Strategies to reduce nutrient pollution from manure management in China

As the demand for livestock products continues to increase in China, so too does the challenge of managing increasing quantities of manure. Urgent action is needed to control point source (housing, storage and processing) and diffuse (field application) pollution and improve the utilization of manure nutrients and organic matter. Here, we review strategies to improve management at each stage of the manure management chain and at different scales. Many strategies require infrastructure investment, e.g., for containment of all manure fractions. Engineering solutions are needed to develop advanced composting systems with lower environmental footprints and design more efficient nutrient stripping technologies. At the field-scale, there is an urgent need to develop a manure nutrient recommendation system that accounts for the range of manure types, cropping systems, soils and climates throughout China. At the regional scale, coordinated planning is necessary to promote recoupling of livestock and cropping systems, and reduce nutrient accumulation in regions with little available landbank, while minimizing the risk of pollution swapping from one region to another. A range of stakeholders are needed to support the step change and innovation required to improve manure management, reduce reliance on inorganic fertilizers, and generate new business opportunities

Long-Term Outcomes of Three-Dimensional High-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy for Locally Recurrent Early T-Stage Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Background: Brachytherapy (BT) is one of the techniques available for retreatment of patients with locally recurrent nasopharyng eal carcinoma (rNPC). In this study, we evaluated the treatment outcome and late toxicities of three-dimensional high-dose-rate brachytherapy (3D-HDR-BT) for patients with locally rNPC.Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study involving 36 patients with histologically confirmed rNPC from 2004 to 2011. Of the 36 patients, 17 underwent combined-modality treatment (CMT) consisting of external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) followed by 3D-HDR-BT, while the other 19 underwent 3D-HDR-BT alone. The median dose of EBRT for the CMT group was 60 (range, 50–66) Gy, with an additional median dose of BT of 16 (range, 9–20) Gy. The median dose for the 3D-HDR-BT group was 32 (range, 20–36) Gy. The measured treatment outcomes were the 5- and 10-year locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS), disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), and late toxicities.Results: The median age at recurrence was 44.5 years. The median follow-up period was 70 (range, 6–142) months. The 5-year LRFS, DFS, and OS for the entire patient group were 75.4, 55.6, and 74.3%, respectively, while the 10-year LRFS, DFS, and OS for the entire patient group were 75.4, 44.2, and 53.7%, respectively. The 10-year LRFS in the CMT group was higher than that in the 3D-HDR-BT-alone group (93.8 vs. 58.8%, HR: 7.595, 95%CI: 1.233–61.826, p = 0.025). No grade 4 late radiotherapy-induced toxicities were observed.Conclusions: 3D-HDR-BT achieves favorable clinical outcomes with mild late toxicity in patients with locally rNPC

Enhanced-efficiency fertilizers are not a panacea for resolving the nitrogen problem

Abstract Improving nitrogen (N) management for greater agricultural output while minimizing unintended environmental consequences is critical in the endeavor of feeding the growing population sustainably amid climate change. Enhanced-efficiency fertilizers (EEFs) have been developed to better synchronize fertilizer N release with crop uptake, offering the potential for enhanced N use efficiency (NUE) and reduced losses. Can EEFs play a significant role in helping address the N management challenge? Here we present a comprehensive analysis of worldwide studies published in 1980–2016 evaluating four major types of EEFs (polymer-coated fertilizers PCF, nitrification inhibitors NI, urease inhibitors UI, and double inhibitors DI, i.e. urease and nitrification inhibitors combined) regarding their effectiveness in increasing yield and NUE and reducing N losses. Overall productivity and environmental efficacy depended on the combination of EEF type and cropping systems, further affected by biophysical conditions. Best scenarios include: (i) DI used in grassland (n = 133), averaging 11% yield increase, 33% NUE improvement, and 47% decrease in aggregated N loss (sum of NO3-, NH3, and N2O, totaling 84 kg N/ha); (ii) UI in rice-paddy systems (n = 100), with 9% yield increase, 29% NUE improvement, and 41% N-loss reduction (16 kg N/ha). EEF efficacies in wheat and maize systems were more complicated and generally less effective. In-depth analysis indicated that the potential benefits of EEFs might be best achieved when a need is created, for example, by downward adjusting N application from conventional rate. We conclude that EEFs can play a significant role in sustainable agricultural production but their prudent use requires firstly eliminating any fertilizer mismanagement plus the implementation of knowledge-based N management practices

Comparative genomics reveals intraspecific divergence of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans: insights from evolutionary adaptation

Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans serves as a model chemolithoautotrophic organism in extremely acidic environments, which has attracted much attention due to its unique metabolism and strong adaptability. However, little was known about the divergences along the evolutionary process based on whole genomes. Herein, we isolated six strains of A. ferrooxidans from mining areas in China and Zambia, and used comparative genomics to investigate the intra-species divergences. The results indicated that A. ferrooxidans diverged into three groups from a common ancestor, and the pan-genome is ‘open’. The ancestral reconstruction of A. ferrooxidans indicated that genome sizes experienced a trend of increase in the very earliest days before a decreasing tendency during the evolutionary process, suggesting that both gene gain and gene loss played crucial roles in A. ferrooxidans genome flexibility. Meanwhile, 23 single-copy orthologous groups (OGs) were under positive selection. The differences of rusticyanin (Rus) sequences (the key protein in the iron oxidation pathway) and type IV secretion system (T4SS) composition in the A. ferrooxidans were both related to their group divergences, which contributed to their intraspecific diversity. This study improved our understanding of the divergent evolution and environmental adaptation of A. ferrooxidans at the genome level in extreme conditions, which provided theoretical support for the survival mechanism of living creatures at the extreme

Reduced expression of N-Myc downstream-regulated gene 2 in human thyroid cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>NDRG</it>2 (N-Myc downstream-regulated gene 2) was initially cloned in our laboratory. Previous results have shown that <it>NDRG</it>2 expressed differentially in normal and cancer tissues. Specifically, <it>NDRG</it>2 mRNA was down-regulated or undetectable in several human cancers, and over-expression of <it>NDRG</it>2 inhibited the proliferation of cancer cells. <it>NDRG</it>2 also exerts important functions in cell differentiation and tumor suppression. However, it remains unclear whether <it>NDRG</it>2 participates in carcinogenesis of the thyroid.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this study, we investigated the expression profile of human <it>NDRG</it>2 in thyroid adenomas and carcinomas, by examining tissues from individuals with thyroid adenomas (n = 40) and carcinomas (n = 35), along with corresponding normal tissues. Immunohistochemistry, quantitative RT-PCR and western blot methods were utilized to determine both the protein and mRNA expression status of Ndrg2 and c-Myc.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The immunostaining analysis revealed a decrease of Ndrg2 expression in thyroid carcinomas. When comparing adenomas or carcinomas with adjacent normal tissue from the same individual, the mRNA expression level of <it>NDRG</it>2 was significantly decreased in thyroid carcinoma tissues, while there was little difference in adenoma tissues. This differential expression was confirmed at the protein level by western blotting. However, there were no significant correlations of <it>NDRG</it>2 expression with gender, age, different histotypes of thyroid cancers or distant metastases.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our data indicates that <it>NDRG</it>2 may participate in thyroid carcinogenesis. This finding provides novel insight into the important role of <it>NDRG2 </it>in the development of thyroid carcinomas. Future studies are needed to address whether the down-regulation of <it>NDRG</it>2 is a cause or a consequence of the progression from a normal thyroid to a carcinoma.</p

Ablations of Ghrelin and Ghrelin Receptor Exhibit Differential Metabolic Phenotypes and Thermogenic Capacity during Aging

mice are adaptive. mice.Our data therefore suggest that GHS-R ablation activates adaptive thermogenic function(s) in BAT and increases EE, thereby enabling the retention of a lean phenotype. This is the first direct evidence that the ghrelin signaling pathway regulates fat-burning BAT to affect energy balance during aging. This regulation is likely mediated through an as-yet-unidentified new ligand of GHS-R