Responses of crop productivity and reactive nitrogen losses to the application of animal manure to China's main crops: A meta-analysis.

The effective utilization of manure in cropland systems is essential to sustain yields and reduce reactive nitrogen (Nr) losses. However, there are still uncertainties regarding the substitution of mineral nitrogen (N) fertilizer with manure in terms of its effects on crop yield and Nr losses. We conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis of wheat, maize, and rice applications in China and discovered that substituting mineral N fertilizer with manure increased wheat and maize yields by 4.

Integrating life cycle assessment and a farmer survey of management practices to study environmental impacts of peach production in Beijing, China.

While intensive peach production has expanded rapidly in recent years, few studies have explored the environmental impacts associated with specific regional systems or the optimal management strategies to minimize associated environmental risks. Here, data from a survey of 290 native farmers were used to conduct a life cycle assessment to quantify the acidification potential (AP), global warming potential (GWP), eutrophication potential (EP), and reactive nitrogen (Nr) losses in peach production in Pinggu District, Beijing. Total annual Nr losses, and GWP, AP, and EP values for peach production in Pinggu District were respectively 10.

Spatial changes and driving variables of topsoil organic carbon stocks in Chinese croplands under different fertilization strategies.

The effect of different fertilization strategies on changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) largely depends on the current status of a given agricultural region. We analysed the results of 90 long-term field trials (20-37 years) in Chinese croplands to determine the effects of fertilization strategies [i.e.

A3G-induced mutations show a low prevalence and exhibit plus-strand regional distribution in hepatitis B virus DNA from patients with non-hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and HCC.

APOBEC3G (A3G) cytidine deaminase is an innate immune restriction factor that can edit and inhibit hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication. The preferred target of A3G is deamination of the third cytosine of 5'CCC to form a mutant marker 5'CC C → K. However, the distribution of A3G-induced mutations on HBV DNA during infection is not well characterized.

Preclinical safety evaluation of body protective compound-157, a potential drug for treating various wounds.

BPC157 displays protective activity in various organs and tissues. This report presents preclinical toxicity studies with BPC157 in mice, rats, rabbits and dogs. The single-dose toxicity study did not show any test-related effects that could be attributed to the test article.

High‑throughput and continuous flow isolation of rare circulating tumor cells and clusters in gastric cancer from human whole blood samples using electromagnetic vibration‑based filtration.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) or CTC clusters are considered as suitable and relevant targets for liquid biopsy as they more accurately indicate cancer progression, the therapeutic effects of treatment and allows for monitoring of cancer metastasis in real‑time. Among the various methods for isolating CTCs, size‑based filtration is one of the most convenient methods. However, cell clogging makes the filtration process less efficient.

Synthesis and evaluation of a prodrug of 5-aminosalicylic acid for the treatment of ulcerative colitis.

Objectives: This study is aimed to design and synthesize a prodrug of 5-aminosalicylic acid and evaluate its ameliorative effect on experimental ulcerative colitis (UC).

Materials And Methods: 5-Aminosalicylic acid-alanine (5-ASA-ALA) was synthesized and characterized. Its stability study was conducted in rat plasma and in the gastrointestinal tract environment, its transport characteristic was assessed using the Caco-2 cells.

Distribution and difference of APOBEC-induced mutations in the TpCpW context of HBV DNA between HCC and non-HCC.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA is vulnerable to editing by human apolipoprotein B mRNA editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptide-like (APOBEC) cytidine deaminases. However, the distribution of APOBEC-induced mutations on HBV DNA is not well characterized. To this end, we obtained the HBV DNA sequence of HBV-infected individuals with and without hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC and non-HCC groups, respectively) from NCBI database and calculated the r values of APOBEC-induced TpCpW→TpKpW mutation prevalence in HBV DNA.

A synthetic analysis of greenhouse gas emissions from manure amended agricultural soils in China.

Application of manure has been recommended as an effective strategy to to mitigate climate change. However, the magnitude of greenhouse gases emission derived by application of manure to agricultural soils across environmental conditions still remains unclear. Here, we synthesized data from 379 observations in China and quantified the responses of soil nitrous oxide (NO), carbon dioxide (CO) and methane (CH) emissions to manure (Org-M) in comparison to chemical fertilizers (Min-F) or non-fertilizers (Non-F).

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) core protein enhances the transcription activation of CRE via the CRE/CREB/CBP pathway.

We previously reported that hepatitis B virus core protein (HBc) can bind to the Enhancer I (Enh I) domain and can accumulate with transcription coactivator cAMP response element (CRE). This raises the possibility that HBc may interact with CRE/CREB and regulate CRE transcription activation. In this study, we investigated the function and mechanisms of HBc in regulating CRE transcriptional activation using the HepG2 cell line.

Hyaluronic acid and glucosamine sulfate for adult Kashin-Beck disease: a cluster-randomized, placebo-controlled study.

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of hyaluronic acid (HA) and glucosamine sulfate (GS) in alleviating symptoms and improving function of Kashin-Beck disease (KBD). A cluster-randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in 150 patients with KBD. Participants were randomly allocated to receive intra-articular injection hyaluronic acid (IAHA) for 4 weeks, oral GS for 12 weeks, or oral placebo for 12 weeks.

An aptamer-based immunoassay in microchannels of a portable analyzer for detection of microcystin-leucine-arginine.

The rapid detection of microcystin-leucine-arginine (MC-LR), the most highly toxic among MCs, is significantly important to environmental and human health protection and prevention of MC-LR from being used as a bioweapon. Although aptamers offer higher affinity, specificity, and stability with MC-LR than antibodies in the immunodetection of MC-LR due to steric hindrance between two antibodies and limited epitopes of MC-LR for use in a sandwich immunoassay, no sandwich immunoassay using an aptmer has been developed for MC-LR detection. This study is aimed at developing an aptamer-antibody immunoassay (AAIA) to detect MC-LR using a portable analyzer.

[Transmission disequilibrium test for 15 short tandem repeat loci in Kashin-Beck disease and their interaction with low selenium].

Objective: To identify the genetic susceptibility to Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) and explore the interaction between low selenium (Se) and the susceptibility gene loci in KBD.

Methods: The DNA samples collected from 23 KBD nuclear families were analyzed using PCR and GeneScan Analysis 3.7 and Genotyper3.

[Association of genetic polymorphism of 14 STR loci on chromosome 2 with Kashin-Beck disease].

Objective: To analyze the differences of genetic polymorphism of 14 STR loci on chromosome 2 between KBD patients and controls living in and outside of KBD catchment areas.

Methods: Blood samples anticoagulated with EDTA were collected from 135 unrelated individuals of Han population in Shaanxi Province, which included 45 samples from KBD patients, 45 from normal residents living in the KBD catchment areas, and 45 from normal residents outside of the KBD catchment areas. The DNA was extracted from the blood samples for PCR amplification of relevant fragments.

[Effects of selenium and/or iodine deficiency on chondrocyte apoptosis in rats].

Objective: To explore the effects of selenium and/or iodine deficiency on chondrocyte apoptosis in articular cartilage in rats.

Methods: Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into selenium deficiency group, iodine deficiency group, combined selenium and iodine deficiency group, and control group. Chondrocyte apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase biotin-dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) method, and Bcl-2 and Bax in articular cartilage were stained by immunohistochemistry in F3 generation of rats.

Features of intervertebral disc degeneration in rat's aging process.

Objective: The age-related change is important part of degenerative disc disease. However, no appropriate animal model or objective evaluation index is available. This study aimed to investigate the features of intervertebral disc degeneration in aging process of rats.

[Familial aggregation and sibling heritability in Kashin-Beck disease].

Objective: To explore the family aggregation and the role of hereditary factors in the pathogenesis of Kashin-Beck disease (KBD).

Methods: With a stratified sampling method, the general population of 14 villages of Linyou County were studied, from whom 225 KBD probands were selected using systematic sampling at the rate of (1/2). A total of 304 siblings of the probands were ascertained, and in these sibling pairs, the segregation ratio, heritability in different age groups and weighted mean heritability of the siblings were estimated using the methods of Li-Mantel-Grart and Falconer.

[Genetic polymorphism of 15 STR on chromosome 2 and 11 in Shaanxi Han people in China].

Objective: To investigate the genetic polymorphism of 15 short tandem repeat(STR)loci on chromosome 2 and chromosome 11 in Shaanxi Han people in China.

Methods: Fluorescence-based gene scan technique was used to examine the genetic polymorphism of 15 STR loci in 175 unrelated individuals from Chinese Han population in Shannxi province.

Results: The number of alleles D2S335, D2S396, D2S338, D2S2382, D2S305, D2S151, D2S2368, D2S391,D11S912, D11S4090, D11S4147, D11S4190, D11S4149, D11S4126, and D11S4094 was 11,11,11,10,8,8,9,12 ,7,11,8,10,5,5, and 6.

[Genetic polymorphism analysis of 8 short tandem repeat loci on chromosome 2 in Chinese Han population in Shaanxi Province].

Objective: To analyze the genetic polymorphism of 8 short tandem repeat (STR) loci on human chromosome 2 in Chinese Han population in Shaanxi Province.

Methods: Blood samples anticoagulated with EDTA were collected from 176 unrelated Chinese Han individuals in Shaanxi Province. The DNA was extracted for PCR amplification of the relevant fragments, and the amplified products were analyzed using the ABI 3730 Genetic Analyzer.

[Butenolide induces apoptosis of cultured chondrocytes: study of its mechanism].

Objective: To observe cell apoptosis and Bcl-2 and Bax expression changes of chondrocytes induced by butenolide (BUT) and the inhibitory effect of selenium against BUT-induced chondrcyte apoptosis, to gain insights into the mechanism by which BUT induces chondrcyte apoptosis.

Methods: Cartilage tissue reestablished from human fetal articular chondrocytes in vitro were treated with BUT at the concentrations of 0.1, 1.

[Mechanism of chondrocyte apoptosis in Kashin-Beck disease and primary osteoarthritis: a comparative study].

Objective: To investigate chondrocyte apoptosis and the expressions of Bcl-2, Bax, Fas and iNOS in the articular cartilage between Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) and primary osteoarthritis (OA) and explore the difference in pathogenesis between the two diseases.

Methods: The articular cartilage specimens were collected from 15 normal human subjects, 15 adult patients with KBD and 15 with OA. Chondrocyte apoptosis was detected by TUNEL method, and the expressions of Bcl-2, Bax, Fas and iNOS in articular cartilage were examined with B-SA immunohistochemistry.

[Comparison of apoptosis of articular chondrocytes in the pathogenesis of Kashin-beck disease and primary osteoarthritis].

Objective: To investigate chondrocyte apoptosis and expression of Fas and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in articular cartilage in the pathogenesis of Kashin-beck disease (KBD) and primary osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods: The collected samples of articular cartilage were divided into three groups: normal control (15 cases), KBD adults (15 cases) and OA (15 cases). Chondrocyte apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase biotin-dUTP nick end labeling method, and Fas and iNOS in articular cartilage were stained by immunohistochemistry.