Publications by authors named "Wenshen Liu"

Background: There remain controversies regarding the surgical treatment of extrahepatic bile duct stones (EHBDSs) in clinical practice.

Aim: To explore the curative effect of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) plus common bile duct exploration (CBDE) for the surgical treatment of EHBDSs and to analyze the risk factors that affect postoperative stone recurrence.

Methods: Eighty-two patients with EHBDSs admitted between March 2017 and March 2023 were selected.

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Ion-adsorption rare earth element (REE) deposits distributed in the subtropics provide a rich global source of REEs, but in situ injection of REEs extractant into the mine can result in leachate being leaked into the surrounding groundwater systems. Due to the lack of understanding of REE speciation distribution, particularly colloidal characteristics in a mining area, the risks of REEs migration caused by in situ leaching of ion-adsorption REE deposits has not been concerned. Here, ultrafiltration and asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (AF4-ICP-MS) were integrated to characterize the size and composition of REEs in leachate and groundwater from mining catchments in South China.

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Synchrotron-based micro-X-ray fluorescence analysis (µXRF) is a nondestructive and highly sensitive technique. However, element mapping of rare earth elements (REEs) under standard conditions requires care, since energy-dispersive detectors are not able to differentiate accurately between REEs L-shell X-ray emission lines overlapping with K-shell X-ray emission lines of common transition elements of high concentrations. We aim to test REE element mapping with high-energy interference-free excitation of the REE K-lines on hyperaccumulator plant tissues and compare with measurements with REE L-shell excitation at the microprobe experiment of beamline P06 (PETRA III, DESY).

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Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) is more readily taken up by plants than trivalent chromium (Cr(III)) due to its similar chemical structure to phosphate and sulfate. In paddy soils, Cr(VI) of natural origin are mainly produced from Cr(III) oxidized by O and Mn(III/IV) oxides, which are affected by rice radial oxygen loss (ROL) and Mn(II)-oxidizing microorganisms (MOM). However, little is known about the effect of ROL and Mn abundance on rice Cr uptake.

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Rare earth elements (REEs) are critical for numerous modern technologies, and demand is increasing globally; however, production steps are resource-intensive and environmentally damaging. Some plant species are able to hyperaccumulate REEs, and understanding the biology behind this phenomenon could play a pivotal role in developing more environmentally friendly REE recovery technologies. Here, we identified a REE transporter NRAMP REE Transporter 1 (NREET1) from the REE hyperaccumulator fern .

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The present study investigated the co-transport behavior of three REEs (La, Gd, and Yb) with and without biochar nanoparticles (BC NPs) in water-saturated porous media. The presence of REEs enhanced the retention of BC NPs in quartz sand (QS) due to decreased electrostatic repulsion between BC NPs and QS, enhanced aggregation of BC NPs, and the contribution of straining. The distribution coefficients (K) in packed columns in the co-transport of BC NPs and three REEs were much smaller than in batch experiments due to the different hydrodynamic conditions.

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Dicranopteris linearis is the best-known hyperaccumulator species of rare earth elements (REEs) and silicon (Si), capable of dealing with toxic level of REEs. Hence, this study aimed to clarify how D. linearis leaves cope with excessive REE stress, and whether Si plays a role in REE detoxification.

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Influenza viruses pose a serious threat to human health, infecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide each year, resulting in a significant increase in global morbidity and mortality. Influenza activity has declined at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the genetic diversity of B/Victoria lineage viruses has increased significantly during this period. Therefore, the prevention and treatment of the influenza B Victoria strain virus should continue to attract research attention.

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The increasing demand for Rare Earth Elements (REEs) and the depletion of mineral resources motivate sustainable strategies for REE recovery from alternative unconventional sources, such as REE hyperaccumulator. The greatest impediment to REE agromining is the difficulty in the separation of REEs and other elements from the harvested biomass (bio-ore). Here, we develop a sulfuric acid assisted ethanol fractionation method for processing D.

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Mining activities in metal mine areas cause serious environmental pollution, thereby imposing stresses to soil ecosystems. Investigating the ecological pattern underlying contaminated soil microbial diversity is essential to understand ecosystem responses to environment changes. Here we collected 624 soil samples from 49 representative metal mines across eastern China and analyzed their soil microbial diversity and biogeographic patterns by using 16 S rRNA gene amplicons.

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Ion-adsorption rare earth element (REE) deposits are the main reservoirs of REEs worldwide, and are widely exploited in South China. Microbial diversity is essential for maintaining the performance and function of mining ecosystems. Investigating the ecological patterns underlying the REE mine microbiome is essential to understand ecosystem responses to environmental changes and to improve the bioremediation of mining areas.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study examines the impact of ion-adsorption rare earth element (REE) mining on water systems in South China, focusing on the sources and behavior of REEs in groundwater and surface water.
  • The concentration of REEs decreased from upstream to downstream, with specific transformations noted in the types of REE colloids present in the water as it flows through the mining area.
  • Findings show that mining activities significantly influence the distribution and speciation of REEs, as indicated by the anomalies in certain REEs, revealing both their origins and changes through various hydrological processes.
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  • The study examined abandoned ion-adsorption rare earth element (REE) mine tailings in south China, focusing on the natural ecological succession and nutrient dynamics over a 15-year period.
  • Biocrusts were found to be the first colonizers, peaking at 10% coverage after 10 years before being replaced by pioneer plants like Miscanthus sinensis after 15 years, indicating a rapid ecological progression.
  • The research highlighted the role of biocrusts in accumulating nutrients and REEs, as well as the changes in microbial communities, suggesting that biological processes significantly influence the redistribution of contaminants in these environments.
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  • Efforts to restore degraded mine lands face challenges due to unclear drivers of biodiversity recovery and ecosystem function.
  • Plant-soil feedbacks (PSFs) play a crucial role in shaping vegetation and community structure, but mining disturbances create unique conditions that require special consideration.
  • Understanding PSFs can help predict and improve ecosystem recovery, but further research is needed to address existing challenges in this field.
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The exploitation of ion-adsorption rare earth element (REE) deposits in South China has left large areas of mine tailings. However, limited remediation practices on these tailings have been reported, and how the remediation strategies and economic plants cultivation affect the biogeochemical cycles of nutrients, REEs and Al remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of the combination of the addition of soil amendment and the root development and activity of a fiber plant ramie (Boehmeria nivea L.

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  • Organic acids play a key role in the tolerance, uptake, and translocation of rare earth elements (REE) in hyperaccumulators like Phytolacca americana, although the mechanisms are not well understood.
  • This study is the first to illustrate how P. americana enhances REE tolerance and accumulation through the secretion of organic acids from its roots, particularly highlighting the effect of yttrium (Y) on oxalate secretion.
  • The research showed that while oxalate secretion does not prevent Y uptake, it leads to increased levels of malate and citrate, which aid in redistributing Y from roots to shoots, suggesting a complex mechanism of detoxification and transport involving specific transport proteins.
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The plant Phytolacca americana L. simultaneously hyperaccumulates manganese (Mn) and rare earth elements (REEs), but the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. In this study, P.

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Microbial communities play crucial roles in mine drainage generation and remediation. Despite the wide distribution of archaea in the mine ecosystem, their diversity and ecological roles remain less understood than bacteria. Here, we retrieved 56 archaeal metagenome-assembled genomes from a river impacted by rare earth element (REE) mining activities in South China.

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Acid mine drainage (AMD) generated by rare earth elements (REEs) deposits exploration contains high concentrations of REEs, ammonium and sulfates, which is quite different from typical metallic AMD. Currently, microbial responses and ecological functions in REEs-AMD impacted rivers are unknown. Here, 16S rRNA analysis and genome-resolved metagenomics were performed on microbial community collected from a REEs-AMD contaminated river.

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Background: The fern Dicranopteris linearis is a hyperaccumulator of rare earth elements (REEs), aluminium (Al) and silicon (Si). However, the physiological mechanisms of tissue-level tolerance of high concentrations of REE and Al, and possible interactions with Si, are currently incompletely known.

Methods: A particle-induced X-ray emission (μPIXE) microprobe with the Maia detector, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy and chemical speciation modelling were used to decipher the localization and biochemistry of REEs, Al and Si in D.

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China exemplifies the serious and widespread soil heavy metal pollution generated by mining activities. A total of 420 soil samples from 58 metal mines was collected across Eastern China. Total and available heavy metal concentrations, soil physico-chemical properties and geological indices were determined and collected.

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The fern (Gleicheniaceae) from China is a hyperaccumulator of rare earth element (REE), but little is known about the ecophysiology of REE in this species. This study aimed to clarify tissue-level and organ-level distribution of REEs via synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM). The results show that REEs (La + Ce) are mainly colocalized with Mn in the pinnae and pinnules, with the highest concentrations in necrotic lesions and lower concentrations in veins.

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Nowadays rare earth elements (REEs) are widely applied in high-technology and clean energy products, but their environmental risks are still largely unknown. To estimate the ecological risk of REEs, soil samples were collected from REE mine tailings with and without phytoremediation. The results showed that the tailings had rather low organic matter and high total REE concentrations, up to 808.

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Article Synopsis
  • Rare-earth elements (REEs) are emerging pollutants, yet their geochemistry in rivers affected by ion-adsorption mining is understudied.
  • Samples collected from a mining-impacted river showed significantly higher concentrations of REEs in smaller water fractions (<0.45 μm) compared to a control site, with varying factors affecting REE distribution between upstream and downstream.
  • The study found that upstream REE transport was influenced by ligand complexation and smaller colloids, while downstream concentrations were driven by larger colloids and particle adsorption, highlighting the importance of REE patterns for understanding their behavior in mining-affected areas.
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Due to their specific properties, ion-adsorption rare earth mine sites may be a threat for adjacent environments. This work was undertaken to assess whether former mining operations on ion-adsorption rare earth mine sites have a significant impact on water bodies and soils of the surrounding environments. Tailing soil materials, stream waters and sediments, and farmland soils were collected from one of the largest ion-adsorption rare earth mine sites worldwide (Southern China).

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