Stand spatial structure and microbial diversity are key drivers of soil multifunctionality during secondary succession in degraded karst forests.

Studying the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality (the ability of ecosystems to provide multiple ecosystem functions) (BEMF) is a current hotspot in ecology research. Previous studies on BEMF emphasized the role of plant and microbial diversity but rarely mention stand spatial structure. To investigate the effect of stand spatial structure on BEMF, this study established 30 forest dynamic plots in three natural restoration stages (shrubbery, secondary growth forest, and old-growth forest) in Maolan National Nature Reserve, Guizhou province, China.

Variations in species diversity patterns and community assembly rules among vegetation types in the karst landscape.

The various vegetation types in the karst landscape have been considered the results of heterogeneous habitats. However, the lack of a comprehensive understanding of regional biodiversity patterns and the underlying ecological processes limits further research on ecological management. This study established forest dynamic plots (FDPs) of the dominant vegetation types (shrubland, SL; mixed tree and shrub forest, MTSF; coniferous forest, CF; coniferous broadleaf mixed forest, CBMF; and broadleaf forest, BF) in the karst landscape and quantified the species diversity patterns and potential ecological processes.

How do species richness and its component dependence vary along the natural restoration in extremely heterogeneous forest ecosystems?

Giant habitat heterogeneity is an important factor contributing to the high species richness (SR) in karst forests. Yet, the driving factor behind the alterations in SR patterns during natural restoration remains unclear. In this study, we established the forest dynamics plots along the natural restoration sequence (including shrub-tree mixed forest stage (SC), secondary forest stage (SG) and old-growth forest sage (OG)) in degraded karst forests to compare the SR and the dependence on its components (including total community abundance, species abundance distribution (SAD), and conspecific spatial aggregation (CSA)) among stages of natural restoration.

Dominant influence of plants on soil microbial carbon cycling functions during natural restoration of degraded karst vegetation.

The impacts of natural restoration projects on soil microbial carbon (C) cycling functions have not been well recognized despite their wide implementation in the degraded karst areas of southwest China. In this study, metagenomic sequencing assays were conducted on functional genes and microorganisms related to soil C-cycling at three natural restoration stages (shrubbery, TG; secondary forest, SG; old-growth forest, OG) in the southeast of Guizhou Province, China. The aims were to investigate the changes in microbial potentials responsible for soil C cycling and the underlying driving forces.

Abdominal Massage to Improve Motor Dysfunction in Rats with Cerebral Palsy.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a disease with a high disability rate and morbidity. The clinical symptoms of cerebral palsy are motor dysfunction and abnormal posture development, often accompanied by cognitive impairment. Massage, a traditional Chinese Medicine therapy, can coordinate Zang and Fu, regulate Qi and blood, make the viscera work more smoothly, and calm Yin and Yang.

Copper-Catalyzed Annulation of -Acyl Oximes with Cyclic 1,3-Diones for the Synthesis of 7,8-Dihydroindolizin-5(6)-ones and Cyclohexanone-Fused Furans.

A copper-catalyzed annulation of -acyl oximes with cyclic 1,3-diones has been developed for the concise synthesis of 7,8-dihydroindolizin-5(6)-ones and cyclohexanone-fused furans through the substituent-controlled selective radical coupling process. 2-Alkyl cyclic 1,3-diones undergo C-C radical coupling, while 2-unsubstituted cyclic 1,3-diones undergo C-O radical coupling.

Integrated bioinformatics-based identification of diagnostic markers in Alzheimer disease.

Alzheimer disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease resulting from the accumulation of extracellular amyloid beta (Aβ) and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. There are currently no objective diagnostic measures for AD. The aim of this study was to identify potential diagnostic markers for AD and evaluate the role of immune cell infiltration in disease pathogenesis.

Evaluation of using a porous medium approach to simulate flat-sheet membrane bioreactors.

The porous medium approach has been applied by others to study the global hydrodynamics in hollow-fiber (HF) membrane bioreactors (MBR). This study explores the usability of the porous medium approach for flat-sheet (FS) MBR and introduces a CFD-based numerical calibration of the porous parameters. Two key modeling strategies are suggested to ensure the pressure prediction accuracy: (1) use SST k - ω turbulence model incorporated with an intermittency transition model (SSIT); (2) considerate two-phase flow during the calibration.

Corrigendum to "Tuina Massage Improves Cognitive Functions of Hypoxic-Ischemic Neonatal Rats by Regulating Genome-Wide DNA Hydroxymethylation Levels".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2019/1282085.].

Modulation of hippocampal dopamine and synapse-related proteins by electroacupuncture improves memory deficit caused by sleep deprivation.

Background: Sleep is crucial for proper functioning of the brain, whereas lack of sleep is very common in modern society and can cause memory impairment. Hence, it is of great significance to find effective methods to intervene in the pathogenesis of memory impairment.

Objective: We designed this study to explore the mechanism underlying the therapeutic effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on the deficits caused by sleep deprivation (SD).

Tuina Massage Improves Cognitive Functions of Hypoxic-Ischemic Neonatal Rats by Regulating Genome-Wide DNA Hydroxymethylation Levels.

In addition to abnormalities of motor and posture, children with cerebral palsy (CP) often have intellectual disability. As a complementary and alternative traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapy, Chinese Tuina massage, also called Tuina in China, has been widely applied in clinical treatment for CP in China for a long time. However, the molecular basis for this still remains largely unknown.

Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of SBP-like transcription factor genes in Moso Bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis).

Background: The SQUAMOSA promoter binding protein-like (SPL) proteins are plant-specific transcription factors (TFs) that function in a variety of developmental processes including growth, flower development, and signal transduction. SPL proteins are encoded by a gene family, and these genes have been characterized in two model grass species, Zea mays and Oryza sativa. The SPL gene family has not been well studied in moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis), a woody grass species.

Genome-wide identification and analysis of the Populus trichocarpa TIFY gene family.

The plant-specific TIFY proteins are widely present in land plants and play the important roles in the regulation of plant stress-responses. In this study, we carried out a bioinformatics analysis of TIFY genes in Populus trichocarpa by determining the phylogenetic relationship, chromosomal location and gene structure and expression profiles analysis under stresses. The 24 TIFY genes were identified and classified into four subfamilies (ZML, JAZ, PPD and TIFY).

Retention and Molecular Evolution of Lipoxygenase Genes in Modern Rosid Plants.

Whole-genome duplication events have occurred more than once in the genomes of some rosids and played a significant role over evolutionary time. Lipoxygenases (LOXs) are involved in many developmental and resistance processes in plants. Our study concerns the subject of the gene family; we tracked the evolutionary process of ancestral genes in four modern rosids.

Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the IQD gene family in moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis).

Members of the plant-specific IQ67-domain (IQD) protein family are involved in various aspects of normal plant growth and developmental processes as well as basal defence response. Although hundreds of IQD proteins have been identified, only a small number of IQDs have been functionally characterized. Moreover, no systematic study has been performed on moso bamboo.

Behavior-constrained support vector machines for fMRI data analysis.

Statistical learning methods are emerging as a valuable tool for decoding information from neural imaging data. The noisy signal and the limited number of training patterns that are typically recorded from functional brain imaging experiments pose a challenge for the application of statistical learning methods in the analysis of brain data. To overcome this difficulty, we propose using prior knowledge based on the behavioral performance of human observers to enhance the training of support vector machines (SVMs).

A three-compartment model of the hemodynamic response and oxygen delivery to brain.

We describe a mathematical model linking changes in cerebral blood flow, blood volume and the blood oxygenation state in response to stimulation. The model has three compartments to take into account the fact that the cerebral blood flow and volume as measured concurrently using laser Doppler flowmetry and optical imaging spectroscopy have contributions from the arterial, capillary as well as the venous compartments of the vasculature. It is an extension to previous one-compartment hemodynamic models which assume that the measured blood volume changes are from the venous compartment only.

Sequential Bayesian decoding with a population of neurons.

Population coding is a simplified model of distributed information processing in the brain. This study investigates the performance and implementation of a sequential Bayesian decoding (SBD) paradigm in the framework of population coding. In the first step of decoding, when no prior knowledge is available, maximum likelihood inference is used; the result forms the prior knowledge of stimulus for the second step of decoding.