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[Objective] Identifying priority spaces for ecological restoration and curbing ecological degradation based on the governance idea of “holistic protection, systematic restoration and comprehensive management” is an important measure for the coordinated development of regional socio-economics, the construction of a firm ecological security barrier, and the promotion of ecological civilization. [Methods] This paper took Qinghai Province as the study area, reflects the urbanization process through land use intensity and the land use center of gravity shift, quantitatively evaluates seven ecosystem services, ecological sensitivity, and habitat degradation from 2005 to 2020, and proposes to identify the priority space for ecological restoration based on the cluster of ecosystem services, ecological sensitivity, and habitat degradation. We proposed to identify ecological restoration priority spaces based on “ecosystem service cluster, ecological sensitivity and habitat degradation degree”, and combined internal defects and external coercion to delineate five types of ecological restoration priority zones and propose corresponding restoration strategies. [Results] The depth of water production in Qinghai province from 2005 to 2020 were 125.1 mm, 106.9 mm, 80.0 mm and 135.4 mm respectively, and the depth of water retention was stabilized at about 15 mm. Grain output increased from 1.42 t/hm2 to 2.02 t/hm2, wind and sand control capacity increased from 2.42 t/hm2 to 4.59 t/hm2, and soil conservation capacity decreased from 85.90 t/hm2 to 65.30 t/hm2; The ecosystem service clusters in Qinghai province were classified into five categories: harmony of habitat, harmony of soil and water, conservation of ecological sources, restoration of natural ecology, and functional cluster of wind and sand conservation. Based on the results of bivariate autocorrelation to identify the ecological restoration priority points, it can be seen that the key ecological restoration points and natural ecological restoration points are the main ones in Qinghai province, accounting for 5.26% and 2.55% of the area, respectively, in which the key ecological restoration points and ecological livability clusters increase the area of the spatial distribution of the basic coincides with each other. [Conclusion] The priority areas for ecological restoration in Qinghai province are concentrated in the ecologically fragile northwestern desert areas, high-altitude mountainous areas, water sources and river coasts and the river valley where human activities are more frequent, and in the area around Tianjun county and Xinghai-Mado-Qumalai county.

Elucidating the characteristics and underlying mechanisms of soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen mineralization in the context of sludge addition is vital for enhancing soil quality and augmenting the carbon sink capacity of soil. This study examined the chemical properties, enzyme dynamics, and organic carbon and nitrogen mineralization processes of soil from degraded grasslands on the Loess Plateau at various incubation temperatures (5, 15, 25, and 35 °C) and sludge addition rates (0%, 5.0%, 10.0%, and 20.0%) through a laboratory incubation experiment. The results showed that incubation temperature, sludge addition, and their interactive effects significantly altered the soil enzyme C:N, C:P, and N:P stoichiometries. The cumulative mineralization rates of SOC and nitrogen increased significantly with increasing incubation temperature and sludge addition rate. Principal component analysis revealed a significant linear correlation between cumulative SOC and nitrogen mineralization. Random forest analysis indicated that β-1,4-Glucosidase (BG), β-1,4-N-acetyglucosaminidase (NAG), cellobiohydrolase (CBH), ammonium nitrogen (NO3−), enzyme C:P ratio, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and incubation temperature were crucial determinants of cumulative SOC mineralization. Structural equation modeling demonstrated that sludge addition, NO3−, NAG, ALP, and enzyme C:P positively impacted SOC mineralization, whereas dissolved organic carbon and BG had negative impacts. Conversely, incubation temperature negatively affected soil nitrogen mineralization, whereas NO3−, available phosphorus, and ALP contributed positively. Sludge addition and temperature indirectly modulated soil net nitrogen mineralization by altering soil chemical properties and enzyme activities. These findings underscore the role of SOC and nitrogen mineralization as indicators for evaluating soil nutrient retention capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The weak points in a slope often control its deformation and failure mode. Under the action of earthquakes, the complex influence of seismic waves on slopes with cavities is rarely considered. By studying the strain response of this kind of slope, the triggering mechanism of the slope under a strong earthquake can be further discussed. On the basis of the existing research, a shaking table test of a slope model with a cavity structure is carried out. The following conclusions were made: (1) Under the condition of a strong earthquake, the initial crack of the slope with cavities mainly occurs around the cavities, the top of the slope, and the boundary of the slope. (2) During the vibration process, the peak air pressure in a cavity has a good correlation with the peak strain in the surrounding material. The peak strain appears just after the peak air pressure, indicating that the sudden change in the air pressure in the cavity will lead to significant tensile damage to the cavity wall. Repeated air pressure changes in the cavity cause progressive damage to the slope near the cavity structure, accelerating fracture expansion and leading to the fracture penetrating the slope boundary. (3) The overall failure of the slope is somewhat related to the development of cracks around the cavity structure, but failure does not necessarily occur along the cavity zone. The failure site is closely related to the free surface condition and the upper slope structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dexanabinol (HU-211) is an artificially synthesized cannabinoid derivative that exerts neuroprotective effects through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Curcumin exhibits antidepressant effects in the treatment of major depressive disorder. To investigate the antidepressant effects of solid lipid nanoparticles loaded with both curcumin and dexanabinol, and the underlying mechanisms associated with this combination, we established wild-type (CBR1+/+) and cannabinoid receptor 1 (CBR1) knockout (CBR1–/–) mouse models of major depressive disorder, through the intraperitoneal injection of corticosterone, for 3 successive days, followed by treatment with intraperitoneal injections of solid lipid nanoparticles loading with curcumin (20 mg/kg) and dexanabinol (0.85 mg/kg), for 2 successive days. Our results revealed that solid lipid nanoparticle loading with curcumin and dexanabinol increased the mRNA and protein expression levels of the mature neuronal markers neuronal nuclei, mitogen-activated protein 2, and neuron-specific beta-tubulin III, promoted the release of dopamine and norepinephrine, and increased the mRNA expression of CBR1 and the downstream genes Rasgef1c and Egr1, and simultaneously improved rat locomotor function. However, solid lipid nanoparticles loaded with curcumin and dexanabinol had no antidepressant effects on the CBR1–/– mouse models of major depressive disorder. This study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee of Tongji Hospital of Tongji University, China (approval No. 2017-DW-020) on May 24, 2017.

Climate change is increasing the frequency of prolonged droughts and extreme rainfall events, with implications for ecosystem carbon (C) cycling and efforts to mitigate climate change. Exploring how wet and dry cycling events affect microbially mediated soil organic carbon (SOC) mineralization processes is critical for achieving global C neutrality targets. This study examines how drought, water stress, and wet‐dry cycles influence microorganisms and the SOC mineralization process. We found that wet‐dry cycles initially excited mineralization of SOC, but that soil mineralization gradually decreased as wet‐dry cycling continued. At the same time, the utilization of C sources by different microbial communities tended to change, from primarily carbohydrate, amines and acids to a single acid, esters, or alcohols. The limiting factors for SOC mineralization also varied when soils were exposed to drought, water stress, and wet‐dry cycles, and we quantified the direct and interactive contributions of each factor to SOC mineralization. The direct effects of the factors under drought and water stress were 0.70 and 0.74, while the interaction of the elements was only 0.29 and 0.24. The direct effects of the factors were only 0.30 under wet‐dry cycling conditions. Based on the results of this study, we propose a pathway for soil biological regulation of SOC mineralization during drought, water stress and wet‐dry cycles, in order to further clarify the microbial regulation mechanism related to SOC mineralization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media is playing an increasingly important role in our daily lives. Young Chinese consumers are the primary users of social media in China. Social media is the primary source of information for young Chinese customers, influencing their buying decisions. Through the research obtained three main results: Young Chinese consumers use social media for information. Social media messages are their primary source of information. Social media information influences buy decisions making of young Chinese consumers. Number of negative information on social media moderates the relationships between trust in information of social media and intention to buy

Dynamics of soil enzyme activity during plant restoration processes have been studied extensively; however, a general understanding of the rhizosphere-specific enzyme activity during plant secondary succession is limited. Rhizosphere samples were collected from the dominant and main companion species in farmlands abandoned for up to 32 years in the Loess Plateau. We determined soil chemical properties, phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles and activities of four enzymes (β-1,4-glucosidase, BG; β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase, NAG; L-leucine aminopeptidase, LAP and alkaline phosphatase, AP), specific enzyme activity per soil organic carbon (SOC) and per PLFA unit. Specific BG, NAG, LAP and AP activities per SOC unit significantly decreased 77.1%, 53.2%, 83.0% and 49.2% with plant succession. Specific BG, NAG and LAP activities per PLFA unit significantly decreased 59.6%, 18.9% and 70.9% with plant succession. Furthermore, specific BG and LAP activities in the dominant species were lower than those in the companion species. Redundancy analysis revealed that variations in specific enzyme activities per SOC and per PLFA unit were explained 76.6% and 68.6% by soil chemical properties. SOC, total nitrogen (TN) and available phosphorus (aP) significantly influenced the rhizosphere-specific enzyme activities. This study improved the understanding of the element cycle at the root–soil interface under secondary succession ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]