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Key phenological periods of vegetation (such as the start (SOS) and end (EOS) of the growing season) are affected by climate change and human activities. However, the impact of aridification on these phenological responses is still unclear. In the farming-pastoral ecotone of northern China (FPENC), which is plagued by severe aridification, the climate change-dominant aridification zone (CDA), human activity-dominant aridification zone (HDA), and compound-dominant aridification zone (CHDA) were differentiated, and their phenological responses to different aridification types were studied via multiyear remote sensing inversion and meteorological data. Our results suggest that aridification significantly shortened the vegetation growing season, i.e., the SOS tended to be delayed (0.4–5.12 d/10a), and the EOS tended to be advanced (0–2.89 d/10a). In addition, the negative impact of CHDA, which had the highest aridification intensity, on phenological change was 3 to 4 times than that of CDA and twice than that of HDA. Thresholds were found in the phenological responses to climate change: in aridification areas, where the interannual warming rate exceeded 0.02–0.04 °C/a or the increased rate of interannual precipitation was less than 8 mm/a, prolonged growing seasons transitioned to shortened seasons. Furthermore, there was a nonlinear relationship between human activity contributions and phenological changes. When human activity contributions were between 40 and 70%, the growing season was significantly shortened. The extent of the SOS delay for cultivated land was greater than that for grassland, while the extent of the EOS advance was less for cultivated land than for grassland. Within the same climate zone, cultivated land phenological changes were stabilized by human activities, while grassland phenological changes under natural conditions were more severe and accompanied by signs of vegetation degradation. This study provides incremental knowledge for understanding the impacts of aridification on phenology and for adapting to aridification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, manure is the most abundant organic fertilizer product. Understanding the changes in soil inorganic carbon (SIC) resulting from long-term manure fertilization is vital for accurately evaluating agricultural soil carbon stocks and predicting global change. However, a comprehensive and quantitative understanding of the impacts of long-term fertilization on SIC is lacking. This study was conducted to assess the effects of SIC changes in topsoil (0–20 cm), aggregates of kastanozems and influencing factors under the potato-rape-naked oats cultivation system after 16 years of long-term different fertilization in Wuchuan station. The results showed that 16 years of application of manure promoted the fixation of SIC by 2.25 t ha−1–3.25 t ha−1. As soil organic carbon (SOC) content, exchangeable calcium and magnesium concentrations in free coarse particulate organic matter (cfPOM) increased, the crystallization of carbonate was promoted at the aggregate level. The distribution proportion of free-coarse particulate organic matter (cfPOM) and microaggregates in mineral-related organic matter (iMOM) were also increased which affected the content of SIC. However, the pH value of NPKM treatment was lower than that of M treatment, which reduced the amount of carbonate crystallization. Thus, the application of manure alone was the best way to promote the fixation of SIC in topsoil rather than manure combined with chemical NPK fertilize. This work provides a new insight into the conversion of inorganic carbon, which is beneficial to promote the sequestration of inorganic carbon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic pollution is a global concern given its prevalence in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Studies have been conducted on the distribution and impact of plastic pollution in marine ecosystems, but little is known on terrestrial ecosystems. Plastic mulch has been widely used to increase crop yields worldwide, yet the impact of plastic residues in cropland soils to soil health and crop production in the long term remained unclear. In this paper, using a global meta‐analysis, we found that the use of plastic mulch can indeed increase crop yields on average by 25%–42% in the immediate season due to the increase of soil temperature (+8%) and moisture (+17%). However, the unabated accumulation of film residues in the field negatively impacts its physicochemical properties linked to healthy soil and threatens food production in the long term. It has multiple negative impacts on plant growth including crop yield (at the mean rate of −3% for every additional 100 kg/ha of film residue), plant height (−2%) and root weight (−5%), and soil properties including soil water evaporation capacity (−2%), soil water infiltration rate (−8%), soil organic matter (−0.8%) and soil available phosphorus (−5%) based on meta‐regression. Using a nationwide field survey of China, the largest user of plastic mulch worldwide, we found that plastic residue accumulation in cropland soils has reached 550,800 tonnes, with an estimated 6%–10% reduction in cotton yield in some polluted sites based on current level of plastic residue content. Immediate actions should be taken to ensure the recovery of plastic film mulch and limit further increase in film residue loading to maintain the sustainability of these croplands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Rainfed yield only reached 35–67% of the potential in the agro-pastroal ecotone. • Potato yield gap could be narrowed by 41.5–85.9% by irrigating 60–240 mm. • Irrigation of 60–240 mm for 30 years decreases the groundwater table by 4.1–42 m. • Rainfed potato could enhance the groundwater table but lead to soil dryness. • Alternating fallowing is a feasible way in protecting soil and ground water. Potato is a main food crop in the agro-pastoral ecotone (APE) of North China, but its yield is low and highly variable. Agronomic managements, such as irrigation, fertilization and intensive cropping systems, has been used for increasing potato yield but resulted in negative environmental sequences (e.g., soil dryness and groundwater table decline) in such arid and semi-arid regions. This study aims to quantify the agronomic options for better potato production and groundwater conservations based on field experiments together with APSIM-Potato model. The long-term simulated crop yield, economic income and environmental impact (surface soil water content and groundwater table) were analyzed for the different cropping systems of potato (continuous planting, CP; alternating planting and fallowing, APF; long-term continuous fallowing, LF) and irrigation scheduling (rainfed and one-four irrigations). The calibrated APSIM-Potato performed well in simulating the responses of soil water dynamics, leaf area index (LAI), biomass, evapotranspiration (ET) and yield of potato to different irrigation treatments. Long-term (1981–2010) simulated potato yield could be increased by 43.4–90.2% from rainfed yield if irrigation was applied from 60 to 240 mm and the yield gap between the potential and rainfed yields could be narrowed by 41.5–85.9%. Across the APE, CP with four irrigations (240 mm) produced the maximum income of 18,445 Yuan·ha−1 while WUE was the highest for both CP and APF with two irrigations (120 mm). However, such irrigation amounts would decrease the groundwater table by 4.1–42 m across the APE during this period. Rainfed CP could enhance the groundwater table by 0–3 m but decrease available soil water content in 1 m depth by 15.5 mm per decade from 1981 to 2010. Rainfed APF and LF increase available soil water content in 1 m depth by 2–79 mm and 100–143 mm respectively. The study suggested that CP would decrease the soil moisture significantly and increase the risk of soil desertification in the APE. APF with one irrigation by harvesting rainwater could be a feasible way of maintaining soil moisture and groundwater conservation if government subsidy could guarantee the incomes of local farmers in the APE in North China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ridge-furrow tillage and plastic film cover are widely applied in China to mitigate climate risks, e.g. cool temperature and low rainfall. This study aimed to quantify the effects of ridge-furrow tillage and film cover on maize growth and yield in an environment with frequent seasonal drought and cold spells. Field experiments were carried out in 2013 and 2014 in Jilin and Inner Mongolia, northeast China. Maize yield without film cover increased 15% by ridging, and further increases of 9% or 16% were achieved by applying 58% or 100% film cover, respectively. Maize growth rate was significantly enhanced by both partial and full film cover, but not significantly increased by ridging alone. The time reached to the maximum growth rate was significantly advanced. The growing duration of maize was significantly shortened by film cover while ridging did not affect. The increase of maize yield by ridge and film cover was associated with significant increases in kernel number per ear, kernel weight and harvest index. Harvest index of maize increased with 11% by ridge-furrow tillage and with a further 15–17% by film cover. We conclude that maize with ridge and film cover increases crop yield by enhancing crop growth and development and could also reduce risks of crop failure due to drought or cold spells. The results could help optimize maize management in arid continental regions where yields are constrained by drought and a short growing season due to low temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study aimed to clarify the changes in treatment regimens and medical expenditures in diabetic patients with osteoporosis., Methods: We recruited 2,853,036 diabetic patients from the Beijing medical insurance database between 2016 and 2018. Among them, 406,221 patients also had osteoporosis. Clinical characteristics, treatment regimens, and medical costs were investigated in diabetic patients with and without osteoporosis., Results: Diabetes and osteoporosis were most prevalent in participants aged 45---84 years. Compared with diabetic patients without osteoporosis, those with osteoporosis were prone to developing comorbidities and diabetic complications. They often required multiple glucose-lowering drugs and had a higher rate of insulin use. Similarly, osteoporosis leads to an increased number of medications for non-hypoglycemia as well as higher healthcare costs. These medications and costs increased with the number of complications and comorbidities. Interestingly, from 2016 to 2018, although diabetic patients with osteoporosis took more drugs, medical costs were lower year by year., Conclusions: Osteoporosis might contribute to a worse condition in diabetic patients, and this population often requires more medications with higher medical costs., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The immune system is not only required for preventing threats exerted by pathogens but also essential for developing immune tolerance to avoid tissue damage. This study identifies a distinct mechanism by which MYSM1 suppresses innate immunity and autoimmunity. The expression of MYSM1 is induced upon DNA virus infection and by intracellular DNA stimulation. MYSM1 subsequently interacts with STING and cleaves STING K63-linked ubiquitination to suppress cGAS-STING signaling. Notably, Mysm1-deficient mice exhibit a hyper-inflammatory response, acute tissue damage, and high mortality upon virus infection. Moreover, in the PBMCs of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), MYSM1 production decreases, while type I interferons and pro-inflammatory cytokine expressions increase. Importantly, MYSM1 treatment represses the production of IFNs and pro-inflammatory cytokines in the PBMCs of SLE patients. Thus, MYSM1 is a critical repressor of innate immunity and autoimmunity and is thus a potential therapeutic agent for infectious, inflammatory, and autoimmune diseases., Competing Interests: Declaration of Interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

As one of the important greenhouse gases, the characteristics and principles of methane exchange characteristics in cultivated lands have become hot topics in current climate change research. This study examines the influences of nitrogen fertilisation, temperature and soil water content on methane exchange characteristic and methane exchange functional gene-pmoA gene abundance based on experimental observations of methane exchange fluxes using the static chamber-gas chromatographic method and measurements of methanotroph gene copy numbers in three growing periods by real-time PCR in rain-fed potato fields. The results indicate that the rain-fed potato fields were a CH4 sink with an average annual methane absorption (negative emission) of 940.8±103.2 g CH4-C/ha/year. The cumulative methane absorption first exhibited flat and subsequently increasing trend with the increase of nitrogen fertilisation from 0~135 kg N·ha(-1). Methane cumulative absorption significantly increased with the increase of temperature when temperatures were below 19.6 °C. Methane oxidation capacity (methanotroph pmoA gene copy numbers) showed an increasing and subsequently decreasing trend with the increase of soil moisture. Crop rotation was observed to increase the methane absorption in rain-fed potato fields and nearly one time higher than that under continuous cropping. A mechanism concept model of the methane exchange in rain-fed potato fields was advanced in this paper., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)