193 research outputs found
Long-term warming and elevated CO2 increase ammonia-oxidizing microbial communities and accelerate nitrification in paddy soil
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Emerg Infect Dis
No full textIn 2018, we conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate azole resistance in environmental Aspergillus fumigatus isolates obtained from different agricultural fields in China. Using 63 soil cores, we cultured for azole-resistant A. fumigatus and characterized isolates by their cyp51A gene type, short tandem repeat genotype, and mating type. Of 206 A. fumigatus isolates, 21 (10.2%) were azole resistant. Nineteen of 21 had mutations in their cyp51A gene (5 TR34/L98H, 8 TR34/L98H/S297T/F495I, 6 TR46/Y121F/T289A). Eighteen were cultured from soil samples acquired from strawberry fields, suggesting this soil type is a potential hotspot for azole resistance selection. Twenty resistant isolates were mating type MAT1-1, suggesting asexual sporulation contributed to their evolution. Prochloraz, difenoconazole, and tebuconazole were the most frequently detected fungicides in soil samples with azole-resistant fungus. Our study results suggest that managing the fungicides used in agriculture will help contain the problem of antifungal drug resistance in clinics
Figure 3 from: He Q, Zhao R, He A, Zhu Z, Tong Y (2021) Taxonomic Identity of Carpinus dayongina Franchet (Betulaceae). PhytoKeys 177: 63-75. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.177.57725
No full textFigure 3 Nutlet trichomes of C. polyneuraA from isotype of C. dayongina (K. W. Liu 33359, PE01843387) B from paratype of C. dayongina (Y. T. Xiao 40700, CSFI017539) C from T. L. Dai 104469, PE00818275 D from W. P. Fang 7546, PE00818253. A, C, D photographed by Q. Q. He B photographed by X. Li
A Negative Relationship between Foliar Carbon Isotope Composition and Mass-Based Nitrogen Concentration on the Eastern Slope of Mount Gongga, China.
No full textPlants adopt ecological strategy to resist environmental changes and increase their resource-use efficiency. The ecological strategy includes changes in physiological traits and leaf morphology, which may result in simultaneous variations in foliar N concentration and the ratio of intercellular CO2 concentration to ambient CO2 concentration (ci/ca). This in turn links to foliar carbon isotope discrimination, and thus, a relationship between foliar N concentration and foliar carbon isotope composition (δ13C) is expected. To understand how plants integrate their structural and physiological resistance to environmental changes, the relationship between foliar N concentration and foliarδ13C has been assessed intensively, especially the correlation between area-based N concentration (Narea) and δ13C.Less effort has been dedicated to the examination of the relationship between mass-based N concentration(Nmass) and δ13C. Studies on the Nmass-δ13C relationship, especially those including a large amount of data and species, will enhance our understanding of leaf economics and benefit ecological modeling. The present study includes an intensive investigation into this relationship by measuring foliar Nmass and δ13C in a large number of plant species grown on the eastern slope of Mount Gongga, China. This study shows that foliar Nmass decreases with increasing δ13C, which is independent of functional group, vegetation type, and altitude. This suggests that a negative correlation between Nmass and δ13C may be a general pattern for plants grown not only on Mount Gongga, but also in other areas
Research Progress on Biomarkers and Their Detection Methods for Benzene-Induced Toxicity: A Review
No full textBenzene, a well-established human carcinogen and major industrial pollutant, poses significant health risks through occupational exposure due to its no-threshold effect, leading to multi-system damage involving the hematopoietic, nervous, and immune systems. This makes the investigation of its toxic mechanisms crucial for precise prevention and control of its health impacts. Programmed cell death (PCD), an orderly and regulated form of cellular demise controlled by specific intracellular genes in response to various stimuli, has emerged as a key pathway where dysfunction may underlie benzene-induced toxicity. This review systematically integrates evidence linking benzene toxicity to PCD dysregulation, revealing that benzene and its metabolites induce abnormal subtypes of PCD (apoptosis, autophagy, ferroptosis) in hematopoietic cells. This occurs through mechanisms including activation of Caspase pathways, regulation of long non-coding RNAs, and epigenetic modifications, with recent research highlighting the IRP1-DHODH-ALOX12 ferroptosis axis and oxidative stress–epigenetic interactions as pivotal. Additionally, this review describes a comprehensive monitoring system for early toxic effects comprising benzene exposure biomarkers (urinary t,t-muconic acid (t,t-MA), S-phenylmercapturic acid (S-PMA)), PCD-related molecules (Caspase-3, let-7e-5p, ACSL1), oxidative stress indicators (8-OHdG), and genetic damage markers (micronuclei, p14ARF methylation), with correlative analyses between PCD mechanisms and benzene toxicity elaborated to underscore their integrative roles in risk assessment. Furthermore, the review details analytical techniques for these biomarkers, including direct benzene detection methods—direct headspace gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (DHGC-FID), liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and portable headspace sampling (Portable HS)—alongside molecular imprinting and fluorescence probe technologies, as well as methodologies for toxic effect markers such as live-cell imaging, electrochemical techniques, methylation-specific PCR (MSP), and Western blotting, providing technical frameworks for mechanistic studies and translational applications. By synthesizing current evidence and mechanistic insights, this work offers novel perspectives on benzene toxicity through the PCD lens, identifies potential therapeutic targets associated with PCD dysregulation, and ultimately establishes a theoretical foundation for developing interventional strategies against benzene-induced toxicity while emphasizing the translational value of mechanistic research in occupational and environmental health
Research Progress in Urban Pollinator-Friendly Landscape Construction
No full textObjectiveIn recent years, with the development of human society, many ecological problems have begun to emerge, and the number of pollinators is decreasing. In the whole ecosystem, pollinators, mainly insects, play an important role in maintaining the stability of plant communities and improving the yield and quality of crops. If the number and types of pollinators decrease sharply, the agricultural economy will decline, and the stability of the ecosystem will also be affected. The diversity of urban ecosystems as well as the heterogeneity of landscapes is now improving, with diverse green spaces such as large parks supporting the survival of pollinators, so urban green spaces have a significant potential to develop as pollinator habitat. Moreover, pollinator diversity is well related to urban ecology, and the conservation of urban pollinator communities contributes to the stability of urban ecology. In order to make full use of the protective effect of urban green spaces on pollinator communities, while improving the benefits of urban ecosystems, it is very significant to clarify a systematic approach for the construction of pollinator-friendly landscapes and to point out the future development direction of the field of pollinator-friendly landscapes in Chinese cities.MethodsThis research is based on VOS viewer software to visualize and analyze the effective literature in the field of pollinator-friendly landscapes filtered from Web of Science core database, Google Scholar and X-MOL academic platform. In this way, the research hopes to understand the research trends and hotspots in the field of pollinator-friendly landscapes, and at the same time, to sort out the methods for constructing urban pollinator-friendly landscapes and related cases.ResultsBy analyzing the change in the number of articles over the years in each country based on the valid literature, it is found that the field of pollinator-friendly landscapes was in a slow development phase until 2007, with only a little research worldwide. Beginning in 2013, the number of articles in the field and their growth rate increased significantly, peaking in 2021 with over 200 articles. Although the amount of literature starts to decrease after 2021, it is still at a high level. All along, the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom have been at the forefront of research, and although China has also conducted relevant research, the amount of literature has been low. In addition, four major research clusters in the field of pollinator-friendly landscapes are obtained through keyword co-occurrence network analysis: 1) effects of habitat fragmentation on pollinator community diversity; 2) impacts of declining pollinator diversity on agricultural economy; 3) impacts of urbanization on pollinator (Hymenoptera) diversity; 4) flowering plant resources and pollinator diversity conservation. Research on the first three research clusters mainly focuses on the period up to 2020, after which scholars have begun to focus on the conservation of pollinators by flowering plant resources, further exploring specific measures for pollinator community conservation, namely how to construct pollinator-friendly landscapes in urban and agricultural landscapes. After 2020, research on urban pollinator-friendly landscape construction is receiving more and more attention from scholars, and the field is slowly developing into an important branch in the field of pollinator landscapes. In the future, urban pollinator-friendly landscape construction can be carried out in four aspects: 1) Building pollinator migration corridors; 2) prioritizing the application of plants with high attractiveness to pollinators through experiments or research; 3) creating diverse habitat conditions and diverse plant community structures; 4) carrying out differentiated ecological management.ConclusionAlthough there has been a large amount of related research based on urban pollinator-friendly landscapes, there are still areas entailing deeper research in some aspects, especially in the screening of pollinator-friendly plants, which has been weakly researched both at home and abroad. Currently, China is in the stage of rapid urbanization, and the construction of urban ecosystems has received focused attention. Pollinators play an important role in stabilizing urban ecology, the development of their communities is crucial for urban ecosystems. However, at present, China’s research in the field of pollinator-friendly landscapes mainly focuses on pollinator habitat construction. In terms of pollinator migration corridor construction, although the construction of stepped habitats and the design of migration corridors have been proposed in relevant literature, a systematic approach has not been formed, and the reference significance is small. Additional research on both pollinator-friendly plant selection and ecological management is needed. For the future development direction of pollinator-friendly landscapes in Chinese cities, the following aspects can be considered to continue in-depth: 1) Strengthening the connectivity between urban green spaces; 2) focusing on the role of non-flowering plants in pollinator conservation; 3) accelerating the publicity of pollinator conservation knowledge; 4) expediting the excavation of pollinator-friendly plant resources and their popularization; and 5) improving the requirements for the use of various types of pesticides, and speeding up the research and development process of low-toxicity pesticides. This research is helpful to accelerate the development of urban pollinator-friendly landscape construction, thus promoting the better development of cities as shelters for pollinator communities, while further improving the diversity of urban pollinators and the stability of urban ecology
The characteristics of blood glucose and WBC counts in peripheral blood of cases of hand foot and mouth disease in China: a systematic review.
No full textBackgroundOutbreaks of Hand Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) have occurred in many parts of the world especially in China. We aimed to summarize the characteristics of the levels of blood glucose and white blood cell (WBC) counts in cases of HFMD in Mainland China and Taiwan, using meta-analysis based on systematic review of published articles.MethodsWe systematically reviewed published studies, from the MEDLINE and WANFANG Data, about the levels of blood glucose and WBC counts in cases of HFMD until 15(th) June 2011, and quantitatively summarized the characteristics of them using meta-analysis.ResultsIn total, 37 studies were included in this review. In Mainland China and Taiwan, generally, the average level of blood glucose, the prevalence of hyperglycemia, WBC counts and the prevalence of leukocytosis increased with the severity of the illness. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of leukocytosis between ANS (autonomic nervous system dysregulation)/PE (pulmonary edema) group and CNS (central nervous system) group, and in the average level of blood glucose between healthy controls and mild cases of HFMD. WBC counts in cases infected by EV71 were less than those in cases infected by CA16.Conclusionsour analyses indicated that blood glucose and WBC counts increased with the severity of HFMD disease, which would help doctors to manage patients efficiently
Meta-analysis of the prevalence of hyperglycemia between CNS and ANS/PE.
No full text<p>Each comparison was presented by the name of the first author and the year of the publication. The studies were shown by a point estimate of the OR and the accompanying 95%CI which were displayed on a logarithmic scale using a random effects model. The studies are sorted according to the weight which was obtained by contribution to the pooled OR estimate. Between-study heterogeneity was tested by the x<sup>2</sup>-based Q-statistic, and its impact was quantified by I<sup>2</sup> which can range between 0 and 100%.</p
Meta-analysis of WBC counts between mild cases and severe cases of HFMD.
No full text<p>Each comparison was presented by the name of the first author and the year of the publication. The studies were shown by a point estimate of the MD and the accompanying 95%CI which were displayed on a logarithmic scale using a random effects model. The studies are sorted according to the weight which was obtained by contribution to the pooled MD estimate. Between-study heterogeneity was tested by the x<sup>2</sup>-based Q-statistic, and its impact was quantified by I<sup>2</sup> which can range between 0 and 100%.</p
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