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To address the problems of salinization of the soil in gully control and land-making projects, the formation mechanism of soil interflow from a gully valley on the Loess Plateau was investigated, regarding its interface, water source, and spatial-temporal distribution characteristics, through field location monitoring and isotope tracer technique. The results showed the following: (1) there are two types of soil interflow in the Loess Plateau, namely soil interflow in slope and in gully, with interflow in gully being the main form; (2) adequate water supply, layered soil structure, and geographic disparity are conditions for the formation of soil interflow in the gully; (3) soil water is recharged by precipitation, surface water, and groundwater. Surface water is an important source of soil water recharge at the 0–100 cm depth, whereas groundwater is an important source of soil water recharge at the 100–200 cm depth. The results provide a basis for the regulation of the soil interflow, resource utilization, and land quality improvement in the Loess Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contrast to prolonged exposure to high temperatures, investigating short-term high-temperature stress can provide insights into the impact of varying heat stress durations on plant development and soil nutrient dynamics, which is crucial for advancing ecological agriculture. In this study, five heating temperatures were set at 200°C, 250°C, 300°C, 350°C, and 400°C, along with five heating time gradients of 6s, 10s, 14s, 18s, and 20s, including a control. A total of 26 treatment groups were analyzed, focusing on maize growth parameters and soil indicators. Principal component analysis was used for comprehensive evaluation. The results showed that high-temperature treatments with different heating times significantly influenced maize growth and soil properties. For instance, the treatment of 300°C+6s resulted in the longest total root length, while 200°C+6s led to the highest average root diameter. Plant height and leaf length were notably increased with the treatment of 400°C+6s. Most treatments resulted in decreased soil pH and organic matter content. Notably, the treatment of 350°C+16s showed the highest available phosphorus content, reaching 24.0 mg/kg, an increase of 4.5 mg/kg compared to the control. The study found that the average levels of active organic carbon and peroxidase were 1.26 mg/g and 3.91 mg/g, respectively. Additionally, the average mass fractions of clay, silt, and sand particles were 8.99%, 66.75%, and 24.26%, respectively. Through principal component analysis, six principal components were able to extract 19 indicators from the 26 treatments, covering 86.129% of the information. It was observed that 16 treatment methods performed better than the control in terms of soil comprehensive quality. The optimal treatment temperature and time identified for improving soil physicochemical properties and crop growth were 300°C+6s. These findings can be used to guide agricultural management and soil improvement practices, ultimately enhancing field productivity and providing valuable insights for sustainable agricultural development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the involvement of aberrant BMP8A expression in TNBC and bone metastasis. Methods: Aberrant expression of BMP8A in breast cancer was first determined by analyzing The Cancer Genome Atlas breast cancer cohort (TCGA-BRCA) and an immunohistochemical (IHC) staining of BMP8A in a breast cancer tissue microarray (TMA). Clinical relevance of deregulated BMP8A in breast cancer was assessed using Kaplan-Meier online analysis. The influence of BMP8A on cellular functions of two TNBC cell lines was assessed using in vitro assays. Conditional medium (CM) collected from the supernatant of hFOB cells and bone matrix extract (BME) was applied to mimic the bone micro-environment to evaluate the role played by BMP8A in bone metastasis. Correlations with both osteolytic and osteoblastic markers were evaluated in the TCGA-BRCA cohort. Expression of certain responsive genes was quantified in the BMP8A overexpression cell lines. Additionally, signal transduction through both Smad-dependent and independent pathways was evaluated using Western blot assay. Results: Compared to the adjacent normal tissues, BMP8A expression was significantly increased in primary tumors (p < 0.05) which was associated with shorter distant metastasis free survival (DMFS) in TNBC (p < 0.05). BMP8A was observed to enhance cell invasion and migration within TNBC cells. In the simulated bone milieu, both MDA-MB-231BMP8Aexp and BT549BMP8Aexp cells presented enhanced invasiveness. BMP8A level was strongly correlated with most osteolytic and osteoblastic markers, suggesting the potential involvement of BMP8A in bone metastasis in TNBC. Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) expression was significantly increased in BMP8A overexpressed triple-negative cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and BT549 Furthermore, enhanced phosphorylation of Smad3 and increased expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) were observed in MDA-MB-231 cells overexpressing BMP8A. Conclusion: BMP8A was upregulated in TNBC which was associated with poorer DMFS. BMP8A overexpression enhanced the invasion and migration of TNBC cells. With a putative role in osteolytic bone metastasis in TNBC, BMP8A represents a promising candidate for further investigation into its therapeutic potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carotenoids are widely distributed and structurally diverse, which have significant roles in the photosynthesis of plants. As a precursor of vitamin A, carotenoids are also antioxidants that reduce various chronic diseases, which are beneficial for human health. Currently, the existing studies concerned the biological roles of APETALA2 (AP2)/ethylene-responsive factor (ERF) genes originated from higher plants. The AP2 superfamily of the transcriptional regulator was identified in higher plants, which was related to growth, development, carotenoid metabolism, and responses to various stresses. However, the regulatory mechanisms of the AP2-modulating carotenoid metabolism have not been reported in microalgae, which remain to be elucidated. Dunaliella parva AP2 (i.e., DpAP2), an important transcription factor, promotes carotenoid accumulation by binding to the promoter of target gene. Here, we identified an important AP2/ERF transcription factor, DpAP2, which could promote carotenoid accumulation by binding to the promoter of target gene. To demonstrate the function of DpAP2, the interacting proteins were identified by the yeast two-hybrid system. The results showed that DpAP2 could interact with three proteins with different activities (DNAbinding transcription factor activity, protein kinase activity, and alpha-Dphosphohexomutase activity); these proteins may be associated with multiple biological processes. This paper laid a good foundation for a deep understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of DpAP2 and genetic engineering breeding in D. parva. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the contents of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in tea plantation soils and their ecological stoichiometric characteristics, as well as their response to environmental factors in high-latitude regions of China, soil samples from 0 to 20 cm depth were collected from tea plantations at different altitudes and cultivation years in the main tea-producing areas of Shaanxi Province. These samples were used to determine the soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) contents and to calculate their stoichiometric ratios. The findings revealed the following: the average soil SOC and TN content in tea gardens were 13.15 and 1.30 g·kg−1, respectively, exceeding the national soil average. These values met the Class I tea garden fertility standards. However, the average soil TP content, at 0.45 g·kg−1, fell below the national soil average, meeting the Class II tea garden fertility standards. In tea gardens, the average ratios of carbon to nitrogen (C:N), carbon to phosphorus (C:P), and nitrogen to phosphorus (N:P) in the soil were 10.42, 30.98, and 3.32, respectively. These ratios were all lower than the national soil average, indicating relatively high phosphorus availability but nitrogen deficiency in tea garden soils. As altitude increased, there was a decline in soil SOC content, C N, and C P ratios, followed by a subsequent increase. No significant changes were seen in TN, TP, and N P ratio in the soil, but there was an increase in SOC content, TN content, and C P ratio during cultivation. The N-to-P ratio initially increased before decreasing, while the C-to-N ratio decreased before increasing. Soil TP content did not change significantly. The study recommends careful nitrogen fertilizer application in tea garden management to balance nitrogen and phosphorus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compounding Pisha sandstone (PSS) with sandy soil in Mu Us Sandy Land is a viable agronomical measure to effectively reduce soil erosion and improve soil quality due to the complementary characters and structures of the two materials. Aggregate stability is an important indicator to assess sandy soil erosion resistance and quality, which could be largely affected by soil surface electrochemical properties and particle interaction forces. However, the effect of the compound ratio and particle interaction forces on the aggregate stability of compound soils with Pisha sandstone and sandy soil is still unclear. Therefore, in this study, the electrochemical properties, particle interaction forces, and their effects on the aggregate stability of PSS and sandy soil at five volume ratios (0:1, 1:5, 1:2, 1:1, and 1:0) were determined to clarify the internal force mechanism of PSS to increase sandy soil structural stability in a 10-year field experiment. Experiments were measured by a combined method for the determination of surface properties and aggregate water stability. A ten-year field study revealed that the incorporation of Pisha sandstone significantly enhanced the soil organic carbon (SOC) and cation exchange capacity (CEC) (p < 0.05), while the CEC value notably increased from 4.68 to 13.76 cmol·kg−1 (p < 0.05). The soil surface potential (absolute value) and the electric field intensity gradually decreased with the increase in the Pisha sandstone content. For the compound soil particle interaction force, the addition of Pisha sandstone enhanced the van der Waals attraction force, reduced the net repulsive force between compound soil particles, and promoted the agglomeration of aeolian sandy soil. The overall trend of the aggregate breaking strength of compound soils under different addition ratios of PSS was 1:0 > 1:1 > 0:1 > 1:5 > 1:2. When the Pisha sandstone content in the compound soils was <50%, the aggregate stability was mainly influenced by compound soil particle interaction forces, and the interaction force increase was the key reason for the aggregate breakdown. When the Pisha sandstone content in the compound soils was ≥50%, the aggregate stability was affected by the combined effects of the compound soil particle composition and particle interaction forces. These results indicate that PSS addition ratios and particle interaction force are important factors affecting the structural stability of compound soils, in which the volume ratio of PSS to sandy soil of 1:2 is the appropriate ratio. Our study provides some theoretical references for further understanding of the compound soil structure improvement and sandy soil erosion control in Mu Us Sandy Land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gastric signet ring cell carcinoma (GSRCC) is a rare and highly malignant disease with a poor prognosis. To assess the overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) of patients with GSRCC, prognostic nomograms were developed and validated using common clinical factors. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients diagnosed with GSRCC between 2011 and 2018 from the National Cancer Center (n = 1453) and SEER databases (n = 2745). Prognostic nomograms were established by identifying independent prognostic factors using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. The calibration curve and C-index were used to assess the predictions. The clinical usefulness of the survival prediction model was further evaluated using the DCA and ROC curves. The models were internally validated in the training cohort and externally validated in the validation cohort. Two web servers were created to make the nomogram easier to use. Results: Patients with GSRCC were divided into training (n = 2938) and validation (n = 1260) cohorts. The nomograms incorporated six predictors: age, race, tumor site, tumor size, N stage, T stage, and AJCC stage. Excellent agreement was observed between the internal and exterior calibration plots for the GSRCC survival estimates. The C-index and area under the ROC curve were roughly greater than 0.7. Both nomograms had adequate clinical efficacy, as demonstrated by the DCA plots. Furthermore, we developed a dynamic web application utilizing the constructed nomograms available at https://jiangyujuan.shinyapps.io/OS-nomogram/and https://jiangyujuan.shinyapps.io/DynNomapp-DFS/. Conclusion: We developed web-based dynamic nomograms utilizing six independent prognostic variables that assist physicians in estimating the OS and CSS of patients with GSRCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, fast-growing poplar reclaimed from abandoned homestead in Xixian New District, Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province, was used as the research object to explore the multi-fractal characteristics of soil particle size distribution under different management modes of abandoned land (control), irrigation, fertilizer irrigation and mixed fertilizer irrigation. The results showed that the mean values of soil clay, silt and sand in abandoned land were 14.58%, 81.21% and 4.22% respectively, 14.08%, 79.92% and 5.99% under irrigation, 15.17%, 81.19% and 3.64% under fertilizer irrigation, and 16.75%, 80.20% and 3.05% in mixed fertilizer treatment. From 40 cm, with increasing soil depth, soil clay particles increase under irrigation, fertilizer irrigation, and mixed fertilizer irrigation modes. The single fractal dimension of soil particle size distribution (D) in each treatment ranges from 2.721 to 2.808. At 60–100 cm, D shows fertilizer irrigation > mixed fertilizer irrigation > irrigation > abandoned land, indicating that fertilization and irrigation can increase the fine-grained matter of deep soil particles and reduce soil roughness. Compared with abandoned land, under irrigation, fertilizer irrigation and mixed fertilizer modes the capacity dimension (D0), entropy dimension (D1), correlation dimension(D2), shape characteristics of the multifractal spectrum (Δf) and overall inhomogeneity of the soil particle size distribution (D0–D10) indicate an uneven distribution of soil particle size; fractal structure characteristics of soil (D−10–D0) indicate a simplified soil structure, and degree of dispersion of soil particle size distribution (D1/D0) indicates that soil particle size is distributed in dense areas. Pearson correlation analysis showed that D was significantly correlated with clay, sand, D0–D10, soil organic matter (SOM) and soil available phosphorus (SAP) (P < 0.05). Stepwise regression analysis showed that clay was the main controlling factor of D and D0–D10 changes. The research results can provide some potential indicators for the quality evaluation of abandoned homestead reclamation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Anlotinib, a novel multi-kinase inhibitor, was found to improve progression-free survival (PFS) in brain metastases. Methods: This paper retrospectively analyzed 26 newly diagnosed or recurrent high-grade gliomas from 2017 to 2022, and the patients received oral anlotinib during concurrent postoperative chemoradiotherapy or after recurrence. Efficacy was evaluated according to the Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) criteria, and the main study endpoints were PFS at 6 months and overall survival (OS) at 1 year. Results: After the follow-up, until May 2022, 13 patients survived and 13 patients died, with a median follow-up time of 25.6 months. The disease control rate (DCR) was 96.2% (25/26), and the overall response rate (ORR) rate was 73.1% (19/26). The median PFS after oral anlotinib was 8.9 months (0.8--15.1), and the PFS at 6 months was 72.5%. The median OS after oral anlotinib was 12 months (1.6--24.4), and the OS at 12 months was 42.6%. Anlotinib-related toxicities were observed in 11 patients, mostly grades 1--2. In the multivariate analysis, patients with Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) above 80 had a highermedian PFS of 9.9months (p = 0.02), and their sex, age, IDH mutation, MGMTmethylation, and whether anlotinib was combined with chemoradiotherapy or maintenance treatment had no effect on PFS. Conclusion: We found that anlotinib combined with chemoradiotherapy in treating high-grade central nervous system (CNS) tumors can prolong PFS and OS and that it was safe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Anlotinib, a novel multi-kinase inhibitor, was found to improve progression-free survival (PFS) in brain metastases. Methods: This paper retrospectively analyzed 26 newly diagnosed or recurrent high-grade gliomas from 2017 to 2022, and the patients received oral anlotinib during concurrent postoperative chemoradiotherapy or after recurrence. Efficacy was evaluated according to the Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) criteria, and the main study endpoints were PFS at 6 months and overall survival (OS) at 1 year. Results: After the follow-up, until May 2022, 13 patients survived and 13 patients died, with a median follow-up time of 25.6 months. The disease control rate (DCR) was 96.2% (25/26), and the overall response rate (ORR) rate was 73.1% (19/26). The median PFS after oral anlotinib was 8.9 months (0.8-15.1), and the PFS at 6 months was 72.5%. The median OS after oral anlotinib was 12 months (1.6-24.4), and the OS at 12 months was 42.6%. Anlotinib-related toxicities were observed in 11 patients, mostly grades 1-2. In the multivariate analysis, patients with Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) above 80 had a highermedian PFS of 9.9months (p = 0.02), and their sex, age, IDH mutation, MGMTmethylation, and whether anlotinib was combined with chemoradiotherapy or maintenance treatment had no effect on PFS. Conclusion: We found that anlotinib combined with chemoradiotherapy in treating high-grade central nervous system (CNS) tumors can prolong PFS and OS and that it was safe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nutraceutical market has experienced a significant growth over the last years, due to changing consumer preferences towards products of natural and organic origin. One of the main areas of interest in this field is microalgae-derived carotenoids, whose antioxidant activity protects against oxidative damage in human cells. The diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum has been widely studied due to its high fucoxanthin content (antioxidant carotenoid). However, pilot and industrial scale experiments to realize continuous and stable production of P. tricornutum and extracted fucoxanthin are limited. For this reason, this research focuses on the study of the fucoxanthin production, going through culture, harvesting, scaling procedure and encapsulation stage. Finally, the optimal culture conditions for a fucoxanthin production of 2.5 mg/day/L were verified. Furthermore, the antioxidant capacity showed a decrease during storage, but still presented a capacity of 18 months, with improved performance when encapsulated with spirulina. The study carried out on encapsulated fucoxanthin-spirulina shows an inhibitory effect on lipogenesis at all concentrations tested in the 3T3-L1 cell line and a lipolytic efficacy at concentrations of 0.2 mg/mL and 0.1 mg/mL in the 3T3-L1 cell line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diatoms form a major component of phytoplankton. These eukaryotic organisms are responsible for approximately 40% of primary productivity in the oceans and contribute significantly to the food web. Here, the influences of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and ocean warming on diatom photosynthesis were investigated in Thalassiosira pseudonana. The organism was grown at two temperatures, namely, 18°C, the present surface water temperature in summer, and 24°C, an estimate of surface temperature in the year 2,100, under conditions of high photosynthetically active radiation (P, 400–700 nm) alone or in combination with UVR (P + UVR, 295–700 nm). It was found that the maximum photochemical yield of PSII (Fv/Fm) in T. pseudonana was significantly decreased by the radiation exposure with UVR at low temperature, while the rise of temperature alleviated the inhibition induced by UVR. The analysis of PSII subunits turnover showed that high temperature alone or worked synergistically with UVR provoking fast removal of PsbA protein (KPsbA), and also could maintain high PsbD pool in T. pseudonana cells. With the facilitation of PSII repair process, less non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) occurred at high temperature when cells were exposed to P or P + UVR. In addition, irrespective of radiation treatments, high temperature stimulated the induction of SOD activity, which partly contributed to the higher PSII repair rate constant (Krec) as compared to KPsbA. Our findings suggest that the rise in temperature could benefit the photosynthetic performance of T. pseudonana via modulation of its PSII repair cycle and protective capacity, affecting its abundance in phytoplankton in the future warming ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The silicified cell wall of diatoms, also known as frustule, shows huge potential as an outstanding bio-nanomaterial for hemostatic applications due to its high hemostatic efficiency, good biocompatibility, and ready availability. As the architectural features of the frustule determine its hemostatic performance, it is of great interest to develop an effective method to modify the frustule morphology into desired patterns to further improve hemostatic efficiency. Results: In this study, the gene encoding Silicalemma Associated Protein 2 (a silicalemma-spanning protein) of Cyclotella cryptica (CcSAP2) was identified as a key gene in frustule morphogenesis. Thus, it was overexpressed and knocked down, respectively. The frustule of the overexpress lines showed no obvious alteration in morphology compared to the wild type (WT), while the size, specific surface area (BET), pore volume, and pore diameter of the knockdown strains changed greatly. Particularly, the knockdown frustules achieved a more pronounced coagulation effect and in vivo hemostatic performance than the WT strains. Such observations suggested that silicalemma proteins are ideal genetic encoding targets for manipulating frustule morphology associated hemostatic properties. Furthermore, the Mantel test was adopted to identify the key morphologies associated with C. cryptica bleeding control. Finally, based on our results and recent advances, the mechanism of frustule morphogenesis was discussed. Conclusion: This study explores a new strategy for enhancing the hemostatic efficiency of the frustule based on genetic morphology modification and may provide insights into a better understanding of the frustule morphogenesis mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aggregate stability is a key factor in the evaluation of soil structure and erosion resistance, which is largely influenced by soil electric field and particle interaction. However, there are few studies on how different organic and inorganic soil conditioners change the surface electric field and interaction force of reclaimed soil to improve the aggregate stability. Therefore, a five-year field experiment was conducted to quantitatively study the effects of FeSO4 (TM), organic fertilizer (TO), fly ash (TF), maturing agent + organic fertilizer (TMO) and fly ash + organic fertilizer (TFO), compared with control (CK) treatment, on the reclaimed soil internal force and the aggregate crushing strength. The results showed that the reclaimed soil surface potential and electric field intensity increased after 5 years of application of organic and inorganic soil conditioners. Under the same electrolyte concentration and electric field conditions, the crushing strength of aggregates (<5 μm) treated with TFO, TMO, TO, TF and TM decreased by 43.70%, 35.51%, 25.97%, 8.28% and 5.49%, respectively, compared with the control treatment, and the combination of organic and inorganic treatment (TFO and TMO) had a better effect on improving the aggregate crushing resistance. With the application of soil conditioners, the reclaimed soil DLVO force and net resultant force gradually decreased, and the order of magnitude was TFO < TMO < TO < TF < TM < CK, indicating that the application of organic and inorganic soil conditioners enhanced the van der Waals attractive force and net attractive force between reclaimed soil particles, and reduced the net repulsive force between particles. The theoretical calculation results of the reclaimed soil internal force well explain the experimental results of aggregate stability against crushing, and the relationship between aggregate crushing strength and net resultant force is exponential (p < 0.01). Generally speaking, the soil conditioners increase the net attractive force between particles, reduce the possibility of violent crushing of aggregates due to the increase of electric field intensity and improve the aggregate structural stability, among which the combined application of organic and inorganic soil conditioners has a better improvement effect. The results of this study will lay a theoretical foundation for clarifying the improvement of different soil conditioners on the reclaimed soil structural stability and erosion resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological soil crust can effectively prevent wind erosion of sand and soil, which is of great significance to ecological restoration in desert areas. There have been few studies that have screened different planting patterns by analyzing biological crust properties. In this study, high-throughput sequencing was used to analyze the bacterial 16S rRNA community structure of biologically crusted soil in sandy bare land (CK), planting corn soil crust (CB), planting potato soil crust (TB) and planting alfalfa soil crust (AB), and nutrient profiles of each soil type were also analyzed. The results showed that soil nutrient content was significantly increased by the biological layer, and the organic matter, available phosphorus, and available potassium contents were significantly increased. In terms of bacterial communities, the TB treatment had more endemic genera (100). The top 10 phyla in terms of relative abundance accounted for around 95% of the total community, with Actinobacteria being the highest. The community structure of CB and AB was similar, and the diversity and richness indices of CB were significantly increased compared to those of CK. The available phosphorus and total nitrogen were found to be the main factors affecting bacterial community structure. The dominant role of Actinobacteria was mainly determined by pH. Overall, the results show that corn planting could be most helpful in the early restoration period of sandy land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban–rural fringe area (URFa) is an active and expansive region, and its environment is complex and frangible. Previous studies have focused on the landscape spatial pattern changes, the spatial–temporal variability of soil pollutants and the land management and policy issues, etc., but it is lack of the practice study of land and water comprehensive remediation in URFa. This article is taking the Sichuan River, a typical URFa, as an example. Based on field investigation and lab tests, the main characteristic form of the URFa and land and water comprehensive remediation measures are summarized in this paper. The results show that it is feasible to turn wasteland, low-efficiency land, and old deserted beach into farm land, residential land, and ecological land by comprehensive land improvement. For the farm land reconstruction, the texture is an important indicator. The content of soil organic matter (SOM), carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus has increased after remediation. For the SOM, 58.3% are more than 10.0 g·kg−1, and 79.2% are more than 8.0 g·kg−1. For the frequent dry-off and polluted low flow river channels in URFa, the river bottom consolidation and water purification is the important measures. The water quality meets IV standard of the "Environmental Quality Standards for Surface Water" (GB3838-2002) (State EPA of China, 2002) by pollution treatment after remediation, and water volume keeps balance. The findings of this study are expected to provide support for better construction practices in arid and semiarid area in China and for the improvement of the ecological environment in URFa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The projected ocean acidification (OA) associated with increasing atmospheric CO2 alters seawater chemistry and hence the bio-toxicity of metal ions. However, it is still unclear how OA might affect the long-term resilience of globally important marine microalgae to anthropogenic metal stress. To explore the effect of increasing pCO2 on copper metabolism in the diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana (CCMP 1335), we employed an integrated eco-physiological, analytical chemistry, and transcriptomic approach to clarify the effect of increasing pCO2 on copper metabolism of Thalassiosira pseudonana across different temporal (short-term vs. longterm) and spatial (indoor laboratory experiments vs. outdoor mesocosms experiments) scales. We found that increasing pCO2 (1,000 and 2,000 μatm) promoted growth and photosynthesis, but decreased copper accumulation and alleviated its bio-toxicity to T. pseudonana. Transcriptomics results indicated that T. pseudonana altered the copper detoxification strategy under OA by decreasing copper uptake and enhancing copper-thiol complexation and copper efflux. Biochemical analysis further showed that the activities of the antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase (GPX), catalase (CAT), and phytochelatin synthetase (PCS) were enhanced to mitigate oxidative damage of copper stress under elevated CO2. Our results provide a basis for a better understanding of the bioremediation capacity of marine primary producers, which may have profound effect on the security of seafood quality and marine ecosystem sustainability under further climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to being important primary productive forces in marine ecosystems, diatoms are also rich in bioactive substances such as triacylglycerol and fucoxanthin. However, little is known about the transcriptional mechanisms underlying the biosynthesis of these substances. In this study, we found that the heat shock transcription factor PtHSF1 positively regulated the synthesis of triacylglycerol and fucoxanthin in Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Overexpression of PtHSF1 could increase the contents of triacylglycerol and fucoxanthin and upregulate key enzyme genes involved in the triacylglycerol and fucoxanthin biosynthesis pathways. On the other hand, gene silencing of PtHSF1 reduced the contents of triacylglycerol and fucoxanthin and the expression of the key enzyme genes involved in the triacylglycerol and fucoxanthin biosynthesis pathways. Further biochemical analysis revealed that PtHSF1 upregulated glycerol-2-phosphate acyltransferase 3 (GPAT3) and 1-deoxy- d -xylulose 5-phosphate synthase (DXS) by directly binding to their promoters, while genetic analysis demonstrated that PtHSF1 acted upstream of GPAT3 and DXS to regulate triacylglycerol and fucoxanthin synthesis. Therefore, in addition to elucidating the regulation mechanisms underlying PtHSF1-mediated triacylglycerol and fucoxanthin synthesis, this study also provided a candidate target for metabolic engineering of triacylglycerol and fucoxanthin in P. tricornutum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diatoms have been viewed as ideal cell factories for production of some high-value bioactive metabolites, such as fucoxanthin, but their applications are restrained by limited biomass yield. Mixotrophy, by using both CO2 and organic carbon source, is believed effective to crack the bottleneck of biomass accumulation and achieve a sustainable bioproduct supply. Results: Glycerol, among tested carbon sources, was proved as the sole that could significantly promote growth of Cylindrotheca sp. with illumination, a so-called growth pattern, mixotrophy. Biomass and fucoxanthin yields of Cylindrotheca sp., grown in medium with glycerol (2 g L−1), was increased by 52% and 29%, respectively, as compared to the autotrophic culture (control) without compromise in photosynthetic performance. As Cylindrotheca sp. was unable to use glycerol without light, a time-series transcriptomic analysis was carried out to elucidate the light regulation on glycerol utilization. Among the genes participating in glycerol utilization, GPDH1, TIM1 and GAPDH1, showed the highest dependence on light. Their expressions decreased dramatically when the alga was transferred from light into darkness. Despite the reduced glycerol uptake in the dark, expressions of genes associating with pyrimidine metabolism and DNA replication were upregulated when Cylindrotheca sp. was cultured mixotrophically. Comparative transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses revealed amino acids and aminoacyl-tRNA metabolisms were enhanced at different timepoints of diurnal cycles in mixotrophic Cylindrotheca sp., as compared to the control. Conclusions: Conclusively, this study not only provides an alternative for large-scale cultivation of Cylindrotheca, but also pinpoints the limiting enzymes subject to further metabolic manipulation. Most importantly, the novel insights in this study should aid to understand the mechanism of biomass promotion in mixotrophic Cylindrotheca sp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pectus excavatum (PE) is the most common disease of chest wall deformity, with an incidence of 1 in 300—400 births. Nuss procedure has proved to be the best surgical treatment method and has been widely used after clinical use for 30 years. We aimed to review the clinical data of pectus excavatum (PE) of thoracoscopic Nuss procedure adopted the Modified bar bending method of the six-point seven-section type, and compare it with the traditional curved bar bending method to explore the clinical application effect. Methods: Forty-six cases of clinical data were summarized of children with PE who adopted the treatment of the Modified bar bending method of the six-point seven-section type from January 2019 to December 2021, and 51 cases were compared of PE children who adopted the treatment of traditional curved bar bending method from January 2016 to December 2018, including the data of age, gender, preoperative symptoms, symmetry, Haller index, operation time, bar bending time, intraoperative bleeding, postoperative complications, bar migration, postoperative effect evaluation, etc. Results: The Procedure duration (P = 0.008), bar bending time (P < 0.001), and duration of postoperative pain (P < 0.001) were reduced significantly, and the incidence of bar migration after surgery was reduced as well by the modified bar bending method. There was no difference compared with traditional Nuss produce, like the incidence of evaluation of postoperative effects (Excellent, P = 0.93; Good, P = 0.80; Medium, P = 1.00; Poor, P = 1.00), bar migration (P = 1.00), postoperative complications (P = 1.00), Clavien- Dindo classification of surgical complications (I = 0.165; II = 1.00; IIIa = 1.00; IIIb = 1.00; VI = 1.00; V = 1.00), operative safety, and operative validity. Conclusion: Modified bar bending method of the six-point seven-section type, which is a kind of surgical method worth applying and popularizing, and the advantages of minimally procedure duration, bar bending time, and duration of postoperative pain, compared with the traditional bar bending method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Anlotinib, a novel multi-kinase inhibitor, was found to improve progression-free survival (PFS) in brain metastases. Methods: This paper retrospectively analyzed 26 newly diagnosed or recurrent high-grade gliomas from 2017 to 2022, and the patients received oral anlotinib during concurrent postoperative chemoradiotherapy or after recurrence. Efficacy was evaluated according to the Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) criteria, and the main study endpoints were PFS at 6 months and overall survival (OS) at 1 year. Results: After the follow-up, until May 2022, 13 patients survived and 13 patients died, with a median follow-up time of 25.6 months. The disease control rate (DCR) was 96.2% (25/26), and the overall response rate (ORR) rate was 73.1% (19/26). The median PFS after oral anlotinib was 8.9 months (0.8–15.1), and the PFS at 6 months was 72.5%. The median OS after oral anlotinib was 12 months (1.6–24.4), and the OS at 12 months was 42.6%. Anlotinib-related toxicities were observed in 11 patients, mostly grades 1–2. In the multivariate analysis, patients with Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) above 80 had a highermedian PFS of 9.9months (p = 0.02), and their sex, age, IDH mutation, MGMTmethylation, and whether anlotinib was combined with chemoradiotherapy or maintenance treatment had no effect on PFS. Conclusion: We found that anlotinib combined with chemoradiotherapy in treating high-grade central nervous system (CNS) tumors can prolong PFS and OS and that it was safe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kaolinite clay mineral with a layered silicate structure is an abundant resource in China. Due to its advantages of excellent stability, high specific surface area and environmental friendliness, kaolinite is widely used in environment decontamination. By using kaolinite as a carrier, the photocatalytic technology in pure photocatalysts of poor activities, narrow spectral responses, and limited electron transport can be overcome, and the nano-Ag disinfectant's limitation of the growth and aggregation of nanoparticles is released. Moreover, pure kaolinite used as an adsorbent shows poor surface hydroxyl activity and low cation exchange, leading to the poor adsorption selectivity and easy desorption of heavy metals. Current modification methods including heat treatment, acid modification, metal modification, inorganic salt modification, and organic modification are carried out to obtain better adsorption performance. This review systematically summarizes the application of kaolinite-based nanomaterials in environmental decontamination, such as photocatalytic pollutant degradation and disinfection, nano silver (Ag) disinfection, and heavy metal adsorption. In addition, applications on gas phase pollutant, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), capture and the removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are also discussed. This study is the first comprehensive summary of the application of kaolinite in the environmental field. The review also illustrates the efficiency and mechanisms of coupling naturally/modified kaolinite with nanomaterials, and the limitation of the current use of kaolinite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth and physiological process of microalgae interact with environmental nutrients. In the present study, we compared the growth and physiological characteristics of coccolithophore Chrysotila roscoffensis under the effects of phosphate at high and low concentrations, and of organic phosphorus of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and Na2-glycerophosphate (SG). The growth, photosynthesis, calcification, alkaline phosphatase activity, and inorganic nutrient absorption rate were comparatively studied. The results showed that the culture with a low concentration of initial phosphate (6 μM) had a lower growth rate than that with a high concentration (45 μM). However, a relatively similar maximum cell density could be achieved. Equimolar inorganic phosphorus supported a higher initial growth rate than organic phosphorus. ATP was better than SG at supporting higher growth rates, higher photosynthetic activity, and higher cell density. Cellular alkaline phosphatase (AP) responded rapidly to nutrient variations with sharp changes of activities, independent of the initial P resources. Cellular calcification was at a higher level in groups with lower growth rates. Phosphate in low concentration in the medium was not absorbed during the early growth period while that in high concentration was rapidly absorbed. Instead, phosphate in low concentration was rapidly absorbed in the late stationary phase. The absorption of nitrate was affected by the initial P resources as well. The DIN/DIP ratio in the water varied significantly during the growth periods. The results indicated that C. roscoffensis had flexible physiological strategies in utilizing varied phosphorus resources, and high cell density maintenance of C. roscoffensis may play roles in nutrient conditions in the water. This study may help to extend the understanding of nutrient utilization strategy in microalgae and to apply reference in the application of Chrysotila species in the removal of nutrient pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individual entrepreneurial behaviors will be affected by their attitudes and environmental factors. Therefore, entrepreneurial attitude and entrepreneurial environment interpret the entrepreneurial behavior mechanism of farmers from the perspectives of internal and external factors. This manuscript is based on a survey data of farmers in five western provinces in China. Using structural equation modeling, the mechanism of the effects of farmers' entrepreneurial attitudes and entrepreneurial environment on entrepreneurial behavior was analyzed empirically. The research results show that individual entrepreneurial attitudes and the external entrepreneurial environment cannot directly affect entrepreneurial behavior, and both will be through entrepreneurial self-efficacy. The sense of entrepreneurship indirectly affects entrepreneurial behavior, and entrepreneurial self-efficacy plays an intermediary role. The "entrepreneurial behavior structure" model proposed in this manuscript points out that cultivating entrepreneurial attitudes and creating an entrepreneurial environment cannot directly promote entrepreneurial behavior of farmers, but must stimulate farmers' entrepreneurial behavior. The sense of self-efficacy provides a direction for the promotion of policy formulation and practical guidance for farmers' entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring urban land use change is a classical problem in urban geography. Taking Zhengzhou as an example, this paper analyzes the spatial and temporal characteristics and driving factors of urban land use change, and simulates the spatial pattern of urban land use in the future. The results of the study show that the land use types in Zhengzhou city were mainly farmland and construction land, the area of forestland, grassland, water area, and unused land was smaller, and the main land use change was the transformation of farmland into construction land. The accuracy check of the simulated land use type data in 2020 showed that the kappa coefficient reached 0.9445, which met the accuracy requirement. Then, according to the predicted land use data in 2025, it was found that the area of grassland, construction land, and water area may have decreased, and the area of farmland, forestland and unused land may have increased. Based on the driving force analysis of land use changes, its prediction results can provide an important reference basis for the formulation and planning of policies related to urban construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Visible-near-infrared spectroscopy (VIRS) is one of the most promising alternative techniques for soil organic matter (SOM) due to its direct response. In this study, partial least squares regression (PLSR), support vector machine (SVM), artificial neural networks (ANNs), and Cubist combined with VIRS were utilized to develop the calibration model and evaluate the ability of machine learning models to predict soil organic matter content. Materials and methods: A total of 190 surface soil samples (earth-cumulic-orthic anthrosols) were collected from the Weihe Plain of Shaanxi Province, China. The Kennard–Stone (KS) algorithm was employed to divide them into calibration and validation data. Moreover, the successive projections algorithm (SPA), competitive adaptive weight weighting algorithm (CARS), and their combination (SPA + CARS) were utilized to select characteristic wavelengths and improve the predictive ability of the model. Different evaluation indices, including root mean square error (RMSE), coefficient of determination (R2), the ratio of the performance to deviation (RPD), and the ratio of performance to interquartile range (RPIQ), were adopted to evaluate the accuracy of the model. Results and discussion: In all cases, the AFS-SPA + CARS-Cubist method outperformed the PLSR, SVM, and ANN. For the Cubist model, the Rv2, RPD, and RPIQ ranged from 0.8629 to 0.9782, 0.8720 to 3.0203, and 2.005 to 4.4164, respectively. According to the results, combining VIRS with Cubist could accurately determine the SOM of earth-cumulic-orthic anthrosol soils of the Weihe Plain, China. Furthermore, SPA + CARS provided more precise calibration–validation models than SPA and CARS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various resources from a municipal wastewater treatment plant (MWTP) are available for microalgae cultivation plants, suggesting that a combination of these technologies can be used to produce microalgae biomass and remove contaminants at a low cost. In this study, the growth performance and nutrient removal efficiency of an indigenous Scenedesmus sp. in various wastewater media with different exchange patterns were investigated firstly, then transferred to a pilot-scale photobioreactor (located inside a MWTP) for bioremediation use. The temperature and pH of the platform were maintained at 15–30°C and 7.6, respectively. The N H 4 + − N , N O 3 − − N , and P O 4 3 − − P of the wastewater could be reduced to below 0.05, 0.40, and 0.175 mg L–1, respectively. Our results indicate that microalgae cultivation using the resources of a MWTP can achieve high algal biomass productivity and nutrient removal rate. Our study also suggests that efficient technology for controlling zooplankton needs to be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Comparing to conventional laboratory methods, visible–near-infrared reflectance (vis–NIR) spectroscopy is a more practical and cost-effective approach for estimating soil physical and chemical properties. Materials and methods: This paper aims to build statistical machine learning models to investigate the efficiency of spectral data for comprehensive evaluation of the soil quality indicators. Seventeen physical and chemical properties were measured using standard methods as indicators of soil quality. Soil samples were scanned in the laboratory in the vis–NIR range (350–2500 nm), the calibration set of 31 samples and the validation set of 13 samples for cross-validation and independent validation; twenty-four preprocessing methods were tested to improve predictions, and a partial least squares regression (PLSR) was used to predict soil quality indicators. Results and discussion: Comparing model indices, the model constructed based on the PLSR machine learning method has a good predictive power (R2 > 0.9, ratio of performance to deviation (RPD) > 3.0). For physical and chemical properties, the bulk density (BD, R2 = 0.97, RPD = 5.90), soil organic matter (SOM, R2 = 0.98, RPD = 8.56), pH (R2 = 0.95, RPD = 4.40), and TN (R2 = 0.98, RPD = 6.67) concentration were predicted. This indicates that the method is suitable for the prediction of these soil elements in this study area. For the heavy properties, except for Mn, Zn, Cd, and As, the other five heavy metal concentrations were well predicted. It can be seen that the prediction ability of the construction model is Hg, Cr, Pb, Ni, and Cu in order of superiority to inferiority. The results show that a combination of spectroscopic and chemometric techniques can be applied as a practical, rapid, low-cost, and quantitative approach for evaluating soil physical and chemical properties in Shaanxi, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Respiration and hydrothermal characteristics of four reconstructed soils in barren gravel land at a site in Shaanxi Province were monitored before, during, and after two precipitation events. Both precipitation events significantly reduced soil temperature but there were great fluctuations in temperature after the second precipitation event. Moreover, precipitation increased the moisture content of the reconstructed soils. Before the first precipitation event, the soil volumetric water content was relatively stable, while it gradually decreased before the second precipitation event. The first precipitation event significantly stimulated the respiration rate for all reconstructed soils, while the second precipitation event generally inhibited it, especially during the precipitation event. The key factors influencing respiration for different reconstructed soils were different between the precipitation events. When soil volumetric water content showed persistent variation before precipitation, soil moisture was the most influential factor. In contrast, if water content was stable, soil temperature was more influential. Soil moisture and temperature jointly influenced soil respiration before, during, and after the precipitation event, while soil moisture was always the most influential factor after precipitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To increase reserve farmland resources, ensure food security, and to improve the ecological environment, large-scale gully regulation projects in Yan'an area of the Loess Plateau have been undertaken in China since 2013. Understanding the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of slope soil moisture during the rainy season is, therefore, important for vegetation selection used in restoration measures in this area. The temporal stability of soil water content in the upper 100 cm soil depth in a gully regulation watershed was examined using six measurements taken during the rainy season (May–November 2016). Temporal stability analysis of the soil water content was undertaken using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient and the relative difference method. Results showed that soil water content in the 0–50 cm and 0–100 cm soil depths demonstrated moderate temporal and spatial variability, and soil water content variability gradually decreased with increasing soil depth. Soil water content in both depths had strong temporal stability, having a positive correlation with soil depth. Furthermore, temporal stability may decrease with increasing soil water content (p < 0.05). The number and position of representative locations were not constant, which varies with the soil depth and the estimation method. Five methods (mean relative difference, minimum relative difference standard equilibrium, temporal stability index, mean absolute deviation and root mean square error) can be used to determine the representative location of temporal stability. However, the prediction accuracy of the soil water content at representative locations obtained using the different methods for mean slope water content differed. Comparatively, the mean absolute deviation method had a higher accuracy, followed by the minimum relative difference standard equilibrium method. Results indicate that the prediction accuracy of five methods increased with soil depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring water movement characteristics in oil-polluted soils could facilitate the understanding of soil stress resistance. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of oil pollution on water movement in soils with different textures and explore the underlying mechanisms. A heavy loam (Earth-cumuli-Orthic Anthrosols, EOA), a light loam (Hapli-Ustic Cambosols, HUC), and a sandy loam (Usti-Sandic Primosols, USP) were spiked with different levels of crude oil (0, 0.5, 1, 2, and 4%, w/w). Soil water movement parameters, including saturated hydraulic conductivity, unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, and specific water capacity were measured. Soil water availability under different levels of oil pollution was also analyzed. According to the results, saturated hydraulic conductivity of all three soils decreased with an increase in the level of oil pollution, as did the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of HUC and USP. Under 4% oil pollution, the saturated hydraulic conductivity of the EOA, HUC, and USP decreased by 52.8%, 81.7%, and 39.6%, compared with their respective unpolluted soils, while the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of HUC and USP decreased by 78.0% and 39.9% at 20% soil water content. In addition, the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of EOA decreased with an increase in oil pollution level when the soil water content was >25%; however, a reverse trend was observed at soil water content <25%. The specific water capacity of all soils increased first and then decreased with an increase in water suction, while it decreased with an increase in the level of oil pollution. The suction ranges corresponding to the available water content in the three soils were reduced by oil pollution, and the corresponding water-holding capacities were weakened. Oil pollution had major negative impacts on water movement in the soils with different textures, causing a decline in water infiltration and supply capacities, which could hamper soil drought resistance. However, the effects of soil texture on water movement were greater than the effects of oil pollution under the experimental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydraulic properties of sandy soil from the Mu Us sandy land of Shaanxi Province were analyzed by using SEM technology. Soil porosity, the water characteristic curve, and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of aeolian sandy soil with added soft rock were analyzed, and fractal characteristics were established. Soil hydraulic properties revealed the effect of soft rock application on soil structure and hydraulic properties. Mass ratios of soft rock to aeolian sand were 1:5, 1:2, and 1:1. Results showed that the addition of soft rock can significantly increase the bulk density of sandy soil and reduce the total porosity and macroporosity. The mass fraction of water-stable aggregates greater than 0.25mm increases significantly, increasing the fractal dimension of soil pores; reducing the soil saturated water content and saturated hydraulic conductivity. SEM technology and pore fractal theory were used to predict the soil salinity curve and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of the improved saline soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microalgae are a promising resource for the highly sustainable production of various biomaterials (food and feed), high‐value biochemicals, or biofuels. However, factors influencing the valued lipid production from oleaginous algae require a more detailed investigation. This study elucidates the variations in lipid metabolites between a marine diatom (Cylindrotheca closterium) and a freshwater green alga (Scenedesmus sp.) under nitrogen starvation at the molecular species level, with emphasis on triacylglycerols using liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization mass spectrometry techniques. A comprehensive analysis was carried out by comparing the changes in total lipids, growth kinetics, fatty acid compositions, and glycerolipid profiles at the molecular species level at different time points of nitrogen starvation. A total of 60 and 72 triacylglycerol molecular species, along with numerous other polar lipids, were identified in Scenedesmus sp. and C. closterium, respectively, providing the most abundant triacylglycerol profiles for these two species. During nitrogen starvation, more triacylglycerol of Scenedesmus sp. was synthesized via the "eukaryotic pathway" in the endoplasmic reticulum, whereas the increase in triacylglycerol in C. closterium was mainly a result of the "prokaryotic pathway" in the chloroplasts after 96 h of nitrogen starvation. The distinct responses of lipid synthesis to nitrogen starvation exhibited by the two species indicate different strategies of lipid accumulation, notably triacylglycerols, in green algae and diatoms. Scenedesmus sp. and Cylindrotheca closterium could serve as excellent candidates for the mass production of biofuels or polyunsaturated fatty acids for nutraceutical purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to screen plant species for remediation of oil-polluted soil in a semi-arid loess area. Materials and methods: Pot experiments were conducted to test six indigenous plant species: ryegrass (Lolium perenne), tall fescue (Festuca ovina), wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum), alfalfa (Medicago sativa), erect milkvetch (Astragalus adsurgens), and caragana (Caragana korshinskii). Loessial soil was spiked with crude oil at five pollution levels (0, 0.5, 1, 2, and 4%, w/w). We analyzed plant growth parameters at different stages, soil oxidoreductase activities, and oil degradation rate under different treatments. Results and discussion: Soil pollution by oil negatively affected the germination rate, plant height, and biomass of all six species while inhibiting soil dehydrogenase and catalase activities. These inhibitory effects increased with increasing oil pollution level, with 2% and 1% being the critical levels at which plant growth and soil oxidoreductase activities were significantly inhibited, respectively. Both oxidoreductase activities in the rhizosphere soil were significantly higher than those in the bulk soil, which led to a considerable increase in the degradation rate of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) in the rhizosphere. The plants showed varying remediation effects in the oil-polluted soil. Erect milkvetch and caragana showed potential for remediation of soil below the 0.5% pollution level, alfalfa for soil below the 1% pollution level, and ryegrass, tall fescue, and wheatgrass for soil below the 4% pollution level. The oil pollution level was negatively correlated with plant height, biomass, oxidoreductase activities, and TPH degradation rate for the six plants (p < 0.01), whereas plant biomass was positively correlated with plant height and TPH degradation rate (p < 0.01). Dehydrogenase activity was significantly positively correlated with catalase activity (p < 0.01), while both of them were positively correlated with TPH degradation rate (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). Conclusions: In conclusion, the six indigenous plants exhibited different tolerances to oil pollution, among which ryegrass, tall fescue, and wheatgrass had the greatest potential for remediation of oil-polluted soil in the loess area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this study was to compare and evaluate the performance of fractal dimension as input data in the landslide susceptibility mapping of the Baota District, Yan'an City, China. First, a total of 632 points, including 316 landslide points and 316 non-landslide points, were located in the landslide inventory map. All points were divided into two parts according to the ratio of 70%:30%, with 70% (442) of the points used as the training dataset to train the models, and the remaining, namely the validation dataset, applied for validation. Second, 13 predisposing factors, including slope aspect, slope angle, altitude, lithology, mean annual precipitation (MAP), distance to rivers, distance to faults, distance to roads, normalized differential vegetation index (NDVI), topographic wetness index (TWI), plan curvature, profile curvature, and terrain roughness index (TRI), were selected. Then, the original numerical data, box-counting dimension, and correlation dimension corresponding to each predisposing factor were calculated to generate the input data and build three classification models, namely the kernel logistic regression model (KLR), kernel logistic regression based on box-counting dimension model (KLRbox-counting), and the kernel logistic regression based on correlation dimension model (KLRcorrelation). Next, the statistical indexes and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were employed to evaluate the models' performance. Finally, the KLRcorrelation model had the highest area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.8984 and 0.9224, obtained by the training and validation datasets, respectively, indicating that the fractal dimension can be used as the input data for landslide susceptibility mapping with a better effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to explore suitable drip irrigation system on the water saving and high yield of pear-jujube from 2009 to 2012 years in the mountain of northern Shaanxi. The treatments consisted of combinations of 5 drip irrigation systems (DP). The irrigation quota of DP-1, DP-2 and DP-3 treatment was 100 m3 hm-2, 135 m3 hm-2 and 180 m3 hm-2, respectively, irrigated 4 times. The irrigation quota of DP-4 and DP-5 treatment was 135 m3 hm-2 and irrigated 3 and 2times, respectively; and with no irrigation as the control (C). Results indicated that bearing branch length of jujube, fruit set and yield of different drip irrigation system are significantly better than C (P<0.05). Bearing branch length and yield of DP-3 treatment are reached maximum in 2012, which are 22.0 cm and 16772.8 m3 hm-2. And they are increased by 47.7% and 13.2% compared with C, respectively. In addition, the water consumption of different irrigation treatment increases along with the increasing of irrigation amount. And the DP-3 treatment is the highest in different years. The water use efficiency of pear-jujube of low irrigation quota is better than the high irrigation quota. Water use efficiency of 135 m3 hm-2 and irrigated 2 times treatment is the best, which is 1.92 m3 hm-2. Considering the lack of high annual precipitation, we conclude that DP-5 treatment was the best drip irrigation system in the mountain of northern Shaanxi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: According to the specific conditions of the region, we sought to determine appropriate soil materials for improving soil conditions after the reclamation of hollow villages into cultivated land and for quickly restoring agricultural production. Materials and methods: The test plot consisted of seven treatments with an area of 5 m × 6 m (30 m2) each, and each treatment included three replicates. The plot was filled with raw soil (old wall soil) from an abandoned homestead in Yuzihe Village, Yaotou Town, Chengcheng County, Shaanxi Province, China. The test design was completely randomised with seven treatments: fly ash (T1), organic fertiliser (chicken manure) (T2), improver (ferrous sulphate) (T3), fly ash + organic fertiliser (T4), improver + organic fertiliser (T5), fly ash + improver (T6) and no fertilisation measures (T0). The modified materials were mixed evenly with raw soil then applied to a depth of 0–30 cm onto the test plot. Results and discussion: After adding the various modified materials, the soil bulk density decreased by 6.52–14.49% and total soil porosity, capillary porosity and non-capillary porosity increased by 7.09–15.75%, 3.14–12.67% and 15.57–38.47%, respectively. The soil permeability coefficient increased by 5.75–10.75×. Organic matter, total nitrogen, available phosphorus and available potassium in reclaimed hollow village soil increased by 12.50–66.44%, 15.15–20.00%, 6.58–64.62% and 18.24–26.82%, respectively, relative to that of T0. Only T4, T2, T6 and T5 significantly increased maize yield and water use efficiency compared with T0. The other treatments did not significantly improve maize yield or water use efficiency. Conclusions: Organic fertiliser and fly ash composite was an appropriate amendment for improving reclaimed soil in a hollow village in a loess hilly gully region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]