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Cotton is an important cash crop widely planted in the northwest arid area of China where plastic films have long been coupled with drip irrigation in crop cultivation to keep soil moisture and raise crop yield. However, as plastic films are difficult to degrade, the so-called white pollution caused by film residuals left in the soils has become an ever severer issue in cotton fields in arid areas due to long time use of plastic films and ineffectiveness of the recycle measures. In contrast to plastic films, liquid mulch, an organic polymer, is environmental friendly because it degrades naturally. To find out the feasibility of replacing plastic films with liquid mulch in drip irrigated cotton fields and the appropriate dosage of liquid mulch for optimal plant physiological characteristics and in turn crop yield, a bucket experiment was conducted on drip irrigated cotton. A total of five treatments were set up including 3 treatments with liquid mulch at different dosages, 1900 kg/hm² (LFD1), 2200 kg/hm² (LFD2), and 2500 kg/hm² (LFD3), one treatment with common plastic film (PFD) and a bare soil control (CK) without liquid mulch or common plastic film. The influence of liquid mulch on the physiological characteristics (i.e., leaf net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance and intercellular CO2 concentration), water use efficiency (WUE), yield components (i.e., boll number per plant and single boll weight) and cotton yield was monitored and analyzed. The results showed that liquid mulch dosage had important influence on the physiological characteristics indexes, WUE and cotton yield. With increase in liquid mulch dosage, leaf net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, intercellular CO2 concentration and yield increased and became closer to those in PFD. The influence of liquid mulch on the physiological characteristics of drip irrigated cotton was more significant in the early and middle growth stages of cotton when physiological activities were active and became less significant with time in the late growth stage of cotton. Leaf net photosynthetic rate was significantly higher (P<0.05) in the 3 treatments with liquid mulch (i.e., LFD1, LFD2 and LFD3) than in CK at all the measuring times; liquid mulch at different dosages had different influences on leaf net photosynthetic rate in different cotton growth stages or at different measuring time periods of a same growth stage. Leaf net photosynthetic rate in LFD1, LFD2 and LFD3 measured at 14:00 of June 26 when cotton was in its bud stage with relatively vigorous physiological activities was 11.12%, 29.76% and 40.20% higher, respectively, than in CK but 24.96%, 12.38% and 5.33% lower, respectively, than in PFD; WUE, boll number per plant, single boll weight and yield in treatments with liquid mulch were significantly higher (P<0.05) than those in CK but these indexes were not significantly different (P>0.05) between the treatment with the highest dosage (2500 kg/hm²) of liquid mulch (LFD3) and PFD. Cotton yield in LFD1, LFD2 and LFD3 was 7.10%, 11.79% and 14.39% higher, respectively, than in CK. Liquid mulch at different dosages had important influences on the WUE and yield of drip irrigated cotton, and liquid mulch influenced cotton WUE and yield by continuously influencing its physiological characteristics. An appropriate amount of liquid mulch (not less than 2500 kg/hm2) coupled with drip irrigation had comparable water-saving and yield-increasing effects (relative to the bare soil control) to plastic film coupled with drip irrigation. Liquid mulch can replace plastic films in drip irrigated cotton fields without sacrificing crop yield. In addition, the natural degradability and pollution-free feature of liquid mulch provides a promising approach to address the white pollution issue in cotton fields of arid and semiarid areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The attractive physical and chemical properties of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have enabled their applications in many sectors such as medicine and sensing. Here, we report an ultra-stable AgNPs-based platform for real-time in vivo plasma biothiol sensing through a facile urinalysis. The platform is created by conjugating a renal-clearable organic dye, TAMRA, as a protecting surface layer on glutathione (GSH)-coated AgNPs. This AgNPs-based platform is stable in aqueous solution for at least 4 months; while upon interactions with biothiols like GSH, a 24-fold increase in fluorescence intensity and a 30 nm red shift in UV-Vis spectra can be achieved. After intravenous (i.v.) injection, the AgNPs-based platform can be activated by plasma biothiols. The successful fluorescent imaging of mouse bladder and the following UV-Vis analysis of urine samples at different time points post i.v. injection proved the AgNPs-based platform an efficient tool for plasma biothiol sensing through urinalysis. Taken together, this approach offers a practical pathway for diagnosis of biothiol-associated diseases in clinics, and the synergistic effects generate from the combination of dyes and AgNPs enable them for further in vivo monitoring and detection. [Display omitted] • Renal-clearable silver nanoparticles are designed for in vivo plasma biothiol sensing through a facile urinalysis. • The conjugation of rhodamine on silver nanoparticles greatly enhanced the stability of nanoparticles in vitro. • The biothiol sensing can be detected by an enhancement of fluorescence and a red shift in absorbance. • The probe is promising for clinical diagnosis of biothiol-associated diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the arid area after long-term drip irrigation, the accumulation of soil salinity in the crop root zone and its farming availability have attracted a lot of attentions and concerns from researchers, which was also an important factor to limit the agricultural production and affect the oasis ecological stability and the sustainable application of drip irrigation. In this paper, we try to reveal the trend of soil salinity evolution in the root zone with the long-term drip irrigation based on a four-year (2009-2012) sentinel surveillance in five typical farmlands of Xinjiang drip irrigation district (Paotai County, Shihezi City, Xinjiang) where the drip irrigation under mulch was applied. The drip irrigation under plastic film in these five cotton fields has been respectively started from 2008, 2006, 2004, 2002, and 1998. And the conditions of these five cotton fields including the soil texture, structure, irrigation and fertilizer regime, cotton variety and planting pattern were basically the same, except their drip irrigation history (2-5, 4-7, 6-9, 8-11 and 12-15 years). Since 2009, the drip irrigation has been carried out and continually run until 2012. Na+, Ca2+, K+, SO42-, Cl-, HCO3- and Mg2+ were the major ions in these fields, and changes of their contents in the root zone inside the film with years of drip irrigation were analyzed. The results indicated that the salt content of the root zone soil (0-60 cm) under the plastic film in the drip irrigation cotton fields decreased along with the increasing year of drip irrigation in Xinjiang arid oasis region under the current irrigation regime. The decrease of total salt content was notable for the 1st-4th years irrigation, while it became slowly during the 5th-7th years with an average salt content less than 5 g/kg in the root zone. The salt content became stable during the 8th-15th years of irrigation and the average salt and Cl- content were respectively less than 3 g/kg and 0.12 g/kg in the root zone. Relative to the uncultivated lands, the desalinization rate of total salts was more than 94%, and Na+ and Cl- contents in the root zone significantly decreased after many years of irrigation. Similar to the total salt content, the Cl- content tended to decrease exponentially as a whole. Na+ and Clwere the major decreasing ions after long-term drip irrigation as well as Ca2+, SO42- and Mg2+, while other ions (e.g. HCO3-) showed no obvious change with different irrigation histories. The duration of drip irrigation under plastic film had a significant effect on the survival rate and yield of cotton in arid regions, which were 7.1% and 1 279.2 kg/hm2 for 2-years drip irrigation, 60% and 5 250 kg/hm2 for 5-years irrigation, and >90% and 6 500 kg/hm2 for > -years irrigation, respectively. The survival rate could reach more than 80% after 6-years irrigation. Finally, it is found the local irrigation regime is the main reason inducing the decrease of salt content in the root zone, so it is favorable to maintain the existing irrigation regime for the long-term sustainable application of drip irrigation under plastic film. However, the irrigation should be properly reduced to save water during the late flowering, boll setting and boll opening stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large head loss of the disc filter has always been one of its main limiting factors, which may affect its working efficiency and service life. Disc flow channel structure is an important factor affecting the performance of the disc filter. In this context, to reduce the head loss of the disc filter while ensuring the filtration effect, a new type of disc filter with a discrete channel structure was designed. Its performance in terms of head loss, sediment retention, uniformity of sediment distribution, and particle-size distribution in the runner was compared with that of a traditional linear channel disc filter. The results showed that the head loss of the new disc filter under the condition of clear water was 33.5%–50% lower than that of the traditional disc filter. Moreover, in sandy water, the head loss was 18.85%–47.07% lower than that of the traditional disc filter. Compared with the traditional disc filter, the average sediment retention and sediment uniformity ημ of the disc filter with discrete channels were increased by 6.32% and 1.5–2.5 times, respectively, when the flow rate was 1.5 m3/h. Considering the head loss, sediment retention, uniformity of sediment distribution, and other indicators, the hydraulic performance of the disc filter with a discrete channel is better than that of a traditional disc filter, and the filtration performance is slightly improved. The research results can provide a reference for the design and structural optimization of disc filter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lily pollen causes many problems affecting humans' quality of life and health, such as clothing contamination and skin or nasal allergies. The manual removal of anthers is time-consuming and labour-intensive, and thus, not conducive to commercial production. It is of great importance to produce pollen-free lily varieties with beautiful shapes. In this study, we studied the morphological characteristics of flower organs and polyploids of six pollen-free filial generations of four lily species and their micropropagations. Lily '5-21' is male sterile and produces uncrackable anthers with inactive pollens under natural conditions. Lily '3-12' is unable to produce anthers, because the petals become stamens, thereby leading to infertility. Lilies '3-1', '5-4', '5-35' and '0-0.2' are unable to produce anthers, because they lack floral organs. Polyploids of six hybrid lilies were identified by flow cytometry and chromosome counting, and the results showed that lily '5-4' was triploid and the rest were diploid. Morphological observation indicated that flowering periods were from early July to early August and lasted for about 11 days. Six male sterile lilies had low seed setting rates when they were used as female parents. Most of the seeds were flaky with developed embryos. Therefore, asexual reproduction is optimal for these six male sterile lilies. The male sterility of six lilies was associated with their parents' pollen activity. Scales of '5-4' and '5-35' were used as explants for in vitro micropropagation. The findings of the present study lay a foundation for breeding of pollen-free lilies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Levels of phosphomonoester (PME), phosphodiester (PDE), ATP and pH in brain cells of chicken embryos rotated for 24 h in a clinostat during the period of hatching the 13th day (E13) and 15th day (E15) embryos were investigated by using31P-NMR spectroscopy. Significant increases in the values of PME, ATP and pH were identified after E13 rotating for 24 h. With the same treatment, differences were obtained in the phospholipid and energy metabolism of E15, but no significant levels have been reached. The calorimetric assay (malachite green method) was used for measuring the activity of total ATPase. A dramatic decrease was evident in the activity of ATPase in brain cells of rotated E13 and E15. The former is more sensitive than the latter. All the levels mentioned above could restore in 24 h after the rotation stopped, except that the level of ATP was still higher than the control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in embryonic chick cerebellar granule cells loaded with fluo-3/AM and exposed to a single pulsed electric field was investigated using a confocal laser scanning microscope and fluorescent microscope equipped with CCD video imaging system. The results showed that [Ca2+]i increased immediately and rose to the peak rapidly as the cells exposed to a single pulsed electric field. The amplitude and rate of the increases of [Ca2+]i depend on the intensity of external electric field. In the presence of Ca2+ chelant EGTA or Ca2+ channels blocker La3+ in the pulsation solutions, the increase of [Ca2+]i was still observable. It was also observed that [Ca2+]i of different intracellular areas in the cell elevated simultaneously while the peak of the increase of [Ca2+]i in the poles of the cell preceded to the peak in its somata and recovered to a plateau within a short time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Recommend citations from the perspective of cited paper instead of citing paper. • Design four forms of citation content for different citation motivations. • Design 132 methods for generating semantic representation of cited paper. • Find the most suitable form and method through quantitative comparisons. Citation recommendation can help researchers quickly find supplementary or alternative references in massive academic resources. Current research on citation recommendation mainly focuses on the citing papers, resulting in the enormous cited papers are ignored, including the relations among cited papers and their citation context cited in citing papers. Moreover, cited paper's content is often denoted with its original title and abstract, which is hard to acquire and rarely considers different citation motivations. Furthermore, the most appropriate method for semantic representation of cited papers' relations and content is uncertain. Therefore, this paper studies citation recommendation from the perspective of semantic representation of cited papers' relations and content. Firstly, four forms of citation context are designed and extracted as cited papers' content considering citation motivations, as well as co-citation relationships are extracted as cited papers' relations. Secondly, 132 methods are designed for generating semantic vector of cited paper, including four network embedding methods, 16 methods by combining four text representation algorithms with four forms of citation content, and 112 fusion methods. Finally, similarity among cited papers is calculated for citation recommendation and a quantitative evaluation method based on link prediction is designed, to find the most appropriate form of citation content and the optimal method. The result shows that doc2vecC (Document to Vector through Corruption) with the form of CS&SS (Current Sentences and Surrounding Sentences) performs best, in which the AUC (Area Under Curve) and MAP (Macro Average Precision) reach 0.877 and 0.889 and have increased by 0.462 and 0.370 compared with the worst-performing method. This performance is slightly improved by parameters adjustment, and a case study is performed whose results have further proved the effectiveness of this method. In addition, among four forms of cited papers' content, CS&SS performs best in almost all methods. Furthermore, the fusion methods not always perform better than the single methods, where doc2vecC (CS&SS) performs better than the best fusion method GCN (Graph Convolutional Network). These results not only prove the effectiveness of citation recommendation from the perspective of cited paper, but also provide helpful and useful suggestions for method selection and citation content selection. The data and conclusions can be extended to other text mining-related tasks. Simultaneously, it is a preliminary research which needs to be further studied in other domains using emerging semantic representation methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To further explore the effects of different soil textures on soil leaching and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) growth using a combined irrigation and drainage technique and provide a theoretical basis for the improvement of saline alkali land in Xinjiang, we used a test pit experiment to test soil moisture, salinity, soil pH, permeability, cotton agronomic characteristics, cotton yield and quality, and water use efficiency in three soil textures (clay, loam, sand soil) under the combined irrigation and drainage (T1) and conventional drip irrigation (T2). We measured the soil moisture content in different soil layers of clay, loam and sandy soil under the T1 and T2 treatments. Clay and loam had better water retention than sandy soil, and the soil moisture under the combined irrigation and drainage treatment was slightly higher than that under conventional drip irrigation. Under T1, the average salt content and pH value in the 0–60 cm soil layer of clay, loam and sandy soil decreased by 14.09%, 14.21% and 12.35%, and 5.02%, 5.85% and 3.27%, respectively, compared with T2. Therefore, T2 reduced the salt content and pH value of shallow soil. Under T1 and T2, the relative permeability coefficient (K/K0) values in different soil textures at different growth stages of cotton were ranked as follows: sandy soil > loam > clay. Under T1, the K/K0 values for different soil textures at different growth stages of cotton were >1; therefore, T1 improved soil permeability. The yield and water use efficiency of seed cotton under T1 and T2 in different soil textures were ranked as follows: loam > clay > sand, and there were significant differences between the different treatments. In loam, the cotton yield and water use efficiency of the combined irrigation and drainage treatment were 6.37% and 13.70% higher than those for conventional drip irrigation treatment, respectively. By combining irrigation and drainage to adjust the soil moisture, salt, pH value and soil permeability of different soil textures, the root growth environment of crops can effectively be improved, which is of great significance to improving the utilization efficiency of water and fertilizer and promoting the growth of cotton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jujube tree yields in dryland saline soils are restricted by water shortages and soil salinity. Converting traditional flood irrigation to drip irrigation would solve water deficit and salt stress. The root distribution reacts primarily to the availability of water and nutrients. However, there is little information about the response of jujube roots to the change from flood irrigation to drip irrigation. In this context, a two–year experiment was carried out to reveal the effects of the change from long–term flood irrigation to drip irrigation on soil water, root distribution, fruit yield, and water use efficiency (WUE) of jujube trees. In this study, drip irrigation amounts were designed with three levels, i.e., 880 mm (W1), 660 mm (W2), 440 mm (W3), and the flood irrigation of 1100 mm was designed as the control (CK). The results showed that replacing flood irrigation with drip irrigation significantly altered soil water distribution and increased soil moisture in the topsoil (0–40 cm). In the drip irrigation treatments with high levels, soil water storage in the 0–60 cm soil layer at the flowering and fruit setting, and fruit swelling stages of jujube trees increased significantly compared with the flood irrigation. After two consecutive years of drip irrigation, the treatments with higher irrigation levels increased root length density (RLD) in 0–60 cm soil depth but decreased that in the 60–100 cm depth. In the horizontal direction, higher irrigation levels increased RLD in the distance of 0–50 cm, while reducing RLD in the distance of 50–100 cm. However, the opposite conclusion was obtained in W3 treatment. Additionally, in the second year of drip irrigation, W2 treatment (660 mm) significantly improved yield and WUE, with an increasing of 7.6% for yield and 60.3% for WUE compared to the flood irrigation. In summary, converting flood irrigation to drip irrigation is useful in regulating root distribution and improving WUE, which would be a promising method in jujube cultivation in arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The wetting front was instable during the early phase of drip irrigation. • Preferential pathways existed even under drip irrigation conditions. • HYDRUS was validated and well-collaborated with the active region model. • Increasing emitter spacing elevated the fractal parameters. • Higher emitter discharge rates presented reduced wetting front variability. Drip irrigation has gained widespread adoption in arid regions globally to counteract the water scarcity, yet the non-uniformity of soil water flow under drip irrigation remains inadequately understood. This study presented an indoor infiltration experiment with two soil types (sandy loam and sandy), three emitter sapcing (10 cm, 20 cm, and 30 cm), and two discharge rates (3 L/h and 4 L/h). We analyzed wetting front image variability, using HYDRUS-2D to interpret fractal parameters in active region model during infiltration. Initially, the wetting front was unstable, with a preferential flow ratio dropping from 90 % to 20 % and a variation coefficient decreasing from approximately 2 to below 1 across both soil types. The preferential pathways were found forming in a finger shape ways. Fractal parameters peaked at 15–30 min in sandy loam and 5–10 min in sandy soils, reflecting this instability. HYDRUS-2D data confirmed the non-uniformity indicated by the active region model, showing reduced fractal parameters with wider emitter spacing in sandy soils and an increase with larger spacing in sandy loam. Moreover, the principal component analysis identified optimal irrigation parameters: a 20 cm spacing with a 4 L/h discharge for sandy loam and a 40 cm spacing with the same discharge for sandy soils. Our research confirmed the presence of soil preferential flow even under drip irrigation and developed a new evaluation framework to assess the effectiveness of various drip irrigation parameters, considering soil preferential flow. This research offers new insights into optimizing drip irrigation in arid regions, enhancing water management in these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To promote the efficient utilization of groundwater and improve nitrogen fertilizer effectiveness, a reasonable range of nitrogen application rates and irrigation water temperature was investigated. A field experiment was conducted in Xinjiang, China, in 2022 and 2023, involving four irrigation water temperature levels (T0: 15 °C, T1: 20 °C, T2: 25 °C, and T3: 30 °C) and three nitrogen application rates (F1: 250 kg ha−1, F2: 300 kg ha−1, and F3: 350 kg ha−1). The results indicated that soil nitrogen content, cotton dry matter weight, cotton nitrogen content, seed cotton yield, and nitrogen partial factor productivity (NPFP) increased with higher nitrogen application rates. However, as irrigation water temperature increased, soil nitrogen content decreased, whereas cotton dry matter weight, cotton nitrogen content, seed cotton yield, and NPFP initially increased before declining. Notably, the maximum yield and NPFP among all treatments were observed in T2F2 (25 °C, 300 kg ha−1), yielding 6652 kg ha–1 and 6941 kg ha–1, and in T2F1 (25 °C, 250 kg ha–1), with 24.20 kg kg–1 and 25.20 kg kg–1 in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Furthermore, the optimal range of irrigation water temperature of 23.82–27.41 °C and nitrogen application rate of 276.43–289.23 kg ha–1 were identified to achieve over 80 % of the highest seed cotton yield and NPFP using multiple regression and spatial analysis methods. This study offers valuable guidance for optimizing irrigation and fertilization strategies to enhance resource efficiency and promote sustainable cotton production in arid regions. [Display omitted] • Increasing nitrogen application fails to raise the proportion of reproductive organ. • Water-warming irrigation improves nitrogen utilization. • Appropriate water temperature and nitrogen application can obtain a higher yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1-Deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase (DXS) is the first key enzyme in the MEP responsible for monoterpene synthesis. To reveal its regulatory effect on floral scents of lily, LiDXS2 was cloned from Oriental Lily 'Sorbonne'; the protein location was determined using subcellular localisation; and the expression pattern in different flowering stages and tissues was probed by fluorescence quantitative PCR. The plant expression vector was constructed to transform Arabidopsis thaliana, and the transgenic plants were characterised. The results showed that the LiDXS2 ORF area was 2142 bp and encoded a total of 713 amino acids. Analysis of homologous sequences showed that it contains two highly conserved regions, WDVGHQ and IAEQHA, which were closely related to Ginkgo DXS2 protein and Periwinkle DXS protein. Subcellular localisation showed that the LiDXS2 gene of Lilium 'Sorbonne' was localised in chloroplasts. In different flowering stages, the expression patterns of LiDXS2 were basically the same as the TranScriptome sequencing results, and the overall trend was initially increasing and then decreasing. In different floral organ tissues, the expression level of LiDXS2 was significantly higher in petals than other tissues, and almost no expression was observed in anthers. In A. thaliana transformed by LiDXS2, the transgenic lines showed an increased plant height and early flowering phenotype, and the expression of volatile synthesis genes for key structures downstream of DXS in the MEP pathway was upregulated compared with controls. Collectively, these results suggest that LiDXS2 may play an important role in regulating Lilium 'Sorbonne' monoterpene synthesis and its floral flavour release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes of sodium ionic concentration of human erythrocytes applied to pulsed electrical field (PEF) were studied by using shift reagent and NMR spectroscopy. The results show that the concentration of intraceUular Na+ increases with the increasing intensity of PEF when the erythrocytes are applied to PEF with higher intensities. The relationship between intracellular Na+ concentrations and the intensities of PEF does not follow linear or exponential behavior. As the intensities increase, the intracellular Na+ concentrations increase even faster by an exponential curve. However under effects of PEF at lower intensities, intracellular Na+ concentration decreases. Ouabain can inhibit the decrease of intracellular Na+ concentration, and the inhibition increases with the increasing concentration of ouabain, suggesting that Na+, K+-ATPase on cell membrane can be activated by PEF at lower intensities. Direct measurement of activities of the enzyme by using Malachite green method has confirmed this observation. Cell permeabilities to ions, activation of enzymes by electrical fields and transmission of physical signals like PEF across cell membranes are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerated irrigation (AI) has emerged as a method to mitigate rhizosphere hypoxia caused by wetting front with sub-surface drip irrigation (SDI). Increasing oxygen in processing tomato's root zone is beneficial to the improvement of the rhizosphere gas environment, crop growth, yield and quality. The relationship between aerated irrigation and irrigation quantity is not clear. A total of eight treatments, including four irrigation levels (4950 m3 hm−2 (W1), 4750 m3 hm−2 (W2), 4500 m3 hm−2 (W3), 4050 m3 hm−2 (W4)) in combination with aerated irrigation (A2) and non-aerated irrigation (A1) were used to investigate the effects of aerated irrigation on the physiological characteristics and yield of processing tomatoes under mulched drip irrigation in Xinjiang, China. The effects of aerated irrigation on plant height, stem diameter, leaf area index and dry matter, photosynthesis, fluorescence, fruit quality and yield of processing tomatoes were studied. The results showed that plant height, stem diameter, biomass accumulation and leaf area index of processing tomatoes under aerated irrigation were increased by 10.2%, 7.3%, 12.5% and 6.2% under the W1, W2, W3 and W4 conditions (p < 0.05), respectively, compared with non-aerated irrigation. Yield and the content of Vitamin C and soluble solids under aerated irrigation was 9.71%, 5.59% and 5.68% (p < 0.05) higher than that under conventional irrigation, respectively, and the sugar-acid under aerated irrigation decreased by 0.5%. Through principal component analysis, W2A2 treatment had a higher score according to the yield index (per fruit weight, fruit number per plant) and quality index (Vitamin C, soluble solids, sugar-acid ratio) than the other treatments. The results show that aerated irrigation is feasible under the existing mulched drip irrigation in Xinjiang and, in this experiment, W2A2 treatment was the most suitable planting mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytophthora capsici causes a severe soil-borne disease in a wide variety of vegetables; to date, no effective strategies to control P. capsici have been developed. Liquiritin (LQ) is a natural flavonoid found in licorice (Glycyrrhiza spp.) root, and it is used in pharmaceuticals. However, the antifungal activity of LQ against P. capsici remains unknown. In the present study, we demonstrated that LQ inhibits P. capsici mycelial growth and sporangial development. In addition, the EC 50 of LQ was 658.4 mg/L and LQ caused P. capsici sporangia to shrink and collapse. Next, LQ severely damaged the cell membrane integrity, leading to a 2.0–2.5-fold increase in relative electrical conductivity and malondialdehyde concentration, and a 65–70% decrease in sugar content. Additionally, the H 2 O 2 content was increased about 2.0–2.5 fold, but the total antioxidant activity, catalase activity and laccase activity were attenuated by 40–45%, 30–35% and 70–75%. LQ also induced autophagy, apoptosis, and reduction of intracellular Ca2+ content. Furthermore, LQ inhibited P. capsici pathogenicity by reducing the expression of virulence genes PcCRN4 and Pc76RTF , and stimulating the plant defense (including the activated transcriptional expression of defense-related genes CaPR1 , CaDEF1 , and CaSAR82 , and the increased antioxidant enzyme activity). Our results not only elucidate the antifungal mechanism of LQ but also suggest a promising alternative to commercial fungicides or a key compound in the development of new fungicides for the control of the Phytophthora disease. • Liquiritin inhibited mycelial growth, sporangial development, and pathogenicity. • Mycelial growth was inhibited through autophagy, apoptosis, and membrane damage. • Liquiritin lowered intracellular Ca2+ and sugar content in P. capsici. • Liquiritin inhibited P. capsici pathogenicity and induced the plant defense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd), which seriously affects plant growth and crop production, is harmful to humans. Previous studies revealed ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) exhibits Cd tolerance, and may be useful as a potential hyperaccumulator because of its wide distribution. In this study, the physiological and transcriptional responses of two ryegrass cultivars [i.e., high (LmHC) and low (LmLC) Cd tolerance] to Cd stress were investigated and compared. The Cd tolerance of LmHC was greater than that of LmLC at various Cd concentrations. The uptake of Evans blue dye revealed that Cd-induced root cell mortality was higher in LmLC than in LmHC after a 12-h Cd treatment. Furthermore, the content and influx rate of Cd in LmLC roots were greater than in LmHC roots under Cd stress conditions. The RNA sequencing and quantitative real-time PCR data indicated that the Cd transport regulatory genes (ABCG37 , ABCB4 , NRAMP4 , and HMA5) were differentially expressed between the LmLC and LmHC roots. This expression-level diversity may contribute to the differences in the Cd accumulation and translocation between LmLC and LmHC. These findings may help clarify the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying ryegrass responses to Cd toxicity. Additionally, ryegrass may be able to hyperaccumulate toxic heavy metals during the phytoremediation of contaminated soil. Image 1 • The Cd tolerance of LmHC was stronger than LmLC. • The influx rate and accumulation of Cd in the LmLC roots were greater than LmHC. • Up-regulated expression of ABCG37 , ABCB4 , and ABCB2 1 might improve Cd uptake. • LmLC is a potential hyperaccumulator for bioremediation of soil contaminated with Cd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In arid areas, biodegradable film has recently had the potential to replace polyethylene (PE) film to address plastic pollution. However, the positive effect of biodegradable film on soil moisture and salt control is weaker than that of PE film. Magnetized irrigation water technology is expected to compensate for this limitation. This study comprised a field experiment in 2021 2023 to study how two types of biodegradable film (M1, black; M2, transparent) and six magnetization intensity on irrigation water (T0, 0 Gs; T1, 1000 Gs; T2, 2000 Gs; T3, 3000 Gs; T4, 4000 Gs; T5, 5000 Gs) affect the degradation rate of biodegradable film, soil water salt distribution, growth, and quality of processing tomatoes. The traditional PE film mulching and non-magnetized irrigation were used as the control group (M PE T0). The results demonstrated that magnetized water irrigation slowed down the degradation rate of biodegradable film. In addition, the magnetized irrigation water can redistributed the soil water-salt patterns under the biodegradable film, improving the soil water content and salt leaching efficiency, with better results in M1 than in M2. Moreover, magnetized water irrigation promoted the growth of tomato leaf area under the biodegradable film, enhancing photochemical efficiency and potential activity of PSII, thereby improving fruit yield, quality, and water use efficiency of tomato. Principal component analysis showed that the comprehensive score of M1T3 treatment was the highest throughout the three years. Furthermore, M1T3 treatment has the highest processing tomato economic benefits during 2021–2023 (2463 4986 CNY hm 2 more than M PE T0). Therefore, the use of 3000 Gs magnetized irrigation water combined with black biodegradable film is conducive to improving soil water and salt conditions, reducing residual film pollution, and improving the yield and quality of processing tomatoes, thus ensuring the sustainable development of oasis agriculture. [Display omitted] • Magnetized irrigation water has a positive effect on improving soil water and salt. • Magnetized irrigation water promotes physiological growth in processing tomatoes. • Magnetized irrigation water compensated for the yield loss of the biodegradable film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Propagation of cuttings is the primary method of rose multiplication. Aux/IAA, early response genes to auxin, play an important role in regulating the process of adventitious root formation in plants. However, systematic research on the identification of RhAux/IAA genes and their role in adventitious root formation in roses is lacking. In this study, 34 RhAux/IAA genes were identified by screening the rose genome, distributed on seven chromosomes, and classified into three clades based on the evolutionary tree. An analysis of the cis-acting elements in the promoters of RhAux/IAA genes revealed the presence of numerous elements related to plant hormones, the light signal response, the growth and development of plants, and abiotic stress. RNA-seq analysis identified a key RhIAA25 gene that may play an important role in the generation of adventitious roots in roses. Subcellular localization, yeast self-activation, and tissue-specific expression experiments indicated that RhIAA25 encoded a nuclear protein, had no yeast self-activated activity, and was highly expressed in the stem. The overexpression of RhIAA25 promoted the elongation of the primary root in Arabidopsis but inhibited adventitious root formation. This study systematically identified and analyzed the RhAux/IAA gene family and identified a key gene, RhIAA25, that regulates adventitious root generation in roses. This study offers a valuable genetic resource for investigating the regulatory mechanism of adventitious root formation in roses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainable development and utilization of saline-alkali land are closely related to holding fast the minimum cultivated land area of China. The change of soil salt in cotton field under long-term mulched drip irrigation (MDI) is connected with the development of the national cotton industry. From 2015 to 2019, five cotton fields with different applying years of MDI, which were reclaimed in 2004, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2015 respectively and were saline-alkali wasteland before, were monitored continuously in the Manas River irrigation area of Xinjiang. By means of continuous location monitoring and spatial–temporal variability (For example, the monitoring data of cotton fields under MDI in 2004, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2015, and in the year of 2015 were counted as 12, 8, 6, 4 and 1 years, respectively), the spatial–temporal variations of soil salt and ions in cotton field with 1-16a MDI technology were presented. The cotton growth characteristics and its main influencing factors were also analyzed in the study. The results showed that saline-alkali cotton field experienced changed from intensive saline soil to moderate saline soil and finally to non-saline soil under long-term MDI. The change of soil salt and the response of cotton growth to soil salt were divided into three typical stages. Firstly, soil desalinated rapidly in 1-4a MDI cotton field, which the annual average desalination rate was 24.93% in 0–100 cm soil layer (root zone). Additionally, the survival rate of cotton rocketed from 1.48% to 42.04%, and yield increased sharply from 72.43 kg ha−1 to 3075.90 kg ha−1. Soil desalination was lower in 5-11a MDI cotton field, which the annual average desalination rate was 10.92% at the root zone. The annual survival rate and yield of cotton increased by 6.26% and 5.18%, respectively. After 12a MDI, the soil salt in cotton field tended to be generally constant, which the average salt content in root zone was less than 2.49 g kg−1. The survival rate of cotton was stable above 90.39%, and the yield per unit area exceeded 5401.32 kg ha−1. Ions, sodium absorption ratio and Cl− and SO42− equivalent ratio (CSER) in cotton soil also decreased with the extension of MDI. Salt composition changed year by year, but the type of intensive saline soil had always been chloride-sulphate solonchak (0.2 < CSER < 1). In practice, with a higher irrigation quota and ideal irrigation water quality, the soil salt environment of saline-alkali soil MDI cotton field had developed in favor of cotton growth in an oasis irrigation area. However, this management practice caused between 124.21–143.61 mm of water resources waste. Therefore, we should further enhanced the consciousness of water-saving and implemented quota management in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gastric cancer, as a multifactorial disorders, shows cytological and architectural heterogeneity compared to other gastrointestinal cancers, making it therapeutically challenging. Cisplatin is generally used in clinic for gastric cancer treatment but with toxic side effects and develops resistance. Anti-tumor properties of copper and its coordinated compounds have been explored intensively in recent years. Methods: In this study, we synthesized a novel Schiff base copper coordinated compound (SBCCC) and examined its antitumor effects in two gastric cancer cell lines SGC-7901 and BGC-823 as well as a mouse model of gastric cancer. Results: The results show that SBCCC can significantly inhibit the proliferation of gastric cancer cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The IC50 of SBCCC in SGC-7901 and BGC-823 cells is 1 μM, which is much less than cisplatin's IC50. SBCCC induces apoptosis and causes cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase. SBCCC induces apoptosis via multiple pathways including inhibition of NF-κB, ROS production and autophagy. Conclusions: The synthesized SBCCC induced cancer cell death via inhibition of NF-κB, ROS production and autophagy. The multiple cell-killing mechanisms were important to overcome therapeutic failure because of multidrug-resistance of cancer cells. SBCCC, with a lower IC50 compared to cisplatin, could render it the potential to overcome the side-effect for clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature is one of the most important environmental factors affecting flowering in plants. Adonis amurensis, a perennial herbaceous flower that blooms in early spring in northeast China where the temperature can drop to −15 °C, is an ideal model for studying the molecular mechanisms of flowering at extremely low temperatures. This study first investigated global gene expression profiles at different developmental stages of flowering in A. amurensis by RNA-seq transcriptome and iTRAQ proteomics. Finally, 123 transcription factors (TFs) were detected in both the transcriptome and the proteome. Of these, 66 TFs belonging to 14 families may play a key role in multiple signaling pathways of flowering in A. amurensis. The TFs FAR1, PHD, and B3 may be involved in responses to light and temperature, while SCL, SWI/SNF, ARF, and ERF may be involved in the regulation of hormone balance. SPL may regulate the age pathway. Some members of the TCP, ZFP, MYB, WRKY, and bHLH families may be involved in the transcriptional regulation of flowering genes. The MADS-box TFs are the key regulators of flowering in A. amurensis. Our results provide a direction for understanding the molecular mechanisms of flowering in A. amurensis at low temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advancements in mulching drip irrigation for cotton cultivation have led to changes in plastic film width in Xinjiang, China. Concurrently, the application of brackish water for irrigation is increasingly becoming a common practice in areas where freshwater resources are limited. The effects of varying film widths and the salinity levels of irrigation water on soil hydrothermal properties, cotton growth, and yield are comprehensively investigated. A field experiment was carried out over two years (2021−2022) in Xinjiang, China. It involved testing three film widths (F1: ultra-wide film, 4.45 m; F2: wide film; 2.05 m, F3: narrow film; 1.45 m) and three levels of irrigation salinity (S1: 1 g L−1, S2: 3 g L−1, S3: 5 g L−1). Wider film widths significantly increased soil water storage (SWS) and accumulated active temperature (SAT). Compared to F3, the SAT for F1 increased by 14.6−15.7 % in 2021 and by 14.1−15.8 % in 2022, respectively. Furthermore, increasing film width was found to promote cotton growth, enhance the photosynthetic capacity, and increase cotton yield by 19.2−24.1 % in 2021 and by 17.4−23.3 % in 2022, respectively. Importantly, irrigation water with a salinity level of 3 g L−1 had no adverse effect on cotton growth and development. However, an irrigation water salinity of 5 g L−1 significantly reduced cotton yield. The highest seed cotton yield and water use efficiency were observed under the S2F1 treatment, recording 5876 kg ha−1 and 11.55 kg ha−1 mm−1 in 2021, and 5905 kg ha−1 and 11.58 kg ha−1 mm−1 in 2022, respectively. Additionally, a structural equation model was developed to explore the interrelationships between the soil hydrothermal environment, cotton growth, photosynthetic capacity, and seed cotton yield. The findings highlight the benefits of using ultra-wide film (4.45 m) in conjunction with irrigation water having a salinity level of up to 3 g L−1. This combination significantly improves cotton yield and water use efficiency, showcasing a promising approach for sustainable cotton cultivation in semi-arid regions. • Ultra-wide film mulching improves soil hydrothermal conditions. • Irrigation water with a salinity < 3 g L–1 does not adversely affect cotton growth. • Using ultra-wide film and saline water of 3 g L–1 increases cotton yield and WUE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Surgical techniques and the prognosis of posterior pelvic exenteration for locally advanced primary rectal cancer in female patients pose challenges that need to be addressed. Therefore, we investigated the short-term and survival outcomes of posterior pelvic exenteration in female patients using a novel Peking classification. Methods: We retrospectively analysed a prospective database from China PelvEx Collaborative across three tertiary referral centres. A total of 172 patients who underwent combined resection for locally advanced primary rectal cancer were classified based on four subtypes (PPE-I [64/172], PPE-II [68/172], PPE-III [21/172], and PPE-IV [19/172]) according to the Peking classification; perioperative characteristics and short-term and oncological outcomes were analysed. Results: Differences were significant among the four groups regarding colorectal reconstruction (p < 0.001), perineal reconstruction (p < 0.001), in-hospital complications (p < 0.05), and urinary retention (p < 0.05). The R0 resection rates for PPE-I, PPE-II, PPE-III, and PPE-IV were 90.6%, 89.7%, 90.5%, and 89.5%, respectively. The 5-year overall survival rates of the PPE-I, PPE-II, PPE-III, and PPE-IV groups were 73.4%, 68.8%, 54.7%, and 37.3%, respectively. Correspondingly, their 5-year disease-free survival rates were 76.0%, 62.5%, 57.7%, and 43.1%, respectively. Notably, the PPE-IV group demonstrated the lowest 5-year overall survival rate (p < 0.001) and 5-year disease-free survival rate (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The Peking classification can aid in determining suitable surgical techniques and conducting prognostic assessments in female patients with locally advanced primary rectal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residual plastic pollution in terrestrial soils has emerged as a globally significant environmental challenge on a global scale, particularly in agricultural systems. Within extensive areas of plastic film-covered agriculture, the presence of residual macro-plastic debris (> 0.5 cm) has resulted in immeasurable losses to soil quality and crop production. To date, there is a lack of research investigating the potential impact of plastic mulching film residues on soil properties, crop yield, and the quality of cotton fiber. In this study, a field experiment was conducted for the first time to assess the effects of different amounts of residual plastic film (RPF) on soil hydrothermal characteristics, cotton growth, and fiber quality in drip-irrigated cotton fields. The experiment encompassed six amounts: RPF 0 (0 kg ha−1), RPF 5 (146.18 kg ha−1), RPF 10 (228.03 kg ha−1), RPF 15 (309.88 kg ha−1), RPF 20 (391.73 kg ha−1), and RPF 25 (473.58 kg ha−1). The trial spanned the period from 2020 to 2021. The elevation in the amount of RPF had a positive impact on irrigation water storage in the soil and resulted in decreased water consumption by cotton plants. Concurrently, it led to an increase in the average soil temperature and the accumulated active temperature in the 0–25 cm soil layer. However, there was a notable rise in the interannual levels of nitrate nitrogen in the soil with the augmentation of RPF. In addition, the abundance of macro-plastic debris in the soil correspondingly suppressed cotton fiber quality. To ascertain the effect of plastic film residue on soil properties, cotton economic benefits, and fiber quality, a structural equation model was developed. It is imperative to promptly adopt environmentally friendly agricultural mulch materials in order to minimize the input of macro-plastic debris and enhance the recycling of native soil plastic film residues. • Macro-plastic debris reduces the efficiency of irrigation water use in cotton. • High abundance of residual plastic film increases the risk of soil nitrate-N leaching. • Plastic film residue significantly limits the cotton field's economic benefits. • Cotton fiber quality can be weakened by soil residual macro-plastic debris. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circle detection in images is one of the key technologies in machine vision, pattern recognition, and artificial intelligence. However, conventional circle detection methods are sensitive to complex scenes, noise, and occlusion in images. Solving the impact of these situations is still the focus of circle detection algorithm research. Therefore, a circle detection algorithm based on neighborhood density clustering (NDC) is proposed. The proposed algorithm calculates circle parameters of connected regions after extracting corners, corroding the corners, and marking the connected regions. Then, NDC of the circle parameters is executed to classify arcs belonging to the same circle into one category to acquire a virtual connected region. And the circle parameters of the virtual connected region are clustered using NDC again to obtain the circle parameter dataset of the circle to be detected. The precise circle parameters are further estimated by calculating the centroid of each category. To prevent false positives, candidate circles are verified through a ratio rule. Extensive experiments using both synthetic and real images were performed. The results compared with those of representative state-of-the-art methods demonstrate that the proposed algorithm can be applied to a variety of complex scenes and has several advantages: good anti-occlusion effect, more robustness against noise, high accuracy, and better performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The massive application of agrochemicals and associated environmental residues greatly threaten human health. Cardiac dysfunction, as a major contributing factor to human mortality, is increasingly reported in health risk assessments to be associated with agrochemical exposure. In this mini-review, we summarize the cardiotoxicity of various agrochemicals including herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and acaricides on zebrafish embryos/larvae and systematically discuss the role of cardiac development-related pathway disorders, imbalance in Ca2+ homeostasis, mitochondrial dysfunction, and general negative effects such as oxidative stress and apoptosis. Moreover, the crosstalk identified in combined analysis of predisposing factors of cardiac dysfunction not only explains the coexistence of multiple negative effects after agrochemical exposure, but also helps researchers identify key factors in predisposing cardiotoxicity as well as provides a theoretical basis for the diagnosis and treatment of certain congenital cardiac diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, an oxidation‐controlled SnS2 gas sensor is reported. Different oxidation levels of SnS2 are constructed by adjusting the dosage ratio of reagents. The sensing response of oxidized SnS2 to NH3 is studied, and the working mechanism is explored. Results demonstrate that the different oxidation levels of SnS2 exhibit significantly improved gas‐sensing properties. In particular, oxidation‐controlled SnS2 (SnS2‐2 sample) shows a high response to NH3 (92 000%) with a fast response recovery time (17/2 s). The novelty of this work lies in the simple synthesis of SnS2 with oxidation regulation and its application as a high‐sensitivity NH3 gas sensor at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vacuum carbothermic reduction of ilmenite concentrate was analyzed using SEM, EDS, and XRD, in combination with analysis of the Fe metallization rate. Results show that increasing the reduction temperature favors ilmenite reduction. At a reduction temperature of 1400°C, the Fe metallization rate reaches up to 97.15%. Increasing the reduction temperature is conducive to the reduction of Fe and Ti from a high to low state of matter. The microstructure of the reduced sample is divided into gray, graywhite, and white contrasts. The gray-white contrast comprises metallic Fe that contains small amounts of Si. An increase in reduction temperature enhances the generation, gathering, and growth of the graywhite contrast. Fe is the predominant component in the gray contrast, while Ti, O, and Mg are distributed throughout the gray contrast, which is a Ti-rich material phase. Fe is restored to the metallic Fe state. Small amounts of reduced Si and Fe combine to form a ferrosilicon alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]