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• Lax1-7 mutant rice plants were obtained by induced mutation and a new allele of LAX1 was isolated by map-based cloning. • The interactions between LAX1 and MADS-box genes regulate palea development in rice. • The LAX1 allele is pleiotropic for palea development, axillary meristem initiation, days to heading, plant height, panicle length and spikelet fertility. Normal floral organ development in rice is necessary for grain formation. Many MADS-box family genes that belong to ABCDE model have been widely implicated in rice flower development. The LAX1 allele encodes a plant-specific basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor, which is the main regulator of axillary meristem formation in rice. However, the molecular mechanisms of LAX1 allele together with MADS-box family genes underlying palea development have not been reported. We found a short palea mutant plant in a population of indica rice variety 9311 treated with cobalt 60. We report the map-based cloning and characterization of lax1-7 , identified as a new mutant allele of the LAX1 locus, and the role of its wild-type allele LAX1 in rice palea development. Through complementary experiments, combined with genetic and molecular biological analyses, the function of the LAX1 allele was determined. We showed that LAX1 allele is expressed specifically in young spikelets and encodes a nucleus-localized protein. In vitro and in vivo experiments revealed that the LAX1 protein physically interacts with OsMADS1, OsMADS6 and OsMADS7. The LAX1 allele is pleiotropic for the maintenance of rice palea identity via cooperation with MADS-box genes and other traits, including axillary meristem initiation, days to heading, plant height, panicle length and spikelet fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detecting quantity trait locus (QTLs) and elite alleles that are associated with grain-filling rate (GFR) in rice is essential for promoting the utilization of hybrid japonica rice and improving rice yield. Ninety-five varieties including 58 landraces and 37 elite varieties from the core germplasm collection were genotyped with 263 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. The GFR of the 95 varieties was evaluated at five stages, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 days after flowering (DAF) both in 2011 and 2012. We found abundant phenotypic and genetic diversity in the studied population. A population structure analysis identified seven subpopulations. A linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis indicated that the levels of LD ranged from 60.3 cM to 84.8 cM and artificial selection had enhanced the LD. A time-course association analysis detected 31 marker-GFR associations involving 24 SSR markers located on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11 and 12 of rice at five stages. The elite alleles for high GFR at each stage were detected. Fifteen excellent parental combinations were predicted, and the best parental combination ‘Nannongjing62401×Laolaihong’ could theoretically increase 4.086 mg grain-1 d-1 at the five stages. Our results demonstrate that the time-course association mapping for GFR in rice could detect elite alleles at different filling stages and that these elite alleles could be used to improve the GFR via pyramiding breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rice is one of the most important food crops in the world and mainly cultivated in paddy field by transplanting seedlings. However, increasing water scarcity due to climate change, labor cost for transplanting, and competition from urbanization is making this traditional method of rice production unsustainable in the long term. In the present study, we mined favorable alleles for mesocotyl elongation length (MEL) by combining the phenotypic data of 543 rice accessions with genotypic data of 262 SSR markers through association mapping method. Results: Among the 543 rice accessions studied, we found 130 accessions could elongate mesocotyl length under dark germination condition. A marker-trait association analysis based on a mixed linear model revealed eleven SSR markers were associated with MEL trait with p-value less than 0.01. Among the 11 association loci, seven were novel. In total, 30 favorable marker alleles for MEL were mined, and RM265-140 bp showed the highest phenotypic effect value of 1.8 cm with Yuedao46 as the carrier accession. The long MEL group of rice accessions had higher seedling emergence rate than the short MEL group in the field. The correlation coefficient (rGCC−FSC = 0.485**) between growth chamber condition (GCC) and field soil condition (FSC) showed positive relationship and highly significant (P < 0.01) indicating that the result obtained in GCC could basically represent that obtained under FSC. Conclusion: Not every genotype of the rice possesses the ability to elongate its mesocotyl length under dark or deep sowing condition. Mesocotyl elongation length is a quantitative trait controlled by many gene loci, and can be improved by pyramiding favorable alleles dispersed at different loci in different germplasm into a single genotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determination of the effective components in traditional Chinese medicine is one of the key steps for its identification. In this paper a novel and sensitive chemiluminescence (CL) method for the determination of rhein coupled with flow-injection analysis (FIA) is developed. It is based on the strong sensitizing effect on the weak CL reaction between luminol and ferricyanide in alkaline solution. Under optimal experimental conditions, the relative CL intensity is proportional to the concentration of rhein in the range of 7.0 × 10−12–7.0 × 10−10 mol L−1 and 1.0 × 10−9–4.0 × 10−5 mol L−1, the detection limit is 1.478 × 10−13 mol L−1, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) for 9 parallel measurements of 1.408 × 10−7 mol L−1 rhein is 3.4%. The method was successfully applied to the determination of rhein in pharmaceutical preparations. The possible mechanism of CL is also briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Capillary electrophoresis (CE) with on-line direct chemiluminescence (CL) detection was first used in detecting protocatechuic aldehyde (PAH) and protocatechuic acid (PA) in their pharmaceutical preparations. It was found that the weak CL produced from the reaction of luminol with ferricyanide in an alkaline solution was strongly increased by PAH and PA which was separated by CE. Parameters affecting separation process and CL detection have been examined in detail. Under the optimum conditions, the baseline separation of PAH and PA was obtained within 6min. The relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) for the analysis of PAH and PA was less than 1.1% for the migration time and 1.6% for the peak height. The detection limits (S/N =3) of PAH and PA were 7.0×10−8 M and 5.0×10−8 M, respectively. The proposed method has been satisfactorily applied to the determination of PAH and PA in Salivia miltorrhrza pharmaceutical preparations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Improving the combining ability for grain quality traits of the parents is the key factor to enhance averaged bulk grain quality of hybrid japonica rice. Eight quality traits including brown rice rate, milled rice rate (MRR), head rice rate (HRR), chalkiness degree (CD), percentage of chalky grain (PCG), alkali spreading value (ASV), gel consistency (GC) and amylose content (AC) of the bulked sample of rough rice harvested from the 81 F1 hybrid plants were investigated in 2014 and 2015. By combining the phenotypic data of general combining ability (GCA) for the quality traits with genotypic data of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) obtained by genotyping by sequencing method, CAScreen1.0 program compiled by MATLAB language was conducted to identify the elite SNP genotype associated with combining ability of quality traits in parents. Totally 35 elite SNP genotypes involving 22 genes (genotypes) were detected associated with GCA of seven quality traits (P < 0.05) in both 2014 and 2015. Seven and four SNPs were detected associated with combining ability for MRR and HRR, respectively. For PCG and CD, six and ten SNPs were detected associated with combining ability of parents, respectively. Six SNPs involving two genes were detected for combining ability of GC. Only two SNPs were detected which associated with combining ability for ASV. For combining ability of AC, six elite SNPs genotype were detected. Among them, elite SNP genotype of LOC_Os08g25220 (T/C) located on chromosome 8 could significantly reduce AC content in mixed rice samples of hybrid japonica rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, by regulating the A-site doped rare earth elements to achieve the transformation of entropy, the composition of (La 1/3 Nd 1/3 Eu 1/3) 2 Zr 2 O 7 (LNEZ) and (La 1/4 Nd 1/4 Eu 1/4 Y 1/4) 2 Zr 2 O 7 (LNEYZ) medium entropy ceramic system and (La 1/5 Nd 1/5 Eu 1/5 Y 1/5 Gd 1/5) 2 Zr 2 O 7 (LNEYGZ) high entropy ceramic system were designed and prepared. The results show that the thermal and mechanical properties of the ceramics are enhanced as the entropy value increases, and from this it is demonstrated that the crystal structure of the high-entropy LNEYGZ ceramics is the most disordered. Severe lattice distortions have the effect of hindering and enhancing the behavior of elemental expansion, phonon scattering, etc., and have the effect of enhancing the resistance of ceramics to sintering and heat insulation. Moreover, the small grain size enables the ceramic to have an enhanced ability to deflect cracks, and the fracture toughness of the ceramic is thus enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, rare-earth elements Eu and Y were added to La2Zr2O7 (LZ) as doping elements, and the ceramic coating of (La0.5Eu0.25Y0.25)2Zr2O7 (LEYZ) was prepared. The evolution of the sintering resistance, thermal shock resistance, and thermal insulation properties of the multi-element rare-earth co-doped modified coatings under long-term and high-temperature conditions was studied. The results showed that the sintering resistance of the doped coating was significantly improved, and the coating still does not fall off after 200 h at 1100 °C. The thermal shock life of the coating at 1000 °C is increased by 47% compared with that of the undoped modified LZ coating. The length of the vertical cracks in LEYZ ceramic layer is obviously shorter than that in LZ coating, which will be more beneficial to preventing the coating from peeling off. Compared with LZ coating, the insulation temperature of the LEYZ ceramic coating is increased by 24, 26 and 34% in the range of 900 ~ 1100 °C, respectively. The coating has the best thermal insulation effect, which is consistent with theoretical calculation results. The results demonstrate that the modified lanthanum zirconate coatings doped with Europium and Yttrium has great potential in high-temperature performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mining of favorable SNP loci and haplotypes is of great significance for the further cloning and molecular-assisted breeding of alkalinity-tolerance genes in rice. To improve the utilization rate of saline–alkaline lands and the yield of rice, we used the 1,322,884 SNPs obtained from the sequencing 173 of rice accessions in this study. Alkalinity-tolerance-related traits, including the germination energy (GE), germination rate (GR), seedling length (SL), root length (RL), relative alkaline damage rate (RADR) of the GERADR of the GR, RADR of the SL and RADR of the RL, were evaluated in 2019 and 2020 and revealed abundant phenotypes in the studied population. A genome-wide association analysis detected 10 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) related to alkalinity tolerance. In addition, a transcriptome sequencing analysis of the alkalinity-tolerant rice variety 'Yuedao 9' and the alkali-sensitive rice variety 'Tijin' under alkalinity stress and control conditions was performed. Three candidate genes that were predicted to be related to alkalinity tolerance in rice, namely LOC_Os06g06600, LOC_Os011g44680 and LOC_Os011g44600, were screened based on gene annotation, coding sequences and haplotype analysis. The results of this study provide important genetic information for the molecular improvement of rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The key to food security is increasing rice yield. Therefore, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to analyse and identify the effects of plant height (PH), effective tiller number (ETN), heading date (HD) and grain weight per plant (GWPP) on rice yield using 1,220,522 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 168 rice accessions. The PH, ETN, HD, and GWPP phenotypes of the 168 rice accessions were analysed in 2019, 2020 and 2021, and an abundance of phenotypic variation was found. One QTL for PH was detected on chromosome 4, one QTL for ETN on chromosome 11, two QTLs for GWPP on chromosome 2, and one QTL for HD on chromosome 5, all of which were detected in 3 years of the study period through a general linear model (GLM) and mixed linear model (MLM). We detected two QTLs related to the traits by using multi-trait GWAS. In addition, we identified four novel genes responsible for rice yield. Haplotype analysis indicated that LOC_Os02g07680 was highly associated with GWPP, LOC_Os11g18570 was highly associated with ETN, LOC_Os04g49210 was highly associated with HD, and LOC_Os05g34600 was highly associated with PH. The results provide important genetic information for PH, ETN, HD and GWPP studies, laying the foundation for increasing rice yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phase instability of 6–8 wt% Y 2 O 3 partially stabilized ZrO 2 (YSZ) in high temperature and molten salt corrosion environment seriously limits its application above 1200 °C. In this study, the chemical co-precipitation method prepared Yb 2 O 3 and CeO 2 co-doping YSZ (YbCeYSZ) ceramic materials to improve the above issues. It was proposed to improve the defect of high-temperature phase instability of CeO 2 -doped YSZ materials by adding Yb 2 O 3. The phase stability, thermal insulation properties, and Na 2 SO 4 + V 2 O 5 molten salt corrosion behavior of YbCeYSZ ceramic materials were studied. The results showed that 2.5 mol% Yb 2 O 3 -4 mol% CeO 2 -YSZ material (2.5Yb4CeYSZ) had no monoclinic phase (m-ZrO 2) after holding at 1500 °C for 120 h due to forming more defect clusters in the system. Meanwhile, the 2.5Yb4CeYSZ had excellent thermal insulation performance and molten salt corrosion resistance, which was attributed to the strong phonon scattering in the 2.5Yb4CeYSZ material system and the low reactivity between the stabilizer and the corrosive salt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Recently, additive manufacturing have gradually become an attractive processing technology for TiNi alloy. In this work, the Ti 5 0 Ni 50 alloy was successfully prepared by plasma arc deposition (PAD) technology. The microstructures, phase transformation characteristics and mechanical properties were investigated in detail. The PAD-TiNi alloy mainly comprised of TiNi (B2), TiNi (B19') and Ti 2 Ni phases. The TiNi cellular crystals, TiNi dendrite crystals and TiNi equiaxed crystals were presented at the bottom, middle and top area of PAD-TiNi alloys, respectively. Some irregular Ti 2 Ni phases were distributed in the inter-dendritic areas. The peritectic reaction of L (Ti) + TiNi →Ti 2 Ni led to the formation of irregular Ti 2 Ni phases. The coherence of Ti 2 Ni phases and TiNi matrix phases drove the two-step phase transformation (B2→ R → B19') during the cooling process. The as-deposited samples showed favorable hardness and high strength, especially possessing special quasi-linear superelasticity (up to 3.8%) with narrow hysteresis, which was derived from the quick appearance and disappearance of deformation microtwins under loading and unloading condition. The newly formed interface between Ti 2 Ni precipitates and TiNi matrix phase offered the nucleation sites for deformation microtwins and promoted the formation of microtwins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shape of the rice flag leaf affects rice yield. Therefore, the detection of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and alleles related to rice flag leaf shape is of great significance for rice yield improvement. Therefore, in 2019 and 2020, we carried out a genome-wide association study of flag leaf length (FLL), flag leaf width (FLW), flag leaf length–width ratio (FLR), and flag leaf area (FLA), considering 1.3 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 173 rice accessions, in order to investigate the effects of various genes on flag leaf shape. An abundance of phenotypic variation was found, with respect to the four flag leaf shape parameters of these accessions. We identified one significant SNP position associated with FLL and FLR on chromosome 5 and one significant SNP position associated with FLW on chromosome 2, which were detected in both of the two years of the study period through general linear model (GLM) and mixed linear model (MLM). Furthermore, three candidate genes—LOC_Os02g56760, LOC_Os05g34380, and LOC_Os05g34600—were found to possibly be significantly related to flag leaf shape in rice. Haplotype analysis indicated that LOC_Os05g34380 is highly associated with flag leaf length and flag leaf length–width ratio, LOC_Os05g34600 is highly associated with flag leaf length, and LOC_Os02g56760 is highly associated with flag leaf width. Our results provide important genetic information for the molecular improvement of rice flag leaf shape, laying the foundation for further cloning and molecular-assisted breeding of flag leaf genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, a non-toxic Ce-based conversion coating was obtained on the surface of bio-medical AZ31 magnesium alloys. The micro-morphology of the coating prepared with optimal technical parameters and immersed in physiological solution (Hank''s solution) in different time was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), composition of the cerium conversion coating and corrosion products in Hank''s solution were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), respectively. In addition, the corrosion property in Hank''s solution was studied by electrochemical experiment and immersion test. The results show that the dense Ce-based conversion coating is obtained on the surface of AZ31 magnesium alloys in optimal technical parameters and the conversion coating consists of a mass of trivalent and tetravalent cerium oxides. The cerium conversion coating can provide obvious protection of magnesium alloys and can effectively reduce the degradation speed in Hank''s solution. Also the degradation products have little influence on human body. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A capillary electrophoresis on-line inhibited luminol-K3Fe(CN)6 chemiluminescence method was employed for the determination of 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-ß-D-glucoside (I) and baicalin (baicalein 7-O-glucuronide, II). In this system, luminol was added to running buffer solution and introduced at the head of the separation capillary, and K3Fe(CN)6 was introduced at the end of the capillary. The parameters affecting the separation process and CL detection were studied. Under the optimum conditions, the baseline separation of the two analytes was obtained within 4?min. The detection limits (S/N=3) for I and II were 3.0×10-6?M and 1.2×10-6?M, respectively. This proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of II in traditional Chinese medicines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: SYL3-k allele increases the outcrossing rate of male sterile line and the yield of hybrid F1 seeds via enhancement of endogenous GA4 content in Oryza sativa L. pistils. The change in style length might be an adaptation of rice cultivation from south to north in the northern hemisphere. The style length (SYL) in rice is one of the major factors influencing the stigma exertion, which affects the outcross rate of male sterile line and the yield of hybrid F1 seeds. However, the biological mechanisms underlying SYL elongation remain elusive. Here, we report a map-based cloning and characterisation of the allele qSYL3-k. The qSYL3-k allele encodes a MADS-box family transcription factor, and it is expressed in various rice organs. The qSYL3-k allele increases SYL via the elongation of cell length in the style, which is associated with a higher GA4 content in the pistil. The expression level of OsGA3ox2 in pistils with qSYL3-k alleles is significantly higher than that in pistils with qSYL3-n allele on the same genome background of Nipponbare. The yield of F1 seeds harvested from plants with 7001SSYL3−k alleles was 16% higher than that from plants with 7001SSYL3−n allele. The sequence data at the qSYL3 locus in 136 accessions showed that alleles containing the haplotypes qSYL3AA, qSYL3AG, and qSYL3GA increased SYL, whereas those containing the haplotype qSYL3GG decreased it. The frequency of the haplotype qSYL3GG increases gradually from the south to north in the northern hemisphere. These findings will facilitate improvement in SYL and yield of F1 seeds henceforward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the fabrication of supersonic fine particle bombardment (SFPB)-doped rare-earth pretreatment modified vacuum carburized layers were applied. The SFPB-doped La 2 O 3 pretreated vacuum carburized reinforced layer was explored by common testing methods such as XRD, XPS, SEM, and TEM, focusing on the effects of La 2 O 3 -doped SFPB pretreatment on the decomposition, adsorption and diffusion of active carbon atoms and the diffusion mechanism. The composite carburizing behavior of La 2 O 3 -doped SFPB pretreatment modified layer under the action of thermal coupling is explored, and the influence law of rare earth modified carburizing and nano-modified carburizing on the thickness, residual stress, impact toughness, tribological properties of the carburized layer were clarified. The mechanism of mass transfer under the coupling role of pre-set surface defects and rare earth pinning was revealed. The case depth of the LSPC layer was increased by 14.3%, and the residual stress was significantly higher. The carbon diffusion coefficients of LSPC were 1.31 times superior to that of the vacuum carburizing layer, which is mainly attributed to the formation of a large number of nanocrystals with high-angle grain boundaries (HAGBs) by the rare-earth doped nanosized pretreatment, and the multiple synergistic strengthening effects of rare-earth oxides and nanocrystals. [Display omitted] • SFPB pretreatment introduces both La 2 O 3 and diffusion channels into the surface/subsurface layer. • Enhancement of carbon diffusion driving force by La 2 O 3. • High dislocation density and LAGBs provide fast diffusion channels for carbon diffusion. • The pretreatment increased the thickness of the carburized layer by 14.3%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Stigma characteristics are important factors affecting the seed yield of hybrid rice per unit area. Natural variation of stigma characteristics has been reported in rice, but the genetic basis for this variation is largely unknown. We performed a genome‐wide association study on three stigma characteristics in six environments using 1.3 million single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) characterized in 353 diverse accessions of Oryza sativa. An abundance of phenotypic variation was present in the three stigma characteristics of these collections. We identified four significant SNPs associated with stigma length, 20 SNPs with style length (SYL), and 17 SNPs with the sum of stigma and style length, which were detected repeatedly in more than four environments. Of these SNPs, 28 were novel. We identified two causal gene loci for SYL, OsSYL3 and OsSYL2; OsSYL3 was co‐localized with the grain size gene GS3. The SYL of accessions carrying allele OsSYL3AA was significantly longer than that of those carrying allele OsSYL3CC. We also demonstrated that the outcrossing rate of female parents carrying allele OsSYL2AA increased by 5.71% compared with that of the isogenic line carrying allele OsSYL2CC in an F1 hybrid seed production field. The allele frequencies of OsSYL3AA and OsSYL2AA decreased gradually with an increase in latitude in the Northern Hemisphere. Our results should facilitate the improvement in stigma characteristics of parents of hybrid rice. Significance Statement: The utilization of heterosis in rice is an effective strategy to enhance the grain yield. However, this entails the production of F1 hybrid seeds every year. The yield of F1 hybrid seeds is affected by stigma characteristics. The cloning of OsSYL2AA filled a gap in the genetic study of style length and could be used for improving stigma characteristics to increase the yield of F1 seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Wet direct-seeded rice is a possible alternative to conventional puddled transplanted rice; the former uses less water and reduces labor requirements. Improving seed reserve utilization efficiency (SRUE) is a key factor in facilitating the application of this technology. However, the QTLs controlling this trait are poorly investigated. In this study, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted using a natural population composed of 542 accessions of rice (Oryza sativa L.) which were genotyped using 266 SSR markers. Large phenotypic variations in SRUE were found in the studied population. Results: The average SRUE over 542 accessions across two years (2016 and 2017) was 0.52 mg.mg− 1, ranging from 0.22 mg.mg-1 to 0.93 mg.mg− 1, with a coefficient of variation of 22.66%. Overall, 2879 marker alleles were detected in the population by 266 pairs of SSR markers, indicating a large genetic variation existing in the population. Using general linear model method, 13 SSR marker loci associated with SRUE were detected and two (RM7309 and RM434) of the 13 loci, were also detected using mixed linear model analyses, with percentage of phenotypic variation explained (PVE) greater than 5% across two years. The 13 association loci (P < 0.01) were located on all chromosomes except chromosome 11, with PVE ranging from 5.05% (RM5158 on chromosome 5) to 12% (RM297 on chromosome 1). Association loci RM7309 on chromosome 6 and RM434 on chromosome 9 revealed by both models were detected in both years. Twenty-three favorable alleles were identified with phenotypic effect values (PEV) ranging from 0.10 mg.mg− 1 (RM7309–135 bp on chromosome 9) to 0.45 mg.mg− 1 (RM297–180 bp on chromosome 2). RM297–180 bp showed the largest phenotypic effect value (0.44 mg.mg− 1 in 2016 and 0.45 mg.mg− 1 in 2017) with 6.72% of the accessions carrying this allele and the typical carrier accession was Manyedao, followed by RM297–175 bp (0.43 mg.mg− 1 in 2016 and 0.44 mg.mg− 1 in 2017). Conclusion: Nine novel association loci for SRUE were identified, compared with previous studies. The optimal parental combinations for pyramiding more favorable alleles for SRUE were selected and could be used for breeding rice accessions suitable for wet direct seeding in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outcrossing traits in rice affect the yield of hybrid rice seed production. In this study, 30 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were detected in a natural population composed of 522 accessions by using a mixed linear model for the four outcrossing-related traits in 2017 and 2018. We detected 3, 4, 9 and 14 QTLs for flag leaf length (FLL), flag leaf width (FLW), flag leaf angle (FLA) and panicle neck length (PNL), respectively, among which 26 QTLs were novel. The favorable alleles and their carrier varieties were noticed with the largest phenotypic effect value. For FLL, marker allele RM6997-105 bp on chromosome 4 carried by Yue96 cultivar showed the highest phenotypic effect value (PEV), allele RM562-280 bp on chromosome 1 carried by Wanzhongqiu genotype for FLW, allele RM152-375 bp on chromosome 8 in typical carrier variety Zhongzuo93 for FLA and allele RM134-150 bp on chromosome 7 carried by Yue34 cultivar for PNL showed the highest PEVs. Additionally, nine QTLs were detected for the 4 traits with percentage of phenotypic variance explained (PVE) ranging from 16.24% (RM21) to 28.75% (RM5479) using a chromosome segment substitution line (CSSL) population. Among these detected QTLs, qFLL-12 and qFLW-12 showed 19.85% and 19.57% PVE, respectively. Four QTLs (qFLA-10, qFLA-11, qFLA-12.1, qFLA-12.2) detected for FLA showed PVEs ranging from 16.24% to 28.75%. For PNL, qPNL-7, qPNL-12.1, qPNL-12.2 were observed with PVEs of 20.14%, 17.39% and 28.36%, respectively. The favorable allele RM125-145 bp on chromosome 7 for PNL was detected in both the natural population and CSSL population and was carried by Yue38 accession and parent Xiushui79. The detected favorable alleles could be used to improve target traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The fracture resistance of nanoscale MEMS films under high frequency impact seriously influences its service life. Nano impact test is a reliable technique to evaluate the fatigue fracture resistance of films by simulating the dynamic cyclic loading conditions. In this paper, a kind of Cu film was prepared by magnetron sputtering. The effects of loading parameters and indenter size on the fatigue damage behavior were studied for the Cu films during by nano impact test technique. The dislocation propagation and crack initiation during the nano impact process were also analyzed by molecular dynamics simulation. The results show that: Nano impact failure of Cu film can be divided into three stages and the main failure forms are cracks and delamination. The increase of the indenter radius leads to the increase of fatigue indentation size. The deformation range and damage accumulation degree of thin film material also increased correspondingly. With the increase of nano impact loading rate, the film material suffered more momentum from the indenter. The fatigue damage energy accumulation accelerates the damage. Highlights • Fatigue property of Cu Film was tested by nano-impact technology. • The nanometer impact fatigue process is simulated by molecular dynamics. • The damage mechanism of nanometer impact fatigue is analyzed. • Relationships between indenter size and loading rate and fatigue property are explained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In order to obtain metallurgical shape memory alloy with a better quality, electro-magnetic stirring (EMS) technology is selected as an aiding method during plasma arc deposition (PAD) process. In this work, Ti 51 Ni 49 alloys were successfully produced by EMS-assisted PAD technology. Influence of EMS on the microstructure, phase transformation behavior, micro-hardness and wear resistance of PAD TiNi alloy have been systematically investigated. The PAD TiNi alloy is composed of TiNi coarse columnar dendrites with a certain number of Ti 2 Ni phases distributed in the inter-dendritic regions. Under the action of EMS, TiNi coarse columnar dendrites transform into fine non-dendrites or spheroid grains and the homogeneity of microstructures improves significantly. The implementation of EMS during PAD do not change the path of phase transformation, but improve the degree of phase transformations and reduce the transformation temperatures of PAD TiNi alloy. The EMS-PAD TiNi alloy possesses better dry wear resistance than the PAD TiNi alloy, which can be attributed to the higher degree of pseudo-elasticity of TiNi phases and strengthening of Ti 2 Ni phases. Highlights • Ti 51 Ni 49 shape memory alloys were successfully produced by electromagnetic stirring (EMS) - assisted plasma arc deposition (PAD) technology. • Under the action of EMS, TiNi coarse columnar dendrites transform into fine non-dendrites and its homogeneity improves significantly. • The EMS-PAD TiNi alloy possesses better dry wear resistance than the PAD TiNi alloy due to the higher degree of pseudo-elasticity and strengthening of Ti 2 Ni phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Heat treatment led to the growth of the grain size of the NiTi phase in the coatings. • The spinodal decomposition occurred in the NiTi 2 phase by cryogenic treatment. • The post-treatments affected the phase transformation characteristics of the coatings. • The coating after cryogenic treatment has the highest microhardness. YF 3 modification NiTi-Si coatings were prepared on Ti-6Al-4 V substrate by laser cladding. On this foundation, heat and cryogenic treatments were conducted respectively to explore the effect of after-treatment procedures. The consequence of post-treatment methods on the phase constituent, microstructure, mechanical property, and phase transition characteristics of post-treatment coatings was studied. The phase constituent of the three coatings was roughly the same, composed of NiTi and NiTi 2. The results show that heat treatment led to the coarsening of NiTi phase grain size and increased Si content in the NiTi 2 phase. In addition, due to the rapid cooling rate provided by cryogenic treatment, the spinodal decomposition of the Si element occurred in the NiTi 2 phase. Furthermore, the post-treatments also affected the phase transformation characteristics of the coatings. As the temperature of martensitic transformation is sensitive to the content of Ni element in the NiTi phase, the M s and M f points of the heat treatment coating were slightly higher. In contrast to the heat treatment, the M s and M f points of the cryogenic treatment coating decreased. The microhardness of the three coatings is as follows: cryogenic treatment > original coatings > heat treatment. The cryogenic treatment coating has the highest microhardness due to grain refinement and spinodal decomposition. In addition, the cryogenic treatment coating showed the best wear morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, nickel–titanium (NiTi) coatings have shown excellent tribological performance due to their unique phase transition characteristics. However, in the laser cladding of NiTi coatings in a semi-open environment, there are still issues with nitrogen and oxygen impurities arising in the coatings due to their exposure to air. In this study, three rare earth (RE) compounds were used to modify NiTi coatings in a semi-open environment to obtain coatings without any impurities. The effect of different RE compounds (Y 2 O 3 , YF 3 and YCl 3) on phase composition, surface oxidation and mechanical properties were studied. NiTi, NiTi 2 and the impurity phase titanium nitride (TiN) were observed in the original and Y 2 O 3 modified coating. In addition, incompletely melted Y 2 O 3 exists in the Y 2 O 3 -modified coating. The coatings with YCl 3 and YF 3 were composed of NiTi and NiTi 2 phase and the TiN impurity phase was not observed in either coating. In addition, the oxidation phenomenon at the top of the coating gradually weakened in the original, Y 2 O 3 , YCl 3 and YF 3 -modified coatings. Furthermore, the R-phase was characterised in the YF 3 -modified coatings. The average microhardness values of the original, Y 2 O 3 , YCl 3 and YF 3 -modified coatings were 669.68 HV 0.3 , 755.1 HV 0.3 , 579.1 HV 0.3 and 390.47 HV 0.3 , respectively, of which the microhardness of the YF 3 -modified coating was the lowest. Although RE compounds did not significantly change the tribological properties, the Y 2 O 3 -modified coating exhibited the best tribological properties (∼0.886 mm, 2.6 mg). The results show that YF 3 can isolate pollutants from the air in the coating and protect the coating in a semi-open environment. • NiTi alloy coating was prepared by laser cladding in a semi-open environment. • The TiN impurity phase disappeared inside the coating after the addition of YF 3. • The coating with YF 3 addition has the lowest microhardness. • The YF 3 prevents the Ti element in coatings from being contaminated by N 2 in the air. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the CoNiAlBx coatings were successfully prepared on 38CrMoAl steel by laser cladding technology. The effects of B content addition on the microstructure, phase composition, microhardness, and tribological properties of the coatings were systematically analyzed. We found that CoNiAlB coatings were composed of β,γ,and FeB phase. TEM results shown that the orientation relationships between FeB phase and γ phase were [—112]FeB//[12]γ. With the addition of B, the microstructure changed from cellular morphology to dendritic morphology, then generated FeB phase, the transformation of microstructure led to the improvement of the coating: The microhardness improved from 380 Hv 0.3 to 790 Hv 0.3 , the friction coefficient reduced from 0.75 to 0.45, wear rate decreased from 3.59·10−14 m3 N−1 m−1 to 1.34·10−14 m3 N−1 m−1. The wear mechanism of CoNiAlB coatings was changed from only oxidation wear to only abrasive wear, exhibited excellent tribological property. [Display omitted] • FeB phase was appeared in CoNiAlB coatings due to the addition of B. • The crystallographic orientation relationships and d-spacing of two phases were analyzed. • The appearance of FeB phase improved the microhardness and friction property of the coating. • The microhardness was increased by ∼390 Hv0.3, wear rate decreased to 1/3 of the original. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A new method for the detection of serine was described using L‐cysteine chemically modified electrode, which was prepared by cyclic voltammetry. The factors, such as pH, scan rate, and soaking time for the experimental process were discussed. Under the optimal conditions, the linear range for serine concentration was 3×10−7∼8×10−5 mol L−1, the detection limit was 2.34×10−7 mol L−1 (S/N=3), and the relative standard deviation was 2.14 % (n=10) for 3×10−7 mol L−1 serine solution. The method was applied to the detection of serine in apple cider vinegar sample with a recovery of 97.5 %–101.9 %. To further discuss the change of the property of platinum surface on atomic level, theoretical calculations were carried out. The change of adsorption energy indicated that the possible interaction of Pt and cysteine was O−C−O bridge adsorption. The analysis about the density of states (DOS) of the system and pseudo band gap showed an increase in the Pt surface activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fracture behavior of high-profile high-entropy alloy coating was characterized by in-situ TEM tensile testing. The samples for in-situ TEM tensile testing were obtained by FIB technology. The results show that irrelevant to phase constitution, the Young's module, fracture strength and ultimate elongation are measured as ∼107 GPa, ∼2.70 GPa and ∼2.6%, respectively. Transcrystalline fracture and cleavage fracture with the cleavage plane of {112} are observed evidentially and the evolution of the dislocation motion in the material could be directly connected with the fracture behavior from the recorded movies obtained by a Gatan CCD camera. The engineering stress-strain curve is nearly linearity, however, a slight deviation away from linearity could be noted in the end of engineering stress-strain curve, which is attributed that the extra elastic deformation results in part of continued deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a lightweight material, the wide application of Mg-Li alloy is restricted by its corrosion resistance. Focusing on this, an innovative superhydrophobic composite coatings of nickel-based metal coupled with layered double hydroxides (LDHs) was prepared on Mg-Li alloy. The microstructure, hydrophobic property and corrosion resistance of coatings were investigated by SEM, TEM, XRD, FT-IR, AFM, contact angle tester and electrochemical test. The results indicated that the MgAl LDHs uniformly grown in situ on the NiP coating deposited on Mg-Li alloy through electroless plating and hydrothermal treatment. The MgAl LDHs with a complex honeycomb micro-nano structure improved the surface roughness of the composite coating to 126 nm. The two-step treatment achieved an excellent coupling between the metal-based coating and inorganic compounds. The low surface energy treatment of micro-nano structure on NiP coating surface with stearic acid (@SA) realized the superhydrophobic transition of the composite coating (WAC=154.27° ± 2.56°). Besides, MgAl LDHs showed better trapping properties for Cl-. Under the synergistic effect of anion capture and hydrophobic effect, the corrosion current density (1.35 ×10−7 A⋅cm−2) and impedance modulus of NiP/MgAl LDHs@SA coating were significantly better than those of NiP and NiP/MgAl LDHs coating. The superhydrophobic composite coating provided a better anticorrosion choice for Mg-Li alloy. [Display omitted] • A new superhydrophobic double-layer coatings were prepared on the Mg-Li alloy. • MgAl LDHs with uniform honeycomb structure were in situ grown on the NiP coating. • Modified by stearic acid, the double-layer coatings had good superhydrophobicity. • The superhydrophobic double-layer coatings showed excellent corrosion resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FeCoCrNiCu is a face-centered cubic (FCC) high entropy alloy (HEA) with good dislocation storage capacity, ductility, and toughness. FeCoCrNiAl is a body-centered cubic (BCC) HEA whose phase is hard and brittle with high strength and low toughness. In this study, a FeCoCrNiCu/FeCoCrNiAl composite HEA coating was prepared by laser cladding technology. After preparation, the microstructure and mechanical properties of the composite HEA were evaluated. A new two-phase (FCC + BCC) HEA was generated in situ between FCC and BCC HEA, achieving a good transition from hard to soft. The composite coating has the best wear resistance, the friction coefficient is about 0.3, the wear rate is 4.2 × 10−5 mm3/ N·m, and the wear mechanism is abrasive wear. While maintaining high hardness and good wear resistance, the composite coating has good compression properties. The FeCoCrNiCu cladding layer reduced the energy of the FeCoCrNiAl cladding layer by storing dislocations, which reduced its tendency to crack during compression, thus extending the service life of the coating surface. • FeCoCrNiCu/FeCoCrNiAlCu/FeCoCrNiAl composite high entropy alloy coating was successfully prepared by laser cladding. • In-situ generation of FeCoCrNiAlCu dual-phase high-entropy alloy. • Gradient distribution of coating hardness. • The composite HEA coating achieved an effective strength-toughness balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The granulation of ammonium chloride (AC) fertilizer has been investigated in a laboratory scale based on the pan granulator at ambient temperature. Significant improvement of granulation efficiency of AC was achieved by using polyaluminium chloride (PAC) as solid binder and urea as granulation additive. Highly charged cations by PAC hydrolysis could reduce the electrostatic force of AC, resulting in efficient particle agglomeration. Analyzing the surface structure and characteristics of the PAC and AC granules revealed their interactions, which lead to the formation of aggregate nucleus. Furthermore, PAC contained a larger number of active groups, which served as bridges to form particle-polymer-particle complex, and facilitated the growth of particle. Meanwhile, urea and AC could react with each other to form stable inclusion complex which also had pronounced effect on the increase of granulation rate for AC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the vital problems limiting the application of multi-layer cladding coating is that there appears a coarse grain structure at interface between different layers. In order to refine the grain and increase the bonding strength, Nb was added to Co50 composite coating in this study. The multi-layer Co50 composite coating was fabricated by plasma cladding. Microstructure was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive spectrum (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). And the effect of Nb on bonding strength was investigated using tensile test and first-principles calculations based on density functional plane-wave ultrasoft pseudopotential method. The results show that when Nb is added, a few in situ synthesized NbC with very small grain size appears on the grain boundaries, restraining those movements which results in the grain and microstructure refinement. Besides that, the strength bonding between different layers increases, which is attributed to the fine-grain strengthening and dispersion strengthening effect of NbC. Further, the strong Co-C covalent bonds in the NbC/Co interface and the Co-Co metallic bond in the internal coating might be why the NbC can serve as an obstacle and have a strong drag and pinning effect on the grain boundary according to the first principle calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microcapsules with self-healing coatings for corrosion protection of magnesium substrates have attracted tremendous interest due to their capability of preventing the propagation of cracks in protective coatings by releasing inhibitors from the microcapsules. Gelatin-chitosan microcapsules containing La(NO 3 ) 3 were prepared by complex coacervation. The morphology of the cerium-based conversion coating shows a globular structure with microcapsules distributing in the tiny cracks of the coating. In 3.5 wt% sodium chloride solution environment, the coating is damaged and microcapsules migrate into the damaged area, the triggering release of inhibitors supplement to the conversion coating. The cerium conversion coating with microcapsules shows a much higher corrosive resistance than the coating without microcapsules, and demonstrates the achievement of a self-healing performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the Co 25 Ni 45 Al 30 and Co 25 Ni 50 Al 25 magnetic shape memory alloy (MSMAs) coatings were successfully synthesized on 38CrMoAl by laser cladding technology. By regulating the composition, β phase transformed to M phase due to the martensitic transformation, and the structure presented M phase and γ phase layered eutectic in Co 25 Ni 50 Al 25 coating. The analysis of microstructure, mechanical property, and frictional property was investigated in detail. The results showed that with β phase transformed to M phase and layered eutectic appeared in Co 25 Ni 50 Al 25 , the coating changed from brittle material to plastic material while the hardness increased. The friction property promoted, Co 25 Ni 50 Al 25 coating showed lower friction coefficient of 0.5, lower weight loss of 10 mg and lower wear rate of 5.9·10−14 m3 N−1 m−1. The wear mechanism of Co 25 Ni 45 Al 30 were abrasive wear and oxidation wear, while the wear mechanism of Co 25 Ni 50 Al 25 were adhesive wear and oxidation wear. • Martensite transformation was occurred in Co 25 Ni 50 Al 25 coating. • M phase and the eutectic structure were found in Co 25 Ni 50 Al 25 coating. • Co 25 Ni 50 Al 25 coating changed from brittle material to plastic material. • The weight loss of Co 25 Ni 50 Al 25 coating is 1/3 of Co 25 Ni 45 Al 30 coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tempering is a necessary heat treatment process to ensure that the surface of the carburized material has adequate strength and the core has sufficient toughness. In this work, the carburized layer was tempered several times at medium temperature (400–440 °C) and the effect of tempering temperature, and number of times on microstructure, plastic toughness, and wear properties in complex environments was investigated in detail. The modified layers of the tempered samples were characterized by martensite, carbide, and a small amount of residual austenite. Primarily, the results show that the maximum ultimate tensile strength (UST, 1441 MPa) and elongation (11.4 %) were obtained with 3 times tempering at 400 °C. Simultaneously, the least erosion wear rate (0.61 mg/g) was obtained for 400 °C 3-times tempered specimens. Then, under dry friction conditions, the friction coefficients of the 3-times tempered were inferior to those of the 5-times tempered samples. In the subsurface layer, the 420 °C 3-times tempered samples had the minimum wear rate (1.73 × 10−15 m3N−1 m−1). Nevertheless, the friction coefficient under oil lubrication is dramatically lower compared to the dry friction coefficient. Finally, the medium temperature multiple tempering ensured a well-balance of wear resistance and plastic toughness. [Display omitted] • Heat treatment technology for both strength and toughness upgrade is proposed. • Multiple tempering at mid-temperature has a positive role on the mechanical properties of carburized layer. • After tempering, the ultimate tensile strength was up to ~1441 MPa and the elongation was 11.4 %. • The erosion wear rates are minimized for 400 °C-3 times tempering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unanticipated a new and simple urea-ammonium chloride cocrystal synthesis method on industrial scale was found during attempts to produce a kind of granulated compound fertilizer. The aggregation of fertilizer powder can make the interaction among particles from loose to close, which generate mechanical pressure and in turn act as the driving force to benefit cocrystal growth. Additionally, the honeycomb-like channels constructed by other coexisting compound make the water evaporates more moderate, which can help the formation of supersaturated solution at suitable rate, further promote the growth of cocrystal. This approach possibly opens a new route toward the developing methodologies for cocrystal synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • CeO 2 nanoparticles modified GO composites were synthesized by hydrothermal method. • Electroless Ni-P coatings enhanced by modified GO were prepared on Mg-Li alloys. • The microstructure of coatings became uniform and dense after adding modified GO. • Adding modified GO was conducive to improving the wear resistance of coatings. • Modified GO significantly improved the corrosion resistance of coatings. A new strategy of CeO 2 nanoparticles integration with GO nanosheets (CeO 2 @GO composites) was adopted for reinforcing Ni-P coating on Mg-Li alloys. Besides, the effect of GO nanosheets and CeO 2 @GO composites as reinforced particles on the microstructure, corrosion resistance and wear resistance of Ni-P coating were investigated. CeO 2 nanoparticles with average size of 4.19 nm were uniformly synthesized on GO nanosheets by hydrothermal method. The cellular nodules of coatings were refined after adding GO nanosheets and CeO 2 @GO composites. Moreover, the compactness and flatness of CeO 2 @GO-Ni-P composite coating were better than that of GO-Ni-P composite coating. The average friction coefficient of CeO 2 @GO-Ni-P composite coating (0.331) was decreased by 17%, 35.5%, and 39.6% than that of GO-Ni-P composite coating, Ni-P coating and Mg-Li substrate, respectively. The addition of GO nanosheets and CeO 2 @GO composites both improved the corrosion resistance of coatings, while CeO 2 @GO-Ni-P composite coating has the best corrosion resistance. Compared with Mg-Li alloys, the self-corrosion potential of CeO 2 @GO-Ni-P composite coating (-0.35 ± 0.006 V) shifted to positive potential by 1.28 V, and the self-corrosion current density was reduced by two order of magnitude (1.41 ± 0.13 × 10-6 A⋅cm−2). This was mainly attributed to the synergistic effect of the CeO 2 nanoparticles on the GO nanosheets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficiency of hybrid seed production can be improved by increasing the percentage of exserted stigma, which is closely related to the stigma length in rice. In the chromosome segment substitute line (CSSL) population derived from Nipponbare (recipient) and Kasalath (donor), a single CSSL (SSSL14) was found to show a longer stigma length than that of Nipponbare. The difference in stigma length between Nipponbare and SSSL14 was controlled by one locus (qSTL3). Using 7,917 individuals from the SSSL14/Nipponbare F2 population, the qSTL3 locus was delimited to a 19.8-kb region in the middle of the short arm of chromosome 3. Within the 19.8-kb chromosome region, three annotated genes (LOC_Os03g14850, LOC_Os03g14860 and LOC_Os03g14880) were found in the rice genome annotation database. According to gene sequence alignments in LOC_Os03g14850, a transition of G (Nipponbare) to A (Kasalath) was detected at the 474-bp site in CDS. The transition created a stop codon, leading to a deletion of 28 amino acids in the deduced peptide sequence in Kasalath. A T-DNA insertion mutant (05Z11CN28) of LOC_Os03g14850 showed a longer stigma length than that of wild type (Zhonghua 11), validating that LOC_Os03g14850 is the gene controlling stigma length. However, the Kasalath allele of LOC_Os03g14850 is unique because all of the alleles were the same as that of Nipponbare at the 474-bp site in the CDS of LOC_Os03g14850 among the investigated accessions with different stigma lengths. A gene-specific InDel marker LQ30 was developed for improving stigma length during rice hybrid breeding by marker-assisted selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, geometrical optimisation, Mulliken charge, molecular electrostatic potential, and the frontier molecular orbitals of three dimethoxy-substituted luminol derivatives were investigated by ab initio , density functional, and Møller-Plesset perturbation theory with a 6-311G (d, p) basis set in gas phase, water, and dimethylsulphoxide solution. The UV–vis spectra were calculated by time dependent density functional theory method. The properties of derivatives were compared with luminol at a molecular level to investigate the change induced by the methoxy group. The three derivatives were also compared with the aim of predicting the order of chemiluminescent efficiency. The results showed that methoxy substitution significantly changed the electronic and spectral properties of luminol. Among three derivatives, structure 2 was suggested to have the highest chemiluminescent efficiency. The results may shed some light on the design and selection of chemiluminescent reagents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the effect of the dual-phase microstructure (FCC and Laves phases) of Ni 1.5 CrCoFe 0.5 Mo 0.1 Nb x (x = 0.55 hypoeutectic, 0.68 eutectic and 0.8 hypereutectic) high-entropy alloy coatings on their corrosion and tribo-corrosion behaviors were studied. In a 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution, the FCC phase behaved as anodic sites. With the increase of Nb content, the passive regions of the coatings increased slightly. Mott–Schottky analysis revealed that the improvement in the performance of the passive film is mainly attributed to the reduced point-defect density. The increased Laves phase changed the wear mechanism of the coatings from adhesive to abrasive wear. [Display omitted] • The effect of the dual-phase microstructure on the tribo-corrosion behaviors of the eutectic HEA coatings was studied. • The interaction between FCC and Laves phases in the coatings was revealed by EBSD. • Nb 0.68 and Nb 0.8 coatings exhibited nano-scale pitting sizes. • With the increase of Laves phase, the protective capability of the passive films on the coatings was improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, neodymium-based conversion coating is used as a substitute for toxic chromate conversion coating on AZ91D magnesium alloys. Its formation and growth were observed via SEM, EDS, XPS, electrochemical tests and weighting experiment. The influence of post-treatment on neodymium conversion coating was measured by FTIR and electrochemical experiments in terms of morphology, component, surface functional group and corrosion resistance. The dissolution of matrix and the deposition of neodymium/magnesium oxides compete with each other in initial time. Then the deposition of neodymium oxides dominates the process. Compact coating is obtained after 20min immersion and it is mainly made of neodymium oxides and a small amount of magnesium oxides/hydroxides. The coating post-treated is rich in OH− and PO4 3+. The post-treatment can improve the corrosion resistance of the neodymium conversion coating effectually examined by EIS. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The microstructure of chrome-free neodymium-based conversion coating on magnesium alloy was investigated and the corrosion resistance was evaluated as well. The micro-morphology, transverse section, crystal structure and composition of the coating were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), respectively. The corrosion resistance was evaluated by potentiodynamic polarization curve and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results revealed that the morphology of neodymium conversion coating is of crack-mud structure. Tiny cracks distribute in the compact coating deposited by neodymium oxides. EDS results characterize that the coating is made of neodymium oxides. The potentiodynamic polarization curve, EIS and OCP indicate that the neodymium conversion coating can improve the corrosion resistance of magnesium alloys. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this work, hot corrosion behavior of air plasma sprayed La 0.8 Ba 0.2 TiO 3-δ (LBT)-YSZ double-ceramic-layer thermal barrier coating exposed to Na 2 SO 4 + V 2 O 5 molten salt at 900 °C for 20 h was investigated. The phase characterization and microstructural evolution analysis of the coating was carried out after the hot corrosion test by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results showed that the LBT-YSZ coating possessed excellent hot corrosion resistance compared with the conventional pure YSZ coating. The conventional pure YSZ coating was completely destroyed after the 10 h test due to the volume change resulting from the adverse phase transition. However, the situation for the LBT-YSZ coatings is completely opposite. The LBT-YSZ coating could prevent the YSZ interlayer underlying the LBT overlayer from densification for at least 20 h. In the LBT overlayer, the double-reaction-layer composed of under dense layer and upper porous layer was formed. In particular, the continuous dense layers with a thickness of ~100 μm formed after 10 h, effectively arresting further penetration of the molten salt. In addition, affected by the diffusion extent of SO 3 gas, the corrosion products of porous layer were composed of Ba 2 V 2 O 7 , LaVO 4 , TiO 2 and BaSO 4 , while those of dense layer consisted of Ba 2 V 2 O 7 , LaVO 4 and TiO 2. The specific mechanism by which the corrosion reaction occurred was proposed based on Lewis acid-base rule and thermodynamics. • A La 0.8 Ba 0.2 TiO 3–δ -YSZ double-layer coating was successfully deposited. • Hot corrosion behavior in Na 2 SO 4 + V 2 O 5 molten salt was investigated at 900 °C for 20 h. • The double-layer coating possessed better hot corrosion resistance than YSZ coating. • The upper porous layer and under dense layer were formed in La 0.8 Ba 0.2 TiO 3-δ layer. • The dense layer could arrest further penetration of the molten salt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of small D-π-A skeleton dye molecules with electronic push-pull effect were designed based on N-methylcarbazole derivatives as donors, thiophene ethylene and furan ethylene were used as conjugated π bridges, and cyanoacetic acid as acceptor. Theoretical calculations indicate that both the direct introduction of the substituent and the addition of the ring to the N-methylcarbazole donor have a positive effect on the dye properties. The modified structure of former has an advantage in increasing the LUMO level, and the later is beneficial to obtain a broad region and a strong absorption spectrum. All the dyes have narrow HOMO-LUMO band gap, especially for thiophene ethylene as conjugated π bridge. The small and planar structure ensure that more molecules can be absorbed on the surface of TiO 2. Combined with the analysis of the relevant electrical parameters including light harvesting efficiency and μ normal demonstrate that they can be used as excellent candidate of sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells. Image 109701 • A series of small dyes with D-π-A structure are theoretically designed. • N-methylcarbazole derivatives are used as the donor of dyes. • The ring structure has a more positive effect on dyes than the other substituted groups. • The relevant parameters LHE and μ normal was used to predict the PCE. • The results imply the designed molecules can be used as excellent candidate for DSSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outcrossing traits in rice (Oryza sativa L.) affect the yield of hybrid seed production. Using a cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) line with good outcrossing traits, such as short flag leaf length (FLL), narrow flag leaf width (FLW), wide flag leaf angle (FLA), and elongated panicle neck length (PNL), for hybrid rice seed production, it is possible to avoid the procedure of cutting flag leaves and make the supplementary pollination feasible by machine. In this study, a japonica restorer C-bao as the receptor parent and a primitive japonica accession Ludao as the donor parent were used to construct a chromosome segment substitution line (CSSL) population. The CSSL population was used to detect quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for the four outcrossing traits using a likelihood ratio test based on the stepwise regression (RSTEP-LRT) method. The CSSL population constructed consisted of 163 lines covering 90.7% of the donor genome. Among the seven QTLs detected in the CSSL population, four QTLs were detected in both years. qFLL-4 explained 6.70% of the two-year-averaged phenotypic variance, and the alleles from Ludao decreased FLL 5.1 cm. qFLA-1.1 and qFLA-1.2 explained 7.85% and 21.29% of the 2-year-averaged phenotypic variance respectively, and the alleles from Ludao increased FLA 17.38° and 31.50°. qPNL-8 explained 8.87% of the 2-year-averaged phenotypic variance, and the alleles from Ludao increased PNL 4.44 cm. These favorable alleles identified could be used to improve the outcrossing traits of parents for hybrid rice seed production in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acreage of submerged direct-sown cultivation of Oryza sativa is gradually increasing in China because of the constantly decreasing number of laborers in rural areas. Identifying favorable alleles for seedling anoxic tolerance (SAT) is necessary for improving cultivars suitable for submerged direct-sown rice cultivation. In this study, we used two populations to detect quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for SAT. In the natural population consisting of 542 accessions, seven simple sequence repeat marker loci associated with SAT were detected in both 2016 and 2017, with 22 favorable alleles. RM5340 on chromosome 2 and RM6811 on chromosome 6 were newly identified. Allele RM6811-160 bp had the largest phenotypic effect (1.09 cm/cm). Seventy-one accessions carried this allele. In the backcross inbred line population (115 lines) derived from Wuyunjing 7 hao/Ludao//Wuyunjing 7 hao, 8 QTLs for SAT were detected, with the phenotypic variance explained (PVE) ranging from 2.51 to 12.11%. The qCELpc2, qCELpc3, qCELpc5 and qCELpc11 loci were newly detected. The favorable alleles of loci qCELpc3, qCELpc5 and qCELpc11 were from Ludao. The locus qCELpc11 had the largest PVE of 10.39%, with a substitutive effect of 0.82 cm averaged over 2 years. By sequencing the gene locus OsBIERF, which was within a 15.50–16.08 Mb chromosome region harboring SAT-associated RM3600 on chromosome 9 and was detected in both populations, a single nucleotide polymorphism locus at the first exon was found between Wuyunjing 7 hao (T) and Ludao (C). The favorable alleles detected in this study could be used to improve SAT of rice cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Improving the gelatinization temperature (GT), gel consistency (GC) and amylose content (AC) for parental grain eating and cooking qualities (ECQs) are key factors for enhancing average grain ECQs for hybrid japonica rice. Results: In this study, a genome-wide association mapping (GWAS) for ECQs was performed on a selected sample of 462 rice accessions in 5 environments using 262 simple sequence repeat markers. We identified 10 loci and 27 favorable alleles for GT, GC and AC, and some of these loci were overlapped with starch synthesis-related genes. Four SSR loci for the GT trait were distributed on chromosomes 3, 5, 8, and 9, of which two SSR loci were novel. Two SSR loci associated with the GC trait were distributed on chromosomes 3 and 6, although only one SSR locus was novel. Four SSR loci associated with the AC trait were distributed on chromosomes 3, 6, 10, and 11, of which three SSR loci were novel. The novel loci RM6712 and RM6327 were simultaneously identified in more than 2 environments and were potentially reliable QTLs for ECQs, with 15 parental combinations being predicted. These QTLs and parental combinations should be used in molecular breeding to improve japonica rice average ECQs. Conclusions: Among the 10 SSR loci associated with GT, GC and AC for grain ECQs detected in 27 favorable alleles, the favorable allele RM3600-90bp on chromosome 9 could significantly reduce GT, RM5753-115bp on chromosome 6 could significantly increase GC, and RM6327-230bp on chromosome 11 could significantly reduce AC in hybrid japonica rice mixed rice samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flag leaf angle (FLA) in rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the important traits affecting F1 seed production by mechanization. To elucidate the genetic mechanism of FLA and mine favorable marker alleles for F1 seed production in rice, we performed a genome-wide association study using phenotypic data over 2 years and genotypic data of 262 pairs of simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers collected from 441 rice accessions. We detected seven SSR marker loci associated with FLA and four loci were novel. The four newly found loci were RM6266 on chromosome 3, RM348 on chromosome 4, RM258 on chromosome 10 and RM7303 on chromosome 11. We found a total of 27 favorable alleles, of which four, i.e., RM348-130 bp, RM7303-90 bp, RM258-180 bp, and RM4835-230 bp, had phenotypic effects larger than 10°. Nine combinations, which increased FLA by 45.7°-94.7° through pyramiding the favorable alleles contained in seven typical accessions, were predicted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the nuclear simple sequence repeat (SSR) genotypes of 532 rice (Oryza sativa L.) accessions collected from East and Southeast Asia and detected abundant genetic diversity within the population. We identified 6 subpopulations and found a tendency towards directional evolution in O. sativa from low to high latitudes, with levels of linkage disequilibrium (LD) in the 6 subpopulations ranging from 10 to 30 cM. We then investigated the phenotypic data for grain length, grain width, grain thickness and 1,000-grain weight over 4 years. Using a genome-wide association analysis, we identified 17 marker-trait associations involving 14 SSR markers on 12 chromosome arms, and 8 of the 17 associations were novel. The elite alleles were mined based on the phenotypic effects of the detected quantitative trait loci (QTLs). These elite alleles could be used to improve target traits through optimal cross designs, with the expected results obtained by pyramiding or substituting the elite alleles per QTL (independent of possible epistatic effects). Together, these results provide an in-depth understanding of the genetic diversity pattern among rice-grain traits across a broad geographic scale, which has potential use in future research work, including studies related to germplasm conservation and molecular breeding by design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, Hf–Si–N films were deposited on AZ31 magnesium alloys by ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD) technology. The phase structure, chemical valence state and nano-mechanical property of the films were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and nano-indentation test, respectively. The corrosion resistance in physiological solution was studied by electrochemical system. The results show that the main phases of the films are HfN phase and Si3N4 phase. And the films have good corrosion resistance in physiological solution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]