Effects of Sowing Depth and Sowing Equipment on Growth and Yield of Mechanized Sowing Maize

Taking Zhongyu 3 as the experimental variety,this paper analyzed the effects of different sowing depths(5 cm and 8 cm)and sowing equipment(ZHSB-10 medium-sized sowing machine and 2B-2 small sowing machine)on the growth,yield and components of yield of mechanized sowing maize,to provide references for mechanized maize production in southwest ecological zone.The results showed that the germination rate,plant height uniformity,and most agronomic traits of maize plant were higher at the sowing depth of 5 cm;with the growth of the maize,the effects of the sowing depth on agronomic traits of maize gradually declined;the effects of the sowing depth on the empty stalk rate,double ear rate,lodging rate,and lodging and stem broken rate were smaller;the sowing depth of 5 cm could increase the yield of mechanized sowing maize and most yield traits of maize.Different sowing machines had smaller effects on the germination rate,plant height uniformity,and agronomic traits of all growth stages,empty stalk rate,double ear rate,lodging rate,lodging and stem broken rate,yield,and components of yield of mechanized sowing maize.

Fibroblast Adhesion and Proliferation on a New β Type Ti-39Nb-13Ta-4.6Zr Alloy for Biomedical Application

Cell attachment and spreading on Ti-based alloy surfaces is a major parameter in implant technology. Ti-39Nb-13Ta-4.6Zr alloy is a new β type Ti alloy developed for biomedical application. This alloy has low modulus and high strength, which indicates that it can be used for medical purposes such as surgical implants. To evaluate the biocompatibility and effects of the surface morphology of Ti-39Nb-13Ta-4.6Zr on the cellular behaviour, the adhesion and proliferation of rat gingival fibroblasts were studied with substrates having different surface roughness and the results were also compared with commercial pure titanium and Ti-6Al-4V. The results indicate that fibroblast shows similar adhesion and proliferation on the smooth surfaces of commercial pure titanium （Cp Ti）, Ti-39Nb-13Ta-4.6Zr, and Ti-6Al-4V, suggesting that Ti-39Nb-13Ta-4.6Zr has similar biocompatibility to Cp Ti and Ti-6Al-4V. The fibroblast adhesion and spreading was lower on rough surfaces of Cp Ti, Ti-39Nb-13Ta-4.6Zr and Ti-6Al-4V than on smooth ones. Surface roughness appeared to be a dominant factor that determines the fibroblast adhesion and proliferation.

Sodium citrate and biochar synergistic improvement of nanoscale zero-valent iron composite for the removal of chromium(Ⅵ)in aqueous solutions

Sodium citrate(SC)is a widely-used food and industrial additive with the properties of com-plexation and microbial degradation.In the present study,nano-zero-valent iron reaction system(SC-nZVI@BC)was successfully established by modifying nanoscale zero-valent iron(nZVI)with SC and biochar(BC),and was employed to remove Cr(Ⅵ)from aqueous solu-tions.The nZVI,SC-nZVI and SC-nZVI@BC were characterized and compared using X-ray diffraction(XRD),Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR),thermogravimetric analy-ses(TGA),vibrating sample magnetometer(VSM),scanning electron microscope(SEM),X-ray diffraction(XRD)and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS).The results showed that nZVI was successfully loaded on the biochar,and both the agglomeration and surface pas-sivation problems of nanoparticles were well resolved.The dosage of SC,C∶Fe,initial pH and Cr(Ⅵ)concentration demonstrated direct effects on the removal efficiency.The maximum Cr(Ⅵ)removal rate and the removal capacity within 60 min were 99.7%and 199.46 mg/g,respectively(C∶Fe was 1∶1,SC dosage was 1.12 mol.%,temperature was 25℃,pH=7,and the original concentration of Cr(Ⅵ)was 20 mg/L).The reaction confirmed to follow the pseudo-second-order reaction kinetics,and the order of the reaction rate constant k was as follows:SC-nZVI@BC>nZVI@BC>SC-nZVI>nZVI.In addition,the mechanism of Cr(Ⅵ)removal by SC-nZVI@BC mainly involved adsorption,reduction and co-precipitation,and the reduction of Cr(Ⅵ)to Cr(Ⅲ)by nano Fe0 played a vital role.Findings from the present study demon-strated that the SC-nZVI@BC exhibited excellent removal efficiency toward Cr(Ⅵ)with an improved synergistic characteristic by SC and BC.

β‑Hydroxybutyric acid improves cognitive function in a model of heat stress by promoting adult hippocampal neurogenesis

Heat stress has multiple potential effects on the brain,such as neuroinflammation,neurogenesis defects,and cog-nitive impairment.β-hydroxybutyric acid(BHBA)has been demonstrated to play neuroprotective roles in various models of neurological diseases.In the present study,we investigated the efficacy of BHBA in alleviating heat stress-induced impairments of adult hippocampal neurogenesis and cognitive function,as well as the underlying mecha-nisms.Mice were exposed to 43℃for 15 min for 14 days after administration with saline,BHBA,or minocycline.Here,we showed for the first time that BHBA normalized memory ability in the heat stress-treated mice and attenuated heat stress-impaired hippocampal neurogenesis.Consistently,BHBA noticeably improved the synaptic plasticity in the heat stress-treated hippocampal neurons by inhibiting the decrease of synapse-associated proteins and the density of dendritic spines.Moreover,BHBA inhibited the expression of cleaved caspase-3 by suppressing endoplasmic reticu-lum(ER)stress,and increased the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF)in the heat stress-treated hippocampus by activating the protein kinase B(Akt)/cAMP response element binding protein(CREB)and methyl-CpG binding protein 2(MeCP2)pathways.These findings indicate that BHBA is a potential agent for improving cogni-tive functions in heat stress-treated mice.The action may be mediated by ER stress,and Akt-CREB-BDNF and MeCP2 pathways to improve adult hippocampal neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity.