Search Results (44)

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is an important part of the global C pool and is sensitive to climate change. The SOC content and fractions of rice paddies along four elevations (250, 1150, 1600 and 1800 m) on the same slope in four seasons (spring, summer, autumn and winter) at Yuanyang Terrace in southwest China were investigated, and their relationship with environmental factors was analyzed. The contents of SOC, unprotected SOC (uPOM), physically protected SOC (pPOM) and biochemically protected SOC (bcPOM) in rice paddies at a low elevation (250 m), were significantly lower by 49–51% than those at relatively high elevations (1600 m and 1800 m). Among the SOC fractions, the highest proportion (33–50%) was uPOM, followed by pPOM and bcPOM (accounting for 17–40%), and the lowest proportion was chemically protected SOC (cPOM). In addition, there were interseasonal differences among the contents of SOC fractions, with a significantly higher content of SOC, uPOM and pPOM at an elevation of 1600 m in summer than in the other three seasons, whereas the cPOM content at an elevation of 250 m in spring was significantly higher than in the other three higher elevations. According to the redundancy analysis (RDA), total nitrogen was the key environmental factor, with an explanatory degree of 56% affecting the contents of SOC and its fractions. Thus, the SOC content increased with increasing elevation, and physical and biochemical protection were potential stabilization mechanisms responsible for their stability in the rice paddy of Yuanyang Terrace. These results provides empirical evidence for the elevational distribution patterns and seasonal dynamics of SOC fractions in rice paddies across Yuanyang Terrace. These findings highlight the importance of physical and biochemical protection mechanisms in stabilizing SOC in rice paddies, which could enhance long-term C sequestration and contribute to climate change mitigation in terraced agroecosystems. Full article

The accumulation of heavy metal cadmium (Cd) in farmland soil in edible parts of crops seriously threatens plant growth, human health, and even the global ecological environment. Finding stabilization remediation technology is an important means to treat Cd-contaminated soil. This study comprehensively evaluated the synergistic effects of independent or combined application of biochar (BC) (10, 30 g kg⁻¹) and nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) (0.1% w/w) on soil properties and morphological and physiological traits of pakchoi (Brassica rapa L. subsp. chinensis) under Cd (1, 3 mg kg⁻¹) stress by pot experiments. It was shown that Cd toxicity negatively affected soil properties, reduced pakchoi biomass and total chlorophyll content, and increased oxidative stress levels. On the contrary, the combined application of BC (30 g kg⁻¹) and nZVI (0.1%, w/w) reduced the Cd accumulation in the shoot parts of pakchoi from 0.78 mg·kg⁻¹ to 0.11 mg·kg⁻¹, which was lower than the Cd limit standard of leafy vegetables (0.20 mg kg⁻¹) in GB 2762-2017 “National Food Safety Standard”. Compared with the control, the treatment group achieved a 61.66% increase in biomass and a 105.56% increase in total chlorophyll content. At the same time, the activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) increased by 34.86% and 44.57%, respectively, and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) decreased by 71.27%. In addition, the application of BC alone (30 g·kg⁻¹) increased the soil pH value by 0.43 units and the organic carbon (SOC) content by 37.82%. Overall, the synergistic effect of BC (30 g kg⁻¹) and nZVI (0.1% w/w) helped to restore soil homeostasis and inhibit the biotoxicity of Cd, which provided a new option for soil heavy metal remediation and crop toxicity mitigation. Full article

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer in women, and a higher level of prolactin-induced protein (PIP) is associated with better responses to adjuvant chemotherapy. The signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) is a potential regulator of the PIP gene. Prolactin (PRL) and its receptor (PRLR) activate JAK2/STAT5 signaling in BC, which is modulated by inhibitors like suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins and protein inhibitors of activated STAT (PIAS). Using real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry, we studied the relationship between PIP and STAT5 inhibitors in BC. Our findings indicated that PIP and STAT5 levels decrease with a higher tumor grade, size, and tumor/nodes/metastasis (TNM) clinical stage, while nuclear PIAS3 levels increase with tumor progression. Both STAT inhibitors are linked to estrogen and progesterone receptor status. Notably, STAT5 correlates positively with PIP, SOCS3, and PIAS3, suggesting that it may be a favorable prognostic factor. Among the STAT inhibitors, only nuclear PIAS3 expression correlates with PIP. In vitro studies indicated that silencing PIAS3 in T47D cells does not affect PIP expression or sensitivity to doxorubicin (DOX), but T47D control cells with a higher PIP expression are more sensitive to DOX, highlighting the need for further investigation into these mechanisms. Full article

Biochar’s benign effects on agricultural production have been demonstrated. Still, no consistent conclusions have been drawn on the impact of biochar-amended paddy fields on carbon sequestration, gas emission reduction, and efficiency enhancement in typical cropping areas in the middle Yangtze River. A field experiment using five dosages of biochar (CK, BC1.5, BC3, BC4.5, and BC6) at 0, 1.5, 3, 4.5, and 6 kg·m⁻² was conducted at the Hubei Irrigation Experiment Center Station, Jingmen City, Hubei Province, China, to investigate the effects of biochar on carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas emissions, and agricultural efficiency in paddy in the middle Yangtze River Region. This study showed that the optimal biochar dosage was 4.5 kg·m⁻² (BC4.5). Biochar significantly improved soil properties, increased rice yield by 26.4–61.4%, and enhanced water use efficiency (WUE) and economic profit (EP) by 32.0–83.7% and −8.0–48.6%, respectively. Biochar increased soil carbon sequestration (SCS) and carbon pool management index (CPMI) by 23.0–198.3% and 22.9–71.5%, respectively. Biochar also reduced greenhouse gas emission intensity (GHGI), global warming potential (GWP), and emissions of CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O. Furthermore, structural equation modeling (SEM) indicated that soil organic carbon (SOC), in addition to the “biochar” influence factor, was a key positive influence factor for SCS, CPMI, and EP. Another major positive factor for GWP was silt, and for WUE it was saturated hydraulic conductivity, while TN and SOC were the major negative variables for GHGI. In summary, biochar demonstrated outstanding carbon sequestration and emission reduction impacts while ensuring crop production growth and efficiency improvement. The results provide a research basis for safeguarding food security and mitigating climate warming in the middle Yangtze River region. Full article

Biochar (BC) serves a vital function in sequestering carbon, improving nutrient cycles, and boosting overall soil quality. This research explored the enhancement of the chemical and physical properties of soil (alkaline) using nitrogen and biochar (from organic and inorganic sources) in a semi-arid climate during the autumn seasons of 2015–2016 and 2016–2017. The study involved applying biochar at various rates (0, 10, 20, and 30 t ha⁻¹) and nitrogen at different levels (0, 90, 120, and 150 kg ha⁻¹) using urea, poultry manure (PM), and farmyard manure (FYM) as nitrogen sources, which were applied to the field in a randomized complete block design with split-plot arrangement. The application of biochar at the highest rate (30 t ha⁻¹) resulted in a significant increase of over 120% in soil organic matter (SOM), soil organic carbon (SOC), and soil moisture content (SMC). Additionally, it increased total soil nitrogen (STN) by 14.16% and mineral nitrogen (SMN) by 9.09%. In contrast, applying biochar at this rate reduced soil bulk density (SBD), pH, and electrical conductivity (EC) by 28.52%, 3.38%, and 2.27%, respectively, compared to the control. Similarly, applying nitrogen at 150 kg ha⁻¹ using FYM significantly improved SOC, SOM, SMC, and SBD. At the same rate, using PM as a nitrogen source enhanced STN and SMN while reducing soil pH and EC. In conclusion, this study shows that applying biochar at 30 t ha⁻¹ combined with nitrogen at 150 kg ha⁻¹, sourced from either PM or FYM, offers great potential for improving soil fertility and promoting carbon sequestration in alkaline soils of semi-arid regions. These findings highlight the value of integrating BC and organic N sources for enhancing agroecosystem sustainability. Thus, this study provides a promising pathway to enhance soil quality, improve crop productivity, and support sustainable agricultural practices in challenging environments. Full article

Biochar and organic fertilizer can significantly increase soil organic carbon (SOC) and promote agricultural production, but it is still unclear how they affect forest SOC after. Here, low-quality plantation soil was subjected to four distinct fertilization treatments: (CK, without fertilization; BC, tea seed shell biochar alone; OF, tea meal organic fertilizer alone; BCF, tea seed shell biochar plus tea meal organic fertilizer). Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook and Cyclobalanopsis glauca (Thunb.) Oersted seedlings were then planted in pots at the ratios of 2:0, 1:1, and 0:2 (SS, SQ, QQ) and grown for one year. The results showed that the BCF treatment had the best effect on promoting seedling growth and increasing SOC content. BCF changed soil pH and available nutrient content, resulting in the downregulation of certain oligotrophic groups (Acidobacteria and Basidiomycetes) and the upregulation of eutrophic groups (Ascomycota and Proteobacteria). Key bacterial groups, which were identified by Line Discriminant Analysis Effect Size analysis, were closely associated with microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and SOC. Pearson correlation analysis showed that bacterial community composition exhibited a positive correlation with SOC, MBC, available phosphorus, seedling biomass, and plant height, whereas fungal community composition was predominantly positively correlated with seedling underground biomass. It suggested that environmental differences arising from fertilization and planting patterns selectively promote microbial communities that contribute to organic carbon formation. In summary, the combination of biochar and organic fertilizers would enhance the improvement and adaptation of soil microbial communities, playing a crucial role in increasing forest soil organic carbon and promoting tree growth. Full article

The soil of urban green spaces is severely degraded due to human activities during urbanization, and it is crucial to investigate effective measures that can restore the ecological functions of the soil. This study investigated the effects of plant growth promoting bacteria (Bacillus clausii) and Fe-modified biochar on soil fertility increases and mechanisms of carbon sequestration. Additionally, the effects on C-cycling-related enzyme activity and the bacterial community were also explored. Six treatments included no biochar or Bacillus clausii suspension added (CK), only Bacillus clausii suspension (BC), only biochar (B), only Fe-modified biochar (FeB), biochar combined with Bacillus clausii (BBC), and Fe-modified biochar combined with Bacillus clausii (FeBBC). Compared with other treatments, the FeBBC treatment significantly decreased soil pH, alleviated soil alkalization, and increased the alkali-hydro nitrogen content in the soil. Compared to the individual application of FeB and BC, the FeBBC treatment significantly improved aggregates’ stability and positively improved soil fertility and ecological function. Additionally, compared to the individual application of FeB and BC, the soil organic carbon (SOC), particulate organic carbon (POC), and soil inorganic carbon (SIC) contents for the FeBBC-treated soil increased by 28.46~113.52%, 66.99~434.72%, and 7.34~10.04%, respectively. In the FeBBC treatment, FeB can improve soil physicochemical properties and provide bacterial attachment sites, increase the abundance and diversity of bacterial communities, and promote the uniform distribution of carbon-related bacteria in the soil. Compared to a single ecological restoration method, FeBBC treatment can improve soil fertility and carbon sequestration, providing important reference values for urban green space soil ecological restoration. Full article

Flowering is critical to the success of plant propagation. The MYB family transcription factor CIRCADIAN CLOCK-ASSOCIATED1 (CCA1) is an essential component of the core loop of the circadian clock and plays a crucial role in regulating plant flowering time. In this study, we found that photoperiod affects the expression pattern and expression level of BcCCA1, which is delayed flowering time under short-day conditions in Pak-choi [Brassica campestris (syn. Brassica rapa) ssp. chinensis]. We detected overexpression and silencing of BcCCA1 in Pak-choi, resulting in delayed and promoted flowering time, respectively. Furthermore, we also discovered that FLOWERING LOCUS C (BcFLC) and SUPPRESSOR OF CONSTANS1 (BcSOC1) were expressed significantly differently in BcCCA1 overexpression and silencing plants compared with control plants. Therefore, we further investigated the interaction relationship between BcCCA1, BcFLC, and BcSOC1, and the results showed that BcCCA1 and BcFLC as a complex interacted with each other. Moreover, both BcCCA1 and BcFLC can directly bind to the promoter of BcSOC1 and repress its transcription, and BcCCA1 can form a complex with BcFLC to enhance the transcriptional inhibition of BcSOC1 by BcFLC. This study reveals a new mechanism by which the circadian clock regulates flowering time. Full article

Agriculture is a major source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Biochar has been recommended as a potential strategy to mitigate GHG emissions and improve soil fertility and crop productivity. However, few studies have investigated the potential of biochar co-compost (BCC) in relation to soil properties, rice productivity, and GHG emissions. Therefore, we examined the potential of BC, compost (CP), and BCC in terms of environmental and agronomic benefits. The study comprised four different treatments: control, biochar, compost, and biochar co-compost. The application of all of the treatments increased the soil pH; however, BC and BCC remained the top performers. The addition of BC and BBC also limited the ammonium nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N) availability and increased soil organic carbon (SOC), which limited the GHG emissions. Biochar co-compost resulted in fewer carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, while BC resulted in fewer methane (CH₄) emissions, which was comparable with BCC. Moreover, BC caused a marked reduction in nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions that was comparable to BCC. This reduction was attributed to increased soil pH, nosZ, and nirK abundance and a reduction in ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) abundance. The application of different amendments, particularly BCC, favored rice growth and productivity by increasing nutrient availability, soil carbon, and enzymatic activities. Lastly, BCC and BC also increased the abundance and diversity of soil bacteria, which favored plant growth and caused a reduction in GHG emissions. Our results suggest that BCC could be an important practice to recycle organic sources while optimizing climate change and crop productivity. Full article

Biochar has been considered one of the viable solutions for atmospheric carbon sequestration because of its resistance to mineralization in soils. However, our knowledge of the mineralization rates of biochar in soils is still inconclusive due to the drawbacks of either the study methods or insufficient characterization of the studied materials or both. The objectives of this study were (1) to characterize switchgrass (SG) biochar by multi-element scanning thermal analysis (MESTA), and (2) to determine the mineralization rates of the SG biochar carbon (BC) in soil by the ¹³C tracer method. The results indicated that the 400 °C and the 600 °C SG biochars were not significantly different in chemical composition or thermal stability. A MESTA thermogram of the SG feedstock can predict the yield and thermal stability of the resulting biochar. The ¹³C tracer determined the mineralization rates and deduced the corresponding mean residence times (MRTs) of the BC, SG-C, and native SOC to be 347 years, 4 years, and 65 years, respectively. The MRT of BC should be a minimal estimate because of the limited incubation period. Even so, the MRT was already two orders of magnitude greater than that of the SG feedstock indicating the carbon sequestration potential of the biochar in soil. Full article

The article presents the analysis, design, and low-cost implementation of application-specific AD converters for M-sequence-based UWB applications to minimize and integrate the whole UWB sensor system. Therefore, the main goal of this article is to integrate the AD converter’s own design with the UWB analog part into the system-in-package (SiP) or directly into the system-on-a-chip (SoC), which cannot be implemented with commercial AD converters, or which would be disproportionately expensive. Based on the current and used UWB sensor system requirements, to achieve the maximum possible bandwidth in the proposed semiconductor technology, a parallel converter structure is designed and presented in this article. Moreover, 5-bit and 4-bit parallel flash AD converters were initially designed as part of the research and design of UWB M-sequence radar systems for specific applications, and are briefly introduced in this article. The requirements of the newly proposed specific UWB M-sequence systems were established based on the knowledge gained from these initial designs. After thorough testing and evaluation of the concept of the early proposed AD converters for these specific UWB M-sequence systems, the design of a new AD converter was initiated. After confirming sufficient characteristics based on the requirements of UWB M-sequence systems for specific applications, a 7-bit AD converter in low-cost 0.35 µm SiGe BiCMOS technology from AMS was designed, fabricated, and presented in this article. The proposed 7-bit AD converter achieves the following parameters: ENOB = 6.4 bits, SINAD = 38 dB, SFDR = 42 dBc, INL = ±2-bit LSB, and DNL = ±1.5 LSB. The maximum sampling rate reaches 1.4 Gs/s, the power consumption at 20 Ms/s is 1050 mW, and at 1.4 Gs/s is 1290 mW, with a power supply of −3.3 V. Full article

The BC501A sensor is a liquid scintillator frequently used in nuclear physics for detecting fast neutrons. This paper describes a hardware implementation of digital pulse shape analysis (DPSA) for real-time analysis. DPSA is an algorithm that extracts the physically relevant parameters from the detected BC501A signals. The hardware solution is implemented in a MicroTCA system that provides the physical, mechanical, electrical, and cooling support for an AMC board (NAMC-ZYNQ-FMC) with a Xilinx ZYNQ Ultrascale-MP SoC. The Xilinx FPGA programmable logic implements a JESD204B interface to high-speed ADCs. The physical and datalink JESD204B layers are implemented using hardware description language (HDL), while the Xilinx high-level synthesis language (HLS) is used for the transport and application layers. The DPSA algorithm is a JESD204B application layer that includes a FIR filter and a constant fraction discriminator (CFD) function, a baseline calculation function, a peak detection function, and an energy calculation function. This architecture achieves an analysis mean time of less than 100 µs per signal with an FPGA resource utilization of about 50% of its most used resources. This paper presents a high-performance DPSA embedded system that interfaces with a 1 GS/s ADC and performs accurate calculations with relatively low latency. Full article

The freezing winter temperatures in Northeast China hinder the breakdown speed of straw, making it challenging to implement widespread straw return in rice fields, meaning that crop remnants are not efficiently utilised. This study involved a pot experiment conducted on rice plants that were treated with varying quantities of biochar: CK (no biochar); BC1 (5 t ha⁻¹); BC2 (10 t ha⁻¹); and BC3 (20 t ha⁻¹). An investigation was conducted to examine the impact of biochar on the soil organic carbon (SOC), humus (HS) composition, humic acid (HA) structure, and rice yield of paddy fields. The findings demonstrated that the use of biochar led to a substantial rise in SOC and HA-C concentrations in the soil layer between 20 and 40 cm. Additionally, biochar’s application enhanced soil humification. Notably, the treatment with BC3 (20 t ha⁻¹) had the most pronounced impact. The O/C ratio in the HA and the relative strength of the peaks at 1620 cm⁻¹ on the infrared spectra showed a more pronounced response to the BC3 treatment compared to the other biochar treatments. However, the application of the BC1 treatment at a rate of 5 t ha⁻¹ and the BC2 treatment at a rate of 10 t ha⁻¹ had a minimal impact on the fluorescence intensity of humic acid (HA). The application of the BC3 treatment increased the aromatic nature of the humic acid (HA) in paddy soil, leading to the formation of an intricate and enduring HA structure. Furthermore, the use of the BC3 treatment resulted in a notable enhancement in the quantity of spikes, spike weight, and number of grains per spike. Additionally, it positively impacted the accumulation of dry matter in the spike, leading to a substantial 13.7% increase in the rice yield. Applying biochar at a rate of 20 t ha⁻¹ is a sensible and effective approach to enhance the soil organic carbon (SOC) content, enhance the stability of the humic acid (HA)’s structure, and raise the rice yield in the rice-growing area of Northeast China. This study’s findings will establish a theoretical foundation for utilising soil biochar in the rice fields located in Northeast China. Full article

Background: Cardiac cachexia (CC) in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is characterized by catabolism and inflammation predicting poor prognosis. Levels of responsible transcription factors like signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)1, STAT3, suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)1 and SOCS3 in peripheral blood cells (PBC) are underinvestigated in CC. Expression of mediators was related to patients’ functional status, body composition (BC) and metabolic gene expression in skeletal muscle (SM). Methods: Gene expression was quantified by qRT-PCR in three cohorts: non-cachectic patients (ncCHF, n = 19, LVEF 31 ± 7%, BMI 30.2 ± 5.0 kg/m²), cachectic patients (cCHF; n = 18, LVEF 27 ± 7%, BMI 24.3 ± 2.5 kg/m²) and controls (n = 17, LVEF 70 ± 7%, BMI 27.6 ± 4.6 kg/m²). BC was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Blood inflammatory markers were measured. We quantified solute carrier family 2 member 4 (SLC2A4) and protein degradation by expressions of proteasome 20S subunit beta 2 and calpain-1 catalytic subunit in SM biopsies. Results: TNF and IL-10 expression was higher in cCHF than in ncCHF and controls (all p < 0.004). cCHF had a lower fat mass index (FMI) and lower fat-free mass index (FFMI) compared to ncCHF and controls (p < 0.05). STAT1 and STAT3 expression was higher in cCHF vs. ncCHF or controls (1.1 [1.6] vs. 0.8 [0.9] vs. 0.9 [1.1] RU and 4.6 [5.5] vs. 2.5 [4.8] vs. 3.0 [4.2] RU, all ANOVA-p < 0.05). The same applied for SOCS1 and SOCS3 expression (1.1 [1.5] vs. 0.4 [0.4] vs. 0.4 [0.5] and 0.9 [3.3] vs. 0.4 [1.1] vs. 0.8 [0.9] RU, all ANOVA-p < 0.04). In cCHF, higher TNF and STAT1 expression was associated with lower FMI (r = 0.5, p = 0.053 and p < 0.05) but not with lower FFMI (p > 0.4). In ncCHF, neither cytokine nor STAT/SOCS expression was associated with BC (all p > 0.3). SLC2A4 was upregulated in SM of cCHF vs. ncCHF (p < 0.03). Conclusions: Increased STAT1, STAT3, SOCS1 and SOCS3 expression suggests their involvement in CC. In cCHF, higher TNF and STAT-1 expression in PBC were associated with lower FMI. Increased SLC2A4 in cachectic SM biopsies indicates altered glucose metabolism. Full article

Carbonaceous aerosols (CAs), including elemental carbon (EC) and organic carbon (OC), have become the dominant component in PM_2.5 in many Chinese cities, and it is imperative to address their spatiotemporal variations and sources in order to continually improve air quality. In this study, the mass concentrations and light absorption properties of EC and OC in PM_2.5 were investigated at diverse sites in Guangzhou, in the winter of 2020 and the autumn of 2021, using the DRI Model 2015 thermal–optical carbon analyzer. The results showed that total EC and organic matter (OM = OC × 1.8) could account for nearly 30% of the PM_2.5 mass concentrations. Secondary production was the most important source for OC, with secondary OC (SOC) percentages in the OC as high as 72.8 ± 7.0% in autumn and 68.4 ± 13.1% in winter. Compared to those in 2015, OC and EC concentrations were reduced by 25.4% and 73.4% in 2021, highlighting the effectiveness of control measures in recent years. The absorption coefficient of brown carbon at 405 nm (b_abs,BrC,405) decreased by over 40%, and the mass absorption coefficient (MAC) at 405 nm of total carbon (TC) decreased by over 30%. EC and OC concentrations and the light absorption of black carbon (b_abs,BC,405) showed no significant diurnal differences in both autumn and winter mainly because the reduction in anthropogenic emissions at night was compensated by the lowering of the boundary layer. Differentially, b_abs,BrC,405 was significantly lower during daytime than at night in autumn, probably due to the daytime photobleaching effect. The sources of EC, OC, BC, and BrC were preliminarily diagnosed by their correlation with typical source markers. In autumn, b_abs,BrC,405 might be related to biomass burning and coal combustion, while b_abs,BC,405 were largely related to vehicle emissions and coal combustion. In winter, b_abs,BrC,405 was closely related to coal combustion. Full article