[Tolerance and vegetation restoration prospect of seedlings of five oak species for Pb/Zn mine tailing].

A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the growth response and vegetation restoration prospect of seedlings of five oak species for the phytoremediation of lead/zinc (Pb/Zn) mine tailings. Seedlings of Quercus imbricaria, Q. coccinea, Q.

Phytoremediation potential of transplanted bare-root seedlings of trees for lead/zinc and copper mine tailings.

Selecting plant species that can overcome unfavorable conditions and increase the recovery of degraded mined lands remains a challenge. A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of using transplanted tree seedlings for the phytoremediation of lead/zinc and copper mine tailings. One-year-old bare-root of woody species (Rhus chinensis Mill, Quercus acutissima Carruth, Liquidambar formosana Hance, Vitex trifolia Linn.

Efficiency of neural respiratory drive for the assessment of bronchodilator responsiveness in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: an exploratory study.

Background: Conventional lung function parameters, such as forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and inspiratory capacity (IC) are often used to assess the therapeutic outcomes of bronchodilators, but they lack sensitivity. A novel indicator, namely efficiency of neural respiratory drive (NRD), may objectively evaluate the physiological changes in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We investigated whether this indicator could be used to more accurately assess the responsiveness to inhaled bronchodilators.

Comparison of inducible versus constitutive expression of plectasin on yields and antimicrobial activities in Pichia pastoris.

Background: Plectasin might serve as a substitute for traditional antibiotics, but its yields and antimicrobial activities warrant further investigation.

Objective: To identify the influence of inducible versus constitutive expression of plectasin on yields and antimicrobial activities.

Methods: Through SOE-PCR, a recombinant plectasin gene was generated and inserted into inducible (pPICZαA) and constitutive (pGAPZαA) vectors in order to create Pichia pastoris GS115 strains.

[Effects of treating with concentrated sulfuric acid on the seed germination of ten Hibiscus hamabo provenance families].

The seeds from ten Hibiscus hamabo provenance families were treated with concentrated sulfuric acid for different durations (0, 10, 15, and 20 min) , and the seed germination rate, germination energy, and germination index, as well as the seed relative water adsorption rate, soluble sugar and starch contents, and alpha-amylase activity during the germination, were determined, aimed to study the effects of treating with concentrated sulfuric acid on the seed germination of H. hamabo and the differences of the seed germination among different H. hamabo provenance families.

[Pb, Zn accumulation and nutrient uptake of 15 plant species grown in abandoned mine tailings].

Vegetation restoration field test was carried out in the abandoned lead-zinc tailings for 3 years. The study showed that accumulation of lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and nutrient uptake differed with plant species and organs, heavy metals, and planting time. Pb was mainly accumulated in tree roots, and its content distribution in tree organs was generally in the order of roots > leaves > stems.

[Effects of phosphorus stress on the growth and nitrogen and phosphorus absorption of different Formosan sweet gum provenances].

Aiming at the ecological value of Formosan sweet gum (Liquidambar formosana) as a pioneer species and the status of red soil phosphorus (P) deficiency, a sand culture experiment of split design was conducted to study the responses of three-leaf stage seedlings of seven Formosan sweet gum provenances from Yixing of Jiangsu, Jingxian of Anhui, Yongkang of Zhejiang, Nanchang of Jiangxi, Shaowu of Fujian, Yanping of Fujian, and Nandan of Guangxi to four levels of P (P0, P1/2, P1, P2). With increasing P stress, the biomass and the N and P absorption of test provenances decreased, whereas the utilization efficiency increased. In higher P treatments, the provenances from Nanchang and Yixing had higher biomass and higher N and P absorption but lower utilization efficiency, while the provenance from Nandan had lower N and P absorption but higher utilization efficiency.