Production of microbial oils co-fermented by Trichoderma.koningii and Trichosporon cutaneum with Daqu distiller's grains

Abstract： Daqu distiller＇s grains were co-fermented as raw materials by Trichoderma.koningii and Trichosporon cutaneum to produce microbial oils, which can provide raw materials for bio-diesel development. The single factor tests were used to investigate the effects of ratio of strains, inoculum size, culture temperature and culture time on the production of microbial oils. The best processing conditions were obtained by orthogonal test through measuring the content of microbial oils in product. The result shows that the microbial oils content of the co-fermented product under the ratio of Trichoderma.koningii to Trichosporon cutaneum of 1：1, the inoculum size of strains of 11% at 28 ℃ for 6 d is 7.15 g/L. It is shown that the production of microbial oils co-fermented by Trichoderma.koningii and Trichosporon cutaneum with Daqu distiller＇s grains is possible. The research provides a new idea for the reuse of Daqu distiller＇s grains and also provides a new way for the development of microbial oils.

Effects of Distiller's Grain Substrate with Acid Regulation on the Growth of Tobacco Seedlings in Floating Breeding System

In order to reduce the use of peat resources and realize the sustainable development of tobacco, the pH of distiller s grain substrate was adjusted with humic acid, and the effects of various distiller s grain substrates on the growth of tobacco seedlings were studied to find out the method of cultivating high-quality tobacco seedlings by using distiller s grain substrate. The results showed that when 60% of humic acid was added to the distiller s grain substrate made from coarse distiller s grains, fine distiller s grains, perlite and vermiculite, both the pH and electrical conductivity decreased significantly and were similar to that of the conventional substrate. Moreover, the emergence rate of tobacco seedlings, the rate of strong tobacco seedlings, leaf number, stem height, root growth and quality of tobacco seedlings were good.

The Mechanism of Heating Rate on the Secondary Recrystallization Evolution in Grain Oriented Silicon Steel

Grain-oriented silicon steels were prepared at different heating rates during high temperature annealing,in which the evolution of magnetic properties,grain orientations and precipitates were studied.To illustrate the Zener factor,the diameter and number density of precipitates of interrupted testing samples were statistically calculated.The effect of precipitate ripening on the Goss texture and magnetic property was investigated.Data indicated that the trend of Zener factor was similar under different heating rates,first increasing and then decreasing,and that the precipitate maturing was greatly inhibited as the heating rate increased.Secondary recrystallization was developed at the temperature of 1010℃when a heating rate of 5℃/h was used,resulting in Goss,Brass and{110}<227>oriented grains growing abnormally and a magnetic induction intensity of 1.90T.Furthermore,increasing the heating rate to 20℃/h would inhibit the development of undesirable oriented grains and obtain a sharp Goss texture.However,when the heating rate was extremely fast,such as 40℃/h,poor secondary recrystallization was developed with many island grains,corresponding to a decrease in magnetic induction intensity to 1.87 T.At a suitable heating rate of 20℃/h,the sharpest Goss texture and the highest magnetic induction of 1.94 T with an onset secondary recrystallization temperature of 1020℃were found among the experimental variables in this study.The heating rate affected the initial temperature of secondary recrystallization by controlling the maturation of precipitates,leading to the deviation and dispersion of Goss texture,thereby reducing the magnetic properties.

Atomic-scale insights into microscopic mechanisms of grain boundary segregation in Al−Cu alloys

This study aims to clarify the mechanisms for the grain boundary(GB)segregation through investigating the absorption of excess solute atoms at GBs in Al−Cu alloys by using the hybrid molecular dynamics/Monte Carlo simulations.Two segregation mechanisms,substitutional and interstitial mechanisms,are observed.The intergranular defects,including dislocations,steps and vacancies,and the intervals in structural units are conductive to the prevalence of interstitial mechanism.And substitutional mechanism is favored by the highly ordered twin GBs.Furthermore,the two mechanisms affect the GB structure differently.It is quantified that interstitial mechanism is less destructive to GB structure than substitutional one,and often leads to a segregation level being up to about 6 times higher than the latter.These findings contribute to atomic scale insights into the microscopic mechanisms about how solute atoms are absorbed by GB structures,and clarify the correlation among intergranular structures,segregation mechanisms and kinetics.

HAG1 Regulates Arsenic Allocation and Accumulation in Rice Grains

Rice is a well-recognized accumulator of arsenic(As),which poses a threat to food security and human health.Different rice varieties vary widely in their As accumulation and tolerance,yet the underlying genetic basis remains unknown.In this study,we isolated a rice mutant hag1,which displayed high accumulation of As in rice grains and increased sensitivity to As toxicity.Using genetic investigation,we identified the ATP-binding cassette(ABC)transporter OsABCC1,involved in sequestering As in vacuoles,as the causal gene responsible for As allocation and tolerance in rice.Detailed physiological analysis revealed that As stress caused more severe oxidative damage in hag1 compared with the wild type(WT).The hag1 mutant displayed different accumulation patterns depending on the levels of As stress.We discovered that under low As concentration,hag1 synthesized more thiol compounds and exhibited lower As translocation than the WT;however,at high As levels,hag1 produced fewer thiol compounds and increased As transfer factor.Transcriptome analysis of the node nearest to the panicles revealed that OsABCC1 was down-regulated in hag1,resulting in increased As translocation and accumulation in rice grains.Additionally,natural variations in the promoter of OsABCC1 may confer differential gene expression and distinct As accumulations in grains between japonica and indica rice varieties,providing insights for breeding low-As rice varieties.

An integrated physiology and proteomics analysis reveals the response of wheat grain to low temperature stress during booting

Low temperature(LT)in spring has become one of the principal abiotic stresses that restrict the growth and development of wheat.Diverse analyses were performed to investigate the mechanism underlying the response of wheat grain development to LT stress during booting.These included morphological observation,measurements of starch synthase activity,and determination of amylose and amylopectin content of wheat grain after exposure to treatment with LT during booting.Additionally,proteomic analysis was performed using tandem mass tags(TMT).Results showed that the plumpness of wheat grains decreased after LT stress.Moreover,the activities of sucrose synthase(SuS,EC 2.4.1.13)and ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase(AGPase,EC 2.7.7.27)exhibited a significant reduction,leading to a significant reduction in the contents of amylose and amylopectin.A total of 509 differentially expressed proteins(DEPs)were identified by proteomics analysis.The Gene Ontology(GO)enrichment analysis showed that the protein difference multiple in the nutritional repository activity was the largest among the molecular functions,and the up-regulated seed storage protein(ssP)played an active role in the response of grains to LT stress and subsequent damage.The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)enrichment analysis showed that LT stress reduced the expression of DEPs such as sucrose phosphate synthase(SPS),glucose-1-phosphate adenylyltransferase(glgC),andβ-fructofuranosidase(FFase)in sucrose and starch metabolic pathways,thus affecting the synthesis of grain starch.In addition,many heat shock proteins(HsPs)were found in the protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum pathways,which can resist some damage caused by LT stress.These findings provide a new theoretical foundation for elucidating the underlying mechanism governing wheat yield developmentafterexposuretoLTstress inspring.

基于Grain v1的认证加密算法研究与设计

Grain v1算法为eSTREAM项目面向硬件的优胜算法之一,在硬件实现方面极具优势。本文针对Grain v1的结构弱点对其进行细节修改,并在此基础上提出Grain v1+AE和Grain v1+AEAD两种认证加密算法。这两种算法在保证机密性和完整性的同时,为Grain系列认证加密算法在安全等级、硬件规模角度提供更多选择,拓展Grain系列算法适用范围。

Grain yield and N uptake of maize in response to increased plant density under reduced water and nitrogen supply conditions

The development of modern agriculture requires the reduction of water and chemical N fertilizer inputs.Increasing the planting density can maintain higher yields,but also consumes more of these restrictive resources.However,whether an increased maize density can compensate for the negative effects of reduced water and N supply on grain yield and N uptake in the arid irrigated areas remains unknown.This study is part of a long-term positioning trial that started in 2016.A split-split plot field experiment of maize was implemented in the arid irrigated area of northwestern China in 2020 to 2021.The treatments included two irrigation levels:local conventional irrigation reduced by 20%(W1,3,240 m^(3)ha^(-1))and local conventional irrigation(W2,4,050 m^(3)ha^(-1));two N application rates:local conventional N reduced by 25%(N1,270 kg ha^(-1))and local conventional N(360 kg ha^(-1));and three planting densities:local conventional density(D1,75,000 plants ha^(-1)),density increased by 30%(D2,97,500 plants ha-1),and density increased by 60%(D3,120,000 plants ha^(-1)).Our results showed that the grain yield and aboveground N accumulation of maize were lower under the reduced water and N inputs,but increasing the maize density by 30% can compensate for the reductions of grain yield and aboveground N accumulation caused by the reduced water and N supply.When water was reduced while the N application rate remained unchanged,increasing the planting density by 30% enhanced grain yield by 13.9% and aboveground N accumulation by 15.3%.Under reduced water and N inputs,increasing the maize density by 30% enhanced N uptake efficiency and N partial factor productivity,and it also compensated for the N harvest index and N metabolic related enzyme activities.Compared with W2N2D1,the N uptake efficiency and N partial factor productivity increased by 28.6 and 17.6%under W1N1D2.W1N2D2 had 8.4% higher N uptake efficiency and 13.9% higher N partial factor productivity than W2N2D1.W1N2D2 improved urease activity and nitrate reductase activity by 5.4% at the R2(blister)stage and 19.6% at the V6(6th leaf)stage,and increased net income and the benefit:cost ratio by 22.1 and 16.7%,respectively.W1N1D2 and W1N2D2 reduced the nitrate nitrogen and ammoniacal nitrogen contents at the R6 stage in the 40-100 cm soil layer,compared with W2N2D1.In summary,increasing the planting density by 30% can compensate for the loss of grain yield and aboveground N accumulation under reduced water and N inputs.Meanwhile,increasing the maize density by 30% improved grain yield and aboveground N accumulation when water was reduced by 20% while the N application rate remained constant in arid irrigation areas.

Strength and plasticity improvement induced by strong grain refinement after Zr alloying in selective laser-melted AlSiMg1.4 alloy

In order to enhance the mechanical properties of the selective laser-melted(SLM) high-Mg content AlSiMg1.4 alloy,the Zr element was introduced.The influence of Zr alloying on the processability,microstructure,and mechanical properties of the alloy was systematically investigated through performing microstructure analysis and tensile testing.It was demonstrated that the SLM-fabricated AlSiMg1.4-Zr alloy exhibited high process stability with a relative density of over 99.5% at various process parameters.Besides,the strong grain refinement induced by the primary Al3Zr particle during the melt solidification process simultaneously enhanced both the strength and plasticity of the alloy.The values for the yield strength,ultimate tensile strength,and elongation of the SLM-fabricated AlSiMg1.4-Zr were(343±3) MPa,(485±4) MPa,and(10.2±0.2)%,respectively,demonstrating good strengthplasticity synergy in comparison to the AlSiMg1.4 and other Al-Si-based alloys fabricated by SLM.

Irrigation regimes modulate non-structural carbohydrate remobilization and improve grain filling in rice(Oryza sativa L.)by regulating starch metabolism

Recently developed ‘super’ rice cultivars with greater yield potentials often suffer from the problem of poor grain filling, especially in inferior spikelets. Here, we studied the activities of enzymes related to starch metabolism in rice stems and grains, and the microstructures related to carbohydrate accumulation and transportation to investigate the effects of different water regimes on grain filling. Two ‘super’ rice cultivars were grown under two irrigation regimes of well-watered(WW) and alternate wetting and moderate soil drying(AWMD). Compared with the WW treatment,the activities of ADP glucose pyrophosphorylase(AGPase), starch synthase(StSase) and starch branching enzyme(SBE), and the accumulation of non-structural carbohydrates(NSCs) in the stems before heading were significantly improved, and more starch granules were stored in the stems in the AWMD treatment. After heading, the activities of α-amylase, β-amylase, sucrose phosphate synthase(SPS) and sucrose synthase in the synthetic direction(SSs)were increased in the stems to promote the remobilization of NSCs for grain filling under AWMD. During grain filling, the enzymatic activities of sucrose synthase in the cleavage direction(SSc), AGPase, StSase and SBE in the inferior spikelets were increased, which promoted grain filling, especially for the inferior spikelets under AWMD.However, there were no significant differences in vascular microstructures. The grain yield and grain weight could be improved by 13.1 and 7.5%, respectively, by optimizing of the irrigation regime. We concluded that the low activities of key enzymes in carbon metabolism is the key limitation for the poor grain filling, as opposed to the vascular microstructures, and AWMD can increase the amount of NSC accumulation in the stems before heading, improve the utilization rate of NSCs after heading, and increase the grain filling, especially in the inferior spikelets, by altering the activities of key enzymes in carbon metabolism.

OsDA1 positively regulates grain width in rice

The size and shape of rice grains influence their yield and commercial value.We investigated the role of OsDA1,a rice homolog of the Arabidopsis DA1 gene,in regulating grain size and shape.OsDA1 was highly expressed in young spikelets and glumes.Its overexpression led to enlarged seeds with increased width and decreased length/width ratio(LWR)and knocking out OsDA1 reduced grain width and increased grain length and LWR.A R310K point mutation in the DA1-like domain is a potential target for breeding for increased grain width and length.OsDA1 interacted with TCP gene-family proteins to regulate grain size and shape.Our findings deepen our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying grain size regulation and provide useful information for improving grain yield.

qGW11a/OsCAT8,encoding an amino acid permease,negatively regulates grain size and weight in rice

Grain size is a key factor influencing grain weight in rice.In this study,a chromosome segment substitution line(CSSL9-17)was identified,that exhibits a significant reduction in both grain size and weight compared to its donor parent 93-11.Further investigation identified two quantitative trait loci(QTL)on chromosome 11,designated qGW11a and qGW11b,which contribute to 1000-grain weight with an additive effect.LOC_Os11g05690,encoding the amino acid permease OsCAT8,is the target gene of qGW11a.Overexpression of OsCAT8 resulted in decreased grain weight,while OsCAT8 knockout mutants exhibited increased grain weight.The 287-bp located within the OsCAT8 promoter region of 93-11 negatively regulates its activity,which is subsequently correlated with an increase in grain size and weight.These results suggest that OsCAT8 functions as a negative regulator of grain size and grain weight in rice.

Superplasticity of fine-grained Mg-10Li alloy prepared by severe plastic deformation and understanding its deformation mechanisms

The superplastic behavior and associated deformation mechanisms of a fine-grained Mg-10.1 Li-0.8Al-0.6Zn alloy(LAZ1011)with a grain size of 3.2μm,primarily composed of the BCCβphase and a small amount of the HCPαphase,were examined in a temperature range of 473 K to 623 K.The microstructural refinement of this alloy was achieved by employing high-ratio differential speed rolling.The best superplasticity was achieved at 523 K and at strain rates of 10^(-4)-5×10^(-4)s^(-1),where tensile elongations of 550±600%were obtained.During the heating and holding stage of the tensile samples prior to tensile loading,a significant increase in grain size was observed at temperatures above 573 K.Therefore,it was important to consider this effect when analyzing and understanding the superplastic deformation behavior and mechanisms.In the investigated strain rate range,the superplastic flow at low strain rates was governed by lattice diffusion-controlled grain boundary sliding,while at high strain rates,lattice diffusion-controlled dislocation climb creep was the rate-controlling deformation mechanism.It was concluded that solute drag creep is unlikely to occur.During the late stages of deformation at 523 K,it was observed that grain boundary sliding led to the agglomeration of theαphase,resulting in significant strain hardening.Deformation mechanism maps were constructed forβ-Mg-Li alloys in the form of 2D and 3D formats as a function of strain rate,stress,temperature,and grain size,using the constitutive equations for various deformation mechanisms derived based on the data of the current tests.

Higher Grain-Filling Rate in Inferior Spikelets of Tolerant Rice Genotype Offset Grain Yield Loss under Post-Anthesis High Night Temperatures

Increased nighttime respiratory losses decrease the amount of photoassimilates available for plant growth and yield. We hypothesized that the increased respiratory carbon loss under high night temperatures(HNT) could be compensated for by increased photosynthesis during the day following HNT exposure. Two rice genotypes, Vandana(HNT-sensitive) and Nagina 22(HNT-tolerant), were exposed to HNT(4 ℃ above the control) from flowering to physiological maturity. They were assessed for alterations in the carbon balance of the source(flag leaf) and its subsequent impact on grain filling dynamics and the quality of spatially differentiated sinks(superior and inferior spikelets). Both genotypes exhibited significantly higher night respiration rates. However, only Nagina 22 compensated for the high respiration rates with an increased photosynthetic rate, resulting in a steady production of total dry matter under HNT. Nagina 22 also recorded a higher grain-filling rate, particularly at 5 and 10 d after flowering, with 1.5- and 4.0-fold increases in the translocation of ^(14)C sugars to the superior and inferior spikelets, respectively. The ratio of photosynthetic rate to respiratory rate on a leaf area basis was negatively correlated with spikelet sterility, resulting in a higher filled spikelet number and grain weight per plant, particularly for inferior grains in Nagina 22. Grain quality parameters such as head rice recovery, high-density grains, and gelatinization temperature were maintained in Nagina 22. An increase in the rheological properties of rice flour starch in Nagina 22 under HNT indicated the stability of starch and its ability to reorganize during the cooling process of product formation. Thus, our study showed that sink adjustments between superior and inferior spikelets favored the growth of inferior spikelets, which helped to offset the reduction in grain weight under HNT in the tolerant genotype Nagina 22.

Grain boundary engineering for enhancing intergranular damage resistance of ferritic/martensitic steel P92

Ferritic/martensitic(F/M)steel is widely used as a structural material in thermal and nuclear power plants.However,it is susceptible to intergranular damage,which is a critical issue,under service conditions.In this study,to improve the resistance to intergranular damage of F/M steel,a thermomechanical process(TMP)was employed to achieve a grain boundary engineering(GBE)microstructure in F/M steel P92.The TMP,including cold-rolling thickness reduction of 6%,9%,and 12%,followed by austenitization at 1323 K for 40 min and tempering at 1053 K for 45 min,was applied to the as-received(AR)P92 steel.The prior austenite grain(PAG)size,prior austenite grain boundary character distribution(GBCD),and connectivity of prior austenite grain boundaries(PAGBs)were investigated.Compared to the AR specimen,the PAG size did not change significantly.The fraction of coincident site lattice boundaries(CSLBs,3≤Σ≤29)and Σ3^(n) boundaries along PAGBs decreased with increasing reduction ratio because the recrystallization fraction increased with increasing reduction ratio.The PAGB connectivity of the 6%deformed specimen slightly deteriorated compared with that of the AR specimen.Moreover,potentiodynamic polarization studies revealed that the intergranular damage resistance of the studied steel could be improved by increasing the fraction of CSLBs along the PAGBs,indicating that the TMP,which involves low deformation,could enhance the intergranular damage resistance.

Grain-filling strategies of wheat of contrasting grain sizes under various planting patterns and irrigation levels

In a study comparing grain filling and yield in a large-and a small-grain-size wheat cultivar under two planting patterns and two irrigation regimes,plastic-covered ridge and furrow planting with sprinkler irrigation increased grain filling and yield in both cultivars.The largest contributors to grain yield were an extended active grain-filling period in Shuangda 1 and an increased mean grain-filling rate in XN538.

Identification and characterization of a no-grain mutant(nog1)in foxtail millet

Increasing crop grain yields is an urgent global priority due to population growth,shrinking arable land,and severe climate change in recent years(Tang et al.2023).Unraveling the process of panicle development is crucial for enhancing the grain yield of cereal crops.In the development of rice panicles,the inflorescence meristem(IM)gives rise to two types of lateral branch meristems(BMs):primary branch meristem(pBM)and secondary branch meristem(sBM).The pBM generates sBM and spikelet meristems(SMs),and the sBM further differentiates into more SMs(Zhang and Yuan 2014).

Rice AGL1 determines grain size and sterile lemma identity

The grass spikelet is a unique inflorescence structure that determines grain size.Although many genetic factors have been well characterized for grain size and glume development,the underlying molecular mechanisms in rice are far from established.Here,we isolated rice gene,AGL1 that controlled grain size and determines the fate of the sterile lemma.Loss of function of AGL1 produced larger grains and reduced the size of the sterile lemma.Larger grains in the agl1 mutant were caused by a larger number of cells that were longer and wider than in the wild type.The sterile lemma in the mutant spikelet was converted to a rudimentary glume-like organ.Our findings showed that the AGL1(also named LAX1)protein positively regulated G1 expression,and negatively regulated NSG1 expression,thereby affecting the fate of the sterile lemma.Taken together,our results revealed that AGL1 played a key role in negative regulation of grain size by controlling cell proliferation and expansion,and supported the opinion that rudimentary glume and sterile lemma in rice are homologous organs.

A novel Effective Panicle Number per Plant 4 haplotype enhances grain yield by coordinating panicle number and grain number in rice

Increasing effective panicle number per plant(EPN)is one approach to increase yield potential in rice.However,molecular mechanisms underlying EPN remain unclear.In this study,we integrated mapbased cloning and genome-wide association analysis to identify the EPN4 gene,which is allelic to NARROW LEAF1(NAL1).Overexpression lines containing the Teqing allele(TQ)of EPN4 had significantly increased EPN.NIL-EPN4^(TQ) in japonica(geng)cultivar Lemont(LT)exhibited significantly improved EPN but decreased grain number and flag leaf size relative to LT.Haplotype analysis indicated that accessions with EPN4-1 had medium EPN,medium grain number,and medium grain weight,but had the highest grain yield among seven haplotypes,indicating that EPN4-1 is an elite haplotype of EPN4 for positive coordination of the three components of grain yield.Furthermore,accessions carrying the combination of EPN4-1 and haplotype GNP1-6 of GNP1 for grain number per panicle showed higher grain yield than those with other allele combinations.Therefore,pyramiding of EPN4-1 and GNP1-6 could be a preferred approach to obtain high yield potential in breeding.

Utilizing sediment grain size characteristics to assess the effectiveness of clay–sand barriers in reducing aeolian erosion in Minqin desert area,China

The clay–sand barriers in Minqin desert area,China,represent a pioneering windbreak and sand fixation project with a venerable history of 60 a.However,studies on evaluating the long-term effectiveness of clay–sand barriers against aeolian erosion,particularly from the perspective of surface sediment grain size,are limited and thus insufficient to ascertain the protective impact of these barriers on regional aeolian activities.This study focused on the surface sediments(topsoil of 0–3 cm depth)of clay–sand barriers in Minqin desert area to explain their erosion resistance from the perspective of surface sediment grain size.In March 2023,six clay–sand barrier sampling plots with clay–sand barriers of different deployment durations(1,5,10,20,40,and 60 a)were selected as experimental plots,and one control sampling plot was set in an adjacent mobile sandy area without sand barriers.Surface sediment samples were collected from the topsoil of each sampling plot in the study area in April 2023 and sediment grain size characteristics were analyzed.Results indicated a predominance of fine and medium sands in the surface sediments of the study area.The deployment of clay–sand barriers cultivated a fine quality in grain size composition of the regional surface sediments,increasing the average contents of very fine sand,silt,and clay by 30.82%,417.38%,and 381.52%,respectively.This trend became markedly pronounced a decade after the deployment of clay–sand barriers.The effectiveness of clay–sand barriers in erosion resistance was manifested through reduced wind velocity,the interception of sand flow,and the promotion of fine surface sediment particles.Coarser particles such as medium,coarse,and very coarse sands predominantly accumulated on the external side of the barriers,while finer particles such as fine and very fine sands concentrated in the upwind(northwest)region of the barriers.By contrast,the contents of finest particles such as silt and clay were higher in the downwind(southeast)region of the sampling plots.For the study area,the deployment of clay–sand barriers remains one of the most cost-effective engineering solutions for aeolian erosion control,with sediment grain size parameters serving as quantitative indicators for the assessment of these barriers in combating desertification.The results of this study provide a theoretical foundation for the construction of windbreak and sand fixation systems and the optimization of artificial sand control projects in arid desert areas.