Incomplete filling in the basal region of maize endosperm: timing of development of starch synthesis and cell vitality.

Starch synthesis in maize endosperm adheres to the basipetal sequence from the apex downwards. However, the mechanism underlying nonuniformity among regions of the endosperm in starch accumulation and its significance is poorly understood. Here, we examined the spatiotemporal transcriptomes and starch accumulation dynamics in apical (AE), middle (ME), and basal (BE) regions of endosperm throughout the filling stage.

Ground Strength Test Technique of Variable-Camber Wing Leading Edge.

Morphing wing technology is crucial for enhancing the flight performance of aircraft. To address the monitoring challenges of full-scale variable-camber leading edges under flight conditions, this study introduces a ground-based strength testing technique aimed at precisely evaluating the deformation patterns and structural strength during actual operation. Firstly, the motion characteristics of the variable-camber leading edge were analyzed using numerical simulation based on kinematic theory.

Improving Buried Interface Contact by Bidentate Anchoring for Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells.

Nickel oxide (NiO) is a promising hole transport layer (HTL) to fabricate efficient and large-scale inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs) due to its low cost and superior chemical stability. However, inverted PSCs based on NiO are still lagging behind that of other HTL because of the poor quality of buried interface contact. Herein, a bidentate ligand, 4,6-bis (diphenylphosphino) phenoxazine (2DPP), is used to regulate the NiO surface and perovskite buried interface.

Quasi-In Situ Observation of the Microstructural Response during Fatigue Crack Growth of Friction Stir Welded AA2024-T4 Joint.

The reliability of friction stir welded joints is a critical concern, particularly given their potential applications in the aerospace manufacturing industry. This study offers a quasi-in situ observation of the microstructural response during fatigue crack growth (FCG) of a friction stir welded AA2024-T4 joint, aiming to correlate fatigue crack growth behavior with mechanical properties investigated using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Notched compact tension (CT) specimens corresponding to the morphology of the stir zone (SZ), advancing side (AS), and retreating side (RS) were meticulously designed.

Coordination of carbon assimilation, allocation, and utilization for systemic improvement of cereal yield.

The growth of yield outputs is dwindling after the first green revolution, which cannot meet the demand for the projected population increase by the mid-century, especially with the constant threat from extreme climates. Cereal yield requires carbon (C) assimilation in the source for subsequent allocation and utilization in the sink. However, whether the source or sink limits yield improvement, a crucial question for strategic orientation in future breeding and cultivation, is still under debate.

Late Split-Application with Reduced Nitrogen Fertilizer Increases Yield by Mediating Source-Sink Relations during the Grain Filling Stage in Summer Maize.

In the North China Plain, the excessive application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer for ensuring high yield and a single application at sowing for simplifying management in farmer practice lead to low N use efficiency and environmental risk in maize ( L.) production. However, it is unclear whether and how late split application with a lower level of N fertilizer influences maize yield.

Stubby or Slender? Ear Architecture Is Related to Drought Resistance in Maize.

Ear architecture is determined by two stable heritable traits, kernel row number (KRN) and kernel number per row (KNPR), but its relationship with drought resistance is still vague. To this end, we obtained 16 and 11 hybrids with slender (less KRN but more KNPR) and stubby (more KRN but less KNPR) ears by intentionally crossbreeding, respectively. These hybrids were exposed to a seven-day water deficit (WD) since silk emergence coupled with synchronous (SP) and continuous pollination (CP) to alter the pollination time gaps on ears.

A transcriptional landscape underlying sugar import for grain set in maize.

Developing seed depends on sugar supply for its growth and yield formation. Maize (Zea mays L.) produces the largest grains among cereals.

Differential ear growth of two maize varieties to shading in the field environment: Effects on whole plant carbon allocation and sugar starvation response.

The interception of irradiation by smog pollution and cloud cover associated with extreme rainfall events has become an increasingly important limiting factor in crop production in China. Little is known about the adaptation of carbon (C) allocation to periodic low irradiance in field conditions. The trehalose signaling pathway plays a critical role in adapting C allocation to the environment in crops but its importance in adaptation to low light in field conditions is not known.

Effects of soil warming and increased precipitation on greenhouse gas fluxes in spring maize seasons in the North China Plain.

Climatic changes, such as global warming and altered precipitation are of major environmental concern. Given that ecosystem processes are strongly regulated by temperature and water content, climate changes are expected to affect the carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycles, especially in agricultural systems. However, the interactive effects of soil warming and increased precipitation on greenhouse gas emissions are poorly understood, particularly in the North China Plain (NCP).

Aerobic Acetoxyhydroxylation of Alkenes Co-catalyzed by Organic Nitrite and Palladium.

An aerobic acetoxyhydroxylation of alkenes cooperatively catalyzed by organic nitrite and palladium at room temperature using clean and cheap air as the sole oxidant has been developed. Various vicinal diols, diacetoxyalkanes, and dihalogenoalkanes have been synthesized. The gram-scale synthesis has also been approached.

tert-Butyl Nitrite: Organic Redox Cocatalyst for Aerobic Aldehyde-Selective Wacker-Tsuji Oxidation.

An aldehyde-selective aerobic Wacker-Tsuji oxidation is developed. Using tert-butyl nitrite as a simple organic redox cocatalyst instead of copper or silver salts, a variety of aldehydes were achieved as major products in up to 30/1 regioselectivity as well as good to high yields at room temperature.

Direct oxidative lactonization of alkenoic acids mediated solely by NaIO4: beyond a simple oxidant.

Triflic acid-catalyzed direct oxidative lactonization of alkenoic acids mediated solely by NaIO4 without halogen salts is described. Sodium periodate works not only as an oxidant, but also as an active reagent and directly mediates the lactonization. A new cheap, green, and practical oxidative lactonization approach has been developed using NaIO4 as the sole reagent.

Bridging cells of three colors with two bio-orthogonal click reactions.

Cell-cell interactions play a crucial role in the development and function of multicellular organisms. To study cell-cell interactions , it is a big challenge for researchers to artificially build up cell junctions to bridge different types of cells for this purpose. Herein, by employing two orthogonal click reactions, we rationally designed four click reagents , , , and and successfully applied them to bridge cells of three colors.

[Study on safety of Tibetan medicine zuotai and preliminary study on clinical safety of its compound dangzuo].

Zuotai (gTso thal) is a typical representative of Tibetan medicines containing heavy metals, but there is still lack of modem safety evaluation data so far. In this study, acute toxicity test, sub-acute toxicity test, one-time administration mercury distribution experiment, long-term mercury accumulative toxicity experiment and preliminary study on clinical safety of Compound Dangzuo were conducted in the hope of obtain the medicinal safety data of Zuotai. In the acute toxicity test, half of KM mice given the lethal dose of Zuotai were not died or poisoned, and LD50 was not found.

Regioselective halogenation of 2-substituted-1,2,3-triazoles via sp2 C-H activation.

A highly regioselective halogenation of 2-substituted-1,2,3-triazoles was developed via sp(2) C-H activation. This method is compatible with halogen atoms, as well as electron-donating and electron-withdrawing groups. Meanwhile, the strategy is also efficient for the synthesis of a key intermediate of Suvorexant.

[Quality control of traditional Tibetan Medicine Zsuotai].

Objective: To establish the method of quality control for traditional Tibetan Medicine Zsuotai.

Methods: Collecting the samples of Tsuotai from Qinghai, Tibet, Sichuan, and Gansu province, to detect Hg2+ by Zsuotai reacted with HCl-HNO3 (3:1), and to determine the quantity of HgS in Zsuotai by sulfocyanate volumetric method.

Results: The method for the determination of HgS in Zsuotai was in good reproducibility (RSD = 0.