Effect of rain enrichment on soil respiration of Nitraria sphaerocarpa community in a hyperarid area

In order to analyze the effect of rain enrichment on soil respiration rate of a Nitraria sphaerocarpa community, we measured soil respiration rate in bare and vegetated areas in a hyperarid area （Dunhuang） during the growing season. Results show that rain enrichment can increase bare and vegetated soil respiration rates. The more rainfall enrichment, the greater the increment and the longer duration time effect for soil respiration rate. 200% （16 mm） and 300% （24 mm） of rain enrichment can significantly increase bare soil respiration rates by 90% and 106% （P〈0.01）, respectively. By contrast, areas with 100% （8 mm）, 200% （16 mm） and 300% （24 mm） of rain enrichment can significantly increase shrub area respiration rates by 68%, 157% and 205% （P〈0.01）, respectively. The response time of bare and vegetated soil respiration to rainfall enrichment is asynchronous. Response variable of soil respiration in vegetated soil is higher （118%） than in bare soil. There was significant positive correlation between soil respiration rate and soil water content during the growing season （P〈0.01）. For every 1 mm increment of precipitation, soil respiration rate increased by 0.01 and 0.04 pmol/（m2.s）, respectively in vegetated and bare soils.

Surveillance system-based physician reporting of pneumonia of unknown etiology in China:A cross-sectional study

Objective:To describe the current reporting of pneumonia of unknown etiology(PUE)and factors that affect reporting by clinicians in China using the PUE surveillance system in order to provide a reference for improving PUE reporting rates in the future.Methods:Clinicians were recruited via the Sojump platform and requested to complete an anonymous self-administered questionnaire.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess factors influencing clinicians’reporting activities.Results:This study showed a low PUE case reporting rate and a poor understanding of PUE reporting among the investigated clinicians.Of the 136 clinicians who had diagnosed PUE cases,multivariate logistic regression analysis results showed that clinicians who had attended in-hospital training were more likely to report PUE than those who had not(OR 4.48,95%CI 1.49-13.46).Clinicians with an expert panel on PUE in their hospital were more likely to report PUE cases than those without(OR 5.46,95%CI 1.85-16.11).Conclusions:There is a need to promote and reinforce PUE surveillance system training among medical staff.In addition,PUE testing technologies in hospital laboratories should be upgraded,especially in primary and unclassified hospitals,to increase surveillance efficiency and improve PUE reporting rates.

Pilot-test about Treatment of Low-concentration Organic Waste Gas Using a Fixed Biological Bed

[ Objective] The study aims to discuss the feasibility of using a fixed biological bed to treat low-concentration organic waste gas. [ Method] A fixed biological bed was used to treat low-concentration organic waste gas from a phosphate workshop, and then the waste gas treated was assessed by human sense of smell to determine the most economical empty bed contact time, thereby verifying the feasibility of using a fixed biolog- ical bed to treat low-concentration organic waste gas. [Result] When empty bed contact time was 60 s, the smell of the treated waste gas was acceptable, and COD value of recycled water in the fixed biological bed was essentially unchanged. It proved that organic load of the waste gas was consumed by microorganisms within 60 s. [ Conclusion] It is feasible to use a fixed biological bed to treat Iow-concantration organic waste gas from a phosphate workshop.

A PD-L1-targeting chimeric switch receptor enhances efficacy of CAR-T cell for pleural and peritoneal metastasis

Pleural and peritoneal metastasis accompanied by malignant pleural effusion(MPE)or malignant ascites(MA)is frequent in patients with advanced solid tumors that originate from the lung,breast,gastrointestinal tract and ovary.Regional delivery of CAR-T cells represents a new strategy to control tumor dissemination in serous cavities.However,malignant effusions constitute an immune-suppressive environment that potentially induces CAR-T cell dysfunction.Here,we demonstrated that the anti-tumor cytotoxicity of conventional 2nd-generation CAR-T cells was significantly inhibited by both the cellular and non-cellular components of MPE/MA,which was primarily attributed to impaired CAR-T cell proliferation and cytokine production in MPE/MA environment.Interestingly,we found that PD-L1 was widely expressed on freshly-isolated MPE/MA cells.Based on this feature,a novel PD-L1-targeting chimeric switch receptor(PD-L1.BB CSR)was designed,which can bind to PD-L1,switching the inhibitory signal into an additional 4-1BB signal.When co-expressed with a 2nd-generation CAR,PD-L1.BB CSR-modified CAR-T cells displayed superior fitness and enhanced functions in both culture medium and MPE/MA environment,causing rapid and durable eradication of pleural and peritoneal metastatic tumors in xenograft models.Further investigations revealed elevated expressions of T-cell activation,proliferation,and cytotoxicity-related genes,and we confirmed that PD-L1 scFv and 4-1BB intracellular domain,the two important components of PD-L1.BB CSR,were both necessary for the functional improvements of CAR-T cells.Overall,our study shed light on the clinical application of PD-L1.BB CSR-modified dual-targeting CAR-T cells.Based on this study,a phase I clinical trial was initiated in patients with pleural or peritoneal metastasis(NCT04684459).