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Alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene of forage are antioxidants and play important roles in the immune system of ruminants. Fermentation quality, alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene of high moisture napier grass ( Pennisetum purpureum cv. Mott) ensiled without or with additives (fibrolytic enzyme, EN; Lactobacillus plantarum , LP; tert-butylhydroquinone, TBHQ; tea polyphenols, TP) at 15 °C, 30 °C and 45 °C were examined in the present study. After ensiling for 70 days, untreated silages had lower ( P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P 99) than at 30 °C (V-score 83), and TP lowered fermentation quality (V-score = 74.5). Silage ensiled at 30 °C increased alpha-tocopherol content and lost beta-carotene slightly. Additives did not reduce alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene loss at any temperature, except for TBHQ ensiled at 45 °C. The interactions between additives and preservation temperatures indicated that TP ensiled at 30 °C had the poorest fermentation quality, LP and TBHQ ensiled at 30 °C had lower alpha-tocopherol loss, and TBHQ and TP ensiled at 30 °C had lower beta-carotene loss. TBHQ might be a valuable additive to ensile napier grass at 15 °C, 30 °C and 45 °C, and to reduce beta-carotene loss of napier grass silage at 45 °C.

The current subgrade workspace of the Shanghai heavy-loaded traffic main roads has varying degrees of disease problems. This paper chooses the typical structure of asphalt concrete as a pavement model, aiming to calculate the stress of subgrade by using BASAR3.0 program, and analyze subgrade workspace depth under heavy axle load. Elastic layered system theory is used to calculate the depth of the roadbed work area under different conditions and typical road structure. Result shows that under the condition of heavy-loaded traffic, it is insufficient for the subgrade workspace with the depth of 0-80cm. In order to ensure steady support the pavement structure, and avoid its serious distortion, the depth of subgrade workspace should be adjusted. It has a certain reference value for the prevention and treatment of diseases of heavy-loaded traffic road.

The paper presents a new method to achieve maximum power point tracking (MPPT) for practical grid-connected PV panels. The method employs the radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) to predict the PV plant's maximum power points corresponding to different weather conditions. The RBFNN model can be trained on-line, autonomously, using a simplified genetic algorithm (SGA). The method has been verified by modelling the MPP points for practical PV panels located in Southampton and Leeds, respectively. The Leeds model has been used to control a prototype PV-grid-connected power generation system. The on-line RBFNN training scheme is discussed in detail and experimental results are presented which compared favourably with the conventional perturbation and observation (P&O) technique.

To uncover the genetic contributions of agronomic traits to content of total sugar (TS) and find indicator traits for indirect selection on TS in the flue-cured tobacco (Nicotiana tobacum L.), multivariable conditional analysis was conducted based on a genetic model containing additive–dominance and their interactions with environments. Fourteen cultivars (or breeding lines) and derived 41 F1 crosses were grown at four locations in Yunnan province, China. Significant phenotypic contribution to TS was detected for six agronomic traits, plant height (PH), girth of stem (GS), internode length (INL), number of leaves (NL), length of middle leaves (LML) and width of middle leaves (WML). There was large contribution of additive effects due to each of the five agronomic traits (PH, GS, INL, LML and WML). The contribution ratio of dominance effect was high due to PH. By serving as high contributor of additive effects to TS and having high ratios of additive variance to phenotypic variance, INL and PH could be used as indicative agronomic traits for selecting breeding lines with suitable TS. Among the six agronomic traits, PH had the highest contribution to dominance effects of TS for most F1 crosses, and could be used for selecting the crosses with suitable TS.

High density ZnO nanowire arrays were successfully synthesized without catalyst by direct oxidation of zinc substrate in air below 400 °C, lower than the melting point of zinc metal. The as-grown ZnO nanowires are single crystalline with a Wurzite structure extending in direction. The diameters of the ZnO nanowires range from 20 to 150 nm and the lengths from several to over ten micrometers. Room temperature photoluminescence measurements reveal an intense ultraviolet emission at 397 nm. The present work highlights the promise of the low temperature, direct oxidation process in the high-yield synthesis of high quality semiconductor nanowire arrays for nano-devices.