28 research outputs found
The Effect of Nitrogen Reduction and Applying Bio-Organic Fertilisers on Soil Nutrients and Apple Fruit Quality and Yield
In this study, we investigated the effect of partially substituting inorganic nitrogen with bio-organic fertiliser on the ‘Tianhong2’ Fuji apple planting in Xinjiang. Bio-organic fertiliser was applied, and nitrogen was reduced by 20% (T2), 40% (T3), and 60% (T4) during the blooming and fruit expansion periods with conventionally fertilised fields used as control (T1); soil nutrient, soil enzyme activity, leaf nutrients, fruit quality, and yield were measured. The total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total potassium (TK), total calcium (TCa), available phosphorus (AP), available potassium (AK), and soil organic matter (SOM) contents, as well as the soil catalase (S-CAT), soil uretrase (S-UE), soil saccharase (S-SC), and soil nitrate reductase (S-NR) activities, significantly increased in the experimental soils compared with those in T1. In addition, TP, TCa, and total magnesium (TMg) content in apples significantly increased. Compared to T1, the T2 and T3 treatments significantly improved the fruit yield and quality, increasing the sugar–acid ratio, soluble protein, soluble sugar, peel carotenoid, and anthocyanin content and reducing peel chlorophyll content. The brightness (L*), red–green axis (a*), yellow–blue axis (b*), colour intensity (C), and tone (h°) values changed. The yield per hectare and nitrogen fertiliser partial productivity values were significantly increased. Overall, the T2 treatment resulted in the best outcome for the Yili area. In conclusion, partially substituting inorganic nitrogen with bio-organic fertiliser can effectively increase soil and leaf nutrient content and improve fruit yield and quality
Optimization of fermentation process of Cordyceps militaris and antitumor activities of polysaccharides in vitro
The influence of medium composition and cultural conditions on simultaneous yield of mycelia, intracellular polysaccharide, adenosine, and mannitol by Cordyceps militaris CGMCC 2909 was investigated with desirability functions in this study. An optimization strategy based on the desirability function approach, together with response surface methodology (RSM) has been used to optimize medium composition, and the optimal medium was obtained via the desirability as follows: yeast extract 10.33 g/L, sucrose 27.24 g/L, KH2PO4 5.60 g/L and the optimal culture conditions are initial pH 6, 25°C, rotation speed 150 r/minute, inoculum size 4%(v/v), and medium capacity 40 mL/250 mL. Under these conditions, the yield of mycelia, intracellular polysaccharide, adenosine and mannitol reached 12.19 g/L, 0.6 g/L, 61.84 mg/L, and 1.38 g/L, respectively, and the D value was 0.77. Furthermore, the polysaccharides showed significant antitumor activities against HeLa and HepG2 in vitro in a dose-dependent manner in 72 hours. At a concentration of 1000 mg/mL, the inhibition rate of polysaccharides was 92.38% and 98.79%. The IC50 for HeLa and HepG2 were 70.91 μg/mL and 97.63 μg/mL, respectively
Mechanism Investigation on a Novel Oil Recovery Skimmer Coupling Free Surface Vortex and Cyclone Separation
In consideration of offshore oil spill accidents, a mechanical method is a kind of widely used treatment methods to recover spilled oil at sea. It also has the advantages of low cost, convenient use, and environmental friendliness. In order to improve the recovery efficiency and oil content of liquid recovered, a novel mechanical spilled oil recovery philosophy coupling surface vortex and hydrocyclone separation was proposed, and a small-scale prototype was manufactured. Medium crude from Bohai oil field was applied as spilled oil to test the recovery property of the prototype skimmer. The experiment results show that the novel skimmer is able to recover spilled oil effectively on the sea surface and speed up the process of recovery. Pressure of overflow pipe is sensitive to pump frequency, flow rate of inlet, and split ratio. In addition, oil content at the overflow port is influenced by spilled oil amount on the surface and split ratio. Besides, linear relationship is found between the recovery efficiency and the split ratio. The experimental study can provide a technical reference for the treatment of a small amount of spilled oil on the water surface and also has great significance for the design of spilled oil recovery equipment
Comparison of the Meibomian Gland Openings by Optical Coherence Tomography in Obstructive Meibomian Gland Dysfunction and Normal Patients
Purpose: The aim of this study was to use swept-source anterior segment optical coherence tomography (OCT) to explore imaging the meibomian gland openings and to identify their in vivo characteristics in patients with obstructive meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) and healthy participants. Methods: We enrolled 49 patients with MGD and 54 health controls in this case-control study. Each participant underwent slit-lamp examination, meibography, and OCT scanning. Sixteen patients with MGD underwent a repeat OCT examination after eyelid massage. The outcome measures included determinations of meibomian gland openings (orifices and terminal ducts) from OCT images and comparisons of the meibomian openings between patients with MGD and normal controls before and after meibomian gland massage. Results: Using the same OCT scanning model, the number of visible orifices of the meibomian glands was similar between eyes with MGD and normal eyes (9.2 ± 2.3 vs. 9.7 ± 2.4). The mean diameter of the terminal ducts in patients with MGD was larger (120.22 ± 27.92 µm vs. 100.96 ± 20.30 µm) than in the normal controls, and had a larger coefficient of variation. Significant differences were observed in the mean diameter of the terminal ducts of patients with MGD before and after meibum gland massage (133.73 ± 27.81 μm vs. 102.26 ± 24.30 μm, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Patients with MGD have more diversified orifices and larger meibomian gland terminal duct diameters than normal subjects. In addition, meibomian gland terminal duct diameters seem to decrease in patients with MGD after meibum gland massage
Tu1372 Efficacy of Exclusive Enteral Nutrition (EEN) in Active Crohn's Disease With Complications or Failure of Medical Treatment
Density Functional Theory Study on the Role of Polyacetylene as a Promoter in Selective Hydrogenation of Styrene on a Pd Catalyst
Understanding
mechanisms of catalyst–substrate interactions
is of essential importance for the design and development of novel
catalysts with superior performances. In the present density functional
theory study, selective hydrogenation of styrene on a polyacetylene
(PA)-supported Pd<sub>4</sub> catalyst (Pd<sub>4</sub>/PA) was employed
as a model system to address how catalyst–substrate interactions
affect the charge state of Pd, which subsequently influences catalytic
activity. It was found that the Pd cluster can be anchored strongly
on the CC bond of the polymer substrate through the π–d
interaction, which further leads to charge rearrangement on the Pd<sub>4</sub> cluster with the top two Pd atoms being more negatively charged.
By comparing the calculated minimum energy profiles of styrene hydrogenation
on surfaces of both pure Pd<sub>4</sub> and Pd<sub>4</sub>/PA, the
mechanism that dictates the catalytic process on Pd<sub>4</sub>/PA
was identified. Charge analysis reveals that the enhanced catalytic
activity of Pd<sub>4</sub>/PA is largely attributed to the negative
charges on the two topmost Pd atoms, which facilitates both hydrogenation
of styrene and desorption of the product. Nevertheless, PA hydrogenation
to produce polyethylene (PE) was also found to be a potentially viable
process with a moderate activation barrier of 0.43 eV, which may consequently
lead to the formation of a PE-supported Pd<sub>4</sub> catalytic system.
As a consequence, the absence of π orbitals of the PE substrate
may significantly reduce the electronic interaction between Pd<sub>4</sub> and PE, which ultimately leads to the catalytic performance
similar to the activity on the pure Pd<sub>4</sub> cluster
Su1404 Intravenous Cyclophosphamide Combined With Thalidomide Has a Promising Effect in Refractory Crohn's Disease
Apple Polyphenol Extract Ameliorates Atherosclerosis and Associated Cognitive Impairment through Alleviating Neuroinflammation by Weakening TLR4 Signaling and NLRP3 Inflammasome in High-Fat/Cholesterol Diet-Fed LDLR<sup>–/–</sup> Male Mice
Although studies have supported the beneficial effects
of the ingredients
of apple polyphenol extract (APE), a polyphenol mixture being extracted
from whole fresh apples, on neurodegenerative diseases, the role of
APE in atherosclerosis-related cognitive impairment remains unclear.
To clarify the role of APE in regulating cognitive dysfunction in
mice with atherosclerosis and the underlying mechanisms, high-fat/cholesterol
diet-fed male LDLR–/– mice were gavaged with
125 or 500 mg/(kg·bw·d) APE solution or sterile double-distilled
water for consecutive 8 weeks, and age-matched C57BL/6 male mice were
employed as normal control. APE intervention increased the serum concentration
of high-density apolipoprotein cholesterol, improved atherosclerosis,
and ameliorated cognitive function of mice by inhibiting the phosphorylation
of tau protein, supporting with significantly reduced platform latency
and obviously increased swimming distance in the target quadrant according
to the Morris water maze test. APE intervention alleviated neuroinflammation
by attenuating the activation of microglia and astrocytes and inhibiting
TLR4 signaling with reduced protein expression of NF-κB, MyD88,
TRIF, and IKKβ. Meanwhile, APE intervention inactivated NLRP3
inflammasome with downregulated protein expression of caspase-1, IL-18,
and IL-1β. Additionally, APE intervention improved the damaged
brain barrier structure by upregulating the protein expression of
ZO-1 and occludin. Therefore, our research supplemented new data,
supporting the potential of APE as an effective dietary bioactive
ingredient to improve atherosclerosis and associated cognitive impairment