Non-Targeted Metabolomics Reveals the Metabolic Alterations in Response to Artificial Selective Breeding in the Fast-Growing Strains of Pacific Oyster

Pacific oyster(Crassostrea gigas)is one of the most important mollusks cultured all around the world.Selective breeding programs of Pacific oysters in China is initiated since 2006 and developed the genetically improved strain with fast-growing trait.However,little is known about the metabolic signatures of the fast-growing trait.In the present study,the non-targeted metabolomics was performed to analyze the metabolic signatures of adductor muscle tissue in one-year old Pacific oysters from fast-growing strain and the wild population.A total of 7767 and 10174 valid peaks were extracted and quantified in ESI^(+)and ESI^(−)modes,resulting in 399 and 381 annotated metabolites,respectively.PCA and OPLS-DA revealed that considerable separation among samples from fastgrowing strain and wild population,suggesting the differences in metabolic signatures.Meanwhile,81 significantly different metabolites(SDMs)were identified in the comparisons between fast-growing strain and wild population,based on the strict thresholds.It was found that there were highly correlation and conserved coordination among these SDMs.KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that the SDMs were tightly related to pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis,steroid hormone biosynthesis,riboflavin metabolism,and arginine and proline metabolism.Of them,the CoA biosynthesis and metabolism,affected by pantetheine and pantothenic acid,might be important for the growth of Pacific oysters under artificial selective breeding.The study provides the comprehensive views of metabolic signatures in response to artificially selective breeding,and is helpful to better understand the molecular mechanism of fastgrowing traits in Pacific oysters.

Problems in Fast-growing and High-yield Plantation Ecosystem Management and Their Countermeasures in China

The paper analyzed the basic characteristics of fast-growing and high-yield plantation, classified and identified the ecological problems in its development, and finally proposed the basic principles and corresponding technical measures for fast-growing and high-yield plantation ecosystem management based on these problems.

Ecosystem-management-based Management Models of Fast-growing and High-yield Plantation and Its Eco-economic Benefits Analysis

The paper expounded the basic concept and principles of ecosystem management,and analyzed the state and trend of industrial plantation ecosystem management in other countries.Based on the analysis of typical case studies,the eco-economic benefits were evaluated for the management models of fast-growing and high-yield plantations.

Characteristics of fast-growing wood impregnated with nanoparticles

Falcataria moluccana or sengon is one of the fast-growing wood species widely grown in Indonesia.However,its wood is low quality with low density,and poor strength,durability,and dimensional stability.This study determined the effects of impregnation with monoethylene glycol(MEG)and nano-SiO2 on the characteristics of sengon wood,including its dimensional stability and density.Impregnation with MEG and nano-SiO2 had a significant effects on dimensional stability in terms of the weight percent gain,anti-swelling efficiency,water uptake,bulking effect,and density.The impregnated wood was examined by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction.The results show that MEG and nano-SiO2 were distributed homogeneously into cell walls of wood treated with 0.5%MEGSiO2.

Study on Microwave Pretreatment Technology to Improve the Effect of Shellac Impregnation of Fast-Growing Chinese Fir

To improve the mechanical properties of fast-growing Chinese fir(Cunnighamia lanceolate),expand its range of application,increase its value,and avoid the environmental pollution caused by impregnation with synthetic resin,Chinese fir was impregnated with a shellac solution.Since the shellac solution was difficult to penetrate into fast-growing Chinese fir,so microwave pretreatment was used to irradiate the wood to improve the permeability.This study investigated the effects of four factors,including the content of moisture in the wood before it was microwaved,the chamber pressure of microwave,the time of microwaving and the vacuum impregnation on the mechanical properties of Chinese fir wood.When the moisture content of wood before microwave was approximately 50%–60%,after microwaving and impregnation,the ultimate strength in static bending(modulus of rupture[MOR])and strength in compression perpendicular to the grain(SCPG)of the wood increased significantly.A microwave time of 100 seconds was more effective at improving the MOR and SCPG of the wood.If the wood was microwaved for too short or long period of time,the microwave pretreatment was not effective.When the samples were immersed in shellac for a longer period,the MOR and SCPG of Chinese fir gradually increased,but when the wood was impregnated for more than 12 hours,the increases were not significant.After the shellac penetrated the Chinese fir wood,it spread on the inner wall surface of tracheid to form a shellac film and easily formed plug-like deposits in microcapillaries.The use of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy,scanning electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersion x-ray indicated that the microwave pretreatment can destroy the pit membranes on tracheids and facilitate the ability of shellac to penetrate the channel.

Determinants of foreign direct investment in fast-growing economies: evidence from the BRICS and MINT countries

The flow of foreign direct investment(FDI)into a country can benefit both the investing entity and host government.This study employed panel analysis to examine the factors that determine the direction of FDI to the fast-growing BRICS(Brazil,Russia,India,China,and South Africa)and MINT(Mexico,Indonesia,Nigeria,and Turkey)countries.First,we used a pooled time-series cross sectional analysis of data from 2001 to 2011 to estimate and model the determinants of FDI for three samples:BRICS only,MINT only,and BRICS and MINT combined.Then,a fixed effects approach was employed to provide the model for BRICS and MINT combined.The results demonstrate that market size,infrastructure availability,and trade openness play the most significant roles in attracting FDI to BRICS and MINT,while the roles of availability of natural resources and institutional quality are insignificant.To sustain and promote FDI inflow,the governments of BRICS and MINT must ensure that their countries remain attractive for investment by offering a level playing field for investors and political stability.BRICS and MINT governments also need to invest more in their human capital to ensure that their economies can absorb substantial skills and technology spillovers from FDI and promote sustainable long-term economic growth.This study is significant because it contributes to the literature on determinants of FDI by extending the scope of previous studies that often focused on BRICS only.

Characteristics and High-yield Cultivation Techniques of the Main Potato Variety Jinshu 16 in Shanxi Province

With NL94014 as the female parent and 9333-11 as the male parent,the potato research laboratory of High Latitude Crops Institute,Shanxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences obtained true seeds through sexual hybridization,and systematically and directionally bred a new potato variety Jinshu 16 with high yield,good comprehensive resistance and middle and late maturity.This variety has been listed as one of the mainstay varieties in Shanxi Province for many times.In this paper,the characteristics and high-yield cultivation techniques of Jinshu 16 are introduced,in order to guide field production and get better returns.

Selection of Greenhouse Zucchini Varieties and High-Quality,High-Yield and High-Efficiency Cultivation Techniques

[Objectives]To select zucchini varieties suitable for cultivation in Zibo City and test its high-yield cultivation techniques.[Methods]Six zucchini varieties were introduced,and their commercial quality and yield were determined.[Results]The yield of Shengfeier,Xiuyu 170 and Xihulu 309 increased by 11.4%,6.9%and 4.6%,respectively compared with S68(control),and zucchini was straight,looked pleasing to the eye,and had strong disease resistance.[Conclusions]The zucchini varieties were selected and the high-quality,high-yield and high-efficiency cultivation techniques were integrated.

Artificial selection of the Green Revolution gene Semidwarf 1 is implicated in upland rice breeding

Semidwarf breeding has boosted crop production and is a well-known outcome from the first Green Revolution. The Green Revolution gene Semidwarf 1(SD1), which modulates gibberellic acid(GA) biosynthesis, plays a principal role in determining rice plant height. Mutations in SD1 reduce rice plant height and promote lodging resistance and fertilizer tolerance to increase grain production. The plant height mediated by SD1 also favors grain yield under certain conditions. However, it is not yet known whether the function of SD1 in upland rice promotes adaptation and grain production. In this study, the plant height and grain yield of irrigated and upland rice were comparatively analyzed under paddy and dryland conditions. In response to dryland environments, rice requires a reduction in plant height to cope with water deficits. Upland rice accessions had greater plant heights than their irrigated counterparts under both paddy and dryland conditions, and appropriately reducing plant height could improve adaptability to dryland environments and maintain high grain yield formation. Moreover, upland rice cultivars with thicker stem diameters had stronger lodging resistance, which addresses the lodging problem. Knockout of SD1 in the upland rice cultivar IRAT104 reduced the plant height and grain yield, demonstrating that the adjustment of plant height mediated by SD1 could increase grain production in dryland fields. In addition, an SD1 genetic diversity analysis verified that haplotype variation causes phenotypic variation in plant height. During the breeding history of rice, SD1 allelic mutations were selected from landraces to improve the grain yield of irrigated rice cultivars, and this selection was accompanied by a reduction in plant height. Thus, five known mutant alleles were analyzed to verify that functional SD1 is required for upland rice production. All these results suggest that SD1 might have undergone artificial positive selection in upland rice, which provides further insights concerning greater plant height in upland rice breeding.

Effects of culm carbohydrate partitioning on basal stem strength in a high-yielding rice population

Rice culm carbohydrate transport can simultaneously affect grain filling and stem lodging resistance by regulating non-structural carbohydrate(NSC) and structural carbohydrate(SC) contents. However, the relationship between carbohydrate transposition and culm strength is not well documented. Accordingly, a high-yielding hybrid rice cultivar(Y Liangyou 2) was tested under different N fertilization regimes at two locations, Taoyuan(a special high-yield eco-site), Yunnan province and Danyang(a representative eco-site of the middle and lower Yangtze), Jiangsu province, China. Significantly higher grain yield and basal stem strength were found at Taoyuan than Danyang under all N rates throughout the two-year experiment. At heading stage, soluble sugars, starch, cellulose and lignin contents of the basal culm at Taoyuan were significantly 132.0%, 73.7%, 1.2%, and 62.7% higher than those at Danyang, respectively. At 20 days after heading, soluble sugars and starch content at Taoyuan decreased significantly compared to Danyang, but lignin content remained higher. Culm carbohydrate transport to kernels at Taoyuan was significantly greater than that at Danyang, and the proportion of soluble sugars and starch was correspondingly 62.9%lower. However, the proportion of lignin and cellulose was 22.7% higher at Taoyuan than that at Danyang. Soluble sugars and starch partitioning were significantly reduced under an increased nitrogen application rate, but SC partitioning was little affected. There were significant positive correlations between basal culm bending stress and dry weight and cellulose and lignin proportions at both locations under all N rates, suggesting that the higher SC proportion at 20 days after heading was primarily responsible for culm strength.These results suggest that high-yielding rice populations with greater culm strength require both moderate NSC transport and greater SC accumulation.

Plant Ideotype at Heading for Super High-Yielding Rice in Double-Cropping System in South China

The newly released super high-yielding hybrid rice combinations, Yueza 122, Fengyou 428, Peiza 67, and the super high-yielding conventional cultivars, Guangchao 3 and Shengtai 1, were grown in both early and late seasons. The morphological characters of each population were investigated at the heading stage, and the data were analyzed by using ANOVY and other statistic methods. The plant ideal morphological characters at the heading stage were established as follows： 1 ） for the early-season cropping, 90-105 cm plant height; 11-12 tillers per plant; 35-40 em length and 2.1-2.2 cm width of flag leaf; 46-50 cm length and 1.8-2.1 cm width of the second leaf from the top （L2）; 59-64 cm length and 1.4-1.9 cm width of the third leaf from the top （L3）; 7°-14°, 18° and 200-33° for the ideal leaf angles of the flag leaf, L2 and L3, respectively; 2） for the late-season cropping, 90-100 cm plant height; 9-15 tillers per plant; 30-41 cm length and 1.8-2.0 cm width of flag leaf; 53-61 cm length and 1.3-1.8 cm width of L2; 52-58 cm length and 1.2-1.5 cm width of L3; 9°-19°, 15°-37° and 16°-49° for the ideal leaf angles of the flag leaf, L2 and L3, respectively. The main physiological characteristics of these varieties were also analyzed.

Study on Plant Morphological Traits and Production Characteristics of Super High-Yielding Soybean

Super high-yielding soybean cultivar Liaodou 14, soybean cultivars from Ohio in the United States, and the common soybean cultivars from Liaoning Province, China, with similar geographic latitudes and identical pod-bearing habits were used as the study materials for a comparison of morphological traits and production characteristics to provide a theoretical basis for the breeding of improved super high-yielding soybean cultivars. Using a randomized block design, different soybean cultivars from the same latitude were compared under conventional and unconventional treatments for their production characteristics, including morphological traits, leaf area index （LAI）, net photosynthesis rate, and dry matter accumulation. The specific characteristics of the super high-yielding soybean cultivar Liaodou 14 were analyzed. The results showed that the plant height of Liaodou 14 was significantly lower than that of the common cultivars from Liaoning, whereas the number of its main-stem nodes was higher than that of the cultivars from Ohio or Liaoning. A high pod density was observed in Liaodou 14 under conventional treatments. Under both conventional and unconventional treatments, the branch number of Liaodou 14 was markedly higher than that of the common cultivars from Liaoning, and its branch length and leaf inclination angle were significantly higher than those of common cultivars from Liaoning or Ohio. Only small changes in the leaf inclination angle were observed in Liaodou 14 treated with conventional or unconventional methods. Under each treatment, Liaodou 14 exhibited the lowest amplitude of reduction in SPAD values and net photosynthesis rates from the grain-filling to ripening stages; the cultivars from Ohio and the common cultivars from Liaoning exhibited more significant reductions. Liaodou 14 reached its peak LAI later than the other cultivars but maintained its LAI at a higher level for a longer duration. Under both conventional and unconventional treatments, Liaodou 14 produced a higher yield than the other two cultivars, with significant differences from the Ohio cultivars. In summary, super high-yielding soybean cultivars have several main features： suitable plant height, high pod density, good leaf structure with strong functionality, and slow leaf senescence at the late reproductive stage, which is conducive to the accumulation of dry matter and improved yield.

Changes in Some Physiological Characteristics After Full Heading Stage in Flag Leaves of Super High-Yielding Inbred Rice

In a field experiment, rice cultivar Shanyou 63 was used as a check cultivar to investigate the changes in activity of peroxidase and contents of malondialdehyde and soluble protein after full heading stage in flag leaves of two super high-yielding inbred rice, including Shengtai 1 and Yuxiangyouzhan. The results showed that the peroxidase activities and soluble protein contents in the leaves of the three cultivars tended to increase gradually to peak values and thereafter descended during stage after full heading. Moreover, both the peroxidase activities and soluble protein contents of Shengtai 1 and Yuxiangyouzhan peaked at 8 days after full heading, which was compared with that of Shanyou 63 at 4 days later. Meanwhile, the malondialdehyde contents in the leaves of the three cultivars increased gradually after full heading stage. In addition, activities of peroxidase and contents of malondialdehyde and soluble protein in different cultivars were various at the same time. In general, for Shengtai 1 and Yuxiangyouzhan, the peroxidase activities and soluble protein contents were higher than those of Shanyou 63, whereas the malondialdehyde contents were lower compared with that of Shanyou 63. And these features could make the senescence of leaf become later and slower and photosynthetic product was more in Shengtai 1 and Yuxiangyouzhan than that in Shanyou 63.

The Volatility of High-Yield Bonds Using Mixed Data Sampling Methods

It is well known that economic policy uncertainty prompts the volatility of the high-yield bond market.However,the correlation between economic policy uncertainty and volatility of high-yield bonds is still not clear.In this paper,we employ GARCH-MIDAS models to investigate their correlation with US economic policy uncertainty index and S&P high-yield bond index.The empirical studies show that mixed volatility models can effectively capture the realized volatility of high-yield bonds,and economic policy uncertainty and macroeconomic factors have significant effects on the long-term component of high-yield bonds volatility.

High-Yield Synthesis and Extraction of Endohedral Metallofullerenes Dy@C_(2n)

The successful encapsulation of dysprosium(Dy) into fullerene cages by activating the Dy2O3, containing graphite rods in situ 'back-burning' carbonarc evaporation with a high-yield of pyridine extraction technique is reported.

Investigation of Tree Structure Parameters of High-quality and High-yielding Y-shaped Pear Orchards

In order to study reasonable tree structure parameters of Y-shaped pear orchards in natural conditions and at management technical level of Tai'an area, the tree structure and population structure of high-quality and high-yielding Y-shaped pear orchards were investigated. The results showed that when the yield of Y-shaped 'Oshu' was 2 550 kg/667 m^2 in the early fully fruiting period, the quantity of the branches per 667 m^2 was about 54 000, and the number of short branches was the largest, accounting for 80.1% of total number of branches, followed by middle branches, long branches and developmental branches. As the yield of Y-shaped 'Qiuyue' was 2 875 kg/667 m^2 in the early fully fruiting period, the quantity of the branches per 667 m^2 was 51 000, and the number of short branches was the largest, accounting for 75.6% of total number of branches, followed by middle branches, long branches and developmental branches. When the yield of Y-shaped 'Niitaka' was 3 000 kg/667 m^2 in the early fully fruiting period, the quantity of the branches per 667 m^2 was 43 000, and the number of short branches was the largest, accounting for 82.0% of total number of branches, followed by long branches, middle branches and developmental branches.

Leaf Photosynthetic Characteristics of High-Yield Soybean[Glycine max(L.)Merr.]Under Different Planting Densities,Different Fertilization Rates,and Single/Mixed Planting Patterns

Understanding the photosynthetic characteristics of high-yield soybean[Glycine max(L.)Merr]cultivar(HYC)would aid research aiming at investigating the soybean high yield formation mechanism and optimization of cultivation system.To assess the photosynthesis of HYC,a pot experiment was conducted to quantify the differences in photosynthetic characteristics between HYC and common-yield soybean cultivar(CC)under different planting densities,fertilization rates,and single/mixed planting patterns.The leaf greenness(Lg),net photosynthetic rate(Ph),stomatal conductance(St)and transpiration rate(Tr)were significantly higher in HYC than CC mainly in seed-filling stages.HYC was more tolerant to dense and mixed planting because the decreases of Ph and St under high planting density and those of Ph,St,and Tr under mixed planting were lower in HYC than CC.The Lg and Ph in HYC were more superior to those in CC at high fertilization rate.Thus,the HYC has a superior performance in photosynthetic characteristics under the varied cultivation practices,which may contribute to the greater seed yield in HYC than CC.

High-yield Cultivation Techniques of Stevia rebaudiana(Bertoni) Hemsl. in Gannan Area of Jiangxi Province

In order to expand the production of Stevia rebaudiana( Bertoni) Hemsl.,the main points of high-yield cultivation techniques of a two-year-old stevia cultivar Shoutian No. 3 in Gannan area of Jiangxi Province were summarized: cutting and transplanting in early spring; fine management,applying more basic and additional fertilizers and retaining stubbles two times in summer,retaining roots for seeding in late autumn,and mulching membrane for safe overwintering in winter. This study will provide practical guidance for the planting of S. rebaudiana in Ganzhou,Jiangxi Province.

High-Yield High-Efficiency Positron Generation in High-Z Metal Targets Irradiated by Laser Produced Electrons from Near-Critical Density Plasmas

An improved indirect scheme for laser positron generation is proposed. The positron yields in high-ZZ metal targets irradiated by laser produced electrons from near-critical density plasmas and underdense plasma are investigated numerically. It is found that the positron yield is mainly affected by the number of electrons of energies up to several hundreds of MeV. Using near-critical density targets for electron acceleration, the number of high energy electrons can be increased dramatically. Through start-to-end simulations, it is shown that up to 6.78×10106.78×1010 positrons can be generated with state-of-the-art Joule-class femtosecond laser systems.

“Blue Ocean Strategy” Makesthe “High-yield Hero”——Shaoxing Hongtai Knitting Clothing Making Co.,Ltd.

Blue ocean strategy is a strategy centering on innovation and emphasizing a brand-new market space and business opportunity without competition.