Salt-affected marginal lands:a solution for biochar production

The literature has shown that biochar can serve as potential amendment to achieve sustainable agriculture and environment.The accessibility and availability of cheap feedstock are considered as important constraint factors for the widespread application of biochar in agriculture.Marginal lands are widely distributed globally,several times larger than arable land,and hold little value for food production due to poor soil conditions.However,these lands are suitable for growing plants,which can be used as feedstock for biochar production.The salt-affected lands,as one of the main marginal lands,are particularly suitable for cultivating diverse varieties of halophytes that can be pyrolyzed into biochar,bio-gas,and bio-oil.The halophyte-derived biochar is useful to produce a desirable acid soil conditioner due to its high ash and rich bases,and improves soil characteristics under extreme saline conditions.Additionally,syngas and bio-oil hold potential benefits as fuels and industrial raw materials.This study introduces an innovative management technique for marginal lands such as salt-affected land,which can provide all-round benefits in food production,land management,vegetation coverage,carbon sequestration,and climate change mitigation.

Biochar application significantly increases soil organic carbon under conservation tillage:an 11-year field experiment

Biochar application and conservation tillage are significant for long-term organic carbon(OC)sequestration in soil and enhancing crop yields,however,their effects on native soil organic carbon(native SOC)without biochar carbon sequestration in situ remain largely unknown.Here,an 11-year field experiment was carried out to examine different biochar application rates(0,30,60,and 90 Mg ha^(−1))on native SOC pools(native labile SOC pool I and II,and native recalcitrant SOC)and microbial activities in calcareous soil across an entire winter wheat-maize rotation.The proportions of C_(3) and C_(4)-derived native SOC mineralization were quantified using soil basal respiration(SBR)combined with 13C natural isotope abundance measurements.The results showed that 39-51%of the biochar remained in the top 30 cm after 11 years.Biochar application rates significantly increased native SOC and native recalcitrant SOC contents but decreased the proportion of native labile SOC[native labile SOC pool I and II,dissolved organic carbon(DOC),and microbial biomass carbon(MBC)].Biochar application tended to increase the indicators of microbial activities associated with SOC degradation,such as SBR,fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis activity,and metabolic quotient(qCO_(2)).Meanwhile,higher biochar application rates(B60 and B90)significantly increased the C_(4)-derived CO_(2) proportion of the SBR and enhanced C_(4)-derived native SOC mineralization.The effect of the biochar application rate on the content and proportion of native SOC fractions occurred in the 0-15 cm layer,however,there were no significant differences at 15-30 cm.Soil depth also significantly increased native labile SOC pool Ⅰ and Ⅱ contents and decreased qCO_(2).In conclusion,the biochar application rate significantly increased native SOC accumulation in calcareous soil by enhancing the proportion of native recalcitrant SOC,and biochar application and soil depth collectively influenced the seasonal turnover of native SOC fractions,which has important implications for long-term agricultural soil organic carbon sequestration.

Expression of Key Steroidogenic Enzymes in Human Placenta and Associated Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes

Steroid hormones,including progestagens,estrogens,androgens,corticosteroids,and their precursor cholesterol,perform essential functions in the successful establishment and maintenance of pregnancy and normal fetal development.As the core endocrine organ at the prenatal stage,the human placenta is involved in the biosynthesis,metabolism,and delivery of steroid hormones.Steroidogenic pathways are tightly regulated by placenta-intrinsic cytochrome P450 and hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.However,the relationship between placental steroidogenic enzyme expression and adverse pregnancy outcomes is controversial.In this review,we summarize the possible upstream regulatory mechanisms of placental steroidogenic enzymes in physiologic and pathophysiologic states.We also describe the human placental barrier model and examine the potential of single-cell sequencing for evaluating the primary functions and cellular origin of steroidogenic enzymes.Finally,we examine the existing evidence for the association between placental steroidogenic enzyme dysregulation and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Mechanisms of Immune Tolerance and Inflammation via Gonadal Steroid Hormones in Preterm Birth

In 2019,preterm births(PTB)accounted for approximately 0.66 million deaths globally.PTB is also associated with a significantly higher risk of mortality and long-term complications for newborns.Long-term studies associated several factors,including disruption of immune tolerance and inflammation,with PTB.However,the pathogenesis of PTB remains unclear.Gonadal steroid hormones are critical for pregnancy maintenance and regulation of immune and inflammatory responses.However,it is not clear how unbalanced gonadal steroid hormones,such as imbalanced estrogen/androgen or estrogen/progesterone contribute to PTB.In this review,we discuss how gonadal steroid hormones mediate dysfunction in immune tolerance and inflammatory responses,which are known to promote the occurrence of PTB,and provide insight into PTB prediction.

Comparison of biochar properties from 5 kinds of halophyte produced by slow pyrolysis at 500℃

Glycophyte biomass-derived biochars are currently concerned in most studies.However,little attention is given to the char-acteristics of halophyte-derived biochars.In this study,five typical halophytes of euhalophytes(Suaeda altissima,Suaeda salsa,and Kalidium foliatum),recretohalophytes(Phragmites australis),and pseudohalophytes(Tamarix chinensis)which are widely distributed in the arid and semiarid regions of northwestern China were selected for producing biochars with a slow pyrolysis process at 500℃for 1 h.The harvested biochars were characterized in elemental content,pores,surface area,and surface charges,and then their potential value as a soil conditioner was evaluated.The results showed that the halophyte-derived biochars had variable ash and Na+contents,ranging from 7.26 to 23.64%and 1.06 to 33.93 g kg^(−1)respectively.The EC value of the biochars ranged from 1.76 to 23.45 mS cm^(−1).The biochar derived from Suaeda altissima had a very low specific surface area(SSA),3.50 m^(2)g^(−1),while that derived from Phragmites australis(BPA)had a very high SSA,344.02 m^(2)g^(−1).All the biochars carried both positive and negative charges.Kalidium foliatum biochar(BKF)possessed more nega-tive charges,while Suaeda altissima biochar(BSA)contained more positive charges.In general,the halophyte biochars had a higher ash content and lower point of zero net charge(PZNC)value,compared with the biochars derived from glycophytes,which would imply their higher potential value as an acidic soil conditioner.