Niche dimensions in soil oribatid mite community assembly under native and introduced tree species.

Forest soils are a critical component of terrestrial ecosystems and host a large number of animal decomposer species. One diverse and abundant decomposer taxon is oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida), whose species composition varies with forest type and tree species composition. We used functional traits that indicate different niche dimensions, to infer assembly processes of oribatid mite communities in monocultures and mixed forests of native and introduced tree species. We found that coexisting species differed more in the resource-related niche dimension, i.e., reproductive mode and trophic guild, than in the morphological dimension, e.g., body length and width, sclerotization and concealability. These results suggest that both filtering and partitioning processes structure oribatid mite communities. In native European beech forests, but not in non-native Douglas fir forests, oribatid mites were mainly structured by filtering processes acting via traits related both to environmental tolerance and to resources. Furthermore, oribatid mite trait diversity, but not phylogenetic diversity, differed significantly between monocultures and mixed forests, demonstrating that multidimensional diversity indices provide additional information on soil biodiversity. Overall, the study provides evidence that traits representing different niche dimensions need to be considered for understanding assembly processes in soil animal communities and thereby soil biodiversity.

Identification of keystone taxa in rhizosphere microbial communities using different methods and their effects on compounds of the host Cinnamomum migao.

Exploring keystone taxa affecting microbial community stability and host function is crucial for understanding ecosystem functions. However, identifying keystone taxa from humongous microbial communities remains challenging. We collected 344 rhizosphere and bulk soil samples from the endangered plant C. migao for 2 years consecutively. Used high-throughput sequencing 16S rDNA and ITS to obtain the composition of bacterial and fungal communities. We explored keystone taxa and the applicability and limitations of five methods (SPEC-OCCU, Zi-Pi, Subnetwork, Betweenness, and Module), as well as the impact of microbial community domain, time series, and rhizosphere boundary on the identification of keystone taxa in the communities. Our results showed that the five methods, identified abundant keystone taxa in rhizosphere and bulk soil microbial communities. However, the keystone taxa shared by the rhizosphere and bulk soil microbial communities over time decreased rapidly decrease in the five methods. Among five methods on the identification of keystone taxa in the rhizosphere community, Module identified 113 taxa, SPEC-OCCU identified 17 taxa, Betweenness identified 3 taxa, Subnetwork identified 3 taxa, and Zi-Pi identified 4 taxa. The keystone taxa are mainly conditionally rare taxa, and their ecological functions include chemoheterotrophy, aerobic chemoheterotrophy, nitrate reduction, and anaerobic photoautotrophy. The results of the random forest model and structural equation model predict that keystone taxa Mortierella and Ellin6513 may have an effects on the accumulation of 1, 4, 7, - Cycloundecatriene, 1, 5, 9, 9-tetramethyl-, Z, Z, Z-, beta-copaene, bicyclogermacrene, 1,8-Cineole in C. migao fruits, but their effects still need further evidence. Our study evidence an unstable microbial community in the bulk soil, and the definition of microbial boundary and ecologically functional affected the identification of keystone taxa in the community. Subnetwork and Module are more in line with the definition of keystone taxa in microbial ecosystems in terms of maintaining community stability and hosting function.

[Spatio-temporal variations of vegetation cover in semi-arid regions and its response to climate change: A case study of Xilin Gol, Inner Mongolia, China]. / åŠå¹²æ—±åŒºæ¤è¢«è¦†ç›–æ—¶ç©ºå˜åŒ–ç‰¹å¾åŠå ¶å¯¹æ°”å€™å˜åŒ–çš„å“åº”: 以锡林郭勒盟为例.

The quantitative analysis of spatio-temporal variations of vegetation cover and its correlation with climate are of great significance for understanding of ecological environment, ecological civilization construction, and sustainable development in semi-arid areas. We investigated the spatio-temporal variations of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and its response to climate change during 2000-2020 in Xilin Gol, Inner Mongolia, by using trend analysis, regression analysis and partial correlation analysis based on the data of MODIS-NDVI, tempe-rature, precipitation, digital elevation model. The results showed that vegetation cover in Xilin Gol had been increased from 2000 to 2020, which generally included three phases, i.e., stable fluctuation, rapid growth, and steady growth. The mean NDVI showed a zonal increasing distribution from southwest to northeast, and had a strong correlation with elevation and population density in Xilin Gol region. The high values of NDVI were mainly in the east, with a significant increasing trend, and the low values were in the southwest, with a local degradation. The sensitivity of vegetation cover to climate change showed spatial and temporal variations. The spatial variation of vegetation was more sensitive to temperature and the interannual variation was sensitive to annual precipitation. In summary, vegetation cover improved overall in Xilin Gol, but there was degradation in some areas. We should formulate differentiated and precise vegetation restoration and ecological environmental protection policies.

Nickel Induces Pyroptosis via the Nrf2/NLRP3 Pathway in Kidney of Mice.

Nickel (Ni) is considered a toxic metal, and excessive exposure can cause kidney damage. This study was designed to explore whether nickel chloride (NiCl2) can induce cell pyroptosis and its possible mechanism. Here, we found that NiCl2 treatment could reduce the kidney index and result in kidney damage. Meanwhile, NiCl2 could obviously induce renal pyroptosis, which was characterized by an increase in IL-18, IL-1ß, NLRP3, and GSDMD expression. Furthermore, NiCl2 induced pyroptosis through the Nrf2/NLRP3 pathway which featured down-regulated protein and mRNA expression levels of Nrf2 and up-regulated protein and mRNA expression levels of Caspase-1, NLRP3, and GSDMD. In summary, excessive Ni exposure can induce renal cell pyroptosis, ultimately leading to kidney tissue damage and hindering normal development, and its possible mechanism may be due to the inhibition of the Nrf2 pathway.

Virtual ecological technology: Concepts, systems, and application perspectives.

Virtual ecological technology is a new technology that builds the foundation of a digital ecological system, simulates the process of ecological evolution, and establishes a global knowledge analysis system based on a unified spatio-temporal benchmark. It is a new direction for the interdisciplinary integration and development of eco-logy, geographic information science, computer science and other subjects towards modernization, informatization, and intelligence. Research, development, and application of virtual ecological technology is of great significance for the development of ecology as a discipline, ecosystem management, and regional sustainable development. Curren-tly, research on virtual ecological technology is still in its infancy and lacks a complete and clearly defined framework, making it difficult to support systematic iterative development and scientific analysis. In this paper, starting from the main theories and objectives of modern ecology, we summarized the main contents and technical requirements of virtual ecological construction, and proposed a key technical system of virtual ecology that integrated vir-tual geography and digital twin technology. From the perspective of application scenarios, we analyzed the application capabilities of virtual ecological technology in air pollution and energy analysis. Finally, we summarized the deve-lopment potential of virtual ecological technology in the digital construction of the ecological environment, intelligent computing, and realistic expression of different levels of ecological space resources transformation under the background of new generation of information technology, both at the local computing point breakthrough and the global technology point fusion aspects. This would enrich and advance the technical capabilities that support China's ecological space resource transformation.

Plant roots fuel tropical soil animal communities.

Belowground life relies on plant litter, while its linkage to living roots had long been understudied, and remains unknown in the tropics. Here, we analysed the response of 30 soil animal groups to root trenching and litter removal in rainforest and plantations in Sumatra, and found that roots are similarly important to soil fauna as litter. Trenching effects were stronger in soil than in litter, with an overall decrease in animal abundance in rainforest by 42% and in plantations by 30%. Litter removal little affected animals in soil, but decreased the total abundance by 60% in rainforest and rubber plantations but not in oil palm plantations. Litter and root effects on animal group abundances were explained by body size or vertical distribution. Our study quantifies principle carbon pathways in soil food webs under tropical land use, providing the basis for mechanistic modelling and ecosystem-friendly management of tropical soils.

Conifers and non-native tree species shift trophic niches of generalist arthropod predators in Central European beech forests.

BACKGROUND: Functional diversity is vital for forest ecosystem resilience in times of climate-induced forest diebacks. Admixing drought resistant non-native Douglas fir, as a partial replacement of climate-sensitive Norway spruce, to native beech forests in Europe appears promising for forest management, but possible consequences for associated biota and ecosystem functioning are poorly understood. To better link forest management and functional diversity of associated biota, we investigated the trophic niches (∆13C, ∆15N) of epigeic generalist predators (spiders and ground beetles) in mixed and pure stands of European beech, Norway spruce and non-native Douglas fir in north-west Germany. We assessed the multidimensional niche structure of arthropod predator communities using community-based isotopic metrics. RESULTS: Whilst arthropod ∆13C differed most between beech (high ∆13C) and coniferous stands (low ∆13C), ∆15N was lowest in non-native Douglas fir. Tree mixtures mitigated these effects. Further, conifers increased isotopic ranges and isotopic richness, which is linked to higher canopy openness and herb complexity. Isotopic divergence of ground beetles decreased with Douglas fir presence, and isotopic evenness of spiders in Douglas fir stands was lower in loamy sites with higher precipitation than in sandy, drier sites. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that tree species and particularly non-native trees alter the trophic niche structure of generalist arthropod predators. Resource use and feeding niche breadth in non-native Douglas fir and native spruce differed significantly from native beech, with more decomposer-fueled and narrower feeding niches in beech stands (∆13C, isotopic ranges and richness). Arthropod predators in non-native Douglas fir, however, had shorter (∆15N) and simplified (isotopic divergence) food chains compared to native forest stands; especially under beneficial abiotic conditions (isotopic evenness). These findings indicate potential adverse effects of Douglas fir on functional diversity of generalist arthropod predators. As tree mixtures mitigated differences between beech and conifers, mixed stands including (non-native) conifers constitute a promising compromise between economic and conservational interests.

Progress in extension lag after knee surgery / 中华骨科杂志

Most literature defines knee extension lag as the failure of the knee joint to achieve the passive extension angle, and some literature defines the inability of the knee to complete the last 15° extension as knee extension lag. Extension lag is one of the common complications after knee surgery, which seriously affects the postoperative knee joint function of patients. Disuse atrophy due to prolonged postoperative bed rest, arthrogenic muscle inhibition due to pain and (or) swelling, direct injury to the knee extensor mechanism during surgery and nerve dysfunction of the quadriceps muscle can all contribute to extension lag. While rehabilitation exercises, physical therapy and medication can significantly improve the patient's symptoms, extension lag due to the knee extension device injury requires surgery if necessary to regain normal knee function. As surgical techniques continue to be refined and rehabilitation interventions advance, the prevention of extension lag and the minimization of angle of knee extension lag need to be given adequate attention by patients, physicians, and researchers. This article reviews clinical studies related to extension lag after knee surgery, focusing on etiology, treatment, prevention and prognosis, with the aim of providing a basis and guidance for the current clinical management.

High consistency of trophic niches in generalist arthropod species (Oribatida, Acari) across soil depth and forest type.

Many traits including trophic niche parameters are attributed to species. However, generalist species may vary in trophic niches with environments, making species-based knowledge hard to extrapolate beyond local food webs. Here we tested trophic consistency in oribatid mite species (Acari), one of the most abundant arthropods that occupy all trophic levels in soil food webs. We used stable isotope analysis to compare trophic niches of 40 Oribatida species that co-occur in litter (OL) and soil (0-5 cm, mainly OF/H, AH) of five forest types (native European beech, non-native Douglas fir, range-expanding Norway spruce, two beech-conifer mixed forests). Although stable isotope signatures of bulk material differed between litter and soil, 13C and 15 N values of Oribatida species were remarkably stable irrespective of soil depth. Furthermore, Oribatida were more enriched in 13C in European beech than in coniferous forests, but forest type little affected 15 N values of Oribatida across a range of site conditions. We conclude that Oribatida species occupy virtually identical trophic niches (δ13C and δ15N values) irrespective of the soil depth they colonize and that forest management including non-native tree species little affects trophic position (δ15N values) of oribatid mites. Our findings suggest that the trophic position can be used as a trait in community analysis of Oribatida across forest ecosystems. Our results further indicate that trophic niches of generalist species can be highly consistent irrespective of environment.

Molecular epidemiology and clinical characteristics of Clostridioides difficile infection in patients with inflammatory bowel disease from a teaching hospital.

BACKGROUND: Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is of increasing concern. This study aimed to investigate the molecular epidemiology and antimicrobial susceptibilities of toxigenic C. difficile isolated from IBD patients and to evaluate the risk factors for CDI in IBD population. METHODS: Loose or watery stools from IBD patients were tested for glutamate dehydrogenase, C. difficile toxins A&B and anaerobic culture. Toxigenic C. difficile isolates were characterized by multi-locus sequence typing, ribotyping and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. RESULTS: The prevalence of CDI in IBD patients was 13.6% (43/317). The dominant sequence types (STs) were ST35 (20.9%), ST2 (18.6%) and ST37 (16.3%). The most common ribotypes (RTs) were RT 017 (18.6%), RT 012 (14.0%), and RT 220 (14.0%), whereas RT 027 and RT 078 were not detected in this study. All the isolates were susceptible to vancomycin and metronidazole. The multidrug resistance rate of C. difficile RT 017 was higher (p < 0.01) than that of other RT strains. Recent hospitalization, use of corticosteroids and proton pump inhibitors were related to increased risk of CDI in IBD patients; of these, recent hospitalization and proton pump inhibitors use were independent risk factors. CONCLUSION: Patients with IBD have a relatively high incidence rate of CDI. C. difficile RT 017 is most frequently isolated from IBD patients in this region and warrants more attention to its high resistance rate. Clinicians should pay greater attention to CDI testing in IBD patients with diarrhea to ensure early diagnosis and initiation of effective treatment.

Effect of proton pump inhibitors on the risk of chronic kidney disease: A propensity score-based overlap weight analysis using the United Kingdom Biobank.

Background: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are widely used and have been linked to kidney diseases. However, the role of PPI use in the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains unclear. We undertook this study to examine the association between PPI use and the subsequent risk of CKD. Methods: This is a prospective analysis of 462,421 participants free of cancer diagnosis or chronic kidney disease from the United Kingdom Biobank. Self-reported PPI use was recorded using an electronic questionnaire and confirmed by a trained staff. Incident CKD was identified based on the medical history. Overlap propensity score weighting with the Cox model was used to calculate the effect of PPI use on CKD risk. The number needed to harm (NNH) was calculated at 5 and 10 years of follow-up. Results: We documented 7,031 cases of CKD over a median follow-up of 8.1 years. Overlap propensity score weighting analysis showed that regular PPI users had a 37% higher risk of CKD incident than non-users (HR 1.37, 95% CI 1.28-1.47). The association persisted across subgroup analyses, different types of PPIs, and several sensitivity analyses. Quantitative bias analysis indicated that the result was robust to unmeasured confounding (E-value 2.08, lower 95% CI 1.88). The NNH was 147.9 and 78.6 for 5 and 10 years of follow-up, respectively. A head-to-head comparison showed that PPI users had a 19% higher risk of CKD than H2RA users (HR 1.19, 95% CI 1.02-1.39). Conclusion: The regular use of PPI is associated with a higher risk of CKD. Healthcare providers should carefully weigh up the potential benefits against the risk in prescribing PPIs, particularly for patients requiring long-term treatment.

Child inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the kidney misdiagnosed as Wilms' tumor: case report.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a rare mesenchymal tumor with recurrent potential, most commonly occurring in the lung but rarely in the kidney with nonspecific clinical symptoms and radiographic features, thus may be misdiagnosed as primary malignant lesions. We described a 6-year-old boy with renal IMT misdiagnosed as Wilms' tumor and then treated with right nephrectomy. It should be emphasized that in addition to the most common renal tumors in children, IMT should also be taken as a differential diagnosis. It is therefore mandatory to carry out clinical interpretation, careful histologic examination, and immunohistochemical studies collectively to make solid diagnosis.

Asymptomatic adult Wilms' tumor: A case report.

Wilms' tumor, also called nephroblastoma, is an extremely uncommon kidney tumor of adulthood. We reported a adult man with a left kidney mass diagnosed as Wilms' tumor. Case presentation: A 25-year-old man was hospitalized due to injury of the anterior cruciate ligament of the right knee. Preoperative imaging accidentally revealed a mass measuring 53 × 46 mm involving the middle and lower segments of the left kidney without evidence supporting the invasion of the surrounding structures or metastasis. The patient didn't show any symptom commonly occurred in Wilms' tumor, such as flank pain or hematuria. After nephrectomy, the diagnosis of adult Wilms' tumor was confirmed based on the tumor morphology and immunohistochemical findings. Conclusion: In adult patients without any clinical manifestations or favorable imaging findings for low-stage renal cell carcinoma, the diagnosis of Wilms' tumor should be taken into consideration.

Seed Dormancy Release and Germination Requirements of Cinnamomum migao, an Endangered and Rare Woody Plant in Southwest China.

Seed dormancy is a complex adaptive trait of plants that are influenced by several physiological and environmental factors. The endangered plant Cinnamomum migao is also known to exhibit seed dormancy and low germination, which may influence its regeneration; however, these characteristics remain unexplored. To our knowledge, this study is the first to examine the type of dormancy and improve the germination percentage of C. migao seeds. We evaluated the structure and characteristics of the embryo and endocarp of C. migao seeds as well as the effects of endogenous inhibitors. Furthermore, we assessed the effects of light, stratification, alternating temperature, and gibberellic acid 3 (GA3) on the dormancy release of these seeds. The embryo was well developed the endocarp was water-permeable, and no obvious mechanical hindrance to germination was observed. However, the endocarp and embryo contained phenols and other germination inhibitors. The seed extracts of C. migao delayed the germination of cabbage and ryegrass seeds, which indicates the presence of endogenous inhibitors. These findings suggest that C. migao seeds exhibit physiological dormancy. Light and an alternating temperature (15/20°C) did not influence germination. However, GA3 pretreatment, alternating temperatures, and warm stratification relieved dormancy. GA3 pretreatment combined with the 15°C stratification treatment was most effective in rapidly releasing the C. migao seed dormancy. Our findings may facilitate the storage and conservation of this endangered plant, which is currently underrepresented in ex situ collections.

Litter nitrogen concentration changes mediate effects of drought and plant species richness on litter decomposition.

Biodiversity loss, exotic plant invasion and climatic change are three important global changes that can affect litter decomposition. These effects may be interactive and these global changes thus need to be considered simultaneously. Here, we assembled herbaceous plant communities with five species richness levels (1, 2, 4, 8 or 16) and subjected them to a drought treatment (no, moderate or intensive drought) that was factorially combined with an invasion treatment (presence or absence of the non-native Symphyotrichum subulatum). We collected litter of these plant communities and let it decompose for 9 months in the plant communities from which it originated. Drought decreased litter decomposition, while invasion by S. subulatum had little impact. Increasing species richness decreased litter decomposition except under intensive drought. A structural equation model showed that drought and species richness affected litter decomposition indirectly through changes in litter nitrogen concentration rather than by altering quantity and diversity of soil meso-fauna or soil physico-chemical properties. The slowed litter decomposition under high species diversity originated from a sampling effect, specifically from low litter nitrogen concentrations in the two dominant species. We conclude that effects on litter decomposition rates that are mediated by changing concentrations of the limiting nutrient in litter need to be considered when predicting effects of global changes such as plant diversity loss.

Toxic effects, mechanisms, and ecological impacts of harmful algal blooms in China.

Over the last 30 years, harmful algal blooms (HABs) have occurred frequently in the coastal waters of China, resulting in financial losses of over 5.9 billion yuan (about 0.87 billion US dollars) due to massive fish and shellfish mortalities and negative impacts on tourism. To better understand HABs in China, herein we summarized bloom events with massive fish/shellfish mortalities and/or economic losses. Our results suggest that the diversity of HAB species has increased over the last 30 years, with the main causative species shifting from the raphidophyte Chattonella marina and dinoflagellates Gymnodinium spp. to various other species, including the dinoflagellates Karenia mikimotoi and Prorocentrum donghaiense, the haptophyte Phaeocystis globosa, and the pelagophyte Aureococcus anophagefferens. In addition, new types of HABs, such as macroalgal blooms, emerged with severe ecological impacts. We also reviewed the toxic effects, mechanisms, and ecological impacts of common HAB causative species in China. Analysis of the toxic effects of three types of harmful algae (toxin-producing, fish killing, and ecosystem disruptive algae) on marine organisms commonly found in China at different trophic levels revealed that HABs often had toxic effects on multiple organisms in addition to fish or shellfish, with species-specific impacts. Common mechanisms of intoxication include shifting environmental parameters, shellfish poisoning, reactive oxygen species, and haemolytic/cytotoxic toxins. The main mechanism appears to vary with the type of HAB species, and for some notorious algae such as K. mikimotoi and C. marina, further investigations are needed to identify their intoxication mechanism.

Role of DNAJB6 gene in the regeneration of liver resection and partial liver transplantation / 中华器官移植杂志

Objective:To explore the role and molecular mechanism of DNAJB6 in liver regeneration during partial liver transplantation(PLT).Methods:Dark agouti(DA, donor)and Lewis(recipient)rats were prepared for liver regeneration model of PLT.Rats were divided into before perfusion, after split liver perfusion, after portal vein opening, before abdominal closure and Day 3/7 after surgery groups(n=6 each)for timepoints of PLT.C57 mice were performed for residual liver regeneration model of partial hepatectomy and divided into control, Day 1/2/3/4/5 groups(n=6 each)for timepoints of hepatectomy.Gene Expression Omnibus liver regeneration data were utilized for locating DNAJB6 in liver regeneration.DNAJB6 low-expression human hepatocytes were constructed by DNAJB6-Si transfection.The relationship between DNAJB6 and liver regeneration was examined by Western blot detection of cell proliferation markers PCNA and CCK8 cell proliferation experiments.And the possible molecular mechanism of DNAJB6 regulating liver regeneration in PLT was studied by Western blot detection of nuclear protein and protein in cell proliferation signal pathway.Results:The result of residual liver regeneration of partial hepatectomy showed that DNAJ family genes were differentially expressed on regenerated liver gene chip and DNAJB6 was lowly expressed on regenerated liver gene chip.Meanwhile, DNAJB6 was lowly expressed in regenerated liver tissues of PLT and partial liver resection.After silencing DNAJB6 by transfecting DNAJB6-Si, the cellular expression level of PCNA and proliferation rate increased.However, nuclear extraction failed to detect the nuclear/plasma changes of β-catenin and the level of Wnt4 protein had no obvious change.Although the activation levels of p38 and JNK2 downstream of Ras/MAPK showed no change, there was a higher activation level of ERK.Conclusions:In regenerating liver tissue, hepatocytes may suppress the Ras/MEK/ERK signaling pathway by lowering the expression level of DNAJB6 to promote liver regeneration.

Effect of 1 064-nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser on cell viability, protease activity and structures of Malassezia furfur / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect of 1 064-nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser at different energy settings on cell viability, protease activity and structures of Malassezia furfur. Methods:Cultured standard strains of Malassezia furfur were divided into several groups to be irradiated with 1 064-nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser at different energies of 0 (control group) , 500, 600, 700, 800 and 900 mJ, respectively. Then, fungal suspensions in the above groups were inoculated onto the Leeming & Notman medium separately. After 7-day culture, the diameter and number of colonies were measured to evaluate the fungal cell viability, the protease activity was measured by using the whole-milk plate medium, and the ultrastructure of Malassezia furfur in each group was observed by transmission electron microscopy. One-way analysis of variance was used for comparisons among multiple groups, least significant difference- t test for multiple comparisons, and Pearson correlation analysis for analyzing correlations of laser energy with colony diameter, number and protease activity. Results:The colony diameter and number both significantly differed among the control group, 500-, 600-, 700-, 800- and 900-mJ groups (colony diameter: 4.05 ± 0.69, 3.76 ± 0.51, 3.28 ± 0.41, 3.09 ± 0.72, 2.54 ± 0.64 and 2.43 ± 0.41 mm, respectively; colony number: 4 787 ± 597, 4 287 ± 761, 1 879 ± 275, 1 082 ± 248 and 209 ± 42, 72 ± 31 colony-forming units, respectively; F = 14.83, 231.85, respectively, both P < 0.05) , and were significantly decreased in the 600-, 700-, 800- and 900-mJ groups compared with the control group (all P < 0.05) . The laser energy was negatively correlated with the colony diameter and number ( r = -0.67, -0.91, respectively, both P < 0.05) . The protease activity significantly differed among the control group, 500-, 700- and 900-mJ groups ( F = 346.60, P < 0.05) , and was significantly lower in the 700- and 900-mJ groups than in the control group (both P < 0.05) . There was a negative correlation between the laser energy and protease activity ( r = -0.94, P < 0.05) . Transmission electron microscopy showed intact fungal structures in the control group, relatively intact fungal structures in the 500-mJ group, and obviously damaged fungal structures in the 600- to 900-mJ groups, and the greater the laser energy, the more severely the fungal structures were damaged. Conclusion:The 1 064-nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser could affect the cell viability of and protease activity in Malassezia furfur, and damage its structures.