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Biochar (BC) is the carbon-rich material, increasingly as a soil additive for carbon sequestration and soil improvement. Various studies have shown that BC have a profound effect on root morphological traits on agricultural systems, however the effect of BC amendments on the root traits of forest species is scant. The current study attempts to evaluate the effects of different BCs as a soil amendment on the growth and root morphological traits of Fokienia hodginsii. For that reason, three different types of BCs; bamboo (BB), hardwood (BH), and rice straw (BR) with four levels (0, 5, 20, and 80 g kg-1 of soil) collectively ten treatment combination including control (Bo) were incorporated to soil and seedlings were allowed to grow in pots in greenhouse for one year. After one year uprooted seedlings roots were scanned and analyzed by using WinRHIZO software for comparison. Bamboo and rice straw BC amendments were found to significantly improve root traits particularly root volume, average diameter, and root length compared to Bo. Additionally, the seedlings treated with BR80, BB80, and BH80 attained 36%, 29%, and 25% biomass, respectively compared to Control (Bo). Soil physiochemical properties particularly soil pH also varied between different BCs types and levels. Consequently, BC alkalinity is an important feature to correct soil acidity and improve soil fertility by altering soil nutrient content. Root establishment in acidic soils can be enhanced by BC amendments but selection of BC and soil is crucial to maximizing soil improvement and seedlings roots traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Double perovskite Bi2NiMnO6(BNMO) thin films with and without SrTiO3(STO) buffer layer have been prepared on Pt (111)/Ti/SiO2/Si(100) substrates by a chemical solution deposition method. The microscopic surface morphology, ferroelectric, and leakage current have been investigated. It is shown that the STO buffer layer can improve the remnant polarization slightly, and reduce the coercive electric field from 100 to 36 kV/cm. When the positive voltage was applied on top Au electrode of the BNMO/STO/Pt thin film capacitors, the leakage current was controlled by ohmic conduction. When the negative voltage was applied on bottom Pt electron, the leakage current of BNMO/STO thin film was limited by the traps and the density of carriers at high electric field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two main types of therapy-related acute myeloid leukemias (tAML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (tMDS) have been described. The first classical type typically occurs late after use of alkylating agents and presents as MDS with -7/del 7q and/or -5/del5q. The second form occurs early after the use of agents targeted at topoisomerase II, and presents as AML with 11q23 or other rearrangements of de novo AML. Recently, we and others reported, in AML and MDS, a strong correlation between cytogenetic rearrangements leading to 17p deletion, a specific type of dysgranulopoiesis and p53 mutation; several of those cases of 17p- syndrome were therapy-related. Over the last 15 years, we observed 25 cases of tAML and tMDS with 17p deletion, which represented 36% of the AML and MDS with 17p deletion diagnosed during that period. Median age was 59 years. Twenty-one patients had tMDS and four tAML. Typical dysgranulopoiesis and p53 mutation and/or overexpression were seen in 22 of 24 and 16 of 19 evaluable patients, respectively. 17p deletion resulted from unbalanced translocations involving 17p (18 cases), monosomy 17 (five cases), i(17q) (one case) or del 17p (one case). Twenty-one patients also had -5/del 5q, and/or -7/del 7q. Median interval from treatment of the first tumor of tAML and tMDS was 94 months (range 19-252). Median survival was only 7 months. Based on primary tumor and antineoplastic agents used, patients could be relatively well divided into two groups: a first group of 11 cases, occurring mainly after a lymphoid neoplasm (eight cases) treated by chemotherapy with an alkylating agent (10 cases), and a second group of 14 cases occurring after essential thrombocythemia (ET) or polycythemia vera (PV) treated mainly by hydroxyurea (10 cases), pipobroman (eight cases), 32P (six cases) but rarely by alkylating agents (two cases). -7/del 7q was found in 10 of the 11 patients in the first group, as compared to three of the 14 patients of the second group (P = 0.0001). Therefore, therapy-related cases represent a high proportion of AML and MDS with the 17p- syndrome. They have many features in common with classical tMDS and tAML, including long interval from the first tumor, a usual preleukemic phase, and frequent occurrence of -5/del 5q. About one half of them, in addition, occur after alkylating agents and generally carry -7/del 7q. The other half, however, occur mainly after ET or PV treated by hydroxyurea or other non-alkylating agents, and usually have no -7/del 7q. These findings bring further support to a possible relationship between prior drugs used and cytogenetic rearrangements in tAML and tMDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]