Monitoring bloom-forming Aphanizomenon using environmental DNA metabarcoding: Method development, validation, and field application.

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have emerged as a critical global environmental and ecological concern. Timely and accurate monitoring of the prevalent bloom-forming genera is crucial for HAB management. Conventional microscope-based methods are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and specialized expertise-dependent, often making them impractical for large-scale surveillance.

Environmental DNA-Based Identification of Non-Native Fish in Beijing: Diversity, Geographical Distribution, and Interactions with Native Taxa.

Rapid urbanization and its associated human activities have facilitated the colonization and spread of non-native species, rendering urban ecosystems, particularly in megacities such as Beijing, highly susceptible to biological invasions. This study employed environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding to evaluate the biodiversity and geographical distribution of non-native fish, as well as their interactions with native fish species, across three river basins in Beijing pertaining to the Daqing River, the North Canal, and the Ji Canal. Across all the 67 sampling sites, we identified 60 fish taxa, representing 11 orders, 23 families, and 40 genera, with an average of 33.

Transcatheter closure of multiple coronary artery fistulas: a coronary computed tomography angiography-based anatomic classification.

Introduction And Objectives: This study aimed to retrospectively analyze the anatomical characteristics and classification of multiple coronary artery fistulas (MCAFs), and to compare the outcomes of transcatheter closure between MCAFs and single fistulas.

Methods: All patients who underwent attempts at transcatheter closure of coronary artery fistulas (CAFs) at Fuwai Hospital from 2010 to 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were categorized into single fistula and MCAFs groups, and anatomical characteristics and transcatheter closure outcomes were compared between the 2 groups.

Terahertz Polarization Isolator Using Two-Dimensional Square Lattice Tellurium Rod Array.

A novel terahertz polarization isolator using a two-dimensional square lattice tellurium rod array is numerically investigated at the interesting band of 0.22 THz in this short paper. The isolator is designed by inserting six hexagonal tellurium rods into a fully polarized photonic crystals waveguide with high efficiency of -0.

Deciphering protein-mediated underwater adhesion in an invasive biofouling ascidian: Discovery, validation, and functional mechanism of an interfacial protein.

Discovering macromolecules and understanding the associated mechanisms involved in underwater adhesion are essential for both studying the fundamental ecology of benthos in aquatic ecosystems and developing biomimetic adhesive materials in industries. Here, we employed quantitative proteomics to assess protein expression variations during the development of the distinct adhesive structure - stolon in the model fouling ascidian, Ciona robusta. We found 16 adhesive protein candidates with increased expression in the stolon, with ascidian adhesive protein 1 (AAP1) being particularly rich in adhesion-related signal peptides, amino acids, and functional domains.

Development and Validation of a Nomogram of Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in Adult Pretricuspid Shunts After Correction.

Background: Pretricuspid shunts have been associated with poorer survival rates in patients with Eisenmenger syndrome compared with postricuspid shunts and complex lesions. However, the risk stratification for persistent pulmonary hypertension (PH) in this population remains uncertain.

Methods And Results: We retrospectively enrolled 103 patients with pretricuspid shunts with high total pulmonary resistance >4.

eDNA-Based Early Detection Illustrates Rapid Spread of the Non-Native Golden Mussel Introduced into Beijing via Water Diversion.

The world's largest water diversion, the South-to-North Water Transfer Project (SNWTP) in China, has created an "invasion highway" to introduce invasive golden mussels () from the Yangtze River basin to Beijing. To examine the spread and colonization patterns of this newly introduced invasive species, we conducted comprehensive environmental DNA (eDNA)-based early detection and conventional field surveys across all water bodies in five river basins in Beijing from 2020 to 2023. Our results indicated a rapid spread over the past four years.

Influence of calcium concentration on larval adhesion in a highly invasive fouling ascidian: From morphological changes to molecular mechanisms.

Calcium ion (Ca) is involved in the protein-mediated larval adhesion of fouling ascidians, yet the effects of environmental Ca on larval adhesion remain largely unexplored. Here, the larvae of fouling ascidian C. robusta were exposed to different concentrations of Ca.

Effects of Biological Nitrogen Metabolism on Glufosinate-Susceptible and -Resistant Goosegrass ( L.).

Glufosinate is a broad-spectrum herbicide used to control most weeds in agriculture worldwide. Goosegrass ( L.) is one of the top ten malignant weeds across the world, showing high tolerance to glufosinate via different mechanisms that are not yet fully understood.

Incorporating adaptive genomic variation into predictive models for invasion risk assessment.

Global climate change is expected to accelerate biological invasions, necessitating accurate risk forecasting and management strategies. However, current invasion risk assessments often overlook adaptive genomic variation, which plays a significant role in the persistence and expansion of invasive populations. Here we used , a highly invasive ascidian, as a model to assess its invasion risks along Chinese coasts under climate change.

Nine new species of black lichenicolous fungi from the genus (Chaetothyriales) from two different climatic zones of China.

Lichenicolous fungi are parasites of lichens. Many of these fungi are referred to as "black fungi". A diversity of these black fungi include species that are pathogenic to humans and plants.

Fungal Diversity Associated with Thirty-Eight Lichen Species Revealed a New Genus of Endolichenic Fungi, gen. nov. (Teratosphaeriaceae).

Fungi from the Teratosphaeriaceae (Mycosphaerellales; Dothideomycetes; Ascomycota) have a wide range of lifestyles. Among these are a few species that are endolichenic fungi. However, the known diversity of endolichenic fungi from Teratosphaeriaceae is far less understood compared to other lineages of Ascomycota.

eDNA-based detection reveals invasion risks of a biofouling bivalve in the world's largest water diversion project.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) has increasingly been used to detect rare species (e.g., newly introduced nonindigenous species) in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, often with distinct advantages over traditional methods.

Interventional Occlusion of Large Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Adults with Severe Pulmonary Hypertension.

(1) Background: the indications for transcatheter closure of large patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) with severe pulmonary hypertension (PH) are still unclear, and scholars have not fully elucidated the factors that affect PH prognosis. (2) Methods: we retrospectively enrolled 134 consecutive patients with a PDA diameter ≥10 mm or a ratio of PDA and aortic >0.5.

(Epi)genomic adaptation driven by fine geographical scale environmental heterogeneity after recent biological invasions.

Elucidating processes and mechanisms involved in rapid local adaptation to varied environments is a poorly understood but crucial component in management of invasive species. Recent studies have proposed that genetic and epigenetic variation could both contribute to ecological adaptation, yet it remains unclear on the interplay between these two components underpinning rapid adaptation in wild animal populations. To assess their respective contributions to local adaptation, we explored epigenomic and genomic responses to environmental heterogeneity in eight recently colonized ascidian (Ciona intestinalis) populations at a relatively fine geographical scale.

Assessment of alterations in histone modification function and guidance for death risk prediction in cervical cancer patients.

Cervical cancer is the second most lethal malignancy among women, and histone modification plays a fundamental role in most biological processes, but the prognostic value of histone modification in cervical cancer has not been evaluated. A total of 594 cervical cancer patients from TCGA-CESC, GSE44001, and GSE52903 cohorts were enrolled in the current study, along with the corresponding clinicopathological features. Patients with a follow-up time less than one month were removed.

First in-human modified atrial septostomy combining radiofrequency ablation and balloon dilation.

Objective: Preclinical research suggests that the combined use of radiofrequency ablation and balloon dilation (CURB) could create stable interatrial communications without device implantation. This study examined the first in-human use of CURB for modified atrial septostomy in patients with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

Methods: Between July 2018 and October 2021, CURB was performed in 19 patients with severe PAH (age: 31.

Complementary genomic and epigenomic adaptation to environmental heterogeneity.

While adaptation is commonly thought to result from selection on DNA sequence-based variation, recent studies have highlighted an analogous epigenetic component as well. However, the relative roles of these mechanisms in facilitating population persistence under environmental heterogeneity remain unclear. To address the underlying genetic and epigenetic mechanisms and their relationship during environmental adaptation, we screened the genomes and epigenomes of nine global populations of a predominately sessile marine invasive tunicate, Botryllus schlosseri.

Mechanism of METTL3-Mediated mA Modification in Cardiomyocyte Pyroptosis and Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.

Objective: Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) injury is a complicated pathophysiological process associated with cardiomyocyte pyroptosis. Methyltransferase-like protein 3 (METTL3) catalyzes the formation of N-methyl-adenosine (mA) and participates in various biological processes. This study probed into the mechanism of METTL3 in cardiomyocyte pyroptosis in MI/R injury.

Microplastics boost the accumulation of tetrabromobisphenol A in a commercial clam and elevate corresponding food safety risks.

Marine bivalve molluscs are one of the primary seafood for consumers. Inhabiting terrigenous pollutant-convergent coastal areas and feeding through seawater filtration, edible bivalves are subjected to waterborne emerging pollutants such as microplastics (MPs) and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA). Nevertheless, the potential risks of consuming MP-TBBPA contaminated seafood are still largely unknown.

Protein-mediated bioadhesion in marine organisms: A review.

Protein-mediated bioadhesion is one of the crucial physiological processes in marine organisms, by which they can firmly adhere to underwater substrates. Most marine adhesive organisms are biofoulers, causing negative effects on marine ecosystems and huge economic losses to aquaculture and maritime industries. Furthermore, adhesive proteins in these organisms are promising bionic candidates for high-performance artificial materials with great application value.

Local environment-driven adaptive evolution in a marine invasive ascidian ().

Elucidating molecular mechanisms of environment-driven adaptive evolution in marine invaders is crucial for understanding invasion success and further predicting their future invasions. Although increasing evidence suggests that adaptive evolution could contribute to organisms' adaptation to varied environments, there remain knowledge gaps regarding how environments influence genomic variation in invaded habitats and genetic bases underlying local adaptation for most marine invaders. Here, we performed restriction-site-associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) to assess population genetic diversity and further investigate genomic signatures of local adaptation in the marine invasive ascidian, .