Effects of meteorological factors on the retention of particulate matter in lawn grass blades.

Plant leaves can reduce the concentration of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) by absorbing it in the air, and this mitigates the deleterious human health effects of PM. However, the ability of plant leaves to retain dust is limited and varies continually due to various meteorological factors such as rainfall, extreme wind speed, and PM concentrations. Here, we measured the ability of seven types of turfgrass with leaves similar in macromorphology but varying in micromorphology to retain dust particles of different sizes; we also analyzed the effects of various meteorological factors, such as rainfall, maximum wind speed, and PM concentration, on the ability of leaves to retain particles of different sizes.

Dynamic changes and correlation of quality, flavor and microorganisms of Mei (Prunus mume) vinegar during fermentation and clarification.

Mei (Prunus mume) is a highly nutritious fruit whose value is often underutilized due to its perishable nature and challenges in post-maturation storage. This study evaluated the changes and correlations among quality, volatile flavor compounds (VFCs), and microorganisms in Mei vinegar (MV) during acetic acid fermentation (AAF) and low temperature clarification (LTC) using various clarifiers. The results indicated that AAF enhanced the bioactive components and antioxidant capacity of MV.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi by inducing watermelon roots secretion phthalates, altering soil enzyme activity and bacterial community composition to alleviate the watermelon wilt.

Background: Long-term continuous cropping has resulted in the frequent occurrence of fusarium wilt of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus). AMF inoculation can alleviate the continuous cropping barrier and reduce the incidence of fusarium wilt of watermelon. Our previous study found that the root exudates of mycorrhizal watermelon can enhance watermelon resistance to this disorder.

Clonal integration benefits in heterogeneous habitats.

Land-use change and tourism development have seriously threatened the ecosystems of coastal protection forests and beaches. Light and nutrients are spatially heterogeneously distributed between the two ecosystems. Clonal plants, such as , which play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological stability of coastal habitats, are likely to encounter diverse environments.

Impact of trace elements on invasive plants: Attenuated competitiveness yet sustained dominance over native counterparts.

Trace element pollution has emerged as an increasingly severe environmental challenge owing to human activities, particularly in urban ecosystems. In farmlands, invasive species commonly outcompete native species when subjected to trace element treatments, as demonstrated in experiments with individual invader-native pairs. However, it is uncertain if these findings apply to a wider range of species in urban soils with trace elements.

Genomics insights into flowering and floral pattern formation: regional duplication and seasonal pattern of gene expression in Camellia.

Background: The formation and domestication of ornamental traits are influenced by various aspects, such as the recognition of esthetic values and cultural traditions. Camellia japonica is widely appreciated and domesticated around the world mainly due to its rich variations in ornamental traits. Ornamental camellias have a diverse range of resources, including different bud variations from Camellia spp.

Effects of salt stress on interspecific competition between an invasive alien plant and three native species.

Biological invasions and soil salinization have become increasingly severe environmental problems under global change due to sea-level rise and poor soil management. Invasive species can often outcompete native species, but few studies focus on whether invasive alien species are always superior competitors under increasing stressors. We grew an invasive grass species, L.

CBF transcription factors involved in the cold response of (Naidong).

CBFs belong to the ERF subfamily of the AP2 supergene family and often play an important role in the cold acclimation of temperate plants. However, the role of CBFs in (Naidong), the only population found in the temperate zones of China, remains unclear. It is very important to study the genetic composition of (Naidong) to adapt to low temperature for Camellia species.

Temporal transcriptome profiling reveals candidate genes involved in cold acclimation of Camellia japonica (Naidong).

Cold is a common problem that limits the distribution of Camellia. Camellia japonica (Naidong) is the northernmost species of camellia in China, which is a Tertiary remnant species that can adapt to large changes in temperature. An analysis of the transcriptional response of C.

The complete chloroplast genome of 'zhenzhucha', a variant cultivar with floral aroma.

'zhenzhucha' is a variant cultivar from , which is also called 'juhuacha'. 'zhenzhucha' is an ornamental shrub with a floral aroma, and is oftenused in landscape. To provide genetic information for genetic research, we have sequenced and assembled the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of 'zhenzhucha' based on the Illumina Hiseq platform.

The complete chloroplast genome of the subtropical species 'Huaheling'.

'Huaheling' is a rare subtropical species in China with high ornamental and medicinal value. The complete chloroplast genome of 'Huaheling' is a 157,001-bp circular DNA molecule containing a large single-copy region (LSC, 86,704 bp), a small single-copy region (SSC, 18,393 bp), and two inverted repeat sequences (IR). Of the 131 genes identified, 86 are protein-coding genes, 8 are rRNA genes, and 37 are tRNA genes.

The complete chloroplast genome of , an ornamental shrub with floral aroma.

is an ornamental shrub with a floral aroma, which is widely cultivated and used for landscaping in China. To obtain the genetic information of , we have sequenced and assembled the complete chloroplast (cp) genome based on the Illumina Hiseq platform. The total genome size is 161,078 bp in length with 37.

Nitrogen deposition does not alleviate the adverse effects of shade on Camellia japonica (Naidong) seedlings.

Camellia japonica (Naidong), a Tertiary relict species with a unique biological and cultural characteristic, is a special ecotype of C. japonica and is the northernmost distributed populations of C. japonica in the world.

Capacity of six shrub species to retain atmospheric particulates with different diameters.

Garden plants can absorb and retain atmospheric particles and are important for remediating environmental pollution. In this study, the dust retention characteristics of six typical shrub species were measured in the greenbelt of a road in the Chengyang District of Qingdao, China, and the maximum capacity for dust retention of each species was determined. The different diameters and areas occupied by particulate matter (PM) were analyzed on the leaf surfaces of the plants.

Distinct double flower varieties in Camellia japonica exhibit both expansion and contraction of C-class gene expression.

Background: Double flower domestication is of great value in ornamental plants and presents an excellent system to study the mechanism of morphological alterations by human selection. The classic ABC model provides a genetic framework underlying the control of floral organ identity and organogenesis from which key regulators have been identified and evaluated in many plant species. Recent molecular studies have underscored the importance of C-class homeotic genes, whose functional attenuation contributed to the floral diversity in various species.

The checkpoint 1 kinase inhibitor LY2603618 induces cell cycle arrest, DNA damage response and autophagy in cancer cells.

Chemotherapy- or radiotherapy-induced DNA damage activates the Chk1-dependent DNA damage response (DDR) and cell cycle checkpoints to facilitate cell survival. Numerous attempts have been made to identify specific Chk1 inhibitors to enhance the efficiency of chemotherapy or radiotherapy. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the antitumor activity of LY2603618, a potent and selective small molecule inhibitor of Chk1 protein kinase, in human lung cancer cells.

Up-regulated HMGB1 in EAM directly led to collagen deposition by a PKCβ/Erk1/2-dependent pathway: cardiac fibroblast/myofibroblast might be another source of HMGB1.

High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), an important inflammatory mediator, is actively secreted by immune cells and some non-immune cells or passively released by necrotic cells. HMGB1 has been implicated in many inflammatory diseases. Our previous published data demonstrated that HMGB1 was up-regulated in heart tissue or serum in experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM); HMGB1 blockade could ameliorate cardiac fibrosis at the last stage of EAM.

Th17 cell expansion in gastric cancer may contribute to cancer development and metastasis.

Th0 cells differentiate into Th1 or Th2 depending on multiple transcription factors acting on specific time points to regulate gene expression. Th17 cells, a subset of IL-17-producing T cells distinct from Th1 or Th2 cells has been described as key players in inflammation and autoimmune diseases as well as cancer development. In the present study, 66 patients with gastric cancer were included; the expression level of Th1- and Th17-related IFN-γ, IL-17, T-bet, RORγt in gastric cancer tissues and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) were detected, analyzed the relationship between Th17 or Th1 infiltration and metastasis and explored the possible mechanism.