Intensive organic vegetable production increases soil organic carbon but with a lower carbon conversion efficiency than integrated management

Intensive vegetable production in greenhouses has rapidly expanded in China since the 1990s and increased to 1.3 million ha of farmland by 2016, which is the highest in the world. We conducted an 11‐year greenhouse vegetable production experiment from 2002 to 2013 to observe soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics under three management systems, i.e., conventional (CON), integrated (ING), and intensive organic (ORG) farming. Soil samples (0–20 and 20–40 cm depth) were collected in 2002 and 2013 and separated into four particle‐size fractions, i.e., coarse sand (> 250 µm), fine sand (250–53 µm), silt (53–2 µm), and clay (< 2 µm). The SOC contents and δ¹³C values of the whole soil and the four particle‐size fractions were analyzed. After 11 years of vegetable farming, ORG and ING significantly increased SOC stocks (0–20 cm) by 4008 ± 36.6 and 2880 ± 365 kg C ha^?1 y^?1, respectively, 8.1‐ and 5.8‐times that of CON (494 ± 42.6 kg C ha^?1 y^?1). The SOC stock increase in ORG at 20–40 cm depth was 245 ± 66.4 kg C ha^?1 y^?1, significantly higher than in ING (66 ± 13.4 kg C ha^?1 y^?1) and CON (109 ± 44.8 kg C ha^?1 y^?1). Analyses of ¹³C revealed a significant increase in newly produced SOC in both soil layers in ORG. However, the carbon conversion efficiency (CE: increased organic carbon in soil divided by organic carbon input) was lower in ORG (14.4%–21.7%) than in ING (18.2%–27.4%). Among the four particle‐sizes in the 0–20 cm layer, the silt fraction exhibited the largest proportion of increase in SOC content (57.8% and 55.4% of the SOC increase in ORG and ING, respectively). A similar trend was detected in the 20–40 cm soil layer. Over all, intensive organic (ORG) vegetable production increases soil organic carbon but with a lower carbon conversion efficiency than integrated (ING) management.     

Biochar addition mitigates nitrogen loss induced by straw incorporation and nitrogen fertilizer application

Biochar has been shown to be potentially beneficial for enhancing yields and soil properties, and diminishing nitrogen (N) losses. However, it remains unclear how biochar regulates soil carbon (C) and N to mitigate N losses induced by straw mixing with N fertilizer in dryland soils. Therefore, we investigated the effects of straw mixing (S₁), S₁ with biochar (SB) and no straw inputs (S₀), and routine urea application rates (N₁) and 70% of routine rates (N_0.7) on yields and N losses, and identify the relationship between N losses and soil C and N compounds. Results showed that N_0.7 and N₁ were suitable for the maize and wheat seasons, respectively, contributing to mitigating N losses without reducing crop yields. Moreover, in the maize season, N_0.7-SB significantly mitigated the straw-induced NH₃-N and N₂O-N emissions by 106% and 81%, respectively. In the wheat season, N₁-SB reduced the straw-induced NH₃-N and N₂O-N emissions by 35% and 66%, respectively. In addition, N_0.7-SB sharply reduced soil inorganic N (SIN) storage in the maize season. Furthermore, the NH₃-N and N₂O-N emission rates were negatively correlated with dissolved organic carbon/SIN content (0–20 cm) (DOC/SIN_0-20). N losses (N₂O-N and NH₃-N emissions and SIN storage) were positively correlated with SIN_0-20, but negatively correlated with soil organic carbon / SIN_0-20 (SOC/ SIN_0-20). This study provides further evidence that biochar with an appropriate N application rate decreased SIN_0-20 and increased DOC/SIN_0-20, thus reducing SIN storage and the straw-induced gaseous N emissions without decreasing crop yields.     

CUDC-907 induces DNA damage and autophagy in glioma cells

AIM:To investigate the effect of CUDC-907, a dual histone deacetylase (HDAC) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, on the DNA damage, cell cycle distribution and autophagy in human glioma U251 cells. METHODS:U251 cells were treated with CUDC-907 of different concentrations, and the cell viability was detected by MTT assay. The quantitative γ-H2AX foci were determined by laser scanning confocal microscopy. The cell cycle distribution of U251 cells was examined by flow cytometry. The protein expression was determined by Western blot analysis. RESULTS:CUDC-907 inhibited the cell viability and the phosphorylation of Akt and p70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase (p70s6K) in the U251 cells (P<0.05). In CUDC-907-treated cells, the number of γ-H2AX foci and protein expression of γ-H2AX were increased significantly (P<0.05). CUDC-907 also induced cell arrest in the G₂/M phase by up-regulating the expression of p21, and inhibiting the protein level of cyclin B1 and the phosphorylation of cell division cycle protein 2 (Cdc2). In addition, CUDC-907 triggered cell autophagy, and inhibition of autophagy increased CUDC-907-induced DNA damage of U251 cells. CONCLUSION:CUDC-907 significantly inhibits PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, induces DNA damage and arrests cell cycle in G₂/M phase. Blockage of autophagy promotes CUDC-907-induced DNA damage of U251 cells.     

Effect of FGFR1 expression knock-down on biological characteristics of infantile hemangioma endothelial cells

AIM: To study the effect of fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) expression knock-down on the viability, apoptosis, invasion and migration of infantile hemangioma endothelial cells (HemECs). METHODS: FGFR1 was down-regulated by FGFR1 small interfering RNA (si-FGFR1) transfection. The viability of the cells was measured by CCK-8 assay. The apoptotic rate was analyzed by flow cytometry and the invasion and migration abilities were determined by Transwell assay. The protein levels of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (AKT), and phosphorylated AKT (p-AKT) were examined by Western blot. RESULTS: Transfection of si-FGFR1 into HemECs had significant effects on inhibiting cell viability (P<0.05), promoting apoptosis (P<0.05), and decreasing cell invasion and migration abilities (P<0.05). The results of Western blot showed that knockdown of FGFR1 gene expression in the cells reduced the protein levels of PI3K and p-AKT (P<0.05), and had no significant effect on AKT protein level. CONCLUSION: Knock-down of FGFR1 expression changes the biological characteristics of endothelial cells in infantile hemangiomas by regulating PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.     

Doxycycline upregulates autophagy to modulate the levels of inflammatory cytokines in LPS-stimulated THP-1 cells

AIM:To analyze the effect of autophagy on inflammatory response regulated by doxycycline in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated THP-1 cells and to investigate its molecular mechanism. METHODS:A human monocyte/macrophage cell line THP-1 was stimulated with LPS to establish an cell model of inflammatory response, and the cells were treated with doxycycline. The cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-8 (IL-8), in cell culture supernatant were measured by ELISA for evaluating the inflammatory levels. For determining the level of autophagy and its effect on inflammatory cell signaling pathways, the protein levels of LC3B, nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR) were determined by Western blot. 3-Methyladenine (3-MA), an autophagy inhibitor, and rapamycin, an autophagy inducer, were used to study the effect of autophagy on inflammatory response regulated by doxycycline in LPS-stimulated THP-1 cells. RESULTS:The levels of TNF-α and IL-8 were increased rapidly and peaked at 12 h in LPS-stimulated THP-1 cells (P<0.05). Doxycycline significantly inhibited LPS-induced cytokine production in the THP-1 cells. Doxycycline up-regulated LPS-induced autophagy in THP-1 cells and doxycycline itself was an autophagy inducer. The protein levels of p-mTOR was up-regulated by LPS and down-regulated by doxycycline, suggesting that doxycycline induced autophagy via mTOR-dependent pathway while LPS through mTOR-independent pathway. Further studies showed that the combination of LPS, rapamycin and doxycycline inhibited the protein levels of NF-κB, and rapamycin increased the inhibitory effect of doxycycline on cytokine releases. Conversely, 3-MA, the autophagy inhibitor, attenuated the inhibitory effect of doxycycline on NF-κB and cytokine production. CONCLUSION:Autophagy is involved in the process of doxycycline modulating LPS-induced inflammatory response in the THP-1 cells.     

基于VLF/LF三维闪电探测系统的贵州省全闪分布特征分析

为进一步加强云闪分布特征分析，增强对雷暴云内物理过程的认识，利用2015—2017 年VLF/LF三维闪电探测系统的数据资料对贵州省闪电特征进行空间和时间分布特征分析。结果表明：无论云闪还是地闪，均以负闪为主；闪电发生主要集中在夏季，冬季闪电最少，闪电月际分布主要为单峰型，仅冬季Z比率大于1；闪电主要发生时段为16 时至次日凌晨2 时，Z比率与全闪频数随时间的变化呈正相关，相关系数0.618；全省闪电密度整体呈西高东低趋势，年均闪电密度为5.07 次/(a ·km2)；云闪主要发生在高度2k~7 km，全年云闪高度呈下降趋势；雷电强度主要分布在5k~45 kA，平均陡度为7.34 kA/μs。本研究有利于对闪电特征开展更全面的探究和分析，同时对强对流天气监测和预警也有重要意义和价值。     

CRISPR/Cas9技术敲除酿酒酵母gpd2基因对产2,3-丁二醇的影响

旨在利用CRISPR/Cas9基因编辑技术敲除酿酒酵母甘油-3-磷酸脱氢酶基因(gpd2),探究其对2,3-丁二醇产量的影响。根据酿酒酵母(Saccharomyces cerevisiae)W5甘油-3-磷酸脱氢酶基因(gpd2)设计供体片段及gRNA片段,将gRNA片段与可表达Cas9蛋白的敲除载体相连,之后将重组质粒及供体DNA片段转化到S. cerevisiae W5细胞中,根据表型筛选及PCR验证获得gpd2基因缺失菌株。结果表明目的基因gpd2敲除成功,基因缺失菌株与原始菌株经发酵实验相比,甘油产量下降22.01%,乙醇产量提高24.65%,2,3-丁二醇产量下降10.60%。gpd2基因的敲除并没有提高2,3-丁二醇的产量,原因可能是逐渐积累的NADH会优先被细胞内大量的乙醇脱氢酶所氧化,作用于乙醇的产生,而不是优先作用于2,3-丁二醇的合成。本实验构建了适用于酿酒酵母的基因敲除系统,该系统对进一步探究酿酒酵母其他代谢产物与2,3-丁二醇合成之间的关系具有实际的借鉴意义。     

Koi herpesvirus and carp edema virus threaten common carp aquaculture in Croatia

Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) is a very important fish species for warm-water aquaculture in Croatia. All Croatian carp farms are subjected to a surveillance programme for the presence of koi herpesvirus (KHV), causing a deadly disease called koi herpesvirus disease (KHVD). However, there is no surveillance for other viral pathogens of importance like carp edema virus (CEV), a causative agent of koi sleepy disease (KSD). During regular testing within the KHVD surveillance programme, we tested samples for CEV simultaneously. The screening indicated possible outbreaks of KHVD and KSD. During 2016, KHVD broke out in an isolated area and soon thereafter a KHV eradication programme was successfully performed. However, during 2018 and 2019, two additional mortality events occurred in lakes in the southern part of Croatia during the spring. Samples from both events tested positive for CEV. An epidemiological investigation confirmed the introduction of infected carps from an infected farm to one of the lakes. To prevent the spreading of CEV into open waters, it is of utmost importance to introduce CEV testing before fish movement or to perform regular testing of all carp farms in the country to determine CEV prevalence for the purpose of implementation of control measures.     

Effects of platelet-rich plasma on chondrocyte apoptosis and NLRP3/IL-1β signaling pathway in rabbits with osteoarthritis

AIM To explore the effect of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on rabbit osteoarthritis and its possible mechanism. METHODS The rabbits with knee osteoarthritis were prepared and then divided into model group, sodium hyaluronate (SH) group and PRP group, and another sham operation group was set up, with 6 rabbits in each group. The gross morphological changes of rabbit cartilage were observed. HE staining was used to evaluate the pathomorphological changes of the cartilage. TUNEL staining was used to detect the apoptosis of chondrocytes. The expression of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3)/interleukin-1β （IL-1β） signaling pathway-related molecules was observed by immunohistochemical staining, and the protein levels of caspase-3, Bcl-2 and Bax were determined by Western blot. Chondrocytes were isolated and processed according to grouping, and the NLRP3 and IL-1β levels of the cells were measured by ELISA. RESULTS Compared with sham operation group, Pelletier score, Mankin score, chondrocyte apoptotic rate, the positive protein expression rates of NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC), caspase-1 and IL-1β, and the protein levels of caspase-3 and Bax in model group were increased significantly (P<0.05), while the protein expression of Bcl-2 was decreased significantly (P<0.05). Compared with model group, Pelletier score, Mankin score, the apoptotic rate of chondrocytes, the positive protein expression rates of NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1 and IL-1β, and the protein levels of caspase-3 and Bax in SH group and PRP group were decreased significantly (P<0.05), while the protein expression of Bcl-2 was increased significantly (P<0.05). In PRP group, Pelletier score, Mankin score, the apoptotic rate of chondrocytes, the positive protein expression rates of NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1 and IL-1β, and the protein levels of caspase-3 and Bax were lower than those in SH group, while the protein expression of Bcl-2 was higher than that in SH group (P<0.05). Compared with control group, the expression of NL?RP3 and IL-1β in MCC950 (NLRP3 ihibitor) group were significantly reduced (P<0.05), the expression of NLRP3 in eucalyptol (IL-1β inhibitor) group was not significantly changed (P>0.05), and the expression of IL-1β was significantly reduced (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Platelet-rich plasma promotes the repair of cartilage in osteoarthritis rabbits, which has better effect than SH. The mechanism may be related to the inhibition of NLRP3/IL-1β pathway and the reduction of chondrocyte apoptosis.     

Resveratrol protects cortical neurons in infant rats with bacterial meningitis through miR-223-3p/NLRP3 pathway

AIM To investigate the protective effect of resveratrol (Res) on cortical neurons in rat bacterial meningitis (BM) model. METHODS Group B hemolytic Streptococcus was injected via the posterior cistern to establish a BM model. Resveratrol was administered intranasally and microRNA-223-3p (miR-223-3p) antagomir was administered by intracerebroventricular injection. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of the brain tissue. Loeffler scoring method was used to evaluate the neurobehavioral functions. TUNEL staining was used to detect neuronal apoptosis. The expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-18, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba1) was detected by immunofluorescence staining. The protein levels of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3）, cleaved caspase-1, IL-1β and IL-18 were determined by Western blot. The expression level of miR-223-3p was detected by RT-qPCR. Online software TargetScan was used to search for the complementary nucleotide sequences between miR-223-3p and NLRP3 mRNA. RESULTS Compared with sham group, the thickness of meninges in BM model was increased, the neurological score was decreased (P<0.05), and the number of TUNEL positive neurons was increased significantly (P<0.05). Astrocytes and microglia were activated, the fluorescence intensity of IL-1β and IL-18 was increased (P<0.05), and the expression levels of NLRP3, cleaved caspase-1, IL-1β, IL-18 and miR-223-3p were increased (P<0.05). Compared with BM group, after treatment with resveratrol, the neurological score was increased (P<0.05), the number of TUNEL positive neurons was decreased significantly (P<0.05), and the inflammatory response of astrocytes and microglia was suppressed. The fluorescence intensity of IL-1β and IL-18 was decreased (P<0.05), the protein levels of NLRP3, cleaved caspase-1, IL-1β and IL-18 were decreased (P<0.05), and the expression level of miR-223-3p was increased (P<0.05). A nucleotide sequence in the 3'-UTR of NLRP3 mRNA might be targeted by miR-223-3p. In the brain of rat BM model, compared with antagomir control group, the expression of NLRP3 was increased in miR-223-3p antagomir group with resveratrol treatment (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Resveratrol may reduce the inflammatory death of cortical neurons in BM model of infant rats through miR-223-3p/NLRP3 pathway, thus playing a protective role for the neurons.