, NO2-, NO3-, PO43-, and SO42-), toxic halides (BrO3-) and heavy metal ions (Pb2+, Cd2+, Cr3+, Co2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, and Cu2+) at trace concentrations of 200 nM. All electropherograms showed good S/N ratios, thus proving its applicability and accuracy. Our results have shown that the developed CE-C4D method is feasible for trace ion analysis in water quality control.

Post-transfer adaptation of HGT-acquired genes and contribution to guanine metabolic diversification in land plants.

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a major driving force in the evolution of prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes. Despite recent advances in distribution and ecological importance, the extensive pattern, especially in seed plants, and post-transfer adaptation of HGT-acquired genes in land plants remain elusive. We systematically identified 1150 foreign genes in 522 land plant genomes that were likely acquired via at least 322 distinct transfers from nonplant donors and confirmed that recent HGT events were unevenly distributed between seedless and seed plants. HGT-acquired genes evolved to be more similar to native genes in terms of average intron length due to intron gains, and HGT-acquired genes containing introns exhibited higher expression levels than those lacking introns, suggesting that intron gains may be involved in the post-transfer adaptation of HGT in land plants. Functional validation of bacteria-derived gene GuaD in mosses and gymnosperms revealed that the invasion of foreign genes introduced a novel bypass of guanine degradation and resulted in the loss of native pathway genes in some gymnosperms, eventually shaping three major types of guanine metabolism in land plants. We conclude that HGT has played a critical role in land plant evolution.

Correction: A compact and high-performance setup of capillary electrophoresis with capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection (CE-C4D).

Correction for 'A compact and high-performance setup of capillary electrophoresis with capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection (CE-C4D)' by Lin Li et al., Analyst, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1039/d4an00354c.

A compact and high-performance setup of capillary electrophoresis with capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection (CE-C4D).

Capillary electrophoresis with capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection (CE-C4D) has the advantages of high throughput (simultaneous detection of multiple ions), high separation efficiency (higher than 105 theoretical plates) and rapid analysis capability (less than 5 min for common inorganic ions). A compact CE-C4D system is ideal for water quality control and on-site analysis. It is suitable not only for common cations (e.g. Na+, K+, Li+, NH4+, Ca2+, etc.) and anions (e.g. Cl-, SO42-, BrO3-, etc.) but also for some ions (e.g. lanthanide ions, Pb2+, Cd2+, etc.) that require complex derivatization procedures to be detected by ion chromatography (IC). However, an obvious limitation of the CE-C4D method is that its sensitivity (e.g. 0.3-1 µM for common inorganic ions) is often insufficient for trace analysis (e.g. 1 ppb or 20 nM level for common inorganic ions) without preconcentration. For this technology to become a powerful and routine analytical technique, the system should be made compact while maintaining trace analysis sensitivity. In this study, we developed an all-in-one version of the CE-C4D instrument with custom-made modular components to make it a convenient, compact and high-performance system. The system was designed using direct digital synthesis (DDS) technology to generate programmable sinusoidal waveforms with any frequency for excitation, a kilovolt high-voltage power supply for capillary electrophoresis separation, and an "effective" differential C4D cell with a low-noise circuitry for high-sensitivity detection. We characterized the system with different concentrations of Cs+, and even a low concentration of 20 nM was detectable without preconcentration. Moreover, the optimized CE-C4D setup was applied to analyse mixed ions at a trace concentration of 200 nM with excellent signal-to-noise ratios. In typical applications, the limits of detection based on the 3σ criterion (without baseline filtering) were 9, 10, 24, 5, and 12 nM for K+, Cs+, Li+, Ca2+, and Mg2+, respectively, and about 7, 6, 6 and 6 nM for Br-, ClO4-, BrO3- and SO42-, respectively. Finally, the setup was also applied for the analysis of all 14 lanthanide ions and rare-earth minerals, and it showed an improvement in sensitivity by more than 25 times.

Assembly of Copper Alkynyl Clusters into Dimensionally Diverse Coordinated Polymers Mediated by Pyridine Ligands.

Surface ligands play crucial roles in modifying the properties of metal nanoclusters and stabilizing atomically precise structures, and also serve as vital linkers for constructing cluster-based coordination polymers. In this study, we present the results of the solvothermal synthesis of eight novel copper alkynyl clusters incorporating pyridine ligands using a one-pot method. The resulting compounds underwent characterization through elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD). Our observations revealed that distinct pyridine ligands with varying lengths and coordination sites exert significant influence on the structure and dimensionality of the clusters. The structural diversity of these clusters led to the formation of one-dimensional (1D), two-dimensional (2D), or dimer arrangements linked by seven pyridine bridging ligands. Remarkably, these complexes exhibited unique UV-vis absorption and photoluminescence properties, which were influenced by the specific bridging ligand and structural framework. Furthermore, density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrated the capability of the conjugated system in the pyridine ligand to impact the band gap of clusters. This study not only unveils the inherent structural diversity in coordination polymers based on copper alkynyl clusters but also offers valuable insights into harnessing ligand engineering for structural and property modulation.

Swieteliacates S-U, phragmalin limonoids, from the leaves of Swietenia macrophylla.

Three novel phragmalin-type limonoids, swieteliacates S-U (1-3), were isolated from Swietenia macrophylla leaves, alongside four previously identified limonoids (4-7). The structures, encompassing absolute configurations, were delineated through 1D and 2D NMR analyses, high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS), and NMR and ECD calculations. Swieteliacate S (1) is a distinctive cryptate comprising a tricyclo[4.2.110,30.11,4]decane fragment and an additional five-membered oxygen ring. Compounds 3 and 5 exhibited inhibition rates of 26.08 ± 2.26% and 15.42 ± 3.66%, respectively, on triglyceride (TG) production in Hep G2 cells at 40 µM.

Multiple Roles of Anions on the Degradation Efficiency and Mineralization Pathway of Recalcitrant Acetaldehyde by Vacuum Ultraviolet (185 nm) Oxidation.

Vacuum-UV (185 nm, VUV) is widely applied to polish reverse osmosis permeate (ROP), such as the production of electronics-grade ultrapure water. In this study, the VUV oxidation of acetaldehyde, a common carbonyl in ROP, was found to be influenced by anions even at low concentrations. Interestingly, the influencing extent and mechanism varied depending on the anions. Bicarbonate minimally affected the VUV-photon absorption and •OH consumption, but at 5000 µg-C·L-1, it decreased the degradation of acetaldehyde by 58.7% possibly by scavenging organic radicals or other radical chain reactions. Nitrate strongly competed for VUV-photon absorption and •OH scavenging through the formation of nitrite, and at 500 µg-N·L-1, it decreased the removal rate of acetaldehyde degradation by 71.2% and the mineralization rate of dissolved organic carbon by 53.4%. Chloride competed for VUV-photon absorption and also generated reactive chlorine species, which did not affect acetaldehyde degradation but influenced the formation of organic byproducts. The radical chain reactions or activation of anions under VUV irradiation could compensate for the decrease in oxidation performance and need further investigation. In real ROPs, the VUV oxidation of acetaldehyde remained efficient, but mineralization was hindered due to nitrate and chloride anions. This study deepens the understanding of the photochemistry and feasibility of VUV in water with low concentrations of anions.

Pancreatic lipase-related protein 2 is selectively expressed by peritubular myoid cells in the murine testis and sustains long-term spermatogenesis.

Spermatogenesis is a complicated process of germ cell differentiation that occurs within the seminiferous tubule in the testis. Peritubular myoid cells (PTMCs) produce major components of the basement membrane that separates and ensures the structural integrity of seminiferous tubules. These cells secrete niche factors to promote spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) maintenance and mediate androgen signals to direct spermatid development. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying the identity and function of PTMCs have not been fully elucidated. In the present study, we showed that the expression of pancreatic lipase-related protein 2 (Pnliprp2) was restricted in PTMCs in the testis and that its genetic ablation caused age-dependent defects in spermatogenesis. The fertility of Pnliprp2 knockout animals (Pnliprp2-/-) was normal at a young age but declined sharply beginning at 9 months. Pnliprp2 deletion impaired the homeostasis of undifferentiated spermatogonia and severely disrupted the development and function of spermatids. Integrated analyses of single-cell RNA-seq and metabolomics data revealed that glyceride metabolism was changed in PTMCs from Pnliprp2-/- mice. Further analysis found that 60 metabolites were altered in the sperm of the Pnliprp2-/- animals; notably, lipid metabolism was significantly dysregulated. Collectively, these results revealed that Pnliprp2 was exclusively expressed in PTMCs in the testis and played a novel role in supporting continual spermatogenesis in mice. The outcomes of these findings highlight the function of lipid metabolism in reproduction and provide new insights into the regulation of PTMCs in mammals.

Vitexin inhibits APEX1 to counteract the flow-induced endothelial inflammation.

Vascular endothelial cells are exposed to shear stresses with disturbed vs. laminar flow patterns, which lead to proinflammatory vs. antiinflammatory phenotypes, respectively. Effective treatment against endothelial inflammation and the consequent atherogenesis requires the identification of new therapeutic molecules and the development of drugs targeting these molecules. Using Connectivity Map, we have identified vitexin, a natural flavonoid, as a compound that evokes the gene-expression changes caused by pulsatile shear, which mimics laminar flow with a clear direction, vs. oscillatory shear (OS), which mimics disturbed flow without a clear direction. Treatment with vitexin suppressed the endothelial inflammation induced by OS or tumor necrosis factor-α. Administration of vitexin to mice subjected to carotid partial ligation blocked the disturbed flow-induced endothelial inflammation and neointimal formation. In hyperlipidemic mice, treatment with vitexin ameliorated atherosclerosis. Using SuperPred, we predicted that apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease1 (APEX1) may directly interact with vitexin, and we experimentally verified their physical interactions. OS induced APEX1 nuclear translocation, which was inhibited by vitexin. OS promoted the binding of acetyltransferase p300 to APEX1, leading to its acetylation and nuclear translocation. Functionally, knocking down APEX1 with siRNA reversed the OS-induced proinflammatory phenotype, suggesting that APEX1 promotes inflammation by orchestrating the NF-κB pathway. Animal experiments with the partial ligation model indicated that overexpression of APEX1 negated the action of vitexin against endothelial inflammation, and that endothelial-specific deletion of APEX1 ameliorated atherogenesis. We thus propose targeting APEX1 with vitexin as a potential therapeutic strategy to alleviate atherosclerosis.

Genome and whole-genome resequencing of Cinnamomum camphora elucidate its dominance in subtropical urban landscapes.

BACKGROUND: Lauraceae is well known for its significant phylogenetic position as well as important economic and ornamental value; however, most evergreen species in Lauraceae are restricted to tropical regions. In contrast, camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora) is the most dominant evergreen broadleaved tree in subtropical urban landscapes. RESULTS: Here, we present a high-quality reference genome of C. camphora and conduct comparative genomics between C. camphora and C. kanehirae. Our findings demonstrated the significance of key genes in circadian rhythms and phenylpropanoid metabolism in enhancing cold response, and terpene synthases (TPSs) improved defence response with tandem duplication and gene cluster formation in C. camphora. Additionally, the first comprehensive catalogue of C. camphora based on whole-genome resequencing of 75 accessions was constructed, which confirmed the crucial roles of the above pathways and revealed candidate genes under selection in more popular C. camphora, and indicated that enhancing environmental adaptation is the primary force driving C. camphora breeding and dominance. CONCLUSIONS: These results decipher the dominance of C. camphora in subtropical urban landscapes and provide abundant genomic resources for enlarging the application scopes of evergreen broadleaved trees.

A new cytotoxic disaccharide glycoside from the tubers of Arisaema franchetianum.

A new disaccharide glycoside, franchoside A (1), and 17 known compounds were isolated from the tubers of Arisaema franchetianum Engler. The chemical structure of the previously undescribed compound 1 was elucidated on the basis of detailed spectroscopic analyses. Compounds 1, 2, 6, 10, 14 and 18 showed significant cytotoxic activities at varying IC50 values in the range of 4.0-10.6 µM against five cancer cell lines. Compounds 8, 10, 13 and 17 (10 µM) exhibited moderate anti-inflammatory activities by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway and the release of NO from RAW264.7 macrophages induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), while compounds 1, 9, 14, 15 and 16 showed weak anti-inflammatory activities.

Theoretical Study on the Raman Effect Due to Magnons in Two-Dimensional Magnets.

Raman spectroscopy is one of the most useful experimental tools for studying elementary excitations in two-dimensional (2D) materials. The Raman scattering due to phonons was widely employed for detecting structural evolutions, especially those caused by magnetic phase transitions in 2D magnets. A first-principles theory of the Raman scattering effect caused by magnons is still lacking. We theoretically study the magnon Raman effect in 2D magnet CrI3. We propose a first-principles method and have calculated the intensity of circularly polarized Raman signals due to different magnon modes in the CrI3 monolayer and bilayers. The calculated Raman intensities due to magnons in the CrI3 monolayer and the rhombohedral bilayer are consistent with the selection rule deduced from the magnon pseudoangular moment and the parity of magnon modes. We also find that the selection rule is violated in the symmetry-broken monoclinic bilayer due to interlayer coupling.

Revealing 3D Ripple Structure and Its Dynamics in Freestanding Monolayer MoSe2 by Single-Frame 2D Atomic Image Reconstruction.

An atomic-scale ripple structure has been revealed by electron tomography based on sequential projected atomic-resolution images, but it requires harsh imaging conditions with negligible structure evolution of the imaged samples. Here, we demonstrate that the ripple structure in monolayer MoSe2 can be facilely reconstructed from a single-frame scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) image collected at designated collection angles. The intensity and shape of each Se2 atomic column in the single-frame projected STEM image are synergistically combined to precisely map the slight misalignments of two Se atoms induced by rippling, which is then converted to three-dimensional (3D) ripple distortions. The dynamics of 3D ripple deformation can thus be directly visualized at the atomic scale by sequential STEM imaging. In addition, the reconstructed images provide the first opportunity for directly testing the validity of the classical theory of thermal fluctuations. Our method paves the way for a 3D reconstruction of a dynamical process in two-dimensional materials with a reasonable temporal resolution.

Two years follow-up of patients with knee varus deformity and medial meniscus extrusion after medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy and arthroscopic meniscus centralization.

PURPOSE: This is a retrospective study and aims to investigate the clinical outcomes of patients with knee varus deformity and extruded medial meniscus who underwent arthroscopic meniscus centralization and medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy. METHODS: A total of 24 patients were included in the trial, and arthroscopy intraoperative photographs and standing preoperative and postoperative radiographs were taken to analyze the mechanical tibiofemoral angle and tibial plateau inclination. Postoperative complications and knee motion were recorded, and the surgical results were evaluated using the knee society score. RESULTS: The study observed four cases of surgery-related complications among all patients, but no major complications were reported. The surgery significantly improved knee flexion degrees and total knee range of motion. Satisfactory outcomes were shown in postoperative radiographs and secondary intraoperative photographs. The knee score increased from 39.6 ± 10.0 to 80.1 ± 9.0, and the functional score improved from 48.1 ± 6.9 to 89.4 ± 5.5. The preoperative tibial plateau inclination was 5.3 ± 0.7, while the postoperative data showed a decrease to 4.2 ± 0.7. The preoperative mechanical tibiofemoral angle was - 7.7 ± 1.0, and it improved in all patients postoperatively to 2.8 ± 0.9. CONCLUSION: By alternating the knee biomechanics and significantly improving symptoms and quality of life, arthroscopic medial meniscus centralization and medial open wedge high tibial osteotomy units are confirmed to be an effective alternative treatment for knee varus deformity.

Initial study and phylogenetic analysis of hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) in Nantong, China along the route of avian migration.

The growing concern about migratory birds potentially spreading ticks due to global warming has become a significant issue. The city of Nantong in this study is situated along the East Asia-Australasian Flyway (EAAF), with numerous wetlands serving as roosting sites for migratory birds. We conducted an investigation of hard ticks and determined the phylogenetic characteristics of tick species in this city. We utilized three different genes for our study: the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COX1) gene, the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2), and the mitochondrial small subunit rRNA (12 S rRNA) gene. The predominant tick species were Haemaphysalis flava (H. flava) and Haemaphysalis longicornis (H. longicornis). Additionally, specimens of Haemaphysalis campanulata (H. campanulata) and Rhipicephalus sanguineus (R. sanguineus) were collected. The H. flava specimens in this study showed a close genetic relationship with those from inland provinces of China, as well as South Korea and Japan. Furthermore, samples of H. longicornis exhibited a close genetic relationship with those from South Korea, Japan, Australia, and the USA, as well as specific provinces in China. Furthermore, R. sanguineus specimens captured in Nantong showed genetic similarities with specimens from Egypt, Nigeria, and Argentina.