[Effects of seed grading on population regularity degree and yield of summer maize].

Grading seeds based on grain size is an effective measure to improve population regularity degree and increase the yield of summer maize. Taking Denghai 605 as the experimental material, we set up a field experiment with treatments based on grain size: large seeds (L), medium-round seeds (MR), medium-flat seeds (MF), medium-round and medium-flat mixed seeds (MRF), and small seeds (S), with no-grading seeds as control (CK). We investigated seedling emergence rate, population regularity degree (including height, ear height and stem diameter), seedling sturdiness index, photosynthetic characteristics, dry matter accumulation and distribution characteristics, and yield.

[Effects of spraying desiccant on dehydration characteristics and grain quality of summer maize hybrids differing in maturity].

Water content of summer maize hybrids grown in China is too high at harvesting stage, which limits the development of grain mechanical harvesting technology. Spraying the desiccant can regulate physiological process of crop grain filling and reduce water content at harvest. We explored the effects of spraying the desiccant on the dehydration process, grain moisture, and grain quality of summer maize hybrids differing in maturity.

[Effects of phytase Q9 on the yield and senescence characteristics of summer maize shaded in the field].

Light shortage in the canopy of summer maize resulted from the decrease of solar radiation and the increase of planting density in Huanghuaihai region could reduce maize yield. In order to explore the effects of phytase Q9 on leaf senescence characteristics of summer maize, three sha-ding treatments with summer maize hybrid 'Denghai 605' (DH605) were conducted, including shading at flowering to maturity stage (S), shading at ear stage (S), and shading at whole growth stage (S) with natural lighting in the field as control (CK). Chemical control reagent phytase Q9 was used to regulate the shading treatments (the original solution was diluted by 100 times) and the CK exogenously, namely shading at flowering to maturity stage-phytase Q9 (SQ), shading at ear stage-phytase Q9 (SQ), and shading at whole growth stage-phytase Q9 (SQ), and natural lighting-phytase Q9 (CKQ), with spraying water at the same stage as the control.

Endogenous Hormones Inhibit Differentiation of Young Ears in Maize () Under Heat Stress.

Global warming frequently leads to extreme temperatures, which pose a serious threat to the growth, development, and yield formation of crops such as maize. This study aimed to deeply explore the molecular mechanisms of young ear development under heat stress. We selected the heat-tolerant maize variety Zhengdan 958 (T) and heat-sensitive maize variety Xianyu 335 (S), and subjected them to heat stress in the V9 (9th leaf), V12 (12th leaf), and VT (tasseling) growth stages.

Physiological and comparative proteomic analysis provides new insights into the effects of shade stress in maize (Zea mays L.).

Background: Shade stress, a universal abiotic stress, suppresses plant growth and production seriously. However, little is known regarding the protein regulatory networks under shade stress. To better characterize the proteomic changes of maize leaves under shade stress, 60% shade (S) and supplementary lighting (L) on cloudy daylight from tasseling stage to physiological maturity stage were designed, the ambient sunlight treatment was used as control (CK).

Ursodeoxycholic acid alleviates experimental liver fibrosis involving inhibition of autophagy.

Aims: Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) has been widely used in the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) with chronic liver fibrosis, but its detailed mechanism remains unclear. This study was aimed to determine whether autophagic signaling is involved in the therapeutic effect of UDCA on liver fibrosis.

Methods: By using hepatic stellate cell (HSC) line LX2 and CCl-induced fibrotic rat model, autophagy signaling was investigated by western blotting and mRFP-EGFP-LC3 tandem fluorescent tagged plasmid (ptfLC3) transfection technique.

[Effects of nitrogen application rate on grain filling characteristics and nutritional quality of summer maize.].

Suitable nitrogen application rate can significantly increase grain filling rate and yield and improve nutritional quality. Denghai 518 (DH518) and Zhengdan 958 (ZD958) were used as experimental materials in this study. A field experiment with four treatments, no nitrogen treatment (N), decrement nitrogen application rate (N, 129 kg N·hm), suitable nitrogen rate (N, 184.

Effects of different densities of mixed-cropping on C-photosynthate distribution and grain yield of maize.

To explore the effects of different densities of mixed-cropping on C-photosynthate distribution and grain yield of maize, we measured photosynthetic characteristics, C-photosynthate distribution, dry matter accumulation, and grain yield under different planting densities (LD, 67500 plants·hm and HD, 97500 plants·hm) under mixed-cropping (M, 1:1, 2:2) and monoculture of Zhengdan958 (ZD) and Denghai605 (DH). The results showed that with the increases of planting density, grain yield, C-photosynthate allocation to grain, dry matter accumulation, and leaf area index (LAI) increased, but the chlorophyll content and net photosynthetic rate decreased. No significant difference was observed between the monoculture and mixed-cropping at the density of 67500 plants·hm.

Adaptive Fibrogenic Reprogramming of Osteosarcoma Stem Cells Promotes Metastatic Growth.

It is well established that fibrotic remodeling of the tumor microenvironment favors tumorigenesis, but whether fibrosis underlies malignant progression in other ways is unclear. Here, we report that adaptive myofibroblastic reprogramming of osteosarcoma stem cells (OSCs) results in a critical advantage when establishing lung macro-metastases and spheroid growth but does not affect the growth of primary lesions or monolayer cultures. FGFR2 signaling in OSCs initiates fibrosis, whereas the resultant fibronectin (FN) auto-deposition sustains fibrogenic reprogramming and OSC growth, resembling the process employed by non-malignant myofibroblasts to cause tissue fibrosis.

A Blade Defect Diagnosis Method by Fusing Blade Tip Timing and Tip Clearance Information.

Blade tip timing (BTT) technology is considered the most promising method for blade vibration measurements due to the advantages of its simplicity and non-contact measurement capacity. Nevertheless, BTT technology still suffers from two problems, which are (1) the requirements of domain expertise and prior knowledge of BTT signals analysis due to severe under-sampling; and (2) that the traditional BTT method can only judge whether there is a defect in the blade but it cannot judge the severity and the location of the defect. Thus, how to overcome the above drawbacks has become a big challenge.

[The interactive effects of water and nitrogen addition on ammonia volatilization loss and yield of winter wheat.].

An experiment with winter wheat of Shimai 15 and treatments of two types of fertilizers (organic manure, M; urea, U), two amounts of nitrogen application (180 kg·hm, MU; 90 kg·hm, MU), two irrigation levels (500 mm, W; 250 mm, W) was carried out in the lysimeters in 2015-2017. The results showed that ammonia volatilization was substantial after fertilization and irrigation. The dynami of ammonia volatilization during two years was similar.

[Effects of light intensities after anthesis on the photosynthetic characteristics and chloroplast ultrastructure in mesophyll cell of summer maize (Zea mays L. )].

We examined the changes of photosynthetic characteristics and chloroplast ultrastructure in mesophyll cell of summer maize in response to different light intensities in the field, with the summer maize hybrid Denghai 605 as experimental material. Two treatments of both shading (S) and increasing light (L) from flowering to physiological maturity stage were designed, with the ambient sunlight treatment as control (CK). Under shading treatment, poorly developed thylakoid structure, blurry lamellar structure, loose granum, large gap between slices and warping granum were the major characteristics in chloroplast.

The prognostic value of abnormally expressed lncRNAs in prostatic carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Several long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are abnormally expressed in prostate cancer (PCa), suggesting that they could serve as novel prognostic markers. The current meta-analysis was undertaken to better define the prognostic value of various lncRNAs in PCa.

Methods: The PubMed, Embase, Medline, and Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched up to February 19, 2017, to retrieve eligible articles.

[Effects of water conditions and controlled release urea on yield and leaf senescence physiological characteristics in summer maize.].

In an soil column experiment with Zhengdan 958 (a summer maize cultivar planted widely in China), treatments of three water levels,severe water stress W which the soil moisture kept (35±5)% of the field capacity, mild water stress W which was (55±5)%,normal water W which was (75±5)%, and four levels of controlled release urea fertilizer (N, N was 150 kg N·hm,N was 225 kg N·hm and N was 300 kg N·hm) were included to study the interactive effects of water and controlled release urea on yield and leaf senescence characteristics of summer maize. The results showed that the coupling of water and controlled release urea had significant effects on increasing yield, delaying the senescence and keeping the high efficiency of the functional leaves. Under the same nitrogen condition, yield, LAI, chlorophyll content and the activities of SOD, POD, CAT and soluble protein content in summer maize ear leaf were significantly increased with more water supplying, and the content of MDA decreased significantly.

[Effects of different cultivation practices on composition, carbon and nitrogen distribution of soil aggregates in farmlands.].

The long-term experiments were conducted at two locations with different soil fertility. There were four treatments, including super high-yielding cultivation treatment (SH), high-yielding and high efficiency cultivation treatment (HH), local farmer's practice (FP), and control (CK), respectively. The field experiments were established to study the effects of different cultivation practices on composition, carbon and nitrogen distribution of tillage layer soil aggregates in different soil fertility, with the aim of proposing technological approaches to enhance soil fertility and achieve the sustainable development of increasing yield and efficiency in wheat-maize ecosystem.

[Effects of water-potassium interaction on stalk structure and function of high-yield summer maize].

The effects of water-potassium interaction on stalk structure and function of high-yield summer maize were studied in the waterproof cultivation pools with Zhengdan 958 (ZD958) as the experimental material. The results showed that the quantity of bleeding sap in stalk was significantly improved by irrigation. Potassium (K) application could reduce the influence of drought stress on the quantity of bleeding sap in stalk to a certain extent.

[Effects of sowing depth on seedling traits and root characteristics of summer maize].

Two summer maize hybrids, Zhengdan 958 (ZD958) and Xianyu 335 (XY335), were used as experimental materials. 4 sowing depths (3, 5, 7 and 9 cm) and uneven sowing depth (CK) were designed under sand culture and field experiments to investigate the effects of sowing depth on seedling traits and root characteristics of summer maize. The results showed that the seedling emergence rate gradually decreased and seedling emergence time gradually lengthened as the sowing depth increased.

[Effects of long-term mixed application of organic and inorganic fertilizers on canopy apparent photosynthesis and yield of winter wheat].

A field experiment was conducted using the winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) variety Shimai 15. The source of organic nitrogen was cow manure, and four fertilization treatments were included, i.e.

[Effects of tillage at pre-planting of winter wheat and summer maize on leaf senescence of summer maize].

This study explored the effects of different tillage treatments at pre-planting winter wheat and summer maize on leaf senescence physiological characteristics of summer maize in double cropping system. Zhengdan 958 was used as experimental material. Three tillage treatments, including rotary tillage before winter wheat seeding and no-tillage before summer maize seeding (RN), mold- board plow before winter wheat seeding and no-tillage before summer maize seeding (MN), and moldboard plow before winter wheat seeding and rotary tillage before summer maize seeding (MR), were designed to determine the effects of different tillage treatments on leaf area (LA) , leaf area reduction, photosynthetic pigments content, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) activities and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in ear leaves of summer maize after tasselling (VT).

[Effects of irrigation and fertilization on soil microbial properties in summer maize field].

In order to investigate the effects of different irrigation and fertilization on soil microbial properties of summer maize field, we used ZN99 with high nitrogen use efficiency as the test material. The experiment adopted the split plot design which included two irrigation levels (526 mm and 263 mm) as the main plots, three fertilizer types (U, M, UM) and two fertilizer levels (N 100 kg . hm-2 and 200 kg .

[Effect of light from flowering to maturity stage on dry matter accumulation and nutrient absorption of summer maize].

Using Denghai 605 (DH4605) as the experimental material, shading (S) and increasing light (L) treatments from flowering to maturity stage were designed in a field experiment to explore effects of light on dry matter accumulation and nutrient absorption of summer maize. Results showed that grain yield, dry matter accumulation and nutrient absorption decreased significantly after shading but increased after increasing light. Yields in S treatment from 2011 to 2013 were reduced by 59.

[Effects of shading on endogenous hormones regulation in kernel development of summer maize in the field].

Taking 3 maize hybrids, Zhenjie 2 (ZJ2), Denghai 605 (DH605) and Zhengdan 958 (ZD958) as test materials, the effects of shading on the physiological function of endogenous hormones during grain formation of summer maize were investigated in the field. The ambient sunshine treatment was used as the control (CK) and 3 shading treatments with a shading degree of 60% were designed in growth periods ranging from tasseling to maturity (S1), from jointing to tasseling stage (S2) and whole growing period (S3), respectively. Results showed that the total floret number, filament number and pollination floret number decreased after shading in comparison with CK, and aborted seeds increased accordingly.

[Effect of waterlogging on leaf senescence characteristics of summer maize in the field].

Taking two summer maize hybrids Zhengdan 958 (ZD958) and Denghai 605 (DH605) as experimental materials, a field experiment was conducted to explore the effects of waterlogging for different durations (3 and 6 days) on leaf senescence characteristics of summer maize at the three-leaf stage (V3), six-leaf stage (V6), and 10 days after the tasseling stage (10VT). Results showed that superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) activities and soluble protein content decreased significantly after waterlogging. However, the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) increased significantly by 35.

[Effects of shading on dry matter accumulation and nutrient absorption of summer maize].

Taking summer maize cultivars Zhenjie 2 (ZJ2), Denghai 605 (DH605), and Zhengdan 958 (ZD958) as test materials, a field trial was conducted to study the effects of shading on the dry matter accumulation and nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) absorption of summer maize. Four treatments were installed, i. e.