Nutrient allocation strategies of four conifers from semiarid to extremely arid environments.

Although the contents of limiting elements in plants, such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), have been widely studied from subtropical to humid-temperate zones, the strategies used by coniferous species to allocation N and P in arid and semiarid forests remain unclear. In this study, samples of 545 leaves, 194 twigs, and 78 fine roots were collected from four coniferous species (Pinus tabuliformis, Picea wilsonii, Juniperus przewalskii, and Picea crassifolia) of three genera (Pinus, Picea, and Juniperus) in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, and the contents of C, N, and P were analyzed. Two key parameters, namely the allometric exponent and coefficient of variation, were calculated to illustrate the relative investment of plants to N and P uptake and plasticity (variation of N and P), respectively.

[Research progress on cambial activity of trees and the influencing factors].

Tree growth is the main way of carbon sequestration in forest ecosystems, which is influenced by climatic and non-climatic factors. The long-term location monitoring of cambial phenology and wood formation dynamics (xylogenesis) is an important method to clarify the responses of radial growth to climate change. Here, we reviewed studies on cambial phenology and xylogenesis by microcoring method.

[Stem radial growth of in response to climatic factors in the western Qilian Mountains, China].

The radial growth of eight individuals of and environmental factors were monitored by Dendrometer and automatic meteorological station in the western Qilian Mountains. The Gompertz function fitted results showed that the radial growth of started on April 19, April 17, and April 10 in 2018, 2019 and 2020, respectively, and that the radial growth started when daily mean temperature exceeded 5.5 ℃.

[Effects of warming on radial growth of in the eastern Qilian Mountains, China].

Tree-rings of from high (3000 m), middle (2750 m) and low (2500 m) altitudes were collected from the Xiying River basin in the eastern Qilian Mountains, with the standard chronology being established using dendrochronological methods. Results of the correlation analysis between tree-ring width index and temperature and precipitation during different periods showed that radial growth of at different altitudes responded differently to climate warming in the eastern Qilian Mountains. Water and heat availability were the main limiting factors for the radial growth of in the eastern part of Qilian Mountains.

Interferon-γ regulates cell malignant growth via the c-Abl/HDAC2 signaling pathway in mammary epithelial cells.

Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) has been used to control cancers in clinical treatment. However, an increasing number of reports have suggested that in some cases effectiveness declines after a long treatment period, the reason being unclear. We have reported previously that long-term IFN-γ treatment induces malignant transformation of healthy lactating bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs) in vitro.

A corn straw-based diet increases release of inflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of dairy cows.

Recent studies have shown that diet can affect the body's immunity. Roughage of dairy cows consists of a variety of plant materials which make different contributions to health. This study investigated the effect of different roughages on the immunity of dairy cows.