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• In 2000–2015, the total NPP values of different vegetation types in the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River Basin increased. • The NP, LPI, and PLADJ were the core landscape metrics used to assess the NPP changes in forest, Shrubland, and grassland. • In the identification of landscape pattern factors affecting NPP, the random forest algorithm had a better explanation than the Pearson correlation algorithm. Human activities and climate change directly affect the composition, structure, and function of ecosystems and, consequently, their net primary productivity (NPP). In this study, we explored the response relationships between landscape pattern indices and NPP changes in three major vegetation types (forest, grassland, and shrubland) in the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River Basin using a random forest model. The results showed that landscape fragmentation increased, leading to higher landscape heterogeneity and edge effects. Patch shapes became more irregular, and spatial distribution became more dispersed. From 2000 to 2015, both vegetation types and NPP showed significant spatial heterogeneity in the study area. The number of patches (NP), largest patch index (LPI), and percent-like adjacency (PLADJ) metrics were used to determine the core landscape characteristics to assess the NPP changes in forest, shrubland, and grassland, respectively. This study provides a basis for understanding the relationships among landscape patterns, vegetation types, and NPP and serves as a reference for developing NPP predictive models in the Loess Plateau region. Alterations in vegetation categories have a direct impact on the composition, configuration, and performance of ecosystems., Consequently, the net primary productivity (NPP) of vegetation is markedly affected. In this study, by elucidating the spatiotemporal dynamics of landscape pattern indices and regional NPP, To investigate the response relationships between landscape pattern indices and NPP changes in the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River Basin, and identify the indices that have the greatest impact on NPP while considering both vegetation type and landscape, we employed a random forest model in three major vegetation types (forest, grassland, and shrubland). This image shows the changes in vegetation types in the upper and middle Yellow River basin from 2000 to 2015 resulting in changes in NPP for different vegetation types and changes in landscape pattern indices that play a dominant role in NPP changes. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the four plots of Caragana korshinskii and Agropyron cristatum , C aragana korshinskii and Bothriochloa ischaemum , Caragana korshinskii and Artemisia gmelinii and Caragana korshinskii , the soil detachment rate at 50 cm from the shrub base was lower than that at the shrub base. In different locations of the same shrub, the influence of root length on soil detachment rate is different. In a single Caragana korshinskii sample plot, under the same root length density, the root length at the base of the shrub has a relatively high ability to reduce the soil detachment rate. In the other sample plots, under the same root length density, the root length at the base of the shrub has a relatively low ability to reduce the soil detachment rate. Figure 4 Characteristics of soil detachment rates (kg·m-2·s-1) at different sites Fig. 8 Relationship between root length density and detachment rate in different sample plots. [Display omitted] • The soil detachment rate at 50 cm from the shrub base is lower than that at the shrub base in different sample plots. • In the mixed plots, the root length at the base of the shrub has a weak effect on the reduction of the detachment rate. • Root length density and > 0.25 mm aggregate can better calculate the soil detachment rate (R2 = 0.80). Grasses and shrubs play important roles in preventing soil erosion. However, the mechanism of their impact on soil detachment is still unclear. Therefore, this study examined the following combinations of typical grass–shrub sample plots on the Loess Plateau: Caragana korshinskii (JJ), C. korshinskii and Agropyron cristatum (JC), C. korshinskii and Bothriochloa ischaemum (JB), and C. korshinskii and Artemisia gmelinii (JH). The variation characteristics of the soil detachment rate with depth (0–30 cm) and at different locations (0 cm, 50 cm) from the base of shrubs under a fixed flow rate and slope were explored. The spatial heterogeneity of the detachment rate in the grass–shrub plots was strong. In different plots, the soil detachment rate at 50 cm from the base of the shrub was relatively low. The ability of root length to reduce the detachment rate varied. In the JJ sample plot, the root length at the shrub base had a relatively strong ability to reduce the detachment rate, while it showed the opposite trend in the other plots. The ability to reduce the detachment rate was higher in the JC and JB plots at 0–5 cm than in the JH plots. However, at 20–30 cm, the opposite trend was observed. Overall, with the exception of the JC plots, the soil detachment rate in the other mixed plots was lower than that in single-species plots. In this study, soil aggregates and root length density were the main factors affecting the soil detachment rate. The combination of the two could also better calculate the soil detachment rate (R2 = 0.80). Compared with traditional regression methods, the back propagation neural network model had a relatively high R2 (0.86) when predicting the soil detachment rate. This study revealed the mechanisms underlying differences in soil detachment capacity in different grass–shrub sample plots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Damaged skin cannot prevent harmful bacteria from invading tissues, causing infected wounds and even serious tissue damage. Traditional treatments can not only kill pathogenic bacteria, but also suppress the growth of beneficial bacteria, thus destroying the balance of the damaged skin microbial ecosystem. Here, a living bacterial hydrogel scaffold is reported that accelerates infected wound healing through beneficial bacteria secreting antibacterial substances. Lactobacillus reuteri, a common probiotic, is encapsulated in hydrogel microspheres by emulsion polymerization and further immobilized in a hydrogel network by covalent cross‐linking of methacrylate‐modified hyaluronic acid. Owing to light‐initiated crosslinking, the hydrogel dressing can be generated in situ at the wound site. This hydrogel scaffold not only protects bacteria from immune system attack, but also prevents bacteria from escaping into the local environment, thus avoiding potential threats. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments show that it has excellent ability against harmful bacteria and anti‐inflammatory capabilities, promoting infected wound closure and new tissue regeneration. This work may open up new avenues for the application of living bacteria in the clinical management of infected wounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Using a scale model is 31.5 m long, 16.5 m wide, and 3.3 m high. • Expound check dams configuration pattern influence on runoff, sediment yield. • Quantitatively analyzed check dams configuration pattern influence on erosion and Sedimentation amount. The Loess Plateau in China has the highest soil erosion and water loss rates in the world. Therefore, check dams, which are more useful engineering measures, have been established to improve soil and water conservation in small watershed. To determine check dam configuration pattern influence on runoff, sediment yield, erosion and deposition pattern in watershed, we conducted a rainfall simulation experiment using the qiao gully small watershed as our normal-scale model. We analysed the runoff and sediment yield characteristics and deposition patterns under four types of check dam configurations: no dams constructed, dam in first order stream channel, dam in second order stream channel, and dams in both channels. Our findings revealed that the runoff and sediment concentrations increased with time, regardless of check dam configuration. The significant effects of check dams on the evolution of storm runoff processes in a small watershed. Compared to no dams, double dams best inhibited runoff reduction and lowered sediment deposition, while construction of one dam in the primary channel was more effective than one dam in the secondary channel. In summary, check dam construction reduced channel erosion, rill erosion, and bank slope collapse at the channel head, while raising the dam-controlled watershed base level. Our findings provide a reference for designing check dams in optimal configurations on plateaus such as the Loess Plateau. The results of this study are of great practical significance in revealing the process of storm runoff and identifying key parts of soil erosion–deposition in the watershed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The hydrogel can kill bacteria by sustainably releasing Ag+ with its degradation. • It alleviates the host inflammatory response mediated bystander damage. • The designed hydrogel are ideal for anti-CXCL1 delivery. • It combines antibacterial and immunotherapy in infectious endophthalmitis. • This work may provide a new idea to treat endophthalmitis in clinical practice. Bacterial endophthalmitis is a serious ocular infection and frequently results in vision loss or even blindness. Most of the present treatment methods are mainly embodied in strengthening the bactericidal effect, whereas the bacteria induced vigorous host immune response often leads to irreversible damage to eye tissue. Herein, we report an injectable hydrogel to treat endophthalmitis by killing invading bacteria and regulating ocular immunity. The designed hydrogel was formed by dynamic coordination crosslinking of sulfhydryl modified gelatin and silver ion while embedding the anti-CXCL1 antibody evenly. The injectable hydrogel can not only kill bacteria by releasing silver ions with its degradation, but also alleviate the bacteria-triggered excessive immune response via releasing anti-CXCL1 antibody to neutralize chemokine CXCL1, thus avoiding the host inflammatory response mediated bystander damage. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments showed that it has excellent ability against bacteria and immunomodulatory performance, preserving more integral retinal architecture and promoting visual recovery. This work may open up new avenues for combining antibacterial and immunotherapy in infectious endophthalmitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a bone-targeting polymer vesicle with excellent single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) imaging capability and high antitumor drug delivery efficiency as an integrated platform for the simultaneous diagnosing and treatment of malignant bone tumors. This polymer vesicle can be self-assembled from poly(ε -caprolactone) 67 - b -poly[(L -glutamic acid) 6 - stat -(L -glutamic acid-alendronic acid) 16 ] (PCL 67 - b -P[Glu 6 - stat -(Glu-ADA) 16 ]), directly in water without the aid of a cosolvent. SPECT/CT dynamically tracked the drug distribution in the bone tumor rabbit models, and the tumor size was significantly reduced from >2.0 cm3 to <0.6 cm3 over 11 days. The pathological analysis demonstrated obvious necrosis and apoptosis of the tumor cells. Overall, this bone-targeting polymer vesicle provides us with a new platform for the combination of real-time diagnosis and therapy of malignant bone tumors. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have shown that FXR is involved in glycolipid metabolism, tissue inflammation and regeneration in organs such as the liver, intestines and kidneys. Although FXR has been reported in cardiac tissue, its function in diabetic cardiomyopathy has not been reported. Here, we successfully constructed a diabetic mouse model of FXR-/- and evaluated the effects of FXR knockout on cardiac function in mice by measuring various indicators. We demonstrated that blood glucose levels in diabetic mice are significantly elevated in the case of FXR knockout. Our findings from cardiac ultrasound and tissue HE staining supported that FXR knockout aggravates diabetic cardiomyopathy. Masson staining of myocardial tissue and quantitative detection of α-SMA by qPCR suggest that FXR knockout exacerbates cardiac fibrosis in diabetic cardiomyopathy. Combined with the results of Oil Red staining and quantitative detection of triglycerides in fresh tissue blocks, we hypothesized that FXR knockout aggravates diabetes-induced cardiac lipid accumulation. Altogether our results revealed a role of the FXR in the diabetic cardiomyopathy, suggesting a possible novel target for the treatment of diabetic cardiomyopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]