More endemic birds occur in regions with stable climate, more plant species and high altitudinal range in China

Background:Geographical distribution of endemic species and its multiple scale drivers are an important topic in biodiversity conservation,because these species are especially vulnerable to climate change and habitat degradation,and therefore have high conservation priority.Here,for the first time,we simultaneously linked glacial-interglacial climate change,contemporary climate,plant species richness and altitudinal range with endemic bird distribution in China.Methods:Ordinary least squares models and simultaneous autoregressive models were used to assess the associations between endemic bird richness,endemic bird ratio and each explanatory variable.Structural Equation Models were also performed to test the direct and indirect effects of these variables on endemic bird richness and endemic bird ratio.Results:Higher endemic bird richness and endemic bird ratio occurred in regions with stable glacial-interglacial temperature,i.e.,southwest China.Plant species richness and altitudinal range were also positively correlated with endemic bird richness and endemic bird ratio.Glacial-interglacial temperature change,contemporary precipitation,plant species richness and altitudinal range were all included in the best combination of variables for endemic bird richness.Importantly,glacial-interglacial temperature change had strong direct effects on both endemic bird richness and endemic bird ratio,while plant species richness only had a direct effect on endemic bird richness.Conclusions:Our results indicate that endemic birds in China concentrate in southwest regions where there are stable glacial-interglacial temperature,more plant species and larger altitudinal range.Notably,while stable climate has strong direct effects on both endemic bird richness and endemic bird ratio,plant species may affect endemic bird richness through its effect on overall bird species richness.Importantly,the recent anthropogenic activities have also significantly intensified in this region,which would pose huge challenge for biodiversity conservation in China.

Water-soluble organic matter with various polarities in PM_(2.5) over Xi'an,China:Abundance,functional groups,and light absorption

Humic-like substances(HULIS)are a major component of brown carbon and consequently play a major role in climate change.In this study,70 PM_(2.5) samples were collected from Xi'an in winter 2019 and summer 2020.Neutral HULIS(HULIS-n),acidic HULIS(HULIS-a),and high-polarity water-soluble organic compounds(HP-WSOC)were analyzed to determine their carbon concentrations and measure their ultraviolet-visible absorption and infrared spectra.Of the three components,HULIS-n had the highest carbon content in both winter(3.29±1.45μg m^(-3))and in summer(1.38±1.10μg m^(-3)).The semi-quantitative results for the functional groups revealed that HP-WSOC was rich in carboxylic acids and had high aromaticity in winter,whereas HULIS-n was rich in carboxylic acids in summer.Moreover,HULJS-a was richer in nitrate esters and saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons in summer than in winter.The results for specific ultraviolet absorbance(SUVA)and E_(250)/E_(365) revealed that HULIS had higher molecular weight and aromaticity in winter than in summer.HULIS-n dominated in the total light absorption of HULIS+HP-WSOC in both winter(73.08%)and summer(48.57%).Overall,the results on the carbon content,optical properties,and functional groups of WSOCs with differing polarity can improve un-derstanding of environmental and climatic effects.

Targeted alleviation of ischemic stroke reperfusion via atorvastatin-ferritin Gd-layered double hydroxide

In acute ischemic stroke therapy,potent neuroprotective agents are needed that prevent neural injuries caused by reactive oxygen species(ROS)during ischemic reperfusion.Herein,a novel 2D neuroprotective agent(AFGd-LDH)is reported,comprising Gd-containing layered double hydroxide nanosheets(Gd-LDH,as a drug nanocarrier/MRI contrast agent),atorvastatin(ATO,as a neuroprotective drug)and the ferritin heavy subunit(FTH,as a blood brain barrier transport agent).Experiments revealed AFGd-LDH to possess outstanding antioxidant activity,neuroprotective properties,blood‒brain barrier transit properties,and biocompatibility.In vitro studies demonstrated the ROS scavenging efficiency of AFGd‒LDH to be~90%,surpassing CeO_(2)(50%,a ROS scavenger)and edaravone(52%,a clinical neuroprotective drug).Ischemia‒reperfusion model studies in mice showed AFGd‒LDH could dramatically decrease apoptosis induced by reperfusion,reducing the infarct area by 67%and lowering the neurological deficit score from 3.2 to 0.9.AFGd-LDH also offered outstanding MRI performance,thus enabling simultaneous imaging and ischemia reperfusion therapy.

LDHs薄膜基纳米荧光传感器的制备及其研究进展

层状复合氢氧化物(LDHs)是一种层板金属元素和层间离子可调的无机层状材料,利用其独特的插层组装特性,基于静电、氢键、范德华力等相互作用力,功能性荧光客体分子可与LDHs纳米片复合构筑多功能荧光薄膜材料.LDHs薄膜基荧光材料用于荧光传感器,在有机挥发性气体(VOCs)、温度、压力、重要生物分子等的检测中显示了良好性能.本文总结了LDHs复合薄膜的制备方法以及近年来其在纳米荧光传感领域的进展,并对其未来发展做出了展望.

Novel variants in LAMA3 and COL7A1 and recurrent variant in KRT5 underlying epidermolysis bullosa in five Chinese families

Epidermolysis bullosa(EB)is a group of clinically and genetically heterogeneous diseases characterized by trauma-induced mucocutaneous fragility and blister formation.Here,we investigated five Chinese families with EB,and eight variants including a novel nonsense variant(c.47G>A,p.W16*)in LAMA3,a known recurrent variant(c.74C>T,p.P25L)in KRT5,2 novel(c.2531T>A,p.V844E;c.6811_6814del,p.R2271fs)and 4 known(c.6187C>T,p.R2063W;c.7097G>A,p.G2366D;c.8569G>T,p.E2857*;c.3625_3635del,p.S1209fs)variants in COL7A1 were detected.Notably,this study identified a nonsense variant in LAMA3 that causes EB within the Chinese population and revealed that this variant resulted in a reduction in LAMA3 mRNA and protein expression levels by nonsense-mediated mRNA decay.Our study expands the mutation spectra of Chinese patients with EB.

Function toggle of tumor microenvironment responsive nanoagent for highly efficient free radical stress enhanced chemodynamic therapy

In contrast to reactive oxygen species(ROS),the generation of oxygen-irrelevant free radicals is oxygen-and H2O2-independent in cell,which can offer novel opportunities to maximum the chemodynamic therapy(CDT)efficacy.Herein,an H2O2-independent“functional reversion”strategy based on tumor microenvironment(TME)-toggled C-free radical generation for CDT is developed by confining astaxanthin(ATX)on the NiFe-layered double hydroxide(LDH)nanosheets(denoted as ATX/LDH).The unique ATX/LDH can demonstrate outstanding TME-responsive C-free radical generation performance by proton coupled electron transfer(PCET),owing to the specific ATX activation by unsaturated Fe sites on the LDH nanosheets formed under TME.Significantly,the Brönsted base sites of LDH hydroxide layers can promote the generation of neutral ATX C-free radicals by capturing the protons generated in the ATX activation process.Conversely,ATX/LDH maintain antioxidant performance to prevent normal tissue cancerization due to the synergy of LDH nanosheets and antioxidative ATX.In addition,C-free radical can compromise the antioxidant defense in cells to the maximum extent,compared with ROS.The free radicals burst under TME can significantly elevate free radical stress and induce cancer cell apoptosis.This strategy can realize TME-toggled C free radical generation and perform free radical stress enhanced CDT.

Phenotypic and genetic characterization of novel variant in the NF1 gene underlying neurofibromatosis type 1 in five Chinese families

Dear Editor,Neurofibromatosis type 1(NF1;von Recklinghausen neurofibromatosis;OMIM 162200)is a neurocutaneous genetic disorder that affects approximately one in 2,500 people worldwide(Huson et al.,1989).NF1 is characterized by wide clinical variability,including multiple café-au-lait macules(CALMs),fibromatous tumors,axillary or inguinal freckling,Lisch nodules(iris hamartomas),skeletal anomalies,and cognitive impairments(Monroe et al.,2017).

Panoramic variation analysis of a family with neurodevelopmental disorders caused by biallelic loss-of-function variants in TMEM141,DDHD2,and LHFPL5

Highly clinical and genetic heterogeneity of neurodevelopmental disorders presents a major challenge in clinical genetics and medicine.Panoramic variation analysis is imperative to analyze the disease phenotypes resulting from multilocus genomic variation.Here,a Pakistani family with parental consanguinity was presented,characterized with severe intellectual disability(ID),spastic paraplegia,and deafness.Homozygosity mapping,integrated single nucleotide polymorphism(SNP)array,whole-exome sequencing,and whole-genome sequencing were performed,and homozygous variants in TMEM141(c.270G>A,p.Trp90^(*)),DDHD2(c.411+767_c.1249-327del),and LHFPL5(c.250delC,p.Leu84^(*))were identified.A Tmem141^(p.Trp90^(*)/p.Trp90^(*))mouse model was generated.Behavioral studies showed impairments in learning ability and motor coordination.Brain slice electrophysiology and Golgi staining demonstrated deficient synaptic plasticity in hippocampal neurons and abnormal dendritic branching in cerebellar Purkinje cells.Transmission electron microscopy showed abnormal mitochondrial morphology.Furthermore,studies on a human in vitro neuronal model(SH-SY5Y cells)with stable shRNA-mediated knockdown of TMEM141 showed deleterious effect on bioenergetic function,possibly explaining the pathogenesis of replicated phenotypes in the cross-species mouse model.Conclusively,panoramic variation analysis revealed that multilocus genomic variations of TMEM141,DDHD2,and LHFPL5 together caused variable phenotypes in patient.Notably,the biallelic loss-of-function variants of TMEM141 were responsible for syndromic ID.