Rice straw contains up to 2.3% K in dry matter, including potassium (K) subcompartmented in phytoliths, complex siliceous structures formed in plant tissue via precipitation of Si. Rice straw is ...usually returned to the soil as a conventional practice to sustain soil nutrients, and therefore, the K pool accompanied with rice straw phytoliths is also cycled. Based on phytoliths obtained by ashing of rice straw at 400 °C and dissolution experiments using batch extraction in combination with physical separation of phytoliths by heavy liquid, this study evaluated the phytolith K(phytK) pool in rice straw and aged phytoliths in paddy soils. Entrapped organic matter containing K within phytolith silica cells was visualized by X-ray tomographic microscopy, and releases of this phytK pool accompanying phytolith dissolution were quantified. A 1% Na
2
CO
3
solution, which has been commonly used to extract amorphous Si and to quantify soil phytoliths, showed obvious responses for K derived from phytolith dissolution, indicating that the Na
2
CO
3
method can be developed for measurement of phytK. In 13 soil samples, Na
2
CO
3
-dissolvable K content assignable to phytK was 0.55 ± 0.39 g kg
−1
in the puddled horizon, suggesting the phytK pool is of high significance for the management of K in paddy soils.
Abstract
This study presented the difference in the sediments under a large gap formed by the Durian typhoon in 2006 and its surrounding intact forest in Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve, Vietnam. ...Twelve plots previously settled in the original gap and its surrounding forest were used to collect sediments in the dry and wet season in 2019 to assess the difference in sediment properties and nutritional state caused by the self-recovery of the vegetation. Sediment temperature and pH were measured in field, while the contents of total organic carbon (C
org
) and total nitrogen (N
tot
) were subsequently quantified in the chemical laboratory. Sediment temperature, salinity, and pH between the gap and the surrounding forest were not statistically different. The variation of C
org
concentration in the gap sediments seemingly increased with depth from 1–15 cm in the dry season. The N
tot
in the gap sediments showed that it was continuously consumed in the underlying sediments during both seasons. In conclusion, the variation in vegetation composition between the gap and its surrounding forest was responsible for the differences in sediment C and N concentrations.
Article Note: Manh H. Dao and Hieu T. Nguyen contributed equally to this study and are joint first authors. CAPTION(S): Supplementary information. Byline: Guangxiang (George) Luo, Hinh Ly, Shou-Jiang ...Gao, Manh H. Dao, Hieu T. Nguyen, Thinh V. Nguyen, Anh H. Nguyen, Quang C. Luong, Nhung H. P. Vu, Hang T. T. Pham, Thao N. T. Nguyen, Dung H. Thach, Lo V. Nguyen, Luan V. Bui, Hang M. Nguyen, Loan K. T. Huynh, Long T. Nguyen, Thang M. Cao, Quang D. Pham, Thuong V. Nguyen, Lan T. Phan
Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are multipotent stem cells that can be isolated from bone marrow, adipose tissue, the umbilical cord, dental pulp, etc. These cells have unique properties that ...give them excellent therapeutic potential, including immunoregulation, immunomodulation, and tissue regeneration functions. MSC-based products are considered advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) under European regulations (1394/2007); thus, they must be manufactured under good manufacturing practices and via effective manufacturing methods. The former can be achieved via a proper laboratory design and compliance with manufacturing protocols, whereas the latter requires an approach that ensures that the quality of the products is consistent regardless of the manufacturing procedure. To meet these daunting requirements, this study proposes an exchangeable approach that combines optimized and equivalent manufacturing processes under the Quality by Design (QbD) principle, allowing investigators to convert from small laboratory-scale to large-scale manufacturing of MSC-based products for clinical applications without altering the quality and quantity of the cell-based products.
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We report on the first search for nuclear recoils from dark matter in the form of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) with the XENONnT experiment, which is based on a two-phase time ...projection chamber with a sensitive liquid xenon mass of 5.9 ton. During the (1.09±0.03) ton yr exposure used for this search, the intrinsic ^{85}Kr and ^{222}Rn concentrations in the liquid target are reduced to unprecedentedly low levels, giving an electronic recoil background rate of (15.8±1.3) events/ton yr keV in the region of interest. A blind analysis of nuclear recoil events with energies between 3.3 and 60.5 keV finds no significant excess. This leads to a minimum upper limit on the spin-independent WIMP-nucleon cross section of 2.58×10^{-47} cm^{2} for a WIMP mass of 28 GeV/c^{2} at 90% confidence level. Limits for spin-dependent interactions are also provided. Both the limit and the sensitivity for the full range of WIMP masses analyzed here improve on previous results obtained with the XENON1T experiment for the same exposure.
Abstract
In this study, wood samples (
Xylia Xylocarpa
) with dimensions of 50 x 50 x 500 mm were dried under an absolute pressure of 0.12 - 0.217 bar at a temperature of 45 - 59°C and infrared ...radiation intensity of 459 - 741 W/m2 to assess their drying characteristics. The experiment planning method was used to build the equation that correlated the relationship between technological parameters of radiation intensity and drying temperature on different physicochemical properties of wood dried by the infrared vacuum drying method. The results showed that the increase of both of these conditions promoted the drying process and affected the wood quality. The more defects, the higher the radiation intensity and the higher the drying temperature was from 600 - 741 W/m2, 50 to 60°C, respectively. Therefore, to minimize wood defects and reduce drying time it was necessary to adjust the drying temperature and infrared radiation intensity. The results gave the optimal drying regime of
Xylia Xylocarpa
with Timin = 64.29 h and Demin = 11.6% at a drying temperature of 58.70C, infrared radiation intensity of 625.2 W/m2 and moisture content of dried wood after at 10± 1% (wb.). That contributes to finding suitable drying technology parameters, providing detailed information for businesses and researchers on the development of infrared vacuum drying technology for wood materials.
This study presented two approaches to synthesize bio-surfactants using cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL), an abundant natural resource. The different preparation conditions were investigated and ...optimized to obtain the surfactant products of maximum weight and desired characteristics. The anionic sodium anacardate surfactant was recommended to be synthesized by carrying out the saponification reaction between CNSL and NaOH in a weight ratio of 1 : 2 at 85°C for 1 h. Meanwhile, the amphoteric triethanolamine anacardate surfactant was prepared using the neutralization reaction between CNSL and triethanolamine in a weight ratio of 1 : 1 at 70
o
C in 3 h. All the surfactant products were examined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to confirm their chemical structure. In addition, characteristic properties of the surfactants including solubility, emulsifying ability and stability, foaming ability and stability, surface tension, and skin irritation were also explored. Both the sodium anacardate and triethanolamine anacardate demonstrated comparable foaming capacity and surface tension with commercial surfactants. In an attempt, sodium anacardate was utilized to make industrial soap and shoe polish of good sensory quality.
Despite a high prevalence of liver disease in Viet Nam, there has been no nationwide approach to the disease and no systematic screening of at‐risk individuals. Risk factors include chronic hepatitis ...B (estimated prevalence of 12%), chronic hepatitis C (at least 2% prevalence), and heavy consumption of alcohol among men. This combination of factors has resulted in liver cancer being the most common cause of cancer death in Viet Nam. There is a general lack of understanding by both the general public and health‐care providers about the major risk to health that liver disease represents. We report here the initial steps taken as part of a comprehensive approach to liver disease that will ultimately include nationwide education for health‐care providers, health educators, and the public; expansion of nationwide screening for hepatitis B and C followed by hepatitis B virus vaccination or treatment of chronic hepatitis B and/or hepatitis C; education about alcoholic liver disease; long‐term surveillance for liver cancer; reduction of infection transmission related to medical, commercial, and personal re‐use of contaminated needles, syringes, sharp instruments, razors, and inadequately sterilized medical equipment; and ongoing collection and analysis of data about the prevalence of all forms of liver disease and the results of the expanded screening, vaccination, and treatment programs. We report the beginning results of our pilot hepatitis B screening program. We believe that this comprehensive nationwide approach could substantially reduce the morbidity and mortality from liver disease and greatly lessen the burden in terms of both lives lost and health‐care costs.
The alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor is highly expressed in hippocampus and in cholinergic projection neurons from the basal forebrain, structures that are particularly vulnerable to the ...ravages of Alzheimer's disease. Previous work suggests that beta-amyloid peptide can interact with alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, although the nature of this interaction has not been well characterized. To test whether beta-amyloid peptide can activate alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, we expressed these receptors in Xenopus oocytes and performed two-electrode voltage clamp recordings, characterizing the response to beta-amyloid peptide 1-42 applied at concentrations ranging from 1 pm to 100 nm. In alpha7-expressing oocytes, beta-amyloid peptide 1-42 elicits inward currents at low concentrations (1-100 pm), whereas at higher concentrations (nm), less effective receptor activation is observed, indicative of receptor desensitization. Preincubation with the alpha7-selective agents, the antagonist methyllycaconatine, and the agonist 4-OH-GTS-21 blocked beta-amyloid peptide-induced receptor activation. beta-amyloid peptide 1-42 at low concentrations was able to activate the L250T mutant alpha7 receptor. The endogenous Ca(2+)-activated chloride current in Xenopus oocytes is recruited upon receptor activation since replacing Ca(2+) with Ba(2+) in the recording solution reduced current amplitude. Thus, when beta-amyloid peptide activation of alpha7 receptors occurs, these currents are comprised, at least in part, of Ca(2+).
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