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Acidic soils are susceptible to nutrient insufficiencies and imbalances. Combined application of biochar and other organic amendments is a renowned strategy for ameliorating acid soils and enhancing soil fertility. The incubation experiment investigated the effect of biochar and poultry litter on chemical properties and nutrients availability of acidic soil. 400 g of soil was thoroughly mixed with the following treatments: corn straw biochar at the rate equivalent to 15 t/ha (B15), 30 t/ha (B30), poultry litter at the rate equivalent to 10 t/ha (PL), poultry litter plus biochar at 15 t/ha (PL+ B15), poultry litter plus biochar at 30 t/ha (PL + B30) with the control (CK) to represent, T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, and T6, respectively. These were incubated in a climate box at 25°C and 80% field capacity for 90 days. Soils were sampled destructively at 30, 60, and 90 days for analysis. Results showed that combined application of biochar and poultry litter increased concentrations of % total organic carbon (% TOC), % organic matter (% OM), electrical conductivity (EC), % total nitrogen (% TN), Phosphorus (P), reduced Iron (Fe) concentrations, and carbon to nitrogen (C: N) ratio. Poultry litter enhanced exchangeable acidity, pH, effective cation exchange capacity (ECEC), and exchangeable cations except for Potassium (K), biochar alone reduced zinc (Zn) concentration. In conclusion, the combined application of poultry litter and biochar could effectively ameliorate acidic soil, enhance soil fertility, and maintain good soil health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of corn straw derived-biochar (700 °C) applied at 0 (control), 10 (B1), 20 (B2) and 30 t ha−1 (B3) on water stable aggregate (WSA), mean weight diameter (MWD), total organic carbon (TOC) and total nitrogen (TN) in WSA fractions of Albic soil. Compared with control, WSA in > 2 mm fraction increased, by 40.8% and 51.5% (0–10 cm depth) in B1 and B3, respectively. B1, B2 and B3 (10–20 cm depth) increased by 55.2%, 69.6% and 62.4%, respectively. MWD increased by 34.4%, 21.6%, and 17.6% with B3 at 0–10 cm, 10–20 cm and 20–30 cm depths, respectively. TOC in the > 2 mm fraction increased by 28.6%, 22.1%, and 23.2% (0–10 cm depth) in B1, B2, and B3, respectively, TN in 2–0.5 mm fractions increased by 32.4%, 23.4% and 33.6% (0–10 cm depth); and in the 0.25–0.05 mm fractions increased by 14.8%, 19.8% and 18.7% (10–20 cm depth), in B1, B2 and B3, respectively. Our findings suggest biochar application at 30 t ha−1 could improve structural stability and sequestration of TOC and TN in Albic soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Increasing evidence has suggested that miR-29b plays an antitumor effect in multiple malignancies via the regulation of cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion and migration. In the present study, we aimed to explore the underlying function and mechanism of miR-29b in multiple myeloma (MM). Methods: The expression of miR-29b in MM cell lines and tissues was detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). CCK-8 and flow cytometry analyses were performed to assess cell proliferation, cycles and apoptosis. Bioinformatics, Dual-Luciferase reporter and qRT-PCR assays were employed to explore the possible correlation between miR-29b and FOXP1. Xenograft model was established to confirm the role of miR-29b on tumor growth in vivo. Results: miR-29b expression was markedly decreased in MM cell lines and tissues and downregulated miR-29b was closely related to International Staging System (ISS) stages. Exogenous overexpression of miR-29b inhibited the proliferation but induced MM cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. FOXP1 was identified as a direct target gene for miR-29b, and restoration of FOXP1 weakened miR-29b-induced anti-proliferation and pro-apoptosis in MM cell lines. Finally, the inhibitory effects of miR-29b on the growth of MM tumors were validated in mice. Conclusions: miR-29b recedes the progression of MM via downregulating FOXP1, which may provide a potential biological target for MM treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A molecular dynamics (MD) simulation was used to investigate the adsorption of graphene oxide (GO) and graphene (G) onto an Fe3O4(111) surface. The MD simulation results indicated that the direction of the GO/G sheets introduced onto the Fe3O4(111) surface affected the morphologies of the GO/G sheets and the interface interaction energies. When the GO/G sheets were introduced onto the Fe3O4(111) surface from the parallel direction, a smooth, single-layered structure of the GO/G sheets formed, and the interface interaction energies were low. The interface interaction energy of GO-Fe3O4interface was lower than that between G and Fe3O4(111) surfaces because of the strong interactions between the carboxyl groups on the GO edges and the iron atoms on the surface. The ideal distribution and lower interface interaction energies of the polymers (PEG and PEI) with GO/G indicated that the GO/G coated layer on the Fe3O4surface could be further modified. According to results, GO, under specific stirring speeds, was adsorbed onto the Fe3O4surface along the parallel direction and formed stable graphene-Fe3O4composite microspheres suitable for drug carrier applications. Both GO and G covered the rough, grooved surface of Fe3O4(111), and the adsorption of GO was faster than that of G. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mixed sandwich compounds (η5-C5H5)M(η7-C7H7) (M = Ti, V, Cr) have been known for approximately 50 years. The vanadium derivative ('trovacene') has recently been shown to be a useful precursor for the preparation of a variety of paramagnetic sandwich compounds. In this connection the structures of the complete series of the first row transition metal mixed sandwich compounds C5H5MC7H7 (M = Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni) have been investigated by density functional theory. The experimentally known parallel ring sandwich structures (η5-C5H5)M(η7-C7H7) are found for the Ti, V, and Cr derivatives. Analysis of the frontier molecular orbitals of these complexes indicates that, for the metal d-orbitals, the z2 orbital is essentially non-bonding, the x2-y2 and xy orbitals are δ bonding to the seven-membered ring, and the xz and yz orbitals are π bonding to the five-membered ring. For the later transition metals, (η5-C5H5)M(η5-C7H7) structures with pentahapto seven-membered rings are preferred for iron and manganese and (η5-C5H5)M(η3-C7H7) structures with trihapto seven-membered rings are preferred for cobalt and nickel, leading to either 17- or 18-electron complexes in all cases. A higher energy parallel sandwich structure (η5-C5H5)Co(η7-C7H7) with a quartet spin state and a formal 21-electron cobalt configuration is also found for the cobalt derivative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structures, energies, and electron affinities of the tautomers of dehydrogenated thymine radicals (T-H) have been studied theoretically. Geometry optimizations were carried out utilizing the density functional theory (DFT) methods with double-ζ quality basis sets plus polarization and diffuse functions (DZP++). These methods have been carefully calibrated for the prediction of electron affinities. Significant structural differences were found among thymine 24 dehydrogenated radicals and their corresponding anions from thymine tautomers. The electron affinities for these radicals are in the range of 0.96 and 3.88 eV, contrasting with the much smaller electron affinities associated with the closed-shell thymine tautomers. Among these investigated radicals those with removal of a hydrogen atom from the nitrogen atoms present the larger electron affinities (EAs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background : Iodine deficiency is common in the Qinba mountainous area and fetal iodine deficiency disorder (FIDD) is endemic. Our previous study demonstrated that apolipoprotein E (ApoE) was a genetic risk factor for FIDD in the local area. Aim : In order to achieve a better understanding of the aetiology of iodine deficiency-based mental retardation in the Qinba mountainous area, we conducted further studies of ApoE allele frequencies obtained from the local population. Subjects and methods : A total of 818 samples from four counties in the iodine-deficient area were recruited for the study of the ApoE genotype and allele frequencies using the PCR-RFLP method, and were subsequently confirmed by sequencing. Results : The frequencies of ε2, ε3 and ε4 alleles of Han Chinese in Qinba were 9.67%, 81.30% and 9.03%, respectively. Furthermore, no significant differences in the distribution of ApoE (either genotype or allele frequencies) between any two subgroups divided according to location, sex and age ( p > 0.05) were found. Surprisingly, however, we found a significant difference in the genotype and allele frequencies between Qinba and Shanghai (genotype: χ 2 = 14.91, p = 0.0096; allele: χ 2 = 15.07, p = 0.0009). Conclusion : The currently documented allele frequencies of ApoE in the Han Chinese population living in the open areas of China do not represent the distribution in the isolated Qinba mountainous area. The higher level of ε2 and ε4 allele frequencies in the Han Chinese living in the isolated Qinba area arise by chance or may result from genetic adaptation to an environment characterized by malnutrition and iodine deficiency, which may also contribute to the high incidence of mental retardation in these regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ADAP-SKAP-55 module regulates T-cell receptor (TCR)-induced integrin clustering and adhesion in T cells. However, it has been unclear whether ADAP and/or SKAP-55 is an effector of the response. ADAP controls SKAP-55 expression such that ADAP-/- T cells are also deficient in SKAP-55 expression. In this study, we report the phenotype of the SKAP-55-deficient mouse. SKAP-55-/- T cells retain ADAP expression yet show defects in β1 and β2 integrin adhesion, leukocyte function-associated antigen 1 (LFA-1) clustering, production of the cytokines interleukin-2 and gamma interferon, and proliferation. This dependency was also reflected in more-transient conjugation times in response to the superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin A on dendritic cells and a reduced number of cells with TCR/CD3 microcluster localization at the immunological synapse. SKAP-55-/- T cells showed the same general impairment of function as ADAP-/- T cells, indicating that SKAP-55 is an effector of the ADAP-SKAP-55 module. At the same time, the requirement for ADAP and SKAP-55 was not absolute, since a subset of peripheral T cells adhered with loss of expression of either adaptor. Further, dependency on SKAP-55 or ADAP differed with the strength of the TCR signal. As with the ADAP-/- mouse, SKAP-55-deficient mice showed no major effects on lymphoid development or the appearance of peripheral T cells, B cells, and NK cells. Our findings identify a clear effector role for SKAP-55 in LFA-1 adhesion in peripheral T cells and demonstrate that dependency on SKAP-55 and ADAP differs among T cells and differs with the strength of the TCR signal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]