How Marine Megabenthos Fauna Responds to River Discharge and Artificial Flood in Large River Estuary.

Estuaries are ecologically sensitive areas influenced by river regulation. Knowledge of how marine megabenthos responds to river regulation and artificial flooding events remains limited. The study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the impacts of river regulation on marine megabenthic fauna.

Phospholipase PlcH is involved in the secretion of cell wall glycoproteins and contributes to the host immune response of .

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchoring is one of the conserved posttranslational modifications in eukaryotes that attach proteins to the plasma membrane. In fungi, in addition to plasma membrane GPI-anchored proteins (GPI-APs), some GPI-APs are specifically released from the cell membrane, secreted into the cell wall, and covalently linked to cell wall glucans as GPI-anchored cell wall proteins (GPI-CWPs). However, it remains unclear how fungal cells specifically release GPI-CWPs from their membranes.

GRAPE-WEB: An automated computational redesign web server for improving protein thermostability.

We have developed the GReedy Accumulated strategy for Protein Engineering (GRAPE) to improve enzyme stability across various applications, combining advanced computational methods with a unique clustering and greedy accumulation approach to efficiently explore epistatic effects with minimal experimental effort. To make this strategy accessible to nonexperts, we introduced GRAPE-WEB, an automated, user-friendly web server that allows the design, inspection, and combination of stabilizing mutations without requiring extensive bioinformatics knowledge. GRAPE-WEB's robust performance and accessibility provide a comprehensive and adaptable approach to protein thermostability design, suitable for both newcomers and experienced practitioners in the field.

Taxonomic notes of jumping spiders (Araneae, Salticidae) from Guangxi, Hainan, Sichuan, Xizang and Yunnan, China.

Twenty-one new species of jumping spiders from five provinces of South China are described: (♂), (♂♀), (♂♀), (♂♀), (♂♀), (♂), (♂♀), (♂♀), (♀), (♂♀), (♂♀), (♂♀), (♂♀), (♂♀), (♂♀), (♂♀), (♂), (♂♀), (♂♀), (♂♀), and (♂♀). Prószyński, 2016, is proposed as a junior synonym of Prószyński, 2016. Three new combinations are proposed: (Andreeva, Hęciak & Prószyński, 1984), and (Wanless, 1984), transferred from , and (Peng, Gong & Kim, 2000), transferred from Thorell, 1869.

Piezoelectric stimulation enhances bone regeneration in alveolar bone defects through metabolic reprogramming of macrophages.

Immunomodulation has emerged as a promising strategy for promoting bone regeneration. However, designing osteoimmunomodulatory biomaterial that can respond to mechanical stress in the unique microenvironment of alveolar bone under continuous occlusal stress remains a significant challenge. Herein, a wireless piezoelectric stimulation system, namely, piezoelectric hydrogel incorporating BaTiO nanoparticles (BTO NPs), is successfully developed to generate piezoelectric potentials for modulating macrophage reprogramming.

A perspective of lipid nanoparticles for RNA delivery.

Over the last two decades, lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have evolved as an effective biocompatible and biodegradable RNA delivery platform in the fields of nanomedicine, biotechnology, and drug delivery. They are novel bionanomaterials that can be used to encapsulate a wide range of biomolecules, such as mRNA, as demonstrated by the current successes of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. Therefore, it is important to provide a perspective on LNPs for RNA delivery, which further offers useful guidance for researchers who want to work in the RNA-based LNP field.

Discovery of a non-nucleotide stimulator of interferon genes (STING) agonist with systemic antitumor effect.

Agonists of the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway are increasingly being recognized as a promising new approach in the treatment of cancer. Although progress in clinical trials for STING agonists in antitumor applications has been slow, there is still an urgent need for developing new potent STING agonists with versatile potential applications. Herein, we developed and identified a non-nucleotide STING agonist called DW18343.

First record of (Hemiptera, Scytinopteroidea, Scytinopteridae) from the Middle Triassic Tongchuan Entomofauna of China.

A new scytinopterid species, , is established based on a tegmen collected from the Middle Triassic Tongchuan Formation in Shaanxi Province, NW China. The new species can be easily separated from its congeners by the narrow tegminal apex, less curved terminal branches of stems RP, M and CuA and crossvein - connected to long vein M. This discovery represents the first record of from the Tongchuan Formation in China and suggests that the genus spread much more widely from Gondwana to northern Pangea in the Middle Triassic.

New insights into the mechanisms of red blood cell enucleation: From basics to clinical applications.

Background: Red blood cell (RBC) enucleation is a crucial step in the process of erythropoiesis. By removing the nucleus, RBCs gain greater flexibility, enabling them to traverse narrow capillaries with ease, thereby enhancing the efficiency of oxygen and carbon dioxide transport. This transformation underscores the intricate balance between cellular structure and function essential for maintaining homeostasis.

Perceptual Expertise of Forensic Examiners and Reviewers on Tests of Cross-Race and Disguised Face Identification and Face Memory.

Forensic facial professionals have been shown in previous studies to identify people from frontal face images more accurately than untrained participants when given 30 s per face pair. We tested whether this superiority holds in more challenging conditions. Two groups of forensic facial professionals (examiners, reviewers) and untrained participants were tested in three lab-based tasks: other-race face identification, disguised face identification, and face memory.

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.

Seasonal Herbage-Livestock Balance and Grassland Pressure Index Analysis in the Yellow River Source Park, Tibet Plateau, China.

Grassland carrying capacity is an indicator for measuring the stability of grassland ecosystems and can provide a basis for formulating regional sustainable grazing strategies. However, most previous studies on this have only considered annual fluctuations, but seasonal changes were ignored. In this study, the herbage yield and nutrient value of two grassland types in Yellow River Source Park (YRSP) were measured by sampling point survey method in four seasons, and the seasonal and annual grassland carrying capacity, carrying numbers of standard sheep unit (SU) were estimated based on the dry matter (DM) content, crude protein, and metabolic energy of herbage.

Discovery of sp. nov. (Ophioglossaceae) from Southwest China demonstrates a unique intercontinental disjunct pattern in plants between the Himalaya and the Americas.

A new fern species, (Ophioglossaceae), from Sichuan, Xizang, and Yunnan, Southwest China (eastern Himalaya), is described and illustrated. This species is similar to in the Americas in having a cylindrical rhizome and complex-reticulate venation. In addition, both species grow in open habitat on basic soil.

Two new varieties of (Ericaceae) from Xizang, China.

Two new varieties from Xizang, China, i.e. Agapetesinterdictavar.

Phylogeny, Diversification, and Biogeography of (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) Reveals Multiple Cross-Drainage Dispersals in Southeast Asia.

, a kind of small- to medium-sized fish, is widely distributed from southern Eurasia to central Africa. As one of the most diverse genera of Cyprinidae, investigating the phylogeny and biogeography of remains challenging. In this study, we combined sequences of samples collected from Myanmar with sequences downloaded from GenBank to investigate the phylogeny, diversification, and biogeography of on a global scale, with an emphasis on Southeast Asia.

Multitrophic Diversity of the Biotic Community Drives Ecosystem Multifunctionality in Alpine Grasslands.

Biodiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality are currently hot topics in ecological research. However, little is known about the role of multitrophic diversity in regulating various ecosystem functions, which limits our ability to predict the impact of biodiversity loss on human well-being and ecosystem multifunctionality. In this study, multitrophic diversity was divided into three categories: plant, animal, and microbial communities (i.

Assessment of Changes in the Composition and Distribution of Large and Medium-Sized Mammals in Xishuangbanna, Southwest China.

Given the vulnerability of large and medium-sized mammal communities to climate change and human disturbances, understanding the spatial-temporal dynamics of these communities is essential for effective conservation planning. However, in many biodiversity hotspots, precise biological community assessments are insufficient. From 2012 to 2022, we deployed 784 camera traps in eight nature reserves (including sub-reserves) and one State Forest Farm (SFF, less strictly protected than a reserve) to study the composition and distribution of large and medium-sized mammals in tropical Xishuangbanna.

Loss of Coral Trait Diversity and Impacts on Reef Fish Assemblages on Recovering Reefs.

Understanding patterns of biodiversity change is essential as coral reefs experience recurrent cycles of disturbance and recovery. Shifts in the total cover and species composition of habitat-forming corals can have far-reaching consequences, including shifts in coral functional traits and impacts on local fish assemblages. We surveyed coral and fish assemblages along the southern coast of Hainan Island near Sanya, China, in 2006, 2010, and 2018, during a period with repeated mass bleaching events.

Sesame-enriched delights: A comparative exploration of physicochemical and sensory attributes in fine and whole wheat flour cookies.

Cookies are an exceptional energy source due to their elevated fat and carbohydrate content. Beyond their delectable taste, they are also rich in essential nutrients, including valuable proteins and minerals. This study evaluated the potential of the wheat variety NARC-2011 for cookie production, focusing on nutritional enhancement by adding white sesame seeds at different proportions (5%, 10%, and 15%) to both whole and fine wheat flour.

Robust tetra-armed poly (ethylene glycol)-based hydrogel as tissue bioadhesive for the efficient repair of meniscus tears.

Repair and preservation of the injured meniscus has become paramount in clinical practice. However, the complexities of various clinic stitching techniques for meniscus repair pose challenges for grassroots doctors. Hence, there is a compelling interest in innovative therapeutic strategies such as bioadhesives.

(Gesneriaceae), a Peltate-Leaved New Species From the Dry-Hot Valley of the Jinsha River Basin, Yunnan, China.

A peltate-leaved new species, Z. Xie & H. H.

Phenotypic and Transcriptomic Analysis Revealed a Lack of Risk Perception by Native Tadpoles Toward Novel Non-Native Fish.

The introduction of alien species poses a serious threat to native biodiversity, and mountain lake systems in the southwest of China are particularly vulnerable to the introduction of non-native fish. The prey naivety hypothesis states that native species may not be able to recognize novel introduced species due to a lack of common evolutionary background and therefore become easy targets, so the impacts of non-native fish on mountain endemic amphibians need to be urgently assessed. In an ex-situ experiment, we exposed the tadpoles of the Chaochiao Brown Frog (), endemic to western China, to kairomones of both native and translocated fish species, and their phenotypic and genetic response patterns were compared.

 (Orchidaceae, Aeridinae), a new subalpine epiphytic orchid from the Mountains of Southwest China.

, a new orchid species from the Balang Mountain, Sichuan Province, Southwest China, is described and illustrated. It morphologically resembles , but differs in having shorter stems, a reniform epichile and a sub-hemispherical hypochile (spur), obtuse-rounded at the apex. The results of molecular phylogenetic analyses based on nuclear ribosome internal transcribed spacer (nrITS) and four chloroplast DNA markers (K, A-H, M-D and L-F) from 50 species indicate that is closely related to and , also endemic to the Hengduan Mountains.