Differences In Distribution Patterns Research Articles

Land-Use Transitions and Its Driving Mechanism Analysis in Putian City, China, during 2000–2020

Investigating the spatial-temporal evolution of land use and its driving forces provides a scientific basis for policy formulation, land-use structure adjustment, and ecological civilization development. Using the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform, this study analyzed remote sensing images from 2000, 2010, and 2020 to derive basic land-use data for Putian City and its five districts and counties. These data were then systematically analyzed using methodologies such as Single Land-use Dynamics and Geo-informatic Tupu to reveal the characteristics of land-use transitions (LUTs), and the spatial-temporal evolution pattern over the past two decades in Putian City, China. Subsequently, socioeconomic conditions and macro policies were identified as driving factors to further explore the mechanisms behind land-use evolution in the study area through canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). The findings revealed that: (1) The predominant land-use structure in Putian City consisted mainly of cultivated land and forest land, with other land types interspersed within them, while built-up land exhibited continual outward expansion. (2) Various regions within Putian City exhibited varying degrees of abandoned farmland, ultimately transforming into wasteland (grassland) with weed growth, presenting significant challenges for ensuring food security and mitigating the conversion of cultivated land to non-agricultural and non-grain uses. (3) Specific macro-economic development objectives during distinct periods, particularly urban expansion and the growth of the secondary industry resulting from municipal and county mergers, emerged as pivotal factors driving the spatial and temporal evolution of land use and influenced the differential distribution pattern across Putian City. Consequently, this study suggests bolstering scientific planning and implementing effective regulations concerning land use, and it advocates for the efficient utilization of space-time resources pertaining to cultivated land, integrating them with agriculture, culture, and tourism endeavors. Such measures are proposed to ensure the harmonized and sustainable development of the regional ecological economy.

Imaging analysis of six human histone H1 variants reveals universal enrichment of H1.2, H1.3, and H1.5 at the nuclear periphery and nucleolar H1X presence

Histone H1 participates in chromatin condensation and regulates nuclear processes. Human somatic cells may contain up to seven histone H1 variants, although their functional heterogeneity is not fully understood. Here, we have profiled the differential nuclear distribution of the somatic H1 repertoire in human cells through imaging techniques including super-resolution microscopy. H1 variants exhibit characteristic distribution patterns in both interphase and mitosis. H1.2, H1.3, and H1.5 are universally enriched at the nuclear periphery in all cell lines analyzed and co-localize with compacted DNA. H1.0 shows a less pronounced peripheral localization, with apparent variability among different cell lines. On the other hand, H1.4 and H1X are distributed throughout the nucleus, being H1X universally enriched in high-GC regions and abundant in the nucleoli. Interestingly, H1.4 and H1.0 show a more peripheral distribution in cell lines lacking H1.3 and H1.5. The differential distribution patterns of H1 suggest specific functionalities in organizing lamina-associated domains or nucleolar activity, which is further supported by a distinct response of H1X or phosphorylated H1.4 to the inhibition of ribosomal DNA transcription. Moreover, H1 variants depletion affects chromatin structure in a variant-specific manner. Concretely, H1.2 knock-down, either alone or combined, triggers a global chromatin decompaction. Overall, imaging has allowed us to distinguish H1 variants distribution beyond the segregation in two groups denoted by previous ChIP-Seq determinations. Our results support H1 variants heterogeneity and suggest that variant-specific functionality can be shared between different cell types.

Imaging analysis of six human histone H1 variants reveals universal enrichment of H1.2, H1.3, and H1.5 at the nuclear periphery and nucleolar H1X presence.

Histone H1 participates in chromatin condensation and regulates nuclear processes. Human somatic cells may contain up to seven histone H1 variants, although their functional heterogeneity is not fully understood. Here, we have profiled the differential nuclear distribution of the somatic H1 repertoire in human cells through imaging techniques including super-resolution microscopy. H1 variants exhibit characteristic distribution patterns in both interphase and mitosis. H1.2, H1.3, and H1.5 are universally enriched at the nuclear periphery in all cell lines analyzed and co-localize with compacted DNA. H1.0 shows a less pronounced peripheral localization, with apparent variability among different cell lines. On the other hand, H1.4 and H1X are distributed throughout the nucleus, being H1X universally enriched in high-GC regions and abundant in the nucleoli. Interestingly, H1.4 and H1.0 show a more peripheral distribution in cell lines lacking H1.3 and H1.5. The differential distribution patterns of H1 suggest specific functionalities in organizing lamina-associated domains or nucleolar activity, which is further supported by a distinct response of H1X or phosphorylated H1.4 to the inhibition of ribosomal DNA transcription. Moreover, H1 variants depletion affects chromatin structure in a variant-specific manner. Concretely, H1.2 knock-down, either alone or combined, triggers a global chromatin decompaction. Overall, imaging has allowed us to distinguish H1 variants distribution beyond the segregation in two groups denoted by previous ChIP-Seq determinations. Our results support H1 variants heterogeneity and suggest that variant-specific functionality can be shared between different cell types.

Prompt effects on assessment of interactional competence in a group oral test

AbstractThis study serves as an attempt to validate an in‐house oral proficiency test (hereafter referred to as OPT) with a particular focus on prompt effects on assessment of interactional competence, an issue that has attracted burgeoning interest but not been adequately investigated yet. Prompts employed in the parallel versions of the group discussion task, which were supposed to be comparable, were found to differ in two dimensions, that is, topical domain and syntactic structure. The transcribed interactions from 136 sophomore test takers (34 groups) sitting in the first administration of the OPT were coded through a rigorous procedure and examined using conversation analysis. Five patterns of interaction were identified with distinct features based on two dimensions, mutuality and equality. Marked differences in distribution of patterns of interaction were detected in discourse elicited by different prompts, which should be mainly attributed to the syntactic structure of the prompts. The open‐question prompts were found more likely to elicit “conversation‐like” interaction with higher mutuality, characterized by the collaborative and unbalanced‐collaborative patterns, while the closed‐question prompts tended to elicit more “solo versus solo” interaction with lower mutuality, featured by the parallel and unbalanced‐parallel patterns. The influence of topic domain, however, was minimal. The results thereby constitute rebuttals that weaken meaningfulness and impartiality of the claim of interpretations about the construct within Bachman and Palmer's assessment use argument framework and suggest close attention from the test developers. The implications for prompt design, and development and validation of the group oral test are further provided.

Use of micronuclei DNA from erythrocytes in early-stage colorectal cancer detection.

25 Background: Current development in stool- and cell-free DNA (cfDNA)-based technologies have demonstrated promising potentials in colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnosis. However, early detection of CRC and advanced adenoma (AA) remains challenging. Micronuclei (MN) are extranuclear bodies containing chromatin segments resulting from errors in DNA repair. Elevated levels of MN+ erythrocytes have been studied in genotoxicity testing and cancer diagnosis. We have developed a method (WO2021/228246 A1) for purifying and sequencing micronuclei DNA (mnDNA) in erythrocytes from peripheral blood. Here, we compared mnDNA between healthy donors (HDs) and CRC patients and explored its application for early cancer diagnosis. Methods: Peripheral blood (1ml) was obtained from a training cohort of 987 individuals, a validation cohort of 246, and an independent test cohort of 193. mnDNA was isolated and sequenced from erythrocytes. Genome-wide analysis identified distinctive mnDNA features between HD and CRC. Predictive models using these features were developed to differentiate CRC and AA from HDs. A clinical trial comparing mnDNA with an approved multitarget stool DNA test (sDNA-FIT) was also conducted on 60 individuals (42 HDs, 6 AAs, and 12 CRCs). Results: Genome-wide analysis of mnDNA revealed substantial differences in distribution patterns between HDs and CRC patients. The predictive model built on mnDNA features achieved an AUC of 92.98% (95%CI: 87.85-98.12%), with an 88.64% sensitivity and 92.75% specificity in the independent test cohort. The model identified early-stage (stage I-II) CRC and AA with sensitivities of 83.33% or 69.56%, respectively. Comparing mnDNA to sDNA-FIT showed superior overall sensitivity (83.33% vs. 61.11%), AA sensitivity (83.33% vs. 16.66%), with comparable specificity (85.71% vs. 88.10%). Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that mnDNA from a small amount of peripheral blood enable accurate detection of AA and early-stage CRC. As a type of cytoplasmic DNA, mnDNA can provide a valuable tool for early cancer detection, offering different underlying mechanisms compared to current methods. A larger clinical study (NCT05875584) is ongoing and will further validate the application of mnDNA in early cancer detection.

Study on the Differential Distribution Patterns of Fine-Grained Sedimentary Rocks in the Lower Third Member of the Shahejie Formation in Zhanhua Sag, Bohai Bay Basin

Due to the diverse types of sedimentary source supply systems, the research on the distribution patterns of fine-grained sedimentary rocks in rifted lake basins is relatively underdeveloped. The authors of this article selected the lower third member of the Shahejie Formation (Es3L) in Zhanhua Sag as a research object. Using rock core, thin section, and other data, we analyzed rock types and genesis mechanisms, identified the spatiotemporal distribution patterns of facies within the sag, and established a fine-grained depositional model for the rifted lake basin. Five lithofacies were identified, revealing the differential distribution patterns of fine-grained sedimentary rocks in the region. The northern steep slope zone and the deep depression zone are characterized by the deposition of gravity flow-formed terrestrial layered-pebbly mudstone and gravity flow-formed mixed-source pebbly mudstone, respectively. In the central lake basin zone, mixed-source laminated mudstone with vertical rhythmic interlayers has developed. In the southern gentle slope zone, biologically cemented endogenic irregularly bedded algal limestone and chemically precipitated endogenic laminated limestone have developed. The characteristics of strong northern and weak southern terrestrial inputs in the study area control the differential distribution of lithofacies, and based on this, a fine-grained rock depositional model for the rifted lake basin was established.

Impact of Psychological Distress on Immune Phenotype in CLL/SLL Patients Managed By Active Observation

Introduction: Asymptomatic patients with a new diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) are usually managed by active observation; however, many patients report elevated levels of distress and worry during the ‘watchful waiting’ phase. Psychological distress may have clinical implications given that natural killer [NK] and T cells are not only sensitive to distress, but also critical in controlling disease progression. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine associations of psychological functioning and quality of life (QOL) with biomarker expression and functional activity of immune cells from peripheral blood of CLL/SLL patients being managed with surveillance. Methods: We conducted a multisite, prospective study in patients with indolent B-cell neoplasms who were managed with surveillance. Participants completed measures of perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale), anxiety and depressive symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) and quality of life (FACT-G) at study entry and then every 6 months for up to 2 years or disease progression (whichever occurred first). Blood samples were collected at study entry and every 6 months for immune phenotyping using multiparametric flow cytometry (up to 13-color). Biomarkers of activation, viability, proliferation, exhaustion, and receptor expression were assessed on subsets of T, NK, and myeloid cells, and mean fluorescence intensity or percentage of cells staining were determined. Results: Between April 2016 and November 2020, 233 patients were enrolled at two academic institutions in Philadelphia, including 111 with a diagnosis of CLL/SLL. Of these, 76 patients also had viable samples for immune phenotyping. Participants were predominantly male (60.5%) with a mean age of 63.7 years (SD=9.1 years). Approximately 5% self-reported their race as Black or African American and 4% were of Hispanic ethnicity. At enrollment, the median time since diagnosis was 10.6 months (median follow-up time = 23.6 months). Multivariable regression analyses revealed that increased depressive symptoms were associated with a significant shift from lower percentages of non-classical monocytes (NCM) to higher percentages of classical monocytes (CM; see Figure 1). Similar significant population shifts from reduced NCM toward increased CM were also observed with increased levels of stress and anxiety. These results suggest that patients reporting increased stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms have fewer of the “patrolling” NCM and increased “sensing” CM in peripheral blood. We also assessed expression of numerous innate immune receptors, including DNAM-1, which can stimulate responses by NK and T cells toward tumors. We observed lower expression of DNAM-1 on CD4 + helper T cells and CD8 + cytotoxic T cells in patients with increased depressive symptoms (p< 0.05). Similarly, patients reporting lower QOL also expressed lower levels of DNAM-1 on CD4 + and CD8 + T cells, as well as cytotoxic CD56 dim NK cells (p<0.05). As DNAM-1 is important for antitumor responses, our data suggest that patients with higher depressive symptoms have T and NK cells with reduced capacity to respond to CLL/SLL tumor cells. NKp30, another activating receptor on NK and CD8+ T cells promoting cytotoxicity, was also expressed at lower levels on CD56 dim NK cells and T cells in the peripheral blood of patients reporting depressive symptoms. Patients who reported higher levels of depressive symptoms had lower levels of expression of the activation marker CD69 on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Finally, longitudinal analyses revealed that higher levels of depressive symptoms predicted lower levels of PD-L1 on CD56 dim NK cells over time ( p = 0.04). Conclusion: In CLL/SLL patients, psychological functioning is associated with differential patterns of monocyte distribution. Greater depressive symptoms and lower quality of life predicted lower expression of innate immune receptors, such as DNAM-1 on CD4 + helper T cells and CD8 + cytotoxic T cells. Future directions will investigate whether these measures are associated with disease progression or the occurrence of second primary cancers, given the importance of DNAM-1 and NKp30 in immune surveillance for cancers and reactivation of latent viruses. These findings may have direct translational relevance and enable the early identification of patients at-risk for poor outcomes.

Correlation Analysis of Macrophage Distribution and Pathological Features of Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaque

Macrophages play a crucial role in sustaining chronic inflammation in atherosclerosis (AS) and are a hallmark of atherosclerotic plaques. They undergo differentiation into distinct subpopulations under the influence of oxidized lipids and cytokines, exerting various functions in plaque formation and progression. To examine the variations in the quantity and distribution of different macrophage subpopulations surrounding distinct pathological features of carotid plaques in human AS. Based on these findings, we seek to explore the potential correlations between specific macrophage subpopulations and AS pathological characteristics. Initially, we analyzed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq) data obtained from the GEO DataSets (GSE159677). The results revealed a significant infiltration of macrophages in AS, categorizing them into distinct subpopulations with diverse transcriptional features and functions. Furthermore, in different regions of AS (i.e., calcified AS core vs. proximal adjacent areas), both the total number of macrophages and the subpopulation ratios exhibited variations. Subsequently, we examined the distribution differences of macrophage subpopulations within 61 surgically resected AS plaques using marker staining techniques such as CD68, iNOS, Arg-1, CD163, and HO-1. The findings demonstrated that macrophages predominantly localized in specific pathological lesions, including necrosis, fibrous tissue degeneration, and cholesterol crystallization. Moreover, distinct subpopulations exhibited differential distribution patterns within these lesions. This study provides confirmation of extensive macrophage infiltration within atherosclerotic plaques, highlighting the presence of subtypes that exhibit variability across different pathological lesions. These results suggest that various macrophage subpopulations may contribute differently to distinct pathological lesions in AS.

Evolution of Skipper (SK), a family of DD34E/Tc1 transposons, in animals

Abstract High diversity and differential evolution profiles have been observed for DD34E/Tc1 transposons; several families originating from these groups, such as DD34E/ZB, DD34E/SB, DD35E/TR, DD36E/IC, and DD38E/IT, have been well defined. Even though Frisky, Tiang, Tsessebe, and Topi transposons have been identified in Anopheles gambiae, their taxonomic distribution and phylogenetic relationship in nature remain largely unknown. The evolutionary profiles of Frisky, Tiang, Tsessebe, and Topi homology transposons were investigated in the current study. In total, 254 homology transposons of Frisky, Tiang, Hob, Tsessebe, and Topi were obtained in 200 species by data mining. The phylogenetic tree revealed that these transposons were classified into five main clades (Frisky, Tiang, Hob, Tsessebe, and Topi) forming a monophyletic clade with 98% bootstrap support, belonging to the DD34E/Tc1 group, and named as Skipper (SK). SK transposons show a wide distribution in animals; however, differential taxonomic distribution patterns were observed for the subfamilies of Frisky, Tiang, Hob, Tsessebe, and Topi; extensive invasion of Frisky in animals was found, whereas Tiang, Hob, Tsessebe, and Topi were mainly detected in Diptera. SK elements share a similar structural organization and display high sequence identities across subfamilies. Evolutionary dynamics and structural analysis revealed that SKs in some species, such as Bombyx mori, Lordiphosa magnipectinata, Carassius gibelio, Triplophysa dalaica, and Silurus glanis, have recently evolved and present as intact copies, indicating that SKs in these genomes may be active. Together, these observations improve our understanding of the diversity of DD34E/Tc1 transposons and their impacts on genome evolution in animals.

Characterization of differential distribution patterns between mitofusin isoforms and their interaction in developing skeletal muscles of rat.

Skeletal muscle during postnatal development undergoes several structural and biochemical modifications. It is proposed that these changes are closely intertwined with the increase in load-bearing capacity of the muscle (i.e., myofibrils) and molecular machinery to support the energy demand (i.e., mitochondria). Concomitant establishment of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and mitochondrial network seems to be a major developmental adjustment of skeletal muscle leading to adult phenotype. Here, we have studied oxidativeness, vascularization, and the changes in mitofusins (Mfn) 1-Mfn 2 expression and interaction in the due course of muscle development. Towardthis, we used a series of histochemical techniques to compare neonatal and adult limb muscles (Gastrocnemius and Quadriceps) of Wistar rat (Rattus norvegicus). Additionally, we probed the proximity between Mfn 1 and Mfn 2 using a highly sensitive antibody-based proximity ligation assay indicating the change in mitochondrial fusion pattern or mitochondria-SR interaction. The results show that neonatal fibers bear a uniform distribution of mitochondria while a differential pattern of distribution is seen in adults. The distribution of the blood vessels is also quite distinct in adult muscles with a well-formed capillary network but in neonates, only central blood vessels are seen. Interestingly, our Mfn 1-Mfn 2 interaction data show that this interaction is uniformly distributed throughout the neonatal fibers, while it becomes peripherally localized in fibers of adult muscles. This peripheralization of Mfn 1-Mfn 2 interaction must be an important event of muscle development and might be critical to cater to the metabolic needs of adult muscle.

China nationwide landscape of 16 types inherited metabolic disorders: a retrospective analysis on 372,255 clinical cases

BackgroundInherited metabolic disorders (IMDs) usually occurs at young age and hence it severely threatening the health and life of young people. While so far there lacks a comprehensive study which can reveals China’s nationwide landscape of IMDs. This study aimed to evaluate IMDs incidence and regional distributions in China at a national and province level to guide clinicians and policy makers.MethodsThe retrospective study conducted from January 2012 to March 2021, we analyzed and characterized 372255 cases’ clinical test information and diagnostic data from KingMed Diagnostics Laboratory. The samples were from 32 provincial regions of China, the urine organic acids were detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS), amino acids and acylcarnitines in dried blood spots were detected by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). We did a statistical analysis of the distribution of the 16 most common IMDs in amino acid disorders and organic acidemias, and then paid special attention to analyze the age and regional distributions of different IMDs. The statistical analyses and visualization analysis were performed with the programming language R (version 4.2.1).ResultsThere were 4911 positive cases diagnosed, which was 1.32% of the total sample during the ten-year study period. Most diseases tended to occur at ages younger than 18 year-old. The Ornithine Transcarbamylase Deficiency tended to progress on male infants who were less than 28 days old. While the peak of the positive case number of Citrin Deficiency disease (CD) was at 1–6 months. Different IMDs’ had different distribution patterns in China’s provinces. Methylmalonic Acidemias and Hyperphenylalaninemia had an imbalanced distribution pattern in China and its positive rate was significantly higher in North China than South China. Conversely, the positive rate of CD was significantly higher in South China than North China.ConclusionsResults of this work, such as the differences in distribution pattern of different diseases in terms of age, region, etc. provide important insights and references for clinicians, researchers and healthcare policy makers. The policy makers could optimize the better health screening programs for covering children and infants in specific ages and regions based on our findings.

Age demographics of a non-breeding Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola population in relation to environmental factors

ABSTRACT Capsule Environmental conditions in non-breeding areas cause differential winter distribution patterns between age classes in a Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola population wintering in northern Iberia. Aims To determine the factors driving spatial distribution of first-winter and adult birds in the non-breeding period of a population of the Eurasian Woodcock, in order to make decisions for the management of the species. Methods Using a data set of 10 consecutive winters (2009/10–2018/19), we tested for the effect of year, geographical and habitat-related variables on age ratio and body condition of Eurasian Woodcocks wintering in two nearby zones with different hunting regimes in northern Iberia. Results Our results suggest that the age ratio depended mainly on year, month, and altitude. As winters progressed, we observed a higher proportion of first-winter birds occurring at sites with lower altitude. First-winter birds were in poorer body condition than adults, and body condition was higher in mid-winter and spring. The effect of hunting on body condition was unclear. Discussion Variation in the population structure and body condition between age classes are discussed in the context of age-dependent wintering strategies, which to a large extent depend on survival thresholds that take into account foraging efficiency and the risk of predation. The lack of detectable effects of hunting on age structure and body condition precludes us from giving any management recommendations for northern Iberia.

γ-enolase (ENO2) is methylated at the Nτ position of His-190 among enolase isozymes.

Protein methylation is mainly observed in lysine, arginine and histidine residues. Histidine methylation occurs at one of two different nitrogen atoms of the imidazole ring, producing Nτ-methylhistidine and Nπ-methylhistidine, and it has recently attracted attention with the identification of SETD3, METTL18 and METTL9 as catalytic enzymes in mammals. Although accumulating evidence had suggested the presence of more than 100 proteins containing methylated histidine residues in cells, much less information has been known regarding histidine-methylated proteins than lysine- and arginine-methylated ones, because no method has been developed to identify substrates for histidine methylation. Here, we established a method to screen novel target proteins for histidine methylation, using biochemical protein fractionation combined with the quantification of methylhistidine by LC-MS/MS. Interestingly, the differential distribution pattern of Nτ-methylated proteins was found between the brain and skeletal muscle, and identified γ-enolase where the His-190 at the Nτ position is methylated in mouse brain. Finally, in silico structural prediction and biochemical analysis showed that the His-190 in γ-enolase is involved in the intermolecular homodimeric formation and enzymatic activity. In the present study, we provide a new methodology to find histidine-methylated proteins in vivo and suggest an insight into the importance of histidine methylation.

Spatial difference in phoD-harboring bacterial landscape between soils and sediments along the Yangtze River

Deciphering biogeographical patterns of alkaline phosphatase (phoD)-harboring bacteria is essential to understand organic phosphorus mineralization. However, it is poorly understood about distribution pattern and diversity maintenance mechanisms of phoD-harboring bacteria (PHB) in watershed ecosystems. Here, we estimated ecological processes shaping landscape of PHB in soils and sediments along the Yangtze River. The PHB community similarity decayed against higher geographical distance at taxonomic and phylogenetic levels, and larger compositional variation in PHB community were found in sediments only. The PHB displayed higher α-diversities, broader environmental breadths, higher community stability, and stronger species replacement in soils. Conversely, PHB showed stronger phylogenetic signals in sediments. Stochastic and differentiating processes dominated community assemblies of PHB in both soils and sediments. Electrical conductivity displayed decisive roles in shaping PHB diversity for soils and sediments at taxonomic and phylogenetic levels. Our results emphasized differences in distribution patterns of PHB between soils and sediments, and highlighted ecological processes shaping landscapes of PHB in soils and sediments along the Yangtze River. The phosphorus cycling-related findings might be helpful to estimate ecological potential of a watershed ecosystem and could provide new insights for ecological protection policy for the Yangtze River.

Differential distribution patterns and assembly processes of soil microbial communities under contrasting vegetation types at distinctive altitudes in the Changbai Mountain.

Diversity patterns and community assembly of soil microorganisms are essential for understanding soil biodiversity and ecosystem processes. Investigating the impacts of environmental factors on microbial community assembly is crucial for comprehending the functions of microbial biodiversity and ecosystem processes. However, these issues remain insufficiently investigated in related studies despite their fundamental significance. The present study aimed to assess the diversity and assembly of soil bacterial and fungal communities to altitude and soil depth variations in mountain ecosystems by using 16S and ITS rRNA gene sequence analyses. In addition, the major roles of environmental factors in determining soil microbial communities and assembly processes were further investigated. The results showed a U-shaped pattern of the soil bacterial diversity at 0-10 cm soil depth along altitudes, reaching a minimum value at 1800 m, while the fungal diversity exhibited a monotonically decreasing trend with increasing altitude. At 10-20 cm soil depth, the soil bacterial diversity showed no apparent changes along altitudinal gradients, while the fungal Chao1 and phylogenetic diversity (PD) indices exhibited hump-shaped patterns with increasing altitude, reaching a maximum value at 1200 m. Soil bacterial and fungal communities were distinctively distributed with altitude at the same depth of soil, and the spatial turnover rates in fungi was greater than in bacteria. Mantel tests suggested soil physiochemical and climate variables significantly correlated with the β diversity of microbial community at two soil depths, suggesting both soil and climate heterogeneity contributed to the variation of bacterial and fungal community. Correspondingly, a novel phylogenetic null model analysis demonstrated that the community assembly of soil bacterial and fungal communities were dominated by deterministic and stochastic processes, respectively. The assembly processes of bacterial community were significantly related to the soil DOC and C:N ratio, while the fungal community assembly processes were significantly related to the soil C:N ratio. Our results provide a new perspective to assess the responses of soil microbial communities to variations with altitude and soil depth.

Priority management measures based on analyses of conservation effectiveness and threat factors for medicinal plants used by three ethnic groups in China

Ethnic minority medicinal plants (EMMPs), an important valuable resource of traditional medicine, are experiencing an unprecedented risk of extinction due to various threat factors, and there is a profound lack of systematic and comprehensive research regarding their geographical distribution and conservation effectiveness. In this study, we investigated the distribution pattern for 1893 EMMPs used by the Miao, Zhuang, and Dai ethnic groups in southwest China based on >400,000 occurrence records and identified four classes of hotspots based on thresholds of top 5 %, top 10 %, top 17 %, and top 30 %, and then assessed the conservation effectiveness of the current protection networks for the hotspots and analyzed the threat factors experienced by endangered EMMPs. Although there were apparent differences in distribution patterns among the EMMPs, the hotspots of all EMMPs were mostly confined to southwest China, particularly the provincial boundary regions, which contained >98.78 % of EMMPs. The combined conservation effectiveness indicated that >68.16 % of hotspots and 98.47 % of EMMPs were protected, and provincial nature reserves played a more important role in hotspot conservation. But >18.18 % of all hotspots were unprotected. Moreover, plants where roots or the complete herbs were used for medicine were at higher risk of extinction. Over-harvesting associated with an increasing population was the key driver causing EMMPs to become endangered. We suggest that optimization of conservation networks, changes in the medical usages of plants or their parts, and promotion of artificial cultivation to ensure extensive resources.

Zeaxanthin epoxidase is involved in the carotenoid biosynthesis and light-dependent growth of the marine alga Nannochloropsis oceanica

BackgroundThe marine alga Nannochloropsis oceanica, an emerging model belonging to Heterokont, is considered as a promising light-driven eukaryotic chassis for transforming carbon dioxide to various compounds including carotenoids. Nevertheless, the carotenogenic genes and their roles in the alga remain less understood and to be further explored.ResultsHere, two phylogenetically distant zeaxanthin epoxidase (ZEP) genes from N. oceanica (NoZEP1 and NoZEP2) were functionally characterized. Subcellular localization experiment demonstrated that both NoZEP1 and NoZEP2 reside in the chloroplast yet with differential distribution patterns. Overexpression of NoZEP1 or NoZEP2 led to increases of violaxanthin and its downstream carotenoids at the expense of zeaxanthin in N. oceanica, with the extent of changes mediated by NoZEP1 overexpression being greater as compared to NoZEP2 overexpression. Suppression of NoZEP1 or NoZEP2, on the other hand, caused decreases of violaxanthin and its downstream carotenoids as well as increases of zeaxanthin; similarly, the extent of changes mediated by NoZEP1 suppression was larger than that by NoZEP2 suppression. Interestingly, chlorophyll a dropped following violaxanthin decrease in a well-correlated manner in response to NoZEP suppression. The thylakoid membrane lipids including monogalactosyldiacylglycerol also correlated with the violaxanthin decreases. Accordingly, NoZEP1 suppression resulted in more attenuated algal growth than NoZEP2 suppression did under either normal light or high light stage.ConclusionsThe results together support that both NoZEP1 and NoZEP2, localized in the chloroplast, have overlapping roles in epoxidating zeaxanthin to violaxanthin for the light-dependent growth, yet with NoZEP1 being more functional than NoZEP2 in N. oceanica. Our study provides implications into the understanding of carotenoid biosynthesis and future manipulation of N. oceanica for carotenoid production.

A study on comparison of lip prints and finger prints based on gender and its reliability in forensic odontology: A cross-sectional study

In an individual, fingerprints and lip prints are one of the vital parts in identifying the person in both civil and criminal cases because of their uniqueness. The aim of the study is to identify if any correlation between lip prints and finger and also based on gender wise.The present study was carried to determine the distribution of different patterns of both finger and lip prints. The study comprised of about 200 subjects, aged between 17 to 24 years. Impressions were collected using lip prints and ink stamp pad and pasted on filter paper and cellophane tape. Chi square test was used to find out any relation between lip prints and finger prints.

Can germination strategies help to understand regional co‐occurrence of two morphologically conserved congeneric macrophytes?

Abstract In variable environments the production of dormant life stages can help organisms to avoid periods that are unsuitable for growth and reproduction, and different species may rely on different cues to break dormancy. However, it is still unclear to what extent variation in germination strategies can help to explain variation in the distributions of related species and contribute to adaptive radiation. Using standardised laboratory germination trials, we demonstrated the existence of both inter‐ and intraspecific variation in germination strategies in two congeneric species of submerged macrophytes that occur in a dynamic wetland system characterised by strong variation in salinity and hydro‐regime. The ditch grass Ruppia maritima L. typically lives in temporary waterbodies, where it assures high seed set through a short life cycle, early flowering and self‐pollination. Its congeneric Ruppia spiralis L. ex Dumortier grows in (semi‐)permanent waterbodies where it can have a perennial life cycle. Populations are presumed to be maintained mainly through clonal growth, and seed production is lower than in R. maritima. We hypothesised that salt and temperature are two important germination cues in these ecosystems that can explain the observed differences in distribution patterns between these two species. We exposed seeds of both species in a full factorial designed experiment to four different salinities (0‰, 7‰, 14‰ and 21‰) and two different temperature regimes (17 and 24°C, simulating spring and summer temperatures, respectively). The experiment was repeated over three consecutive inundation cycles (30 days of inundation, followed by 30 days of drought). During the third cycle, all seeds were inundated with fresh water, as salinity might constraint germination in species that rely on fresh water for germination. We found that the R. maritima seeds had overall low germination success. The freshwater inundation caused rapid germination in seeds that previously were in a high‐salinity treatment. In R. spiralis, which inhabits more permanent habitats of variable salinity, we detected a more complex response, involving two germination peaks. These two contrasting germination strategies observed within R. spiralis could target spring or summertime growing periods respectively. We believe that the observed variation in germination strategies is an important element in ecological differentiation in the morphologically conserved genus Ruppia and may have contributed to past and ongoing speciation.

Species distribution modelling of Hylarana Species (Anura, Ranidae) and the problem of accurate species identification

Species of Hylarana Tschudi, 1838 are among the most common amphibian species in the Oriental region. Their poorly known geographical distribution impacts species delimitation and conservation actions. We compiled geographical data from literature, online databases and museum collections for the four currently recognized species, Hylarana erythraea, H. taipehensis, H. tytleri and H. macrodactyla. We obtained 1014 occurrence records and allocated a quality rate to each of these points: A-species identification confirmed by ancillary data; B-species identification unconfirmed; and C-conflict between species name, geographic origin and morphological characters; resulted in exclusion of the latter in final analyses. Based on these different datasets we built species occurrence maps for each of the four species. These maps were compared to already available distribution maps, introducing a more precise distribution for the four species but with persistence of data gaps within less prospected areas. We then built Species Distribution Models (SDMs) based on climatic data. Discrepancies between observed distribution ranges and areas with suitable climatic niches are discussed in a taxonomical context. Hylarana species, although taxonomically still not fully resolved and occupying similar habitats, exhibit differences in distribution pattern. Models also fill data gaps, introducing relevant suitable climatic niches within close range of species' distribution areas. Differences were observed between A and B-quality data models, with high suitable habitats being less present in most cases for B-quality. Our study shows the importance of merging A and B-quality data, represented by A+B dataset, thus creating more accurate models, but also underlines the necessity to have access to correct data to limit bias.