Endocannabinoid Hydrolase Inhibitors: Potential Novel Anxiolytic Drugs.

Over the past decade, the idea of targeting the endocannabinoid system to treat anxiety disorders has received increasing attention. Previous studies focused more on developing cannabinoid receptor agonists or supplementing exogenous cannabinoids, which are prone to various adverse effects due to their strong pharmacological activity and poor receptor selectivity, limiting their application in clinical research. Endocannabinoid hydrolase inhibitors are considered to be the most promising development strategies for the treatment of anxiety disorders. More recent efforts have emphasized that inhibition of two major endogenous cannabinoid hydrolases, monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) and fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), indirectly activates cannabinoid receptors by increasing endogenous cannabinoid levels in the synaptic gap, circumventing receptor desensitization resulting from direct enhancement of endogenous cannabinoid signaling. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the anxiolytic effects of MAGL and FAAH inhibitors and their potential pharmacological mechanisms, highlight reported novel inhibitors or natural products, and provide an outlook on future directions in this field.

Characteristics of the phyllosphere microbial community and its relationship with major aroma precursors during the tobacco maturation process.

Numerous bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms in the tobacco phyllosphere interstellar area participate in the physiological metabolism of plants by interacting with the host. However, there is currently little research on the characteristics of tobacco phyllosphere microbial communities, and the correlation between tobacco phyllosphere microbial communities and phyllosphere factor indicators is still unknown. Therefore, high-throughput sequencing technology based on the 16S rRNA/ITS1 gene was used to explore the diversity and composition characteristics of tobacco phyllosphere bacterial and fungal communities from different maturation processes, and to identify marker genera that distinguish phyllosphere microbial communities. In this study, the correlations between tobacco phyllosphere bacterial and fungal communities and the precursors of major aroma compounds were explored. The results showed that as the tobacco plants matured, the density of glandular trichomes on the tobacco leaves gradually decreased. The surface physicochemical properties of tobacco leaves also undergo significant changes. In addition, the overall bacterial alpha diversity in the tobacco phyllosphere area increased with maturation, while the overall fungal alpha diversity decreased. The beta diversity of bacteria and fungi in the tobacco phyllosphere area also showed significant differences. Specifically, with later top pruning time, the relative abundances of Acidisoma, Ralstonia, Bradyrhizobium, Alternaria and Talaromyces gradually increased, while the relative abundances of Pseudomonas, Filobassidium, and Tausonia gradually decreased. In the bacterial community, Acidisoma, Ralstonia, Bradyrhizobium, and Alternaria were significantly positively correlated with tobacco aroma precursors, with significant negative correlations with tobacco phyllosphere trichome morphology, while Pseudomonas showed the opposite pattern; In the fungal community, Filobasidium and Tausonia were significantly negatively correlated with tobacco aroma precursors, and significantly positively correlated with tobacco phyllosphere trichome morphology, while Alternaria showed the opposite pattern. In conclusion, the microbiota (bacteria and fungi) and aroma precursors of the tobacco phyllosphere change significantly as tobacco matures. The presence of Acidisoma, Ralstonia, Bradyrhizobium and Alternaria in the phyllosphere microbiota of tobacco may be related to the aroma precursors of tobacco.

Impact of iron-modified biochars on soil nitrous oxide emissions: Variations with iron salts and soil fertility.

Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from soils are a significant environmental concern due to their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. Biochar has been considered as a promising soil amendment for its potential to influence soil processes. Iron modification of biochar has been extensively discussed for its ability to enhance adsorption of pollutants, yet its impact on mitigating soil N2O emissions remains poorly understood. In the present study, corn straw (CB) and wood (WB) biochars were treated with FeSO4/FeCl3 (SCB and SWB) and Fe(NO3)3 (NCB and NWB). The effects of these biochars on soil N2O emissions were investigated using soils with varying fertility levels over a 35-day incubation period at 20 °C. Results revealed significant variations in biochar surface chemistry depending on biochar feedstock and iron salts. Compared to pristine biochars, NWB and NCB exhibited higher pH, total N content, and dissolved NO3-N concentrations (246 ± 17 and 298 ± 35 mg kg-1, respectively), but lower bulk and surface C content. In contrast, SWB and SCB demonstrated acidic pH and elevated dissolved NH4-N concentrations (5.38 ± 0.43 and 4.19 ± 0.22 mg kg-1, respectively). In forest soils, NWB and NCB increased cumulative N2O emission by 28.5% and 67.0%, respectively, likely due to the introduction of mineral nitrogen evidenced by significant positive correlation with NO3-N or NH4-N. Conversely, SWB and SCB reduced emissions in the same soil by 28.5% and 6.9%, respectively. In agricultural soil, most biochars, except SWB, enhanced N2O emissions, possibly through the release of labile organic carbon facilitating denitrification. These findings underscore the significance of changes in biochar surface chemistry and the associated potential risk in triggering soil N2O emissions. This study highlights the need for a balanced design of biochar that considers both engineering benefits and climate change mitigation.

Methane and nitrous oxide emissions and related microbial communities from mangrove stems on Qi'ao Island, Pearl River Estuary in China.

Mangrove forests, crucial carbon-rich ecosystems, are increasingly vulnerable to soil carbon loss and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions due to human disturbance. However, the contribution of mangrove trees to GHG emissions remains poorly understood. This study monitored CO2, CH4, and N2O fluxes from the stems of two mangrove species, native Kandelia obovata (KO) and exotic Sonneratia apetala (SA), at three heights (0.7 m, 1.2 m, and 1.7 m) during the dry winter period on Qi'ao Island, Pearl River Estuary, China. Heartwood samples were analyzed to identify potential functional groups related to gas fluxes. Our study found that tree stems acted as both sinks and sources for N2O (ranging from -9.49 to 28.35 µg m-2 h-1 for KO and from -6.73 to 28.95 µg m-2 h-1 for SA) and CH4. SA exhibited significantly higher stem CH4 flux (from -26.67 to 97.33 µg m-2 h-1) compared to KO (from -44.13 to 88.0 µg m-2 h-1) (P < 0.05). When upscaled to the community level, both species were net emitters of CH4, contributing approximately 4.68 % (KO) and 0.51 % (SA) to total CH4 emissions. The decrease in stem CH4 flux with increasing height, indicates a soil source. Microbial analysis in the heartwood using the KEGG database indicated aceticlastic methanogenesis as the dominant CH4 pathway. The presence of methanogens, methanotrophs, denitrifiers, and nitrifiers suggests microbial involvement in CH4 and N2O production and consumption. Remarkably, the dominance of Cyanobacteria in the heartwood microbiome (with the relative abundance of 97.5 ± 0.6 % for KO and 99.1 ± 0.2 % for SA) implies roles in carbon and nitrogen fixation for mangroves coping with nitrogen limitation in coastal wetlands, and possibly in CH4 production. Although the present study has limitations in sampling duration and area, it highlights the significant role of tree stems in GHG emissions which is crucial for a holistic evaluation of the global carbon sequestration capability of mangrove ecosystems. Future research should broaden spatial and temporal scales to enhance the accuracy of upscaling tree stem gas fluxes to the mangrove ecosystem level.

Network pharmacology combines machine learning, molecular simulation dynamics and experimental validation to explore the mechanism of acetylbinankadsurin A in the treatment of liver fibrosis.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The Kadsura coccinea (Lem.) A. C. Smith is known as "Heilaohu" of the Tujia ethnomedicine in China. It has anti-tumor, anti-oxidation, anti-HIV, anti-inflammatory and liver protective effects, used to treat diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, gastritis and hepatitis. In this research, we investigated the anti-fibrotic effect and possible mechanisms of acetylbinankadsurin A (ACBA) in vitro and in vivo, which is a natural compound derived from roots of K. coccinea. AIM OF THE STUDY: We try to evaluate the efficacy of ACBA in the treatment of liver fibrosis and to explore the underlying mechanisms of ACBA by network pharmacology, machine learning, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, and experimental assessment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: ACBA was isolated from the CH2Cl2 layer of the roots of K. coccinea through column chromatographic techniques. The structure of ACBA was determined by using 1D and 2D NMR. CCl4-induced C57BL/6 mouse liver fibrosis models were established to evaluate the anti-fibrosis effects of ACBA in vivo. The molecular targets of ACBA and liver fibrosis were obtained from various databases, then constructed a protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks through the STRING database. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) analysis were applied using the "clusterProfiler" R package. Furthermore, the key genes for ACBA treatment of liver fibrosis were identified by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO). Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were also carried out. Finally, the target and pathway of ACBA were verified by immunofluorescence staining, RT-PCR and Western blot. RESULT: First, ACBA attenuated CCl4-induced liver injury and fibrosis in vivo. These findings were accompanied by decreased expression of α-SMA and collagen I. Second, ACBA significantly decreased serum levels of ALT, AST, TNF-α and IL-6. Then, we identified 133 potential targets of ACBA and 7987 targets of liver fibrosis. KEGG analysis showed that ACBA could regulate the drug metabolism - cytochrome P450, fructose and mannose metabolism, IL-17 and NF-κB signaling pathways. Next, six core targets was screened by LASSO analysis including AKR1B1, PFKFB3, EPHA3, CDK1, CCR1 and CYP3A4. Molecular docking showed that ACBA has a good binding affinity for CCR1. Furthermore, compared with CCR1 inhibitor BX-471, The results of molecular simulation dynamics showed that ACBA was stable in binding with CCR1. Consistently, ACBA remarkably downregulated the expression of CCR1, p-NF-κBp65, p-IκBα, p-STAT1 and TNF-α proteins, which were upregulated in CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis and LPS-THP-1 cells. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that ACBA significantly attenuated CCl4-induced liver fibrosis in histopathological and in serum level. This effect may be mediated by CCR1, NF-κB and STAT1 signalling.

Shorebirds-driven trophic cascade helps restore coastal wetland multifunctionality.

Ecosystem restoration has traditionally focused on re-establishing vegetation and other foundation species at basal trophic levels, with mixed outcomes. Here, we show that threatened shorebirds could be important to restoring coastal wetland multifunctionality. We carried out surveys and manipulative field experiments in a region along the Yellow Sea affected by the invasive cordgrass Spartina alterniflora. We found that planting native plants alone failed to restore wetland multifunctionality in a field restoration experiment. Shorebird exclusion weakened wetland multifunctionality, whereas mimicking higher predation before shorebird population declines by excluding their key prey - crab grazers - enhanced wetland multifunctionality. The mechanism underlying these effects is a simple trophic cascade, whereby shorebirds control crab grazers that otherwise suppress native vegetation recovery and destabilize sediments (via bioturbation). Our findings suggest that harnessing the top-down effects of shorebirds - through habitat conservation, rewilding, or temporary simulation of consumptive or non-consumptive effects - should be explored as a nature-based solution to restoring the multifunctionality of degraded coastal wetlands.

Biochar combined with different nitrogen fertilization rates increased crop yield and greenhouse gas emissions in a rapeseed-soybean rotation system.

Biochar as agricultural soil amendment has been extensively investigated for its potential to sequester carbon, to mitigate greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions, to enhance soil fertility and enhance crop yields. In this study, we investigated the impact of varying N fertilization rates in conjunction with biochar on soil properties, crop yield, and GHGs emissions in a rapeseed (Brassica napus L.)-soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) rotation system for one year. Biochar and N fertilizer were applied following a factorial combination design of three biochar (B0: 0 t hm-2, B1: 15 t hm-2, and B2: 60 t hm-2) and three N fertilizer application rates (H: 100%, M: 75%, and L: 50% of the conventional application rates). In general, there was no significant effect of N fertilizer and its interaction with biochar application on soil water content, pH, and total carbon content, but the addition of biochar significantly increased these parameters (P < 0.05). The yield of both crops were significantly augmented by biochar up to 75% compared to using N fertilization alone, potentially due to enhanced N use efficiency. However, biochar significantly increased the cumulative N2O and CH4 emissions by as much as 2.2 times and 19 times, respectively, during the rapeseed season, thereby elevating the global warming potential (GWP) and the yield-scaled GWP. Nevertheless, the significantly increased soil carbon content following biochar addition might boost soil carbon sequestration, which could counterbalance the escalating GWP induced by GHGs. Therefore, we recommend a comprehensive and long-term evaluation of biochar's impact by considering crop yield, GHGs emissions, and carbon sequestration in agricultural systems to ensure sustainable agricultural management.

Targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome for the treatment of hypertensive target organ damage: Role of natural products and formulations.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Hypertension is a major global health problem that causes target organ damage (TOD) in the heart, brain, kidney, and blood vessels. The mechanisms of hypertensive TOD are not fully understood, and its treatment is challenging. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge on the role of Nod-like receptor pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome in hypertensive TOD and the natural products and formulations that inhibit it. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and CNKI for relevant articles using the keywords "hypertension," "target organ damage," "NLRP3 inflammasome," "natural products," and "formulations." We reviewed the effects of the NLRP3 inflammasome on hypertensive TOD in different organs and discussed the natural products and formulations that modulate it. KEY RESULTS: In hypertensive TOD, the NLRP3 inflammasome is activated by various stimuli such as oxidative stress and inflammation. Activation of NLRP3 inflammasome leads to the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines that exacerbate tissue damage and dysfunction. Natural products and formulations, including curcumin, resveratrol, triptolide, and allicin, have shown protective effects against hypertensive TOD by inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The NLRP3 inflammasome is a promising therapeutic target in hypertensive TOD. Natural products and formulations that inhibit the NLRP3 inflammasome may provide novel drug candidates or therapies for hypertensive TOD. Further studies are needed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms and optimize the dosages of these natural products and formulations and evaluate their clinical efficacy and safety.

Natural compounds targeting mitochondrial dysfunction: emerging therapeutics for target organ damage in hypertension.

Hypertension generally causes target organ damage (TOD) in the heart, brain, kidney, and blood vessels. This can result in atherosclerosis, plaque formation, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events, and renal failure. Recent studies have indicated that mitochondrial dysfunction is crucial in hypertensive target organ damage. Consequently, mitochondria-targeted therapies attract increasing attention. Natural compounds are valuable resources for drug discovery and development. Many studies have demonstrated that natural compounds can ameliorate mitochondrial dysfunction in hypertensive target organ damage. This review examines the contribution of mitochondrial dysfunction to the development of target organ damage in hypertension. Moreover, it summarizes therapeutic strategies based on natural compounds that target mitochondrial dysfunction, which may be beneficial for preventing and treating hypertensive target organ damage.

Differences in soil physicochemical properties and rhizosphere microbial communities of flue-cured tobacco at different transplantation stages and locations.

Rhizosphere microbiota play an important role in regulating soil physical and chemical properties and improving crop production performance. This study analyzed the relationship between the diversity of rhizosphere microbiota and the yield and quality of flue-cured tobacco at different transplant times (D30 group, D60 group and D90 group) and in different regions [Linxiang Boshang (BS) and Linxiang ZhangDuo (ZD)] by high-throughput sequencing technology. The results showed that there were significant differences in the physicochemical properties and rhizosphere microbiota of flue-cured tobacco rhizosphere soil at different transplanting times, and that the relative abundance of Bacillus in the rhizosphere microbiota of the D60 group was significantly increased. RDA and Pearson correlation analysis showed that Bacillus, Streptomyces and Sphingomonas were significantly correlated with soil physical and chemical properties. PIGRUSt2 function prediction results showed that compared with the D30 group, the D60 group had significantly increased metabolic pathways such as the superpathway of pyrimidine deoxyribonucleoside salvage, allantoin degradation to glyoxylate III and pyrimidine deoxyribonucleotides de novo biosynthesis III metabolic pathways. The D90 group had significantly increased metabolic pathways such as ubiquitol-8 biosynthesis (prokaryotic), ubiquitol-7 biosynthesis (prokaryotic) and ubiquitol-10 biosynthesis (prokaryotic) compared with the D60 group. In addition, the yield and quality of flue-cured tobacco in the BS region were significantly higher than those in the ZD region, and the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Bacillus in the rhizosphere microbiota of flue-cured tobacco in the BS region at the D60 transplant stage was significantly higher than that in the ZD region. In addition, the results of the hierarchical sample metabolic pathway abundance map showed that the PWY-6572 metabolic pathway was mainly realized by Paenibacillus, and that the relative abundance of flue-cured tobacco rhizosphere microbiota (Paenibacillus) participating in PWY-6572 in the D60 transplant period in the BS region was significantly higher than that in the ZD region. In conclusion, different transplanting periods of flue-cured tobacco have important effects on soil physical and chemical properties and rhizosphere microbial communities. There were significant differences in the rhizosphere microbiota and function of flue-cured tobacco in different regions, which may affect the performance and quality of this type of tobacco.

Pollutant impacts on bacteria in surface water and sediment: Conventional versus emerging pollutants in Taihu Lake, China.

Bacteria play a critical role in biogeochemical cycling, self-purification, and food web fueling in surface freshwater ecosystems. However, the comparison between the impacts of conventional and emerging pollutants on the bacteria in surface water and sediment remains unclear and requires for an in-depth understanding to assess ecological risk and select associated bioindicators. Taihu Lake, a typical shallow lake in China, was divided into pollutant impacted and less-impacted zones for sampling. Spatial distributions of conventional pollutants, emerging pharmaceuticals, and bacterial communities were investigated in surface water and sediment. The correlations of pollutants with bacterial communities and the variations in bacterial functions were analyzed to help assess the pollutant influences on bacteria. The results showed that the water quality index and trophic level index across the whole lake were at medium to good, and mesotropher to light eutropher grades, respectively, indicating a relatively good control on conventional pollutants in water. Target pharmaceuticals were at much higher concentrations in water of the impacted zone compared to the less-impacted zone, exhibiting close positive relationships with the bacterial phyla in the impacted water. The ratio of Firmicutes to Proteobacteria in surface water is suggested as a plausible bioindicator to evaluate the level of inflow pharmaceutical contamination and the risk of relevant bacterial resistance in the outflow. In sediment, no significant difference was observed for pharmaceuticals between the two zones, whereas total phosphorus and orthophosphate were substantially higher in the impacted zone. Phosphorus pollutants were tightly associated with the bacterial genera in the impacted sediment, likely relating to the increase in iron- or sulfate-reducing bacteria which implies the potential risk of phosphorus releasing from sediment to water.

Transcript annotation of Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis) using Iso-seq and RNA-seq data.

Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis) is a critically endangered fish inhabiting the Yangtze River and Chinese coastal waters. Numerous research projects and conservation efforts have focused on artificial propagation and release to restore this endangered species. However, genomic and full-length transcriptomic sequencing of Chinese sturgeon has rarely been reported. In this study, a total of 10 Chinese sturgeon tissues were used for PacBio Iso-seq and RNA-seq analyses. A total of 19,538 full-length transcripts were obtained with sizes from 51 bp to 7,033 bp. Moreover, cluster analysis of gene families and phylogenetic analysis of 14 species were performed. Furthermore, lncRNAs and coding sequence (CDS) were identified in all Chinese sturgeon tissues. Finally, gene expression profiles and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed among 10 tissues in Chinese sturgeon. Taken together, full-length transcripts and the gene expression profile from Chinese sturgeon tissues will provide gene sequences and expression information for future functional genomic study and be very helpful for comprehensive understanding of the genetic mechanism of endangerment in Chinese sturgeon.

Nitrogen fixation of Cyndon dactylon: A possible strategy coping with long-term flooding in the Three Gorges Reservoir.

The Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) is one of the largest hydropower projects around the world which greatly alters the ecological function of the original ecosystem. The riparian zone of TGR is subject to a frequent fluctuation of water level, leading to severe nitrogen loss by leaching. Cyndon dactylon, a perennial stress tolerant plant, is one of the dominant plant species in the riparian zone of TGR. The underlying mechanism that C. dactylon can survive the nitrogen limitation has been under debate. In this study, we sampled the plant tissues of C. dactylon and the surrounding soils across different water levels and seasons in the riparian zone of TGR to explore the possible strategy for them to mining nitrogen. Our study found that the C. dactylon in the TGR riparian zone had endophytic nitrogen-fixing bacteria, particularly enriched in the plant foliage. The abundance of endophytic nitrogen-fixing bacteria was significantly negatively correlated with soil ammonia, nitrate, and organic matter, and significantly positively correlated with total phosphorous and moisture content. The endophytic nitrogen-fixing bacteria in C. dactylon were highly diverse, with Proteobacteria as the main dominant genera. The mutual cooperation mode among bacterial species made the endophytic nitrogen-fixing bacteria community of C. dactylon more resilient to environmental pressure, thus more readily adapting to conditions of repeated long-term flooding in the riparian zone of the TGR.

Biology of cyclooxygenase-2: An application in depression therapeutics.

Depressive Disorder is a common mood disorder or affective disorder that is dominated by depressed mood. It is characterized by a high incidence and recurrence. The onset of depression is related to genetic, biological and psychosocial factors. However, the pathogenesis is still unclear. In recent years, there has been an increasing amount of research on the inflammatory hypothesis of depression, in which cyclo-oxygen-ase 2 (COX-2), a pro-inflammatory cytokine, is closely associated with depression. A variety of chemical drugs and natural products have been found to exert therapeutic effects by modulating COX-2 levels. This paper summarizes the relationship between COX-2 and depression in terms of neuroinflammation, intestinal flora, neurotransmitters, HPA axis, mitochondrial dysfunction and hippocampal neuronal damage, which can provide a reference for further preventive control, clinical treatment and scientific research on depression.

The Complete Mitochondrial Genome of Eurasian Minnow (Phoxinus cf. Phoxinus) from the Heilongjiang River, and Its Phylogenetic Implications.

Over the past two decades, the genus Phoxinus has undergone extensive taxonomic revision and many new species or mitochondrial lineages have been found in Europe. However, Asian populations of Phoxinus spp. have received less attention and have rarely been compared with their European relatives. In this study, we deciphered the 16,789-nucleotide mitochondrial genome of Phoxinus cf. phoxinus from the Heilongjiang River (HLJ) and compared it with other known mitogenomes or partial mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences of Phoxinus spp. We discovered that all known mitochondrial genomes of Phoxinus had a typical mtDNA architecture across vertebrates, but their D-loop regions varied greatly in length. A repetitive motif of ~130 bp was identified in the D-loop regions of Phoxinus spp. The unusual repetitive structure was revealed at the beginning of D-loop regions of all known mitogenomes of Phoxinus spp. The length differences of the D-loop region were attributed mainly to the number of repetitive motifs and the inserted sequences among them. However, this repetitive structure was absent in the other Far East phoxinins. This is further evidence for the notion that Far Eastern phoxinins should be divided into two genera: Phoxinus and Rhynchocypris. All mtDNA sequences (including three mitogenomes) from South Korea represent the same genetic lineage, as there were only slight differences among them. The remaining six mtDNA sequences are highly divergent and represent different lineages of the genus, as supported by partial mtDNA sequences. The updated phylogeny of genus Phoxinus suggests that there are five distinct mtDNA lineages in Asia. The Asian lineages have diverged markedly from their European relatives and should not be included with the European minnow (P. phoxinus).

Combined effects of biochar and biogas slurry on soil nitrogen transformation rates and N2O emission in a subtropical poplar plantation.

It has been widely accepted that biochar has a great potential of mitigating soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emission. However, the underlying mechanism about how biochar affects nitrogen transformation and the pathways of soil N2O production is under discussion. A 15N-tracer incubation experiment was conducted to investigate the short-term effects of biochar on soil N transformation rates and source partitioning of N2O emissions in soils from a poplar plantation system. A two-factor experimental design was adopted using biogas digestate slurry and biochar as soil amendments. In total, there were 12 treatments, including three rates of biochar: B0 (control), B2 (80 t ha-1), and B3 (120 t ha-1), and four rates of biogas digestate slurry: C (0 m3 ha-1), L (125 m3 ha-1), M (250 m3 ha-1), and H (375 m3 ha-1). We observed significantly lower rates of net nitrification (Nn) and mineralization (Mn) in biochar-treated soils. The 15N tracer analysis revealed a significant decrease in gross autotrophic (ONH4), heterotrophic nitrification (ONrec), and mineralization (MNorg) rates while an increase in gross immobilization (INH4 and INO3) rates in biochar amended soils. When biogas slurry was applied, biochar only significantly reduced ONH4 except in the moderate slurry treatment. Regardless of the slurry application, biochar consistently suppressed N2O emission by 58-89 %, and nitrification was the dominant pathway accounting contributing >90 % to cumulative N2O emissions. Moreover, soil cumulative N2O emissions significantly negatively correlated with soil ammonium contents and positively with MNorg, Mn, and Nn, showing that biochar decreased N2O emission via a reducing effect on nitrification rates and associated N2O emissions. Our results also highlight that application of N fertilizer greatly influence the biochar's impacts on soil N transformation rates and N2O emission, calling for further studies on their interactions to develop mitigate options and to improve N use efficiency.

Efficient Interfacial Charge Transfer Based on 2D/2D Heterojunctions of Fe-C3N4/Ti3C2 for Improving the Photocatalytic Degradation of Antibiotics.

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has shown to be a promising photocatalyst that, however, suffers from strong charge recombination and poor conductivity, while MXenes have shown to be perfect cocatalysts for the photocatalytic process but show poor stability. In this study, we successfully constructed 2D/2D heterojunctions of Fe-C3N4/Ti3C2 for the photocatalytic degradation of antibiotics. In this study, multilayer Ti3C2 was obtained by etching Ti3AlC2, and then Fe-C3N4/Ti3C2 photocatalyst was prepared by the one-pot microwave method and high-temperature calcination method. The synthesized samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, TGA, BET, DRS, PL, and other means. The photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride by Fe-C3N4/Ti3C2 was in accordance with the first-order reaction kinetics model, and the apparent rate constant k was 2.83, 2.06, and 1.77 times that of g-C3N4, Fe-C3N4, and g-C3N4/Ti3C2, respectively. Through the mechanism study, it was shown that the most active species in the reaction system was • O2 -, while h+ and •OH had a relatively lower effect on the degradation system.

Effects of the Addition of Nb and V on the Microstructural Evolution and Hydrogen Embrittlement Resistance of High Strength Martensitic Steels.

Hydrogen embrittlement can easily occur in high strength martensitic steel, manifesting itself as a sudden failure or fracture without warning and greatly threatening the safety of automotive applications. Optimizing the composition of the alloy can be performed by matching heat treatment processing methods and controlling the precipitation amounts to form hydrogen traps. In doing so, the hydrogen embrittlement susceptibility of steel can be effectively delayed, reducing the risk of hydrogen-induced delayed cracking. In this study, four kinds of 1500 MPa strength grade martensitic steel were selected for testing and supplemented with different loadings of Nb and V, respectively. Their grains, phases, and precipitations were compared by optical microscopy (OM), electron backscattered diffraction (ESBD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses. After the addition of Nb and V, the microstructure was refined, the residual austenite content increased, and the hydrogen embrittlement resistance was significantly improved.

Heavy metal pollution in coastal wetlands: A systematic review of studies globally over the past three decades.

Coastal wetlands are ecosystems lying between land and ocean and are subject to inputs of heavy metals (HMs) from terrestrial, oceanic and atmospheric sources. Although the study on HM pollution in coastal wetlands has been rapidly developing over the past three decades, systematic reviews are still unavailable. Here, by analyzing 3343 articles published between 1990 and 2019, we provided the first holistic systematic review of studies on HM pollution in coastal wetlands globally. The results showed a trend of rapid increases in publications in this field globally, especially over the past ten years. Trends varied greatly among coastal countries, and global trends were primarily driven by the US before 2000, and in China after 2010. We also found that mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), and copper (Cu) were the most widely studied HM elements globally, but patterns differed geographically, with Hg being most widely examined in the Americas, Cd in China and India, and lead (Pb) in the western Europe and Australia, respectively. Among different types of coastal wetlands, salt marshes, mangrove forests, and estuaries were the most widely studied, in contrast to seagrass beds and tidal flats. As for ecosystem components, soils/sediments and plants were most extensively investigated, while algae, microbes, and animals were much less examined. Our analysis further revealed rapid emergence of topics on anthropogenic sources, interactions with other anthropogenic environmental changes (climate change in particular), and control and remediation methodology in the literature in the recent ten years. Moving forward, we highlight that future studies are needed to i) better understand the impacts of HM pollution in less studied coastal wetland systems and species, ii) deepen current understanding of the biogeochemical behaviors of HMs under anthropogenic activities, iii) examine interactions with other anthropogenic environmental changes, iv) conceive ecological remediation (i.e., "ecoremediation" as compared to traditional physiochemical remediation and bioremediation) strategies, and v) develop advanced analysis instruments and methods. The perspectives we brought forward can help stimulate many new advances in this field.

Compound Chaijin Jieyu Tablets ameliorating insomnia complicated with depression by improving synaptic plasticity via regulating orexin A, melatonin, and acetylcholine contents / 数字中医药（英文）

@#Objective To investigate the efficacy and mechanism of action of Compound Chaijin Jieyu Tablets (复方柴金解郁片, CCJJYT) in rats with insomnia complicated with depression. Methods Seventy-two Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned into eight groups: the control, chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), sleep deprivation (SD), CUMS + SD, positive drug (venlafaxine hydrochloride + diazepam), CCJJYT high-dose (CCJJYT˗2×), medium-dose (CCJJYT˗1×), and low-dose (CCJJYT˗0.5×) groups, with nine rats in each group. Depression-like behavior was evaluated by body weight, food intake, and behavioral tests such as the sucrose preference test (SPT), open field test (OFT), forced swimming test (FST), and pentobarbital-induced sleep test (PST). Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and Golgi-Cox staining were used to observe changes in pathological tissue and synaptic morphology, respectively. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the contents of orexin-A and acetylcholine. The expression levels of orexin receptor 1 (OXR1), melatonin receptor 1 (MT1A), melatonin receptor 2 (MT1B), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) were detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. Results In the present study, rats in the model group showed significant behavioral changes as well as a reduction in hippocampal dendritic branch length and synaptic number, along with increasing the content of orexin A and acetylcholine (P< 0.05), and altered expression levels of OX1R, MT1A, MT1B, ChAT, and AChE in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex after modeling (P < 0.05). CCJJYT can improve depressive insomnia behavior and synaptic plasticity of rats (P < 0.05), which is similar to that of the positive drug group. It can also decrease the content of orexin A and acetylcholine, and reduce the expression levels of OXR1 and ChAT in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (P < 0.05), and increase the expression levels of MT1A, MT1B, and AChE proteins (P < 0.05). Conclusion CCJJYT has good antidepressant and insomnia effects, probably through the regu-lation of orexin-A, melatonin, and acetylcholine content in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of rats, improving synaptic plasticity and thus exerting antidepressant and insomnia effects.