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Fine roots are essential for water and nutrient uptake in plants, but little is known about the variation in fine root traits and the underlying mechanisms that drive it. Understanding the responses of fine root function traits to changing environmental conditions and the role of fine root traits as drivers of forest ecosystem processes are critical for informing physiological and ecological theory as well as ecosystem management. We measured morphological and physiological traits of fine roots from six soil layers and three diameter classes in Schrenk's spruce (Picea shrenkiana) forests of the Tianshan mountains, China. We found significant effects of nitrogen addition on these morphological and physiological traits, which varied by soil layer and root diameter. Specifically, specific root length (SRL) was higher in medium N addition group (N2) than in control group (N0). Specific root area (SRA) was higher in the control group (N0) than fertilized groups (N1, N2 and N3). Root tissue density (RTD) was higher in low N addition group (N1) than in the other group. Root dry matter content had no significant difference among four treatment groups. SRL, SRA, and RTD of fine roots in different diameter classes were all significantly different between high N addition (N3) and the control (N0) groups. The physiological characteristics of fine roots showed that soluble sugar (SS), fine root vitality (FRV), and tissue water content (TWC) in different soil layers were higher in the control group than in the fertilized groups. While soluble protein (SP), malondialdehyde (MDA) and free proline (FP) were lower in the control group (N0) than in the fertilized groups. In addition, SS, FRV, SP, TWC, FP, and MDA in all N addition treatments groups were significantly different from the control group. Fine root morphological traits were closely related to physiological traits, and added nitrogen inputs change these correlations. Our study confirms that nitrogen addition has specific effects on the morphological and physiological traits of fine roots of Schrenk's spruce, and the effects of N addition vary according to the amount added.

In this study, hydrothermally synthesized magnesium oxide demonstrated effective fluoride adsorption, with a maximum capacity of 199.67 mg g−1 and equilibrium was achieved within 60 min. The morphology of magnesium oxide and the adsorption mechanism were investigated by SEM, FTIR, BET and XPS. The adsorption process conformed to the Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. The ΔH and ΔS of fluoride adsorption by this material were 44.58 kJ mol−1 and 163.31 J mol−1 K−1, respectively, indicating surface heterogeneity and specific adsorption kinetics. Optimal fluoride removal was observed in the pH range of 4–11, with the highest adsorption capacity achieved at pH 5.0. Co-existing ions significantly influenced the adsorption performance (Cl− < NO3− < SO42− < HCO3− < PO43−). These findings underscore the potential application of magnesium oxide in water treatment and suggest avenues for further optimization of synthesis and operational parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the corrosion law and life distribution of reinforced concrete in a coupled salt environment, the reinforced concrete specimens were placed in 0.32 mol·L−1 NaCl and 0.4 mol·L−1 MgSO4 salt solutions. The performance of reinforced concrete was tested regularly using an electrochemical workstation. The durability was analyzed through a polarization curve, an AC impedance spectrum, and electrochemical parameters. A three-parameter Weibull distribution was selected for reliability modeling, and a prior false test was performed by the Anderson-Darling (A-D) method. The parameters were estimated by the correlation coefficient optimization method (CCOM), maximum likelihood method (MLM), and moment estimation method (MEM). The reliability curve, density curve, and failure rate curve were each used to analyze the life of reinforced concrete in chloride, sulfate, and magnesium-based corrosion environments. Results show that under the combined action of corrosion ions, the polarization curve gradually moves toward increasing corrosion current density and negative potential, and the AC impedance spectrum moves to the left and shrinks to the real part of the impedance. The resistance of steel bar corrosion gradually decreases whereas the probability gradually increases. The reliability curve is unchanged at the initial stage and rapidly decreases at the later stage. The density curve is symmetric with a single peak, and the failure rate curve remains unchanged at the initial stage and increases linearly at the later stage. Among the three-parameter estimation methods, CCOM and MLM parameter estimation values are similar, stable, and accurate, and the obtained reliability curves are similar. It is suggested that CCOM and MLM should be used for parameter estimation and reliability analysis of small sample failure data that is obtained from an accelerated test of reinforced concrete. The reliability life of C35 reinforced concrete in magnesium sulfate and sodium chloride corrosion environments is about 760 d.

There is limited analysis of the role of tourism in rural revitalization (RR) from a high-quality development perspective. To address this gap, this study analyzes the spatiotemporal patterns and coupling coordination degree (CCD) of tourism high-quality development (THD) and RR in the Silk Road Economic Belt from 2011 to 2020 using coupling coordination and gravity models. A geographic detector is employed to quantitatively elucidate the factors influencing the CCD. The findings are as follows. (1) The comprehensive RR level increased 86% from 2011 to 2020, whereas the THD level first increased and then decreased. The southwest region outperformed the northwest in RR and THD levels. (2) The CCD between RR and THD displayed various degrees of increase, with a spatial pattern of higher levels in the southwest and lower levels in the northwest. The spatial linkage strength of the CCD first increased and then decreased, with tighter linkages among the southwestern provinces. (3) Public fiscal expenditure, per capita GDP, and science and education spending significantly affected the CCD. In conclusion, the effective coordination of THD and RR requires a focus on their spatiotemporal coupling characteristics and the joint regulation of multiple factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Sorbitol dehydrogenase gene (SORD) has been identified as a novel causative gene of recessive forms of hereditary neuropathy, including Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 2 and distal hereditary motor neuropathy (dHMN). Our findings reveal two novel variants (c.404 A > G and c.908 + 1 G > C) and one known variant (c.757delG) within SORD in four Chinese dHMN families. Ex vivo cDNA polymerase chain reaction confirmed that c.908 + 1 G > C variant was associated with impaired splicing of the SORD transcript. In vitro cell functional studies showed that c.404 A > G variant resulted in aggregate formation of SORD and low protein solubility, confirming the pathogenicity of SORD variants. We have provided more evidence to establish SORD as a causative gene for dHMN.

γδ T cells are one of only three immune cell types that express antigen receptors that undergo somatic recombination, and they contribute to immune responses to infection, cellular transformation, and tissue damage. As a “bridge” between the innate and adaptive immune systems, γδ T cells have been noted to be involved in various immune responses during cancer progression. The purpose of our study was to review current published information on γδ T cells and investigate their functions in different types of malignancy using bibliometric and bioinformatic methods. Our results indicated that studies on γδ T cells and cancer progression increased from 2014, and the number had peaked by 2021. We discovered that there is international cooperation in the performance of studies among 26 countries, where China was identified as the most productive with the highest citations. Using keyword co-occurrence analysis, we found that among all the cancer types investigated, gastric and breast cancers were most closely related to γδ T cells. Furthermore, interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-2 were the most common cytokines linked to γδ T cells and our investigation of their potential involvement in the prognosis of gastric and breast cancers, identified their different roles in various malignancies. Thus, we concluded that γδ T cells might influence the progression of different cancers in diverse ways.

To describe the outcomes of autografts and synthetics in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) reconstruction with respect to instrumented laxity measurements, patient‐reported outcome scores, complications, and graft failure risk. We searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE for published randomized controlled trials (RCT) and case controlled trials (CCTs) to compare the outcomes of the autografts versus synthetics after cruciate ligament reconstruction. Data analyses were performed using Cochrane Collaboration RevMan 5.0. Nine studies were identified from the literature review. Of these studies, three studies compared the results of bone–patellar tendon–bone (BPTB) and ligament augmentation and reconstruction system (LARS), while six studies compared the results of four‐strand hamstring tendon graft (4SHG) and LARS. The comparative study showed no difference in Lysholm score and failure risk between autografts and synthetics. The combined results of the meta‐analysis indicated that there was a significantly lower rate of side‐to‐side difference > 3 mm (Odds Ratio [OR] 2.46, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 1.44–4.22, P = 0.001), overall IKDC (OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.19–0.83, P = 0.01), complications (OR 2.54, 95% CI 1.26–5.14, P = 0.009), and Tegner score (OR −0.31, 95% CI −0.52–0.10, P = 0.004) in the synthetics group than in the autografts group. This systematic review comparing long‐term outcomes after cruciate ligament reconstruction with either autograft or synthetics suggests no significant differences in failure risk. Autografts were inferior to synthetics with respect to restoring knee joint stability and patient‐reported outcome scores, and were also associated with more postoperative complications.

Sorafenib is an oral multikinase inhibitor that has become an established therapeutic approach in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the benefit of sorafenib in clinical therapy is often affected by drug resistance. Therefore, it is important to explore the mechanisms underlying sorafenib resistance and to develop individualized therapeutic strategies for coping with this problem. In this study, we found that addition of HGF to sorafenib-treated HCC cells activated MET and re-stimulated the downstream AKT and ERK1/2 pathways. Thereby, restored sorafenib-treated HCC cells proliferation, migration and invasion ability, and rescued cells from apoptosis. In addition, we found that HGF treatment of HCC cells induced early growth response protein (EGR1) expression, which is involved in sorafenib resistance. Importantly, the HGF rescued effect in sorafenib-treated HCC cells could be abrogated by inhibiting MET activation with PHA-665752 or by downregulating EGR1 expression with small interfering RNA (siRNA). Therefore, inhibition of the HGF/MET pathway may improve response to sorafenib in HCC, and combination therapy should be further investigated.