Soil carbon sequestration and land use change associated with biofuel production: empirical evidence

Soil organic carbon (SOC) change can be a major impact of land use change (LUC) associated with biofuel feedstock production. By collecting and analyzing data from worldwide field observations of major LUCs from cropland, grassland, and forest to lands producing biofuel crops (i.e. corn, switchgrass, Miscanthus, poplar, and willow), we were able to estimate SOC response ratios and sequestration rates and evaluate the effects of soil depth and time scale on SOC change. Both the amount and rate of SOC change were highly dependent on the specific land transition. Irrespective of soil depth or time horizon, cropland conversions resulted in an overall SOC gain of 6–14% relative to initial SOC level, while conversion from grassland or forest to corn (without residue removal) or poplar caused significant carbon loss (9–35%). No significant SOC changes were observed in land converted from grasslands or forests to switchgrass, Miscanthus, or willow. The SOC response ratios were similar in both 0–30 and 0–100 cm soil depths in most cases, suggesting SOC changes in deep soil and that use of top soil only for SOC accounting in biofuel life cycle analysis (LCA) might underestimate total SOC changes. Soil carbon sequestration rates varied greatly among studies and land transition types. Generally, the rates of SOC change tended to be the greatest during the 10 years following land conversion and had declined to approach 0 within about 20 years for most LUCs. Observed trends in SOC change were generally consistent with previous reports. Soil depth and duration of study significantly influence SOC change rates and so should be considered in carbon emission accounting in biofuel LCA. High uncertainty remains for many perennial systems and forest transitions, additional field trials, and modeling efforts are needed to draw conclusions about the site‐ and system‐specific rates and direction of change.     

Transition from Diffusion‐Controlled Intercalation into Extrinsically Pseudocapacitive Charge Storage of MoS2 by Nanoscale Heterostructuring

2D nanomaterials have been found to show surface‐dominant phenomena and understanding this behavior is crucial for establishing a relationship between a material's structure and its properties. Here, the transition of molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) from a diffusion‐controlled intercalation to an emergent surface redox capacitive behavior is demonstrated. The ultrafast pseudocapacitive behavior of MoS₂ becomes more prominent when the layered MoS₂ is downscaled into nanometric sheets and hybridized with reduced graphene oxide (RGO). This extrinsic behavior of the 2D hybrid is promoted by the fast Faradaic charge‐transfer kinetics at the interface. The heterostructure of the 2D hybrid, as observed via high‐angle annular dark field–scanning transmission electron microscopy and Raman mapping, with a 1T MoS₂ phase at the interface and a 2H phase in the bulk is associated with the synergizing capacitive performance. This 1T phase is stabilized by the interactions with the RGO. These results provide fundamental insights into the surface effects of 2D hetero‐nanosheets on emergent electrochemical properties.     

Parallelized Nanopillar Perovskites for Semitransparent Solar Cells Using an Anodized Aluminum Oxide Scaffold

Semitransparent solar cells have attracted significant attention for practical applications, such as windows in buildings and automobiles. Here, semitransparent, highly efficient, 1D nanostructured perovskite solar cells are demonstrated employing anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) as a scaffold layer. The parallel nanopillars in the perovskite layer enable construction of haze‐free semitransparent devices without any hysteresis behavior. By controlling the pore size in the AAO, the volume occupied by the perovskite layer can be precisely varied, and the color neutrality of the resulting devices can be achieved. With the incorporation of a transparent cathodic electrode (indium tin oxide) with a buffer layer (MoO_x), a highly efficient semitransparent nanopillared perovskite solar cell is achievable with a power‐conversion efficiency of 9.6% (7.5%) and a whole device average visible light transmittance of 33.4% (41.7%). To determine the role of the scaffold layer in improving the photoelectrical properties of the cell, impedance spectroscopy analyses are performed, revealing that the AAO‐structured perovskite layer suppresses internal ion diffusion and enables critical improvements in long‐term stability under continuous illumination.     

Oral Administration of p-Hydroxycinnamic Acid Attenuates Atopic Dermatitis by Downregulating Th1 and Th2 Cytokine Production and Keratinocyte Activation

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a complex disease that is caused by various factors, including environmental change, genetic defects, and immune imbalance. We previously showed that p-hydroxycinnamic acid (HCA) isolated from the roots of Curcuma longa inhibits T-cell activation without inducing cell death. Here, we demonstrated that oral administration of HCA in a mouse model of ear AD attenuates the following local and systemic AD manifestations: ear thickening, immune-cell infiltration, production of AD-promoting immunoregulatory cytokines in ear tissues, increased spleen and draining lymph node size and weight, increased pro-inflammatory cytokine production by draining lymph nodes, and elevated serum immunoglobulin production. HCA treatment of CD4⁺ T cells in vitro suppressed their proliferation and differentiation into Th1 or Th2 and their Th1 and Th2 cytokine production. HCA treatment of keratinocytes lowered their production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines that drive either Th1 or Th2 responses in AD. Thus, HCA may be of therapeutic potential for AD as it acts by suppressing keratinocyte activation and downregulating T-cell differentiation and cytokine production.     

Efficacy of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor olaparib against head and neck cancer cells: Predictions of drug sensitivity based on PAR–p53–NF-κB interactions

Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) is a key molecule in the DNA damage response (DDR), which is a major target of both chemotherapies and radiotherapies. PARP inhibitors therefore comprise a promising class of anticancer therapeutics. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of the PARP inhibitor olaparib, and also sought to identify the mechanism and predictive marker associated with olaparib sensitivity in head and neck cancer (HNC) cells. A total of 15 HNC cell lines, including AMC HNC cells, were tested. AMC-HN3 and HN4 exhibited stronger responses to olaparib. Among cisplatin-resistant cell lines, only AMC HN9-cisR cells were significantly suppressed by olaparib. We found that basal poly (ADP-ribose) (PAR) levels, but not PARP-1 levels, correlated with olaparib sensitivity. AMC-HN3 and HN4 cells exhibited higher basal levels of NF-κB that decreased significantly after olaparib treatment. In contrast, apoptotic proteins were intrinsically expressed in AMC-HN9-cisR cells. As interference with p53 expression led to NF-κB reactivation, we concluded that elevated basal PAR and NF-κB levels are predictive of olaparib responsiveness in HNC cells; in addition, olaparib inhibits HNC cells via PAR–p53–NF-κB interactions.     

Modelling the spatial distribution of wildlife animals using presence and absence data

This study was conducted to analyze the habitat preference of six major mammals for various environmental factors based on 100 random points within a mountain area in South Korea. In-situ presence and absence data for the mammals were surveyed and collected, and twelve explanatory variables related to topography, water, greenness, and anthropogenic influence were applied to create a habitat distribution model. The best combination of variables was determined using Moran’s I coefficients and Akaike criteria information, and applied to estimate the habitat preference for each species using GRASP v.3.0. The predictive map showed that wildlife animals in this study were mainly categorized into two groups: Group I (Korean squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris, mole, Talpa micrura and water deer, Hydropotes inermis), showed equal preference for all mountainous areas; Group II (weasel, Mustela sibirica, leopard cat, Felis bengalensis and raccoon dog, Nyctereutes procyonoides) showed different preferences in a mountain.     

Acute High-Dose and Chronic Lifetime Exposure to Alcohol Consumption and Differentiated Thyroid Cancer: T-CALOS Korea

Background

This study evaluated the effects of acute high-dose and chronic lifetime exposure to alcohol and exposure patterns on the development of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC).

Methods

The Thyroid Cancer Longitudinal Study (T-CALOS) included 2,258 DTC patients (449 men and 1,809 women) and 22,580 healthy participants (4,490 men and 18,090 women) who were individually matched by age, gender, and enrollment year. In-person interviews were conducted with a structured questionnaire to obtain epidemiologic data. Clinicopathologic features of the patients were obtained by chart reviews. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were estimated using conditional regression models.

Results

While light or moderate drinking behavior was related to a reduced risk of DTC, acute heavy alcohol consumption (151 g or more per event or on a single occasion) was associated with increased risks in men (OR = 2.22, 95%CI = 1.27–3.87) and women (OR = 3.61, 95%CI = 1.52–8.58) compared with never-drinkers. The consumption of alcohol for 31 or more years was a significant risk factor for DTC for both men (31–40 years: OR = 1.58, 95%CI = 1.10–2.28; 41+ years: OR = 3.46, 95%CI = 2.06–5.80) and women (31–40 years: OR = 2.18, 95%CI = 1.62–2.92; 41+ years: OR = 2.71, 95%CI = 1.36–5.05) compared with never-drinkers. The consumption of a large amount of alcohol on a single occasion was also a significant risk factor, even after restricting DTC outcomes to tumor size, lymph node metastasis, extrathyroidal extension and TNM stage.

Conclusion

The findings of this study suggest that the threshold effects of acute high-dose alcohol consumption and long-term alcohol consumption are linked to an increased risk of DTC.