Publications by authors named "Bicheng Li"

Nestedness is an important part of the theoretical framework of island biogeography and community ecology. However, most previous studies focused on taxonomic dimension and overlooked functional and phylogenetic nestedness. Here, we simultaneously investigated taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic nestedness of terrestrial mammals on 39 land-bridge islands in the Zhoushan Archipelago, China.

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  • The study focuses on the role of ferroelectric domain walls in polarization switching of the two-dimensional material α-InSe, which hasn't been thoroughly investigated.
  • It reveals that the stacking order (2H vs. 3R) of α-InSe affects the properties of ferroelectric domain walls and their behavior in semiconductor-metal junctions.
  • The research shows that 3R α-InSe exhibits a larger hysteresis in response to electric fields, while 2H α-InSe has a more complex reaction involving bond changes, highlighting the importance of stacking configurations for tuning ferroelectric properties.
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  • The Yellow River Delta significantly influenced the Neolithic civilization in China, but its population history remains unclear due to limited ancient genome data.
  • This study presents genome-wide data from 69 ancient individuals and 325 modern individuals in Shandong, revealing a notable influx of ancestry from central and southern China during key Neolithic periods.
  • Genetic analysis indicates that the Longshan culture is closely related to the Dawenkou culture, with post-Neolithic migrations shaping the region's genetic diversity and modern populations.
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The Anthropocene's human-dominated habitat expansion endangers global biodiversity. However, large mammalian herbivores experienced few extinctions during the 20th century, hinting at potentially overlooked ecological responses of a group sensitive to global change. Using dental microwear as a proxy, we studied large herbivore dietary niches over a century across mainland China before (1880s-1910s) and after (1970s-1990s) the human population explosion.

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Background:  Intra-plaque hemorrhage (IPH) leads to rapid plaque progression and instability through upregulation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and collagen degradation. Hemoglobin-derived hemin during IPH promotes plaque instability. We investigated whether hemin affects MMP overexpression in macrophages and explored the underlying mechanisms.

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The presence of dampness and visible molds leads to concerns of poor indoor air quality which has been consistently linked with increased exacerbation and development of allergy and respiratory diseases. Due to the limitations of epidemiological surveys, the actual fungal exposure characteristics in residences has not been sufficiently understood. This study aimed to characterize household fungal diversity and its annual temporal and spatial variations.

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  • - AVONET is a comprehensive dataset providing functional traits for all bird species, featuring data on ecological variables, morphological traits, and species' range sizes from over 90,000 individuals across 181 countries.
  • - The dataset includes both raw measurements and summarized species averages in multiple taxonomic formats, enabling integration with phylogenies, geographical maps, and conservation status information.
  • - AVONET aims to enhance research in evolutionary biology and ecology by offering detailed insights into biodiversity, facilitating the testing of theories and models related to global change.
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Intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) plays a major role in the aggressive progression of vulnerable plaque, leading to acute cardiovascular events. We previously demonstrated that sonodynamic therapy (SDT) inhibits atherosclerotic plaque progression. In this study, we investigated whether SDT could also be applied to treat more advanced hemorrhagic plaque and addressed the underlying mechanism.

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Background: Inflammation is actively involved in the clinical manifestation of peripheral artery disease (PAD). Sonodynamic therapy (SDT), a novel non-invasive, plaque-based, macrophage-targeted anti-inflammatory regimen for atherosclerosis has the potential to improve walking performance by reducing plaque inflammation.

Methods: This phase-2, randomized, sham-controlled, double-blind clinical trial enrolled 32 participants with symptomatic femoropopliteal PAD.

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Despite concerns about building dampness and children' health, few studies have examined the effects of building energy efficiency standards. This study explored the connections between self-reported household dampness and children' adverse health outcomes across buildings corresponding to construction periods (pre-2001, 2001-2010, post-2010). Significant differences of dampness-related indicators were found between buildings; the prevalence was remarkable in pre-2001 buildings.

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Disruption of re-endothelialization and haemodynamic balance remains a critical side effect of drug-eluting stents (DES) for preventing intimal hyperplasia. Previously, we found that 5-aminolevulinic acid-mediated sonodynamic therapy (ALA-SDT) suppressed macrophage-mediated inflammation in atherosclerotic plaques. However, the effects on intimal hyperplasia and re-endothelialization remain unknown.

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  • Many studies have looked into how household dampness is linked to allergies and respiratory issues in kids, but results vary widely.
  • A cross-sectional study in Chongqing, China, was conducted in 2010 and repeated in 2019, focusing on preschoolers who didn't move since birth.
  • Findings indicate that while household dampness and related diseases (except allergic rhinitis) decreased from 2010 to 2019, there remains a significant association between dampness and higher risks of asthma and other respiratory conditions in children.
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During atherosclerosis plaque progression, pathological intraplaque angiogenesis leads to plaque rupture accompanied by thrombosis, which is probably the most important cause of arteries complications such as cerebral and myocardial infarction. Even though few treatments are available to mitigate plaque rupture, further investigation is required to develop a robust optimized therapeutic method. In this study using rabbit and mouse atherosclerotic models, sinoporphyrin sodium (DVDMS)-mediated sonodynamic therapy reduced abnormal angiogenesis and plaque rupture.

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Increased glycolysis is involved in the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Pyruvate kinase isoform M2 (PKM2), a key rate-limiting enzyme in glycolysis, accelerates the proliferation and migration of tumor cells. Although the intracellular mechanisms associated with oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL)-stimulated VSMC proliferation and migration have been extensively explored, it is still unclear whether oxLDL promotes the proliferation and migration of VSMCs by enhancing PKM2-dependent glycolysis.

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Previous studies have shown that Pb-BHA complexes (lead complexes of benzohydroxamic acid) have better collecting ability and can be used in flotation experiments with BHA acting as a collector and lead ions acting as activators. However, the structures of Pb-BHA complexes adsorbed on a mineral surface remain unclear. In this work, the adsorption behavior of Pb-BHA complexes on the scheelite surface was studied by flotation experiments and adsorption capacity measurements, and the structures of the adsorbed Pb-BHA complexes were determined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS).

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  • Macrophages are important cells that contribute to a disease called atherosclerosis, which affects blood vessels.
  • Researchers studied a method called membrane-permeabilized sonodynamic therapy (MP-SDT) to help deliver drugs better into these macrophages.
  • They found that MP-SDT makes the cell membranes more open, allowing a medicine called atorvastatin to work better in fighting the disease.
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Intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) promotes the rapid progression of atherosclerotic plaques, resulting in cardiovascular events in a short time. Hepcidin increases iron retention and exerts proinflammatory effects in plaques. However, hepcidin expression levels in hemorrhagic plaques remain unknown.

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Aims: Currently, efficient regimens to reverse atherosclerotic plaques are not available in the clinic. Herein, we present sonodynamic therapy (SDT) as a novel methodology to rapidly inhibit progression of atherosclerotic plaques.

Methods And Results: In atherosclerotic rabbit and apoE-deficient mouse models, SDT efficiently decreased the atherosclerotic burden within 1 week, revealing a decrease in the size of the atherosclerotic plaque and enlarged lumen.

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  • The study explores the role of necroptosis, a form of programmed cell death, in atherosclerosis, showing it happens in human samples and contributes to plaque formation.
  • Researchers created an in vitro model using foam cells to demonstrate how 5-aminolevulinic acid-mediated sonodynamic therapy (ALA-SDT) can inhibit necroptosis while promoting a different form of cell death called apoptosis.
  • Activation of caspase-3 and caspase-8 is key in this process, with indications that ALA-SDT potentially improves atherosclerosis prognosis by switching cells from necroptosis to apoptosis.
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  • This study looked at how well farmland is being used in a place called the Loess Plateau in China, to help make sure we have enough food in the future.
  • They used a special method called the emergetic ecological footprint (EEF) to see how much energy and resources the farmland is using and whether it's being used in a good way.
  • The results revealed that the farmland hasn't been managed sustainably since 1983, meaning it's been overused, even though some older calculations didn't show a problem.
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Ultrasound combined with endogenous protoporphyrin IX derived from 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA-SDT) is known to induce apoptosis in multiple cancer cells and macrophages. Persistent retention of macrophages in the plaque has been implicated in the pathophysiology and progression of atherosclerosis. Here we investigated the effects of inhibition of voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1) on ALA-SDT-induced THP-1 macrophages apoptosis.

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Understanding the relationship between land use change and ecosystem service values (ESVs) is the key for improving ecosystem health and sustainability. This study estimated the spatial and temporal variations of ESVs at town scale in relation to land use change in the Loess Plateau which is characterized by its environmental vulnerability, then analyzed and discussed the relationship between ESVs and land use pattern. The result showed that ESVs increased with land use change from 1982 to 2008.

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