Plant-soil hydraulic interaction and rhizosphere bacterial community under biochar and CO enrichment.

The increasing atmospheric CO concentration is a global concern that affects the plant-bacteria-soil system. Previous studies have investigated plant growth and bacteria activity under CO enrichment. However, the effects of coupled elevated CO and biochar amendment on the interactions of soil and medicinal plants are not well understood.

Influences of phosphorus-modified biochar on bacterial community and diversity in rhizosphere soil.

Root-associated bacteria play a vital role in the soil ecosystem and plant productivity. Previous studies have reported the decline of bacterial community and rhizosphere soil quality in the cultivation of some medicinal plants (i.e.

Effects of phase change material inclusion on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from soil in cold region.

Increased gas emissions from soil into the atmosphere are one form of ecosystem feedback in response to climate change. Soil temperature plays a critical role in the soil emission of carbon dioxide (CO) and nitrous oxide (NO) suggesting that the release of gases can be reduced by regulating soil temperature. This study proposes a green microencapsulated phase-change material (mPCM) as a soil temperature regulator due to its ability to absorb and release heat during temperature phase transition.

Research progress of cathepsin B in brain aging and Alzheimer's diseases.

Cathepsin B (CatB), a cysteine protease derived from lysosomes, was initially thought to non-selectively degrade proteins from phagocytosis and autophagy in lysosomes. However, CatB has been demonstrated to selectively degrade and specifically activate target proteins, thereby regulating the process of physiological and pathological responses. The expression, enzymatic activity, and cellular localization of CatB are significantly altered in brain aging and age-related neurodegenerative diseases.

Application and prospects of high-throughput screening for neurogenesis.

Over the past few decades, high-throughput screening (HTS) has made great contributions to new drug discovery. HTS technology is equipped with higher throughput, minimized platforms, more automated and computerized operating systems, more efficient and sensitive detection devices, and rapid data processing systems. At the same time, neurogenesis is gradually becoming important in establishing models to investigate the mechanisms of neural disease or deve lopmental processes.

Effects of phosphorus-modified biochar as a soil amendment on the growth and quality of Pseudostellaria heterophylla.

Phosphorus (P) deficiency in agricultural soil is a worldwide concern. P modification of biochar, a common soil conditioner produced by pyrolysis of wastes and residues, can increase P availability and improve soil quality. This study aims to investigate the effects of P-modified biochar as a soil amendment on the growth and quality of a medicinal plant (Pseudostellaria heterophylla).

Quality and yield of Pseudostellaria heterophylla treated with GGBS as pH adjuster against the toxicity of Cd and Cu.

The contamination of Cd and Cu in soil is a great threat to medicinal plant. Ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) is a potential soil pH adjuster to reduce metal toxicity. However, how GGBS affects the quality and yield of herbal plants under the stress of Cd and Cu is not clear.

Two-year evaluation of hydraulic properties of biochar-amended vegetated soil for application in landfill cover system.

Landfill cover should ideally have a medium with high water retention ability and low hydraulic conductivity to prevent rainfall infiltrating into the hazardous waste layer. Even though biochar amended soil (BAS) is advocated as cover medium, the interactions between biochar and plant, as well as the effects of biochar aging and plant growth on soil hydraulic properties are still not clear. This study aims to investigate the effects of grass (Cynodon dactylon) growth in BAS on soil water retention and saturated hydraulic conductivity (k) over a two-year period.

Long-term effects of grass roots on gas permeability in unsaturated simulated landfill covers.

Landfill cover is a barrier that can reduce landfill gas emission. Vegetation could affect soil hydraulic properties of landfill cover, while its effects on gas permeability is not well understood. This paper investigated the effects of plant roots on the evolution of gas permeability (k) in unsaturated landfill cover over a two-year period.

Design, synthesis, and anti-inflammatory activity of caffeoyl salicylate analogs as NO production inhibitors.

Chlorogenic acid (CGA) has been reported to exhibit potent anti-inflammatory activity. However, the development of anti-inflammatory agent based on CGA has not been investigated. In this paper, a series of caffeoyl salicylate compounds derived from CGA were designed, synthesized, and evaluated by LPS-induced nitric oxide synthase inhibition and QRT-PCR technique.

Pancreatic solid cystic desmoid tumor: case report and literature review.

Desmoid tumors (DTs) are nonmetastatic, locally aggressive neoplasms with a high rate of postoperative recurrence. Pancreatic DTs are especially rare; only a few cases have been reported to date. This paper describes a case of a sporadic cystic DT of the pancreas managed successfully with central pancreatectomy, with no signs of recurrence 40 mo after surgery.

Successful interventional radiological management of postoperative complications of laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy.

During the past decade, laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (LDP) has gained increasing acceptance in the surgical community as a viable treatment option for distal pancreatic lesions. However, the possible complication of post-LDP pancreatic leakage remains a challenge, because it may lead to a series of events resulting in intraperitoneal abscess formation, sepsis, pseudoaneurysm formation, and occasional fatal hemorrhage. Dealing with these complications is extremely difficult and not much experience has been reported to date.

Isolated splenic metastases from gastric carcinoma: a case report and literature review.

Isolated metastases to the spleen from gastric carcinoma is very rare. Only a few cases have been reported in the literature. We herein present a case of isolated splenic metastases in a 62-year-old man, occurring 12 mo after total gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma.

[Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy: the experience of 68 cases in a single centre].

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy.

Methods: Totally 68 patients (male 23, female 45) aged 17 to 77 years, with distal pancreatic lesions, underwent laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy from November 2003 to December 2010. The clinical data were collected.