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Winter wheat (Triticum aestivumL.) is characterized by a high tillering capacity and disadvantageous spatial structures, which may result in intraspecific competition. This study aimed to determine whether tiller productivity, radiation use efficiency (RUE), and grain yield of winter wheat could be manipulated through irrigation and precision planting patterns in North China. The experiment was conducted during winter seasons of 2011/2012, 2012/2013, and 2013/2014 at Tai'an, Shandong Province, China. The field experiment was based on a two‐factor split‐plot design with three replications under the same plant density (200 × 104ha−1). Three irrigation levels (0, 90, and 180 mm) were allocated to main plots, and three planting patterns namely single–single (SS), single–double (SD), and double–double (DD) were kept in subplots. Irrigation amount 0, 30, 60 mm of water were applied at GS34, GS48, and GS70, respectively. Results showed that photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) capture ratio of 0 mm was higher than that of the 90‐mm irrigation at 0 to 40 cm, but irrigation increased the total PAR capture ratio, leaf area index (LAI), RUE, and grain yield. The interaction of irrigation × planting pattern indicated that the grain yield of SD was high under 180‐mm irrigation and that of DD was high under 0‐ and 90‐mm irrigations. Leaf area index, PAR capture ratio, and RUE of DD were higher than those of SD under 90‐mm irrigation. The application of DD planting pattern combined with 90‐mm irrigation resulted in positive response to yield. Core IdeasDouble‐double row improved distribution of radiation, leaf area index, and stem number.Precision planting patterns increased radiation use efficiency and yield of wheat.The optimal precision planting pattern under abundant and scarce water in China. Double‐double row improved distribution of radiation, leaf area index, and stem number. Precision planting patterns increased radiation use efficiency and yield of wheat. The optimal precision planting pattern under abundant and scarce water in China.

Mullite fibres were synthesised from a mixture of aluminium, aluminium chloride and acidic silica solutions as monophasic salts using a sol–gel technique. The viscosity and rheological behaviour of the mullite precursor sol were examined. Mullite fibres were synthesised using both conventional and microwave sintering techniques. The samples were characterised by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Pure mullite fibres were synthesised by microwave sintering at a relatively low temperature of 1200°C. The grain size of the fibre samples sintered using the microwave technique was finer than that produced by conventional sintering. These results show that microwave sintering is a promising technique for processing mullite fibres.

This paper reports an approach to coat a ceramic layer on aluminium alloys by means of chemical reaction. The reaction product of Al2O3layer of 100 µm in thickness has been formed using a powder mixture of silicon oxide and aluminium by laser processing. It turns out that the large amount of heat from the exothermic reaction has a predominate effects on the formation of the oxide layer. Further, the negative free energy of the reaction may promote the metal/oxide wetting. The micro-hardness and wear tests proved that the oxide layer is hard and strong. A mullite intermediate layer between aluminium and oxide have been identified by TEM. The atomic structure and defects of the reaction layer have been imaged at high resolution electron microscope.

The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of planting patterns and irrigation on radiation use efficiency and yield of winter wheat (Triticum aestivumL.) in northern China from 2008 to 2009 and 2009 to 2010. A factorial experiment consisting of three planting patterns: 25 cm uniform row planting pattern (U), “20 + 40” wide‐narrow row planting pattern (wide row spacing [RS] of 40 cm and narrow RS of 20 cm, WN), and “20 + 40” furrow planting pattern (double lines in the furrow with 20 cm spacing, and 40 cm between furrows, ridge high 15 cm, F). Three irrigation treatments were 90, 135, and 180 mm. The leaf area index (LAI) of F planting was higher than that of U and WN under the same irrigation amount. The planting pattern of WN and F, especially the latter, significantly improved the photosynthetic active radiation capture ratio at 0 to 40 cm above the ground surface. Under the same irrigation amount, grain yields of F were significantly higher (P< 0.05) than those of U and WN planting patterns. With the increasing irrigation amount, grain yield of winter wheat was not significantly increased between 135 and 180 mm irrigation from 2009 to 2010 (P< 0.05). In conclusion, considering the water shortage, the F and 135 mm irrigation should be a good agronomic measure to increase grain yield.

The cGMP and the cAMP pathways control smooth muscle tone by regulation of BK(Ca) (BK) channel activity. BK channels show considerable diversity and plasticity in their regulation by cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinases. The underlying molecular mechanisms are unclear but may involve expression of splice variants of the BK channel alpha subunit. Three isoforms, BK(A), BK(B), and BK(C), which were cloned from tracheal smooth muscle, differed only in their C terminus. When expressed in HEK293 cells, cGMP kinase (cGK) but not cAMP kinase (cAK) stimulated the activity of BK(A) and BK(B) by shifting the voltage dependence of the channel to more negative potentials. In contrast, BK(C) was exclusively stimulated by cAK. BK(C) lacks a C-terminal tandem phosphorylation motif for protein kinase C (PKC) with Ser(1151) and Ser(1154). Mutation of this motif in BK(A) switched channel regulation from cGK to cAK. Furthermore, inhibition of PKC in excised patches from cells expressing BK(A) abolished the stimulatory effect of cGK but allowed channel stimulation by cAK. cAK and cGK phosphorylated the channel at different sites. Thus, phosphorylation/dephosphorylation by PKC determines whether the BK channel is stimulated by cGK or cAK. The molecular mechanisms may be relevant for smooth muscle relaxation by cAMP and cGMP.

Abstract Abstract To establish the applied anatomy of the V-shaped fibular osteomyocutaneous flap pedicled on the peroneal vessels, cadaver dissections were made in 60 lower limbs and 40 calcanei were examined to sum up the features of calcaneal biomechanics on the stability of the foot and the blood supply of the fibular osteomyocutaneous flap. There were four anastomoses and large communicating branches between the lower segment of the peroneal artery and the anterior and posterior tibial arteries. The flap was well supplied by a retrograde circulation through these anastomoses. A suitable length of pedicle was 20 cm. In the sagittal section of the calcaneus passing through the center of the articular surface for the cuboid bone, the arrangement of the trabeculae formed a triangular zone. The V-shaped flap corresponds nicely with the calculated lines of stress evoked by the weight of the body. The procedure may provide a new method for hindfoot reconstruction. This flap meets the criteria outlined for composite tissue reconstruction of defects of the extremities and biomechanics of the hindfoot, especially for calcaneal and cuboid defects.

RGS proteins are GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) for G protein alpha-subunits. This GAP activity is mediated by the interaction of conserved residues on regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins and Galpha-subunits. We mutated the important contact sites Glu-89, Asn-90, and Asn-130 in RGS16 to lysine, aspartate, and alanine, respectively. The interaction of RGS16 and its mutants with Galpha(t) and Galpha(i1) was studied. The GAP activities of RGS16N90D and RGS16N130A were strongly attenuated. RGS16E89K increased GTP hydrolysis of Galpha(i1) by a similar extent, but with an about 100-fold reduced affinity compared with non-mutated RGS16. As Glu-89 in RGS16 is interacting with Lys-210 in Galpha(i1), this lysine was changed to glutamate for compensation. Galpha(i1)K210E was insensitive to RGS16 but interacted with RGS16E89K. In rat uterine smooth muscle cells, wild type RGS16 abolished G(i)-mediated alpha(2)-adrenoreceptor signaling, whereas RGS16E89K was without effect. Both Galpha(i1) and Galpha(i1)K210E mimicked the effect of alpha(2)-adrenoreceptor stimulation. Galpha(i1)K210E was sensitive to RGS16E89K and 10-fold more potent than Galpha(i1). Analogous mutants of Galpha(q) (Galpha(q)K215E) and RGS4 (RGS4E87K) were created and studied in COS-7 cells. The activity of wild type Galpha(q) was counteracted by wild type RGS4 but not by RGS4E87K. The activity of Galpha(q)K215E was inhibited by RGS4E87K, whereas non-mutated RGS4 was ineffective. We conclude that mutation of a conserved lysine residue to glutamate in Galpha(i) and Galpha(q) family members renders these proteins insensitive to wild type RGS proteins. Nevertheless, they are sensitive to glutamate to lysine mutants of RGS proteins. Such mutant pairs will be helpful tools in analyzing Galpha-RGS specificities in living cells.

The wetting process of a liquid aluminium drop on a solid Al2O3 surface has been investigated. Two different models have been proposed: a hydrodynamic model based on the effect of viscosity as well as a diffusion model which considers diffusional effects. The prediction from the models was compared with experiments. It was found that the wetting process of a liquid aluminium drop on an Al2O3 surface can be represented by the diffusion model rather than by the hydrodynamic model. In contrast, the hydrodynamic model could be employed to describe the wetting process of a liquid polymer drop on a solid.

The regulation of Ca2+-activated K+ channels (KCa channels) by cGMP-dependent protein kinase (cGMP kinase) and its molecular mechanism were investigated in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) and tracheal smooth muscle cells. In CHO wild-type cells (CHO-WT cells) and in CHO cells stably transfected with cGMP kinase Ialpha (CHO-cGK cells), KCa channels with intermediate conductance (approximately 50 picosiemens) were identified. Due to the basal activity of cGMP kinase, Ca2+-activated K+ currents had a higher sensitivity toward the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration in CHO-cGK cells than in CHO-WT cells. Dialysis of the active fragment of cGMP kinase (300 n) into CHO-WT cells or of cGMP into CHO-cGK cells increased the Ca2+-activated K+ current, while the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (cAMP kinase) was without effect. In cell-attached patches obtained from freshly isolated bovine tracheal smooth muscle cells, the open state probability (NPo) of maxi-KCa channels (conductance of approximately 260 picosiemens) was enhanced by 300 microM 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-cGMP, a specific and potent activator of cGMP kinase. In contrast, 1 microM isoprenaline, 20 microM forskolin, and 3 mM 8-bromo-cAMP failed to enhance KCa channel activity. In excised inside-out patches, only the active fragment of cGMP kinase (but not that of cAMP kinase) increased NPo when applied to the cytosolic side of the patch. The enhancement of NPo by cGMP kinase was inhibited in CHO cells as well as in tracheal smooth muscle cells by the cGMP kinase inhibitor KT 5823 (1 microM) and the protein phosphatase (PP) inhibitors microcystin (5 microM) and okadaic acid (10 nM). The catalytic subunit of PP2A (but not that of PP1) mimicked the effect of cGMP kinase on NPo in excised inside-out patches. The results show that cGMP kinase regulates two different KCa channels in two unrelated cell types by the same indirect mechanism, which requires the activity of PP2A. The regulation of the KCa channel is specific for cGMP kinase and is not mimicked by cAMP kinase.

Thirty married couples evaluated the Reality female condom on questionnaires about its acceptability for 300 acts of coitus (10 per couple). An analysis of the summary questionnaires showed: 90% of couples considered the female condom an acceptable method and 87% felt it was a good contraceptive device; the majority of couples (87%) found it easy to use; and 80% of females and 73% of males reported that, in comparison with the male condom, the effect on sexual pleasure was either improved or no different. A little more than half of the couples (55%) preferred it to male condoms. To look at the learning curve effect, an additional analysis was completed by pooling the first 5 applications of each user and comparing the results with the pooled results of the second 5 uses. All the findings suggest that a certain proportion of couples of child-bearing age will choose the Reality female condom for contraception if it enters into the Chinese market. As a new contraceptive barrier device, the female condom may require a certain amount of education and awareness before it will be fully recognized as an important option to help prevent pregnancy as well as sexually transmitted infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]