Effects of controlled-release urea application on the growth, yield and nitrogen recovery efficiency of cotton

Field experiments were conducted to study the effects of the controlled release urea (CRU) application on growth yield and nitrogen recovery efficiency of cotton in the main cotton zone of the Yangtze River basin in 2010. Different nitrogen levels were set in order to determine the suitable dosage of CRU on cotton. The special purpose was to provide evidence for the CRU application in cotton fields. The results show that the application of CRU promotes the growth of cotton significantly and enhances the nitrogen supply in the whole period. Compared to the treatment with total N as base fertilizer (UB), the bod, flower, little bolls and total bolls are increased significantly. There are no significant differences in the yield between the CRU treatment and the treatment of controlled release urea and urea combined application (60%CRU + 40%U), but an increase by 12.38%-22.67% compared to the UB treatment, and an increase by 4.49%-7.23% compared to the treatments of total N split application (UD). The nitrogen uptake of CRU treatment was significantly increased by 13.01%-48.32% and 30.27%-13.01% than UB treatment and UD treatment, respectively. The nutrient recovery efficiency of CRU treatment is increased by 16.42-20.59, 5.92-11.29 and 4.22-12.59 percentage points compared to the UB treatment, UD treatment and 60%CRU + 40%U treatment, respectively. In this study, there was a good linearity relationship between the cotton yield and amount of CRU in Wuxue site. The yield of cotton response to amount of CRU could be described by the model of linear plus plateau in Jingzhou site.

Effects of Mechanical Harvesting of Main Crop on Soil Rolling and Yield of Ratooned Rice

[Objectives]To study the effect of mechanical harvesting of main crop on soil rolling and yield of ratooned rice.[Methods]In this study,the harvesting method was optimized and improved through field research and theoretical research.[Results]Compared with farmers'habits,the mechanical harvesting method could significantly increase the working area per unit time and reduce the rolling area in the field,but it would increase the rolling rate of the land or transfer area.At the same time,the optimization method could reduce the soil bulk density in the primary rolling area,but it had no significant impact on soil compactness.[Conclusions]Compared with the farmer's customary method,the optimization method could reduce the crushing and damage of rice piles in the field,increase the seedling rate and panicle extraction rate,thus increasing the yield of rice in the ratooning season.

Effects of flavonoids derived from Taxus yunnanensis on p-glycoprotein and cytochrome P450 3A4

The intestinal uptake of paclitaxel is hampered by trans-membrane efflux transporters such as P-glycoprotein(P-gp),and paclitaxel is mainly metabolized by cytochrome P4503A4(CYP3A4)presented in the liver.Our previous results demonstrated that flavonoids extracted from Taxus yunnanensis could improve the oral absorption of paclitaxel.The current study was purposed to investigate the effects of the flavonoid extracts on P-gp and CYP3A4 in vitro.The expression and activity of P-gp were detected by western blotting and intracellular rhodamine 123 accumulation assay in Caco-2 cells treated with the flavonoids extract.The expression of CYP3A4 was investigated by western blotting in mouse primary hepatocytes and the activity of CYP3A4 was detected by LC-MS/MS method using rat liver microsomes.Our results showed that the flavonoid extracts from T.yunnanensis could inhibit P-gp activity and concurrently decrease the expression and activity of CYP3A4.In conclusion,activity of P-gp and CYP3A4 could be inhibited by flavonoids extracted from T.yunnanensis which might be potential candidates for development of oral formulation of paclitaxel.

Characteristics of Central Heating Cinder and Its Influence on Soil Properties

[Objective]The research was designed to explore the effect of long-term stacking of solid waste produced in the coal-burning process of central heating enterprises on physical and chemical properties of soil.[Method]This study took the heating enterprises in Shenyang City as the research object.The morphological structure and element composition of coal cinder were determined by continuously collecting coal and cinder samples in different periods.At the same time,the original soil and cinder soil of the stacking site were collected to determine the changes of soil morphological structure,element composition and physical and chemical properties,so as to provide reference for the resource utilization of local cinder waste and the potential pollution risk of the stacking site.[Result]The contents of C,H,O,N,and S non-metallic elements in coal cinder decreased by 69.5%,71.2%,76.0%,74.5%,and 34.6%,respectively when compared with raw coal;while the content of Si increased significantly by 95.7%.The contents of Al,K,and Fe in cinder decreased by 4.3%,60.2%,and 33.3%,respectively,while the contents of Mg and Na increased by 36.1%and 130.9%,respectively.Compared with the original soil,the contents of C,H,and O in shallow cinder soil and deep cinder soil increased by 126.5%,67.9%,80.93%,and 21.3%,25.0%and 42.3%,respectively.The residual carbon existed in the form of activated carbon.The contents of Mg,Al,K,Na,Ca,and Fe in shallow cinder soil and deep cinder soil increased by 61.6%,5.4%,46.1%,35.8%,32.5%,6.3%and 22.3%,12.3%,12.2%,15.6%,5.8%and 2.8%,respectively compared with the original soil.The content of heavy metal elements in coal cinder did not reach the detection limit.Under the scanning electron microscope,the raw coal is mainly block structure,while the cinder is honeycombed and porous and dust.[Conclusion]Cinder stacking can significantly improve the content of organic matter and available K in shallow cinder soil,and improve the porosity and permeability of soil.In addition,cinder waste has high pH and pore structure,which can be used as acid soil conditioner,seedling flower matrix and compound fertilizer filler to take full advantage of cinder waste,improve soil structure and supply nutrients.

Plasma biomarkers and plaque strain predict long-term cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndrome

To test whether circulating and intracoronary biomarkers and coronary plaque strain have additive values to Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events(GRACE) score for predicting long-term cardiovascular events in ACS patients. One hundred ACS patients were enrolled and the GRACE score and plasma levels and intracoronary gradients of a number of biomarkers were measured. Coronary plaque burden and morphology in non-critical stenotic plaques were determined by intravascular ultrasound(IVUS) technique, and the maximal shear strain(SSmax) and maximal area strain(ASmax) were determined by intravascular ultrasound elastography(IVUSE) technique. Patients were followed for cardiovascular events and the predictive values of clinical characteristics, plasma biomarkers and plaque parameters were compared with GRACE score, and the incremental values of these measurements to the GRACE score were assessed. GRACE score, plasma biomarkers and plaque strain were independent predictors of cardiovascular events. Combination of GRACE score, plasma biomarkers and plaque strains significantly improved the predictive value of the GRACE score alone with the receiver-operating characteristic area increased from0.457 to 0.667(P=0.014). The combination of circulating and intracoronary biomarkers, plaque strain and GRACE score provides a better predictive tool than GRACE score alone in patients with ACS.