Effects of Microencapsulated Compound Acidifier on Acidity and Development of Gastrointestinal Tract in Weaning Piglets

The effects of different types of compound acidifiers （encapsulated and non-encapsulated） in maize-soybean basic diets on acidity and development of the gastrointestinal tract in weaning piglets were investigated in this study. 64 28-day-old weaned Landrace x Yorkshire hybrid piglets with average weight of （7.00 ±0.10） kg were selected and grouped into four treatments with four pigs （ half boars and half sows） in each repeat of four repeats in each treatment based on single-factor test design principles, and the pre-test period was 3 days but the test period was 35 days. The results showed that compared with acid-free diet group, encapsulated compound acidifier could reduce pH of stomach and intestinal in weaning piglets significantly （P 〈 0.01 ）, while Test group 1 could also increase the relative weight of stomach and intestinal in piglets significantly （P 〈 0.05 ）. Compared with non-encapsulated acidifier, encapsulated compound acidifier could greatly decrease pH in jejunum and ileum of weaning piglets （ P 〈 0.05） or relative weight of stomach in piglets （ P〈0.05）, while Test group 1 could also enhance the relative weight of intestinal in piglets significantly （ P 〈0.01 ）. In addition, encapsulated compound acidifiers significantly increased the ratio between the villus height and crypt depth of jejunum （ P 〈0.01 ）. Accordingly, the microencapsulated compound acidifier in diets of weaning piglets can promote the development of gastrointestinal tracts for piglets by reducing pH of gastrointestinal tracts.

Effects of acidity and mesoporosity development in ZSM-5 on biomass-derived ethylene oligomerization for liquid fuel synthesis

The acidities of different Si O2/Al2O3 ratio ZSM-5 zeolites, CBV3024 E, CBV5524 G and CBV8014 were investigated with temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy, and their catalytic performances were evaluated to screen the optimal CBV8014 catalyst for ethylene oligomerization. The mesoporosity development in CBV8014 zeolite was conducted by desilication in alkaline medium. The porous characteristics, structural properties and acidic properties of parent and alkali-treated CBV8014 zeolites were studied, and their catalytic performances were evaluated, indicating that CBV8014 treated by 0.2 mol/L NaO H solution has an appropriate mesoporosity development, well preservation of catalyst acidity and crystallinity, good catalytic activity and stability, and high liquid fuel yield for ethylene oligomerization. The effect of reaction pressure on ethylene oligomerization over 0.2HZ catalyst was also investigated, and JP-8 likely hydrocarbon jet fuel was obtained by using 0.2HZ catalyst at 0.344 75 MPa with a high catalyst stability and high liquid yield.

Spatial Differentiation and Convergence Trend of High-quality Development Level of China’s Tourism Economy

This paper aims to interpret the connotation of high-quality development of tourism economy(HQTE)from the perspective of the new development concepts of innovation,coordination,green,openness and sharing,and then to evaluate the spatial differenti-ation of China’s HQTE based on provincial panel data from 2009 to 2018.Specifically,we employ the spatial convergence model to ex-plore the absolute and conditionalβconvergence trends of HQTE in the whole country and the eastern,central and western regions of China.Our empirical results reveal that:1)within the decade,from 2009 to 2018,regions of China with the highest HQTE index is its eastern region followed by the central region and then the western region,but the fastest growing one is the western region of China fol-lowed by the central region and then the eastern region.2)Whether or not the spatial effect is included,there are absolute and condition-alβconvergence in HQTE in the whole country and aforementioned three regions.3)The degree of government attention as well as the level of economic development and location accessibility are the positive driving factors for the convergence of HQTE in the whole country and the three regions.The degree of marketization and human capital have not passed the significance test either in the whole country or in the three regions.The above conclusions could deepen the understanding of the regional imbalance and spatial conver-gence characteristics of HQTE,clarify the primary development objects,and accomplish the goal of China’s HQTE.

Critical Success Factors for Citizen Development

The purpose of the research was to assess the impact of Citizen Development activities on digital transformation. The research identified eight categories that contribute to the success of Low-code No-code (LCNC) projects: 1) Strategy;2) Infrastructure;3) Technology;4) Processes & Procedures;5) Governance;6) Culture;7) People;8) Goals & Metrics and selected six critical success factors from these categories: 1) Operational Efficiency;2) Time Savings;3) Timeframe to Realize Value;4) Employee Engagement;5) Participation;6) Number of Sponsored Ideas. End users of the digital transformation efforts through Citizen Development were asked to assess the six critical success measures in terms of performance and importance criteria. The research results identified that focus should be applied to improving “Timeframe to Realize Value”, on “Operational Efficiency”, and on “Time Savings” to deliver success.

The Impact of Sustainable Development Strategies on Corporate Performance

Enterprises must develop and implement effective strategic measures to achieve sustainable development.This entails evaluating corporate performance,understanding the impact of sustainable development strategies on corporate performance,and implementing such strategies.The article proposes eight critical countermeasures to foster harmony and sustainable development among humanity,nature,the economy,and society:innovation-driven initiatives,green development practices,social responsibility initiatives,talent cultivation programs,collaborative cooperation efforts,sound financial management,brand-building endeavors,and effective information management.

GAMYB transcription factor LoMYB65 from lily plays a vital role in pollen development

Lily(Lilium spp.)is an important horticultural crop,but its use is limited due to serious pollen contamination problems.There are many studies on pollen development in model plants,but few on flower crops such as lilies.Gibberellin(GA)is a large class of hormones and plays an important role in plant vegetative growth and reproductive development.GAMYB is a group of the R2R3-MYB family upregulated by gibberellin,and plays an important role in anther development.Here,we isolated a novel GAMYB,named LoMYB65,from lily,which was closely related to the AtMYB65 and AtMYB33 in Arabidopsis.Fluorescence quantitative PCR results showed that LoMYB65 was mainly expressed in lily anthers.LoMYB65 could be activated by 288μmol·L^(-1)GA3treatment and the LoMYB65 protein was located in the nucleus and cytoplasm,and had transactivation in yeast and tobacco leaf cells.The conserved motif within 226 amino acids of the C-terminal of LoMYB65 contributed to its transactivation.Overexpression of LoMYB65 caused dwarf phenotype,unnormal tapetum development,less seeds of siliques in transgenic Arabidopsis plants,the transgenic plants showed partly male sterile.Simultaneously,silencing of LoMYB65 with VIGS(Virus Induced Gene Silencing)in lily anthers caused unnormal pollen development and reduced the pollen amount.Overexpression of LoMYB65 in Arabidopsis and silencing of LoMYB65 in lily resulted in decreased pollen counts,so we speculate that LoMYB65 may be dose-dependent.Overall,these findings suggest that LoMYB65 may play an important role in anther development and pollen formation in lily.LoMYB65 may provide a useful candidate gene for pollenless breeding of lily.

BMPRⅡ^(+)neural precursor cells isolated and characterized from organotypic neurospheres:an in vitro model of human fetal spinal cord development

Roof plate secretion of bone morphogenetic proteins(BMPs)directs the cellular fate of sensory neurons during spinal cord development,including the formation of the ascending sensory columns,though their biology is not well understood.Type-ⅡBMP receptor(BMPRⅡ),the cognate receptor,is expressed by neural precursor cells during embryogenesis;however,an in vitro method of enriching BMPRⅡ^(+)human neural precursor cells(hNPCs)from the fetal spinal cord is absent.Immunofluorescence was undertaken on intact second-trimester human fetal spinal cord using antibodies to BMPRⅡand leukemia inhibitory factor(LIF).Regions of highest BMPRⅡ^(+)immunofluorescence localized to sensory columns.Parenchymal and meningeal-associated BMPRⅡ^(+)vascular cells were identified in both intact fetal spinal cord and cortex by co-positivity with vascular lineage markers,CD34/CD39.LIF immunostaining identified a population of somas concentrated in dorsal and ventral horn interneurons,mirroring the expression of LIF receptor/CD118.A combination of LIF supplementation and high-density culture maintained culture growth beyond 10 passages,while synergistically increasing the proportion of neurospheres with a stratified,cytoarchitecture.These neurospheres were characterized by BMPRⅡ^(+)/MAP2ab^(+/–)/βⅢ-tubulin^(+)/nestin^(–)/vimentin^(–)/GFAP^(–)/NeuN^(–)surface hNPCs surrounding a heterogeneous core ofβⅢ-tubulin^(+)/nestin^(+)/vimentin^(+)/GFAP^(+)/MAP2ab^(–)/NeuN^(–)multipotent precursors.Dissociated cultures from tripotential neurospheres contained neuronal(βⅢ-tubulin^(+)),astrocytic(GFAP+),and oligodendrocytic(O4+)lineage cells.Fluorescence-activated cell sorting-sorted BMPRⅡ^(+)hNPCs were MAP2ab^(+/–)/βⅢ-tubulin^(+)/GFAP^(–)/O4^(–)in culture.This is the first isolation of BMPRⅡ^(+)hNPCs identified and characterized in human fetal spinal cords.Our data show that LIF combines synergistically with high-density reaggregate cultures to support the organotypic reorganization of neurospheres,characterized by surface BMPRⅡ^(+)hNPCs.Our study has provided a new methodology for an in vitro model capable of amplifying human fetal spinal cord cell numbers for>10 passages.Investigations of the role BMPRⅡplays in spinal cord development have primarily relied upon mouse and rat models,with interpolations to human development being derived through inference.Because of significant species differences between murine biology and human,including anatomical dissimilarities in central nervous system(CNS)structure,the findings made in murine models cannot be presumed to apply to human spinal cord development.For these reasons,our human in vitro model offers a novel tool to better understand neurodevelopmental pathways,including BMP signaling,as well as spinal cord injury research and testing drug therapies.

OsPPG encodes a pseudouridine-5'-phosphate glycosidase and regulates rice spikelet development

Florets are the basic structural units of spikelets,and their morphogenesis determines the yield and quality of rice grains.However,whether and how pseudouridine-5’-phosphate glycosidase participates in rice spikelet development remains an open question.In this study,we identified a novel gene,OsPPG,which encodes a peroxisome-localized pseudouridine-5’-phosphate glycosidase and regulates the development of rice spikelets.osppg mutants exhibited abnormal sterile lemma,lemma,palea,lodicule,stamens,and pistils;male sterility;shorter panicles;and reduced plant height.OsPPG was found to regulate several OsMADS genes,thereby affecting the morphogenesis of rice spikelets.Furthermore,metabolomics revealed that the OsPPG gene was involved in the decomposition of pseudouridine via the pyrimidine metabolism pathway and may affect the jasmonic acid signaling pathway.These results suggest that OsPPG is a key regulator of rice spikelet development.

Combining genome-wide association study and transcriptome analysis to identify molecular markers and genetic basis of population-asynchronous ovarian development in Coilia nasus

Coilia nasus,a migratory fish species found in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and along offshore areas of China,possesses considerable aquacultural and economic potential.However,the species faces challenges due to significant variation in the gonadal development rate among females,resulting in inconsistent ovarian maturation times at the population level,an extended reproductive period,and limitations on fish growth rate due to ovarian prematurity.In the present study,we combined genome-wide association study(GWAS)and comparative transcriptome analysis to investigate the potential single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)and candidate genes associated with population-asynchronous ovarian development in C.nasus.Genotyping of the female population based on whole-genome resequencing yielded 2120695 high-quality SNPs,39 of which were suggestively associated with ovarian development.Of note,a significant SNP peak on LG21 containing 30 suggestively associated SNPs was identified,with cpne5a determined as the causal gene of the peak.Therefore,single-marker and haplotype association analyses were performed on cpne5a,revealing four genetic markers(P<0.05)and seven haplotypes(r2>0.9)significantly associated with the phenotype.Comparative transcriptome analysis of precociously and normally maturing individuals screened out 29 and 426 overlapping differentially expressed genes in the brain and ovary,respectively,between individuals of different body sizes.Integrating the GWAS and transcriptome analysis results,this study identified genes and pathways related to hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis hormone secretion,extracellular matrix,angiogenesis,and gap junctions involved in population-asynchronous ovarian development.The insights gained from this study provide a basis for a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying ovarian development in fish and may facilitate the genetic breeding of C.nasus strains exhibiting population-synchronous ovarian development in the future.

Robustness Study and Superior Method Development and Validation for Analytical Assay Method of Atropine Sulfate in Pharmaceutical Ophthalmic Solution

Background: The robustness is a measurement of an analytical chemical method and its ability to contain unaffected by little with deliberate variation of analytical chemical method parameters. The analytical chemical method variation parameters are based on pH variability of buffer solution of mobile phase, organic ratio composition changes, stationary phase (column) manufacture, brand name and lot number variation;flow rate variation and temperature variation of chromatographic system. The analytical chemical method for assay of Atropine Sulfate conducted for robustness evaluation. The typical variation considered for mobile phase organic ratio change, change of pH, change of temperature, change of flow rate, change of column etc. Purpose: The aim of this study is to develop a cost effective, short run time and robust analytical chemical method for the assay quantification of Atropine in Pharmaceutical Ophthalmic Solution. This will help to make analytical decisions quickly for research and development scientists as well as will help with quality control product release for patient consumption. This analytical method will help to meet the market demand through quick quality control test of Atropine Ophthalmic Solution and it is very easy for maintaining (GDP) good documentation practices within the shortest period of time. Method: HPLC method has been selected for developing superior method to Compendial method. Both the compendial HPLC method and developed HPLC method was run into the same HPLC system to prove the superiority of developed method. Sensitivity, precision, reproducibility, accuracy parameters were considered for superiority of method. Mobile phase ratio change, pH of buffer solution, change of stationary phase temperature, change of flow rate and change of column were taken into consideration for robustness study of the developed method. Results: The limit of quantitation (LOQ) of developed method was much low than the compendial method. The % RSD for the six sample assay of developed method was 0.4% where the % RSD of the compendial method was 1.2%. The reproducibility between two analysts was 100.4% for developed method on the contrary the compendial method was 98.4%.

A Golden2-like transcription factor, BnGLK1a, improves chloroplast development, photosynthesis, and seed weight in rapeseed

Enhancing photosynthetic efficiency is a major goal for improving crop yields under agricultural field conditions and is associated with chloroplast biosynthesis and development.In this study,we demonstrate that Golden2-like 1a(BnGLK1a)plays an important role in regulating chloroplast development and photosynthetic efficiency.Overexpressing BnGLK1a resulted in significant increases in chlorophyll content,the number of thylakoid membrane layers and photosynthetic efficiency in Brassica napus,while knocking down BnGLK1a transcript levels through RNA interference(RNAi)had the opposite effects.A yeast two-hybrid screen revealed that BnGLK1a interacts with the abscisic acid receptor PYRABACTIN RESISTANCE 1-LIKE 1-2(BnPYL1-2)and CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENIC 9 SIGNALOSOME 5A subunit(BnCSN5A),which play essential roles in regulating chloroplast development and photosynthesis.Consistent with this,BnGLK1a-RNAi lines of B.napus display hypersensitivity to the abscisic acid(ABA)response.Importantly,overexpression of BnGLK1a resulted in a 10%increase in thousand-seed weight,whereas seeds from BnGLK1a-RNAi lines were 16%lighter than wild type.We propose that BnGLK1a could be a potential target in breeding for improving rapeseed productivity.Our results not only provide insights into the mechanisms of BnGLK1a function,but also offer a potential approach for improving the productivity of Brassica species.

BrrTCP4b interacts with BrrTTG1 to suppress the development of trichomes in Brassica rapa var. rapa

The number of trichomes significantly increased in CRISPR/Cas9-edited BrrTCP4b turnip(Brassica rapa var.rapa)plants.However,the underlying molecular mechanism remains to be uncovered.In this study,we performed the Y2H screen using BrrTCP4b as the bait,which unveiled an interaction between BrrTCP4b and BrrTTG1,a pivotal WD40-repeat protein transcription factor in the MYB-bHLH-WD40(MBW)complex.This physical interaction was further validated through bimolecular luciferase complementation and co-immunoprecipitation.Furthermore,it was found that the interaction between BrrTCP4b and BrrTTG1 could inhibit the activity of MBW complex,resulting in decreased expression of BrrGL2,a positive regulator of trichomes development.In contrast,AtTCP4 is known to regulate trichomes development by interacting with AtGL3 in Arabidopsis thaliana.Overall,this study revealed that BrrTCP4b is involved in trichome development by interacting with BrrTTG1 in turnip,indicating a divergence from the mechanisms observed in model plant A.thaliana.The findings contribute to our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms governing trichome development in the non-model plants turnip.

Ethnocultural heritage of the North-Eastern Caucasus as a factor of eco-tourism development

The North-East Caucasus is a multi-ethnic mountain macroregion with a rich cultural heritage,insufficiently studied in the context of the ecotourism development.To fill this gap and identify promising directions of environmentally safe forms of tourism,the author used in-depth review of modern literature to investigate the features of ecological tourism and the problems of preserving ethno-cultural heritage,and used historical and comparative-geographical methods to analyze the development of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the indigenous peoples of the North-Eastern Caucasus in different historical periods and to identify the geographical peculiarities of the distribution of historical and cultural monuments(tower buildings),pilgrimage sites and centers of traditional crafts and trades.As part of the planned expeditions,the author personally visited some historical monuments and handicraft centers for a deeper study of ethno-cultural heritage.The cartographic method made it possible to visualize the results.The results of the research show that the ethnocultural heritage of the North-East Caucasus is formed by material(historical and cultural monuments)and immaterial elements of culture(language,customs,traditions,ethnic identification)of those peoples,who live here.The ethnocultural heritage is considered as the most important factor in the development of the tourism industry.It is revealed that this region has a large potential for development in various areas of eco-tourism.The highest concentration of religious buildings focused in mountainous areas.Medieval tower structures were erected in mountainous and high-altitude areas.From ancient times to the present day there have been preserved various types of crafts and trades(pottery,metalworking,burka making,jewelry making,carpet weaving,gold embroidery,wood and stone carving,etc.),which can become objects of ecotourism.The ethnocultural heritage of the North-East Caucasus needs to be preserved and protected.To solve this problem,the author recommends to focus on a balanced combination of traditions and innovations in this industry,also considering the current state and development of the tourism industry in the country and in the world.The research highlights that the development of scientific approaches to plan and manage tourism development can contribute to the preservation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage of indigenous peoples.This is a complex and labour-intensive task,but its solution will have a multiplier effect in the social sphere,in economic development and in environmental security,which is in line with the principles and concept of sustainable development.

Overexpression of the peroxidase gene ZmPRX1 increases maize seedling drought tolerance by promoting root development and lignification

Drought is a main abiotic stress factor hindering plant growth,development,and crop productivity.Therefore,it is crucial to understand the mechanisms by which plants cope with drought stress.Here,the function of the maize peroxidase gene ZmPRX1 in drought stress tolerance was investigated by measurement of its expression in response to drought treatment both in a ZmPRX1 overexpression line and a mutant line.The higher root lignin accumulation and seedling survival rate of the overexpression line than that of the wild type or mutant support a role for ZmPRX1 in maize drought tolerance by regulating root development and lignification.Additionally,yeast one-hybrid,Dule luciferase and ChIP-qPCR assays showed that ZmPRX1 is negatively regulated by a nuclear-localized ZmWRKY86 transcription factor.The gene could potentially be used for breeding of drought-tolerant cultivars.

Analyzing topics in social media for improving digital twinning based product development

Digital twinning enables manufacturers to create digital representations of physical entities,thus implementing virtual simulations for product development.Previous efforts of digital twinning neglect the decisive consumer feedback in product development stages,failing to cover the gap between physical and digital spaces.This work mines real-world consumer feedbacks through social media topics,which is significant to product development.We specifically analyze the prevalent time of a product topic,giving an insight into both consumer attention and the widely-discussed time of a product.The primary body of current studies regards the prevalent time prediction as an accompanying task or assumes the existence of a preset distribution.Therefore,these proposed solutions are either biased in focused objectives and underlying patterns or weak in the capability of generalization towards diverse topics.To this end,this work combines deep learning and survival analysis to predict the prevalent time of topics.We propose a specialized deep survival model which consists of two modules.The first module enriches input covariates by incorporating latent features of the time-varying text,and the second module fully captures the temporal pattern of a rumor by a recurrent network structure.Moreover,a specific loss function different from regular survival models is proposed to achieve a more reasonable prediction.Extensive experiments on real-world datasets demonstrate that our model significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art methods.

Al-modified yolk-shell silica particle-supported NiMo catalysts for ultradeep hydrodesulfurization of dibenzothiophene and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene:Efficient accessibility of active sites and suitable acidity

Yolk-shell SiO2 particles(YP)with center-radial meso-channels were fabricated through a simple and effective method.Al-containing YP-supported NiMo catalysts with different Al amounts(NiMo/AYP-x,x=Si/Al molar proportion)were prepared and dibenzothiophene(DBT)and 4,6-dimethyl-dibenzothiophene(4,6-DMDBT)were employed as the probes to evaluate the hydrodesulfurization(HDS)catalytic performance.The as-prepared AYP-x carriers and corresponding catalysts were characterized by some advanced characterizations to obtain deeper correlations between physicochemical properties and the HDS performance.The average pore sizes of series AYP-x supports are above 6.0 nm,which favors the mass transfer of organic sulfides.The cavity between the yolk and the shell is beneficial for the enrichment of S-containing compounds and the accessibility between reactants and active metals.Aluminum embedded into the silica framework could facilitate the formation of Lewis(L)and Brønsted(B)acid sites and adjust the metal-support interaction(MSI).Among all the as-synthesized catalysts,NiMo/AYP-20 catalyst shows the highest HDS activities.The improved HDS activity of NiMo/AYP-20 catalyst is attributed to the perfect combination of excellent structural properties of the yolk-shell mesoporous silica,enhanced acidity,moderate MSI,and good accessibility/dispersion of active components.

The NAC transcription factor LuNAC61 negatively regulates fiber development in flax (Linum usitatissimum L.)

Flax is a crucial fiber crop that exhibits excellent textile properties and serves as a model plant for investigating phloem fiber development. The regulation of multiple genes significantly influences fiber development, notably involving NAC(NAM, ATAF1/2, CUC2) transcription factors in forming the fiber secondary cell wall(SCW).Overexpression of LuNAC61 in flax resulted in sparse top meristematic zone leaves and significantly reduced stem cellulose content. Scanning electron microscopy and staining observations revealed a significant reduction in fiber bundles. β-Glucuronidase(GUS) staining analysis demonstrated high activity of the LuNAC61 promoter in the bast fibers of the flax stem. Additionally, several members of the LuPLATZ and LuCesA families exhibited significant coexpression with LuNAC61. Subcellular localization indicated the presence of LuPLATZ24 protein in the nucleus and cytoplasm, LuNAC61 protein exclusively in the nucleus, and LuCesA10 in the nucleus and endoplasmic reticulum. LuPLATZ24 positively regulates LuNAC61, whereas LuNAC61 negatively affects LuCesA10, suggesting the involvement of a metabolic network in regulating flax fiber development. In conclusion, this study provides a critical opportunity for a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the mechanisms governing flax fiber development and the potential use of biotechnology to enhance flax fiber yield.

Effect of Saline Water on Soil Acidity, Alkalinity and Nutrients Leaching in Sandy Loamy Soil in Rwamagana Bella Flower Farm, Rwanda

The necessity to saline and sodic waters is sometimes used for irrigating agricultural activities under certain circumstances, but it is important to note that the use of these waters comes with specific considerations and limitations. One way to decrease undesirable effects of sodic waters on the physical and chemical properties of soils is to apply organic and chemical amendments within the soil. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of saline water on soil acidity, alkalinity and nutrients leaching in sandy loamy soil at Bella flower farm, in Rwamagana District, Rwanda. The water used was from the Muhazi Lake which is classified as Class I (Saline water quality). Column leaching experiments using treated soils were then conducted under saturated conditions. The soil under experimental was first analyzed for its textural classification, soil properties and is classified as sandy loamy soil. The t-test was taken at 1%, 5% and 10% levels of statistical significance compared to control soil. The results indicated that the application of saline water to soils caused an increase in some soil nutrients like increase of Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K+), Magnesium (Mg2+), Sulphur (S), CN ratio and Sodium (Na+) and decreased soil texture, physical and chemical properties and remained soil nutrients. Consequently, the intensive addition of saline water leachates to soil in PVC pipes led to decreased of soil EC through leaching and a raiser Soluble Sodium Percentage (SSP). The rate of saline water application affected the increase accumulation of SAR and Na% in the top soil layers. The study indicated that saline water is an inefficient amendment for sandy soil with saline water irrigation. The study recommends further studies with similar topic with saline water irrigation, as it accentuated the alkalinity levels.

Comparative analysis of SIMILAR to RCD ONE(SRO)family from tetraploid cotton species and their diploid progenitors depict their significance in cotton growth and development

Background SRO(Similar to RCD1)genes family is largely recognized for their importance in the growth,develop-ment,and in responding to environmental stresses.However,genome-wide identification and functional characteri-zation of SRO genes from cotton species have not been reported so far.Results A total of 36 SRO genes were identified from four cotton species.Phylogenetic analysis divided these genes into three groups with distinct structure.Syntenic and chromosomal distribution analysis indicated uneven distribu-tion of GaSRO,GrSRO,GhSRO,and GbSRO genes on A2,D5 genomes,Gh-At,Gh-Dt,Gb-At,and Gb-Dt subgenomes,respectively.Gene duplication analysis revealed the presence of six duplicated gene pairs among GhSRO genes.In promoter analysis,several elements responsive to the growth,development and hormones were found in GhSRO genes,implying gene induction during cotton growth and development.Several miRNAs responsive to plant growth and abiotic stress were predicted to target 12 GhSRO genes.Organ-specific expression profiling demonstrated the roles of GhSRO genes in one or more tissues.In addition,specific expression pattern of some GhSRO genes dur-ing ovule development depicted their involvement in these developmental processes.Conclusion The data presented in this report laid a foundation for understanding the classification and functions of SRO genes in cotton.

A dynamic regulation of nitrogen on floret primordia development in wheat

Nitrogen(N)fertilization is critical for spike and floret development,which affects the number of fertile florets per spike(NFFs).However,the physiological regulation of the floret development process by N fertilization is largely unknown.A high temporal-resolution investigation of floret primordia number and morphology,dry matter,and N availability was conducted under three N fertilization levels:0(N0),120(N1)and 240(N2)kg ha^(−1).Interestingly,fertile florets at anthesis stage were determined by those floret primordia with meiotic ability at booting stage:meiotic ability was a threshold that predicted whether a floret primordium became fertile or abortive florets.Because the developmental rate of the 4th floret primordium in the central spikelet was accelerated and then they acquired meiotic ability,the NFFs increased gradually as N application increased,but the increase range decreased under N2.There were no differences in spike N concentration among treatments,but leaf N concentration was increased in the N1 and N2 treatments.Correspondingly,dry matter accumulation and N content of the leaf and spike in the N1 and N2 treatments was increased as compared to N0.Clearly,optimal N fertilization increased leaf N availability and transport of assimilates to spikes,and allowed more floret primordia to acquire meiotic ability and become fertile florets,finally increasing NFFs.There was no difference in leaf N concentration between N1 and N2 treatment,whereas soil N concentration at 0–60 cm soil layers was higher in N2 than in N1 treatment,implying that there was still some N fertilization that remained unused.Therefore,improving the leaf’s ability to further use N fertilizer is vital for greater NFFs.