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In order to establish a rapid and reliable evaluation system for low-potassium (K) tolerance in cotton, the combination of decision evaluation model AHP and membership function method was used to evaluate the 384 cotton germplasm resources at the cotyledonary stage. The results showed that, under K deficiency (0.03 mmol L--1), the coefficient of variation of the relative area of K deficiency spots on cotyledons was the largest (96.24%), the coefficient of variation of plant dry weight was the smallest (14.73%). This trait of angle between cotyledons and hypocotyls, root length, root surface area, root volume, K+ concentration, and K+ accumulation ranged from 15.72% to 31.52%. The angle between cotyledons and hypocotyl was significantly negatively correlated with the relative area of K deficiency spots. The characteristics of root morphology were positively correlated with plant dry weight and K+ accumulation. According to the evaluation of AHP-membership function method, the comprehensive evaluation C-value of 384 cotton germplasms varied from 0.25 to 0.79. Among which Wujiyizhihua (C-value = 0.7868) had the strongest resistance to low K, and Brazil 014 (C-value = 0.2451) had the lowest resistance to low K. The results of systematic clustering showed that the proportions of highly (C-value > 0.74) and moderately (0.33 < C-value < 0.69) low-K tolerant germplasms were 1.30% and 95.31%, respectively; and the proportion of low-potassium-sensitive (C-value < 0.33) germplasms was 3.39%. The correlation between seed K+ concentration and low K tolerance of cotton at cotyledonary stage was not significant difference. In this study, the screening system of low-potassium tolerant germplasm resources of cotton was improved, the cotyledonary stage potassium tolerance of 384 test germplasms was identified, and 5 germplasms with strong potassium tolerance (Wujiyizhihua, Brown 1-61, Black Mountain Cotton 1, Qinli 514, Soviet Cotton 78) were screened, which provided the theoretical and application value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single Side Band (SSB) direct detection system is considered as an attractive solution for 80 km Data Center Interconnects (DCI), due to its characteristics of low-cost, simple system architecture, and high robustness to chromatic dispersion. However, Signal to Signal Beating Interference (SSBI) is the major problem in SSB direct detection system. In order to address the SSBI in the SSB direct detection systems, the SSB modulation realized by IQ modulator and Dual Drive Mach Zehnder Modulator (DDMZM) is investigated. A SSB signal reconstruction algorithm based on time domain iteration and an SSBI-free direct detection scheme based on DDMZM are proposed respectively for these two SSB direct detection systems. The implementation principle and simulation or experimental setup are introduced in detail. According to the simulation and experimental results, the effectiveness and feasibility of the two schemes in SSBI elimination are discussed.

Maize yield is strong linked to grain filling characteristics, which one important strategy to be improved for achieving high yield of maize. This study was conducted to clarity the effects of coronatine (COR) on grain filling characteristics, starch content, activities of starch biosynthetic enzymes and their gene expression in maize kernels. The two-year field experiments showed that COR had a significant concentration effect on ear traits and yield of maize. The appropriate COR concentration of 1.0 mg L-1 could significantly reduce the length of bald tip of ear and increase the number of grains per ear and 1000-grain weight, which increased the maize yield. Meanwhile, high concentration of COR with 10 mg L-1 (COR 10) increased grain filling rate, but shortened the duration of grain filling, which led to reducing grain weight. However, COR 1.0 treatment increased grain filling rate, prolonged the duration of grain filling and increased grain weight. In addition, COR 1.0 significantly regulated the activities of AGPase, SSS, GBSS, and SBE during grain filling, and increased the expression levels of starch synthetic genes ZmSH1, ZmSH2, ZmWX1, and ZmAE1, which increased amylopectin, amylose and total starch contents. In conclusion, COR can regulate grain morphogenesis and dry matter accumulation in maize, providing a new technical method for maize production and efficient cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plant growth regulator mepiquat chloride (1,1-dimethyl piperidinium chloride, DPC) has been successfully and worldwide used in cotton production. Fortified mepiquat chloride is a type of aqueous formulation containing 25% DPC (referred to DPC+ hereafter), which can slightly damage young tissues of epidermis. DPC+ has shown potential in cotton chemical topping in China, and may replace the conventional manual topping in future. In order to investigate the mechanism of cotton chemical topping with DPC+, this field study was conducted in 2015. DPC+ (1125 mL ha-1) was applied after peak blooming stage on 24 July, with water as a control (CK). DPC+ application significantly decreased plant height and reduced the nodes above the last white flower (NAWF) as compared with CK. After three days of DPC+ treatment, cotton shoot apical meristem (SAM) became flatter than CK, and the ratio of height/length of SAM was significantly less than that of CK. With respect to redox status at shoot apex, O2- production rate, H2O2 generation and MDA content were significantly increased at six hours after DPC+ application. In addition, the expression of GhSPL3 (a SPL transcription factor, which might play an important role in bud differentiation, the transition of growth phase and flower formation), GhV1 (a B3-domain containing transcription factor, which potentially involved in floral initiation), and GhREV3 (a class III homeodomain-leucine zipper transcription factors, which has key roles in meristem and organ development) were down-regulated by DPC+ also at six hours after application. In conclusion, DPC+ application during later flowering period can implement cotton chemical topping by inducing short-time oxidative stress at cotton apex, down-regulating genes involved in SAM development, flower bud differentiation, and reducing cotton shoot growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plate counting method widely used at present to discern viable from non-viable Brucella in the host or cell is time-consuming and laborious. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a rapid, simple method for detecting and counting viable Brucella organisms.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this work is to prepare a controlled-release formulation of uniconazole using porous hollow silica nanoparticles (PHSNs) as carrier, and to investigate the biological effects on rice growth. RESULTS: PHSNs with a shell thickness of ∼15 nm and a particle size of 80-100 nm were synthesised through a sol-gel route using nanosized calcium carbonate particles as templates. Simple immersing (SI) and supercritical fluid drug loading (SFDL) technologies were employed to load uniconazole into PHSNs with loading efficiencies of ∼22 and ∼26% respectively. The prepared uniconazole-loaded PHSNs (UCZ-PHSNs) by SI and SFDL both demonstrated sustained release properties, and the latter showed better controlled release ability with a slower release rate. Compared with free uniconazole, UCZ-PHSNs exhibited a weaker growth retardation effect in the early stage but more significant retardation ability in later stages for agar-cultured rice seedlings. For the rice that grew in clay, UCZ-PHSNs demonstrated a weaker plant height retardation effect than free uniconazole at the early jointing stage by foliar spraying, but exhibited a stronger retardation capacity than free uniconazole by being applied into soil before seedling transplantation. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that the prepared UCZ-PHSNs possessed good controlled-release properties and had improved retardation effects on rice growth. It is recommended that UCZ-PHSNs be applied into soil before seedling transplantation rather than administered by foliar spraying at the early jointing stage. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: For the purpose of dissecting the mechanism of root growth in response to potassium (K) deficiency in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), young seedlings of NuCOTN99B grown in half-strength modified Hoagland''s solution with low K nutrient (0.05 mmol L−1) were investigated for the root configuration, content of endogenous free indole acetic acid (IAA), and amount of ethylene released from the roots 4 d after treatment. Compared with the treatment with moderate K nutrient (0.50 mmol L−1, control), the K deficient treatment significantly inhibited root length and the formation of lateral roots. The reduced lateral roots mainly resulted from the shortened branched root zone, and there was no change in the lateral root density. Under K deficient condition, the greatest reductions for root length, total root surface area, and root volume occurred in fine roots (0.05 mm ≤ diameter < 0.20 mm), followed by the coarse roots (diameter [.tau] 0.45 mm) and the middle roots (0.25 mm ≤ diameter < 0.45 mm). The fine roots were more important in nutrient uptake than the middle and the coarse roots. Thus, the K starving damage was greater in cotton seedlings than the growth inhibition of roots. When the cotton seedlings exposed to K deficient media for 4 d and 10 d, the total root length and the total root surface area were 35.7–38.0% and 47.7–50.6% of the values of the control plants; whereas the K accumulation was approximately 25% and 16% to the control values, respectively. As expected, the endogenous free IAA content in the roots grown in K deficient media reduced by 50%, whereas the amount of ethylene released from roots increased by nearly 6-fold, which partially explained the inhibition of lateral root formation and root elongation by K deficiency. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract Background The histopathological and molecular heterogeneity of normal tissue adjacent to cancerous tissue (NTAC) and normal tissue adjacent to benign tissue (NTAB), and the availability of limited specimens make deciphering the mechanisms of carcinogenesis challenging. Our goal was to identify histogenetic biomarkers that could be reliably used to define a transforming fingerprint using RNA in situ hybridization. Methods We evaluated 15 tumor-related RNA in situ hybridization biomarkers using tumor microarray and samples of seven tumor-adjacent normal tissues from 314 patients. Biomarkers were determined using comprehensive statistical methods (significance of support vector machine-based artificial intelligence and area under curve scoring of classification distribution). Results TP53 was found to be a most reliable index (P -7; area under curve >87%) for distinguishing NTAC from NTAB, according to the results of a significance panel (BCL10, BECN1, BRCA2, FITH, PTCH11 and TP53). Conclusions The genetic alterations in TP53 between NTAC and NTAB may provide new insight into the field of cancerization and tumor transformation.