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Prolonged and repetitive stress on muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves can have long-term adverse effects on the human body. This can be exasperated while working if the environment and nature of the tasks puts significant strain on the body, which may lead to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). Workers with WMSDs can experience generalized pain, loss of muscle strength, and loss of ability to continue working. Most WMSDs injuries are caused by ergonomic risks, such as repetitive physical movements, awkward postures, inadequate recovery time, and muscular stress. Fatigue can be seen as a detector of ergonomic risk, as the accumulation of fatigue can significantly increase the possibility of injury. Thirty participants completed a series of repetitive physical tasks over a six-hour period while wearing sensors to capture data related to heart rate and movement, while external embedded sensors captured ground reaction and hand exertion force. They also provided subjective ratings of fatigue at the start and end of the experiment. Classifiers for fatigue (high vs low) were constructed using three methods: linear discriminant analysis (LDA), k-nearest neighbor (kNN), and polynomial kernel-based SVM (P-SVM) and were validated using a tenfold cross-validation technique that was repeated a hundred times. Results of our supervised machine learning approach demonstrated a maximum accuracy of 94.15% using P-SVM for the binary classification of fatigue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intestinal tuberculosis is a chronic and specific infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis invading the intestine. Due to the nonspecific clinical presentation, it is stressed that intestinal perforation complicates umbilical intestinal fistula and bladder ileal fistula is very rare and extremely difficult to be diagnosed. It is significant to identify the disease and take urgent intervene in the early stage. Case presentation: An 18-month-old boy patient presented with abdominal pain. Abdominal CT suggested abscess formation in the right lower abdomen and pelvis. The patient underwent resection of necrotic and stenotic intestinal segments with the creation of an ileostomy, cystostomy and vesicoureteral fistula repair for the presence of intestinal perforation complicated by vesicoureteral fistula and umbilical enterocutaneous fistula. Histopathology confirmed the intestinal tuberculosis. The patient was discharged successfully after 11 days post anti-tuberculosis treatment. Conclusion: Our case report here is a rare case of umbilical intestinal fistula with bladder ileal fistula secondary to intestinal perforation from intestinal tuberculosis. The purpose of this report is to make the surgical community aware of atypical presentations of intestinal tuberculosis. If our peers encounter the similar situation, they can be prepared for corresponding diagnosis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To identify the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation regulator genes linking prostate adenocarcinoma (PRAD) and periodontitis (PD). Materials and Methods. PD and TCGA-PRAD GEO datasets were downloaded and analyzed through differential expression analysis to determine the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) deregulated in both conditions. Twenty-three m6A RNA methylation-related genes were downloaded in total. The m6A-related genes that overlapped between PRAD and PD were identified as crosstalk genes. Survival analysis was performed on these genes to determine their prognostic values in the overall survival outcomes of prostate cancer. The KEGG pathways were the most significantly enriched by m6A-related crosstalk genes. We also performed lasso regression analysis and univariate survival analysis to identify the most important m6A-related crosstalk genes, and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was built from these genes. Results. Twenty-three m6A methylation-related regulator genes were differentially expressed and deregulated in PRAD and PD. Among these, seven (i.e., ALKBH5, FMR1, IGFBP3, RBM15B, YTHDF1, YTHDF2, and ZC3H13) were identified as m6A-related cross-talk genes. Survival analysis showed that only the FMR1 gene was a prognostic indicator for PRAD. All other genes had no significant influence on the overall survival of patients with PRAD. Lasso regression analysis and univariate survival analysis identified four m6A-related cross-talk genes (i.e., ALKBH5, IGFBP3, RBM15B, and FMR1) that influenced risk levels. A PPI network was constructed from these genes, and 183 genes from this network were significantly enriched in pathogenic Escherichia coli infection, p53 signaling pathway, nucleocytoplasmic transport, and ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis. Conclusion. Seven m6A methylation-related genes (ALKBH5, FMR1, IGFBP3, RBM15B, YTHDF1, YTHDF2, and ZC3H13) were identified as cross-talk genes between prostate cancer and PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non-surgical intervention has been proposed for the management of perianal abscess (PA) and fistula-in-ano (FIA), with potential benefits in terms of quality of life, wound healing, and functional outcome, although this strategy remains rare and controversial. Here, we aimed to compare the intermediate-term outcomes of non-surgical management with those of surgical incision and/or drainage. Patients and Methods: A study of pediatric patients with first-time PA and/or FIA was conducted retrospectively from January 2010 to December 2020. The patient population was stratified by surgical and non-surgical management. The clinical outcomes, including PA recurrence, FIA formation, and wound healing time, were compared between the surgical and non-surgical management groups. Results: A total of 457 patients managed for first-time PA and/or FIA were eligible for the current study. Of these patients, 169 (50.9%) patients received non-surgical intervention. There were no differences in terms of age, gender distribution, wound healing course, or abscess size between the two groups. Furthermore, no difference was noted between the two groups in terms of PA recurrence and/or FIA development rates and revisits for additional treatment. Conclusions: Although PA/FIA management is still controversial, non-surgical intervention exhibited promising outcomes for most cases of first-time PA/FIA, with fewer hospital admissions and surgical procedures and similar recurrence and fistula formation incidences. Immediate surgical intervention might be avoided because PA/FIA has a chance for spontaneous resolution in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: While the effects of destocking on soil nutrient and plant productivity are known, the effect on functional groups of fungi has received less attention. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of long-term destocking on fungal functional guilds and their association with plants and soil. Methods: We characterized the changes in five fungal functional guilds, including plant pathogens, animal pathogens, wood saprotrophs, dung saprotrophs, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), along a 35-year chronosequence following destocking at 0–60 cm soil depths on the Chinese Loess Plateau. Fungal community composition was assigned by comparing with the FUNGuild database. Results: After 35 years of destocking, diversities of plant pathogens, wood saprotrophs, and AMF increased, while that of animal pathogens and dung saprotrophs decreased. Destocking had a greater effect in the near-surface layers (0–10 and 10–20 cm) owing to the greater influence of plant biomass and soil nutrients. Among the above- and belowground drivers, plant pathogen diversity was largely associated with plant diversity, while animal pathogens, dung saprotrophs, and wood saprotrophs were associated with aboveground biomass, AMF were responsive to soil conditions (e.g., organic C, NO3−-N, C:N ratio, and moisture). Conclusions: Long-term destocking can be considered to be an important predictor of fungal functional guilds, and changes in these microorganisms were associated with cessation-induced shifts in plants and soil by grazing. Our findings provide insights into the duration of destocking necessary to benefit fungal communities, and how this varies according to soil depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural vegetation succession is a process of interactions between plants and various environmental factors. The dynamics of soil microbes during successional stages have been intensively explored in the past two decades. The effect of rhizosphere interactions of interspecies on microbial properties, however, has received less attention. During the early stage of succession on a Loess Plateau soil from China, we investigated microbial properties in the rhizospheres of three dominant grass species: Artemisia capillaris , Artemisia sacrorum and Stipa bungeana . Experiments with monocultured and polycultured potted plants were designed to determine the effects of rhizosphere interactions on plant growth and soil microbial properties. The results showed that root biomass, shoot biomass, plant height, microbial biomass carbon (C), microbial biomass nitrogen (N), invertase and urease activities, Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria were significantly higher for A. capillaris than for A. sacrorum and S. bungeana in both monocultures and polycultures. Lower root biomass, shoot biomass, plant height, microbial biomass C, microbial biomass N, invertase and alkaline phosphatase activities, and levels of microbial phospholipid-derived fatty acids in polycultures relative to the monocultures indicated that rhizosphere interactions led to lower plant growth and soil microbial activities. Our study suggests that rhizosphere interactions had a significant effect on the microbial properties of plant rhizospheres. The advantage of A. capillaris over A. sacrorum and S. bungeana in growth characteristics and rhizosphere microbial conditions is likely responsible for the dominance of A. capillaris in the early stage of succession in abandoned cropland on the Loess Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Grain for Green Project (GGP) has increased the area of forest plantations on the Loess plateau region of China, which has created a need to understand the potential for long-term carbon (C) sequestration. The objectives of this work were to investigate the response of biomass C and soil organic carbon (SOC) densities to the age of these forest plantations and to determine their contribution to the C sources/sink within these regional forest ecosystems. In this project three different species of plants, Caragana korshinskii Kom., Hippophae rhamnoides and Prunus davidiana (Carr.) Franch, were studied by selecting 3 plantation areas where each plant had grown for 9-years and 3 separate plantation areas where each plant had grown for 26-years. All three of these species were widely planted in the case study area. A total of 54 quadrants (2 m × 2 m) were randomly selected in 18 plots (3 plots for each species × 3 species × 2 stand ages) from these plantations for measuring the above- and below-ground biomass as well as the biomass C concentration and density of the three species. A bucket auger was used to collect soil samples from 0 to 100 cm soil depth to determine the SOC concentration and density in each plot. Biomass density, biomass C and SOC increased with growth between 9 and 26 years for all three plant species. The biomass densities for P. davidiana , C. korshinskii and H. rhamnoides increased from 27.3 ± 7.5 to 49.9 ± 11.9 Mg ha − 1 , 16.6 ± 3.8 to 39.0 ± 18.2 MgC ha − 1 , and 14.4 ± 4.4 to 23.7 ± 5.7 Mg ha − 1 , respectively. The biomass C for P. davidiana , C. korshinskii and H. rhamnoides also increased during this time from 9.5 ± 2.6 to 18.7 ± 4.1 Mg ha − 1 , 6.2 ± 1.1 to 14.6 ± 6.6 Mg ha − 1 , and 6.2 ± 1.9 to 8.5 ± 2.0 Mg ha − 1 , respectively. Similarly, the SOC for P. davidiana , C. korshinskii and H. rhamnoides during this time increased from 114.1 ± 13.9 to 185.4 ± 21.2 Mg ha − 1 , 80.0 ± 9.0 to 93.3 ± 10.7 Mg ha − 1 , and 62.4 ± 3.5 to 81.6 ± 15.4 Mg ha − 1 , respectively. Significant differences ( P < 0.05) were found for the biomass C and SOC densities between the 9- and 26-year old plantations, demonstrating that biomass production continued to significantly impact the SOC storage with increasing age of the forest plantations investigated. This work suggested that both the stored biomass C and SOC in these plantations did not decrease during the growth period from 9- to 26-years. The results of this study highlighted the importance of forest age in understanding the C storage of these forest plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • CoMn 2 O 4 with excellent NH 3 -SCO activity was synthesized by modulating B site spinel. • CoMn 2 O 4 achieved complete conversion of NH 3 at 150 °C. • The superior redox property and formation of more oxygen vacancies promoted the activity. • The enhancement of N 2 selectivity was due to the interaction of Co and Mn in CoMn 2 O 4. • In situ DRIFTS indicated the presence of both i-SCR and hydrazine mechanism. NH 3 catalytic oxidation technology (NH 3 -SCO) is promising for the direct conversion of NH 3 to N 2 and H 2 O. Currently, balancing its NH 3 catalytic oxidation activity and N 2 selectivity remains a challenge. Herein, the redox properties and the surface oxygen vacancies of CoB 2 O 4 were modulated to enhance the activity of the catalyst by using three elements (Co, Mn, Al) as the B-site elements of the CoB 2 O 4 spinel. Eventually, CoMn 2 O 4 synthesized with Mn as the B-site element possessed more surface oxygen vacancies and generated Mn3+-Mn4+ pairs that could facilitate the redox properties compared with CoAl 2 O 4 and CoCo 2 O 4 due to the interaction between Co and Mn, which in turn enhanced its catalytic activity together and enabled the complete conversion of NH 3 at 150 °C. Additionally, using Mn as the B-site element of CoB 2 O 4 also facilitated the generation of the Bronsted acid sites on the catalyst surface, which was beneficial to its N 2 selectivity (65 % at 150 °C). In situ DRIFTs indicated the existence of two reaction mechanisms over CoMn 2 O 4 : the i-SCR mechanism with bidentate nitrate as the primary reactive intermediate species and the hydrazine mechanisms with –NH 2 and N 2 H 4 as the main intermediate species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the influence of long-term fertilization on the multifractal characteristics and erodibility of soil of cultivated land on the Loess Plateau of China could help prevent soil erosion and promote the sustainable development of agriculture. We collected 27 soil samples from 0 to20 cm layers of nine fertilizer treatments. Rényi spectrum (Dq) and singularity spectrum (ƒ(α)) were applied to characterize soil particle-size distribution (PSD). The multifractal parameters of capacity dimension (D0), entropy dimension (D1), Hölder exponent of order zero (α0), and erodibilityKand anti-erodibility indices (aggregate state and degree) were used to determine the effect of fertilization on soil properties and erodibility. The multifractal models could characterize the PSDs in the various fertilizer treatments well. Treatments receiving manure had higherD0,D1,α0, soil organic carbon (SOC) content, aggregate state and degree and lower erodibility. It was concluded thatD0,D1, andα0could clearly discriminate among the various treatments, and the combined application of mineral fertilizers and organic manure greatly improved soil quality and structure of the cultivated land in the Loess Plateau. Furthermore, changes of multifractal parametersD0,D1, andα0, especiallyD1, was mainly due to the reduced soil erosion and the increase of SOC. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Knowledge of the changes of soil properties and soil particle-size distribution (PSD) is important for quantifying soil quality and dynamics during natural succession. We applied multifractal theory to characterize the PSDs in five soil layers of nine croplands abandoned for less than 1 year, 2, 5, 7, 10, 15, 20, 30 and 35 years and evaluated the changes of soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (total N), total phosphorus (total P), soil texture and multifractal parameters [capacity dimension ( D ), entropy dimension ( D ), correlation dimension ( D ) and Hölder exponent of order zero ( α )] during natural succession on the Loess Plateau of China. Rényi spectra ( D ) and singularity spectra f( α) characterized the PSDs well and sensitively reflected the changes of heterogeneity of the surface soil (0-20 cm) during natural succession. SOC, total N and clay contents and the multifractal parameters increased significantly by the late stage of succession, mostly in the topsoil (0-10 cm). Natural succession thus effectively improved the soil physicochemical properties on the Loess Plateau of China, even though it was time-consuming. SOC and total N contents decreased with depth throughout the natural succession, but the multifractal parameters were higher in the topsoil only in the late stage. D and D were strongly and positively correlated with SOC and total N contents in the surface layers and with fine particles in all layers, suggesting that D and D may be sensitive and practical indices for quantifying changes in soil properties and erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of natural succession on plant communities and soil variables have been established, but changes in microbial communities and their response to plants and soils have not been well characterized in secondary succession. We investigated the changes in soil properties and plant and soil microbial communities during the secondary succession on abandoned cropland in the Loess Plateau of China using high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The study analyzed a chronosequence of farmland undergoing spontaneous succession after being abandoned for 0 (farmland), 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30 years(y). Plant community metrics including percent cover, and above/belowground biomass, first decreased in the initial stage (<10 y) and then increased during the succession. Proteobacteria , Acidobacteria , and Actinobacteria were the dominant phyla of soil bacteria across all succession. Bacterial communities transitioned from Acidobacteria -dominant to Proteobacteria -dominant communities during the 30 years of succession. Levels of soil organic carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), nitrate N and bacterial diversity were lower soon (<5 years) after abandonment compared to the farmland, but they could recover to farmland levels after 15–20 years and were much improved after continued succession. Plant and bacterial community diversities (Shannon index and species richness) changed along successional time, but they showed different patterns, suggesting an incongruous process between plant and microbial succession. Organic C, total N, available N, and available P contents were significantly correlated with the abundance of most bacterial groups and the Shannon index, indicating the dependence of bacterial community diversity on soil nutrient supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional vegetation techniques for the control of concentrated flow erosion are widely recognized, whereas only a few studies have experimentally investigated the impacts of belowground roots on the erodibility of topsoils in semi-arid areas. To quantify the effects of root architectures on soil erodibility and its relevant structural properties, simulated flow experiments were conducted at six-week intervals from 18 July to 20 October in 2012 in the hilly Loess Plateau. Five treatments were: 1) bare (control), 2) purple alfalfa ( Medicago sativa), representing tap roots (T), 3) switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum), representing fibrous roots (F), 4) purple alfalfa and switchgrass, representing both tap and fibrous roots (T + F), and 5) natural recovery (N). For each treatment, soil structural properties and root characteristics were measured at an interval of six weeks. Soil anti-scouribility was calculated. Results showed that grass planting slightly reduced soil bulk density, but increased soil aggregate content by 19.1%, 10.6%, 28.5%, and 41.2% in the treatments T, F, T + F, and N, respectively. Soil shear strength (cohesion and angle of internal friction ( φ)) significantly increased after the grass was planted. As roots grew, soil cohesion increased by 115.2%-135.5%, while soil disintegration rate decreased by 39.0%-58.1% in the 21th week compared with the recorded value in the 9th week. Meanwhile, root density and root surface area density increased by 64.0%-104.7% and 75.9%-157.1%, respectively. No significant differences in soil anti-scouribility were observed between the treatments of T and F or of T + F and N, but the treatments of T + F and N performed more effectively than T or F treatment alone in retarding concentrated flow. Soil aggregation and root surface-area density explained the observed soil anti-scouribility during concentrated flow well for the different treatments. This result proved that the restoration of natural vegetation might be the most appropriate strategy in soil reinforcement in the hilly Loess Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite much attention being paid to the performance of rectangular basement excavation, the deformation characteristics of triangular excavations and their effects on nearby structures are not fully studied. A large-scale triangular basement with a final excavation depth of 22.8 m excavated at two sides of a cut-and-cover tunnel was extensively instrumented in Shanghai soft clay. Differing from the wall deflection in rectangular excavations, the lateral movements at the top of retaining walls in a triangular excavation was up to 70% of the maximum wall defection even though the first concrete props were cast before commencement of the main excavation. Upon completion of the base slabs, the maximum lateral wall deflection ( δ hm ) ranged from 0.05% H to 0.35% H (excavation depth). During subsequent construction of remaining concrete slabs, δ hm increased by up to 50%. Prior to completion of the base slabs, heaves were induced in interior column and diaphragm wall resulting from excavation-induced stress relief. Measured maximum heaves in the interior column and diaphragm wall were 0.08% H and 0.06% H , respectively. Different deformation mechanisms were observed in the cut-and-cover tunnel and shield tunnel. Heave was induced in the cut-and-cover tunnel located within excavation zone with a maximum value of 7.9 mm. On the contrary, settlement was observed in the shield tunnel located outside of excavation zone with a maximum value of 8.0 mm. Because of corner effects in basement excavation, three-dimensional deformation mechanisms were observed in the existing pipelines running parallel and behind the retaining walls. Due to post-excavation wall deflection induced ground settlement, the incremental maximum pipeline settlement was up to 120% of that upon completion of the base slabs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the structure and function of rhizospheric microbial communities of two successionally dominant species ( Artemisia capillaries and Artemisia sacrorum ) during the natural recovery of abandoned cropland on the Loess Plateau in China. Soil samples were collected from the roots of A. capillaries from cropland abandoned for 1, 3, 5, 10, and 13 years and from the roots of A. sacrorum from cropland abandoned for 13, 15, 20, and 30 years. The levels of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) were determined to characterize microbial community structure, and community-level physiological profiles for identifying the patterns of use of carbon (C) substrates were determined to describe the functional diversity of the microbial communities. The rhizospheric microbial biomass (total PLFA), Gram-negative bacterial PLFA, fungal PLFA, and the carbon use (carbohydrates, amino acids, carboxylic acids, and polymers) of the pioneering successional species, A. capillaries , tended to decrease during the first 10 years and thereafter increased. The middle-late successional species, A. sacrorum , exhibited increasing Gram-negative bacterial, Gram-positive bacterial, bacterial, total PLFA, and use of carbohydrates, amino acids, carboxylic acids, phenolic acids, and polymers as the abandonment time increased. The higher microbial biomass, Gram-negative bacterial and bacterial PLFAs was found in the rhizospheric soil than that in the bulk soil for A. capillaries . Redundancy and correlation analyses indicated that the rhizospheric microbial PLFAs and C use for A. capillaries were more closely correlated with its coverage and aboveground biomass than with soil organic C and total nitrogen (N), while those for A. sacrorum were correlated more with organic C and total N contents than with coverage and aboveground biomass. Our study demonstrated that the structure and function of the rhizospheric microbial communities of different successional species generally changed differentially over time. Rhizospheric microbial communities were initially determined primarily by the host plant, but the soil C and N supplies selected for specific microfloras during the middle-late stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of reforestation on carbon (C) sequestration in China's Loess Plateau ecosystem have attracted much research attention in recent years. Black locust trees ( Robinia pseudoacacia L.) are valued for their important use in reforestation and water and soil conservation efforts. This forest type is widespread across the Loess Plateau, and must be an essential component of any planning for C sequestration efforts in this fragile ecological region. The long-term effects of stand age on C accumulation and allocation after reforestation remains uncertain. We examined an age-sequence of black locust forest (5, 9, 20, 30, 38, and 56 yr since planting) on the Loess Plateau to evaluate C accumulation and allocation in plants (trees, shrubs, herbages, and leaf litter) and soil (0-100 cm). Allometric equations were developed for estimating the biomass of tree components (leaf, branch, stem without bark, bark and root) with a destructive sampling method. Our results demonstrated that black locust forest ecosystem accumulated C constantly, from 31.42 Mg C/ ha (1 Mg = 10 g) at 5 yr to 79.44 Mg C/ha at 38 yr. At the 'old forest' stage (38 to 56 yr), the amount of C in plant biomass significantly decreased (from 45.32 to 34.52 Mg C/ha) due to the high mortality of trees. However, old forest was able to accumulate C continuously in soil (from 33.66 to 41.00 Mg C/ha). The C in shrub biomass increased with stand age, while the C stock in the herbage layer and leaf litter was age-independent. Reforestation resulted in C re-allocation in the forest soil. The topsoil (0-20 cm) C stock increased constantly with stand age. However, C storage in sub-top soil, in the 20-30, 30-50, 50-100, and 20-100 cm layers, was age-independent. These results suggest that succession, as a temporal factor, plays a key role in C accumulation and re-allocation in black locust forests and also in regional C dynamics in vegetation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation (Khib), a newly characterized post-translational modification, is conserved in both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. At present, only about 6500 Khib sites have been identified in mammalian cells, which is insufficient compared with the well-known acetylation and thus hinders the understanding of its roles in diverse cellular processes. Here, utilizing immunoaffinity enrichment coupled with LC-MS/MS approach, we carried out a deep proteomics analysis of Khib in mouse liver. A total of 20861 Khib sites in 3768 proteins were identified, which expands the known Khib sites by two folds and represents the deepest Khib proteome in mammalian cells currently. Bioinformatics analysis showed that the 2-hydroxyisobutyrylated proteins have different subcellular localizations and participate in a wide range of molecular functions and cellular processes, such as metabolic processes and disease-related pathways. In addition, RNA-Seq analysis revealed that 1470 genes up-regulated and 790 genes down-regulated in response to elevated Khib levels in HeLa cells. The 1470 up-regulated genes were mainly associated with human papillomavirus infection, ECM-receptor interaction, as well as protein digestion and absorption, while the 790 down-regulated genes were mainly enriched in the multiple diseases and Glycolysis/Gluconeogenesis processes. Taken together, our research largely expands the known Khib sites, which helps delineate the biological functions of the Khib pathway and provides mechanistic insights into how Khib exerts its functions in specific cellular pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] We built a Cs atomic magnetometer with a sensitivity of 150fT/Hz1/2. [•] The Cs atomic magnetometer operates at room temperature (40°C). [•] 125μL tap water NMR signal was detected at an ultralow field of 47nT. [•] Homebuilt ultralow field NMR spectrometer ensures a fast sampling and high sensitivity. [•] Relaxivity can be accurately measured using our spectrometer at the zero field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] We assess an ecological restoration programme with the dual objectives of environment and poverty alleviation. [•] We use ecological footprint and emergy synthesis for the calculation of the effects and sustainability of this programme. [•] The use of natural resources exceeds the ability of supporting source base both from the perspective of demand and endowment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Comprehensively understanding water consumption behavior is necessary to design efficient and effective water use strategies. Despite global efforts to identify the factors that affect domestic water consumption, those related to domestic water use in rural regions have not been sufficiently studied, particularly in villages that have gained access to improved water supply. To address this gap, we investigated 247 households in eight villages in the Wei River Basin where three types of improved water supply systems are implemented. Results show that domestic water consumption in liters per capita per day was significantly correlated with water supply pattern and vegetable garden area, and significantly negatively correlated with family size and age of household head. Traditional hygiene habits, use of water appliances, and preference for vegetable gardening remain dominant behaviors in the villages with access to improved water supply. Future studies on rural domestic water consumption should pay more attention to user lifestyles (water appliance usage habits, outdoor water use) and cultural backgrounds (age, education). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Soil organic carbon (SOC) is an important component of agricultural soil. Understanding the storage of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) helps us understand how ecosystems would respond to natural and anthropogenic disturbances under different management strategies. Although the quantity of SOC stocks in the Loess Plateau has been previously investigated, the distribution and storage of C in its deep soil layers has been poorly studied to date. The present study was conducted in the Zhifanggou Watershed on the Loess Plateau to evaluate the effect of the types of land use on the distribution and storage of SOC and total nitrogen (TN) at different soil depths. Ten types of land use were investigated: woodland (Robinia pseudoacacia), shrubland (Caragana korshinskii; Hippophae rhamnoides), natural grassland, artificial grassland (Medicago sativa), orchard, check-dam cropland, terraced cropland (Setaria italica; Zea mays), and sloped cropland. The results show that land use significantly affects the SOC and TN content. The reconversion of sloped croplands into forestlands and grasslands improve their SOC and TN content. Natural grassland, terraced cropland with Z. mays, and the artificial grassland had the highest SOC content within 0–60 cm, 60–100 cm, and 150–500 cm layers, respectively. The SOC and TN content in the top layer were higher than those in the deep layer. Natural grassland had the highest SOC and TN storage within 0–40 cm layer, followed by shrubland I (C. korshinskii), check-dam cropland, woodland, and shrubland II (H. rhamnoides), orchard and artificial grassland, whereas the sloped cropland, and the terraced cropland with S. italica had the lowest values. The SOC and TN storage between the top (0–20 cm) and deep layers (0–100 cm, 0–300 cm, and 0–500 cm) can be modeled using linear function (y = ax + b). The results suggest that natural grasslands may be the optimal choice for SOC and TN sequestration in the Zhifanggou Watershed. Shrublands, woodland, artificial grasslands, orchards, terrace cropland with Z. mays and check-dam croplands are also recommended for their great contribution to SOC and TN storage in the area. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Using molecular genetics method, two selected dryland farming winter wheat strains (accession No. 22 Xiaoyan and 92517-25-1) were hybridized to produce 227 recombinant inbred lines (RIL). The populations of F2:3 families, individual plant inbred produced from F2 population, were characterized by transgressive inheritance. Allelopathic potential of No. 22 Xiaoyan was stronger than 92517-25-1, as was its weed competitive ability. Both indicators were normally distributed among the RILs, which ranged between those of the two parents. We found that the allelopathic potential of wheat in the Loess Plateau of China was regulated by multiple genes with descending importance in a quantitative model. Allelopathy was adjusted by heritable genes for the heritability ()=0.895 and the interaction heritability of between the genotypes and the growth environment ()=0.58. Four QTLs were identified in 21 wheat chromosomes with a mean length of 14.7cM, i.e., 75% of the allelopathy genes were in chromosome 1A while 2B contained the remaining 25%. All of these functional genes were highly polymorphic. The additive effects and explained variance of the individual QTLs were 0.08–0.21 and 7.24–12.56%, respectively. Putative genes related to the weed competitive ability of wheat were detected on chromosomes 1A, 2B, and 5D. The wheat allelopathy QTLs identified in this study may be beneficial for the breeding of allelopathic wheat and the molecular manipulation of allelopathic genes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Evaluating the sustainability of a target region for an ecological restoration programme is challenging because it involves different aspects of human society and environment as well as multiple disciplines. Carrying capacity provides a useful measure of the sustainability of a given region where an ecological restoration programme is implemented. In this article, the Yangou catchment, a geomorphic unit, was used as a case study in the Loess Hilly Region of China, where emergy synthesis was used to measure the environmental resources base. The specific standard of living in terms of emergy was employed to calculate carrying capacity over the period 1998–2005 and to assess the sustainability of the Yangou catchment where an ecological restoration programme was carried out. The results of the evaluation indicated that after implementing the ecological restoration programme, there was some improvement in the environmental aspects of the Yangou catchment during the study period, suggesting that the ecological restoration programme alleviated ecological degradation. However, several emergy-based indices and the support areas also illustrated that the ecological restoration programme was not successful enough in terms of preservation and utilisation of environmental resources to enhance sustainability. This indicates that further actions are necessary on conserving environmental resources, improving the emergy input structure for agricultural production and in lifestyle changes for the local people in living in the Yangou catchment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Rhizosphere is a microbiosphere with chemical, physical, and biological properties different from those of bulk soils. Knowledge of the changes in the microbial properties of plant rhizospheres is important in understanding the interactions between soil and plant communities. The present study aims to investigate the effect of bulk and rhizosphere soils on the microbial properties of eight croplands abandoned for 1, 3, 5, 10, 13, 15, 20, and 30 years and to evaluate the change in the rhizosphere soil microbial properties with time in the Loess Plateau, China. The results show that during the succession on the abandoned croplands, the pioneer species, Artemisia capillaries Thunb, was an important species in the 1- to 13-year sites, whereas the late species, Artemisia sacrorum Ledeb, emerged into the community after 13 years and became the dominant community species in 30 years. The species richness of the community exhibited an increasing trend during the first 15 years, and rapidly decreased thereafter. The organic carbon, total nitrogen, microbial biomass carbon, and microbial biomass nitrogen contents in the rhizosphere soil increased compared with those in bulk soil. Basal respiration and saccharase, alkaline phosphatase, catalase, and peroxidase activities were also enhanced, and the pH value decreased. Compared with the companion species, the dominant species showed higher organic carbon, total nitrogen, microbial biomass carbon, and microbial biomass nitrogen contents as well as enhanced respiration, but no significant difference in urease, catalase, alkaline phosphatase, and peroxidase activities was observed. As the succession proceeded, both A. capillaries and A. sacrorum showed increased microbial biomass carbon and microbial biomass nitrogen, and a decreased metabolic quotient. The soil enzymes of these two species behaved differently. Coverage and aboveground biomass of A. capillaries and A. sacrorum exhibited different relationships with microbial biomass and enzymes. In conclusion, the soil microbial activity in the rhizosphere is affected by plants, the soil condition, and the successional stage. Plant root exudates play an important role in the change in rhizosphere microbial properties. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Severe soil and water loss has led to widespread land degradation of the Loess Plateau, China. During the past two decades, significant efforts have been made to revegetate degraded soil in the region. However, a better understanding of the ability of plants to promote soil microbial processes is important for successful revegetation. The current study was conducted at the Dunshan watershed on the Loess Plateau, with the aim of evaluating the effect of different vegetation types on the microbial properties of rhizosphere soil. Six vegetation types were evaluated: two natural grassland (Artemisia capillaries and Heteropappus altaicus), two artificial (i.e. planted by humans) grassland (Astragalus adsurgens and Panicum virgatum) and two artificial shrubland (Caragana korshinskii and Hippophae rhamnoides) species; an area without vegetation cover was used as a control. The results indicated that the highest values of soil organic C, total nitrogen (TN), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), MBN, saccharase, urease, catalase and peroxidase were recorded for H. altaicus and A. capillaries; of basal respiration (BR), the MBN: TN ratio, alkaline phosphatase and polyphenol oxidase for A. adsurgens; and of the BR: MBC ratio for P. virgatum. A rhizosphere soil microbial index (RSMI) was obtained using principal component analysis, and metabolic quotient (BR/MBC), BR, urease, water-soluble C and cellulase were found to be most important for assessing rhizosphere soil quality. All revegetated soil showed higher RSMI compared with control soil, with soil under natural grassland species (H. altaicus and A. capillaries) recording the highest value. It was concluded that plant species under arid climatic conditions have different effects on the microbial properties of rhizosphere soil owing to their different root exudates and plant debris. In addition, natural grasslands are most effective for revegetation of the Loess Plateau. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Platycladus orientalis is one of the major ecological and medicinal plants. • Adventitious roots originated in multiple locations. • Tissue-specific accumulation of auxin promoted de novo root regeneration. • It is revealed developmental homeostasis of hormones during roots formation. De novo root regeneration in stem cutting is essential for massive propagation of Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco, which is one of the major ecological and economic tree species in China. However, the details of adventitious root (AR) formation and how it is controlled by inherent hormones are still ambiguous. In this study, histological analysis, immunohistochemical localization combined with quantitative hormonal analysis were conducted to investigate how cutting induces the AR formation of P. orientalis. It was explicitly seen that AR emerged from either calli- or non-calli- covered barks. The anatomical structure showed that cutting initiated the inducible formation of AR primordia in multiple sites, including xylem, phloem, medullary ray, and annulus randomly. The tissue-specific accumulations of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) surged in cambia-derived calli, basal boundaries of AR primordia, and AR, supporting the idea that the mode action of auxin was key to diverse types of root organogenesis. Meanwhile, the data showed that similar to that of IAA, the contents of abscisic acid (ABA) and zeatin (ZT) peaked at early stages of AR formation and deceased gradually in both phloem and xylem across the later stages, suggesting their indispensable roles in AR initiation. On contrary, jasmonic acid (JA) roughly maintained at extremely high levels in phloem comparing with the xylem tissues thoroughly, indicating its presence was involved in phloem-specific reorganization during AR formation. Collectively, the results provide a time-course histological dissection of AR formation, revealing developmental homeostasis of four main endogenous hormones, and providing theoretically a potential way to improve performance of stem-cutting in P. orientalis through regulating hormone actions in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil surface characteristics are closely related to soil surface depressional storage, infiltration, runoff generation and soil erosion, especially in highly erodible loess soil. Soil surface random roughness, soil cohesion and aggregate stability are necessary parameters in the Limburg Soil Erosion Model (LISEM) and helpful in developing alternative land-use and conservation strategies. Over a period of 2 years, soil surface characteristics were measured continuously in Danangou, a small catchment in the hilly, gullied loess area in China, with the support of the Erochina project. The results show that soil surface random roughness, soil cohesion and aggregate stability differed significantly between land-use types. Ranking the types on soil roughness during the monitoring period yielded the sequence cropland>orchard and wasteland and fallow land>shrubland>woodland. The corresponding sequence for aggregate stability was approximately wasteland and woodland>cropland and orchard>shrubland>fallow land. Cohesion in the different land-use types in the catchment was smallest for cropland and largest for wasteland. There were no significant differences between croplands with different topographical characteristics. All of these soil surface characteristics showed significant temporal variation over the monitoring period. Temporal variations in roughness for shrubland and woodland over the 2-year period were significantly greater than those for other land-use types. There were also considerable variations in cohesion for shrubland, woodland and wasteland. In 1998, the weighted average values of roughness, aggregate stability and cohesion for the entire catchment were 1.113 cm, 13.6 drops and 0.131 kg/cm2, respectively, with C.V. values of 9.6%, 32.05% and 21.11%. The corresponding values for 1999 were 1.616 cm, 11.52 drops and 0.100 kg/cm2, with C.V. values of 16.0%, 15.41% and 33.33%. The temporal and spatial variations in soil surface characteristics in the catchment should be carefully taken into account in LISEM calibration and validation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• C:N:P stoichiometry in plants, soils, and enzymes varied with succession time. • Plant species showed a relatively strong homeostasis during secondary succession. • Rhizosphere stoichiometry differed among plant species and succession stages. • Enzyme is crucial than soil nutrients in determining plant tissue stoichiometries. Ecological stoichiometry is the study of the interaction and balance of multiple chemical elements in ecological processes. However, how ecological stoichiometric interactions among plants, soils, and enzymes in the rhizosphere affect secondary plant succession is largely unknown. In this study, we collected the dominant and main companion species Artemisia capillaris , A. sacrorum , and Stipa bungeana , along a secondary succession chronosequence (7, 12, 17, 22, and 32-year) following a cropland abandonment in the Loess Plateau, China. We measured the carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations of plant shoots and roots, as well as the concentrations of C, N, P, available N (aN), available P (aP), and the activity of one C-acquiring enzyme (β-glucosidase (BG)), two N-acquiring enzymes (N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAG), leucineaminopeptidase (LAP)), and one P-acquiring enzyme (alkaline phosphatase (AP)) found in the rhizospheric soil to explore the C:N:P stoichiometry that drives secondary plant succession. The C:P and N:P ratios in the shoots of dominant plant species significantly decreased to a minimum value at the 22-year site and then increased with plant secondary succession. Compared with the 7-year site, the rhizosphere soil C:P and N:P ratios, and enzyme N:P ratios (ln(NAG + LAP):ln(AP)) increased 103.6%, 72.0%, and 221.3%, respectively, but enzyme C:N ratios (ln(BG):ln(NAG + LAP)) decreased 48.2% in the dominant plant species at the 32-year site. Principal component analysis indicated that the stoichiometry characteristics of the plant-soil-enzyme continuum differed for each plant species and succession stage. Stoichiometric homeostasis indices for the plant species indicated a relatively strong homeostasis, while redundancy analysis revealed that the variations in soil BG, NAG, and AP activity and enzyme C:N ratio had significant effects on the stoichiometries and nutrient concentrations of the plant tissues. The results indicated that rhizosphere stoichiometry is a powerful tool for evaluating plant-soil interactions in terrestrial ecosystems and that the variation in rhizospheric soil enzyme activity driving the secondary succession of plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-throughput drug screening (HTDS) has significantly reduced the time and cost of new drug development. Nonetheless, contact-dependent cell-cell communication (CDCCC) may impact the chemosensitivity of tumour cells. There is a pressing need for low-cost single-cell HTDS platforms, alongside a deep comprehension of the mechanisms by which CDCCC affects drug efficacy, to fully unveil the efficacy of anticancer drugs. In this study, we develop a microfluidic chip for single-cell HTDS and evaluate the molecular mechanisms impacted by CDCCC using quantitative mass spectrometry-based proteomics. The chip achieves high-quality drug mixing and single-cell capture, with single-cell drug screening results on the chip showing consistency with those on the 96-well plates under varying concentration gradients. Through quantitative proteomic analysis, we deduce that the absence of CDCCC in single tumour cells can enhance their chemoresistance potential, but simultaneously subject them to stronger proliferation inhibition. Additionally, pathway enrichment analysis suggests that CDCCC could impact several signalling pathways in tumour single cells that regulate vital biological processes such as tumour proliferation, adhesion, and invasion. These results offer valuable insights into the potential connection between CDCCC and the chemosensitivity of tumour cells. This research paves the way for the development of single-cell HTDC platforms and holds the promise of advancing tumour personalized treatment strategies. [Display omitted] • Proposing a single-cell high-throughput combined drug screening microfluidic chip. • Lack of CDCCC might enhance chemoresistance potential of tumour single cells. • CDCCC affects several signalling pathways that regulate key processes in tumours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrical stimulation (ES) is considered a promising therapy for chronic wounds via conductive dressing. However, the lack of a clinically suitable conductive dressing is a serious challenge. In this study, a suitable conductive biomaterial with favorable biocompatibility and conductivity was screened by means of an inherent structure derived from the body based on electrical conduction in vivo. Ions condensed around the surface of the microtubules (MTs) derived from the cell's cytoskeleton are allowed to flow in the presence of potential differences, effectively forming a network of biological electrical wires, which is essential to the bioelectrical communication of cells. We hypothesized that MT dressing could improve chronic wound healing via the conductivity of MTs applied by ES. We first developed an MT-MAA hydrogel by a double cross-linking method using UV and calcium chloride to improve chronic wound healing by ES. In vitro studies showed good conductivity, mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and biodegradability of the MT-MAA hydrogel, as well as an elevated secretion of growth factors with enhanced cell proliferation and migration ability in response to ES. The in vivo experimental results from a full-thickness diabetic wound model revealed rapid wound closure within 7d in C57BL/6J mice, and the wound bed dressed by the MT-MAA hydrogel was shown to have promoted re-epithelization, enhanced angiogenesis, accelerated nerve growth, limited inflammation phases, and improved antibacterial effect under the ES treatment. These preclinical findings suggest that the MT-MAA hydrogel may be an ideal conductive dressing for chronic wound healing. Furthermore, biomaterials based on MTs may be also promising for treating other diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Specific enzyme activities increased and then decreased along secondary succession. • Soil enzyme temperature sensitivities (Q 10) changed along succession in rhizosphere. • Q 10 at different temperature ranges differed in bulk soil, but not in rhizosphere. • Rhizosphere effects of enzyme activities changed to negative value with succession. The influence of plant secondary succession on soil enzyme activities has been increasingly recognized recently. However, the characteristics of specific enzyme activities and temperature sensitivity (Q 10) in the rhizosphere remain elusive. We collected rhizosphere and bulk soil samples from a secondary successional series (0, 7, 12, 17, 22, and 32 years after farmland abandonment, and a natural grassland reference) in a typical semi-arid ecosystems on the Loess Plateau of China. The potential activity of soil enzymes, including β-1,4-glucosidase (BG), β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAG), leucine aminopeptidase (LAP), and alkaline phosphatase (AP), was assayed at 37, 20 and 4 °C and expressed as activity per unit of soil organic carbon (specific enzyme activity). Q 10 values were calculated at 20–37 °C and 4–20 °C, respectively. The specific enzyme activities of BG, NAG, LAP and AP in bulk soil increased to a maximum at the 17-year site and then significantly decreased in older grasslands. In the rhizosphere, specific enzyme activities increased and then decreased along the successional gradient with significantly higher value at the 7-year site and the 17-year site. The Q 10 values of BG activity in bulk soil and the four enzyme's activities in rhizosphere soil were changed significantly along the successional gradients. In general, the Q 10 values at the two temperature ranges differed in bulk soil, but not in the rhizosphere soil. Along the plant successional gradient, the rhizosphere effects of specific enzyme activities gradually changed to negative values in the oldest sites. Our results indicate that plant secondary succession had different impacts on the enzyme activity and characteristics in the rhizosphere and bulk soil, and highlights the importance of temperature sensitivity and rhizosphere effects of enzyme activity along plant secondary successional gradients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a type of damage to the central nervous system (CNS) caused by various factors. The secondary injury of SCI is more complicated. Studies have found that electroacupuncture can help the recovery of nerve function during spinal cord injury. Therefore, this study explored the efficacy of electroacupuncture on complications after spinal cord injury through meta-analysis. Methods. Relevant literatures published from January 2010 to March 2022 were searched with "Electric acupuncture, Spinal cord injury, Neural functional recovery, Spinal cord injury in rats, Neuronal Signaling" as search words. The risk of bias of included references was analyzed and assessed using RevMan 5.3 software and Stata software. Heterogeneity between studies was assessed using the Q -test and heterogeneity ( I 2 ). Results. There was no heterogeneity among the study groups. The comparison on the therapeutic effects of electroacupuncture and conventional therapy suggested that electroacupuncture was more effective for nerve recovery after spinal cord injury than conventional therapy. It can better improve the recovery of motor function after spinal cord injury in rats. On the other hand, SCI+EA had a good inhibitory effect on the expression of RhoA protein signal in rats and had a positive effect on the signal pathway. Discussion. The results of meta-analysis confirmed that electroacupuncture was more effective than conventional therapy in inhibiting pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Microbial processes during secondary succession were studied on the Loess Plateau. • Microbial communities showed stoichiometric homeostasis during plant secondary succession. • Microbial metabolisms were co-limited by C and P during plant secondary succession. • Microbial activities were strongly affected by soil nutrient status. Soil microbial metabolism is vital for nutrient cycling and ecosystem stability. To quantify microbial metabolism and nutrient limitation during plant secondary succession, we measured soil physicochemical properties, microbial biomass, and four enzyme activities (β-1,4-glucosidase (BG), β-1,4- N -acetylglucosaminidase (NAG), L -leucine aminopeptidase (LAP), and alkaline phosphatase (AP)) and identified the changes of soil ecoenzymatic stoichiometry and microbial nutrient limitation along a secondary succession series in typical arid and semi-arid ecosystems on the Loess Plateau, China. Soil enzyme activities increased in the first 17a succession and then decreased with plant secondary succession. The ln(BG):ln(NAG + LAP) ratio and ln(BG):ln(AP) ratio showed a decreasing trend in the first 22a succession and then increased. Most soil nutrient contents and nutrient stoichiometry were significantly correlated with enzyme activities and enzymatic stoichiometry. Moreover, vector analysis of soil enzymes indicated that microbial community were co-limited by C and P during secondary succession. Linear regression of C:N and C:P between the soil nutrient and microbial community showed that soil microbial community maintained stoichiometry homeostasis during plant secondary succession. The threshold elemental ratio revealed that the microbial nutrient metabolisms were co-limited by N and P, particularly P during plant secondary succession. Therefore, microbial communities were co-limited by C, N, and P, particularly C and P during plant secondary succession, and the limitation was mainly associated with soil nutrient status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Temporal turnover of microbial communities during secondary succession was investigated. • Bacterial communities transitioned from oligotrophic groups to copiotrophic groups. • Fungi showed a higher succession rate than bacteria during 150 year's succession. • Different soil variables drove the succession of bacterial and fungal community. Microorganisms play critical roles in soil biogeochemical processes and the establishment of vegetation communities. However, their long-term successional patterns and associations with environmental factors are not well understood, especially in semiarid areas where plant community composition and species diversity change rapidly. We investigated changes in soil (Cambisol) microbial communities across a chronosequence of abandoned farmland comprising six successional stages (0, 11, 35, 60, 100, and 150-years) in the semiarid Loess Plateau of China. We aimed to reveal the long-term patterns and succession rates of microbial communities, and to reveal the driving forces. Bacterial and fungal communities were characterized by sequencing bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA genes and fungal internal transcribed spacers (ITS), respectively. Temporal turnover of microbial succession was investigated using the slope (w value) of linear regression of log-transformed microbial community similarity over time. Succession rate of fungi was approximately three times higher (w = 0.1477, P < 0.0001) than that of bacteria (w = 0.0549, P < 0.0001). Bacterial succession was affected by changes in soil NH 4 +-N, total N, organic C, water content, bulk density, and pH, whereas fungi were more susceptible to changes in NO 3 −-N, available phosphorus, and C:N ratio. Bacterial communities transitioned from slow-growing oligotrophic groups (Gemmatimonadetes, Chloroflexi) to fast-growing copiotrophic groups (Alpha - and Betaproteobacteria). Basidiomycota showed the highest temporal turnover (w = 0.2000, P < 0.0001), followed by Armatimonadetes , Firmicutes , Verrucomicrobia , Chloroflexi , and Proteobacteria. These results provide new insights into microbial community dynamics during long-term secondary succession, and enhance our understanding of associations between soil factors and microbes in semiarid ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A potent covalent TTK inhibitor was designed, synthesized and evaluated. • Compound 16 had IC 50 = 0.016 μM on TTK. • Compound 16 showed enhanced kinase selectivity in a panel of kinases. • Mass spectrometry showed 16 binds covalently to the C604 residue of TTK. • Compound 16 significantly inhibited diverse human cancer cells. Threonine tyrosine kinase (TTK) is a critical component of the spindle assembly checkpoint and plays a pivotal role in mitosis. TTK has been identified as a potential therapeutic target for human cancers. Here, we describe our design, synthesis and evaluation of a class of covalent TTK inhibitors, exemplified by 16 (SYL1073). Compound 16 potently inhibits TTK kinase with an IC 50 of 0.016 μM and displays improved selectivity in a panel of kinases. Mass spectrometry analysis reveals that 16 covalently binds to the C604 cysteine residue in the hinge region of the TTK kinase domain. Furthermore, 16 achieves strong potency in inhibiting the growth of various human cancer cell lines, outperforming its relative reversible inhibitor, and eliciting robust downstream effects. Taken together, compound 16 provides a valuable lead compound for further optimization toward the development of drug for treatment of human cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients who underwent knee joint arthroplasty were at risk of venous thromboembolic events (VTEs), however, less studies were conducted to demonstrate the epidemiology and risk factors of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) following unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA). Objective of this study was to explore the incidence and prognostic factors of DVT after UKA. Methods: Patients who underwent primary UKA from December 2018 to June 2022 were recruited in this study. Demographic characteristics, operation related variables and laboratory index were extracted and analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to detect the optimum cut-off value for variables of interest. Univariate and multivariate logistic analysis were performed to identify risk factors of DVT. Results: 351 UKAs with a mean age of 65.4 ± 7.1 years were reviewed. After 12.9 ± 11.2 months follow-up, 35 DVTs were confirmed which indicating an incidence of 9.9%. The results showed that occupation (agricultural laborer) (P = 0.008), disease duration > 8.5 years (P = 0.035), operation time > 169 min (P = 0.003), intraoperative blood loss > 102 ml (P < 0.001), BMI > 26.8 kg/m 2 (P = 0.001), preoperative D-dimer > 0.29 mg/L (P = 0.001), prothrombin time < 10.7 s (P = 0.033) and INR < 0.98 (P = 0.032) between DVT and Non-DVT group were significantly different. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed intraoperative blood loss > 102 ml (OR, 3.707; P, 0.001), BMI > 26.8 kg/m 2 (OR, 4.664; P, 0.004) and D-dimer > 0.29 mg/L (OR, 2.882; P, 0.009) were independent risk factors of DVT after UKA. Conclusion: The incidence of DVT in the present study was 9.9%, extensive intraoperative blood loss, advanced BMI and high level of D-dimer would increase the risk of lower extremity thrombosis by 2–4 times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroxamic acid and fatty acid collectors are commonly used in cassiterite flotation but face issues like poor selectivity, high dosage, and strict requirements on ore composition and grinding fineness. This study investigates the collecting performance of a novel flotation reagent, 5-dodecylsalicylaldoxime (DSA), in cassiterite flotation. DSA exhibits remarkable selectivity, achieving an impressive 82.5% recovery of Sn at a concentration of only 9 × 10−5 mol/L in single mineral flotation tests. Moreover, DSA significantly outperforms benzohydroxamic acid (BHA), enhancing Sn recovery by 33.55% in artificially mixed ore flotation experiments. In the flotation test of a copper–tin polymetallic ore, compared with the BHA flotation effect, the recovery rate of DSA increased by 12.29% when the Sn grade remained basically unchanged. Analyses such as zeta potential, FT-IR, and XPS indicate that DSA's superior collecting performance stems from its stable adsorption onto cassiterite surfaces through a chelating ring formation, resembling the adsorption mechanism of hydroxamic acid collectors. Furthermore, DSA's larger cluster size in the solution compared to BHA contributes to its enhanced selectivity and collectability. Overall, DSA emerges as a promising alternative to traditional cassiterite flotation collectors, offering a combination of enhanced selectivity, lower dosage requirements, and robustness in complex ore systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a self-consistent model for the band structure and optical gain spectrum of GaAs[sub 1-x]Sb[sub x]/GaAs quantum-well (QW) lasers with carrier population. Experimental data indicate that this material system has a type-II QW configuration. By fitting the experimental photoluminescence data from various groups using our proposed empirical model, which assumes that 90% of the band-gap bowing parameter (1.2 eV) appears in the valence band, we find that the unstrained valence band edge discontinuity ratio Q[sub v][sup 0] is close to 0.9 for an arbitrary Sb mole composition x of GaAs[sub 1-x]Sb[sub x]/GaAs QWs and the QW structure becomes type-II when the compressive strain induced band-edge shifts are taken into account. We show that for type-II QWs the self-consistent solution, which solves the Schro¨dinger equation and Poisson equation simultaneously, is necessary. Due to the free-carrier screening effect in the self-consistent potential, the electrons are attracted toward the barrier-well interfaces by the holes in the wells, and, therefore, sufficient gain can be achieved for lasing action with type-II QWs. Our theoretical results are compared with experimental data of laser operation wavelength and modal gain, with reasonable agreement. Our model will be important for modeling of type-II QW lasers and useful for design of GaAsSb/GaAs QW vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. © 2000 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Afforestation is considered one important means of mitigating climate change. However, it is still controversial whether mixed-species plantations (MP) were more conducive to the soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks than monoculture plantations (PP). Methods: We conducted a meta-analysis based on 21 publications to assess the effects of different afforestation modes as well as controlling factors of SOC stocks on the Loess Plateau of China. Results: Compared with monoculture plantations, mixed-species plantations could significantly increase the response size of SOC stocks by 28%. For different species combinations, tree-shrub mixtures were more conducive to increasing the SOC stocks. In climate-limited regions (MAT <8 °C, MAP <500 mm), the response size of SOC stocks of mixed-species plantations was 34% higher than that of monoculture plantations. Furthermore, significant differences were found in the response size of SOC stocks at young (< 10 yr) and mature stages (> 20 yr). Compared with abandoned land, afforestation on cropland, especially mixed-species plantations, could increase the SOC stocks by 10%. Additionally, compared with monoculture plantations, a stronger coupling relationship was observed between the soil total nitrogen (STN) and SOC stocks in mixed-species plantations. Conclusion: Our results suggest that for the Loess Plateau of China, planting mixed-species plantations containing nitrogen-fixing plants is a more effective approach to enhancing the SOC stocks than monoculture plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is one of the most common and severe complications of diabetes, with vascular changes, neuropathy, and infections being the primary pathological mechanisms. Glutamine (Gln) metabolism has been found to play a crucial role in diabetes complications. This study aims to identify and validate potential Gln metabolism biomarkers associated with DFU through bioinformatics and machine learning analysis. Methods: We downloaded two microarray datasets related to DFU patients from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, namely GSE134431, GSE68183, and GSE80178. From the GSE134431 dataset, we obtained differentially expressed Gln-metabolism related genes (deGlnMRGs) between DFU and normal controls. We analyzed the correlation between deGlnMRGs and immune cell infiltration status. We also explored the relationship between GlnMRGs molecular clusters and immune cell infiltration status. Notably, WGCNA to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) within specific clusters. Additionally, we conducted GSVA to annotate enriched genes. Subsequently, we constructed and screened the best machine learning model. Finally, we validated the predictions' accuracy using a nomogram, calibration curves, decision curve analysis (DCA), and the GSE134431, GSE68183, and GSE80178 dataset. Results: In both the DFU and normal control groups, we confirmed the presence of deGlnMRGs and an activated immune response. From the GSE134431 dataset, we obtained 20 deGlnMRGs, including CTPS1, NAGS, SLC7A11, GGT1, GCLM, RIMKLA, ARG2, ASL, ASNS, ASNSD1, PPAT, GLS2, GLUD1, MECP2, ASS1, PRODH, CTPS2, ALDH5A1, DGLUCY, and SLC25A12. Furthermore, two clusters were identified in DFU. Immune infiltration analysis indicated the presence of immune heterogeneity in these two clusters. Additionally, we established a Support Vector Machine (SVM) model based on 5 genes (R3HCC1, ZNF562, MFN1, DRAM1, and PTGDS), which exhibited excellent performance on the external validation datasetGSE134431, GSE68183, and GSE80178 (AUC = 0.929). Conclusion: This study has identified five Gln metabolism genes associated with DFU, revealing potential novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for DFU. Additionally, the infiltration of immune-inflammatory cells plays a crucial role in the progression of DFU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acupuncture therapy is believed to have therapeutic potential for patients suffering from chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). This umbrella review aims to summarize and evaluate the evidence from current systematic reviews/meta-analyses (SRs/MAs) on the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment for CIPN. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search in eight electronic databases for SRs/MAs that included RCTs on acupuncture treatment for CIPN. Two separate researchers independently evaluated the methodological quality, reporting quality, and evidence quality of the SRs/MAs that were included in the study. Additionally, we examined the extent of overlap among the included RCTs by calculating the corrected covered area (CCA). Furthermore, we assessed the dependability of the effect sizes by conducting excess significance tests. We conducted a quantitative synthesis of all RCTs included in the SRs/MAs to obtain objective and updated conclusions. Furthermore, we also conducted an analysis of the acupuncture points used in RCTs. Results: This umbrella review includes 9 SRs/MAs, and their methodological quality, risk of bias, reporting quality, and evidence quality were all deemed unsatisfactory. Out of the 9 SRs/MAs, 28 RCTs were included, with a total CCA of 25.4%, indicating a high degree of overlap. The test of super-significance did not yield any significant results. Our updated meta-analysis suggests that CIPN patients can benefit from acupuncture therapy, as indicated by effectiveness in measures including BPI-SF, VAS, FACT-NTX, NRS, SCV, and NCI-CTCAE. Egger's test and sensitivity analysis demonstrate the reliability and stability of this conclusion. The commonly used acupuncture points in the current RCTs include ST36, LI11, LI4, LR3, and SP6. Conclusion: Based on the existing evidence, acupuncture is effective and safe for patients with CIPN, as it can significantly improve effective rate, pain symptoms, quality of life, and nerve conduction velocity. However, given the low quality of current evidence, we should be cautious in interpreting this conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forests are composed of various plant species, and rhizosphere soil microbes are driven by root exudates. However, the interplay between root exudates, microbial communities in the rhizosphere soil of canopy trees, understory shrubs, grasses, and their responses to nitrogen (N) deposition remains unclear. Pinus tabulaeformis, Rosa xanthina, and Carex lancifolia were used to investigate root exudates, rhizosphere soil microbial communities, and their responses to N application in forest ecosystem. Root exudate abundances of P. tabulaeformis were significantly higher than that of R. xanthina and C. lancifolia, with carbohydrates dominating P. tabulaeformis and R. xanthina root exudates, fatty acids prevailing in C. lancifolia root exudates. Following N application, root exudate abundances of P. tabulaeformis and R. xanthina initially increased before decreasing, whereas those of C. lancifolia decreased. Microbial number of rhizosphere soil of C. lancifolia was higher than that of P. tabulaeformis and R. xanthina, but there was insignificant variation of rhizosphere soil microbial diversity among plant species. N application exerted promotional and inhibitory impacts on bacterial and fungal numbers, respectively, while bacterial and fungal diversities were increased by N application. Overall, N application had negative effects on root exudates of P. tabulaeformis, inhibiting rhizosphere soil microbial populations. N application suppressed rhizosphere soil microbial populations by increasing root exudates of R. xanthina. Conversely, N application elevated nutrient content in the rhizosphere soil of C. lancifolia, reducing root exudates and minimally promoting microbial populations. This study highlights the importance of understory vegetation in shaping soil microbial communities within forests under N deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HTO has proven to be a cost-effective surgical procedure in the treatment of KOA, but few investigations have studied radiological changes and clinical effectiveness of OWHTO in geriatric patients. 76 patients were recruited in this retrospective study. According to the age, patients were divided into two groups (≤ 60, Group "Young"; > 60, Group "Geriatric"). Demographic data, radiological imaging and postoperative complications were analyzed. Kellgren–Lawrence grade (K–L), weight-bearing line ratio (WBLR); posterior tibial slope angle (PTS); American knee score (AKS); Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) and visual analog scale (VAS) were introduced to estimate the clinical outcome of OWHTO. There were 18 male and 58 female patients in the present study with a mean age of 58.5 ± 9.2 years (ranges from 40 to 82 years); the average age was 51.4 ± 4.1 years and 67.3 ± 4.9 years for group Y and G respectively, 44.7% and 31.5% patients were older than 60 and 65 years. BMI for the 76 patients was 26.6 ± 3.2 kg/m2, and geriatric patients were more likely accompanied by one or more comorbidities (70.6 vs. 45.2%). There were 34 and 42 patients in group Geriatric and group Young respectively, and no significant difference of MPTA, WBLR, PTS and WOMAC, VAS, AKS and ROM between the two group (P > 0.05) were found. After more than a two-year follow-up period, postoperative WBLR, AKS, WOMAC and VAS were much more desired than preoperative, and no significant difference of these variables between the young and geriatric group (P > 0.05), however, elderly patients were more likely to suffer from a longer bone union time. OWHTO can avoid geriatric patients from undergoing secondary knee surgery in the short term, however the survival rate of OWHTO in geriatric patients should be ultimately clarified by different studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flotation separation of smithsonite and calcite is difficult due to their similar surface properties. In this study, cupferron was applied as a collector to realize the separation of smithsonite and calcite. Micro-flotation experiment results indicated that smithsonite and calcite express different floatability after treatment with cupferron. The maximum recovery difference was 63%, from a cupferron concentration of 2 × 10−4 mol/L at pH 8. Based on a series of tests, including an adsorption test, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), zeta potential and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), the selective collection mechanism of cupferron was studied. It was found that the cupferron was more easily adsorbed on the surface of smithsonite and the reaction was violent. The adsorption capacity of the cupferron on the surface of smithsonite was higher than that of calcite, and the surface potential shift was greater. The cupferron chelated with the exposed Zn sites on the smithsonite surface to form a N-O-Zn ring structure. This special chelate structure caused the smithsonite surface to be more hydrophobic, which confirmed that the cupferron can selectively collect smithsonite instead of calcite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: High plant diversity is usually linked with high soil microbial diversity, which is hypothesized to be attributed to a high diversity of components in the soil leachate, but experimental evidence is scarce. The aim of this study was to determine if the variation in soil leachate caused by plant diversity could affect the soil microbial community. Methods: A microcosm experiment was conducted to determine the effect of plant diversity on the soil microbial community by measuring soil leachate in a gradient of plant richness from levels 1 (one species) to 3 (three species). Results: Plant richness significantly affected the diversity of soil leachate and microbial communities. The amount and diversity of soil leachate, microbial biomass carbon (C), basal respiration, β-1,4-glucosidase activity, β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase activity, bacterial biomass, fungal biomass, total microorganism biomass, and microbial diversity (Shannon diversity index and evenness) were highest at richness level 3. Changes in the microbial community were best explained by variation in the amount and diversity of leachate. Linear regression and correlation analyses indicated that leachate diversity had a close association with microbial Shannon diversity and evenness, whereas leachate amount had a close association with microbial biomass C, total microbial biomass, bacterial biomass, enzyme activities, and abundance of microbial groups. An ordinary least squares multiple regression and the structural equation model demonstrated that leachate amount had a greater effect on microbial biomass than leachate diversity, which had a greater impact on microbial Shannon diversity and evenness. Conclusions: Our results indicate that plant diversity drives changes in soil microbial communities by altering the amount and diversity of leachate in the soil. The diversity of soil leachate determined the diversity of the microbial community to some extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Rill erosion frequently occurs in agriculturally disturbed dry areas. Despite many research efforts over recent decades, the characteristics of rill erosion and its intrinsic mechanisms remain unclear. The objectives of this study were to investigate the impacts of rill morphology evolution on rill erosion processes. A soil pan (5 m long, 1 m wide, and 0.6 m deep and with an adjustable slope gradient of 0–30°) was subjected to rainfall simulation experiments under three intensities of representative erosive rainfall (66, 94, and 127 mm h−1). The rill morphology evolution exhibited significant nonlinear change regulation and the stronger the rainfall intensity, the clearer the nonlinear feature. The equation between rill morphological characteristics with geomorphological comentropy and bifurcation ratio was generated, which indicated that the contribution rate of geomorphological comentropy to sediment yield was 80%, and the contribution rate of bifurcation ratio was 20%. For the experimental treatments, a soil erosion model was constructed with and without rill development and the coefficient to describe the influence of rill development on slope erosion was obtained. The rill erosion coefficient was embedded into an existing soil erosion model for steep slopes. As a result, when rill erosion occurred on the slope, the contribution of the rill morphology to the rill erosion was fully realized by the model. Verification indicated that the accuracy of the model was significantly improved. In previous studies, the accuracy of slope water erosion prediction model was low because the evolution process of slope topography was not considered. Our results solve the spatial variability problem in the slope erosion prediction model, and improve the simulation accuracy of the soil erosion prediction model on a loess slope. Highlights • A quantitative method for rill morphology is constructed by geomorphological comentropy and bifurcation ratio. • The rill morphology evolution exhibited significant nonlinear change regulation. • The stronger the rainfall intensity the clearer the nonlinear feature of the rill morphology. • The rill erosion coefficient was embedded into an existing soil erosion model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic debris is accumulating in agricultural land due to the increased use of plastic mulches, which is causing serious environmental problems, especially for biochemical and physical properties of the soil. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) plays a central role in driving soil biogeochemistry, but little information is available on the effects of plastic residues, especially microplastic, on soil DOM. We conducted a soil-incubation experiment in a climate-controlled chamber with three levels of microplastic added to loess soil collected from the Loess Plateau in China: 0% (control, CK), 7% (M1) and 28% (M2) (w/w). We analysed the soil contents of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), NH 4 + , NO 3 − , dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP), and PO 4 3− and the activities of fluorescein diacetate hydrolase (FDAse) and phenol oxidase. The higher level of microplastic addition significantly increased the nutrient contents of the DOM solution. The lower level of addition had no significant effect on the DOM solution during the first seven days, but the rate of DOM decomposition decreased in M1 between days 7 and 30, which increased the nutrient contents. The microplastic facilitated the accumulation of high-molecular-weight humic-like material between days 7 and 30. The DOM solutions were mainly comprised of high-molecular-weight humic-like material in CK and M1 and of high-molecular-weight humic-like material and tyrosine-like material in M2. The Microplastic stimulated the activities of both enzymes. Microplastic addition thus stimulated enzymatic activity, activated pools of organic C, N, and P, and was beneficial for the accumulation of dissolved organic C, N and P. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studying plant–soil feedback (PSF) is of great significance to understanding plant community dynamics. Aims: We aimed to determine the temporal variation in PSF at different stages of grassland community succession and the influencing factors. Methods: We conducted a 3‐year experiment to examine how PSF changes during different successional stages (early‐, mid‐ and late‐). Setaria viridis, Stipa bungeana and Bothriochloa ischaemum were selected as representative and dominant early‐, mid‐ and late‐species, respectively, in the semiarid grassland of the Loess Plateau, China. Results: The temporal variation in the PSF pattern was found to be species‐specific. Negative and neutral PSF patterns in early‐ and mid‐species, respectively, were found within the 3‐year growth periods. A positive PSF pattern for late‐species was found in the second growth period, and a negative PSF pattern was found in the third growth period. The shoot biomass of early‐species was overall positively correlated with soil nutrients and enzyme activity in the soil of the three species. However, the shoot biomass of late‐species was overall negatively correlated with soil nutrients and enzyme activity in early‐species soil. Conclusions: We suggest that the negative PSF of early‐species over the growing period explains why the advantage of these early colonizers is temporary. In contrast, the positive PSF of late‐species likely contributes to their successful colonization and the entire community succession process. Our results indicated that PSF plays an important role in the progression of plant community succession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) influence plant nitrogen/phosphorus (N/P) by modifying plant N and P uptake, which further affects plant stoichiometric N/P homeostasis. Plant species and community stoichiometric N/P homeostasis can impact plant species and community stability, respectively, in response to variations of soil N and P availabilities. We investigated interspecific plant interactions via AMF in regard to plant and soil microbial N/P stoichiometry across different soil N and P availabilities induced by N and P addition (0 mg N kg−1, 25 mg N kg−1, 50 mg N kg−1, 30 mg P kg−1 and 100 mg P kg−1). We selected one dominant (Bothriochloa ischaemum; C4 grass) and one subordinate (Lespedeza davurica; legume) species in a natural grassland climax community. We examined how AMF influences stoichiometric N/P homeostasis in monoculture and mixed culture systems, and the resulting consequences for temporal stability of plant species and community in response to variations in soil N and P availability. The AMF mitigated the P limitation of soil microbial communities and decreased the degree of stoichiometric N/P homeostasis of host plants in monoculture. Through their resource‐scavenging and soil organic matter mineralisation functions, AMF enhances plant 'luxury consumption', promoting species stability in monoculture in response to soil N and P availability variations. Compared with plants in monoculture, the interaction between B. ischaemum and L. davurica via AMF increased shoot N/P under soil N‐poor conditions, leading to an enhanced degree of stoichiometric N/P homeostasis in both plant species, especially the legume. Our results suggest that interspecific plant interaction between C4 grass and legume mediated by AMF confers an advantage in complementarity in plant N acquisition under N‐poor conditions, leading to increased stability of plant communities and better maintenance of subordinate species (legume) in response to soil N deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Understanding the accumulation and mineralization of soil organic carbon (SOC) in aggregates under long-term fertilization conditions is of great significance in comprehending the dynamic changes in farmland C pools on the Loess Plateau. Methods: The long-term field experiment has been established for 26 years and includes six fertilization treatments: no fertilization (CK), organic fertilizer (M), organic and nitrogen fertilizers (MN), organic and phosphorus fertilizers (MP), NP and MNP. We determined nutrient content, mineralization characteristics, temperature sensitivity (Q10), and extracellular enzyme activities of soil aggregates (< 0.25 mm, 0.25–1 mm, 1–2 mm, > 2 mm). Results: (1) M, MN, MP, and MNP significantly increased the SOC content of aggregates by 92.58%, 82.84%, 73.55% and 83.23% compared to NP. The SOC in < 0.25 mm aggregates was significantly highest than other particles. (2) Organic fertilizer treatments (M, MN, MP, and MNP) significantly increased the cumulative mineralization of different-sized aggregates by 97.10–178.75% compared to NP. The average mineralization rate and the cumulative mineralization of < 0.25 mm aggregates was the lowest. (3) The mineralization of aggregates is directly and significantly affected by the available soil nutrients and enzyme activities. (4) Fertilization and aggregate size had significant effects on Q10 and the Q10 of MNP was lower than that of M, MP, and MN. Conclusion: < 0.25 mm aggregates had the strongest C sequestration effect. MNP reduced the amount of mineralization by regulating enzyme activities and promoted the accumulation of SOC in farmland on the Loess Plateau by increasing the percentage of < 0.25 mm aggregates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]