Tree richness increased biomass carbon sequestration and ecosystem stability of temperate forests in China: Interacted factors and implications.

Biodiversity loss and forest degradation have received increasing attention worldwide, and their effects on forest biomass carbon storage and stability have not yet been well defined. This study examined 1275 tree plots using the field survey method to quantify the effects of tree diversity, tree sizes, and mycorrhizal symbiont abundance on biomass carbon storages (Cs) and NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index)-based ecosystem stability (standard deviation/mean NDVI = NDVI_S) during the field survey period from 2008 to 2018. Our data showed Cs and NDVI_S averaged at 31-108 t ha-1 and 32.04-49.28, respectively, and positive relations between Cs and NDVI_S were observed (p < 0.05). Large forest-type and regional variations were found in these two parameters. Broadleaf forests had 74% of Cs (p < 0.05) of the conifer forests, but no differences were in NDVI_S. Cold regions at high latitudes had 71% of NDVI_S in the warm regions at low latitudes, while no differences were in Cs. Moist regions at high longitudes had 2.04 and 1.28-fold higher Cs and NDVI_S (p < 0.05). The >700 m a.s.l. regions had 1.24-fold higher Cs (p < 0.01) than the <700 m a.s.l. regions, but similar NDVI_S (p > 0.05). Nature Reserves had 1.94-fold higher Cs but 30% lower NDVI_S than outside Reserves (p < 0.001). > 40-year-old forests had 1.3- and 2-fold higher Cs and NDVI_S than the young forests. Structural equation modeling and hierarchical partitioning revealed the driving paths responsible for these variations. Tree richness was positively associated with Cs and ecosystem stability, contributing 21.6%-30.6% to the total effects on them; tree sizes significantly promoted the Cs, but had negligible impacts on NDVI_S. MAT's total effects on NDVI_S of conifer forests were 40% higher than that of broadleaf forests, MAP's total effects on Cs varied with forest types; arbuscular mycorrhizal tree dominance exhibited a smaller positive impact on Cs and ecosystem stability in comparison to other factors. Our findings underscore that the significance of climatic-adapted forest management, diversity conservation, and big-sized tree protections can support the achievement of carbon neutrality in China from biomass carbon sequestration and ecosystem stability.

Design of Heavy-Load Soft Robots Based on a Dual Biomimetic Structure.

This study first draws inspiration from the dual biomimetic design of plant cell walls and honeycomb structures, drawing on their structural characteristics to design a flexible shell structure that can achieve significant deformation and withstand large loads. Based on the staggered bonding of this flexible shell structure, we propose a new design scheme for a large-load pneumatic soft arm and establish a mathematical model for its flexibility and load capacity. The extension and bending deformation of this new type of soft arm come from the geometric variability of flexible shell structures, which can be controlled through two switches, namely, deflation and inflation, to achieve extension or bending actions. The experimental results show that under a driving pressure within the range of 150 kpa, the maximum elongation of the soft arm reaches 23.17 cm, the maximum bending angle is 94.2 degrees, and the maximum load is 2.83 N. This type of soft arm designed based on dual bionic inspiration can have both a high load capacity and flexibility. The research results provide new ideas and methods for the development of high-load soft arms, which are expected to expand from laboratories to multiple fields.

Forest carbon stocks increase with higher dominance of ectomycorrhizal trees in high latitude forests.

Understanding the mechanisms controlling forest carbon accumulation is crucial for predicting and mitigating future climate change. Yet, it remains unclear whether the dominance of ectomycorrhizal (EcM) trees influences the carbon accumulation of entire forests. In this study, we analyzed forest inventory data from over 4000 forest plots across Northeast China. We find that EcM tree dominance consistently exerts a positive effect on tree, soil, and forest carbon stocks. Moreover, we observe that these positive effects are more pronounced during unfavorable climate conditions, at lower tree species richness, and during early successional stages. This underscores the potential of increasing the dominance of native EcM tree species not only to enhance carbon stocks but also to bolster resilience against climate change in high-latitude forests. Here we show that forest managers can make informed decisions to optimize carbon accumulation by considering various factors such as mycorrhizal types, climate, successional stages, and species richness.

Real-time evolution characteristics and potential reactions of contaminants in commuter bus cabin air.

Despite the increasing use of motor vehicles, the impact of airborne pollutants and their health risks inside public transportation, such as commuter buses, is not well understood. This study assessed air quality inside an urban commuter bus by continuously monitoring PM10, PM2.5, and CO concentrations during both driving and parking periods. Our findings revealed that the ventilation system of the bus significantly reduced the infiltration of outdoor particulate matter and water vapor. However, CO concentrations were considerably higher inside the bus than outside, primarily due to vehicular self-emission. The ineffection of the ventilation system to remove CO potentially increases long-term exposure risks for passengers. The study identified ozone as a key oxidant in the cabin. Besides vehicle emissions, C3-C10 saturated aldehydes and carbonyl compounds were detected, including acetone, propanal, and hexanal. The presence of 6-MHO, an oxidation product of squalene, suggests that passengers contribute to VOCs load through direct emissions or skin surface reactions. Additionally, human respiration was found to significantly contribute to isoprene levels, estimated at 81.7 %. This research underscores the need for further investigation into the cumulative effects of stable compounds in cabin air and provides insights for developing healthier public transportation systems.

Seasonal patterns of nonstructural carbohydrate storage and mobilization in two tree species with distinct life-history traits.

Nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) are essential for tree growth and adaptation, yet our understanding of the seasonal storage and mobilization dynamics of whole-tree NSC is still limited, especially when tree functional types are involved. Here, Quercus acutissima Carruth. and Pinus massoniana Lamb, with distinct life-history traits (i.e. a deciduous broadleaf species vs an evergreen coniferous species), were studied to assess the size and seasonal fluctuations of organ and whole-tree NSC pools with a focus on comparing differences in carbon resource mobilization patterns between the two species. We sampled the organs (leaf, branch, stem and root) of the target trees repeatedly over four seasons of the year. Then, NSC concentrations in each organ were paired with biomass estimates from the allometric model to generate whole-tree NSC pools. The seasonal dynamics of the whole-tree NSC of Q. acutissima and P. massoniana reached the peak in autumn and summer, respectively. The starch pools of the two species were supplemented in the growing season while the soluble sugar pools were the largest in the dormant season. Seasonal dynamics of organ-level NSC concentrations and pools were affected by organ type and tree species, with above-ground organs generally increasing during the growing season and P. massoniana roots decreasing during the growing season. In addition, the whole-tree NSC pools of P. massoniana were larger but Q. acutissima showed larger seasonal fluctuations, indicating that larger storage was not associated with more pronounced seasonal fluctuations. We also found that the branch and root were the most dynamic organs of Q. acutissima and P. massoniana, respectively, and were the major suppliers of NSC to support tree growth activities. These results provide fundamental insights into the dynamics and mobilization patterns of NSC at the whole-tree level, and have important implications for investigating environmental adaptions of different tree functional types.

The responses of CO2 emission to nitrogen application and earthworm addition in the soybean cropland.

The effects of nitrogen application or earthworms on soil respiration in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of China have received increasing attention. However, the response of soil carbon dioxide (CO2) emission to nitrogen application and earthworm addition is still unclear. A field experiment with nitrogen application frequency and earthworm addition was conducted in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain. Results showed nitrogen application frequency had a significant effect on soil respiration, but neither earthworms nor their interaction with nitrogen application frequency were significant. Low-frequency nitrogen application (NL) significantly increased soil respiration by 25%, while high-frequency nitrogen application (NH), earthworm addition (E), earthworm and high-frequency nitrogen application (E*NH), and earthworm and low-frequency nitrogen application (E*NL) also increased soil respiration by 21%, 21%, 12%, and 11%, respectively. The main reason for the rise in soil respiration was alterations in the bacterial richness and keystone taxa (Myxococcales). The NH resulted in higher soil nitrogen levels compared to NL, but NL had the highest bacterial richness. The abundance of Corynebacteriales and Gammaproteobacteria were positively connected with the CO2 emissions, while Myxococcales, Thermoleophilia, and Verrucomicrobia were negatively correlated. Our findings indicate the ecological importance of bacterial communities in regulating the carbon cycle in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain.

Biodiversity mitigates drought effects in the decomposer system across biomes.

Multiple facets of global change affect the earth system interactively, with complex consequences for ecosystem functioning and stability. Simultaneous climate and biodiversity change are of particular concern, because biodiversity may contribute to ecosystem resistance and resilience and may mitigate climate change impacts. Yet, the extent and generality of how climate and biodiversity change interact remain insufficiently understood, especially for the decomposition of organic matter, a major determinant of the biosphere-atmosphere carbon feedbacks. With an inter-biome field experiment using large rainfall exclusion facilities, we tested how drought, a common prediction of climate change models for many parts of the world, and biodiversity in the decomposer system drive decomposition in forest ecosystems interactively. Decomposing leaf litter lost less carbon (C) and especially nitrogen (N) in five different forest biomes following partial rainfall exclusion compared to conditions without rainfall exclusion. An increasing complexity of the decomposer community alleviated drought effects, with full compensation when large-bodied invertebrates were present. Leaf litter mixing increased diversity effects, with increasing litter species richness, which contributed to counteracting drought effects on C and N loss, although to a much smaller degree than decomposer community complexity. Our results show at a relevant spatial scale covering distinct climate zones that both, the diversity of decomposer communities and plant litter in forest floors have a strong potential to mitigate drought effects on C and N dynamics during decomposition. Preserving biodiversity at multiple trophic levels contributes to ecosystem resistance and appears critical to maintain ecosystem processes under ongoing climate change.

TC and LDL-C are negatively correlated with bone mineral density in patients with osteoporosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationships of multiple lipid metabolism indicators and bone turnover markers (BTMs) with bone mineral density (BMD) and osteoporosis, in order to identify high-risk populations. METHODS: A total of 380 patients were recruited and their general information was collected. Linear and logistic regression models were used to analyze the correlation of these indicators with BMD and osteoporosis. RESULTS: Lipid metabolism indices and BTMs exhibited varying degrees of positive or negative correlation with BMD. Elevated levels of triglycerides (r = -0.204, P = 0.004), total cholesterol (TC) (r = -0.244, P < 0.001), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (r = -0.256, P < 0.001), apoprotein B (r = -0.292, P < 0.001) and lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) (r = -0.221, P = 0.002) in women were associated with a reduction in BMD. This relationship persisted even after adjusting for confounding factors and in the subgroup analysis of elderly women. In males, TC (r = 0.159, P = 0.033), LDL-C (r = 0.187, P = 0.012), apoprotein B (r = 0.157, P = 0.035), and Lp-PLA2 (r = 0.168, P = 0.024) exhibited a positive correlation with BMD, while free fatty acid (FFA) (r = -0.153, P = 0.041) was negatively correlated with BMD. However, after adjusting for confounding factors, only FFA remained negatively correlated with BMD, which was not observed in the age subgroup analysis. Furthermore, elevated levels of TC and LDL-C in elderly women were positively associated with the risk of osteoporosis or low bone mass. CONCLUSION: Elevated levels of TC and LDL-C not only indicate a decrease in BMD in females but also positively correlate with the occurrence of osteoporosis and low bone mass in elderly females.

Identification and characterization of extrachromosomal circular DNA in age-related osteoporosis.

Extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA) was once thought to mainly exist in tumour cells, although it was later shown to be ubiquitous in healthy tissues as well. However, the characteristics and properties of eccDNA in healthy tissue or non-cancer tissue are not well understood. This study first analyses the properties, possible formation mechanisms and potential functions of eccDNA in osteoporotic or normal bone tissue. We used circle-seq to demonstrate the expression spectrum of the eccDNA in the bone tissue. A bioinformatics analysis was performed for the differentially expressed eccDNA, and it enriched the Hippo signalling pathway, PI3K-Akt signalling pathway, Ras signal-ling pathway and other signalling pathways that are closely related to osteoporosis (OP). Then, we used real-time polymerase chain reaction and Sanger sequencing to assess human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and obtained the base sequence of the eccDNA cyclization site. Overall, eccDNAs in bone tissue are common and may play a significant role in pathways connected to age-related osteoporosis progression.

Therapeutic Effects of Mechanical Stress-Induced C2C12-Derived Exosomes on Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis Through miR-92a-3p/PTEN/AKT Signaling Pathway.

Introduction: Osteoporosis is a common bone disease in which the bone loses density and strength and is prone to fracture. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are important in bone-related diseases. Exosomes, as mediators of cell communication, have potential in cell processes. Previous studies have focused on muscle factors' regulation of bone remodeling, but research on exosomes is lacking. Methods:  In order to confirm the therapeutic effect of mechanically stimulated myocytes (C2C12) derived exosomes (Exosome-MS) on the Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis(GIOP) compared with unmechanically stimulated myocytes (C2C12) derived exosomes (Exosomes), we established a dexamethasone-induced osteoporosis model in vivo and in vitro. Cell viability and proliferation were assessed using CCK8 and EDU assays. Osteogenic potential was evaluated through Western blotting, real-time PCR, alkaline phosphatase activity assay, and alizarin red staining. Differential expression of miRNAs was determined by high-throughput sequencing. The regulatory mechanism of miR-92a-3p on cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation via the PTEN/AKT pathway was investigated using real-time PCR, luciferase reporter gene assay, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence. The therapeutic effects of exosomes were evaluated in vivo using microCT, HE staining, Masson staining, and immunohistochemistry. Results:  In this study, we found that exosomes derived from mechanical stress had a positive impact on the proliferation and differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). Importantly, we demonstrated that miR-92a-3p mimics could reverse dexamethasone-induced osteoporosis in vitro and in vivo, indicating that mechanical stress-induced mouse myoblast-derived exosomes could promote osteogenesis and prevent the occurrence and progression of osteoporosis in mice through miR-92a-3p/PTEN/AKT signaling pathway. Conclusion:  Exosomes derived from mechanical stress-induced myoblasts can promote the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells through miR-92a-3p/PTEN/AKT signaling pathway, and can have a therapeutic effect on glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in mice in vivo.

Biomass carbon sink stability of conifer and broadleaf boreal forests: differently associated with plant diversity and mycorrhizal symbionts?

Forest biomass carbon stability is crucial in achieving carbon neutrality in the high-latitude northern hemisphere, and identifying the differences among forest types and decoupling their associations with plant traits and geoclimatic conditions is the basis for precise forest management. We conducted a large-scale field survey in state-owned forest areas in northeastern China, covering a total of 280,000 km2 forest area, 1275 arbor plots (30 m × 30 m), 5285 shrub plots (5 m × 5 m), and 7076 herb plots (1 m × 1 m). We hypothesized that the conifer and broadleaf forest differences in biomass carbon (C) storage and stability (environmental stability to climatic changes-ES and recalcitrant stability to be decomposed-RS) are associated with mycorrhizal abundance (EcM: ectomycorrhizal, AM: arbuscular mycorrhizal, NM-AM: non-mycorrhizal or arbuscular mycorrhizal), taxon diversity traits (richness, Simpson, Shannon-Wiener, and evenness), and structural differences (diameter, height, and density) in the arbor, shrub, and herb layers. Our results showed that (1) conifer forests had 13.1 Mg/ha higher C stocks and 30.9% higher RS, but 8.6% lower ES than broadleaf forests (p < 0.05). Trees in conifer forests had 1.5 m taller and 2.4 cm thicker trees, but 15% less tree density than those in broadleaf forests. Herbs in conifer forests were 14% shorter and 57% denser than in broadleaf forests. (2) The abundance of EcM-symbiont trees in conifer forests was 15% higher than in broadleaf forests, while their EcM-symbiont shrubs and AM-symbiont herbs were 5-6% lower (p < 0.05). Broadleaf forests had 7% higher tree richness and 19% higher herb richness but 9% lower shrub richness than conifer forests (p < 0.05). Tree and herb evenness was 5-6% higher in conifer forests (p < 0.05). (3) Variations of biomass C sink traits could be explained more by plant diversity in conifer forests (7%) than in broadleaf forests (3.4%). Mycorrhizal symbionts could explain more in broadleaf forests (9.7%) than conifer forests (6.7%). In conifer forests, fewer EcM trees (higher AM trees) and AM herbs, higher tree richness were accompanied by higher biomass C storage and ES. Broadleaf forests underwent similar changes, characterized by an elevation in both RS and ES. (4) Our research emphasized that variations in carbon sequestration between conifer and broadleaf forests could be attributed to mycorrhizal symbionts and species diversity besides tree size-related structural differences. Our findings support the precise management of boreal forests to achieve carbon neutrality based on leaf blade types, plant diversity, and mycorrhizal symbionts.

A vehicle-mounted dual-smog chamber: Characterization and its preliminary application to evolutionary simulation of photochemical processes in a quasi-realistic atmosphere.

Smog chambers are the effective tools for studying formation mechanisms of air pollution. Simulations by traditional smog chambers differ to a large extent from real atmospheric conditions, including light, temperature and atmospheric composition. However, the existing parameters for mechanism interpretation are derived from the traditional smog chambers. To address the gap between the traditional laboratory simulations and the photochemistry in the real atmosphere, a vehicle-mounted indoor-outdoor dual-smog chamber (JNU-VMDSC) was developed, which can be quickly transferred to the desired sites to simulate quasi-realistic atmosphere simultaneously in both chambers using "local air". Multiple key parameters of the smog chamber were characterized in the study, demonstrating that JNU-VMDSC meets the requirements of general atmospheric chemistry simulation studies. Additionally, the preliminary results for the photochemical simulations of quasi-realistic atmospheres in Pearl River Delta region and Nanling Mountains are consistent with literature reports on the photochemistry in this region. JNU-VMDSC provides a convenient and reliable experimental device and means to study the mechanism of atmospheric photochemical reactions to obtain near-real results, and will make a great contribution to the control of composite air pollution.

Comparison of the Effects of Metformin and Thiazolidinediones on Bone Metabolism: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Studies have shown that people with diabetes have a high risk of osteoporosis and fractures. The effect of diabetic medications on bone disease cannot be ignored. This meta-analysis aimed to compare the effects of two types of glucose-lowering drugs, metformin and thiazolidinediones (TZD), on bone mineral density and bone metabolism in patients with diabetes mellitus. METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis were prospectively registered on PROSPERO, and the registration number is CRD42022320884. Embase, PubMed, and Cochrane Library databases were searched to identify clinical trials comparing the effects of metformin and thiazolidinediones on bone metabolism in patients with diabetes. The literature was screened by inclusion and exclusion criteria. Two assessors independently assessed the quality of the identified studies and extracted relevant data. RESULTS: Seven studies involving 1656 patients were finally included. Our results showed that the metformin group had a 2.77% (SMD = 2.77, 95%CI [2.11, 3.43]; p < 0.00001) higher bone mineral density (BMD) than the thiazolidinedione group until 52 weeks; however, between 52 and 76 weeks, the metformin group had a 0.83% (SMD = -0.83, 95%CI: [-3.56, -0.45]; p = 0.01) lower BMD. The C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX) and procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide (PINP) were decreased by 18.46% (MD = -18.46, 95%CI: [-27.98, -8.94], p = 0.0001) and 9.94% (MD = -9.94, 95%CI: [-16.92, -2.96], p = 0.005) in the metformin group compared with the TZD group.

Effects of Variation in Tamarix chinensis Plantations on Soil Microbial Community Composition in the Middle Yellow River Floodplain.

Floodplains have important ecological and hydrological functions in terrestrial ecosystems, experience severe soil erosion, and are vulnerable to losing soil fertility. Tamarix chinensis Lour. plantation is the main vegetation restoration measure for maintaining soil quality in floodplains. Soil microorganisms are essential for driving biogeochemical cycling processes. However, the effects of sampling location and shrub patch size on soil microbial community composition remain unclear. In this study, we characterized changes in microbial structure, as well as the factors driving them, in inside- and outside-canopy soils of three patch sizes (small, medium, large) of T. chinensis plants in the middle Yellow River floodplain. Compared with the outside-canopy soils, inside-canopy had higher microbial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs), including fungi, bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria (GP), Gram-negative bacteria (GN), and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. The ratio of fungi to bacteria and GP to GN gradually decreased as shrub patch size increased. Differences between inside-canopy and outside-canopy soils in soil nutrients (organic matter, total nitrogen, and available phosphorus) and soil salt content increased by 59.73%, 40.75%, 34.41%, and 110.08% from small to large shrub patch size. Changes in microbial community composition were mainly driven by variation in soil organic matter, which accounted for 61.90% of the variation in inside-canopy soils. Resource islands could alter microbial community structure, and this effect was stronger when shrub patch size was large. The results indicated that T. chinensis plantations enhanced the soil nutrient contents (organic matter, total nitrogen, and available phosphorus) and elevated soil microbial biomass and changed microbial community composition; T. chinensis plantations might thus provide a suitable approach for restoring degraded floodplain ecosystems.

Distinct response patterns of plants and soil microorganisms to agronomic practices and seasonal variation in a floodplain ecosystem.

Introduction: Climate change and anthropogenic activities are the greatest threats to floodplain ecosystems. A growing body of literature shows that floodplain ecosystems have experienced increased chemical fertilizer and pesticide loads, which will disturb the above and belowground ecosystems. However, we lack knowledge regarding the effects of such human activities on the vegetation and soil microbiomes in these ecosystems. Methods: In the present study, plant functional traits and Illumina Mi-Seq sequencing were to assess the impact of nitrogen fertilizer and glyphosate addition on the structure and function of the vegetation and soil microbiomes (bacteria, fungi, and protists) in a floodplain ecosystem, and to assess the influence of seasonal variation. Results: We identified distinct response mechanisms of plant and microbial communities to the addition of nitrogen fertilizer and glyphosate, and seasonal variation. Nitrogen fertilizer and glyphosate significantly affected plant diversity, aboveground and underground biomass, and C and N content and significantly changed the leaf area and plant stature of dominant plants. However, the addition of nitrogen fertilizer and glyphosate did not significantly affect the diversity and structure of bacterial, fungal, and protist communities. The application of nitrogen fertilizer could improve the negative effects of glyphosate on the functional traits of plant communities. The seasonal variation of floodplain has significantly changed the soil's physical, chemical, and biological properties. Our results showed that compared with that in summer, the soil ecosystem multifunctionality of the floodplain ecosystem in autumn was significantly lower. Seasonal variation had a significant effect on plant diversity and functional traits. Moreover, seasonal variation significantly affected the community compositions, diversity, and structure of bacteria, fungi, and protists. Seasonal variation had a stronger impact on fungal community assembly than on that of bacteria and protists. In summer, the assembly of the fungal community was dominated by a deterministic process, while in autumn, it is dominated by a stochastic process. In addition, the negative association among bacteria, fungi, and protists has been strengthened in autumn and formed a more robust network to cope with external changes. Discussion: These results extended our understanding of the ecological patterns of soil microbiomes in floodplain ecosystems and provided support for enhancing the ecological barrier function and the service potential of floodplain ecosystems.

Corrigendum: Efficacy of umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells for COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.923286.].

Short-term but not long-term perennial mugwort cropping increases soil organic carbon in Northern China Plain.

Perennial cropping has been an alternative land use type due to its widely accepted role in increasing soil carbon sequestration. However, how soil organic carbon (SOC) changes and its underlying mechanisms under different cropping years are still elusive. A chronosequence (0-, 3-, 6-, 20-year) of perennial mugwort cropping was chosen to explore the SOC dynamics and the underlying mechanisms in agricultural soils of Northern China Plain. The results revealed that SOC first increased and then decreased along the 20-year chronosequence. The similar patterns were also found in soil properties (including soil ammonium nitrogen, total nitrogen and phosphorus) and two C-degrading hydrolytic enzyme activities (i.e., α-glucosidase and ß-glucosidase). The path analysis demonstrated that soil ammonium nitrogen, total nitrogen, and plant biomass affected SOC primarily through the indirect impacts on soil pH, total phosphorus availability, and C-degrading hydrolytic enzyme activities. In addition, the contributions of soil properties are greater than those of biotic factors (plant biomass) to changes in SOC across the four mugwort cropping years. Nevertheless, the biotic factors may play more important roles in regulating SOC than abiotic factors in the long run. Moreover, SOC reached its maximum and was equaled to that under the conventional rotation when cropping mugwort for 7.44 and 14.88 years, respectively, which has critical implications for sustainable C sequestration of agricultural soils in Northern China Plain. Our observations suggest that short-term but not long-term perennial mugwort cropping is an alternative practice benefiting soil C sequestration and achieving the Carbon Neutrality goal in China.

Growth characteristics of Cunninghamia lanceolata in China.

Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) is one of southern China's most important native tree species, which has experienced noticeable climate-induced changes. Published papers (1978-2020) on tree growth of Chinese fir forests in China were collected and critically reviewed. After that, a comprehensive growth data set was developed from 482 sites, which are distributed between 102.19° and 130.07°E in longitude, between 21.87° and 37.24°N in latitude and between 5 and 2260 m in altitude. The dataset consists of 2265 entries, including mean DBH (cm), mean H (m), volume (m3), biomass (dry weight) (kg) (stem (over bark) biomass, branches biomass, leaves biomass, bark biomass, aboveground biomass, roots biomass, total trees biomass) and related information, i.e. geographical location (Country, province, study site, longitude, latitude, altitude, slope, and aspect), climate (mean annual precipitation-MAP and mean annual temperature-MAT), stand description (origin, age, canopy density and stand density), and sample regime (plot size, number and investigation year). Our results showed that (1) the best prediction of height was obtained using nonlinear composite model Height = [Formula: see text], (R2 = 0.8715, p < 0.05), (2) the equation Volume = DBH2/(387.8 + 19,190/Height) (R2 = 0.9833, p < 0.05) was observed to be the most suitable model for volume estimation. Meanwhile, when the measurements of the variables are difficult to carry out, the volume model Volume = 0.03957 - 0.01215*DBH + 0.00118*DBH2 (R2 = 0.9573, p < 0.05) is determined from DBH only has a practical advantage, (3) the regression equations of component biomass against DBH explained more significant than 86% variability in almost all biomass data of woody tissues, which were ranked as total trees (97.25%) > aboveground (96.55%) > stems (with bark) (96.17%) > barks (88.95%) > roots (86.71%), and explained greater than 64% variability in branch biomass. The foliage biomass equation was the poorest among biomass components (R2 = 0.6122). The estimation equations derived in this study are particularly suitable for the Chinese fir forests in China. This dataset can provide a theoretical basis for predicting and assessing the potential of carbon sequestration and afforestation activities of Chinese fir forests on a national scale.

Efficacy of umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells for COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: A major challenge for COVID-19 therapy is dysregulated immune response associated with the disease. Umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells (UC-MSCs) may be a promising candidate for COVID-19 treatment owing to their immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory functions. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of UC-MSCs inpatients with COVID-19. Method: Medline, Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were searched to collect clinical trials concerning UC-MSCs for the treatment of COVID-19. After literature screening, quality assessment, and data extraction, a systematic review and meta-analysis of the included study were performed. Results: This systematic review and meta-analysis were prospectively registered on PROSPERO, and the registration number is CRD42022304061. After screening, 10 studies involving 293 patients with COVID-19 were eventually included. Our meta-analysis results showed that UC-MSCs can reduce mortality (relative risk [RR] =0.60, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [0.38, 0.95], P=0.03) in COVID-19 patients. No significant correlation was observed between adverse events and UC-MSC treatment (RR=0.85, 95% CI: [0.65, 1.10], P=0.22; RR=1.00, 95%CI: [0.64, 1.58], P=1.00). In addition, treatment with UC-MSCs was found to suppress inflammation and improve pulmonary symptoms. Conclusions: UC-MSCs hold promise as a safe and effective treatment for COVID-19. Systematic Review Registartion: PROSPERO, identifier CRD42022304061.