Maintenance of soil organic carbon (SOC) is important for the long-term productivity of agroecosystems. An investigation was conducted to study the effects of long-term application of inorganic fertilizers and farmyard manure (FYM) on soil organic carbon (SOC), nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium nutrient content, water-stable aggregate distribution, and aggregateassociated carbon in a field experiment started in 1982 in an arid region of northwest China. Application of inorganic fertilizer alone (N, NP, or NPK treatments) did not increase SOC concentrations compared with no application of fertilizers (CK) and SOC concentration was significantly reduced, by 18% on average, compared with the initial value at the beginning of the experiment. Application of imbalanced inorganic fertilizer (N and NP), especially, resulted in a significant decrease in available phosphorus and potassium nutrients at a depth of 20 cm. This indicates that long-term application of inorganic fertilizers were inadequate to maintain levels of SOC and nutrients under conventional management with no aboveground crop residues returning to the soil. Long-term application of FYM alone or combined with inorganic fertilizers (M (FYM), MN, MNPK, or MNPK treatments), however, improved SOC and total nitrogen concentrations from initial values of 12.1 and 0.76 g kg -1 , respectively, to 15.46 and 1.28 g kg -1 , on average, and also enhanced available nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium concentrations by 47, 50, and 68%, respectively, during the 23-year period. Treatment with FYM resulted in a 0.48 mm greater average mean weight diameter (MWD) of aggregates and a higher percentage of macro-aggregates (>2 mm) and small macroaggregates (2-0.25 mm) than treatment without FYM. The MWD increased with increasing SOC concentration (R 2 =0.75). The SOC concentration was highest in small macro-aggregates, intermediate in macro-aggregates, and lowest in microaggregates (0.25-0.05 mm). Approximately 54-60% of total SOC was stored in micro-aggregates (0.25-0.05 mm) and sand+silt fractions ( < 0.05 mm) after treatment without FYM but 57-64% of total SOC was stored in macroaggregates (>0.25 mm) after treatment with FYM. MNPK treatment had the greatest effect on improving the levels of SOC and NPK nutrients and in enhancing the formation and stability of macro-aggregates.

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Understanding the role of different subtypes of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment is essential to improving cancer treatment. Enriched γδ1 T cell populations in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) suppress T cell responses and dendritic cell maturation in breast cancer, where their presence is correlated negatively with clinical outcomes. However, mechanism(s) that explain the increase in this class of T regulatory cells (γδ Treg) in breast cancer patients have yet to be elucidated. In this study, we showed that IP-10 secreted by breast cancer cells attracted γδ Treg cells. Using neutralizing antibodies against chemokines secreted by breast cancer cells, we found that IP-10 was the only functional chemokine that causes γδ Treg cells to migrate toward breast cancer cells. In a humanized NSG mouse model, human breast cancer cells attracted γδ Treg cells as revealed by a live cell imaging system. IP-10 neutralization in vivo inhibited migration and trafficking of γδ Treg cells into breast tumor sites, enhancing tumor immunity mediated by tumor-specific T cells. Together, our studies show how γδ Treg accumulate in breast tumors, providing a rationale for their immunological targeting to relieve immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment.

Effects of the interstitial carbon atoms on the magnetic properties, especially on the magnetic entropy change, of the LaFe11.5Si1.5 compound, have been studied. X-ray diffraction patterns reveal a monotonous increase of the lattice constant with the concentration of carbon, while the cubic NaZn13-type structure remains unchanged. The Curie temperatures TC of LaFe11.5Si1.5Cy are ∼195, 225, and 241 K for y=0, 0.2, and 0.5, respectively, increasing with the increase of carbon concentration. The maximal magnetic entropy changes |ΔS| of LaFe11.5Si1.5Cy at the respective TC under a magnetic field change of 0–5 T are ∼24.6, ∼22.8, and ∼12.7 J/kg K for y=0, 0.2, and 0.5, respectively, notably exceeding that of Gd (|ΔS| ∼9.8 J/kg K at TC=293 K). The |ΔS| of LaFe11.5Si1.5C0.2 is nearly as giant as that of the parent alloy LaFe11.5Si1.5 due to the first-order field-induced itinerant-electron metamagnetic transition that occurs in both compounds clearly observed for the LaFe11.5Si1.5C0.5 compound. With the increase of carbon concentration, the nature of magnetic transition has been changed from first order to second order, which results in the significant decrease of the magnetic entropy change. The large |ΔS|, convenient adjustment of TC and relatively low cost make the LaFe11.5Si1.5Cy interstitial compounds promising candidates for magnetic refrigerants in the corresponding temperature range.

Edible fungus residue as an efficient and low-cost precursor was used to produce Edible Fungus residue Activated Carbon (EFAC) using the zinc chloride activation method at a 1 : 2 impregnation ratio and 600 °C activation for 3 hours.

The magnetic properties of La(Fe 1Ϫx Mn x ) 11.4 Si 1.6 (0рxр0.08) compounds were investigated. A reentrant spin glass behavior for the sample with xϭ0.06 and a paramagnetic-to-spin glass transition for the sample with xϭ0.08 were observed. The spin-glass behavior for the sample with xϭ0.08 was systematically studied by the dc and ac measurements. ⌬T f ()/͓T f ()⌬ log 10 ͔, a possible distinguishing criterion to assert the presence of a spin-glass phase was 0.02 for the sample with xϭ0.08. The frequency-dependent data turned out to be well described by the conventional critical slowing down law / 0 ϭ Ϫzv . The fit to this critical slowing down law yielded the values 0 ϭ10 Ϫ12 s, zvϭ8.28, and the transition temperature T SG ϭ45.24 K. This spin-glass behavior in La(Fe 1Ϫx Mn x ) 11.4 Si 1.6 compounds is mainly ascribed to the competing interaction between the Fe-Fe ferromagnetic ordering and the Fe-Mn, Mn-Mn antiferromagnetic ordering.

No abstract

Chemically stable LaFe11.6Si1.4Cx (x=0−0.6) interstitial compounds were prepared. The Curie temperatures increases from 195 to 250 K with an increase in X from 0 to 0.6 due to obvious lattice expansion. The maximal magnetic entropy changes |ΔS| with a change in magnetic field of 0–5 T, are 24.8, 24.2, 18.8 and 12.1 J/kg K for x=0, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6, respectively, notably exceeding that of Gd (|ΔS|∼9.8 J/kg K at TC=293 K). The magnetic transition varies from first order to second order with an increase in carbon concentration, which has a decisive influence on |ΔS|. The large |ΔS|, chemical stability, and low cost make LaFe11.4Si1.6Cx a promising candidate as a magnetic refrigerant in the corresponding temperature ranges.