ABSTRACT Tillage is an important management tool for tackling and promoting water conservation and improving crop yield. As one of the important nutrients in plant growth, K is involved in important processes such as osmoregulation, photosynthesis and metabolite transport, and plays a particularly critical role in improving crop yield and quality. In the long-term positioning platform of the tillage method, a 2-yr field experiment was conducted in 2019-2020 in maize (Zea mays L.) Three tillage methods: conventional tillage (CT), subsoil tillage (ST), and no-tillage (NT) and two planting densities 6×104 (D1) and 9×104 plants ha-1 (D2) were set up in the experiment. The results showed that yield and K translocation efficiency (KTE) were significantly higher in NT than in CT at D1 (by 4.7% and 12.2%) and D2 (by 14.0% and 13.9%), respectively. At maturity stage in 2019, population DM accumulation after silking (DMA) was significantly higher in NT (by 11.0% and 16.9%) than in CT at D1 and D2. Correlation analysis revealed that yield was significantly positive correlated with ears (r = 0.57***) and DMA (r = 0.64***). Potassium translocation and K harvest index were positively correlated with KTE. Under spring drought year, the long-term no-tillage had a significant yield increase, mainly through the increase in 1000-kernel weight. The increase in K efficiency was mainly through the influence of DM accumulation and distribution, and K accumulation in grain.

Abstract The heat transfer process in a stirred tank of diameter T=0.5m equipped with dual-layer improved Intermig impellers and helical coils was investigated by experiment and numerical simulation methods. The temperature field, the temperature boundary layer lateral to the coil and the heat transfer coefficient were measured at different rotational speeds. The standard k-ε turbulence model and multiple reference frames combined with a sliding mesh method were adopted in the numerical simulation. The results show that the temperature errors between numerical simulation and experimental measurement were within 2K. The temperature in the stirred tank gradually rose from top to bottom and inside to outside, and the maximum temperature difference was within 2K. The average thickness of the temperature boundary layer outside the helical coil is 3.66 mm. According to the experiments and numerical simulations, the heat transfer coefficient correlations, including Nu and Re, Nu and ε of the helical coil outer side, were obtained, and the trends of heat transfer coefficients are consistent and regular. The correlation of the heat transfer coefficient lateral to the coil was acquired from the experimentally measured data. The research results can serve as a guide for the design and engineering application of mass and heat transfer processes in stirred tanks with improved Intermig impellers.

Benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) has been shown to inhibit invasion and induce apoptosis of various types of cancer. However, its role on human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells is still not well elucidated. In the present study, we investigated the effect of BITC on apoptosis and invasion of SCC9 cells, and its underlying mechanisms in vitro and in vivo. SCC9 cells were exposed to BITC (5 and 25 μM) for 24 and 48 h. Cell growth, apoptosis, invasion, and migration were detected in vitro by MTT, FITC-conjugated annexin V/propidium iodide staining followed by flow cytometry, Matrigel-coated semi-permeable modified Boyden, and wound-healing assay. S100A4, PUMA, and MMP-9 expressions were detected to investigate its mechanisms. Xenotransplantation experiments were used to investigate the role of BITC on tumor growth and lung metastasis. BITC inhibited cell viability and induced cell apoptosis in a dose- and time-dependent manner through upregulation of PUMA signals. BITC inhibited cell invasion and migration by downregulation of S100A4 dependent MMP-9 signals. The ip administration of BITC reduced tumor growth but not lung metastasis of SCC9 cells subcutaneously implanted in nude mice. BITC treatment activated pro-apoptotic PUMA and inhibited S100A4-dependent MMP-9 signals, resulting in the inhibition of cell growth and invasion in cultured and xenografted SCC9 cells. Thereby, BITC is a potential therapeutic approach for OSCC.

The composite electrode material of manganese oxide supported on poly glucose (PGS) was prepared by using KMnO4 as manganese source. In order to study the influence of the support on the structure and properties of the composite electrode materials, the changes of the composition of the composite electrode materials were investigated in different weight ratio of KMnO4/PGS (3:1, 3:3, 3:5, 3:7, 3:9). The characterization results of XRD, Raman special and XPS indicated the composition of manganese oxides was greatly influenced by the content of PGS. When the PGS content is lower, the composition of manganese oxide in hybrid material is single-component oxide (MnOOH or Mn3O4). With the increasing PGS content, a mixture of Mn3O4 and MnCO3 was observed, furthermore proportion of MnCO3 in mixture also increased, and up to higher PGS content (KMnO4/PGS=3:9), single-component MnCO3 was founded on hybrid material. In addition, the change of composition of hybrid materials also led to an obvious difference in electrochemical performance. With the increase of PGS content, the specific capacitance of hybrid materials increases firstly, and reaches the maximum with the weight ratio of KMnO4/PGS equal to 3:3, and then gradually decreases. This was attributed to the higher electrochemical performance of Mn3O4 than that of MnOOH and MnCO3.

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the effects of HBO (Hyperbaric oxygen) and NGF (Nerve growth factor) on the long-term neural behavior of neonatal rats with HIBD (Neonatal hypoxic ischemic brain damage). Methods: The HIBD model was produced by ligating the right common carotid artery of 7 days old SD (Sprague-Dawley) rats followed by 8% O2 + 92% N2 for 2h. Totally 40 rats were randomly divided into 5 groups including sham-operated group, HIBD control group, HBO treated group, NGF treated group and NGF + HBO treated group. The learning and memory ability of these rats was evaluated by Morris water maze at 30 days after birth, and sensory motor function was assessed by experiments of foot error and limb placement at 42 days after birth. Results: The escape latency of HBO treated group, NGF treated group and NGF + HBO treated group was shorter than that of HIBD control group (p<0.01) and longer than that of sham-operated group. The piercing indexes of 3 treated groups were higher than that of HIBD control group (p<0.01). Conclusion: Hyperbaric oxygen and nerve growth factor treatments may improve learning and memory ability and sensory motor function in neonatal rats after hypoxic ischemic brain damage.

Cordyceps is a fastidious pathogenic fungus infecting insects, and recent years have witnessed rapid progress in its medical properties. In this study, a wild isolate, C. cicadae MP12, was characterized through in vitro cultivation and its nuclear small-subunit (SSU) ribosomal DNA (rDNA) data. In vitro culture of C. cicadae MP12 was established by growing its fruiting bodies in a solid matrix. C. cicadae MP12 was inoculated into Cryptotympana atrata cicada pupae for in vivo culture, where the fungi developed its fruiting body as well. The contents of adenosine and cordycepin in dried fruiting bodies after culture were 1421.45µg/g and 1398.12 µg/g, respectively. Therefore, the established cultures from this study could be used for the production of various medically important metabolic substances.

Methylenediphosphonic Acid (MDP) was found to be a simple, cheap and reusable heterogeneous catalyst for the acetylation of structurally diverse alcohols, phenols and amines with acetic anhydride under solvent-free conditions at room temperature. This method showed preferential selectivity for the acetylation of the amino group in the presence of hydroxyl group. The method is very mild and the yields were in excellent.

The PreS1 region of the L protein is important in cell attachment and consequently in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infectivity. To identify novel PreS1 interacting protein, we performed Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) pull-down, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and mass spectrometry assays. Glucose-regulated proteins (GRP) 78 and 75 were found to bind PreS1. The interactions between PreS1 and GRP75 were confirmed by a co-immunoprecipitation experiment. GRP78 and GRP75 may play important roles in mediating HBV virion entering into hepatocyte and regulating proper folding of the L protein due to their critical functions in protein folding and trafficking. The finding of novel PreS1 binding protein enriches our knowledge about molecular mechanism of HBV infection.