Acetic acid additive in NaNO_(3)aqueous electrolyte for long-lifespan Mg-air batteries

Mg-air batteries have attracted tremendous attention as a potential next-generation power source for portable electronics and e-transportation due to their remarkable high theoretical volumetric energy density,environmental sustainability,and cost-effectiveness.However,the fast hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)in NaCl-based aqueous electrolytes impairs the performance of Mg-air batteries and leads to poor specific capacity,low energy density,and low utilization.Thus,the conventionally used NaCl solute was proposed to be replaced by NaNO_(3)and acetic acid additive as a corrosion inhibitor,therefore an electrolyte engineering for long-life time Mg-air batteries is reported.The resulting Mg-air batteries based on this optimized electrolyte demonstrate an improved discharge voltage reaching~1.8 V for initial 5 h at a current density of 0.5 mA/cm^(2) and significantly prolonged cells'operational lifetime to over 360 h,in contrast to only~17 h observed in NaCl electrolyte.X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry were employed to analyse the composition of surface film and scanning electron microscopy combined with transmission electron microscopy to clarify the morphology changes of the surface layer as a function of acetic acid addition.The thorough studies of chemical composition and morphology of corrosion products have allowed us to elucidate the working mechanism of Mg anode in this optimized electrolyte for Mg-air batteries.

Electrolyte dependence for the electrochemical decarboxylation of medium-chain fatty acids (n-octanoic acid) into fuel on Pt electrode

The deoxygenation of organic acids, important biomass feedstocks and derivatives, to synthesize hydrocarbon products under mild electrochemical conditions, holds significant importance for the production of carbon-neutral biofuels. There is still limited research on the influential factors of the electrochemical decarboxylation reaction of medium-chain fatty acids. In this study, n-octanoic acid (OA) was chosen as the research subject to investigate the electrochemical decarboxylation behavior of OA on a platinum electrode, focusing on the influence of different alkali metal cations (Li^(+), Na^(+), K^(+)), common anions (SO^(4)^(2−), Cl^(−)), and electrolyte pH. It was found that KOH as an electrolyte exhibited the best performance for OA. Possibly, the larger size of K^(+) increased the alkalinity of the electrode surface, facilitating OA deprotonation. LiOH electrolyte reduced the solubility of OA, thereby inhibiting the decarboxylation reaction. SO^(4)^(2−) exhibited a weak promoting effect on the decarboxylation reaction of OA, while Cl^(−) showed no adverse effect although Cl^(−) may adsorb on the electrode surface. Furthermore, unlike short-chain fatty acids, medium-chain OA can only achieve efficient decarboxylation under alkaline conditions due to its solubility properties. This study provides references and foundations for future efforts to enhance the efficiency of electrochemical decarboxylation synthesis of hydrocarbon biofuels from medium-chain fatty acids.

Effects of High-intensity Pulsed Electric Field on Amino Acid Content in Large-leaf Pu'er Tea Variety

[Objective] This study aimed to test the effects of high-intensity pulsed electric field on the amino acid content in Pu’er tea leaves. [Method] The amino acid contents of fermented and unfermented the leaves of large-leaf Pu’er tea variety produced in Yunnan Mengku, were measured before and after the treatment with high-intensity pulsed electric field （HPEF）. [Result] The difference of amino acid contents was notable between fermented and unfermented tea leaves produced in the same year. The amino acid content of unfermented tea leaves was larger than that in fermented tea leaves. The amino acid content in tea leaves decreased over time during storage. HPEF treatment under al the conditions improved the amino acid content in tea leaves. [Conclusion] This experiment provides theoretical foundation for the application of HPEF in processing of Pu’er tea leaves.

Variations in Phytic Acid Content and Their Relationship with Protein Content and Kernel Morphological Characters of Chinese Winter Wheat Cultivars

[Objective] The aim of this study was to determine the variation of phytic acid content （PAC） and its frequency distribution, as well as the relationship between PAC and protein content, kernel characteristics in 161 Chinese winter wheat cultivars from four regions. [Method] One hundred and sixty-one winter wheat varieties from China Wheat Zones I, II, III and IV （Table 1） were grown in a randomized block de- sign, in the 2009-2011 cropping season; and then the indexes for describing the grain morphological characteristics such as the thousand kernel weight （TKW）, kernel length （KL）, kernel width （KW） and kernel thickness （KT） were measured; the phytic acid content （PAC）, protein content and sedimentation value were also determined; finally, the relationship between PAC and protein content, kernel characteristics were analyzed. [Result] The PAC in the cultivars tested ranged from 0.92% to 1.95% with a mean value of 1.41%. Protein content ranged from 12.60% to 19.20%, with a mean of 15.24%. Most （53.4%） of the wheat genotypes had a PAC value in the range of 1.25% to 1.55%. No significant correlation was found between PAC and protein content, sedimentation value, while protein content and SDS sedimentation value was significant correlated, which suggested the possibility of breeding wheat cultivars that have a low PAC but a high protein content and good gluten quality. There was a high correlation between TKW and KW （,.=0.79）, KL （r=0.50） and KT （r=0.64）. PAC was found having no significant correlation with TKW, KW, KL and KT. [Conclusion] The result suggests the possibility of breeding wheat cultivars that have a low PAC but high kernel weight.

Protein Content and Amino Acid Composition in Grains of Wheat-Related Species

The protein content and amino acid composition for 17 wheat-related species （WRS） and three common wheats （control） were determined and analyzed, and the essential amino acids （EAAs） in WRS were evaluated according to FAO/WHO amino acid recommendations. The results showed that the mean protein content for WRS was 16.67%, which was 23.21% higher than that for the control. The mean contents （g 100 g^-1 protein） of most amino acids for WRS were lysine 2.74%, threonine 2.83%, phenylalanine 4.17%, isoleucine 3.42%, valine 3.90%, histidine 2.81%, glutamic acid 29.96%, proline 9.12%, glycine 3.59%, alanine 3.37%, and cysteine 1.57%, which were higher than those for the control. The contents of the other 6 amino acids for WRS were lower than those for the control. The materials （Triticum monococcum L., Triticum carthlicum Nevski, and Triticum turgidum L.） contained relatively high concentration of the most deficient EAAs （lysine, threonine, and methionine）. Comparing with FAO/WHO amino acid recommendations, the amino acid scores （AAS） of lysine （49.8%）, threonine （70.7%）, and sulfur-containing amino acids （74.8%） were the lowest, which were considered as the main limiting amino acids in WRS. It was observed that the materials with Triticum urartu Turn. （AA） and Aegilops speltoides Tausch. （SS） genomes had relatively high contents of protein and EAA. The contents of protein （16.91%）, phenylalanine （4.78%）, isoleucine （3.53%）, leucine （6.16%）, and valine （4.09%） for the diploid materials were higher than those for the other materials. These results will provide some information for selecting parents in breeding about nutrient quality and utilization of fine gene in wheat.

Identification of QTL Affecting Protein and Amino Acid Contents in Rice

The phenotypes of protein and amino acid contents were measured in an F9 recombinant inbred line population derived from a cross between Zhenshan 97B and Delong 208. A total of 48 and 64 QTLs were identified in 2004 and 2005, respectively. The contribution of each QTL to the phenotypic variation ranged from 4.0% to 43.7%. Most QTLs co-localized, forming 29 QTL clusters on the chromosomes with three major ones detected in both years, which were mapped on chromosomes 1, 7 and 9, respectively. The two QTL clusters for amino acid content, qAa1 and qAa7, influenced almost all the traits with the allele from Zhenshan 97B, and the third QTL cluster for amino acid content, qAa9, increased the lysine content with the allele from Delong 208. A wide coincidence was found between the QTL detected under this study and the loci involved in amino acid metabolism pathways in nitrogen assimilation and transport, or protein biosynthesis. The results would facilitate the identification of candidate genes and could be used in marker-assisted selection for the favorable allele in rice quality improvement.

Effects of dietary fiber content and different fiber-rich ingredients on endogenous loss of fat and fatty acids in growing pigs

Background: Determination of the endogenous loss of fat(ELF) is used to adjust for the estimation of true total tract digestibility(TTTD) of fat in diets and ingredients.Any factor which affected ELF may further affect the digestibility of fat,including sources and concentrations of fat and fiber in the diet.There are some reports of determining the ELF using regression methods based on different levels of fat intake,while reports on effects of dietary fiber content and different fiber-rich ingredients in pig diets on ELF are very limited.Therefore,the objective of this study was to determine the effects of dietary fiber content and different fiber-rich ingredients on endogenous losses of fat and fatty acids at the end of ileum and throughout the entire intestinal tract in growing pigs.Methods: In Exp.1,the effect of fiber content on endogenous loss of fat was determined using six growing pigs(Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire;27.6 ± 2.4 kg),fitted with a T-cannula at the end of ileum.The experimental design was a 6 × 6 complete Latin square design with six periods of feeding and six diets.The six experimental fat-free diets were formulated to include graded levels of neutral detergent fiber(NDF)(0,40,80,120,160 and 200 g/kg) and soybean hull(SH) was the only fiber source,providing 0,75,150,225,300 and 375 g/kg,respectively.Chromic oxide was included at4 g/kg in all diets as an indigestible marker.In Exp.2,six crossbred growing barrows(27.6 ± 1.6 kg) were used and the experimental design was the same as for Exp.1.The six fat-free diets were formulated to include six common fiber-rich ingredients and the concentration of NDF was 100 g/kg.The six fiber-rich ingredients were defatted rice bran(DRB),sugar beet pulp(SBP),rice hull(RH),corn germ meal(CGM),SH and wheat bran(WB) and they were fed at represented250,270,145,250,170 and 280 g/kg in the diet,respectively.Results: In Exp.1,the endogenous loss of fatty acids profile did not change as dietary NDF increased in growing pigs.The endogenous losses of fat,C16:0,C18:0,C18:1,C18:2,total unsaturated fatty acids(UFA) and total saturated fatty acids(SFA) in growing pigs at the end of ileum and throughout the entire intestinal tract increased linearly as NDF content of diets increased.The endogenous losses of fat,as well as C16:0 and C18:0 throughout the entire intestinal tract also increased quadratically as NDF content of diets increased.The ELF increased from 0.71 to 3.14 g/kg of dry matter intake(DMI) and 0.56 to 8.21 g/kg DMI at the end of ileum and throughout the entire intestinal tract in growing pigs,respectively.The ELF occurred in the hindgut except for the growing pigs fed 0 and 4% NDF in their diets.The endogenous losses of C16:0 and UFA occurred primarily in the upper regions of the gut and the greatest endogenous losses of C18:0 occurred in the hindgut.The endogenous losses of fat,individual SFA and total SFA throughout the entire intestinal tract were much greater than that at the end of ileum.However,the endogenous losses of individual UFA and total UFA were less throughout the intestinal tract than at the end of ileum.In Exp.2,the endogenous losses of fat at the end of ileum were greater in growing pigs fed CGM or WB diets.The endogenous loss of fatty acids profile changed to a slight degree at the end of ileum that the endogenous loss of UFA(particularly C18:1 and C18:2) in growing pigs fed CGM or WB diets were greater(P < 0.01) than that for the other four diets.The greatest(P < 0.01) endogenous loss of SFA(particularly C18:0) was in growing pigs fed the RH diet.The endogenous losses of fat,C16:0,C18:0 and SFA over the entire intestinal tract were much greater in growing pigs fed CGM or WB diets,whereas the lowest values were in growing pigs fed DRB diet.The ELF at the end of ileum in growing pigs fed CGM or WB diets were 3.50 or 4.17 g/kg DMI,respectively,and the ELF over the entire intestinal tract was 7.23 or 7.38 g/kg DMI.The contribution in percentage of ELF in the upper gut was greater than that in the hindgut of growing pigs fed DRB and RH diets,while the ELF in the upper gut and hindgut were equal in growing pigs fed SBP,CGM and WB diets.On the whole,the endogenous losses of C18:1 and C18:2 throughout the entire intestinal tract in growing pigs fed the six fiber-rich ingredients diets were less than losses at the end of ileum,whereas the endogenous loss of fat,C16:0,C18:0 and SFA were greater throughout the intestinal tract than at the end of ileum.Conclusion: The profile of loss in endogenous fatty acids did not change as dietary NDF increased in growing pigs and the endogenous losses of fatty acids(C16:0,C18:0,C18:1 and C18:2) fat,UFA and SFA increased linearly as NDF content increased in the diets of pigs.The endogenous losses of fat or fatty acids at the end of ileum were greater in growing pigs fed RH,CGM or WB diets.The endogenous losses of fat,fatty acids(C16:0 and C18:0) and SFA were greater over the entire intestinal tract in pigs fed CGM or WB diet,while these values were the lowest in growing pigs fed the DRB diet.The contribution in percentage losses of fat in the upper gut were greater than in the hindgut of growing pigs fed DRB and RH diets,while the contribution of losses of fat in the upper gut and hindgut were equal in growing pigs fed SBP,CGM and WB diets.In addition,the endogenous loss of individual or total UFA was less over the entire intestinal tract of growing pigs fed fiber diets than that at the end of ileum,and the greatest endogenous losses of fat,individual or total SFA were over the entire intestinal tract.Therefore,differences in fiber content and the nature of fiber-rich ingredients in diets of pigs have different effects to the endogenous losses of fat or fatty acids.Considering the requirement of fat or fatty acids of pigs,careful attention must be paid that the endogenous losses of fat and fatty acids when fiber ingredients are used in diets of pigs.

RNAi-Mediated Silencing of ITPK Gene Reduces Phytic Acid Content,Alters Transcripts of Phytic Acid Biosynthetic Genes,and Modulates Mineral Distribution in Rice Seeds

Phytic acid is the principal storage form of phosphorus in plant seeds and an essential signalling molecule in several regulatory processes of plant development.However,it is known as an anti-nutrient compound owing to its potent chelating property.Thus,reducing the phytic acid content in crops is desirable.Studies involving regulation of MIPS and IPK1 genes to generate low phytate rice have been reported earlier.However,the functional significance of OsITPK and the effect of its down-regulation on phytic acid content and the associated pleiotropic effects on rice have not yet been investigated.In this study,tissue specific RNA interference(RNAi)-mediated down-regulation of a major ITPK homolog(OsITP5/6K-1)resulted in 46.2%decrease in phytic acid content of T2 transgenic seeds with a subsequent 3-fold enhancement in the inorganic phosphorus content.Silencing of OsITP5/6K-1 altered the transcript levels of essential phytic acid pathway genes,without significantly affecting the transcript levels of other OsITPK homologs.Furthermore,the mapping of elements through X-ray microfluorescence analysis revealed significant changes in the spatial distribution pattern and translocation of elements in low phytate seeds.Additionally,low phytate polished seeds exhibited 1.3-fold and 1.6-fold enhancement in iron and zinc content in the grain endosperm,respectively.Silencing of OsITP5/6K-1 also altered the amino acid and myo-inositol content of the transgenic seeds.Our results successfully established that RNAi-mediated silencing of OsITP5/6K-1 gene significantly reduced the phytate levels in seeds without hampering the germination potential of seeds and plant growth.The present study provided an insight into the mechanism of phytic acid biosynthesis pathway.

In-Situ Microscopic FTIR Spectroelectrochemistry of Ascorbic Acid in Poly(ethylene glycol)/LiClO_4 Electrolyte Paste and in the Presence of Dispersed Cobalt Hexacyanoferrate Microcrystalline Powder

In-situ microscopic FTIR spectroelectrochemical technique(MFTIRs) was applied to studying the electrochemical oxidation of ascorbic acid(AA) in poly(ethylene glycol)(PEG) paste at a 100 μm diameter Pt disk electrode. Using this technique, the catalytic ability of cobalt hexacyanoferrate(CoHCF) microcrystalline toward AA oxidation was also studied. It was found that the dispersed CoHCF powder in the PEG paste can generate well shaped thin layer cyclic voltammetric waves with the peak height proportional to the scan rate, corresponding to the Fe centered redox reactions. This oxidation step catalyzed the AA oxidation. Also, this pasted CoHCF powder generated well resolved in situ MFTIRs spectra, by which a chemical interaction between CC bond of AA ring and CoHCF lattice was revealed. A corresponding surface docking mechanism for the catalytic reaction has been proposed.

Redox active polymer metal chelates for use in flexible symmetrical supercapacitors:Cobalt-containing poly(acrylic acid)polymer electrolytes

The novel polymer metal chelate electrolytes(polychelates)were prepared by incorporation of cobalt sulfate(Co)into poly(acrylic acid)(PAA)host matrix.Quasi-solid state supercapacitor devices were fabricated using polychelates,PAA-Co X(X:3,5,7,and 10)where X represents the doping fraction(w/w)of Co in PAA.All polymer metal electrolytes were showed excellent bending-stretching properties,thermal stability and electrochemical durability with an optimum ionic conductivity of 3.15×10^(-4) S cm^(-1).Hierarchically porous activated carbon and nano-sized conductive carbon were used to form carbon composite symmetrical device electrodes.The electric double-layer capacitor(EDLC)and redox reactions of Co-incorporated polychelates at the interfaces of porous activated carbon provided an optimum specific capacitance of 341.33 F g^(-1) with a device of PAA-Co7,which is at least 15 times enhancement compared to the device of pristine PAA.The PAA-Co7 device also provided energy density of 21.25 Wh kg^(-1) at a power density of 117.69 W kg^(-1).A prolonged cyclic stability of the device exhibited superior capacitive performance after 10,000 charge-discharge cycles and the maintained 90%of its initial performance.In addition,the supercapacitor with a dimension of 1.5 cm×3 cm containing PAA-Co7 successfully operated the red-blue-green(RGB)LED light.

Transcriptional proffling between yellow-and black-seeded Brassica napus reveals molecular modulations on flavonoid and fatty acid content

Brassica napus is an important cash crop broadly grown for the vegetable and oil values.Yellow-seeded B.napus is preferred by breeders due to its improved oil and protein quality,less pigments and lignin compared with the blackseeded counterpart.This study compared the differences in flavonoid and fatty acid contents between yellow rapeseed from the progenies of B.napus-Sinapis alba somatic hybrids and the black-seeded counterpart using RNA-seq analysis.Through HPLC-PDA-ESI(-)/MSanalysis,it was found that phenylpropanoids and flavonoids(i.e.,isorhamnetin,epicatechin,kaempferol,and other derivatives)in yellow seed were significantly lower than those in black seed.The fatty acid(FA)content in yellow rapeseed was higher than that in black rapeseed due to the variation of C16:0,C18:0,C18:1,C18:2,and C18:3 contents.RNA-seq analysis of seeds at four and five weeks after flowering(WAF)indicated that differentially expressed genes(DEGs)between black and yellow rapeseeds were enriched in flavonoid and FA biosynthesis,including BnTT3,BnTT4,BnTT18,and BnFAD2.Also,genes related to FA biosynthesis,desaturation and elongation(FAD3,LEC1,FUS3,and LPAT2)in yellow seed were up-regulated compared to those in black seed,while genes involved in beta-oxidation cycle(AIM1 and KAT2)of yellow seed were down-regulated compared to those in black seed.The DEGs related to the variation of flavonoids,phenylpropanoids,and FAs would help improve the knowledge of yellow seed character in B.napus and promote rapeseed improvement.

Methanol oxidation in acidic and alkaline electrolytes using PtRuIn/C electrocatalysts prepared by borohydride reduction process

PtRuIn/C electrocatalysts( 20% metal loading by weight) were prepared by sodium borohydride reduction process using H_2PtCl6·6H_2O,RuCl_3·xH_2O and InCl_3·xH_2O as metal sources,borohydride as reducing agent and Carbon Vulcan XC72 as support. The synthetized PtRuIn/C electrocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction( XRD),energy dispersive analysis( EDX),transmission electron microscopy( TEM),cyclic voltammetry( CV),chronoamperommetry( CA) and polarization curves in alkaline and acidic electrolytes( single cell experiments). The XRD patterns showPtpeaks are attributed to the face-centered cubic( fcc) structure,and a shift of Pt( fcc) peaks indicates that Ru or In is incorporated into Ptlattice. TEMmicrographs showmetal nanoparticles with an average nanoparticle size between 2.7 and 3.5 nm. Methanol oxidation in acidic and alkaline electrolytes was investigated at room temperature,by CV and CA. PtRu/C( 50 ∶ 50) shows the highest activity among all electrocatalysts in study considering methanol oxidation for acidic and alkaline electrolyte. Polarization curves at 80 ℃ showPtRuIn/C( 50 ∶ 25 ∶ 25)with superior performance for methanol oxidation,when compared to Pt/C,PtIn/C and PtRu/C for both electrolytes. The best performance obtained by PtRuIn/C( 50 ∶ 25 ∶ 25) in real conditions could be associated with the increased kinetics reaction and/or with the occurrence simultaneously of the bifunctional mechanism and electronic effect resulting from the presence of Ptalloy.

Green Chemistry of Cellulose Acetate Membrane Plasticized by Citric Acid and Succinonitrile for Lithium-Ion Battery Application

Commercial lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)use polyolefins as separators.This has led to increased research on separators composed of renewable materials such as cellulose and its derivatives.In this study,the ionic conductivity of cellulose acetate(CA)polymer electrolyte membranes was enhanced via plasticization with citric acid and succinonitrile.The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of these plasticizers in improving cellulose-based separator membranes in LIBs.CA membranes were fabricated using solution casting technique and then plasticized with various concentrations of plasticizers.The structural,thermal,and electrochemical properties of the resulting membranes were characterized using Fourier Transform infrared(FTIR)spectroscopy,X-Ray Diffraction(XRD),Differential Scanning Calorimetry(DSC),Thermogravimetric Analysis(TGA),and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy(EIS).The FTIR and XRD results confirmed the successful incorporation of citric acid and succinonitrile into the polymer matrix,while the TGA analysis demonstrated the enhanced thermal stability of the plasticized membranes.The shift in the glass transition temperature was determined by DSC analysis.Most notably,the EIS results revealed a significant increase in ionic conductivity,achieving a maximum of 2.7×10^(-5) S/cm at room temperature.This improvement was attributed to the effect of plasticizers,which facilitated the dissociation of lithium salts and increase the mobility of the lithium ions.The ionic conductivities of plasticized CA membranes are better than those of unmodified CA membranes and commercially available Celgard separator membranes:4.7×10^(-6) and 2.1×10^(-7) S/cm,respectively.These findings suggest that citric acid and succinonitrile are effective plasticizers for cellulose acetate membranes,making them promising substitutes for commercial polyolefin separators in LIB applications.

Comparison of pH Value, TBA Value, Glycogen and Lactic Acid Content in Muscle of Landrace and Yorkshire under Different Storage Time and Conditions

In order to assess the meat quality under different storage time and conditions, the pH value, TBA value, glycogen and lactic acid content in muscle of Landrace and Yorkshire were measured. The results showed that within 10 h post slaughtering, post slaughtering time had extremely significant influence on pH value and lactic acid content of Landrace, but had no significant influence on glycogen content and TBA value. On the other hand, post slaughtering time had extremely significant influence on pH value of Yorkshire, but had no significant influence on glycogen, lactic acid content and TBA value. The pH values of Yorkshire at 3, 5 and 10 h post slaughtering were 5.21% （ P 〈 0.01 ）, 5.64% （ P 〈 0.05 ） and 5.59% （ P 〈 0.05 ） higher than those of Landrace, respectively ; the lactic acid content in muscle of Landrace at 10 h post slaughtering was 56.04% （P 〈0.05） higher than that of Yorkshire; the TBA value in muscle of Yorkshire at 10 h post slaughtering was 89. 19% （P 〈 0.01 ） higher than that of Landrace; there was no significant difference in glycogen content between Yorkshire and Landrace. When pork stored at 4℃, storage time had no significant influence on pH value and glycogen content in muscle of Landrace, but had significant influence on drip loss, lactic acid content and TBA value ; storage time had no significant influence on pH value, glycogen content and TBA value in muscle of Yorkshire, but extremely significant influence on drip loss and significant influence on lactic acid content. The pH value in muscle of Yorkshire at 24 h post storage at 4℃ was 6.56% （P 〈0.05） higher than that of Landrace; the glycogen contents in muscle of Landrace at 24, 48, 72, 96, 120 and 144 h post storage at 4℃ were 84.90% （P〈0.05）,78.40% （P〈0.01）, 101.87% （P〈0.05）, 83.80% （P〈0.05）, 83.59% （P〈 0.05）and67.25% （P〈0.01）higher than those of York-shire, respectively; the drip loss of Landrace at 72 h post storage and TBA value at 144 h post storage were 55.70% （ P 〈 0.05 ） and 141.33 % （ P 〈 0.01 ） higher than those of Yorkshire, respectively; there was no significant difference in glycogen content between Yorkshire and Landrace. When pork stored at -20℃, storage time had significant influence on TBA value in muscle of Landrace, but had no significant influence on pH value, thawing water loss rate, glycogen and lactic acid content; storage time had no significant impact on pH value, thawing water loss rate, glycogen content and TBA value in muscle of Yorkshire, and had significant influence on lactic acid content. The pH value in muscle of Yorkshire at 24 h post storage at - 20℃ was 5.43 % （ P 〈 0.05 ） higher than that of I.andrace ; the glycogen contents in muscle of Landrace at 24, 48, 72, 96, 120 h post storage at - 20℃ were 85.08% （ P 〈0. 05 ）, 108.66% （ P 〈 0.01 ）, 72.69% （ P 〈 0.05 ）, 90.31% （ P 〈 0.01 ）, 70.38% （ P 〉 0.05 ） higher than those of Yorkshire, respectively ; the thawing water loss rates of Landrace at 24 and 72 h were 160.14% （ P 〈 0.05 ） and 74.32% （ P 〈 0.05 ） higher than those of Yorkshire, respectively ; there was no significant difference in lactic acid content and TBA value at the same time point between Yorkshire and Landrace.

Mapping loci controlling fatty acid profiles, oil and protein content by genome-wide association study in Brassica napus

Optimizing the profile and quantity of fatty acids in rapeseed(Brassica napus L.) is critical for maximizing the value of edible oil and biodiesel. However, selection of these complex seed quality traits is difficult before haplotypes controlling their contents are identified. To efficiently identify genetic loci influencing these traits and underlying candidate genes and networks, we performed a genome-wide association study(GWAS) of eight seed quality traits(oil and protein content, palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, eicosenoic and erucic acids content). The GWAS population comprised 370 diverse accessions, which were phenotyped in five environments and genotyped using 60K SNP arrays. The results indicated that oil and protein contents generally showed negative correlations, while fatty acid contents showed positive or negative correlations,with palmitic and erucic acid contents directly affecting oil content. Seven SNPs on five chromosomes were associated with both seed oil and protein content, and five genes orthologous to genes in Arabidopsis thaliana were predicted as candidates. From resequencing data, besides known haplotypes in Bna A.FAE1.a and Bna C.FAE1.a, three accessions harboring a new haplotype conferring moderate erucic acid content were identified. Interestingly, in a haplotype block, one haplotype was associated with high palmitic acid content and low oil content, while the others showed the reverse effects. This finding was consistent with a negative correlation between palmitic acid and oil contents, suggesting historical selection for high oil content. The identification by this study of genetic variation and complex correlations of eight seed quality traits may be beneficial for crop selection strategies.

Difference of Phytic Acid Content and its Relation to Four Protein Composition Contents in Grains of Twenty-nine japonica Rice Varieties from Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces,China

Twenty-nine japonica rice varieties collected from Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces, China were planted in Hangzhou, China, to investigate the phytic acid content in brown rice and its frequency distribution as well as the correlation among the contents of phytic acid, total protein and four protein compositions in brown rice. The phytic acid content in brown rice ranged from 0.699% to 1.034%, with a mean of 0.868% for the 29 tested rice varieties. Xiushui series rice varieties generally exhibited lower phytic acid level than Wuyujing and Huai series rice varieties. A rough normal distribution, with a mean of 8.722%, was observed for the total protein contents in the tested varieties. Of the four protein compositions, the glutelin, globulin and albumin contents had larger coefficient of variation than the prolamin content, although the difference in prolamin content was genotype-dependent. No significant correlation was found between the phytic acid and four protein composition contents, whereas the total protein content was significantly and positively related to the glutelin content in brown rice.

Amino acid permease 6 regulates grain protein content in maize

Grain protein content(GPC)is an indicator of cereal nutritional quality.Identification of genes involved in the regulation of GPC provides targets for molecular breeding for crop protein quality.We characterized a maize gene encoding the putative amino acid transporter ZmAAP6,a gene expressed mainly in immature seeds,especially in the basal endosperm transfer layer.Total protein and zein contents were decreased in ZmAAP6 null mutants and increased in ZmAAP6 overexpression(OE)lines,consistent with their changed in the size of protein bodies.Metabolic and transcriptomic analysis supported the regulatory role of ZmAAP6 in amino acid transportation.These results suggest that ZmAAP6 functions as a positive regulator of GPC in maize,shedding new light on the genetic basis of GPC regulation.

Physiological Processes Contributing to the Difference in Grain Amino Acid Content Between Two Hybrid Rice(Oryza sativa L.)Cultivars

Improving grain amino acid content of rice(Oryza sativa L.)is essential for the health of consumers.This study was conducted to identify the physiological processes that contribute to the higher grain amino acid content in hybrid rice cultivar Lingliangyou 268 compared to Luliangyou 996.The results showed that total amino acid content in grains was 9%higher in Lingliangyou 268 than in Luliangyou 996.There was no significant difference in grain nitrogen(N)content between Lingliangyou 268 and Luliangyou 996,while ratio of amino acid to N was 6%higher in Lingliangyou 268 compared to Luliangyou 996.A total of 16 differentially expressed proteins related to amino acid metabolism(e.g.,erythronate-4-phosphate dehydrogenase domain containing protein)were identified in grains between Lingliangyou 268 and Luliangyou 996.The identified proteins were involved in 10 molecular functions.Six of the 10 defined functions were related to binding(heterocyclic compound binding,nucleoside phosphate binding,nucleotide binding,organic cyclic compound binding,protein binding,and small molecule binding)and the other 4 defined functions were catalytic activity,enzyme regulator activity,hydrolase activity,and transferase activity.These results indicate that the higher grain amino acid content in Lingliangyou 268 compared to Luliangyou 996 is attributed to increased efficiency of converting N to amino acid that results from altered expression of proteins related to amino acid metabolism.

Alleviation of Adverse Effects of Salt Stress in Wheat Cultivars by Foliar Treatment with Antioxidant 2—Changes in Some Biochemical Aspects, Lipid Peroxidation, Antioxidant Enzymes and Amino Acid Contents

Ascobin (compound composed of ascorbic acid and citric acid) is considered one of exogenous protectants which may alleviate the harmful effects of salinity stress. Pot experiments were performed at the screen greenhouse of National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt to study the effect of foliar treatment of two cultivars of wheat plant with different concentrations of ascobin (0, 200, 400 and 600 mg/l) on some biochemical parameters, antioxidant enzymes, element contents and amino acid constituents of two cultivars of wheat plant grown under different salinity levels (0.0, 3000 and 6000 mg/l) in 2011/2012 and 2012/2013. Salinity with different concentrations levels increased phenolic compounds contents of the two wheat cultivars. The activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, POD, PPO, AXP and GR) dramatically increased due to salinity stress. Amino acid content was increased in cultivar Sids 1, while the content was decreased in cultivar Giza 168 in all salinity treatments. Increments in the above mentioned parameters compared to the untreated plants at normal and stressed conditions. The magnitude of increments was much more pronounced in response to 600 mg/l of ascobin. It could be concluded that, foliar treatment of wheat cultivars with ascobin could partially alleviate the harmful effect of salinity especially at the lower levels of salinity of the two cultivars of wheat at most of the studied parameters.

Pyramiding of multiple genes generates rapeseed introgression lines with clubroot and herbicide resistance, high oleic acid content, and early maturity

Clubroot and herbicide resistance,high oleic acid(OA)content,and early maturity are targets of rapeseed(Brassica napus L.)breeding.The objective of this study was to develop new male-fertility restorer lines by pyramiding favorable genes to improve these traits simultaneously.Seven elite alleles for the four traits were introduced into the restorer line 621R by speed breeding with marker-assisted and phenotypic selection.Six introgression lines(ILs)were developed with four-to seven-gene combinations and crossed with two elite parents to develop hybrids.All ILs and their corresponding hybrids displayed high resistance to both clubroot pathotype 4 and sulfonylurea herbicides.Three ILs and their hybrids showed large increases in OA contents and four showed earlier maturity.These new ILs may be useful in rapeseed hybrid breeding for the target traits.