Delayed sowing can increase lodging resistance while maintaining grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency in winter wheat

Lodging resistance of winter wheat(Trnticum aestivum L.) can be increased by late sowing.However, whether grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency(NUE) can be maintained with delayed sowing remains unknown. During the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 growing seasons, two winter wheat cultivars were sown on three dates(early sowing on October 1, normal so,wing on October8, and late sowing on October 15) to investigate the responses of lodging resistance, grain yield,and NUE to sowing date. No significant differences in lodging resistance, grain yield, or NUE between early and normal sowing were observed. Averaging over the two cultivars and years,postponing the sowing date significantly increased lodging resistance by 53.6% and 49.6%compared with that following early and normal sowing, respectively. Lodging resistance was improved mainly through a reduction in the culm height at the center of gravity and an increase in the tensile strength of the base internode. Late sowing resulted in similar grain yield as well as kernel weight and number of kernels per square meter, compared to early and normal sowing.Averaging over the two cultivars and years, delayed sowing resulted in a reduction in nitrogen uptake efficiency(UPE) by 11.0% and 9.9% compared to early and normal sowing, respectively,owing to reduced root length density and dry matter accumulation before anthesis. An average increase in nitrogen utilization efficiency(UTE) of 12.9% and 11.2% compared to early and normal sowing, respectively, was observed with late sowing owing to a reduction in the grain nitrogen concentration. The increase in UTE offset the reduction in UPE, resulting in equal NUEs among all sowing dates. Thus, sowing later than normal could increase lodging resistance while maintaining grain yield and NUE.

Heavy soil drying during mid-to-late grain filling stage of the main crop to reduce yield loss of the ratoon crop in a mechanized rice ratooning system

Yield loss(Y_(Loss)) in the ratoon crop due to crushing damage to left stubble from mechanical harvesting of the main crop is a constraint for wide adoption of mechanized rice ratooning technology.Soil drying before the harvest of the main crop has been proposed to overcome this problem.The objective of this study was to determine the effect of soil drying during the mid-to-late grain filling stage of the main crop on grain yield of the ratoon crop in a mechanized rice ratooning system.Field experiments were conducted to compare Y_(Loss) between light(LD) and heavy(HD) soil drying treatments in Hubei province,central China in 2017 and 2018.Y_(Loss) was calculated as the percentage of yield reduction in the ratoon crop with the main crop harvested mechanically,relative to the grain yield of the ratoon crop with the main crop harvested manually.In comparison with LD,soil hardness was increased by 42.8%-84.7% in HD at the 5-20 cm soil depth at maturity of the main crop.Soil hardness at 5 and 10 cm depths reached respectively 4.05 and 7.07 kg cm^(-2) in HD.Soil drying treatment did not significantly affect the grain yield of the main crop.Under mechanical harvesting of the main crop,HD increased the grain yield of the ratoon crop by 9.4% relative to LD.Consequently,Y_(Loss) was only 3.4% in HD,in contrast to 16.3% in LD.The differences in grain yield and Y_(Loos) between the two soil drying treatments were explained mainly by panicles m^(-2),which was increased significantly by HD in the track zone of the ratoon crop compared with LD.These results suggest that heavy soil drying practice during the mid-to-late grain filling stage of the main crop is effective for reducing Y_(Loss) of the ratoon crop in a mechanized rice ratooning system.

Effect of the projector augmented wave potentials on the simulation of thermodynamic properties of vanadium

We report significant differences in high-pressure properties of vanadium at zero temperature and finite temperature when different projector augmented wave(PAW)potentials are used in simulations based on density functional theory.When a PAW potential with only five electrons taken as valence electrons is used,the cold pressures in the high-pressure region are seriously underestimated,and an abnormality occurs in the melting curve of vanadium at about 400 GPa.We show that the reason for these discrepancies lies in the differences in the descriptions of the interatomic force,electron dispersion,and anisotropy of electron bonding obtained from differentPAWpotentials at high pressure,which lead to striking differences in the mechanical stability of the system.We propose a procedure for selecting PAW potentials suitable for simulations at high temperature and high pressure.Our results provide valuable guidance for future simulations of thermodynamic properties under extreme conditions.

Quantitative characterization of cell physiological state based on dynamical cell mechanics for drug efficacy indication

Cell mechanics is essential to cell development and function,and its dynamics evolution reflects the physiological state of cells.Here,we investigate the dynamical mechanical properties of single cells under various drug conditions,and present two mathematical approaches to quantitatively characterizing the cell physiological state.It is demonstrated that the cellular mechanical properties upon the drug action increase over time and tend to saturate,and can be mathematically characterized by a linear timeinvariant dynamical model.It is shown that the transition matrices of dynamical cell systems significantly improve the classification accuracies of the cells under different drug actions.Furthermore,it is revealed that there exists a positive linear correlation between the cytoskeleton density and the cellular mechanical properties,and the physiological state of a cell in terms of its cytoskeleton density can be predicted from its mechanical properties by a linear regression model.This study builds a relationship between the cellular mechanical properties and the cellular physiological state,adding information for evaluating drug efficacy.

Development and Future Challenges of Bio-Syncretic Robots

Bio-syncretic robots consisting of both living biological materials and non-living systems possess desirable attributes such as high energy efficiency, intrinsic safety, high sensitivity, and self-repairing capabilities. Compared with living biological materials or non-living traditional robots based on elec- tromechanical systems, the combined system of a bio-syncretic robot holds many advantages. Therefore, developing bio-syncretic robots has been a topic of great interest, and significant progress has been achieved in this area over the past decade. This review systematically summarizes the development of bio-syncretic robots. First, potential trends in the development of bio-syncretic robots are discussed. Next, the current performance of bio-syncretic robots, including simple movement and controllability of velocity and direction, is reviewed. The living biological materials and non-living materials that are used in bio-syncretic robots, and the corresponding fabrication methods, are then discussed. In addition, recently developed control methods for bio-syncretic robots, including physical and chemical control methods, are described. Finally, challenges in the development of bio-syncretic robots are discussed from multiple viewpoints, including sensing and intelligence, living and non-living materials, control approaches, and information technology.

Jahn-Teller Effect Directed Bandgap Tuning of Birnessite for Pseudocapacitive Application

Birnessite M_(x)MnO_(2)(M=Na^(+),K^(+),etc.)has emerged as a promising alternative to the classical MnO_(2)material owing to its improved pseudocapacitive performance for energy storage.Understanding their structure–property correlation is essential for the development and application of advanced supercapacitors.Herein,we adopt the crystal field theory and density functional simulation to reveal the structural dependence of the pseudocapacitive property of M_(x)MnO_(2).Attributing to the Jahn–Teller effect of Mn^(3+),the bandgap of Kx MnO_(2)can be tuned by changing the x value(i.e.,the Mn(III)/Mn(IV)ratio).Then,we design a narrow-bandgap K 0.25 MnO_(2)(0.84 eV),which affords a high capacitance of 415 F g^(-1)at 1 A g^(-1)and a desirable rate capability of 293 F g^(-1)at 20 A g^(-1).Operando Raman spectroscopy confirms that the Jahn–Teller induced structure evolution of[MnO_(6)]octahedron accounts for the superior pseudocapacitive behavior of K_(0.25)MnO_(2).This finding offers theoretical guidance to the design and application of birnessite materials for pseudocapacitors.

Effects of Combined Application of Biochar-based Organic Fertilizer and Reduced Nitrogen Fertilizer on Soil Enzyme Activity and Yield of Purple Cabbage(Brassica oleracea var.capita rubra)in Yuanmou County

[Objectives]In response to the issue of soil improvement in Yuanmou County,the effects of combined application of biochar-based organic fertilizer and reduced nitrogen fertilizer on soil nutrients,soil enzyme activity,and yield of purple cabbage(Brassica oleracea var.capita rubra)were investigated in the field base of Institute of Thermal Zone Ecological Agriculture,Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Yuanmou County.[Methods]A total of 13 treatments were set up by applying biochar-based organic fertilizer at three levels of 15,30 and 45 t/hm^(2)(T_(1),T_(2),T_(3)),combined with top application of nitrogen fertilizer(urea)at four levels:375(N_1),300(N_(2)),225(N_(3))and 0 kg/hm^(2),with non-fertilizing treatment as control check(CK),in order to explore the optimal ratio for the combined application of biochar-based organic fertilizer with nitrogen fertilizer.[Results]The application of biochar-based organic fertilizer could significantly improve soil nutrients,enzyme activity,and purple cabbage yield.The improvement effect of combined application with nitrogen fertilizer was higher than that of single application of biochar-based organic fertilizer,and the improvement effect was enhanced with the application amount of biochar-based organic fertilizer increasing.The contents of organic matter and total nitrogen were the highest in treatment T_(3)N_(3),of which the values increased by 81.39%and 56.09%compared with the CK,respectively.The contents of soil hydrolyzable nitrogen,available phosphorus,and available potassium were all the highest under treatment T_(3)N_(2),with increases of 92.76%,171.01%and 235.50%,respectively.There was a significant positive correlation between the activity of soil catalase,urease,and sucrase and organic matter,total nitrogen,and available nutrients.The overall soil enzyme activity was relatively higher in treatment T_(3)N_(2).The yield of purple cabbage treated with biochar-based organic fertilizer combined with nitrogen fertilizer could reach 85750 kg/hm^(2),which was 94.78%higher than that treated with biochar-based organic fertilizer alone.Based on comprehensive analysis,the optimal combination ratio was 45 t/hm^(2)of biochar-based organic fertilizer and 300 kg/hm^(2)of urea(T_(3)N_(2)).[Conclusions]This study provides data support for the promotion of biochar-based organic fertilizers and reduced fertilizer in agricultural soil in the Dam area of Yuanmou County.

Advances in atomic force microscopy for single-cell analysis

Single-cell analysis has been considered as a promising way to uncover the underlying mechanisms guiding the mysteries of life activities, which con siderably complements traditio nal en semble assays and yields novel in sights into cell biology. The adve nt of atomic force microscopy (AFM) provides a potent tool for investigati ng the structures and properties of n ative biological samples at the micro/na no scale un der near-physiological conditions, which promotes the studies of single-cell behaviors. In the past decades, AFM has achieved great success in single-cell observation and manipulation for biomedical applications, demonstrating the excellent capabilities of AFM in addressing biological issues at the single-cell level with unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution. In this article, we review the recent advances in single-cell analysis that has been made with the utilization of AFM, and provide perspectives for future progression.

Research progress in quantifying the mechanical properties of single living cells using atomic force microscopy

The advent of atomic force microscopy(AFM)provides a powerful tool for investigating the behaviors of single living cells under near physiological conditions.Besides acquiring the images of cellular ultra-microstructures with nanometer resolution,the most remarkable advances are achieved on the use of AFM indenting technique to quantify the mechanical properties of single living cells.By indenting single living cells with AFM tip,we can obtain the mechanical properties of cells and monitor their dynamic changes during the biological processes(e.g.,after the stimulation of drugs).AFM indentation-based mechanical analysis of single cells provides a novel approach to characterize the behaviors of cells from the perspective of biomechanics,considerably complementing the traditional biological experimental methods.Now,AFM indentation technique has been widely used in the life sciences,yielding a large amount of novel information that is meaningful to our understanding of the underlying mechanisms that govern the cellular biological functions.Here,based on the authors’own researches on AFM measurement of cellular mechanical properties,the principle and method of AFM indentation technique was presented,the recent progress of measuring the cellular mechanical properties using AFM was summarized,and the challenges of AFM single-cell nanomechanical analysis were discussed.

Single-trial decoding of imagined grip force parameters involving the right or left hand based on movement-related cortical potentials

Time–domain feature representation for imagined grip force movement-related cortical potentials(MRCP)of the right or left hand and the decoding of imagined grip force parameters based on electroencephalogram(EEG)activity recorded during a single trial were here investigated.EEG signals were acquired from eleven healthy subjects during four different imagined tasks performed with the right or left hand.Subjects were instructed to execute imagined grip movement at two different levels of force.Each task was executed 60 times in random order.The imagined grip force MRCP of the right or left hand was analyzed by superposition and averaging technology,a single-trial extraction method,analysis of variance(ANOVA),and multiple comparisons.Significantly different features were observed among different imagined grip force tasks.These differences were used to decode imagined grip force parameters using Fisher linear discrimination analysis based on kernel function(k-FLDA)and support vector machine(SVM).Under the proposed experimental paradigm,the study showed that MRCP may characterize the dynamic processing that takes place in the brain during the planning,execution,and precision of a given imagined grip force task.This means that features related to MRCP can be used to decode imagined grip force parameters based on EEG.ANOVA and multiple comparisons of time–domain features for MRCP showed that movement-monitoring potentials(MMP)and specific interval(0–150 ms)average potentials to be significantly different among 4 different imagined grip force tasks.The minimum peak negativity differed significantly between high and low amplitude grip force.Identification of the 4different imagined grip force tasks based on MMP was performed using k-FLDA and SVM,and the average misclassification rates of 27%±5%and 24%±4%across 11 subjects were achieved respectively.The minimum misclassification rate was 15%,and the average minimum misclassification rate across 11 subjects was24%±4.5%.This investigation indicates that imagined grip force MRCP may encode imagined grip force parameters.Single-trial decoding of imagined grip force parameters based on MRCP may be feasible.The study may provide some additional and fine control instructions for brain–computer interfaces.

Progress in measuring biophysical properties of membrane proteins with AFM single-molecule force spectroscopy

Membrane proteins are crucial in cell physiological activities and are the targets for most drugs.Thus,investigating the behaviors of membrane proteins not only provide deeper insights into cell function,but also help disease treatment and drug development.Atomic force microscopy is a unique tool for investigating the structure of membrane proteins.It can both image the morphology of single native membrane proteins with high resolution and,via single-molecule force spectroscopy(SMFS),directly measure their biophysical properties during molecular physiological activities such as ligand binding and protein unfolding.In the context of molecular biomechanics,SMFS has been successfully used to understand the structure and function of membrane proteins,complementing the static three-dimensional structures of proteins obtained by X-ray crystallography.Here,based on the authors’antigen-antibody binding force measurements in clinical tumor cells,the principle and method of SMFS is discussed,the progress in using SMFS to characterize membrane proteins is summarized,and challenges for SMFS are presented.

Atomic force microscopy studies on cellular elastic and viscoelastic properties

In this work, a method based on atomic force microscopy (AFM) approach-reside-retract experiments was established to simultaneously quantify the elastic and viscoelastic properties of single cells. First, the elastic and viscoelastic properties of normal breast cells and cancerous breast cells were measured, showing significant differences in Young’s modulus and relaxation times between normal and cancerous breast cells. Remarkable differences in cellular topography between normal and cancerous breast cells were also revealed by AFM imaging. Next, the elastic and viscoelasitc properties of three other types of cell lines and primary normal B lymphocytes were measured; results demonstrated the potential of cellular viscoelastic properties in complementing cellular Young’s modulus for discerning different states of cells. This research provides a novel way to quantify the mechanical properties of cells by AFM, which allows investigation of the biomechanical behaviors of single cells from multiple aspects.

Thermometry of photosensitive and optically induced electrokinetics chips

Optically induced electrokinetics(OEK)-based technologies,which integrate the high-resolution dynamic addressability of optical tweezers and the high-throughput capability of electrokinetic forces,have been widely used to manipulate,assemble,and separate biological and non-biological entities in parallel on scales ranging from micrometers to nanometers.However,simultaneously introducing optical and electrical energy into an OEK chip may induce a problematic temperature increase,which poses the potential risk of exceeding physiological conditions and thus inducing variations in cell behavior or activity or even irreversible cell damage during bio-manipulation.Here,we systematically measure the temperature distribution and changes in an OEK chip arising from the projected images and applied alternating current(AC)voltage using an infrared camera.We have found that the average temperature of a projected area is influenced by the light color,total illumination area,ratio of lighted regions to the total controlled areas,and amplitude of the AC voltage.As an example,optically induced thermocapillary flow is triggered by the light image-induced temperature gradient on a photosensitive substrate to realize fluidic hydrogel patterning.Our studies show that the projected light pattern needs to be properly designed to satisfy specific application requirements,especially for applications related to cell manipulation and assembly.