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The shrub and patch size of moss crusts can significantly affect plant and soil nutrients. The effects and relationships of shrubs and moss crusts on soil multifunctionality are unclear. This study aimed to understand the spatial heterogeneity of soil multifunctionality in moss crust patches and shrubs. Soil organic carbon, nutrient, and enzyme activities under moss crust patches were measured. Interestingly, the soil polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) activities, carbon‐related soil multifunctionality index (C‐SMF), nitrogen‐related soil multifunctionality index (N‐SMF), phosphorus‐related soil multifunctionality index (P‐SMF), and soil multifunctionality index (SMF) increased with increasing patch size in moss crusts. The patch size of moss crusts had no significant effect on the C‐SMF, N‐SMF, P‐SMF, and SMF under the shrub. The soil C‐SMF, N‐SMF, P‐SMF, and SMF under shrubs were significantly higher than that in exposed areas (EAs). The soil PPO, POD, N‐SMF, P‐SMF, and SMF under dead shrubs were significantly higher than those under living shrubs and in EAs. Evaluation and composition analysis of C‐SMF, N‐SMF, and P‐SMF indicated that moss crust promotes the increase of P‐SMF, and that shrub promotes the increase of C‐SMF and N‐SMF. Moss crust patches mainly affected phosphorus functionality, increasing phosphorus cycling. Shrub promotes soil carbon and nitrogen functionality. This study elucidates the effect of moss crust patch size on soil multifunctionality influenced by shrub growth in desert ecosystems and provides further new insights into the soil processes and functions. Results are beneficial for the comprehensive utilization of fertile islands and its enhancement of beneficial ecological functions, such as maintaining soil nutrition, quality, health, and vegetation restoration, and lay a foundation for future research on nutrient absorption and utilization between mosses and shrubs. Core Ideas: The patch size effect of moss crusts is a positive in soil multifunctionality and is influenced by microhabitats.Moss crust patches mainly affected phosphorus functionality, increasing phosphorus cycling.Shrub patches mainly affected soil carbon and nitrogen functionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mercury can indicate the presence of deposits or mineralization, which is an important tracer element of geological processes, thus making the determination of mercury very important. Due to the low abundance of mercury in ore deposits, it is difficult to directly determine and thus pre-separation enrichment is needed. Presently, most of the separation and preconcentration methods are off-line with a low degree of automation. Graphene oxide/chitosan microspheres modified by dithizone were prepared and applied as adsorption materials for solid phase extraction column. The effect of experimental parameters including acidity, adsorbent type, and adsorption volume on the absorption efficiency was evaluated. Sampling/elution time and the sampling/elution rate during solid phase extraction were optimized. Based on these conditions, an analytical method for the determination of trace mercury in geological samples by on-line enrichment-atomic fluorescence spectrometry with solid phase extraction was established. The results show that when the pH value is 3.0, the adsorption rate of mercury is more than 90% at 5 mL/min sampling rate. The elution rate was >95% when 20 g/L of thiourea and 1.0 mol/L HNO3 were used as elution solution and elution for 1 min at the rate of 1 mL/min. The working curve showed a good linear relationship when the concentration was between 0.050 μg/L and 5.0 μg/L. The enrichment factor was 22 and the detection limit was 0.0019 μg/L. The relative error of the measured value of Hg and the reference value was less than ±13% when this method was used to determine soil and sediment national standard materials. Compared with the off-line analysis, this method has advantages such as high sensitivity and simple operation.

Identification of porosity in shale is of great significance for exploring mechanism of shale gas. Porosity properties of the shale samples from the Ordos Basin were characterized by multiple techniques including Scanning Electron Microscope(SEM), Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry(MIP), and nitrogen gas adsorption-desorption. Results showed that the shales contained abundant pores that include dissolution pore, microfracture pore, and intergranular pore. The pore sizes range from several to several hundred nanometers. The total surface area ranges from 5.06 to 19.32 m2/g and pore volume has a range of 0.01-0.03 cm3/g. Results indicate that the OrdosBasin Shale develops pores of various types and sizes. The main type of pore is the nano-pore, which is beneficial for the storage of shale gas. Micro-cracks are beneficial for the transportation of shale gas. These results suggest that the basic environment of the Ordos Basin is suitable for the storage of shale gas and that the Ordos Basin may be rich in shale gas.

Objective: To explore characteristics of clinical and imaging findings in patients with fat embolism syndrome., Methods: From January 2021 to October 2022,clinical manifestations of 13 patients with fat embolism due to fracture or orthopaedic surgery were retrospectively analyzed,including 11 males and 2 females,aged from 17 to 60 years old. Mental and respiratory abnormalities and changes in vital signs occurred after admission or after surgery,and patient's chest and brain imaging results were abnormal. The patient's mental and respiratory abnormalities,vital signs,chest and brain imaging results were continuously monitored., Results: The main clinical manifestations of fat embolism syndrome were abnormal pulmonary respiration in 13 patients,abnormal central nervous function in 7 patients,and spotted rash in 2 patients. Chest CT showed diffuse distribution of ground glass shadows in 13 patients,and severe symptoms were "snowstorm". Nine patients with ground glass fusion consolidation,5 patients with multiple nodules and 4 patients accompanied by bilateral pleural effusion. Head CT findings of 5 patients were negative,and head MRI findings of 1 patient showed multiple T1WI low signal,T2WI high signal shadow,DWI high signal shadow,and "starry sky sign" in basal ganglia,radiative crown,hemioval center,thalamus,frontal parietal cortex and subcortex., Conclusion: Fat embolism syndrome has a high mortality rate. Clinical manifestations of respiratory system and nervous system are not specific,and the skin spot rash has a characteristic manifestation. The "blizzard" sign is the specific manifestation of chest X-ray and CT examination of fat embolism,and the "starry sky" sign is the typical manifestation of diffusion-weighted sequence of brain MRI examination of fat embolism.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MAPKK or MKK) is an important component of the MAPK cascade, which plays important roles in plant growth and development as well as in various stress responses. At present, the MKK gene family has been identified in a variety of plants, but there has been no systematic study in Cruciferous plant Arabidopsis pumila . To explore the evolution and function of the MKK gene family in Arabidopsis pumila , 16 ApMKK genes were identified from the Arabidopsis pumila genome by genome-wide analysis, and they were distributed on 10 chromosomes of Arabidopsis pumila . According to phylogenetic analysis and multiple sequence alignment, these putative genes were divided into five known subfamilies, i.e, Groups A, B, C, D, and E, which includes 5, 2, 4, 3, 2 members, respectively. Evolutionary and syntenic analysis showed that there are seven pairs of duplication genes in Arabidopsis pumila : ApMKK1-1 / 1-2 , ApMKK2-1 / 2-2 , ApMKK3-1 / 3-2 , ApMKK4-1 / 4- 2, ApMKK5-1 / 5-2 , ApMKK9-1 / 9-2 , and ApMKK10-1 / 10-2 . Ka / Ks and Tajima analysis indicated that evolution of ApMKK1-1 / 1-2 was accelerated after the duplication event. Combining the distribution of cis-element in the promoter region of ApMKKs and the expression profile of ApMKKs in mature leaves, stems, flowers and fruits as well as under salt stress, we found that the expressions of paralogous genes (duplication genes) were tissue-specific and their functions were diversified. The expression patterns of some duplicated genes in tissues were different, but the expression patterns under salt stress were basically the same. These results lay the foundation for analyzing the complex mechanisms of MKK-mediated growth and development and abiotic stress signal transduction pathways in Arabidopsis pumila .