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The properties of nanopipettes largely rely on the materials introduced onto their inner walls, which allow for a vast extension of their sensing capabilities. The challenge of simultaneously enhancing the sensitivity and selectivity of nanopipettes for pH sensing remains, hindering their practical applications. Herein, we report insulin-modified nanopipettes with excellent pH response performances, which were prepared by introducing insulin onto their inner walls via a two-step reaction involving silanization and amidation. The pH response intensity based on ion current rectification was significantly enhanced by approximately 4.29 times when utilizing insulin-modified nanopipettes compared with bare ones, demonstrating a linear response within the pH range of 2.50 to 7.80. In addition, insulin-modified nanopipettes featured good reversibility and selectivity. The modification processes were monitored using the I-V curves, and the relevant mechanisms were discussed. The effects of solution pH and insulin concentration on the modification results were investigated to achieve optimal insulin introduction. This study showed that the pH response behavior of nanopipettes can be greatly improved by introducing versatile molecules onto the inner walls, thereby contributing to the development and utilization of pH-responsive nanopipettes.

Sinojackia Hu represents the first woody genus described by Chinese botanists, with all species classified as endangered ornamental plants endemic to China. Their characteristic spindle-shaped fruits confer high ornamental value to the plants, making them favored in gardens and parks. Nevertheless, the fruits likely pose a germination obstacle, contributing to the endangered status of this lineage. Here we report the chromosome-scale genome of S. xylocarpa , and explore the mechanisms underlying its endangered status, as well as its population dynamics throughout evolution. Population genomic analysis has indicated that S. xylocarpa experienced a bottleneck effect following the recent glacial period, leading to a continuous population reduction. Examination of the pericarp composition across six stages of fruit development revealed a consistent increase in the accumulation of lignin and fiber content, responsible for the sturdiness of mature fruits' pericarps. At molecular level, enhanced gene expression in the biosynthesis of lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose was detected in pericarps. Therefore, we conclude that the highly lignified and fibrotic pericarps of S. xylocarpa , which inhibit its seed germination, should be its threatening mechanism, thus proposing corresponding strategies for improved conservation and restoration. This study serves as a seminal contribution to conservation biology, offering valuable insights for the study of other endangered ornamental plants., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nanjing Agricultural University.)

Objective: This study aimed to assess the relationship between the body composition of children aged 3-5 years and breastfeeding status and duration., Methods: The study was conducted using data from the National Nutrition and Health Systematic Survey for children 0-17 years of age in China (CNHSC), a nationwide cross-sectional study. Breastfeeding information and potential confounders were collected using standardized questionnaires administered through face-to-face interviews. The body composition of preschool children was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis. A multivariate linear regression model was used to assess the relationship between breastfeeding duration and body composition after adjusting for potential confounders., Results: In total, 2,008 participants were included in the study. Of these, 89.2% were ever breastfed and the median duration of breastfeeding was 12 months (IQR 7-15 months). Among children aged 3 years, the height-for-age Z -score (HAZ) for the ever breastfed group was lower than that for never breastfed group (0.12 vs . 0.42, P = 0.043). In addition, the weight-for-age Z -score (WAZ) of the ever breastfed group was lower than that of the never breastfed group (0.31 vs . 0.65, P = 0.026), and the WAZ was lower in children aged 4 years who breastfed between 12 and 23 months than in those who never breastfed. Compared to the formula-fed children, the fat-free mass of breastfed infants was higher for children aged 3 years (12.84 kg vs . 12.52 kg, P = 0.015) and lower for those aged 4 years (14.31 kg vs . 14.64 kg, P = 0.048), but no difference was detected for children aged 5 years (16.40 kg vs . 16.42 kg, P = 0.910) after adjusting for potential confounders. No significant difference was detected in the weight-for-height Z -score (WHZ), body mass index (BMI)-for-age Z -score (BAZ), fat-free mass index, and body fat indicators in the ever breastfed and never breastfed groups and among various breastfeeding duration groups for children aged 3-5 years., Conclusion: No obvious associations were detected between breastfeeding duration, BMI, and fat mass indicators. Future prospective studies should explore the relationship between breastfeeding status and fat-free mass., (Copyright © 2023 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the influence of genetic susceptibility genes for myeloid tumors on the clinical characteristics of patients with myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN)., Methods: Two hundred and thirty-two patients with MPN diagnosed at the Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University from September 2017 to December 2021 were collected, myeloid neoplasm-related genes were detected by targeted next-generation sequencing, and germline mutations were verified. The clinical characteristics and prognosis of MPN patients with germlines mutations in the genetic susceptibility gene for myeloid neoplasm were analyzed., Results: The germline mutation carrier rate of myeloid neoplasm genetic susceptibility gene in MPN patients was 21.6% (50/232), and the PV, ET and PMF patients carrying germline mutations of genetic susceptibility gene for myeloid neoplasm were 25/114 (21.9%), 8/69 (11.6%) and 17/49 (34.7%), respectively, among which PMF patients had the highest carrier rate ( P =0.01) and were older ( P =0.02). The incidence of chromosomal abnormalities in MPN patients carrying the genetic susceptibitity genes for myeloid neoplasm was higher than that in the non-carrier group (26.5% vs 11.8%, P =0.05). Germline mutations in the genetic susceptibility gene of myeloid neoplasm in MPN patients were mainly concentrated in the RAS pathway, and patients with germline mutations in the genetic susceptibility gene of myeloid neoplasm associated with the RAS pathway had shorter survival without AML progression ( P <0.0001). The overall survival time in MPN patients with CBL and TP53 germline mutations was shorter than that of non-carrier group ( P =0.001; P =0.043)., Conclusion: In MPN, PMF patients are more likely to carry germline mutations in the genetic susceptibility gene for myeloid neoplasm. MPN patients with germline mutations carring the genetic susceptibility gene for myeloid neoplasm are prone to chromosomal abnormalities; Patients with MPN who have germline mutations in the genetic susceptibility gene for myeloid neoplasm in the RAS pathway are more likely to develop AML; CBL and TP53 germline mutations affect the overall survival of MPN patients.

Rhizobia are soil-dwelling bacteria that can form N 2 -fixing symbioses with legume plant species (Fabaceae). These bacteria are globally distributed; however, few studies have examined the genomics of rhizobia that live in cold environments. Here, we isolated and characterized three rhizobial strains from legume nodules collected at a pair of distant low Arctic tundra and boreal forest sites in northern Canada. Phylogenetic and average nucleotide identity measurements suggested that the three strains are members of the genus Mesorhizobium , and that each strain represents a novel genospecies. Intriguingly, whereas most mesorhizobia contain the classical determinants of nodulation and nitrogen fixation on their chromosome, whole genome sequencing revealed that all three strains carry these genes on large symbiotic megaplasmids of ∼750 to ∼1000 kb. Phylogenetic and sequence analyses of the common nodulation genes revealed highly conserved alleles amongst these northern mesorhizobia, leading us to propose that they belong to a novel symbiovar that we termed symbiovar oxytropis. Interestingly, these nod gene alleles are uncommon in mesorhizobia isolated from similar plant hosts in other climatic regions, suggesting potential functional adaptive differences.

The Ilex L. (hollies) genus of Aquifoliaceae shows high species diversity in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and South America. Throughout the range of the genus, Ilex species have been widely used in beverage and medicine production and as ornamentals. Here, we assembled a high-quality, chromosome-level genome of Ilex latifolia , which has extremely high economic value because of its useful secondary metabolite production and the high ornamental value of its decorative red berries. The 99.8% genome sequence was anchored to 20 pseudochromosomes, with a total length of 766.02 Mb and a scaffold N50 of 33.45 Mb. Based on the comparative genomic analysis of 14 angiosperm species, we recovered I. latifolia as the sister group to all other campanulids. Two whole-genome duplication (WGD) events were identified in hollies: one shared ancient WGD in the ancestor of all eudicots and a recent and independent WGD in hollies. We performed a genome-wide search to screen candidate genes involved in the biosynthesis of pentacyclic triterpenoid saponins in I. latifolia . Three subfamilies of CYP450 (CYP71A, CYP72A, and CYP716A) appear to have expanded. The transcriptomic analysis of I. latifolia leaves at five developmental stages revealed that two CYP716A genes and one CYP72A gene probably play important roles in this biosynthetic pathway. In addition, we totally identified 12 genes in the biosynthesis pathways of pelargonidin and cyanidin and observed their differential expression in green and red fruit pericarps, suggesting an association between pelargonidin and cyanidin biosynthesis and fruit pericarp color change. The accumulation of pelargonidin and cyanidin is expected to play an important role in the ornamental value of I. latifolia . Altogether, this study elucidated the molecular basis of the medicinal and ornamental value of I. latifolia , providing a data basis and promising clues for further applications., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Xu, Wei, Lin, Zhang, Zhang, Zhou, Fang, Xue and Duan.)

A new spikemoss species, Selaginellawuyishanensis , is described and illustrated based on materials collected from Fujian Province, East China. The new species can be distinguished from S.lutchuensis Koidzumi and S.albociliata P. S. Wang by its leaves with extremely long cilia (up to 8 mm) and distinctly white margins, ovate ventral sporophylls, and sporophyll-pteryx completely inverted on dorsal sporophylls. In the present work, a molecular phylogeny, taxonomic description, distribution information, line drawing, and photographs of this new species are presented. A morphological comparison is also given to distinguish it from morphologically similar species in Selaginellasect.Tetragonostachyae (Hook. & Grev.) Hieron. & Sadeb., (Ke-Wang Xu, Shui-Fei Chen, Qiang Song, Xiao Zheng, Meng Li, Yan-Ming Fang, Hong-Jin Wei, Hui Ding, Xin-Mao Zhou, Yi-Fan Duan.)

Osmanthus fragrans (scientific name: Osmanthus fragrans (Thunb.) Lour.) is a species of the Osmanthus genus in the family Oleaceae, and it has a long history of cultivation in China. O. fragrans is edible and is well known for conferring a natural fragrance to desserts. This flowering plant has long been cultivated for ornamental purposes. Most contemporary literature related to O. fragrans focuses on its edible value and new species discovery, but the functional use of O. fragrans is often neglected. O, fragrans has many properties that are beneficial to human health, and its roots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruits have medicinal value. These characteristics are recorded in the classics of traditional Chinese medicine. Studies on the metabolites and medicinal value of O. fragrans published in recent years were used in this study to evaluate the medicinal value of O. fragrans . Using keywords such as metabolites and Osmanthus fragrans , a systematic and nonexhaustive search of articles, papers and books related to the medicinal use of Osmanthus fragrans metabolites was conducted. Fifteen metabolites were identified through this literature search and classified into three categories according to their properties and structure: flavonoids, terpenes and phenolic acids. It was found that the pharmacological activities of these secondary metabolites mainly include antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities and that these metabolites can be used to treat many human diseases, such as cancer, skin diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and neurological diseases. Most of the reports that are currently available and concern the secondary metabolites of Osmanthus fragrans have limitations. Some reports introduce only the general classification of compounds in Osmanthus fragrans , and some reports introduce only a single compound. In contrast, the introduction section of this paper includes both the category and the functional value of each compound. While reviewing the data for this study, the authors found that the specific action sites of these compounds and their mechanisms of action in plants are relatively weak, and in the future, additional research should be conducted to investigate this topic further., Competing Interests: Author KH-L was employed by RCI Research Institute Limited. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Fu, Xu, Qian, Koo, Duan, Weng, Fan, Chen and Zhu.)

Background: The fragrant flower plant Osmanthus fragrans has an extremely rare androdioecious breeding system displaying the occurrence of males and hermaphrodites in a single population, which occupies a crucial intermediate stage in the evolutionary transition between hermaphroditism and dioecy. However, the molecular mechanism of androdioecy plant is very limited and still largely unknown., Results: Here, we used SWATH-MS-based quantitative approach to study the proteome changes between male and hermaphroditic O. fragrans pistils. A total of 428 proteins of diverse functions were determined to show significant abundance changes including 210 up-regulated and 218 down-regulated proteins in male compared to hermaphroditic pistils. Functional categorization revealed that the differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) primarily distributed in the carbohydrate metabolism, secondary metabolism as well as signaling cascades. Further experimental analysis showed the substantial carbohydrates accumulation associated with promoted net photosynthetic rate and water use efficiency were observed in purplish red pedicel of hermaphroditic flower compared with green pedicel of male flower, implicating glucose metabolism serves as nutritional modulator for the differentiation of male and hermaphroditic flower. Meanwhile, the entire upregulation of secondary metabolism including flavonoids, isoprenoids and lignins seem to protect and maintain the male function in male flowers, well explaining important feature of androdioecy that aborted pistil of a male flower still has a male function. Furthermore, nine selected DEPs were validated via gene expression analysis, suggesting an extra layer of post-transcriptional regulation occurs during O. fragrans floral development., Conclusion: Taken together, our findings represent the first SWATH-MS-based proteomic report in androdioecy plant O. fragrans, which reveal carbohydrate metabolism, secondary metabolism and post-transcriptional regulation contributing to the androdioecy breeding system and ultimately extend our understanding on genetic basis as well as the industrialization development of O. fragrans., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Keteleeria davidiana (Bertrand) Beissner 1891 (Pinaceae) is a rare tertiary relict plant endemic to China. However, since the main morphological characteristics used for identifying K. davidiana are variable, some taxonomic treatments within the species are still controversial. Here a complete chloroplast genome of K. davidiana representing a special genotype was assembled, which could provide more information for the taxonomic study of this species. The assembled genome was 117,642 bp in length with a large single-copy (LSC) region (74,825 bp), a small single-copy (SSC) region (40,247 bp), and two incomplete inverted repeats (IRs) regions (1285 bp each). In total, 118 genes were predicted, including 4 rRNA s, 34 tRNA s, and 80 protein-coding genes. The overall GC content of the assembled genome was 38.5%. Phylogenetic analysis showed that different accessions of K. davidiana formed a clade with relatively low support (bootstrap value = 71), which indicated a high level of sequences variation within the species., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors., (© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)

Gardenia jasminoides Ellis is a traditional aromatic and medicinal plant in China. Here, the complete chloroplast genome of a wild-type gardenia adapted to island climate was assembled. The assembled genome was 155,247 bp in length, with four typical regions, i.e., a large single-copy (LSC) region (85,414 bp), a small single-copy (SSC) region (18,235 bp) and two inverted repeats (IRs) regions (25,799 bp each). In total, 138 genes were predicted, including 90 protein-coding genes, 40 tRNA genes and eight rRNA genes. The overall GC content of the chloroplast genome was 37.5%. The chloroplast genome would provide more information for the phylogeography and phylogeny study of G. jasminoides ., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s)., (© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)

Cerasus serrulata is a flowering cherry germplasm resource for ornamental purposes. In this work, we present a de novo chromosome-scale genome assembly of C. serrulata by the use of Nanopore and Hi-C sequencing technologies. The assembled C. serrulata genome is 265.40 Mb across 304 contigs and 67 scaffolds, with a contig N50 of 1.56 Mb and a scaffold N50 of 31.12 Mb. It contains 29,094 coding genes, 27,611 (94.90%) of which are annotated in at least one functional database. Synteny analysis indicated that C. serrulata and C. avium have 333 syntenic blocks composed of 14,072 genes. Blocks on chromosome 01 of C. serrulata are distributed on all chromosomes of C. avium , implying that chromosome 01 is the most ancient or active of the chromosomes. The comparative genomic analysis confirmed that C. serrulata has 740 expanded gene families, 1031 contracted gene families, and 228 rapidly evolving gene families. By the use of 656 single-copy orthologs, a phylogenetic tree composed of 10 species was constructed. The present C. serrulata species diverged from Prunus yedoensis ~17.34 million years ago (Mya), while the divergence of C. serrulata and C. avium was estimated to have occurred ∼21.44 Mya. In addition, a total of 148 MADS-box family gene members were identified in C. serrulata , accompanying the loss of the AGL32 subfamily and the expansion of the SVP subfamily. The MYB and WRKY gene families comprising 372 and 66 genes could be divided into seven and eight subfamilies in C. serrulata , respectively, based on clustering analysis. Nine hundred forty-one plant disease-resistance genes (R-genes) were detected by searching C. serrulata within the PRGdb. This research provides high-quality genomic information about C. serrulata as well as insights into the evolutionary history of Cerasus species., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© The Author(s) 2020.)

Cerasus serrulata (Rosaceae) is an important flowering cherry resource which is valuable for developing new cultivars of flowering cherries. It is broadly distributed and possesses abundant variations. In this study, phylogeographic analysis was conducted to reveal the evolutionary history to better understand the genetic diversity and genetic structure of C. serrulata so as to provide more accurate molecular insights into better conservation and utilization of the germplasm resources. A total of 327 individuals from 18 wild populations were collected. Three chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) fragments (matK, trnD-E, and trnS-G) and the nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS) were utilized. The results showed a high genetic diversity at both species level and population level of C. serrulata . High genetic differentiation and the existence of the phylogeographic structure were detected. No significant expansion events were discovered. Two geographic lineages were inferred. One was confined to the Qinling Mountains and the Taihang Mountains. The other was from the Wuling Mountains to the Jiangnan Hilly Regions and then went northeast to the coast of Asia. In addition, some taxonomic treatments of the C. serrulata complex are discussed and reconsidered. Conservation and utilization strategies of wild C. serrulata germplasm resources were recommended., Competing Interests: None declared., (© 2020 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Tectaria (Tectariaceae) is one of the most confusing fern genera in terms of its circumscription and phylogeny. Since its original description, a number of genera had been moved into or related with this genus, while others had been segregated from it. Tectaria is also among the largest fern genera, comprising 150-210 mostly tropical species. Previous molecular studies have been far from comprehensive (sampling no more than 76 accessions from 52 species), limited in geographic scope (mainly restricted to Asia), and based exclusively on plastid markers. In the present study, DNA sequences of eight plastid and one nuclear marker of 360 accessions representing ca. 130 species of Tectaria, ca. 36 species of six non-Tectaria genera in Tectariaceae, 12 species of Davalliaceae, Oleandraceae, and Polypodiaceae, and 13 species of Lomariopsidaceae were used to infer a phylogeny with maximum likelihood, Bayesian inference, and maximum parsimony approaches. Our major results include: (1) the most recently proposed circumscription of Tectaria is strongly supported as monophyletic; (2) the genera Lenda, Microbrochis, Phlebiogonium, and Sagenia, sampled here for the first time, are resolved as part of Tectaria; (3) four superclades representing early splits in Tectaria are identified, with the Old World species being sister to the New World species; (4) 12 well-supported major clades in Tectaria are revealed, differing from one another in molecular, morphological, and geographical features; (5) evolution of 13 morphological characters is inferred in a phylogenetic context and morphological synapomorphies of various clades are identified; and in particular (6) free venation in Tectaria is inferred to be repeatedly derived from anastomosing venation, an evolutionary phenomenon not documented previously in vascular plants in a phylogenetic context based on both plastid and nuclear evidence., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The diverse and pantropical genus Ctenitis, in the Dryopteridaceae, has been largely ignored in phylogenetic studies until now. In this study, we fill in this gap by reconstructing the first comprehensive phylogeny of the genus including 53 species currently recognized in the genus Ctenitis, among which seven species formerly were assigned to the genus Pseudotectaria and one to Heterogonium. Special emphasis was given to the sampling of species occurring in the African-Indian Ocean region. The presented results include reconstruction of a biogeographic scenario based on estimated divergence times and ancestral area reconstruction. Our findings confirm the inclusion, within Ctenitis, of the Indian Ocean species formerly placed in Pseudotectaria and Heterogonium. The crown group divergence was estimated to date back to the Oligocene or Early Miocene. The biogeographical scenario indicates an initial divergence of the Asian-Pacific ranges and the neotropical ranges, and a subsequent colonization of the Afro-Madagascan region by a lineage with neotropical ancestors. The Afro-Madagascan lineage splits into a lineage endemic to the Mascarene islands and a lineage occurring in Madagascar, the Comoros and Africa. The range expansion towards Africa and Madagascar was estimated to date back to the late Miocene, whereas the estimated ages for the onset of the diversification of the Mascarene diversity is consistent with the ages of these young, volcanic islands. The absence of any extant species of Ctenitis with a multi-continental distribution range and the rarity of inter-island dispersal and speciation in the Indian Ocean region suggest a limited contribution of long distance dispersal to the biogeographical history of this fern genus, versus a high contribution of local speciation., (Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

We took Xuchang section of Qingyihe River Basin as study object to explore biodiversity in Qingyihe River. On the basis of field survey and in-laboratory analysis, community characteristics of aquatic macrophytes, riparian zone plants and macrobenthos, with environmental characteristics of water and surface sediment were investigated. Results showed that a total of 12 species of aquatic macrophytes, 66 species of riparian zone plants, and 10 species of macrobenthos were found. The communities varied sharply with the changes in the environmental factors, such as NH 4 + -N, TN, TP in the water and oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), TP, Cd, Hg, Zn in the surface sediment. The CCA ordination results indicated that COD, temperature, pH, DO, TP in the water were key factors influencing aquatic macrophytes, while ORP, pH in the water and Ni, Hg, TOC, Pb, Cd in the surface sediment were key factors for riparian zone plants. pH, temperature, ORP, As, Pb, Ni in the surface sediment and temperature in the water were the key factors influencing community characteristic of macrobenthos. In Qingyihe River basin of Xuchang section, the water had been polluted and the biodiversity of communities was low, so it is urgent to treat wastewater along the river as well as protect and recover communities.

Microbial contamination in karst groundwater continually increases and tracing the source researches has become a hot topic for international researchers. In this study, Laolongdong underground river at Nanshan, Chongqing was chosen as an example to adopt filter membrane methods to monitor the fecal microbial contaminations including the total bacterial concentration (TB), the total E. coli concentration (TE), the total fecal coliform (FC) and the total fecal Streptocoocci (FS). Bacteriodes was used as an indicator and PCR-DGGE analysis was used to trace fecal contamination sources in karst groundwater. The results suggested that groundwater in this area was seriously polluted by microbes from feces. The concentrations of microbial parameters exceeded limited levels greatly and the total bacterial amounts ranged 10-2.9 x 10⁷ CFU · mL⁻¹, the concentrations of E. coli were between 4.3-4.0 x 10⁵ CFU · mL⁻¹, the max concentration of FC was 1.1 x 10⁶ CFU · (100 mL)⁻¹ and the max concentration of FS was 1.1 x 10⁵ CFU · (100 mL)⁻¹. The FC/FS ratios were mostly over 2 which suggested that the main fecal source in groundwater was human feces. In addition, PCR-DGGE contrastive analysis of Bacteroides communities showed that the similarities between groundwater samples and human feces were in range of 7. 1% -69. 1% , and the similarity of the groundwater sample from Laolongdong underground river outlet was 69.1% . Bacteroides community similarities between groundwater samples and swine feces were in range of 1.1%-53.4%, and the similarity of Laolongdong underground river outlet was merely 1.5%. The similarity data implied that groundwater contamination resulted mainly from human feces, swine feces contamination composed part of animals' fecal contamination, and other animals' feces participated too. Furthermore, sequencing results of PCR-DGGE products revealed that most Bacteroides in groundwater originated from human intestinal tract and human feces.

To analyze the influencing factors of karstification and karst carbon cycle, a simulation experiment was carried out and 6 soil columns were designed. The results showed that the content of H2O4, hydrodynamic condition and thickness of the soil had important influence on karstification and karst carbon cycle. For the soil columns which were covered by the same thickness of soil, the concentrations of Ca2+ + Mg2+ and SO4(2-) followed the order of B20-2 > B20-1 > B20-3, B50-2 > B50-1 > B50-3. This meant that input of H2SO4 enhanced the karstification and increasing infiltration water had significant dilution effect on the chemical properties. For the soil columns with different thickness of soil but with the same slag pile and hydrodynamic conditions, the concentrations of Ca2+ + Mg2+ and SO4(2-) followed the order of B50-1 > B20-1, B50-2 > B20-2, B50-3 > B20-3. It was demonstrated that more carbonate rock was dissolved under the thick soil columns. In addition, the net consumption of CO2 mainly depended on the content of H2SO4 in this experiment due to slight contribution of H2CO3 to carbonate rock dissolution. More content of H2SO4 brought about less net consumption of C02, but B50-2 was an exception. Organic matter and other nutrients might be input into deep soil with the slag pile, and they promoted the production of soil C)2. Therefore, more CO2 was consumed due to the increased contribution of H2CO to karstification.

Background: KRAS mutation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer. However, the role of wild-type KRAS in the progression of pancreatic cancer remains unknown. The present study was to investigate the expression of the Ras GTPase activating protein (DAB2IP) in pancreatic cancer and its clinical significance., Methods: The expression of DAB2IP in pancreatic cancer cell lines and normal human pancreatic ductal epithelial cells was analyzed by Western blotting and real-time quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR). The KRAS mutational types of pancreatic cancer tissues obtained from pancreatic cancer patients (n=20) were also analyzed. Subsequently, DAB2IP expression was detected in pancreatic cancer tissues, adjacent and normal pancreatic tissues (n=2) by immunohistochemistry, and the relationship between DAB2IP expression and the clinical characteristics of patients was evaluated., Results: Western blotting and qRT-PCR results showed that DAB2IP expression in pancreatic cancer cells with wild-type KRAS was lower than that in those with mutation-type KRAS and normal human pancreatic ductal epithelial cells (P<0.05). Immunohistochemistry showed that DAB2IP expression was lower in pancreatic cancer tissues than that in adjacent and normal pancreatic tissues (Z=-4.000, P=0.000). DAB2IP expression was lower in pancreatic cancer patients with the wild-type KRAS gene than that in those with KRAS mutations (WilcoxonW=35.000, P=0.042). Furthermore, DAB2IP expression in patients with perineurial invasion was lower than that in those without invasion (WilcoxonW=71.500, P=0.028). DAB2IP expression was lower in patients with more advanced stage than that in those with early clinical stage (WilcoxonW=54.000, P=0.002)., Conclusions: DAB2IP expression was reduced in patients with pancreatic cancer compared with those with no cancer. DAB2IP expression was correlated with the KRAS gene, perineurial invasion and clinical stage of the disease. Our data indicated that DAP2IP expression can be used as a potential prognostic indicator and a promising molecular target for therapeutic intervention in patients with pancreatic cancer.

Objective: To study the association between vitamin D status and bone mineral density(BMD) in urban postmenopausal women in Beijing., Methods: A total of 400 community-dwelling women older than 60 (median age 67.8 years) were selected randomly from 17 community of 3 districts in Beijing by cluster sampling method from May to July, 2008. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay, using the DiaSorin kit, America. The objects were assigned into four groups: vitamin D deficient group (group A, 25(OH)D < 25 nmol/L), insufficient group(group B, 25 nmol/L < 25(OH)D < or = 50 nmol/L), normal group (group C, 50 nmol/L < 25(OH)D < or = 75 nmol/L) and enough group (group D, 25(OH)D > 75 nmol/L). The BMD at total, lumbar spine (L(2-4)) and proximal femur were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA)., Results: The mean concentration of serum 25(OH)D concentration was (36.0 +/- 14.6) nmol/L, BMD at total and proximal femur were respectively (0.829 +/- 0.090) and (0.679 +/- 0.106) g/cm(2). The mean BMD at total of group A, B, C + D were respectively (0.811 +/- 0.077), (0.825 +/- 0.088) and (0.864 +/- 0.112) g/cm(2)(F = 16.93, P < 0.01), and BMD at proximal femur of group A, B, C + D were respectively (0.666 +/- 0.107), (0.673 +/- 0.099) and (0.725 +/- 0.117) g/cm(2)(F = 18.36, P < 0.01). The 25(OH)D level was positively correlated with BMD at total body and proximal femur (r values were 0.17 and 0.18, both P values < 0.05)., Conclusion: Vitamin D status was highly correlated with BMD at lumbar spine (L(2-4)), proximal femur, pelvis and limbs for the postmenopausal older women.