Insights from DNA Barcodes-Based Phylogenetic Analysis of Medicinal Plants and Estimation of Their Conservation Status: A Case Study in the Tianshan Wild Forest, China.

The Tianshan wild fruit forest region is a vital repository of plant biodiversity, particularly rich in the unique genetic resources of endemic medicinal plants in this ecological niche. However, human activities such as unregulated mining and excessive grazing have led to a significant reduction in the diversity of these medicinal plants. This study represents the first application of DNA barcoding to 101 medicinal plants found in the Tianshan wild fruit forests, using three genetic loci along with morphological identification methods.

Phenological and morphological variations of Oryza rufipogon and O. nivara in Sri Lanka and their evolutionary implications.

Phenological and morphological variation are widely viewed as a pivotal driver of ecological adaptation and speciation. Here, we investigate variation patterns of flowering phenology and morphological traits within and between O. rufipogon and O.

Evolutionary Genomics Provides Insights Into Endangerment and Conservation of a Wild Apple Tree Species, .

Understanding the evolutionary history of a species is essential for effective conservation management. , a relict broad-leaf forest tree found in arid Central Asian mountains, has a narrow and fragmented distribution and is classified as an endangered species in China. This species is considered one of the ancestors of the domesticated apple trees.

SHORT-ROOT specifically functions in the chalazal region to modulate assimilate partitioning into seeds.

Nourishing the embryo with endosperm and enclosing both embryo and endosperm in the seed coat are two important evolutionary innovations. Seed coat is conventionally viewed as a protective layer that functions after the seed has matured. Here, we challenge this notion by showing that a subregion of the seed coat, termed the chalazal seed coat (CZSC), is geared to gate seed nutrition loading in developing seeds.

Population genetic diversity and environmental adaptation of Tamarix hispida in the Tarim Basin, arid Northwestern China.

Arid ecosystems, characterized by severe water scarcity, play a crucial role in preserving Earth's biodiversity and resources. The Tarim Basin in Northwestern China, a typical arid region isolated by the Tianshan Mountains and expansive deserts, provides a special study area for investigating how plant response and adaptation to such environments. Tamarix hispida, a species well adapted to saline-alkaline and drought conditions, dominates in the saline-alkali lands of the Tarim Basin.

Impacts of renal denervation on blood pressure in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

Background: Sympathetic nerve activation followed by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) accounts for blood pressure elevation. The effectiveness of renal denervation (RDN) in controlling blood pressure in patients with OSA remains controversial. In this systematic review, we tried to pool currently available data to assess the effects of RDN therapy on blood pressure in OSA patients.

Characteristics of the chloroplast genome and genetic divergence of Willd. 1816 (Tamaricaceae).

Willd. 1816, a crucial native plant species in the arid desert region of northwestern China, plays a significant role in maintaining ecological stability. It is instrumental in addressing soil salinity-alkalinity and heavy metal pollution.

Scavenging HO of plant host by saliva catalase of leafhopper vector benefits viral transmission.

Catalase (CAT) is the main reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging enzyme in plants and insects. However, it remains elusive whether and how insect saliva CAT suppresses ROS-mediated plant defense, thereby promoting initial virus transmission by insect vectors. Here, we investigated how leafhopper Recilia dorsalis catalase (RdCAT) was secreted from insect salivary glands into rice phloem, and how it was perceived by rice chaperone NO CATALASE ACTIVITY1 (OsNCA1) to scavenge excessive HO during insect-to-plant virus transmission.

Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Immunosuppression in Tiger Pufferfish () under Infection.

The tiger pufferfish (), also known as fugu, has recently suffered from severe infections under aquaculture environment, yet the underlying immune mechanisms against the parasite remain poorly understood. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive transcriptome analysis of the gill tissue from infected and uninfected fish using PacBio long-read (one pooled sample each for seriously infected and healthy individuals, respectively) and Illumina short-read (three pools for mildly infected, seriously infected, and healthy individuals, respectively) RNA sequencing technologies. After aligning sequence data to fugu's reference genome, 47,307 and 34,413 known full-length transcripts were identified and profiled in healthy and infected fish, respectively.

Archaean multi-stage magmatic underplating drove formation of continental nuclei in the North China Craton.

The geodynamic processes that formed Earth's earliest continents are intensely debated. Particularly, the transformation from ancient crustal nuclei into mature Archaean cratons is unclear, primarily owing to the paucity of well-preserved Eoarchaean-Palaeoarchaean 'protocrust'. Here, we report a newly identified Palaeoarchaean continental fragment-the Baishanhu nucleus-in northeastern North China Craton.

Unlocking Mixed-Metal Oxides Active Centers via Acidity Regulation for K&SO Poisoning Resistance: Self-Detoxification Mechanism of Zeolite-Confined NO Catalysts.

Selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides (NO) with ammonia (NH-SCR) is an efficient NO reduction strategy, while the denitrification (NO) catalysts suffer from serious deactivation due to the coexistence of multiple poisoning substances, such as alkali metal (e.g., K), SO, .

Assessing health risks from bioaccessible PM-bound toxic metals in Nanchang metro: Implications for metro workers and emissions control.

High concentrations of PM with enriched levels of metallic constituents could significantly affect the health and comfort of metro employees. To avoid overestimating the exposure risks, we investigated the bioaccessibility of toxic metals (TMs) bound in PM from the Nanchang metro using Gamble's solution method, and qualitatively analyzed the impact of valence state and various sources on the bioaccessibility of TMs bound to PM. The results showed that the bioaccessibility of the studied TMs ranged from 2.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of (Fabaceae), an endangered desert shrub from China.

, a rare deciduous shrub, is the only species of (Fabaceae) in China, which distributes in Huocheng county, Xinjiang. This study employed high-throughput sequencing technology to assemble the complete chloroplast genome sequence of . The entire length of chloroplast genome is 154,426 bp.

Botrytis cinerea type II inhibitor of apoptosis BcBIR1 enhances the biocontrol capacity of Coniothyrium minitans.

Apoptosis-like programmed cell death is associated with fungal development, ageing, pathogenicity and stress responses. Here, to explore the potential of Botrytis cinerea type II inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) BcBIR1 in elevating the biocontrol efficacy of Coniothyrium minitans, the BcBIR1 gene was heterologously expressed in C. minitans.

Decoupled responses of above- and below-ground beta-diversity to nitrogen enrichment in a typical steppe.

Increased atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition affects biodiversity in terrestrial ecosystems. However, we do not know whether the effects of N on above-ground plant β-diversity are coupled with changes occurring in the soil seed bank. We conducted a long-term N-addition experiment in a typical steppe and found that above-ground β-diversity increased and then decreased with increasing N addition, whereas below-ground β-diversity decreased linearly.

Single cobalt atoms anchored on TiCT with dual reaction sites for efficient adsorption-degradation of antibiotic resistance genes.

The assimilation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) by pathogenic bacteria poses a severe threat to public health. Here, we reported a dual-reaction-site-modified Co/TiCT (single cobalt atoms immobilized on TiCT MXene) for effectively deactivating extracellular ARGs via peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation. The enhanced removal of ARGs was attributed to the synergistic effect of adsorption (Ti sites) and degradation (Co-O sites).

Fiscal decentralization, local government environmental protection preference, and regional green innovation efficiency: evidence from China.

Green technological innovation has gained in importance in regional policy making towards gaining competitive advantage and sustainable development. This paper used the data envelopment analysis method to calculate regional green innovation efficiency in China, and empirically tested the effect of fiscal decentralization through Tobit model. The regression results show that the local governments with higher fiscal autonomy would prefer to strengthen environmental protection; thus, the regional green innovation efficiency was improved.

Effect of renal denervation on cardiac remodelling and function in rats with chronic intermittent hypoxia.

Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) mimicking obstructive sleep apnea elicits divergent outcomes in the cardiovascular systems. The effect of renal denervation (RDN) on the heart during CIH remains unclear. We aimed to explore the effect of RDN on cardiac remodelling in rats exposed to CIH and to discuss the underlying mechanisms.

Sacubitril/valsartan mitigated intermittent hypoxia related intestinal microbiota alteration and aortic injury.

Objective: To investigate the influence of sacubitril valsartan sodium (SVS) on chronic intermittent hypoxia (IH) related gut microbiome composition alteration and aortic injury.

Methods: Experiments were performed using SD rats, which were divided into three groups: control, IH, and SVS group. O concentration was decreased to 7-8% at nadir approximately every 3 min in IH group (8 h per day for 6 weeks) or was left unchanged in control group.

Potential distribution of three types of ephemeral plants under climate changes.

Background: Arid and semi-arid regions account for about 40% of the world's land surface area, and are the most sensitive areas to climate change, leading to a dramatic expansion of arid regions in recent decades. Ephemeral plants are crucial herbs in this area and are very sensitive to climate change, but it is still unclear which factors can determine the distribution of ephemeral plants and how the distribution of ephemeral plants responds to future climate change across the globe.

Aims: Understanding the impact of climate change on ephemeral plant distribution is crucial for sustainable biodiversity conservation.

Gut microbiota in hypertensive patients with versus without obstructive sleep apnea.

We investigated the alteration of gut microbiota and the associated metabolic risks in hypertensive patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) comorbidity. Fecal and blood samples were collected from 52 hypertensive patients, who were divided into three groups: A (controls, apnea-hypopnea index[AHI] < 5, n = 15), B (mild OSA, 5 < AHI < 20, n = 17), and C (moderate-to-severe OSA, AHI > 20, n = 20). The composition of the gut microbiota was studied through 16s RNA sequencing of variable regions 3-4.

Divergent response and adaptation of specific leaf area to environmental change at different spatio-temporal scales jointly improve plant survival.

Specific leaf area (SLA) is one of the most important plant functional traits. It integrates multiple functions and reflects strategies of plants to obtain resources. How plants employ different strategies (e.