Cultivar means for each parameter as observed in Renhua and Lechang.

<p>Results are presented as arithemic mean ± SD; means within a row for a certain genotype grown in Lechang or Renhua followed by different letters are significantly different at the 0.05 level; the comparisons are based on estimated marginal means.</p><p>Cultivar means for each parameter as observed in Renhua and Lechang.</p

Mechanisms Controlling Arsenic Uptake in Rice Grown in Mining Impacted Regions in South China

<div><p>Foods produced on soils impacted by Pb-Zn mining activities are a potential health risk due to plant uptake of the arsenic (As) associated with such mining. A field survey was undertaken in two Pb-Zn mining-impacted paddy fields in Guangdong Province, China to assess As accumulation and translocation, as well as other factors influencing As in twelve commonly grown rice cultivars. The results showed that grain As concentrations in all the surveyed rice failed national food standards, irrespective of As speciation. Among the 12 rice cultivars, “SY-89” and “DY-162” had the least As in rice grain. No significant difference for As concentration in grain was observed between the rice grown in the two areas that differed significantly for soil As levels, suggesting that the amount of As contamination in the soil is not necessarily the overriding factor controlling the As content in the rice grain. The iron and manganese plaque on the root surface curtailed As accumulation in rice roots. Based on our results, the accumulation of As within rice plants was strongly associated with such soil properties such as silicon, phosphorus, organic matter, pH, and clay content. Understanding the factors and mechanisms controlling As uptake is important to develop mitigation measures that can reduce the amount of As accumulated in rice grains produced on contaminated soils.</p></div

Descriptive statistics of rice plant accumulation and transfer factors.

<p>Results are presented as arithemic mean ± SD; probability indicates the differences between Renhua and Lechang; n represents Number of samples; the <i>italic</i> number represents the minimum value of the characteristic in all the 28 surveyed samples; the <b>bold</b> number represents the maximum value of the characteristic in all the 28 surveyed samples.</p><p>Descriptive statistics of rice plant accumulation and transfer factors.</p

Location map of the study area and distribution of sampling sites.

<p>Location map of the study area and distribution of sampling sites.</p

Plot of the first two principal components from Principal Component Analysis (PCA).

<p>The PCA was performed with As, Fe and Mn in DCB extracts, total As in soil, Fe₂O₃ and Mn₂O₃, available phosphorus (AP) and Si (ASi), selected soil properties, As in rice tissues.</p

Descriptive statistics of soil properties of Renhua and Lechang.

<p>Results are presented as arithemic mean ± SD; probability indicates the differences between Renhua and Lechang; n represents Number of samples; the <i>italic</i> number represents the minimum value of the characteristic in all the 28 surveyed samples; the <b>bold</b> number represents the maximum value of the characteristic in all the 28 surveyed samples.</p><p>Descriptive statistics of soil properties of Renhua and Lechang.</p

Degradable Nanohydroxyapatite-Reinforced Superglue for Rapid Bone Fixation and Promoted Osteogenesis

Bone glue with robust adhesion is crucial for treating complicated bone fractures, but it remains a formidable challenge to develop a “true” bone glue with high adhesion strength, degradability, bioactivity, and satisfactory operation time in clinical scenarios. Herein, inspired by the hydroxyapatite and collagen matrix composition of natural bone, we constructed a nanohydroxyapatite (nHAP) reinforced osteogenic backbone-degradable superglue (O-BDSG) by in situ radical ring-opening polymerization. nHAP significantly enhances adhesive cohesion by synergistically acting as noncovalent connectors between polymer chains and increasing the molecular weight of the polymer matrix. Moreover, nHAP endows the glue with bioactivity to promote osteogenesis. The as-prepared glue presented a 9.79 MPa flexural adhesion strength for bone, 4.7 times that without nHAP, and significantly surpassed commercial cyanoacrylate (0.64 MPa). O-BDSG exhibited degradability with 51% mass loss after 6 months of implantation. In vivo critical defect and tibia fracture models demonstrated the promoted osteogenesis of the O-BDSG, with a regenerated bone volume of 75% and mechanical function restoration to 94% of the native tibia after 8 weeks. The glue can be flexibly adapted to clinical scenarios with a curing time window of about 3 min. This work shows promising prospects for clinical application in orthopedic surgery and may inspire the design and development of bone adhesives

Degradable Nanohydroxyapatite-Reinforced Superglue for Rapid Bone Fixation and Promoted Osteogenesis

Bone glue with robust adhesion is crucial for treating complicated bone fractures, but it remains a formidable challenge to develop a “true” bone glue with high adhesion strength, degradability, bioactivity, and satisfactory operation time in clinical scenarios. Herein, inspired by the hydroxyapatite and collagen matrix composition of natural bone, we constructed a nanohydroxyapatite (nHAP) reinforced osteogenic backbone-degradable superglue (O-BDSG) by in situ radical ring-opening polymerization. nHAP significantly enhances adhesive cohesion by synergistically acting as noncovalent connectors between polymer chains and increasing the molecular weight of the polymer matrix. Moreover, nHAP endows the glue with bioactivity to promote osteogenesis. The as-prepared glue presented a 9.79 MPa flexural adhesion strength for bone, 4.7 times that without nHAP, and significantly surpassed commercial cyanoacrylate (0.64 MPa). O-BDSG exhibited degradability with 51% mass loss after 6 months of implantation. In vivo critical defect and tibia fracture models demonstrated the promoted osteogenesis of the O-BDSG, with a regenerated bone volume of 75% and mechanical function restoration to 94% of the native tibia after 8 weeks. The glue can be flexibly adapted to clinical scenarios with a curing time window of about 3 min. This work shows promising prospects for clinical application in orthopedic surgery and may inspire the design and development of bone adhesives

Anticancer (IC₅₀) and hemolytic activities (MHC) of peptides against cancer cells and human red blood cells.

<p>^aAnticancer activity (IC₅₀) represents the concentration of peptides at which cell viability was inhibited by 50% in comparison with the untreated cells. The MTT assay was repeated in triplicate, and IC₅₀ value was determined by averaging three repeated experiments.</p><p>^bGM of the anticancer activity (IC₅₀) for the four cancer cell lines.</p><p>^cHemolytic activity (MHC) was determined using human red blood cells after incubation with peptides for 1 h. If no hemolytic activity was observed at 500 μM, a value of 1000 μM was used for calculating the therapeutic index.</p><p>^dTherapeutic index = MHC/IC₅₀. Larger values indicate greater anticancer specificity.</p><p>GM, geometric mean; MHC, minimal hemolytic concentration.</p><p>Anticancer (IC₅₀) and hemolytic activities (MHC) of peptides against cancer cells and human red blood cells.</p

The degradation of peptides by flow cytometry analysis.

<p>HeLa cells were incubated with FITC-labeled peptides (2, 4, or 8 μM) for 1 or 24 h. Cellular uptake of peptides is expressed as the median of cell fluorescence distribution by flow cytometry.</p