Search

Late-sowing and high-density cultivation are typical cotton planting models that are widely applied in the Yellow River Valley of China. The model can easily lead to late maturity and reduced yields. Plant topping and ethephon spraying have been shown to improve cotton earliness and yields. However, the optimal topping date and ethephon concentration are yet to be established. A two-year field experiment (2020–2021) was thus conducted to assess the effects of spraying high-concentration ethephon and early topping on the growth, yield, and earliness of cotton under late-sowing and high-density cultivation models. The experiment employed a split-plot design, in which the main plots were sprayed with varying ethephon concentrations (2000 mL/ha, E2000; 4000 mL/ha, E4000; 6000 mL/ha, E6000), while subplots were plant topping dates (T13, 13 July, early-topped; T20, 20 July, suitable-topped; T27, 27 July, late-topped). Higher ethephon concentrations (E4000) increased the earliness of early-topped (T13) plants. Boll-setting and boll-opening rates increased by 12.00% and 16.83% in T13 plants, respectively, relative to T27 plants. However, the shedding rate for T13 plants decreased by 12.00%. Earliness and harvest index (HI) for the T13 plants were higher than those of the T27 plants by 8.01% and 18.91%, respectively. Even though the T13 plant yield decreased slightly, their boll weight increased by 3.99% and 12.27%, respectively, relative to those of the T20 and T27 plants. Earliness increased with increasing ethephon concentration. In conclusion, early topping and higher ethephon concentrations can effectively improve cotton yield and earliness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf senescence reduces the photosynthetic capacity of leaves, thus significantly affecting the growth, development, and yield formation of cotton. Melatonin (MT) is a multipotent substance proven to delay leaf senescence. However, its potential mechanism in delaying leaf senescence induced by abiotic stress remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the effect of MT on delaying drought-induced leaf senescence in cotton seedlings and to clarify its morphological and physiological mechanisms. Drought stress upregulated the leaf senescence marker genes, destroyed the photosystem, and led to excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS, e.g., H2O2 and O2−), thus accelerating leaf senescence. However, leaf senescence was significantly delayed when 100 μM MT was sprayed on the leaves of the cotton seedlings. The delay was embodied by the increased chlorophyll content, photosynthetic capacity, and antioxidant enzyme activities, as well as decreased H2O2, O2−, and abscisic acid (ABA) contents by 34.44%, 37.68%, and 29.32%, respectively. MT significantly down-regulated chlorophyll degradation-related genes and senescence marker genes (GhNAC12 and GhWRKY27/71). In addition, MT reduced the chloroplast damage caused by drought-induced leaf senescence and maintained the integrity of the chloroplast lamellae structure under drought stress. The findings of this study collectively suggest that MT can effectively enhance the antioxidant enzyme system, improve photosynthetic efficiency, reduce chlorophyll degradation and ROS accumulation, and inhibit ABA synthesis, thereby delaying drought-induced leaf senescence in cotton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to establish a nonlinear complementarity model and method for multi-commodity supply chain network equilibrium problems consisting of manufacturers and retailers in which the demands associated with the retail outlets are random. This work is different from previous research in that it focuses on a condition in which a manufacturer cannot sell all of its products. Based on this, the optimizing behaviour of the various decision-makers is modelled, the equilibrium conditions of the manufacturers and the retailers are derived, respectively, and nonlinear complementarity model of this problem is established. Qualitative properties of the equilibrium pattern in terms of existence, boundedness and global uniqueness are provided under milder conditions. Neither strict complementarity nor global Lipschitz continuity are required, and non-singular assumption is replaced by local error bound. A modified smoothing Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm to solve this model is proposed, and its global convergence and quadratic convergence rate are established, respectively. Finally, the model is illustrated through several numerical examples for which equilibrium prices and product shipments are computed under a variety of scenarios. Numerical results indicate the validity of the model, the availability of the algorithm, as well as the variation characteristics of equilibrium price and product shipment pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The root cortical senescence (RCS) is closely associated with root absorptive function. However, characteristics and responses of RCS to drought stress in cotton have received little attention. This study subjected the drought‐tolerant variety ‘Guoxin 02’ and the drought‐sensitive variety ‘Ji 228’ to drought stress (8% PEG6000) and no‐stress (0% PEG6000) treatments to determine the characteristics and responses of cotton RCS to drought stress. The results showed that the greater the distance from the root tip, the more severe the RCS occurrence under drought stress compared with non‐stress treatment. The occurrence of RCS in ‘Guoxin 02’ increased by 14.03%−20.18% compared to ‘Ji 228’ under drought stress. The RCS was negatively correlated with root respiration but positively correlated with root length and leaf water potential. The silencing of RCS‐related genes (GhSAG12 and GhbHLH121) can mitigate the drought‐induced RCS phenomenon in cotton; however, reduced drought tolerance. Exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) treatment can promote RCS generation. Conversely, ABA synthesis exhibits contrasting effects. In summary, endogenous hormones regulated RCS, which reduced the root metabolic and seemingly achieved more resource redistribution to new roots, thereby fully utilize deep water resources. Thus, the study demonstrates the potential of RCS in improving the drought stress tolerance of cotton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Cu 1 Co 2 O 4 exhibits excellent low-temperature NH 3 catalytic activity and high N 2 selectivity. • Doping Cu into Co 3 O 4 greatly weakens the Co-O bond, thereby augmenting reactive oxygen species. • The Cu site as an iSCR site facilitates N 2 production. • Cu-Co dual sites significantly contribute to the catalytic activity and N 2 selectivity. Selective catalytic oxidation of NH 3 (NH 3 -SCO) into N 2 and H 2 O is an efficient method to eliminate excessive NH 3 emission from stock farming, agriculture, industrial sectors and NH 3 slip in coal-fired power plants and diesel vehicles. However, it is a great challenge to develop the Co 3 O 4 catalyst with high activity and high N 2 selectivity at low temperature. Herein, a series of Cu doped Co 3 O 4 catalysts is designed and synthesized, with discovering the role of Co-O bond strength by copper regulation in modulating oxygen vacancies and lattice oxygen to enhance the intrinsic activity and N 2 selectivity of NH 3 -SCO. The Cu 1 Co 2 O 4 catalyst (93 % NH 3 conversion and 80 % N 2 selectivity at 160 °C) achieves a higher catalytic performance compared with Co 3 O 4 (78 % NH 3 conversion and 50 % N 2 selectivity at 160 °C). In addition, the N 2 generation rate by normalizing over specific surface area for Cu 1 Co 2 O 4 (13.1 μmol m-2h−1) is 1.7 times to that of Co 3 O 4 (8.0 μmol m-2h−1), and the apparent activation energy of Cu 1 Co 2 O 4 (36.7 kJ mol−1) is lower compared to that of Co 3 O 4 (59.8 kJ mol−1). Reactive oxygen species and enhanced electron transfer promote the oxidation of NH 3 to nitrate species, which can be further converted to N 2 rather than N 2 O by remaining NH 3 on the Cu site. The Cu-Co dual sites significantly contribute to the catalytic activity and N 2 selectivity. This doping strategy is beneficial for the development of Co-O bond strength modulation in spinel catalyst and also provides a new idea for improving the NH 3 -SCO activity and N 2 selectivity of Co-based spinel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the extended linear complementarity problem (ELCP), we establish a global error bound estimation for ELCP under milder condition. Based on this, we propose a smoothing algorithm for solving the problem. The algorithm is shown to be globally convergent and quadratically convergent rate without nondegenerate assumption. The result obtained in this paper extend the existing ones for the ELCP. Moreover, some numerical experimental results are presented, and indicate that the validity of the algorithm, as well as the rapid convergence of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Fatigue damage of internal threads has gradually become the main failure mode of force sensor. To make the internal thread structure of force sensor meet the fatigue performance requirements, the design criteria of static strength and fatigue life are comprehensively considered in this paper. Design/methodology/approach: The variation of static stress and fatigue life with the size of the main structure is obtained by simulation. By changing the number of thread turns, the hub height and outer diameter of the hub, the optimized design of the spoke force sensor is determined. Findings: The experiment was carried out based on the determined optimized structure, and the results showed that the fatigue life meets the design requirements. Originality/value: This research has certain guiding significance for the design and developments of high-cycle fatigue force sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical intelligence diagnostic models based on deep learning have increased diagnostic accuracy. However, the industrial application of deep-learning models is hindered by the extra memory requirement and the increasing computational overhead of deep-learning models, which limit edge deployment and reduce real-time performance, respectively. Therefore, we propose a mechanical fault diagnosis strategy based on a multi-objective automatic optimization architecture search that combines variable layer search, efficient search space, and a real-time search strategy. A lightweight diagnostic network that integrates the computing requirements of edge deployment, real-time testing, and accuracy is constructed. The proposed model considers the influence of compound faults and the strong noise of rotating machinery in engineering applications. The experiments on the defect data of two sets of rotating equipment show that our model is more lightweight and has higher accuracy than other advanced baselines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Root system architecture (RSA) exhibits significant genetic variability and is closely associated with drought tolerance. However, the evaluation of drought-tolerant cotton cultivars based on RSA in the field conditions is still underexplored. Results: So, this study conducted a comprehensive analysis of drought tolerance based on physiological and morphological traits (i.e., aboveground and RSA, and yield) within a rain-out shelter, with two water treatments: well-watered (75 ± 5% soil relative water content) and drought stress (50 ± 5% soil relative water content). The results showed that principal component analysis identified six principal components, including highlighting the importance of root traits and canopy parameters in influencing drought tolerance. Moreover, the systematic cluster analysis was used to classify 80 cultivars into 5 categories, including drought-tolerant cultivars, relatively drought-tolerant cultivars, intermediate cultivars, relatively drought-sensitive cultivars, and drought-sensitive cultivars. Further validation of the drought tolerance index showed that the yield drought tolerance index and biomass drought tolerance index of the drought-tolerant cultivars were 8.97 and 5.05 times higher than those of the drought-sensitive cultivars, respectively. Conclusions: The RSA of drought-tolerant cultivars was characterised by a significant increase in average length-all lateral roots, a significant decrease in average lateral root emergence angle and a moderate root/shoot ratio. In contrast, the drought-sensitive cultivars showed a significant decrease in average length-all lateral roots and a significant increase in both average lateral root emergence angle and root/shoot ratio. It is therefore more comprehensive and accurate to assess field crop drought tolerance by considering root performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detection of the fatigue crack propagation length with high precision is the key to correctly estimating the crack propagation life. In view of the cumbersome testing process, heavy labor intensity and many influences of subjective factors from the operators of the traditional detection methods, the image processing technology based on machine vision is applied to detect the growth state of laboratory standard M (T) specimen with a fatigue crack. First of all, several image de-noising methods are compared to verify that the median filtering method is more suitable for the processing of fatigue crack images in fatigue specimens under laboratory conditions. Secondly, the crack extraction algorithm based on Hough transform and regional growth is determined. Finally, the Zhang thinning algorithm based on the local binary texture feature is improved to refine the image, and the corresponding burr removal algorithm is proposed to refine the images. Compared with the traditional visual inspection method, the image processing technology proposed in this paper can obtain good processing results. The measured crack length error is smaller and smaller with the development of the crack propagation state and can replace the traditional visual inspection method to detect cracks extended status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a special three-block separable convex programming, the stable principal component pursuit (SPCP) arises in many different disciplines, such as statistical learning, signal processing, and web data ranking. In this paper, we propose a proximal fully parallel splitting method (PFPSM) for solving SPCP, in which the resulting subproblems all admit closed-form solutions and can be solved in distributed manners. Compared with other similar algorithms in the literature, PFPSM attaches a Glowinski relaxation factor η∈3/2,2/3 to the updating formula for its Lagrange multiplier, which can be used to accelerate the convergence of the generated sequence. Under mild conditions, the global convergence of PFPSM is proved. Preliminary computational results show that the proposed algorithm works very well in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the improvement in processing level and the quality requirements of parts, fatigue failure has gradually become one of the main failure modes of the spoke type load cell. Combining the requirements of both static strength and fatigue performance based on the computer-aided engineering technique, the maximum equivalent stress and fatigue lifetime of the elastic structure are obtained by changing the dimension of the length, width and height of the spoke, the transition fillet and the inclination angle, which realizes the optimal design of the spoke type load cell. The result provides a valuable reference for the design and development of force sensors for high-cycle fatigue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to updating the Lagrangian multiplier twice at each iteration, the symmetric alternating direction method of multipliers (S-ADMM) often performs better than other ADMM-type methods. In practical applications, some proximal terms with positive definite proximal matrices are often added to its subproblems, and it is commonly known that large proximal parameter of the proximal term often results in 'too-small-step-size' phenomenon. In this paper, we generalize the proximal matrix from positive definite to indefinite, and propose a new S-ADMM with indefinite proximal regularization (termed IPS-ADMM) for the two-block separable convex programming with linear constraints. Without any additional assumptions, we prove the global convergence of the IPS-ADMM and analyze its worst-case $\mathcal{O}(1/t)$ convergence rate in an ergodic sense by the iteration complexity. Finally, some numerical results are included to illustrate the efficiency of the IPS-ADMM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To target the accurate and fast joint quality identification, this work presents a method based on the particle swarm optimization (PSO) and the kernel extreme learning machine (KELM) in resistance spot welding (RSW). We perform welding and tensile tests to determine the related information and extract features from signals combined with the welding mechanism. Afterward, we optimize the parameters in the KELM with the PSO and fivefold cross validation (CV) and establish an identification model based on the KELM to classify the joint quality. The comparison results show that the joint quality identification model has a good generalization performance with an accuracy of up to 97.83%. Moreover, the feature extraction is reasonable, providing insight into the RSW process. The quality identification method based on the PSO and KELM is effective in RSW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • CoMn 2 O 4 with excellent NH 3 -SCO activity was synthesized by modulating B site spinel. • CoMn 2 O 4 achieved complete conversion of NH 3 at 150 °C. • The superior redox property and formation of more oxygen vacancies promoted the activity. • The enhancement of N 2 selectivity was due to the interaction of Co and Mn in CoMn 2 O 4. • In situ DRIFTS indicated the presence of both i-SCR and hydrazine mechanism. NH 3 catalytic oxidation technology (NH 3 -SCO) is promising for the direct conversion of NH 3 to N 2 and H 2 O. Currently, balancing its NH 3 catalytic oxidation activity and N 2 selectivity remains a challenge. Herein, the redox properties and the surface oxygen vacancies of CoB 2 O 4 were modulated to enhance the activity of the catalyst by using three elements (Co, Mn, Al) as the B-site elements of the CoB 2 O 4 spinel. Eventually, CoMn 2 O 4 synthesized with Mn as the B-site element possessed more surface oxygen vacancies and generated Mn3+-Mn4+ pairs that could facilitate the redox properties compared with CoAl 2 O 4 and CoCo 2 O 4 due to the interaction between Co and Mn, which in turn enhanced its catalytic activity together and enabled the complete conversion of NH 3 at 150 °C. Additionally, using Mn as the B-site element of CoB 2 O 4 also facilitated the generation of the Bronsted acid sites on the catalyst surface, which was beneficial to its N 2 selectivity (65 % at 150 °C). In situ DRIFTs indicated the existence of two reaction mechanisms over CoMn 2 O 4 : the i-SCR mechanism with bidentate nitrate as the primary reactive intermediate species and the hydrazine mechanisms with –NH 2 and N 2 H 4 as the main intermediate species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel method is proposed for bearing diagnosis under non-stationary conditions. • A new model named FRN is constructed with FRCL, ISTF, and MSAM. • The FRN can get rid of the dependence on samples from target conditions. • The faulty feature is embedded into a convolutional layer to construct the FRCL. • The ISTF is proposed to enhance the diagnostic performance in noisy environments. Fault diagnostic technique with high adaptability to industrial environments is important to engineering. Based on the assumption that samples from the training set obey the identical distribution as signals from the industrial equipment, deep learning-based methods achieved high diagnostic accuracy. However, the assumption is not always held in the industrial environment of non-stationary working conditions. Hence, a novel model named Fault Response Network (FRN) is proposed, which is based on the bearing fault mechanism for diagnosis under variable conditions. Firstly, we calculated the fault feature that does not change with working conditions. Secondly, Fault Response Convolutional Layer (FRCL) is proposed based on that feature. Finally, the FRN is constructed with FRCL and improved soft threshold function. Four diagnostic cases are used to verify the superiority of FRN. The FRN can obtain high diagnostic accuracy when working conditions change largely without samples from unknown conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melatonin application has obvious improving effects on alleviating the drought-induced inhibition of plant growth. However, the root phenotypic dynamics in wheat treated with melatonin remain unknown. This study was conducted using RhizoPot, a novel and improvised in situ root observation device, with three treatments, including normal water condition (CK), drought condition (Ds, relative water content 45–50%), and 100 µM melatonin treatment under drought condition (MT). Results showed that MT application effectively improves root morphological indicators, including root (specific root) length, surface area, and volume; root length density; and the average root diameter of wheat plants. Also, the inhibitory effect of drought on shoot morphology, including plant height, dry weight, net photosynthesis, and stomatal aperture of leaves, were improved significantly through MT under drought condition. Life span and percent survival of fine root, lateral root, and root hair at different segments were also effectively improved under MT treatment. Compared with those shown under CK and Ds, the melatonin contents in leaves and roots were increased, and the expression levels of melatonin-synthesis-related genes (TaCOMT and TaTDC) were upregulated significantly under MT treatment. The findings of this study may clarify the drought resistance mechanism of wheat treated with melatonin under drought stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An improved visualization method—SGG-CAM is proposed to enhance network interpretability. • The MS-D module and RCA module are developed to capture important features under strong noise conditions. • Combined SGG-CAM and TSNE methods, we interpretively illustrate the proposed modular role under strong noise though two the comparative experiments. • A novel method, called EMSCNN, based on MS-D module and RCA module is constructed to enhance the anti-noise ability. Rolling bearing fault diagnosis based on deep learning has low accuracy under strong noise conditions and weak interpretation of the diagnosis results, which reduces the trust in its industrial applications. An Efficient Multi-Scale Convolutional Neural Network (EMSCNN) with anti-noise based on visualization methods of interpretability is proposed to solve the questions. First, an improved visualization method—Smooth Global Gradient Class Activation Mapping (SGG-CAM) is proposed to analyze the anti-noise ability of modules. Then, SGG-CAM is used to analyze the anti-noise mechanism of the Multi-Scale Dilate (MS-D) module and Residual Channel Attention (RCA) module from the perspective of interpretability. Meanwhile, the EMSCNN network based on the MS-D module and RCA module is established. Besides, Frequency Slice Wavelet Transform (FSWT) is used to generate time–frequency images for enriching the sample information. Experimental results on the bearing datasets show that the presented method is more accurate than other methods under strong noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider the global error bound for the generalized linear complementarity problem over a polyhedral cone (GLCP). Based on the new transformation of the problem, we establish its global error bound under milder conditions, which improves the result obtained by Sun and Wang (2009) for GLCP by weakening the assumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global error bound estimation for the generalized nonlinear complementarity problem over a closed convex cone (GNCP) is considered. To obtain a global error bound for the GNCP, we first develop an equivalent reformulation of the problem. Based on this, a global error bound for the GNCP is established. The results obtained in this paper can be taken as an extension of previously known results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the extended mixed linear complementarity problem (EML CP), we first present the characterization of the solution set for the EMLCP. Based on this, its global error bound is also established under milder conditions. The results obtained in this paper can be taken as an extension for the classical linear complementarity problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An enhanced fault diagnosis method, called EAPN, is proposed. • FSWT is used to better describe input features of the network. • The ELCA module is developed to extract information accurately and reduce overfitting in the embedding stage. • Improved prototype network is applied to accurate classification under limited samples. • EAPN is verified to have higher performance under noisy small sample based on two data sets. The deep learning net has achieved breakthrough results in fault diagnosis. However, most deep learning algorithms rely on massive volumes of data and are difficult to resist the influence of noise. In this study, a new method based on the efficient attention prototypical net (EAPN) is proposed to address the problems. First, frequency slice wavelet transform (FSWT) that can make the signal well described is introduced to convert the signal into images. Subsequently, the efficient lightweight channel attention (ELCA) module and dilated convolution module are created to extract key information across channels under the greater receptive field. Finally, the improved prototypical network is applied to classify based on metric space. Compared with other methods, this paper verified the higher performance of the EAPN under limited samples and strong noise based on the standard bearing fault data set and the actual collected rotor fault data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the era of big data, longer time series fault signals will not only be easy to copy and store, but also reduce the labor cost of manual labeling, which can better meet the needs of industrial big data. Aiming to effectively extract the key classification information from a longer time series of bearing vibration signals and achieve high diagnostic accuracy under noise and different load conditions. The one-dimensional adaptive long sequence convolutional network (ALSCN) is proposed. ALSCN can better extract features directly from high-dimensional original signals without manually extracting features and relying on expert knowledge. By adding two improved multi-scale modules, ALSCN can not only extract important features efficiently from noise signals, but also alleviate the problem of losing key information due to continuous down-sampling. Moreover, a Bayesian optimization algorithm is constructed to automatically find the best combination of hyperparameters in ALSCN. Based on two bearing data sets, the model is compared with traditional model such as SVM and deep learning models such as convolutional neural networks (CNN) et al. The results prove that ALSCN has a higher diagnostic accuracy rate on 5120-dimensional sequences under −5 signal to noise ratio (SNR) with better generalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we establish a nonlinear complementarity model and algorithm for supply chain equilibrium management problem consisting of manufacturers, retailers and consumer markets. This work focus on the price of the goods of retailer sell to consumer market in which is a function of the amount of products that are transacted between the retailer and the consumer. Based on this, we investigate the optimizing behavior of the various decision-makers, derive the equilibrium conditions of the manufacturers, the retailers and the consumer markets respectively, and establish a nonlinear complementarity model of this problem. To obtain optimal decision for the problem, we propose a new type of algorithm based on established model, and its global convergence is presented without the assumption of global Lipschitz continuous in detail. The efficiency of given algorithm is also illustrated through some numerical examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lateral roots and root hairs are essential portions of cotton roots. However, the morphology and lifespan of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) lateral roots and root hairs in response to nitrogen stress have remained unknown. Two cotton cultivars were assessed when no nitrogen and normal nitrogen (138 mg N·kg−1 soil) were added. The daily acquisitions of root phenotype information including the lateral root angle, lateral root density, lateral root diameter, lateral root lifespan, root hair length, root hair density, and root hair lifespan, were obtained in situ by a self‐designed platform of RhizoPots equipped with high‐resolution scanners. Nitrogen starvation significantly reduced the growth of shoots and roots, although there was less reduction of roots than shoots. Root hairs were the first organ to respond to nitrogen deficiency through morphological changes. The lateral root diameter and angle as well as the root hair lifespan decreased significantly under nitrogen stress. However, nitrogen deficiency dramatically increased the lateral root lifespan, root hair density and length. Our results demonstrate that low nitrogen can induce notable changes in lateral roots and root hairs, which may play a crucial role in the adjustment to nitrogen uptake, particularly in species that can adapt to low nitrogen availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Root system architecture (RSA) plays an important role in soil water uptake and plant growth. However, there is a lack of understanding regarding the connection between the changes in RSA characteristics under drought stress in cotton plants and their drought tolerance and yield. This study aims to evaluate the RSA variations in different drought-tolerant cotton cultivars under drought stress, and to assess the correlation between RSA, drought tolerance, and yield. Three drought-tolerant cotton cultivars and three drought-sensitive cotton cultivars were grown in a field equipped with rain shelters to prevent interference from rainfall. Drought stress was initiated at the three-leaf stage, maintaining the soil relative water content at 50 ± 5%, while control plants were irrigated normally at 75 ± 5% soil water content. Multiple parameters, including leaf water potential, relative water content, seed cotton yield, and RSA traits, were assessed. Notable variations in drought tolerance were observed among different cultivars when exposed to drought stress. Specifically, drought-tolerant cultivars exhibited a 34% increase in the average length of all lateral roots and a 15% increase in maximum root depth under drought stress. In contrast, seed cotton yield experienced a reduction of 22.34% in such conditions. Interestingly, there were significant differences in several RSA traits under drought stress, which were not evident under well-watered. Leaf water potential and relative water content were positively correlated with specific root length, dry root weight, average length of all lateral roots and maximum depth, and negatively correlated with average lateral root emergence angle and width/depth ratio. These results underscore the close association between RSA traits and plant drought tolerance. There was also a strong correlation between the seed cotton yield and RSA traits. Specifically, seed cotton yield increased linearly with specific root length, average lengths of lateral roots, and maximum depth, but decreased linearly with root tissue density, and average lateral root emergence angle and width/depth ratio. Optimizing RSA improves drought tolerance and reduces yield loss in drought-tolerant cotton cultivars. Understanding of the role of RSA in plant adaptation to drought stress is important for selecting and developing high-yielding cultivars with superior drought tolerance. This knowledge holds great significance in improving cotton resilience and facilitating adapting to abiotic stress through genetic improvement or agronomic measures. • Genotypic variation in root system architecture (RSA) was revealed under drought. • Root system architecture plays important roles in cotton drought tolerance. • There is a significant coefficient of variation in RSA under drought. • Optimizing RSA can improve cotton drought tolerance and minimize yield loss under drought.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought stress is the major environmental factor that inhibits the growth and reduces the yield of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). The exogenous application of melatonin has been shown to alleviate drought stress damage, but it is unclear whether melatonin mediates the alleviation by preventing the drought-induced inhibition of root growth. To address this gap, we subjected cotton plants grown in RhizoPotsto treatments of thorough watering, drought stress treatment, and drought stress supplemented with exogenous melatonin. Melatonin promoted the aboveground growth compared with the non-melatonin treatment under drought stress, and increased the plant height, stem diameter, leaf area, SPAD value, and net photosynthetic rate. The application of melatonin significantly prevented the drought-induced yield losses by increasing the boll weight. The drought stress+melatonin treatment significantly increased the root length, root surface area, root volume, and specific root length by 18.36%, 25.46%, 26.07%, and 18.53%, respectively, compared with the drought stress treatment. Under drought stress, melatonin increased the root length by increasing its maximum and average rates of accumulation and increased the taproot diameter by increasing its maximum and average rates of accumulation. The drought stress+melatonin treatment significantly increased the lifespan of lateral roots and root hairs compared with the drought stress treatment. In conclusion, this study indicated that exogenous melatonin could improve the drought resistance and yield of cotton by promoting root growth and delaying root senescence. [Display omitted] • Exogenous melatonin enhances cotton drought resistance by promoting root's development and prolonging root's lifespan. • Exogenous melatonin increases the root length by increasing its maximum and average accumulation rates. • Exogenous melatonin increases the length and lifespan of root hairs under drought stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary and lateral roots are the main components of the root system in cotton, and their development and lifespan are critical for the uptake of water and nutrients (e.g., nitrogen). However, the responses of the daily growth dynamics and lifespan of cotton roots to low nitrogen are poorly understood. In this study of the whole growth period of cotton plants, two cotton cultivars (K836 and K837) were grown in pots in a greenhouse with 138 mg·kg-1 nitrogen fertilizer as the control (normal nitrogen) and no nitrogen fertilizer as the low nitrogen treatment. The growth of primary and lateral roots was investigated using the in situ root phenotyping platform RhizoPot. The root responses of both cultivars to low nitrogen were consistent except for the correlation between lateral root diameter and length on the 11th d after lateral root emergence. Root growth was significantly inhibited under low nitrogen, manifested as substantial reductions in root length, surface area, volume, and dry matter weight, which decreased by 23.91–26.88 %, 34.92–37.59 %, 32.71–37.94 %, and 17.92–21.62 %, respectively, in comparison with the control. Low nitrogen treatment reduced the diameter of primary roots by shortening the duration of its rapid accumulation, by 7.54–10.92 d. The smaller diameter of lateral roots was owing to low nitrogen treatment increasing the proportion of finer roots compared to the control. The effect of low nitrogen on the thickening rate of lateral roots showed stage-specific differences accompanied by elongation of lateral roots. In the early stage, the lateral root length of the low nitrogen treatment was longer than that of the control because lateral root elongation was higher, while the opposite pattern was observed in the later stage. Low nitrogen treatment significantly increased the lifespan of both the primary and secondary lateral roots, by 3.84–3.93 d and 4.95–5.46 d, respectively. Detailed studies revealed that low nitrogen treatment induced the greatest increase in the survival of lateral roots with larger diameters. Collectively, the results of this study indicate low nitrogen treatment not only reduced primary root thickness, but also resulted in shorter and thinner lateral roots with a longer lifespan relative to the normal nitrogen treatment. [Display omitted] • Low N stress reduced cotton primary root diameter by shortening the duration of rapid accumulation of primary root diameter. • Low N stress had stage-specific effects on the diurnal dynamics of cotton lateral root length and diameter. • Cotton lateral roots of different diameters differed in lifespan under low N stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

H-tensor is a new developed concept which plays an important role in tensor analysis and computing. In this paper, we explore the properties of H-tensors and establish some new criteria for strong H-tensors. In particular, based on the principal subtensor, we provide a new necessary and sufficient condition of strong H-tensors, and based on a type of generalized diagonal product dominance, we establish some new criteria for identifying strong H-tensors. The results obtained in this paper extend the corresponding conclusions for strong H-matrices and improve the existing results for strong H-tensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Root systems are the key organs through which plants absorb water and nutrients and perceive the soil environment and thus are easily damaged by salt stress. Melatonin can alleviate stress-induced damage to roots. The present study investigated the effects of exogenous melatonin on the root physiology, transcriptome and metabolome of cotton seedlings under salt stress. Salt stress was observed to damage the cell structure and disorder the physiological system of cotton seedling roots. After subjecting melatonin-soaked seeds to salt stress, the activities of SOD, CAT and POD in cotton seedling roots increased by 10–25%, 50–60% and 50–60%, respectively. The accumulation of H2O2 and MDA were significantly decreased by 30–60% and 30–50%, respectively. The contents of soluble sugar, soluble protein and K+ increased by 15–30%, 15–30% and 20–50%, respectively, while the Na+ content was significantly reduced. Melatonin also increased auxin (by 20–40%), brassinosteroids (by 5–40%) and gibberellin (by 5–35%) and promoted melatonin content and root activity. Exogenous melatonin maintained the integrity of root cells and increased the number of organelles. Transcriptomic and metabolomic results showed that exogenous melatonin could mitigate the salt-stress-induced inhibition of plant root development by regulating the reactive oxygen species scavenging system; ABC transporter synthesis; plant hormone signal transduction, endogenous melatonin gene expression; and the expression of the transcription factors MYB, TGA and WRKY33. These results provide a new direction and empirical basis for improving crop salt tolerance with melatonin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As damage to the ecological environment continues to increase amid unreasonable amounts of irrigation, soil salinization has become a major challenge to agricultural development. Melatonin (MT) is a pleiotropic signal molecule and indole hormone, which alleviates the damage of abiotic stress to plants. MT has been confirmed to eliminate reactive oxygen species (ROS) by improving the antioxidant system and reducing oxidative damage under adversity. However, the mechanism by which exogenous MT mediates salt tolerance by regulating the photosynthetic capacity and ion balance of cotton seedlings still remains unknown. In this study, the regulatory effects of MT on the photosynthetic system, osmotic modulators, chloroplast, and anatomical structure of cotton seedlings were determined under 0–500 μM MT treatments with salt stress induced by treatment with 150 mM NaCl. Results: Salt stress reduces the chlorophyll content, net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, intercellular CO2 concentration, transpiration rate, PSII photochemical efficiency, PSII actual photochemical quantum yield, the apparent electron transfer efficiency, stomata opening, and biomass. In addition, it increases non-photochemical quenching. All of these responses were effectively alleviated by exogenous treatment with MT. Exogenous MT reduces oxidative damage and lipid peroxidation by reducing salt-induced ROS and protects the plasma membrane from oxidative toxicity. MT also reduces the osmotic pressure by reducing the salt-induced accumulation of Na+ and increasing the contents of K+ and proline. Exogenous MT can facilitate stomatal opening and protect the integrity of cotton chloroplast grana lamella structure and mitochondria under salt stress, protect the photosynthetic system of plants, and improve their biomass. An anatomical analysis of leaves and stems showed that MT can improve xylem and phloem and other properties and aides in the transportation of water, inorganic salts, and organic substances. Therefore, the application of MT attenuates salt-induced stress damage to plants. Treatment with exogenous MT positively increased the salt tolerance of cotton seedlings by improving their photosynthetic capacity, stomatal characteristics, ion balance, osmotic substance biosynthetic pathways, and chloroplast and anatomical structures (xylem vessels and phloem vessels). Conclusions: Our study attributes help to protect the structural stability of photosynthetic organs and increase the amount of material accumulation, thereby reducing salt-induced secondary stress. The mechanisms of MT-induced plant tolerance to salt stress provide a theoretical basis for the use of MT to alleviate salt stress caused by unreasonable irrigation, fertilization, and climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although previous studies have found that melatonin can promote seed germination, the phytohormone regulation mechanism by which exogenous melatonin mediates salt tolerance during cotton seed germination is still largely unknown. The effects of melatonin on germination traits and physiological parameters of GXM9 cotton seeds (Gossypium hirsutum L.) under three salt stress treatments (CK, germination of seeds pretreated with water alone; S, germination of seeds pretreated in 150 mM NaCl under salt stress; SM, germination of seeds pretreated in 20 μM melatonin under 150 mM NaCl solution) in the laboratory was investigated. The results showed that salt stress (150 mM) inhibited cotton seed germination and endogenous melatonin accumulation, and pretreatment with 20 μM exogenous melatonin enhanced the cotton germination rate and hypocotyl length as well as the content of endogenous melatonin during seed germination. This suggests that exogenous melatonin promotes seed germination from a morphological perspective. The contents of starch, α-amylase (EC3.3.1.1), β-galactosidase (EC3.2.1.23), abscisic acid (ABA), and gibberellin (GA) were determined simultaneously. The results showed that the α-amylase and β-galactosidase contents in the cotton seeds decreased by 56.97% and 20.18%, respectively, under salt stress compared with the control, while the starch content increased by 11.53% compared with the control at day 7. The ABA content increased by 25.18% and GA content decreased by 27.99% under salt stress compared with the control at 24 h. When exogenous melatonin was applied to the cotton seeds, the content of α-amylase and β-galactosidase increased by 121.77% and 32.76%, respectively, whereas the starch contents decreased by 13.55% compared with the S treatment at day 7. Similarly, the ABA content increased by 12.20% and the GA content increased by 4.77% at 24 h. To elucidate the molecular mechanism by which melatonin promotes seed germination under salt stress, the effects of ABA- and GA-related genes on plant hormone signal transduction were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR and RNA sequencing. The results indicated that melatonin regulated the expression of ABA and GA genes in the plant signal transduction pathway, induced embryo root development and seed germination, and alleviated dormancy. The expression of the ABA signaling gene GhABF2 was up-regulated and GhDPBF2 was down-regulated, and the expression of GA signaling genes (e.g., GhGID1C and GhGID1B) was up-regulated by melatonin. In conclusion, melatonin enhances salt tolerance in cotton seeds by regulating ABA and GA and by mediating the expression of hormone-related genes in plant hormone signal transduction. This should help us to explore the regulatory mechanisms of cotton resistance and provide a foundation for the cultivation of new varieties. • 20 μM exogenous melatonin enhanced the cotton germination rate and hypocotyl length as well as the content of endogenous melatonin during seed germination. • Melatonin enhances salt tolerance in cotton seeds by regulating ABA and GA related genes. • Melatonin promoted seed germination by mediating the expression of plant hormone signal transduction genes. • Melatonin can reduce salt stress damage to the cotton seeds and promote seed germination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CoMn 2 O 4 was prepared by two-step precipitation and 200 °C annealing process. • Co species were enriched on the surface of CoMn 2 O 4. • The synthesized CoMn 2 O 4 had large specific surface area and abundant defects. • High oxygen mobility and enhanced NH 3 adsorption were obtained on CoMn 2 O 4. • NH 3 could be completely removed at 200 °C on synthesized CoMn 2 O 4. Herein, we have successfully synthesized CoMn 2 O 4 spinel (denoted as CMO-T) as high-performance catalysts for the selective catalytic oxidation of NH 3 via a two-step precipitation and low-temperature (200 °C) annealing process. The large specific surface area, abundant defects, and a spinel structure with Co-enriched surface are obtained. The relationship between CoMn 2 O 4 spinel structure and catalytic performance is found using multiple characterization techniques. The diffusion of Co3+ into the octahedral sites and formation of Co-enriched surface for CMO-T significantly enhance the redox ability of the catalyst, and increase NH 3 chemical adsorption, resulting in the formation of more Lewis acid sites. Furthermore, the abundant defects can also shorten the metal-oxygen bond and result in the high mobility of oxygen species in CMO-T, which gives the positive effect for the catalytic activity of NH 3 selective oxidation. Finally, an excellent NH 3 -SCO activity (T 100 = 200 °C) and high catalytic stability are obtained on the synthesized CoMn 2 O 4 spinel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fine roots (roots with a diameter of less than 2 mm) and root hairs are the primary absorbers of water and nutrients; however, the morphology of cotton fine roots and root hairs in response to drought stress has not yet been defined. To solve this problem, this study characterized a self‐made in situ root observation device (RhizoPot) with a scanner with a resolution of up to 4,800 DPI was used to observe the roots of cotton plants grown indoors under both well‐watered and drought stress conditions. RhizoPot provided healthy growth conditions for cotton, and fine roots as well as root hairs were successfully observed. Root length density increased significantly under drought stress, whereas the average root diameter decreased gradually with the extension of treatment time. Drought stress accelerated fine root death, and the diameter of the fine roots was positively correlated with root lifespan. Additionally, the root hair lifespan was negatively regulated by soil drought stress and was associated with the growth stage. This result suggests that cotton developed more slender fine roots and longer root hairs under drought stress, which accelerated the death process of both, in order to develop new fine roots. This process helps cotton absorb as much water as possible under drought stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For an extensive period of time apical meristem (SAM) has been considered as a mysterious organ, due to its small, hidden and dynamic structure. Confocal imaging, combined with fluorescent reporters, enables researchers to unveil the mechanisms underlying cellular activities, such as gene expression, cell division, growth patterns and cell-cell communications. Recently, a series of protocols were developed for confocal imaging of inflorescence meristem (IM) and floral meristem (FM). However, the requirement of high configuration, such as the need of a water-dipping lens without coverslip and the specialized turrets associated with fixed-stage microscopes, impedes the wide adoption of these methods. We exploited an improved object slide and matching method aiming to decrease the configuration requirement. Following this protocol, various dry microscope lenses can be selected with flexibility for building 3D images of IM and FM. • Confocal imaging is a powerful technique for understanding meristem development processes. • High configuration requirement impedes the popularity of classical confocal imaging methods. • A simple method can decrease the configuration requirement without reducing the image quality. • Performance of the method breaks the shackles of water-dipping lens to acquire larger visual field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is one of the most important cash crops worldwide. Fine roots are the central part of the root system that contributes to plant water and nutrient uptake. However, the mechanisms underlying the response of cotton fine roots to soil drought remains unclear. To elucidate the proteomic changes in fine roots of cotton plants under drought stress, 70–75% and 40–45% soil relative water content treatments were imposed on control (CK) and drought stress (DS) groups, respectively. Then, tandem mass tags (TMT) technology was used to determine the proteome profiles of fine root tissue samples. Results: Drought significantly decreased the value of average root diameter of cotton seedlings, whereas the total root length and the activities of antioxidases were increased. To study the molecular mechanisms underlying drought response further, the proteome differences between tissues under CK and DS treatments were compared pairwise at 0, 30, and 45 DAD (days after drought stress). In total, 118 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were up-regulated and 105 were down-regulated in the 'DS30 versus CK30' comparison; 662 DEPs were up-regulated, and 611 were down-regulated in the 'DS45 versus CK45' comparison. The functions of these DEPs were classified according to their pathways. Under early stage drought (30 DAD), some DEPs involved in the 'Cutin, suberin, and wax synthesis' pathway were up-regulated, while the down-regulated DEPs were mainly enriched within the 'Monoterpenoid biosynthesis' pathway. Forty-five days of soil drought had a greater impact on DEPs involved in metabolism. Many proteins involving 'Carbohydrate metabolism,' 'Energy metabolism,' 'Fatty acid metabolism,' 'Amino acid metabolism,' and 'Secondary metabolite biosynthesis' were identified as DEPs. Additionally, proteins related to ion transport, stress/defense, and phytohormones were also shown to play roles in determining the fine root growth of cotton plants under drought stress. Conclusions: Our study identified potential biological pathways and drought-responsive proteins related to stress/defense responses and plant hormone metabolism under drought stress. Collectively, our results provide new insights for further improving drought tolerance in cotton and other crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melatonin (MT; N-acetyI-5-methoxytryptamine) is an amine hormone involved in abiotic stress resistance. Previous studies have confirmed that melatonin can promote seed germination, mediate physiological regulation mechanisms, and stimulate crop growth under stress. However, the osmotic regulation mechanism by which exogenous melatonin mediates salt tolerance in cotton is still largely unknown. To investigate the effect of salt stress on melatonin concentration in germinating cotton seeds, we analyzed melatonin content over time during seed germination under different treatments. Melatonin content reached its minimum at day 6, while cotton germination rates peaked at day 6, indicating melatonin content and seed germination are correlated. Then we investigated the effects of 10–100 μM melatonin treatments on membrane lipid peroxides and osmotic adjustment substances during cotton seed germination under salt stress. Salt stress led to electrolyte leakage (EL) as well as accumulations of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), malondialdehyde (MDA), organic osmotic substances (i.e., proline, soluble sugars), and inorganic osmotic substances (i.e., Na+, Cl-). Meanwhile, the contents of melatonin, soluble proteins, and K+ as well as the K+/Na+ balance decreased, indicating that salt stress inhibited melatonin synthesis and damaged cellular membranes, seriously affecting seed germination. However, melatonin pretreatment at different concentrations alleviated the adverse effects of salt stress on cotton seeds and reduced EL as well as the contents of H2O2, MDA, Na+, and Cl-. The exogenous application of melatonin also promoted melatonin, soluble sugar, soluble proteins, proline, and K+/Na+ contents under salt stress. These results demonstrate that supplemental melatonin can effectively ameliorate the repression of cotton seed germination by enhancing osmotic regulating substances and adjusting ion homeostasis under salt stress. Thus, melatonin may potentially be used to protect cotton seeds from salt stress, with the 20 μM melatonin treatment most effectively promoting cotton seed germination and improving salt stress tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed germination is considered the beginning of the spermatophyte lifecycle, and it is a crucial stage in determining subsequent plant growth and development. Although many previous studies have found that melatonin can promote seed germination, the role of melatonin in cotton germination remains unexamined. The main objective of this study is the characterization of potential promotional effects of melatonin (at doses of 0, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 μM) on cotton seed germination. This experiment demonstrated that low concentrations of melatonin can promote germination, while high concentrations failed to promote germination and even inhibited germination. Together, these results indicate that a 20 μM melatonin treatment optimally promotes cotton seed germination. Compared with the control, germination potential (GP), germination rate (GR), and final fresh weight (FW) increased by 16.67%, 12.30%, and 4.81%, respectively. Although low concentrations of melatonin showed some improvement in vigor index (VI), germination index (GI), and mean germination time (MGT), these effects were not statistically significant. Antioxidant enzyme activity during seed germination was most prominent under the 20 μM melatonin treatment. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) activities were significantly increased by 10.37–59.73% and 17.79–47.68%, respectively, compared to the melatonin-free control. Malondialdehyde (MDA) content was reduced by 16.73–40.33%. Two important plant hormones in seed germination, abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellins (GAs), were also studied. As melatonin concentration increased, ABA content in seeds decreased first and then increased, and GA3 content showed a diametrically opposite trend, in which the 20 μM melatonin treatment was optimal. The 20 μM melatonin treatment reduced ABA content in seeds by 42.13–51.68%, while the 20 μM melatonin treatment increased GA3 content in seeds to about 1.7–2.5 times that of seeds germinated without melatonin. This study provides new evidence suggesting that low concentrations of melatonin can promote cotton seed germination by increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes, thereby reducing the accumulation of MDA and regulating plant hormones. This has clear applications for improving the germination rate of cotton seeds using melatonin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton root growth can be affected by different nitrogen fertilizer rates. The objective of the present study was to quantify the effects of nitrogen fertilization rate on cotton root growth and distribution using minirhizotron and soil coring methods. A secondary objective was to evaluate the minirhizotron method as a tool for determining nitrogen application rates using the root distribution as an index. This study was conducted on a Bt cotton cultivar (Jimian 958) under four nitrogen fertilization rates, i.e., 0, 120, 240 and 480 kg ha-1 (control, low, moderate and high levels, respectively), in the Yellow River basin of China from 2013–2015. The sampling process, details of each method as well as the root morphology and root distribution were measured. The operational processes, time and labor needed for the soil core method were all greater than those for the minirhizotron method. The total root length density and the length density in most soil layers, especially in the upper soil layers, first increased but then decreased as nitrogen fertilization increased, and the same trend was observed for both methods. Compared with N0, the total root length density under moderate nitrogen fertilization by the soil coring method increased by more than 94.82%, in 2014 and 61.11% in 2015; while by the minirhizotron method the corresponding values were 28.24% in 2014 and 57.47%, in 2015. Most roots were distributed in the shallow soil layers (0–60 cm) in each method. However, the root distribution with the soil coring method (>73.11%) was greater than that with the minirhizotron method (>47.07%). The correlations between the root morphology indexes of shallow soil depth measured using the two methods were generally significant, with correlative coefficients greater than 0.334. We concluded that the minirhizotron method could be used for cotton root analysis and most cotton roots distributed in upper soil layers (0-60cm). In addition, a moderate nitrogen rate (240 kg ha-1) could increase root growth, especially in the shallow soil layers. The differences observed with the minirhizotron method were clearer than those observed with the soil coring method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the cognitive function characteristics of Parkinson’s disease (PD) with sleep disorders. Methods. Consecutive patients with PD (n=96), patients with primary sleep disorders (n=76), and healthy control subjects (n=66) were assessed. The patients with PD were classified into sleep disorder (PD-SD) and non-sleep disorder (PD-NSD) groups. Results. Among 96 patients with PD, 69 were diagnosed with a sleep disorder. There were 38 sleep disorder cases, 31 RBD cases, and 27 NSD cases. On the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and MoCA subtests, patients in the PD-SD, primary sleep disorder, and PD-NSD groups exhibited lower scores than those in the control group. Moreover, the PD-SD patients exhibited more significant cognitive impairment than was observed in the primary sleep disorder patients. In the PD-SD subgroup, the attention scores on the MoCA and on MoCA subtests were lower in the PD with RBD group than in the PD with insomnia group. Conclusion. PD with sleep disorders may exacerbate cognitive dysfunction in patients. PD associated with different types of sleep disorders differentially affects cognitive functions, and patients with PD with RBD exhibited poorer cognitive function than was seen in patients with PD with insomnia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to assess the impacts of nitrogen on the physiological characteristics of the source–sink system of upper fruiting branches under various amounts of nitrogen fertilization. A two-year field experiment was conducted with a Bt cotton cultivar in the Yellow River Basin of China. The growth and yield of cotton of the upper fruiting branches were compared under four nitrogen levels: Control (N0, 0 kg ha−1), low nitrogen (N1, 120 kg ha−1), moderate nitrogen (N2, 240 kg ha−1), and high nitrogen (N3, 480 kg ha−1). The results indicated that in the subtending leaves in upper fruiting branches, chlorophyll content, protein content, and peroxidase (POD) activity dramatically increased with nitrogen application, reaching the highest under the moderate nitrogen treatment. The physiological characters in the seeds had the same trends as in the subtending leaves. Furthermore, the moderate nitrogen rate (240 kg ha−1) had a favorable yield and quality. Our results supported that a moderate nitrogen rate (240 kg ha−1) could coordinate the source–sink growth of cotton in the late stage, enhance the yield and fiber quality, and decrease the cost of fertilizer in the Yellow River Basin of China and other similar ecological areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]