Insomniacs show greater prefrontal activation during verbal fluency task compared to non-insomniacs: a functional near-infrared spectroscopy investigation of depression in patients.

Background: Previous studies have shown that insomnia affects human prefrontal function and that there are specific patterns of brain activation to counteract sleep and improve cognition. However, the effects of insomnia on the prefrontal cortex of MDD (major depressive disorder) patients and the patterns of activation to counteract sleep in MDD patients remain unclear. The aim of this study is to examine this using fNIRS (functional near-infrared spectroscopy).

[Status of soil fertility, nutrient balance, and environmental risk assessment in yam production of North China Plain].

Taking the main production area of yam in North China Plain as the research area, we analyzed the status of soil fertility and fertilizer application in yam production through field investigation and tracking monitoring, examined soil nutrient balance using the input-output model of nutrients in agricultural system, and assessed the environmental risks in the yam planting system. The results showed that: 1) the contents of soil organic matter and total N were extremely low, and the contents of available P and available Zn were both low; both nitrate and available Cu contents were at the middle level, the contents of soil slowly available K, available S, and exchangeable Ca and Mg were all extremely high, the contents of available K, available Fe, and available Mn were all at high level; 2) The nitrogen (N), phosphorus (PO), and potassium (KO) inputs were 575-943 kg·hm, 341-981 kg·hm, and 655-1219 kg·hm during the whole growth period of yam, with chemical fertilizer accounting for 83.0%, 88.

[Variations of soil microbial community composition and enzyme activities with different salinities on Yuyao coast, Zhejiang, China].

In October 2015, soil samples with different salinity were collected in a coast area in Yuyao, Zhejiang, and soil microbial community composition, soil catalase, urease activities, as well as soil physical and chemical properties were studied. The results showed that Nitrospira took absolute advantage in the bacterial community, and showed good correlations to total potassium. Cladosporium and Fusarium were predominant in the fungal community.

[Effects of water and fertilizer coupling on photosynthetic characteristics of maize leaves in ear position at filling stage in an apple-maize intercropping system in Losses Plateau of west Shanxi Province, China.].

Taking a typical apple×maize intercropping system in the loess region of Shanxi Pro-vince, China as test object, the current study analyzed the photosynthetic characteristics of maize leaves of ear position at filling stage under different irrigation and fertilization regimes. There were three irrigation levels [low (W), 50% field capacity (Fc); medium (W), 65% Fc; and high (W), 85% Fc], three fertilizer levels {F [N (289 kg·hm) + PO (118 kg·hm) + KO (118 kg·hm)]; F [N (412.4 kg·hm) + PO (168.