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Aiming to diminish the defects caused by high-speed pulsed GMAW (Gas Metal Arc Welding), such as lack of penetration, lack of fusion, humping and undercut, this paper proposes an improved twin-wire GMAW welding process by introducing the impact of additional shielding gas on the molten pool, and the effects of different shielding gas flowrates on the mechanical properties and microstructure of the welded seams were investigated. The purpose of introducing additional shielding gas was to use the airflow hood formed by gas injection to isolate air. The impact force generated by the jet might change the original natural solidification mode of the molten pool, which had the effect of improving weld formation and stirring the pool. The airflow hood formed during the process of the additional shielding gas jet impact welding of the molten pool might extend the protection time for the surface of the welding molten pool. The 2205 duplex stainless steel plate was used as the base material for the butt welding test, and the welded seams were subjected to a tensile test, hardness analysis, and metallographic analysis. The results indicated that as the flowrate of additional shielding gas increased in the range of 8 L/min~16 L/min, the width of the welded seam increased and the height of reinforcement decreased gradually. However, a weld seam with a lower middle region and higher sides would appear when the gas flowrate became excessively large. Under the identical welding current and for welding speeds of 160 cm/min, 180 cm/min and 200 cm/min, respectively, the joint formed under the flowrate of 12 L/min had the highest tensile strength (824.3 MPa) among the test specimens under different flowrates of 8 L/min, 12 L/min and 16 L/min. The test results indicated that the jet impact force was relatively moderate when the flowrate of the additional shielding gas was 12 L/min, and thus was optimal for the welded seam.

In order to explore the feasibility of soil leaching and the remediation of agricultural land polluted by medium (heavy) cadmium (Cd), the soil column was used to simulate in-situ leaching, and the citric acid (CA)+ferric chloride (FeCl

Five new compounds, named gingerol A (

Five monoterpenoid compounds(1-5) were isolated and purified from the acetone fraction of the aqueous extract of Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens by MCI, Sephadex LH-20, silica gel, semi-preparative HPLC, and TLC. Their structures were identified with multiple spectroscopical methods including 1 D-NMR, 2 D-NMR, and MS. The five compounds were identified as(2E,6Z)-8-hydroxy-2,6-dimethylocta-2,6-dien-1-yl-(E)-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl) acrylate(1),(2E,6E)-8-hydroxy-3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-die-noic acid(2),(E)-1,8-dihydroxy-3,7-dimethyl-2-octenoic acid(3), linalyl-β-D-glucopyranoside(4), and β-D-glucopyranoside-(2E)-3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadien-1-yl(5), respectively.Compound 1 was a new monoterpene ester, and compounds 4-5 were isolated from this plant for the first time.

Focusing on agricultural soil enriched in phosphorus and cadmium (total Cd=0.94 mg·kg

Rationale Ginger pulp is the dried rhizome scraped off the skin which originates from Zingiber officinale Rosc., a Zingiberaceae plant. Ginger peel is the dried rhizome skin of Zingiber officinale Rosc. (Zingiberaceae). The present work aims to investigate the different chemical constituents that are related to the medicinal properties of the ginger pulp and ginger peel. Methods A rapid ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC/ESI-QTOF/MS) method was developed for qualitative analysis of the constituents in different polarity extracted fractions of the pulp and peel of ginger rhizomes. Results A total of 83 compounds were identified from the pulp and peel of ginger rhizomes, including 36 diarylheptanoids, 25 gingerols and 22 other compounds. Nine of these were new compounds. In total, 46, 27, 65 and 51 compounds were identified from the crude extract, petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol fractions of the ginger pulp, respectively, and 60, 30, 70 and 62 compounds were identified from the crude extract, petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, n-butanol fractions of the ginger peel, respectively. Each identified compound is marked on the corresponding chromatogram. Conclusions The integrated method is sensitive and reliable for searching the different chemical constituents from different polarity extracted fractions of the ginger pulp and ginger peel. This work may provide a significant contribution to research into the medicinal properties of the ginger pulp and ginger peel.

To explore the effects of biochar on the temperature sensitivity of soil respiration and microbial community structure, the soil was subjected to an indoor culture test under two major treatments which were control (CK) and the addition of 3% (mass ratio) biochar (BC). Each major treatment contained four temperature conditions. We analyzed the changes in soil CO

Using phosphorus and cadmium enriched soil (total Cd is 0.94 mg·kg

To explore the safe utilization of technology in mildly and moderately cadmium (Cd)-contaminated farmland and realize the safe production of agricultural products, two different cadmium-accumulating genotypes of Tsai-tai were used as test crops, using the pot experiment method. The same six treatments were set on the soil where the two test crops were planted:control (CK), addition of 3% (mass fraction) biochar (BC), addition of 0.17% calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizers (CMP), foliar application of 3 mg·L

Four new diarylheptanoid glycosides (1-4), (1S,3R,5S)-2-(4-hydroxy-3- methoxyphenyl)-6-[2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl]-tetrahydropyran-4-ol-4'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (1), (1S,3R,5S)-2-(4,5-dihydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-6-[2-(4-hydroxyphenyl) ethyl]-tetrahydropyran-4-ol-4'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (2), (1S,3R,5S)-2-(4-hydroxy- 3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-6-[2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)ethyl]-tetrahydropyran-4-ol-4'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), and (1R,3R,5R)-2-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)- 6-[2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)ethyl]-tetrahydropyran-4-ol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (4) were isolated from the 50% ethanol extract of Zingiber officinale peel. The structures of the isolated compounds were determined by HR-ESI-MS and extensive spectroscopic techniques (UV, IR, 1D-NMR, and 2D-NMR). Compounds 1-4 significantly increased the survival rate of human normal lung bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at the concentration of 10 μM.

Understanding the effect of biochar on surface albedo and soil CO2 fluxes is a crucial issue in evaluating the impact of biochar on carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas mitigation. In this study, we consider the following research questions: (1) Under bare soil and crop coverage conditions, do different dosages of biochar decrease the surface albedo? (2) How does the application of biochar affect soil CO2 fluxes? (3) What are the influencing factors of surface albedo and soil CO2 fluxes after biochar is applied? We examined the influence of biochar applications on farmland on the surface albedo, soil CO2 flux, soil temperature, soil moisture, and soil organic carbon fractions over a period of 15 months. There are six treatments (CK+, CK−, BC5+, BC5−, BC45+, and BC45−) in this study, and three biochar application rates, which are as follows: 0 t ha−1 year−1 (CK), 5 t ha−1 year−1 (BC5), and 45 t ha−1 year−1 (BC45) of biochar, and each application is rated with two crop coverage conditions, a wheat-maize crop rotation (+) and bare soil (−). We found that in the early stage of crop growth, the surface albedo of BC45+ and BC5+ were decreased significantly compared with the control treatment (P

Macrophages and resident microglia play an import role in the secondary neuroinflammation response following spinal cord injury. Reprogramming of macrophage/microglia polarization is an import strategy for spinal cord injury restoration. Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is a noninvasive treatment that has been widely used in neurotrauma and neurodegenerative diseases. However, the influence of low-level laser on polarization of macrophage/microglia following spinal cord injury remains unknown. The present study applied low-level laser therapy on a crush spinal cord injury rat model. Using immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, RT-qPCR, and western blot assays, we found that low-level laser therapy altered the polarization state to a M2 tendency. A greater number of neurons survived in the pare injury site, which was accompanied by higher BBB scores in the LLLT group. Furthermore, low-level laser therapy elevated expression of interleukin 4 (IL-4) and interleukin 13 (IL-13). Results from this study show that low-level laser therapy has the potential for reducing inflammation, regulating macrophage/microglia polarization, and promoting neuronal survival. These beneficial effects demonstrate that low-level laser therapy may be an effective candidate for clinical treatment of spinal cord injury.

Two recent studies provide intriguing evidence that challenges the role of the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) as a critical mediator of cancer metastasis, while revealing an unexpected role in cancer drug resistance.1,2 While these findings may not settle the EMT's role in metastasis, these studies suggest that targeting the EMT may inhibit both cancer metastasis and chemoresistance.

In order to explore the effect of biochar on the volatilization of ammonia in different surface soils, through the field test method, the responsiveness changes of ammonia volatilization, ammonium nitrogen, and urease were studied under the influence of biochar and crop cultivation. The study set six treatments:CK+, BC0.5+, and BC4.5+ (the biochar applied at 0, 0.5, 4.5 kg·(m

It was aimed to investigate the response to biochar addition on N

Biochar application to soils is currently considered as a means of mitigating climate change by sequestering C, which withdraws CO

Overabundance of phosphorus (P) in soils and water is of great concern and has received much attention in Florida, USA. Therefore, it is essential to analyze and predict the distribution of P in soils across large areas. This study was undertaken to model the variation of soil total phosphorus (TP) in Florida. A total of 448 soil samples were collected from different soil types. Soil samples were analyzed by chemical reference method and scanned in the visible/near-infrared (VNIR) region of 350–2500 nm. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) calibration model was developed between chemical reference values and VNIR values. The coefficient of determination ( R ) and the root mean squares error (RMSE) of calibration and validation sets, and the residual prediction deviation (RPD) were used to evaluate the models. The R in calibration and validation for log-transformed TP (log TP) were 0.69 and 0.65, respectively, indicating that VNIR calibration obtained in this study accounted for at least 65% of the variance in log TP using only VNIR spectra, and the high RPD of 2.82 obtained suggested that the spectral model derived in this study was suitable and robust to predict TP in a wide range of soil types, being representative of Florida soil conditions.

In this paper, aramid fiber surface metallization was investigated by electroless nickel plating technology. Acid nickel plating and alkaline nickel plating of aramid fiber was compared. Through experiment, it was shown that the temperature of alkaline nickel plating was lower compared with acid nickel plating, and resistance of metalized aramid fibers by alkaline nickel plating was 36.8Ω•cm, and the resistance by acid plating was 51.2Ω•cm. The surface morphology of fibers was observed using SEM

The statistical parameters of Taylor bubbles in cryogenic slug flow along glass tube were studied experimentally for various inclination angles θ (0°–60° from the vertical direction) and four tube inner diameters D (14, 18, 25 and 32 mm) by using high speed digital camera. The distributions and mean values of initial formation position, and the length and velocity of Taylor bubbles along the tube at various inclination angles were obtained. Initial position of Taylor bubbles increases as tube inner diameter increases and the effect of tube diameter on Taylor bubble initial position becomes more obvious at θ ≥ 30°. Taylor bubble length shows an allometric decreasing trend with the increasing of tube inner diameter. The influence of inclination angle and axial position on the length and velocity of Taylor bubble in cryogenic slug flow agrees qualitatively with conventional air–water system. The maximum mean velocity of Taylor bubble occurs at 30° ≤ θ ≤ 45° and the minimum mean length of Taylor bubble occurs at 0° ≤ θ ≤ 20°. The Mean length of Taylor bubble increases along the tube for x/D ≤ 60. © 2011 Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering

The Zn content in the human body is tremendously higher than that in the plant. It is vulnerable to Zn nutrition deficiency in the human body. Those who consume less animal products are subject to Zn deficiency and mainly live in the developing regions. The preventive measures against Zn deficiency in the human body, for example, Zn supplements from chemicals and Zn-fortified food, are expensive and often unattainable. We have been working on finding solutions to Zn malnutrition by screening Zn-efficient varieties of crops which can absorb more Zn from Zn-deficient soils and transfer more Zn to the edible part of crops. Pakchoi is a popular vegetable in many parts of the world. The Zn deficiency in the human body could be rectified by consuming Zn-efficient pakchoi cultivars. Rhizosphere is the ‘hotspot’ for plant–soil–microbe interactions, and the rhizospheric interactions play a key role in the micronutrient acquisition. However, little attention has been paid to the rhizosphere effects of different plant genotypes on the expression of nutrient efficiency. The aim of this study was to examine the difference of rhizosphere effect between two pakchoi cultivars with different Zn efficiencies. A Zn-deficient calcareous purple soil was collected from central China. There were two Zn treatments, one with Zn addition (5 mg kg−1 soil) and the other, which acts as a control, with no Zn addition. Two pakchoi cultivars were Wuyueman of Zn-efficient and Heiyoubaicai of Zn-inefficient plants. Ten seeds of each pakchoi cultivar were sown in the rhizobag. The plastic pot was filled with 0.8 kg soil with 37% of the soil in the rhizobag. The seedlings were harvested on day 45 after planting. The rhizosphere and bulk soil samples were analyzed for their physical and chemical properties, microbial biomass, and Zn concentrations. Zn in the plants was also determined. The cultivar Wuyueman demonstrated a much higher depletion rate of available Zn in the rhizosphere than did the cultivar Heiyoubaicai. The available Zn in the rhizosphere of Wuyueman was lower in the rhizosphere soil (0.47 mg kg−1) compared with that in the bulk soil (1.08 mg·kg−1), and the depletion rate of available Zn was 56.5% under Zn deficiency. This was closely associated with the capacity of cultivar Wuyueman to take up more Zn from the soil, especially under Zn-limiting conditions. The rhizosphere pH of pakchoi cultivars was lower than that in the bulk soil, while the microbial biomass carbon in the rhizosphere was significantly higher than that in the bulk soil. Under Zn-deficient conditions, the rhizosphere pH of the cultivar Wuyueman was lower but the microbial biomass carbon was higher than those of the cultivar Heiyoubaicai. Soil-available Zn was substantially depleted in the rhizosphere of two pakchoi cultivars, with the greater depletion rate being found in the cultivar Wuyueman rather than in the cultivar Heiyoubaicai, especially under Zn-deficient conditions. This was related to the mobilization of Zn induced by the plants with different Zn efficiencies and, thus, Zn bioavailability in the rhizosphere. The pH decrease and the increase of microbial biomass carbon in the rhizosphere of the cultivar Wuyueman might have contributed to the translocation of Zn in its rhizosphere, which allows Zn to be absorbed more easily by Wuyueman than by Heiyoubaicai. This suggests that root-induced changes in the rhizosphere of pakchoi have a certain effect on the expression of zinc efficiency. Root-induced changes mobilized Zn in the rhizosphere of two pakchoi cultivars and increased its bioavailability. The rate of Zn mobilization was higher in the rhizosphere of the Zn-efficient cultivar than that of the Zn-inefficient cultivar at low Zn levels. Root-induced changes in the rhizosphere are important factors for the nutrient dynamics and, thus, also for the mineral nutrition of plants. Soil conditions near the roots are different from those in the bulk soil. Many results have shown that these differences depend on soil properties, fertilizer application, plant species, and other factors. Further research should focus on the environmental effects of the rhizosphere on nutrient availability.

Neuropathic pain is considered as one of the most difficult types of pain to manage with conventional analgesics. EGb-761 is extracted from leaves of Ginkgo biloba and has analgesia and anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to examine the effect of EGb-761 on chronic constriction injury (CCI)-induced neuropathic pain behaviors, including thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia, and to explore the possible mechanisms underlying this action. To this end, CCI mice were intraperitoneally injected with EGb-761 (10, 20, 40, and 80 mg/kg), and thermal hyperalgesia, mechanical allodynia, cytokines, and mu-opioid receptor expression were measured. Results showed that EGb-761 attenuated thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia dose-dependently and the best delivery time window was from day 7 to day 14 after CCI. Additionally, EGb-761 treatment significantly decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines and enhanced mu opioid receptor (MOR) expression in the sciatic nerve. Moreover, the opioid antagonist naloxone prevented the effect of EGb-761 on thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia but did not influence the effect of EGb-761 on inflammatory cytokines. In conclusion, this study suggests that the potential of EGb-761 as a new analgesic for neuropathic pain treatment, and opioid system may be involved in the EGb-761-induced attenuation of thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia. Copyright © 2016 John WileySons, Ltd.

In order to investigate the stability of biochar and the effect of biochar when added into soil on soil organic carbon, a 130-day incubation experiment was conducted with rice straw biochar produced at 500 degrees C and 700 degrees C (RBC500 and RBC700) and with addition rates of 0% (control), 3%, 6% and 100% (pure biochar), to detect the change of total organic carbon (TOC), easily oxidized carbon (EOC) and status of CO2 release, following addition of biochar in arable soil. Results showed that: the content of both TOC and EOC in soil increased with biochar addition rates comparing with the control. RBC500 had greater contributions to both TOC and EOC increasing amounts than those of RBC700 under the same biochar addition rate. TOC contents of all treatments decreased during the initial 30 days with the largest decreasing amplitude of 15.8%, and tended to be stable in late incubation stages. Same to that of TOC, EOC contents of all treatments also tended to remain stable after 30 days, but in the 30 days of early incubation, EOC in the soil decreased by 72.4% and 81.7% respectively when the added amount of RBC500 was 3% and 6% , while it was reduced by 61.3% and 69.8% respectively when the added amount of RBC700 was 3% and 6%. EOC contents of soil added with biochar produced at the same temperature were similar in the end of incubation. The reduction of soil EOC content in early incubation may be related to mineralization caused by labile fractions of biochar. During the 130-day incubation, the accumulated CO2 releases showed an order of soil and biochar mixturesthe controlpure biochars. Biochar amendment in soil could reduce CO2 release, the largest reduction amplitude is 41.05%. In a long time scale, biochar as a soil amendment is favorable to the deduction of greenhouse gas release and soil carbon immobilization. Biochar could be used as a soil carbon sequestration carrier.

Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) is an important surgical option for the treatment of back pain and radiculopathy. The minimally invasive TLIF (MI-TLIF) technique is increasingly used to achieve neural element decompression, restoration of segmental alignment and lordosis, and bony fusion. This article reviews the surgical technique, outcomes, and complications in a series of 144 consecutive 1- and 2-level MI-TLIFs in comparison with an institutional control group of 54 open traditional TLIF procedures with a mean of 46 months' follow-up. The evidence base suggests that MI-TLIF can be performed safely with excellent long-term outcomes.

Minimally invasive posterior cervical instrumentation and fusion may be accomplished with recent advances in access portals as well as in the cervical instrumentation designed specifically for these techniques. These techniques are challenging and require detailed appreciation of the local anatomy as well as fluoroscopic landmarks. In small case series technical feasibility and good clinical outcomes have been shown in the hands of experienced surgeons.

Objective To investigate the efficient method which can culture and induce embryonic stem cells to neurocyte in vitro. Methods Isolate the blastula of 3.5 d from BALB/c species mouse. Culture the cells from inner cell mass (ICM) which were isolated by mechanical method on the mouse embryonic fibroblaste cell (MEF) feeder layer or 0.1% gelatin coated dishes. The stem cells were identified by characterized morphology, alkaline phosphatase stain, differential potency in vivo and immunochemistry stain. The isolated cells were differentiated by serial induction method that mimicking the intrinsic developmental process of the neural system. Results The isolated cells were positive for alkaline phosphatatse and SSEA-1 (stage specific embryonic antigen 1). Moreover they were identified pluripotent by differentiation in vivo. Therefore the isolated cells presented the characters of ESCs. Then the isolated cells were able to differentiate into neurocytes in vitro. Conclusion Mouse embryonic stem cells isolation, culture and differentiation system has been established.