Flexible electrochemical energy storage devices and related applications: recent progress and challenges.

Given the escalating demand for wearable electronics, there is an urgent need to explore cost-effective and environmentally friendly flexible energy storage devices with exceptional electrochemical properties. However, the existing types of flexible energy storage devices encounter challenges in effectively integrating mechanical and electrochemical performances. This review is intended to provide strategies for the design of components in flexible energy storage devices (electrode materials, gel electrolytes, and separators) with the aim of developing energy storage systems with excellent performance and deformability. Firstly, a concise overview is provided on the structural characteristics and properties of carbon-based materials and conductive polymer materials utilized in flexible energy storage devices. Secondly, the fabrication process and strategies for optimizing their structures are summarized. Subsequently, a comprehensive review is presented regarding the applications of carbon-based materials and conductive polymer materials in various fields of flexible energy storage, such as supercapacitors, lithium-ion batteries, and zinc-ion batteries. Finally, the challenges and future directions for next-generation flexible energy storage systems are proposed.

Combining "waste utilization" and "tissue to tissue" strategies to accelerate vascularization for bone repair.

Background: A pivotal determinant for the success of tissue regeneration lies in the establishment of sufficient vasculature. Utilizing autologous tissue grafts from donors offers the dual advantage of mitigating the risk of disease transmission and circumventing the necessity for post-transplant immunosuppression, rendering it an exemplary vascularization strategy. Among the various potential autologous donors, adipose tissue emerges as a particularly auspicious source, being both widely available and compositionally rich. Notably, adipose-derived microvascular fragments (ad-MVFs) are a promising candidate for vascularization. ad-MVFs can be isolated from adipose tissue in a short period of time and show high vascularized capacity. In this study, we extracted ad-MVFs from adipose tissue and utilized their strong angiogenic ability to accelerate bone repair by promoting vascularization. Methods: ad-MVFs were extracted from the rat epididymis using enzymatic hydrolysis. To preserve the integrity of the blood vessels, gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogel was chosen as the carrier for ad-MVFs in three-dimensional (3D) culture. The ad-MVFs were cultured directly on the well plates for two-dimensional (2D) culture as a control. The morphology of ad-MVFs was observed under both 2D and 3D cultures, and the release levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) were assessed under both culture conditions. In vitro studies investigated the impact of ad-MVFs/GelMA hydrogel on the toxicity, osteoblastic activity, and mineralization of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSCs), along with the examination of osteogenic gene and protein expression. In vivo experiments involved implanting the ad-MVFs/GelMA hydrogel into critical-size skull defects in rats, and its osteogenic ability was evaluated through radiographic and histological methods. Results: ad-MVFs were successfully isolated from rat adipose tissue. When cultured under 2D conditions, ad-MVFs exhibited a gradual disintegration and loss of their original vascular morphology. Compared with 2D culture, ad-MVFs can not only maintain the original vascular morphology, but also connect into a network in hydrogel under 3D culture condition. Moreover, the release levels of VEGF and BMP-2 were significantly higher than those in 2D culture. Moreover, the ad-MVFs/GelMA hydrogel exhibited superior osteoinductive activity. After implanting into the skull defect of rats, the ad-MVFs/GelMA hydrogel showed obvious effects for angiogenesis and osteogenesis. The translational potential of this article: The utilization of autologous adipose tissue as a donor presents a more direct route toward clinical translation. Anticipated future clinical applications envision the transformation of discarded adipose tissue into a valuable resource for personalized tissue repair, thereby realizing a paradigm shift in the utilization of this abundant biological material.

Molecular Editing of Pyrroles to Benzenes/Naphthalenes by N2O Deletion.

Molecular editing promises to facilitate the rapid diversification of complex molecular architectures by rapidly and conveniently altering core frameworks. This approach has the potential to accelerate both drug discovery and total synthesis. In this study, we present a novel protocol for the molecular editing of pyrroles. Initially, N-Boc pyrroles and alkynes are converted into N-bridged compounds through a Diels-Alder reaction. These compounds then undergo deprotection of the Boc group, nitrosylation, and cheletropic N2O extrusion to yield benzene or naphthalene products. By using benzyne as a substrate, this method can be conceptually viewed as a fusion of skeletal editing of the pyrrole ring and site-selective peripheral editing of the benzene ring. Furthermore, this proof-of-concept protocol has demonstrated its potential to transform the (hetero)arene motif from commercially available drugs, offering the possibility of generating new biologically active compounds.

Posterior scleritis following a single infusion of zoledronate for osteoporosis: A case report and literature review.

The most frequently reported adverse reaction to zoledronic acid is an acute phase reaction resembling influenza. While rarer adverse events such as osteonecrosis of the jaw and atypical femoral fractures have gained significant recognition, the ocular adverse effects, particularly scleritis, are not yet fully comprehended. Here, we present the case of a 75-year-old female patient with osteoporosis who developed bilateral redness and intense eye pain 48 h after receiving a 5 mg intravenous dose of zoledronic acid. Clinical presentation suggested bilateral conjunctivitis, but treatment with levofloxacin eye drops and acyclovir ophthalmic gel exacerbated the symptoms over 2 days, predominantly affecting the left eye. Ocular ultrasonography revealed thickening of the left eyeball wall with a "T" sign, while an orbital CT scan showed increased thickness of the left sclera. Treatment with methylprednisolone 80 mg intravenous infusion twice daily led to gradual symptom improvement and eventual resolution of inflammation. This report, based on a review of relevant literature, investigates the treatment and outcomes of zoledronic acid-induced scleritis, emphasizing the importance for clinicians to promptly identify and manage this rare and serious ocular adverse reaction.

Bacteria, Fungi, and Protists Exhibit Distinct Responses to Managed Vegetation Restoration in the Karst Region.

Bacteria, fungi, and protists occupy a pivotal position in maintaining soil ecology. Despite limited knowledge on their responses to managed vegetation restoration strategies in karst regions, we aimed to study the essential microbial communities involved in the process of vegetation restoration. We compared microbial characteristics in four land use types: planted forests (PF), forage grass (FG), a mixture of plantation forest and forage grass (FF), and cropland (CR) as a reference. Our findings revealed that the richness of bacteria and protists was higher in FF compared to PF, while fungal richness was lower in both PF and FF than in CR. Additionally, the bacterial Shannon index in FF was higher than that in CR and PF, while the fungal and protist Shannon indices were similar across all four land use types. Significant differences were observed in the compositions of bacterial, fungal, and protist communities between FF and the other three land use types, whereas bacterial, fungal, and protist communities were relatively similar in PF and FG. In FF, the relative abundance of bacterial taxa Acidobacteria, Firmicutes, and Gemmatimonadetes was significantly higher than in PF and CR. Fungal communities were dominated by Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, with the relative abundance of Ascomycota significantly higher in FF compared to other land use types. Regarding protistan taxa, the relative abundance of Chlorophyta was higher in FF compared to CR, PF, and FG, while the relative abundance of Apicomplexa was higher in CR compared to FF. Importantly, ammonium nitrogen, total phosphorus, and microbial biomass nitrogen were identified as key soil properties predicting changes in the diversity of bacteria, fungi, and protists. Our results suggest that the microbial community under FF exhibits greater sensitivity to vegetation restoration compared to PF and FG. This sensitivity may stem from differences in soil properties, the formation of biological crusts and root systems, and management activities, resulting in variations in bacterial, fungal, and protist diversity and taxa in PF. As a result, employing a combination restoration strategy involving plantation forest and forage grass proves to be an effective approach to enhance the microbial community and thereby improve ecosystem functionality in ecologically fragile areas.

Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Virus via Fiber-Optic and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy Based Aptasensors.

The development of rapid detection tools for viruses is vital for the prevention of pandemics and biothreats. Aptamers that target inactivated viruses are attractive for sensors due to their improved biosafety. Here, we evaluated a DNA aptamer (named as 6.9) that specifically binds to the inactivated SARS-CoV-2 virus with a low dissociation constant (KD = 9.6 nM) for the first time. Based on aptamer 6.9, we developed a fiber-optic evanescent wave (FOEW) biosensor. Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 and the Cy5.5-tagged short complementary strand competitively bound with the aptamer immobilized on the surface of the sensor. The detection of the inactivated SARS-CoV-2 virus was realized within six minutes with a limit of detection (LOD, S/N = 3) of 740 fg/mL. We also developed an electrochemical impedance aptasensor which exhibited an LOD of 5.1 fg/mL and high specificity. We further demonstrated that the LODs of the FOEW and electrochemical impedance aptasensors were, respectively, more than 1000 and 100,000 times lower than those of commercial colloidal gold test strips. We foresee that the facile aptamer isolation process and sensor design can be easily extended for the detection of other inactivated viruses.

Dose adjustment strategy of levetiracetam in pregnant patients with epilepsy: Case report and literature review.

RATIONALE: Pregnant patients with epilepsy are prone to preterm delivery, stillbirth, or cesarean section, and their mortality rate is almost 10 times higher than that of normal pregnant women. The potential negative influences of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) on the fetus are weighed against the necessity for achieving optimal control of seizures. Treatment with AEDs during pregnancy is a major challenge for pregnant women and healthcare teams. PATIENT CONCERNS: This paper reports two cases of young women diagnosed with pregnancy and epilepsy. INTERVENTION: The dose of levetiracetam was adjusted under the guidance of therapeutic drug monitoring to reduce the effects of seizures on the fetus and the incidence of reproductive toxicity caused by adverse drug reactions. OUTCOMES: Epilepsy was well controlled in the two pregnant patients, and the newborns had no genetic disorders. LESSONS: It is recommended to regularly monitor the serum LEV level in pregnant patients with epilepsy. This practice serves as a foundation for adjusting the drug treatment plan and offering more precise guidance for medication management during pregnancy.

Adverse reactions caused by high serum concentration of linezolid: Two case reports and literature review.

Linezolid is a potent oxazolidinone for the treatment of various gram-positive bacterial infections. However, the drug can cause potential adverse reactions such as thrombocytopenia, hyperlactacidemia and serotonin syndrome, which warrant consideration by the medical team when planning treatment. The existing literature has reported some adverse reactions caused by linezolid, but most of these are based on clinical characteristics and simple treatment measures. Two cases of linezolid overdose resulting in thrombocytopenia, hyperlactacidemia and serotonin syndrome are presented, which were successfully managed with therapeutic drug monitoring. A dose adjustment strategy was adopted to safely and effectively mitigate linezolid-related adverse events.

Skeletal Editing of Benzene Motif: Photopromoted Transannulation for Synthesis of DNA-Encoded Seven-Membered Rings.

In this report, we present a photopromoted, metal-free transannulation of phenyl azides for the synthesis of DNA-encoded seven-membered rings. The transformation is efficiently achieved through a skeletal editing strategy targeting the benzene motif coupled with a Reversible Adsorption to Solid Support (RASS) strategy. A variety of valuable DNA-encoded seven-membered ring compounds, including DNA-encoded 3H-azepines, azepinones, and unnatural amino acids, are now accessible. Crucially, this DNA-compatible protocol can also be applied for the introduction of complex molecules, as exemplified by Lorcaserin and Betahistine. The selective conversion of readily available phenyl rings into high-value seven-membered rings offers a promising avenue for the construction of diversified and drug-like DNA-encoded library.

A novel automated multi-cycle magnetic solid-phase extraction coupled to LC-MS/MS to study the disorders of six functional B vitamins in patients with gastroenterology and hyperhomocysteinemia.

B vitamins are essential for human life and their disorders can cause a variety of diseases. Solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupled to LC-MS/MS is a preferred technique for determining multiple B vitamins, however, their complexity in real biological matrices makes it hard to achieve satisfactory recovery and accuracy when simultaneous detection. In this study, a novel automated multi-cycle magnetic SPE (MSPE) coupled to the LC-MS/MS method was established using a mixed-mode anion exchange magnetic adsorbent for the simultaneous extraction of six functional B vitamins, including methylmalonic acid, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, 4-pyridoxic acid, folic acid, and 5-methyltetrahydrofolate. After three consecutive MSPE cycles, the recoveries of all analytes were between 51.5% and 89.6%. The method exhibited excellent sensitivity and linearity, with a dynamic range of 200-fold (R > 0.99 for all analytes), exceptional accuracy (ranging between 95.4% and 105.6%) and precision (with RSDs ≤ 6.2%) without significant matrix effects or interferences. Compared to manual SPE method, the automated multi-cycle MSPE method has better feasibility and greater vitamin coverage. It shows a high correlation with the manual method for the detection of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and folate (R > 0.99). A study of patients from the gastroenterology department showed that those undergoing surgery and those with malignancies may be at risk of folate deficiency. In addition, patients with hyperhomocystinemia had higher levels of methylmalonic acid and lower levels of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, which correlated with homocysteine levels (R = 0.404 and -0.311, respectively) and showed dose-response relationships. This method is highly automated and cost-effective, with minimal systematic error, making it suitable for the analysis of clinical samples.

Revealing the Effect of the [CoO]6 Microstructure in Pseudocapacitance by Controlled Delithium of LiCoO2.

Revealing the in-depth structure-property relationship and designing specific capacity electrodes are particularly important for supercapacitors. Despite many efforts made to tune the composition and electronic structure of cobalt oxide for pseudocapacitance, insight into the [CoO]6 octahedron from the microstructure is still insufficient. Herein, we present a tunable [CoO]6 octahedron microstructure in LiCoO2 by a chemical delithiation process. The c-strained strain of the [CoO]6 octahedron is induced to form higher valence Co ions, and the (003) crystalline layer spacing increases to allow more rapid participation of OH- in the redox reaction. Interestingly, the specific capacity of L0.75CO2 is nearly four times higher than that of LiCoO2 at 10 mA g-1. The enhanced activity originated from the asymmetric strain [CoO]6 octahedra, resulting in enhanced electronic conductivity and Co-O hybridization for accelerated redox kinetics. This finding provides new insights into the modification strategy for pseudocapacitive transition metal oxides.

Fusobacterium nucleatum outer membrane vesicles activate autophagy to promote oral cancer metastasis.

INTRODUCTION: Metastasis is an important cause of high mortality and lethality of oral cancer. Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn) can promote tumour metastasis. Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are secreted by Fn. However, the effects of Fn-derived extracellular vesicles on oral cancer metastasis and the underlying mechanisms are unclear. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to determine whether and how Fn OMVs mediate oral cancer metastasis. METHODS: OMVs were isolated from brain heart infusion (BHI) broth supernatant of Fn by ultracentrifugation. Tumour-bearing mice were treated with Fn OMVs to evaluate the effect of OMVs on cancer metastasis. Transwell assays were performed to determine how Fn OMVs affect cancer cell migration and invasion. The differentially expressed genes in Fn OMV-treated/untreated cancer cells were identified by RNA-seq. Transmission electron microscopy, laser confocal microscopy, and lentiviral transduction were used to detect changes in autophagic flux in cancer cells stimulated with Fn OMVs. Western blotting assay was performed to determine changes in EMT-related marker protein levels in cancer cells. Fn OMVs' effects on migration after blocking autophagic flux by autophagy inhibitors were determined by in vitro and in vivo experiments. RESULTS: Fn OMVs were structurally similar to vesicles. In the in vivo experiment, Fn OMVs promoted lung metastasis in tumour-bearing mice, while chloroquine (CHQ, an autophagy inhibitor) treatment reduced the number of pulmonary metastases resulting from the intratumoral Fn OMV injection. Fn OMVs promoted the migration and invasion of cancer cells in vivo, leading to altered expression levels of EMT-related proteins (E-cadherin downregulation; Vimentin/N-cadherin upregulation). RNA-seq showed that Fn OMVs activate intracellular autophagy pathways. Blocking autophagic flux with CHQ reduced in vitro and in vivo migration of cancer cells induced by Fn OMVs as well as reversed changes in EMT-related protein expression. CONCLUSION: Fn OMVs not only induced cancer metastasis but also activated autophagic flux. Blocking autophagic flux weakened Fn OMV-stimulated cancer metastasis.

Long non-coding RNA LINC00491 accelerates head and neck squamous cell carcinoma progression through regulating miR-508-3p/SATB1 axis and activating Wnt signaling pathway.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the most common malignancy of the head and neck epidermis. Accumulating long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been proven to be involved in the occurrence and development of HNSCC. LncRNA long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 491 (LINC00491) has been confirmed to regulate the progression of some cancers. In our study, we aimed to explore the potential biological function of LINC00491 and expound the regulatory mechanism by which LINC00491 affects the progression of HNSCC. RT-qPCR was utilized to analyze the expression of LINC00491 in HNSCC cell lines and the normal cell line. Functionally, we carried out a series of assays to measure cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion, such as EdU assay, colony formation, wound healing and western blot assays. Also, mechanism assays including RNA pull down and RIP were also implemented to investigate the interaction of LINC00491 and RNAs. As a result, we discovered that LINC00491 was highly expressed in HNSCC cells. In addition, LINC00491 depletion suppressed cell proliferation, migration and EMT process. Furthermore, we discovered that LINC00491 could bind to miR-508-3p. MiR-508-3p overexpression can restrain HNSCC cell growth. Importantly, miR-508-3p can target SATB homeobox 1 (SATB1) in HNSCC cells. Further, Wnt signaling pathway was proved to be activated by LINC00491 through SATB1 in HNSCC cells. In a word, LINC00491 accelerated HNSCC progression through regulating miR-508-3p/SATB1 axis and activating Wnt signaling pathway.

Real Time and Spatiotemporal Quantification of pH and H2O2 Imbalances with a Multiplex Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Nanosensor.

Oxidative stress is involved in many aging-related pathological disorders and is the result of defective cellular management of redox reactions. Particularly, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), is a major byproduct and a common oxidative stress biomarker. Monitoring its dynamics and a direct correlation to diseases remains a challenge due to the complexity of redox reactions. Sensitivity and specificity are major drawbacks for H2O2 sensors regardless of their readout. Luminiscent boronate-based probes such as 3-mercaptophenylboronic acid (3-MPBA) are emerging as the most effective quantitation tool due to their specificity and sensitivity. Problems associated with these probes are limited intracellular sensing, water solubility, selectivity, and quenching. We have synthesized a boronate-based nanosensor with a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) readout to solve these challenges. Furthermore, we found out that environmental pH gradients, as found in biological samples, affect the sensitivity of boronate-based sensors. When the sensor is in an alkaline environment, the oxidation of 3-MPBA by H2O2 is more favored than in an acidic environment. This leads to different H2O2 measurements depending on pH. To solve this issue, we synthesized a multiplex nanosensor capable of concomitantly quantifying pH and H2O2. Our nanosensor first measures the local pH and based on this value, provides the amount of H2O2. It seems that this pH-dependent sensitivity effect applies to all boronic acid based probes. We tested the multiplexing ability by quantitatively measuring intra- and extracellular pH and H2O2 dynamics under physiological and pathological conditions on healthy cells and cells in which H+ and/or H2O2 homeostasis has been altered.

Mutual regulation between TRIM21 and TRIM8 via K48-linked ubiquitination.

Tripartite motif (TRIM)-containing proteins, one of the largest subfamilies of the RING type E3 ubiquitin ligases, control important biological processes such as cell apoptosis, autophagy, signal transduction, innate immunity and tumorigenesis. So far, the mutual regulation between TRIM family members has rarely been reported. Here, we found for the first time that there was a direct mutual regulation between TRIM21 and TRIM8 in lung and renal cancer cells, mechanistically by activating their proteasome pathway via Lys48 (K48)- linked ubiquitination. Subsequent studies verified that negatively correlated expressions existed in clinical non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and renal cell carcinoma (RCC) tissues, which were closely related to tumor progression. Our findings highlighted a possible homeostasis between TRIM21 and TRIM8 that might possibly affect cell stemness and was expected to provide a new idea for cancer therapy.

De novo assembly of Iron-Heart Cunninghamia lanceolata transcriptome and EST-SSR marker development for genetic diversity analysis.

Iron-Heart Cunninghamia lanceolata, a wild relative of Chinese fir with valuable genetic and breeding traits, has been limited in genetic studies due to a lack of genomic resources and markers. In this study, we conducted transcriptome sequencing of Iron-Heart C. lanceolata leaves using Illumina NovaSeq 6000 and performed assembly and analysis. We obtained 45,326,576 clean reads and 115,501 unigenes. Comparative analysis in five functional databases resulted in successful annotation of 26,278 unigenes, with 6,693 unigenes annotated in all databases (5.79% of the total). UniProt and Pfam databases provided annotations for 22,673 and 18,315 unigenes, respectively. Gene Ontology analysis categorized 23,962 unigenes into three categories. KEGG database alignment annotated 10,195 unigenes, classifying them into five categories: metabolism, genetic information, biological systems, cellular processes, and environmental information processing. From the unigenes, we identified 5,645 SSRs, with dinucleotides repeats being the most common (41.47%). We observed variations in repeat numbers and base compositions, with the majority of markers ranging from 12 to 29 bp in length. We randomly selected 200 primer pairs and successfully amplified 15 pairs of polymorphic SSR primers, which effectively distinguished Chinese fir plants of different origins. This study provides insights into the genetic characteristics of Iron-Heart C. lanceolata and offers a foundation for future molecular marker development, breeding programs, genetic diversity analysis, and conservation strategies.

RNase D Is Involved in 5S rRNA Degradation and Exopolysaccharide Production in Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris.

Ribonucleases (RNases) play critical roles in RNA metabolism and are collectively essential for cell viability. However, most knowledge about bacterial RNases comes from the studies on Escherichia coli; very little is known about the RNases in plant pathogens. The crucifer black rot pathogen Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) encodes 15 RNases, but none of them has been functionally characterized. Here, we report the physiological function of the exoribonuclease RNase D in Xcc and provide evidence demonstrating that the Xcc RNase D is involved in 5S rRNA degradation and exopolysaccharide (EPS) production. Our work shows that the growth and virulence of Xcc were not affected by deletion of RNase D but were severely attenuated by RNase D overexpression. However, deletion of RNase D in Xcc resulted in a significant reduction in EPS production. In addition, either deletion or overexpression of RNase D in Xcc did not influence the tRNAs tested, inconsistent with the finding in E. coli that the primary function of RNase D is to participate in tRNA maturation and its overexpression degrades tRNAs. More importantly, deletion, overexpression, and in vitro enzymatic analyses revealed that the Xcc RNase D degrades 5S rRNA but not 16S and 23S rRNAs that share an operon with 5S rRNA. Our results suggest that Xcc employs RNase D to realize specific modulation of the cellular 5S rRNA content after transcription and maturation whenever necessary. The finding expands our knowledge about the function of RNase D in bacteria.

Research into the correlation between positional skull deformation and motor performance of infants aged under 4 months.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation between positional skull deformation (PD) and motor performance of infants under 4 months of age. METHODS: Infants aged under 4 months were enrolled in the children's healthcare and the premature infants follow-up Clinic of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Army Military Medical University. The cranial vault asymmetry (CVA) and cephalic index (CI) were calculated in all infants, and the infant motor performance test (TIMP) was used to evaluate the infant motor performance. The motor performances of infants with different types and degrees of PD were compared, so were the incidences of PD in infants with different motor performance levels. RESULTS: Overall, 2118 infants were recruited and divided according to the types of PD and TIMP scores. The comparison of TIMP scores within different types of PD at different months of age showed that, regardless of the types of PD, TIMP scores of infants with PD were lower than those of normal infants. In particular, the difference in TIMP scores was statistically significant (P < 0.05) in infants with dolichocephaly, plagiocephaly,dolicho-plagiocephaly and brachy-plagiocephy. In addition, the comparison of CVA values of infants with different TIMP score levels at different months of age showed that the CVA values of the extremely low-level group were significantly higher than those of the medium-level and high-level group, especially in the 3-month-old and 4-month-old groups, which showed significant statistical differences (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: PD and motor performance of infants aged under 4 months seem to interact and influenc each other. The more serious the severity of PD were,the worse the motor performance of infants. Conversely, the incidence of PD increased in infants with poor motor performance.

Variation of soil physicochemical properties of different vegetation restoration types on subtropical karst area in southern China.

To carry out differentiated ecological restoration activities and formulate appropriate environmental conservation strategies for karst regions, it is essential to investigate the impact of ecological restoration and forest management strategy differences on soil properties. The karst region in Xiangxi, Hunan province, China was selected as the study site. Here, we determined soil physical and chemical differences in soil profiles of karst areas with ecological restoration activities. The results showed that (1) the soil properties showed a significant difference between the restoration vegetation and uncultivated land, especially in soil physical properties. The soil moisture conversion coefficient (83.0%) and soil bulk density (1.37g/cm3) of Liriodendron chinense (Hemsl.) Sarg reached the highest value among 12 vegetations. 2) The topsoil was more sensitive to ecological restoration. Soil physical properties in the topsoil samples from the forest management areas were significantly higher than uncultivated lands (P < 0.05). (3) Redundancy analysis showed that the soil chemical content differed significantly among the types of forest vegetation restoration and different soil layers. Among the nutrients analysis, Mg, Zn and K were the main factors affecting soil properties in the rocky desertification areas. Therefore, our results recommend planting the broadleaved deciduous forest as the preferred forest among three different forest types to enhance soil fertility and water conservation functions, especially in subtropical karst areas ecosystems, which provided for making scientific forest restoration management in the karst region.