Legume Shrubs Are More Nitrogen-Homeostatic than Non-legume Shrubs

Legumes are characterized as keeping stable nutrient supply under nutrient-limited conditions. However, few studies examined the legumes' stoichiometric advantages over other plants across various taxa in natural ecosystems. We explored differences in nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) stoichiometry of different tissue types (leaf, stem, and root) between N2-fixing legume shrubs and non-N2-fixing shrubs from 299 broadleaved deciduous shrubland sites in northern China. After excluding effects of taxonomy and environmental variables, these two functional groups differed considerably in nutrient regulation. N concentrations and N:P ratios were higher in legume shrubs than in non-N2-fixing shrubs. N concentrations were positively correlated between the plants and soil for non-N2-fixing shrubs, but not for legume shrubs, indicating a stronger stoichiometric homeostasis in legume shrubs than in non-N2-fixing shrubs. N concentrations were positively correlated among three tissue types for non-N2-fixing shrubs, but not between leaves and non-leaf tissues for legume shrubs, demonstrating that N concentrations were more dependent among tissues for non-N2-fixing shrubs than for legume shrubs. N and P concentrations were correlated within all tissues for both functional groups, but the regression slopes were flatter for legume shrubs than non-N2-fixing shrubs, implying that legume shrubs were more P limited than non-N2-fixing shrubs. These results address significant differences in stoichiometry between legume shrubs and non-N2-fixing shrubs, and indicate the influence of symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF) on plant stoichiometry. Overall, N2-fixing legume shrubs are higher and more stoichiometrically homeostatic in N concentrations. However, due to excess uptake of N, legumes may suffer from potential P limitation. With their N advantage, legume shrubs could be good nurse plants in restoration sites with degraded soil, but their P supply should be taken care of during management according to our results

Investigation and Improvement of Stall Characteristic of High-Lift Configuration without Slats

In order to simplify the manufacturing process or because of the limitation of the propulsion system, business jet, small civil airplane, and turboprop aircraft are always designed without leading-edge slats, which poses a great challenge to the flight safety during takeoff and landing. Focusing on the low-speed stall and poststall conditions, we investigated the aerodynamic characteristics and flow mechanism of high-lift configuration without slats using an improved delayed detached eddy simulation (IDDES) model which is validated by numerical simulations of the Common Research Model (CRM). Based on the analysis of the calculated results, conclusion can be made that the stall behavior of the configurations is directly related to the onset and evaluation of flow separation on the suction side. And through further research, an efficient evaluation method that is capable of qualitatively predicting the stall performance of two-element high-lift configuration by stall angle distribution of wing sections is proposed. By using the evaluation method, together with design rules summarized from the present study, high-lift configuration with mild-stall characteristic can be obtained in the preliminary stage of design

Legume Shrubs Are More Nitrogen-Homeostatic than Non-legume Shrubs

Legumes are characterized as keeping stable nutrient supply under nutrient-limited conditions. However, few studies examined the legumes' stoichiometric advantages over other plants across various taxa in natural ecosystems. We explored differences in nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) stoichiometry of different tissue types (leaf, stern, and root) between N-2-fixing legume shrubs and non-N-2-fixing shrubs from 299 broadleaved deciduous shrubland sites in northern China. After excluding effects of taxonomy and environmental variables, these two functional groups differed considerably in nutrient regulation. N concentrations and N:P ratios were higher in legume shrubs than in non N-2-fixing shrubs. N concentrations were positively correlated between the plants and soil for non-N-2-fixing shrubs, but not for legume shrubs, indicating a stronger stoichiometric homeostasis in legume shrubs than in non-N-2-fixing shrubs. N concentrations were positively correlated among three tissue types for non-N-2-fixing shrubs, but not between leaves and non-leaf tissues for legume shrubs, demonstrating that N concentrations were more dependent among tissues for non-N-2-fixing shrubs than for legume shrubs. N and P concentrations were correlated within all tissues for both functional groups, but the regression slopes were flatter for legume shrubs than non-N-2-fixing shrubs, implying that legume shrubs were more P limited than non-N-2-fixing shrubs. These results address significant differences in stoichiometry between legume shrubs and non N-fixing shrubs, and indicate the influence of symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNP) on plant stoichiometry. Overall,N-2-fixing legume shrubs are higher and more stoichiometrically homeostatic in N concentrations. However, due to excess uptake of N, legumes may suffer from potential P limitation. With their N advantage, legume shrubs could be good nurse plants in restoration sites with degraded soil, but their P supply should be taken care of during management according to our results.Ministry of Science and Technology of China [2014CB954001]; National Natural Science Foundation of China [31170486, 31621091]; Chinese Academy of Sciences [XDA05050301]SCI(E)ARTICLE

Cell sheet formation enhances the therapeutic effects of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells on myocardial infarction as a bioactive material

Stem cell-based therapy has been used to treat ischaemic heart diseases for two decades. However, optimal cell types and transplantation methods remain unclear. This study evaluated the therapeutic effects of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (hUCMSC) sheet on myocardial infarction (MI). Methods: hUCMSCs expressing luciferase were generated by lentiviral transduction for in vivo bio-luminescent imaging tracking of cells. We applied a temperature-responsive cell culture surface-based method to form the hUCMSC sheet. Cell retention was evaluated using an in vivo bio-luminescent imaging tracking system. Unbiased transcriptional profiling of infarcted hearts and further immunohistochemical assessment of monocyte and macrophage subtypes were used to determine the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of the hUCMSC sheet. Echocardiography and pathological analyses of heart sections were performed to evaluate cardiac function, angiogenesis and left ventricular remodelling. Results: When transplanted to the infarcted mouse hearts, hUCMSC sheet significantly improved the retention and survival compared with cell suspension. At the early stage of MI, hUCMSC sheet modulated inflammation by decreasing Mcp1-positive monocytes and CD68-positive macrophages and increasing Cx3cr1-positive non-classical macrophages, preserving the cardiomyocytes from acute injury. Moreover, the extracellular matrix produced by hUCMSC sheet then served as bioactive scaffold for the host cells to graft and generate new epicardial tissue, providing mechanical support and routes for revascularsation. These effects of hUCMSC sheet treatment significantly improved the cardiac function at days 7 and 28 post-MI. Conclusions: hUCMSC sheet formation dramatically improved the biological functions of hUCMSCs, mitigating adverse post-MI remodelling by modulating the inflammatory response and providing bioactive scaffold upon transplantation into the heart. Translational perspective: Due to its excellent availability as well as superior local cellular retention and survival, allogenic transplantation of hUCMSC sheets can more effectively acquire the biological functions of hUCMSCs, such as modulating inflammation and enhancing angiogenesis. Moreover, the hUCMSC sheet method allows the transfer of an intact extracellular matrix without introducing exogenous or synthetic biomaterial, further improving its clinical applicability