[Effects of Biochar and Soil Conditioner on Coastal Barren Saline-alkali Soil].

This study aimed to quantify the biological improvement and availability from a soil amendment substance for barren severe saline-alkali soils. A field experiment was conducted to apply biochar (B) and soil conditioner (C) rich in humic substances to pioneer crops and oil sunflower planted in the coastal barren severe saline-alkali area of the North China Low Plain. The six treatments included single or combined application of two-level biochar rates (0 and 1.25 kg·m-2) and three-level soil conditioner rates (0, 0.83, and 1.66 kg·m-2) at the start of the experiment. Soil samples were collected at 30 cm per layer and sampling from 0 to 90 cm after the oil was collected. The results revealed that the application of biochar increased the saline concentration of the 0-30 cm and 60-90 cm soil layers, whereas the soil conditioner significantly decreased the saline concentration of the 0-30 cm soil layers. Neither biochar nor conditioner showed a significant impact on soil pH. Biochar exhibited varying impacts on soil nutrients, that is, significantly inhibiting soil nitrification, which resulted in soil NO3--N decreasing while NH4+-N increased significantly, along with no significant impact on soil organic matter content (SOM) in the 0-90 cm soil profile. The application of soil conditioner exerted positive effects on improving SOM in the 0-30 cm layer and NO3--N in the 0-90 cm soil depth when the conditioner rate was at 1.66 kg·m-2. Either the sole application or the co-application of biomass and conditioner, along with their interaction, exhibited an increasing trend for the NH4+-N, available phosphorus (Olsen-P), and available potassium (Kex) contents, also seen in the 0-90 cm soil profile, although the increase effect for the three nutrients was primarily attributed to biochar. Soil conditioner was more effective in increasing SOM and reducing saline in the 0-30 cm soil layer. The application of a higher amount of conditioner accelerated soil nitrification, whereas biochar was applied essentially as a nitrification inhibitor. Therefore, the co-application of biochar with soil conditioner would be an effective practice for improving soil fertility, preventing soil nitrification, and deterring nitrate leaching, as well as reducing saline for topsoil, which would be a basis for developing soil amendments to control saline and a fertile soil environment for pioneer crops planted in coastal barren severe saline-alkali areas.

MANF brakes TLR4 signaling by competitively binding S100A8 with S100A9 to regulate macrophage phenotypes in hepatic fibrosis

The mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) has been recently identified as a neurotrophic factor, but its role in hepatic fibrosis is unknown. Here, we found that MANF was upregulated in the fibrotic liver tissues of the patients with chronic liver diseases and of mice treated with CCl4. MANF deficiency in either hepatocytes or hepatic mono-macrophages, particularly in hepatic mono-macrophages, clearly exacerbated hepatic fibrosis. Myeloid-specific MANF knockout increased the population of hepatic Ly6Chigh macrophages and promoted HSCs activation. Furthermore, MANF-sufficient macrophages (from WT mice) transfusion ameliorated CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis in myeloid cells-specific MANF knockout (MKO) mice. Mechanistically, MANF interacted with S100A8 to competitively block S100A8/A9 heterodimer formation and inhibited S100A8/A9-mediated TLR4-NF-κB signal activation. Pharmacologically, systemic administration of recombinant human MANF significantly alleviated CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis in both WT and hepatocytes-specific MANF knockout (HKO) mice. This study reveals a mechanism by which MANF targets S100A8/A9-TLR4 as a "brake" on the upstream of NF-κB pathway, which exerts an impact on macrophage differentiation and shed light on hepatic fibrosis treatment.

Quality of life in young patients with hemodialysis and influencing factors analysis / 重庆医学

Objective To investigate the quality of life in young patients with hemodialysis and influencing factors .Methods Totally 128 young patients aged 18-44 years old with maintenance hemodialysis were performed the questionnaire investigation by using the self‐designed demographic information questionnaire ,Medical Outcomes Study Health Status Short Form (SF‐36) , Herth Hope Index(HHI)and Social Support Rating Scale(SSRS) .Results The mean total score of physical health in the hemodial‐ysis young patients was (202 .49 ± 53 .94) points and the mean total score of mental health was (190 .85 ± 77 .81) points .In the va‐rious dimensional scores of living quality ,the scores of physical functioning and bodily pain were highest ,while the scores of physi‐cal function and emotional function were lowest ,moreover the scores of various dimensions were lower the the national norm (P<0 .01) .The multiple regression analysis showed that the quality of life was significantly correlated with hope level ,social support and economic condition ,which could explained 62 .8% of living quality variation amount .Conclusion The quality of life in hemodi‐alysis young patients needs to be improved .The medical care workers formulate the intervention measures ,meanwhile should pay attention to enchance patients′hope leve and social support .At the same time it is appealed that the government helps to solve the patients′economic problem in order to better improve their living quality and promote them return to society .

The research about relationship among social support, coping styles and self-perceived burden of elderly patients with peritoneal dialysis / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective To examine the status of self-perceived burden in patients with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and explore the relationships among social support,coping styles and self-perceived burden.Methods 103 elderly patients with peritoneal dialysis of outpatient follow-up were recruited.They were investigated using Self-Perceived Burden Scale,Social Support Rating Scale,and Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire.Results The total score of self-perceived burden was at a moderate level and the average score was (36.67±3.67).The total score of social support,the average score of positive coping and negative coping were (40.27±5.83),(1.69±0.26),(1.80±0.40),then the difference was statistically significant when compared with domestic norm (34.56±3.73),(1.78±0.52),(1.59±0.66) (P＜0.05).The analysis found that self-perceived burden was negatively correlated with positive coping styles,social support and each dimension (r =-0.239,-0.668,-0.725,-0.252,-0.647,P＜0.05).Conclusions Medical personnel should inspire elderly patients to make full use of social resources and guide them to take positive attitude to deal with dialysis event.It would help them maintain well psychological condition for a long time and reduce the self-perceived burden of patients.