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Background: The volumetry of the hippocampal subregion may provide additional information in the early investigation of amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and the T2 signal intensity (T2-SI) of the hippocampal subregion has not been well studied quantitatively by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in aMCI. Methods: Using combined MRI-based hippocampal volumetry and T2-SI at the levels of the whole hippocampus and hippocampal subregion, 18 patients with aMCI and 18 age-matched controls were investigated. Results: Significantly lower left whole hippocampal and hippocampal head volumes and higher T2-SI in the bilateral whole hippocampus and hippocampal head were shown, whereas atrophy of the right whole hippocampus and hippocampal subregion was not significant in aMCI. Additionally, correlations were found among the hippocampal volume, T2-SI and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores for aMCI in the whole hippocampus and some hippocampal subregions and an almost perfect correlation was found between T2-SI of the left hippocampal head and MMSE scores regarding aMCI (r = –0.831, P = 0.000). Conclusion: Abnormalities of the hippocampal volume and T2-SI were documented in aMCI, whereas T2-SI was implied to be more susceptible than the volume in the pathohistological progression in aMCI. Additionally, T2-SI in the left hippocampal head may be a potential biomarker to facilitate the early diagnosis of aMCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mao bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) with a high production and wide utilization has been planted in large scale in southern China, but little information about bamboo nutrition is available. The objective of this study was to reveal the dynamics of nutrition with growing time and the distribution of nutrition in different organs. It was found that the nutrition concentration of the whole plant generally declined with time during the period of 1-6 weeks owing to a dilution effect with the result of quickly increasing the biomass. The leaf concentration of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) changed regularly with high concentrations observed at age 1, 2, 4, and 6, and lower at age 3 and 5. While the concentration of N, P, and K in the branch and stem generally declined with the weeks, a rapid decrease occurred from weeks 1 to 2. The concentrations of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) in bamboo leaf, branch, and stem appeared to be opposite to those of N, P, and K in corresponding plant parts. The elemental concentrations were greater (P < 0.05) in the leaves than in the branches and stems, while the storage of nutrition was greater (P < 0.05) in stem than in leaves and branch. A relative large total storage of nutrition, except P and Mg, were found in bamboo under an intensive management (IM) stand than those under extensive management (EM) stand. The total storage of different nutritions in the above-ground parts was in the order: K (243.0-285.6 kg ha-1) > N (154.5-207.8 kg ha-1) > P (10.4-12.2 kg ha-1). The nutrition stored in the bamboo plant would be removed away from the soil in every other year by the means of harvest of the bamboo trunk which is the largest nutrition pool of the bamboo plant. Therefore, supplementary nutrients, especially N and K, are strongly recommended in order to keep the productivity of bamboo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of plant growth on the mineralization and distribution of soil sulfur (S) fractions (soluble SO[SUB4],[SUP2-], adsorbed SO[SUB4],[SUP2-], ester-bonded S, carbon-bonded S and residual S) in the rhizosphere of oilseed rape and rice was studied in a greenhouse experiment using a rhizobag technique. Significant differences of sulfur fractions between the rhizosphere and the non-rhizosphere were determined in dependence on crop type. The sulfur content of the microbial biomass was up to 72% higher in the rhizosphere than in the non-rhizosphere. The ester-bonded sulfur content was significantly lower in the rhizosphere of rice and oilseed rape. The results indicate that the arylsulfatase activity was higher in the rhizosphere than in the non-rhizosphere. The transformation of residual sulfur in the rhizosphere was related to crop type. Rice utilized residual sulfur more intensely, because of its aeration tissues from the top to the roots. Compared to the non-vegetated control soil, the residual sulfur fraction was 20 to 78% lower in the rhizosphere of the treatments where rice and oilseed rape were grown. Ratios of inorganic SO[SUB4],[SUP2-]-S in the rhizosphere to the non-rhizosphere varied between 1.3 and 3.1, indicating an enrichment of SO[SUB4],[SUP2-]-S in the rhizosphere. Growing oilseed rape, the ester-bonded and carbon-bonded sulfur increased by 47% and 25% in the rhizosphere compared to the control. In contrast, the two fractions decreased by 75% and 30% in the rhizosphere of rice. These findings show that the mineralization of organic sulfur was related to crop type and that all fractions of organic S are on principle bio-available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elephantgrass (Pennise L., cv. Napier 62.) is forage of tropical origin, which grows well in the acid soils. In the previous experiments, we found that elephantgrass could utilize phosphorus (P) efficiently in acid soils, and rhizosphere acidification and the release of phosphatase could not explain this property. It was assumed that root exudate, especially specific root exudate would play an important role in mobilizing sparingly soluble phosphates and thereby increased P uptake. The main objective of the present work was to test this hypothesis. The root exudates of elephantgrass were collected to investigate their mobilization to iron-phosphate (FePO4) and aluminum-phosphate (AlPO4). It was observed that P-deficient root exudates had a strong ability to mobilize FePO4 and AlPO4 in comparison to P-adequate root exudates. Results from fractionation of root exudates with cation and anion exchange resins and molecular membrane of different molecular weight indicated that the anionic + below 1K fraction contained the dominant P-mobilizing activity in both P-deficient and P-adequate root exudates. Phosphorus deficiency rather than P adequacy induced the exudation of pentanedioic acid. High P-mobilizing activity in P-deficient root exudates was consistent with large exudation of pentanedioic acid, it suggested that pentanedioic acid represented higher P-mobilizing activity in P-deficient root exudates and thereby increased P mobilization. Specific analysis indicated that a specific transport was involved in the exudation of pentanedioic acid from roots of elelphantgrass. The results above indicate that the exudation of pentanedioic acid is a response specific to P deficiency in elephantgrass and constitutes a mechanism of tolerance to low P stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]