Global warming potential assessment under reclaimed water and livestock wastewater irrigation coupled with co-application of inhibitors and biochar.

The application of nitrification inhibitors (nitrapyrin) and urease inhibitors (N-(N-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide) under conventional water resources has been considered as an effective means to improve nitrogen utilization efficiency and mitigate soil greenhouse gas emissions. However, it is not known whether the inhibitors still have an inhibitory effect under unconventional water resources (reclaimed water and livestock wastewater) irrigation and whether their use in combination with biochar improves the mitigation effect. Therefore, unconventional water resources were used for irrigation, with groundwater (GW) control.

Assessment of the sustainability of groundwater utilization and crop production under optimized irrigation strategies in the North China Plain under future climate change.

Over-exploitation of groundwater due to intensive irrigation and anticipated climate change pose severe threats to the water and food security worldwide, particularly in the North China Plain (NCP). Limited irrigation has been recognized as an effective way to improve crop water productivity and slow the rapid decline of groundwater levels. Whether optimized limited irrigation strategies could achieve a balance between groundwater pumping and grain production in the NCP under future climate change deserves further study.

Sorption and mobility of cadmium in soil impacted by irrigation waters.

Soil contamination by Cd has drawn global attention, while how irrigation waters modulate Cd sorption and mobility in soil remains obscure. We address this by investigating how cropped sandy soil irrigated with different waters altered Cd sorption and mobility using a rhizobox experiment followed by a batch experiment. Maize were planted in the rhizoboxes and irrigated by reclaimed water (RW), livestock wastewater (LW) and deionized water (CK), respectively.

Subsurface drip irrigation reduces cadmium accumulation of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) plants in upland soil.

Given that Cd pollution in dry land has aroused wide public concern, numerous remediation technologies has been utilized, yet there are limited cost-effective techniques that do not affect the original planting patterns. Fortunately, irrigation management can meet these requirements, while the effects of irrigation practices on Cd uptake by crops in slightly Cd-polluted upland soil remain elusive. Here, we aimed to investigate how the irrigation methods altered the Cd availability in soil, Cd accumulation in plants, microorganism population in soil, root morphology, and enzyme activities in soil and plants.

Fusion rates for odontoid fractures after treatment by anterior odontoid screw versus posterior C1-C2 arthrodesis: a meta-analysis.

Objective: For odontoid fractures, surgical treatment approaches including anterior odontoid screw fixation approach and the posterior C1-C2 arthrodesis approach are generally adopted in practice. However, the choice of different surgical procedures remains controversial. In addition to surgical technique, the fusion rate is an important factor contributing to the clinical efficacy.

[POSTEROLATERAL AND POSTEROMEDIAL APPROACHES FOR TREATMENT OF POSTERIOR Pilon FRACTURES IN ELDERLY PATIENTS].

Objective: To explore the clinical outcomes of open reduction and internal fixation by posterolateral and posteromedial approaches for treating posterior Pilon fractures in elderly patients.

Methods: Between August 2009 and August 2014, 20 elderly patients with posterior Pilon fractures were treated with open reduction and internal fixation by posterolateral and posteromedial approaches. There were 14 males and 6 females, aged from 66 to 83 years (mean, 72.

Effects of electroacupuncture of different intensities on energy metabolism of mitochondria of brain cells in rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Objective: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) of different intensities on lactate dehydrogernase (LDH), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and ATPase in brain tissue of rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CI/R).

Methods: Forty male SD rats were uniformly randomized into sham operation group (group A), CI/R group (group B), CI/R+5 mA EA (group C), CI/R+3 mA EA (group D) and CI/R+1 mA EA (group E) groups with eight rats in each group. Transient general brain ischemia was induced by four-vessel occlusion and reperfusion.

Hyperexpression of Foxp3 and IDO during acute rejection of islet allografts.

Background: We investigated the hypothesis that Foxp3+ cells are an integral component of antiallograft immunity but are dominated by pathogenic effectors.

Methods: Wild-type H-2b C57BL/6 (B6) mice or B6 mice with a targeted disruption of c-Rel gene (c-Rel-/-) were used as recipients of islet grafts from allogeneic DBA/2 (H-2d) mice or syngeneic B6 mice. We developed kinetic quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays and measured intragraft expression of mRNA for Foxp3, IDO, cytolytic molecules, proinflammatory cytokines, and chemokines/receptors.

Messenger RNA for FOXP3 in the urine of renal-allograft recipients.

Background: The outcome of renal transplantation after an episode of acute rejection is difficult to predict, even with an allograft biopsy.

Methods: We studied urine specimens from 36 subjects with acute rejection, 18 subjects with chronic allograft nephropathy, and 29 subjects with normal biopsy results. Levels of messenger RNA (mRNA) for FOXP3, a specification and functional factor for regulatory T lymphocytes, and mRNA for CD25, CD3epsilon, perforin, and 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) were measured with a kinetic, quantitative polymerase-chain-reaction assay.

Noninvasive detection of renal allograft inflammation by measurements of mRNA for IP-10 and CXCR3 in urine.

Background: We explored the hypothesis that measurements of mRNA encoding interferon-inducible protein-10 (IP-10) or the chemokine receptor CXCR3 in urinary cells offer a noninvasive means of elucidating cellular traffic causing acute rejection of human renal allografts.

Methods: We obtained 63 urine specimens from 58 renal allograft recipients who underwent 63 allograft biopsies to resolve the basis for graft dysfunction, and 27 additional urine samples from 24 other patients with stable allograft function. Twenty-seven of the 63 biopsies were classified as acute rejection, 20 as other, and 16 as chronic allograft nephropathy.

Tacrolimus enhances transforming growth factor-beta1 expression and promotes tumor progression.

Background: Immunosuppressive therapy is a risk factor for the increased incidence and metastatic progression of malignancies in organ graft recipients. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta(1) has been associated with tumor invasion and metastasis, and we have implicated cyclosporine-associated TGF-beta(1) hyperexpression in tumor progression in mice.

Methods: BALB/c mice or severe combined immunodeficient-beige mice were treated with 2 or 4 mg/kg of tacrolimus, and the effect of treatment on mouse renal cancer cell pulmonary metastasis was investigated.

Serine proteinase inhibitor-9, an endogenous blocker of granzyme B/perforin lytic pathway, is hyperexpressed during acute rejection of renal allografts.

Background: Serine proteinase inhibitor (PI)-9 with a reactive center P1 (Glu)-P1' is a natural antagonist of granzyme B and is expressed in high levels in cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). In view of the role of CTL in acute rejection, we explored the hypothesis that PI-9 would be hyperexpressed during acute rejection. Because PI-9 can protect CTL from its own fatal arsenal and potentially enhance the vitality of CTL, we examined whether PI-9 levels correlate with the severity of rejection as well as predict subsequent graft function.

Molecular signatures of urinary cells distinguish acute rejection of renal allografts from urinary tract infection.

Acute rejection (AR) and urinary tract infection (UTI) continue to plague renal transplantation. We tested the hypotheses that UTI does not increase granzyme B mRNA levels in urinary cells, and that the levels distinguish AR from UTI. We measured the levels of granzyme B mRNA in 15 urine specimens from renal allograft recipients with UTI, 29 specimens from patients with AR but without UTI, and 14 specimens from patients without AR and without UTI.

CD103 mRNA levels in urinary cells predict acute rejection of renal allografts.

Background: CD103 is displayed on the cell surface of alloreactive CD8 cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and is a critical component for the intraepithelial homing of T cells. Because intratubular localization of mononuclear cells is a feature of acute cellular rejection of renal allografts, we explored the hypothesis that CD103 messenger (m)RNA levels in urinary cells predict acute rejection.

Methods: We collected 89 urine specimens from 79 recipients of renal allografts.

Proapoptotic Bax is hyperexpressed in isolated human islets compared with antiapoptotic Bcl-2.

Background: Apoptosis is a well-documented pathway for islet cell death. One potential mechanism is overexpression of death-promoting Bax compared with antiapoptotic Bcl-2 in islets.

Methods: We isolated islets from 10 human pancreata and measured the expression of Bax mRNA and Bcl-2 mRNA by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction; islet and pancreas expression of Bax, Bcl-2, activated caspase-3, and cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase were also assessed by immunohistochemistry.

Noninvasive diagnosis of BK virus nephritis by measurement of messenger RNA for BK virus VP1 in urine.

Background: Polyoma virus type BK (BKV) nephritis has emerged as an important cause of renal allograft dysfunction and graft failure. Its diagnosis is contingent on the invasive procedure of allograft biopsy. A noninvasive diagnostic test for BKV nephritis could improve clinical outcome.

Enforced c-REL deficiency prolongs survival of islet allografts1.

Background: The NF-kappaB/Rel family of transcription factors regulates biologic processes ranging from apoptosis to inflammation and innate immunity. Whether c-Rel, a lymphoid-predominant member of the NF-kappaB/Rel family, is essential for transplantation immunity is not known.

Methods: We explored the role of c-Rel in the anti-allograft repertory using mice with targeted disruption of the c-Rel gene (c-Rel-/-) as recipients of H-2 mismatched islet allografts.