Changes in Enzyme Activities Involved in Starch Synthesis and Hormone Concentrations in Superior and Inferior Spikelets and Their Association with Grain Filling of Super Rice

The changes in activities of key enzymes involved in sucrose-to-starch conversion and concentrations of hormones in superior and inferior spikelets of super rice were investigated and their association with grain filling was analyzed.Four super rice cultivars,Liangyoupeijiu,IIyou 084,Huaidao 9 and Wujing 15,and two high-yielding and elite check cultivars,Shanyou 63 and Yangfujing 8,were used.The activities of sucrose synthase （SuSase）,adenosine diphosphoglucose pyrophosphorylase （AGPase）,starch synthase （StSase） and starch branching enzyme （SBE）,and the concentrations of zeatin ＋ zeatin riboside （Z ＋ ZR）,indole-3-acetic acid （IAA） and abscisic acid （ABA） in superior and inferior spikelets were determined during the grain filling period and their relationships with grain filling rate were analyzed.Maximum grain filling rate,the time reaching the maximum grain-filling rate,mean grain filling rate and brown rice weight for superior spikelets showed a slight difference between the super and check rice cultivars,but were significantly lower in the super rice than in the check rice for inferior spikelets.Changes of enzyme activities and hormone concentrations in grains exhibited single peak curves during the grain filling period.The peak values and the mean activities of SuSase,AGPase,StSase and SBE were lower in inferior spikelets than in superior ones,as well as the peak values and the mean concentrations of Z ＋ ZR and IAA.However,the peak value and the mean concentration of ABA were significantly higher in inferior spikelets than in superior ones and greater in the super rice than in the check rice.The grain filling rate was positively and significantly correlated with the activities of SuSase,AGPase and StSase and the concentrations of Z ＋ ZR and IAA.The results suggested that the low activities of SuSase,AGPase and StSase and the low concentrations of Z ＋ ZR and IAA might be important physiological reasons for the slow grain filling rate and light grain weight of inferior spikelets in super rice.

Endogenous Hormone Concentration in Developing Tuberous Roots of Different Sweet Potato Genotypes

A field trial was conducted to investigate the changes of endogenous hormone concentration （EHC） during formation and thickening of tuberous roots in sweet potato （Ipomoea batatas L.） of different genotypes： Xushu 18, Minamiyutaka, and L trifida-K123. The results of this study suggested that the concentrations of zeatin riboside （ZR）, dihydro-zeatin riboside （DHZR）, abscisic acid （ABA）, indole-3-acetic acid （IAA）, and isopentenyl-adenine （IPA） of Xushu 18 and Minamiyutaka were significantly higher than those of I. trifida-K123. Dry tuberous root yields were positively correlated with the concentration of ABA, ZR, and DHZR at 1 or 5% significant level, but were not obviously correlated with the concentrations of IAA, IPA, and GA4. The concentrations of ABA, ZR and DHZR played very important roles in the tuberous root formation and thickening in sweet potato. The concentrations of ZR, DHZR, ABA, and IAA in the upper or inner portion of tuberous roots were significantly higher than those toward the end of the root or its outer portion. Meanwhile, EHC of large-sized tuberous roots were significantly higher than those of medium- or small-sized tubers during the early thickening period. In the rapid thickening period of tuberous roots, EHC of medium-sized tubers were the highest, However, at the late-thickening period, EHC of small-sized tubers ranked the highest.

Association of Bisphenol A Exposure with Circulating Sex Hormone Concentrations in Men and Postmenopausal Women

A total of 1 116 middle-aged and elderly men and 1 442 postmenopausal women were recruited in this study. Whether bisphenol A exposure was associated with circulating sex hormone concentrations was studied. Univariate analysis revealed that the urinary bisphenol A concentration was negatively correlated with the serum levels of luteinizing hormone （B=-0.061, P〈0.0001） and follicle-stimulating hormone （B=-0.086, P〈0.0001） in men, and with the serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone （B=-0.037, P=0.018） and sex hormone-binding globulin （B=-0.043, P=0.006） in women. However, no significant association was observed between the serum levels of urinary bisphenol A and circulating sex hormone after adjustment for the potential confounders.

Effect of thyroid hormone on serum NO concentration and iNOS activity of intestinal mucosa in septic rats

Objective To investigate the effect of exogenous thyroid hormone on serum NO and iNOS activity of intestinal mucosa in septic rats. Methods Septic model was established by cecal ligation puncture (CLP) in male SD rats. Triiodothyronine ( T3 ) was administered intraperitoneally to correct the low T3 syndrome of septic rats. Blood was collected to examine serum NO and thyroid hormone concentration. Intestinal mucosa iNOS activity was assayed using immunochemical stain. Results Mortality rate in the prevention group was significantly lower than the septic group (Log rank = 3. 85, P 【 0.05). Serum NO concentration was significantly lower in the prevention group (F=19.6,F【0.01). The degree of inflammatory injury of intestinal mucosa was much milder in the prevention group than in the septic group (x2 = 5.303,P【0. 05). Mucosa iNOS activity was also significantly lower in the prevention group (x2 = 4. 876, P【0. 01). Conclusion Thyroid hormone protects the intestinal mucosa barrier inhibiting the expression of

Effects of uniconazole rate on agronomic traits and physiological indexes of rapeseed blanket seedling

Mechanized transplanting of rapeseed(Brassica napus L.)blanket seedling is an innovative cultivation technology.Cultivating high quality blanket seedling to ensure high survival rate of seedling after transplanting is the key of the technology.The effects of different uniconazole rates of 0,0.5,1.0,1.5 and 2.0 mg/tray,spraying at one leaf and one heart stage,on selected agronomic traits,physiological indexes and survival rate of two rapeseed cultivars(‘Qinyou 100 and’Yangyou 90)were investigated in 2018 and 2019.Our results showed that the plant height decreased significantly with the increase of uniconazole rate.However,the collar diameter increased significantly with the increase of uniconazole rate up to 1.5 mg/tray,and the leaf area,dry weights of root and shoot increased with increased uniconazole rate up to 1.0 mg/tray.The root to shoot ratios,N concentrations of root and shoot with the uniconazole rates of 1.0 and 1.5 mg/tray were higher than those with other treatments.As uniconazole rate increasing,gibberellin(GA)and auxin(IAA)concentrations of root and shoot decreased,while abscisic acid(ABA)concentrations increased,and cytokinin(CTK)concentrations topped at uniconazole rate of 1.0 mg/tray and decreased thereafter.The seedling survival rates with 1.0 and 1.5 mg/tray were greatly higher than those in other treatments.Regression analysis suggested plant survival rate was positively related to CTK concentrations and negatively to GA concentrations of root and shoot.To achieve high survival rate after mechanized transplanting,our study revealed that the uniconazole applied at a rate of 1.0 mg/tray was recommended as the best,followed by 1.5 mg/tray.The findings would help to enhance qualities of rapeseed blanket seedling and to promote popularization of mechanized transplanting of rapeseed production.

The relationship between concentration of growth hormone in serum and microangiopathy in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Objective To study the relationship between growth hormone (GH) and microangiopathy in patients with diabetes mellitus in order to elucidate pathogenesis on microangiopathy in diabetics. Methods GH and insulin (INS) were detected by radioimmunoassay, and blood sugar (BS) was detected by oxydase method. Results 138 NIDDM diabetics were examined. The concentration of serum GH in diabetics without microangiopathy (2.3±1.2 μg/L) was higher than in normal people (1.0±1.2 μg/L) and GH in diabetics with microangiopathy (5.74±1.94 μg/L) was higher than in diabetics without microangiopathy. The differences were significant ( P <0.01). As the history of diabetes went on, the level of GH in serum increased, and the incidence of microangiopathy increased too. The correlation of GH in serum with BS was parallel. The correlation of GH in serum with INS was not apparent. 27 IDDM diabetics were examined, their level of GH in serum (6.8±3.4 μg/L) was higher than that of NIDDM diabetics (4.6±1.8 μg/L). They were all patients with microangiopathy. Conclusion The rise of GH in serum may be an important pathogeny that causes microangiopathy in diabetics.