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Construction of a vertically aligned and densely interconnected ordered 3D filler framework in a polymer matrix is a challenge to attain significant thermal conductivity (TC) enhancement efficiency. Fortunately, many biomaterials with unique microstructures can be found in nature. With inspiration from wood, artificial composites can be rationally designed to achieve desired properties. Herein, the authors report a facile and effective approach to fabricate anisotropic polymer composites by biotemplate ceramization technology and subsequent vacuum impregnation of epoxy resin. The hierarchical microstructure of wood is perfectly replicated in the cellular biomass derived SiC (bioSiC) framework by carbothermal reduction. Owing to the anisotropic architecture of bioSiC, the epoxy composite with vertically aligned dense SiC microchannels shows interesting properties, including a high TC (10.27 W m−1K−1), a significant enhancement efficiency (259 per 1 vol% loading), an outstanding anisotropic TC ratio (5.77), an extremely low coefficient of linear thermal expansion (12.23 ppm K−1), a high flexural strength (222 MPa), and an excellent flame resistance. These results demonstrate that this approach is expected to open a new avenue for design and preparation of high performance thermal management materials to address the heat dissipation of modern electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CXCL chemokines (CXCLs) are small cytokines or signal proteins secreted by cells that have been proven to be linked to the occurrence and development of many kinds of cancer. However, the expression and diagnostic and prognostic value of CXCLs in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) remain to be further studied. We obtained CXCL transcription and survival data of patients with DLBCL from Oncomine, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), TIMER and cBioPortal databases. R software, STRING and EXCEL were used to process the data. This study discovered that the expression levels of CXCL9-14 in DLBCL were higher than those in normal tissues, while CXCL4, CXCL7 and CXCL8 were lower in tumor than in normal tissues. The expression levels of CXCL2, CXCL10 and CXCL11 were related to tumor stage. CXCL9-14 could be used as an auxiliary molecular marker for the diagnosis of DLBCL. CXCL17 might be a potential prognostic marker of DLBCL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CXCL chemokines (CXCLs) are small cytokines or signal proteins secreted by cells that have been proven to be linked to the occurrence and development of many kinds of cancer. However, the expression and diagnostic and prognostic value of CXCLs in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) remain to be further studied. We obtained CXCL transcription and survival data of patients with DLBCL from Oncomine, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), TIMER and cBioPortal databases. R software, STRING and EXCEL were used to process the data. This study discovered that the expression levels of CXCL9-14 in DLBCL were higher than those in normal tissues, while CXCL4, CXCL7 and CXCL8 were lower in tumor than in normal tissues. The expression levels of CXCL2, CXCL10 and CXCL11 were related to tumor stage. CXCL9-14 could be used as an auxiliary molecular marker for the diagnosis of DLBCL. CXCL17 might be a potential prognostic marker of DLBCL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To provide a sufficient supply of electron donors for the synthesis of caproic acid, yeast fermentation was employed to increase ethanol production in the anaerobic fermentation of Chinese cabbage waste (CCW). The results showed that the caproic acid yield of CCW with ethanol pre-fermentation was 7750.3 mg COD/L, accounting for 50.2% of the total volatile fatty acids (TVFAs), which was 32.5% higher than that of the CCW without yeast inoculation. The synchronous fermentation of yeast and seed sludge significantly promoted the growth of butyric acid consuming bacterium Bacteroides , resulting in low yields of butyric acid and caproic acid. With yeast inoculation, substrate competition for the efficient ethanol conversion in the early stage of acidogenic fermentation inhibited the hydrolysis and acidfication. Without yeast inoculation, the rapid accumulation of TVFAs severely inhibited the growth of Bacteroidetes. In the reactor with ethanol pre-fermentation, the key microorganism for caproic acid production, Clostridium_sensu_stricto_ 12, was selectively enriched. [Display omitted] • Yeast pre-fermentation increased the yield and selectivity of caproic acid from CCW. • Synchronous fermentation seriously inhibited the production of butyric acid. • Substrate competition for ethanol conversion inhibited the acidfication. • Yeast inoculation method has a significant impact on the microbial community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lonicera japonica is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine with antioxidation, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and immunoregulation functions. A method to isolate polysaccharides from Lonicera japonica (LJP) has been reported previously by our group. We also reported previously that LJP was consisted of 6 types of monosaccharides and had the characteristic absorption of typical polysaccharides. In this study, we investigated the protective effect of LJP on cardiomyocytes of mice injured by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The results showed that LJP can increase the cardiomyocyte viability and the activities of the enzyme (SOD, CAT, GSH-Px, AST, CPK, and LDH) in cardiomyocytes of mice injured by hydrogen peroxide. The results of intracellular ROS contents showed that a high dose (40 μg mL-1) of LJP had the best effects on protecting the cardiomyocytes of mice injured by H2O2. In addition, the measurement results of the cardiomyocyte apoptosis and the activity of caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9 in cardiomyocytes confirmed this conclusion from another perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using clean energy from the environment to treat organics is a sustainable approach to alleviate the energy shortage and environmental pollution. Water flow energy in pipelines is overlooked due to the lack of efficient energy-converting material. Herein, a novel Fe 3 O 4 @MoS 2 /PVDF modified pipe was prepared and used for self-powered piezocatalytic degradation of organics in the pipeline. The degradation efficiency of tetracycline, Rhodamine B, ciprofloxacin and oxytetracycline can reach 92.5 %, 90.9 %, 85.9 % and 69.2 %, respectively, at an ultralow flow rate. The energy consumption of this water treatment system was only 12.7 % of that of ultrasonic systems. The theoretical calculation and characterization results indicated that the ultrahigh piezocatalytic efficiency was derived from the coupling effect of Fe 3 O 4 /MoS 2 and PVDF. EPR results showed that ∙O 2 -, ∙OH, and h+ were the main active species in degrading organics. The results of the toxicity assessment showed that ecotoxicity could be reduced or even eliminated. [Display omitted] • A novel Fe 3 O 4 @MoS 2 /PVDF piezoelectric pipe with ultrahigh piezocatalytic properties is prepared. • The Fe 3 O 4 @MoS 2 /PVDF piezoelectric pipe decomposes the organic pollutants by natural water flow. • The piezoelectric pipe system achieves 92.5 % degradation of tetracycline using weak water flow. • Through piezoelectric degradation, the toxicity of organic pollutants in wastewater is greatly reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underground water source in North China Plain (NCP) is limited and extensively explored for wheat irrigation, which has caused high carbon emission. Reduced irrigation strategies and soil amendments have been advocated for sustainable agricultural production. However, the interactive effects of irrigation schedule and soil amendment on direct and indirect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration and carbon footprint (CF) have rarely been systematically quantified. A two-year field study was conducted in wheat season under three irrigation schedules (W0: pre-sowing irrigation only, W1: pre-sowing + jointing irrigation, and W2: pre-sowing + jointing + anthesis irrigation) and three fertilization types (Fc: chemical fertilizer only, Fm: chemical fertilizer + manure, and Fb: chemical fertilizer + biochar). In the Fc treatments, direct emissions from soil N 2 O and CH 4 significantly decreased from W2 or W1 to W0, but SOC also decreased from W2 to W1 or W0. Net GHG emissions (GHG net) was 14.6% higher in W1 +Fc but 6.0% lower in W0 +Fc compared with W2 +Fc because of the difference in electricity use for irrigation. Notably, the CF in W1 +Fc and W0 +Fc was 40.9% and 63.8% higher than in W2 +Fc mainly due to yield loss. Compared with Fc, direct emissions averaged 63.1% higher under Fm coupled with increased soil nitrate content, microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and nitrogen (MBN). The SOC significantly decreased from W0, W1 to W2 under Fm. Under the identical irrigation level, SOC stocks were 40.0% and 53.9% higher in Fm than in Fc under W1 and W0, while no significant difference under W2. Relative to Fc treatments, under Fm, CF was 28.5% lower in W0 but 6.2% and 45.7% higher in W1 and W2. Compared with Fc, direct emissions averaged 7.7% lower under Fb due to smaller MBN and higher soil porosity under Fb. The CF was lower in Fb than in Fc resulting from SOC increase. Thus, manure and biochar amendment could decrease CF following reduced irrigation, although manure application increased the risk of C loss. • Negative emission potential of reduced irrigation was limited by the loss of SOC and yield. • Introduction of manure can improve yield and ameliorate carbon footprint under reduced irrigation. • Biochar addition decreased soil N 2 O and CH 4 emissions and greatly enhanced SOC stock. • Following water-saving strategies, application of manure or biochar amendment were recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lonicera japonica is a typical Chinese herbal medicine. We previously reported a method to isolate polysaccharides from Lonicera japonica (LJP). In this study, we first performed a qualitative analysis of LJP using the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FT-IR) and explored the monosaccharide composition of LJP using the pre-column derivatization high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. We then investigated the immunomodulatory function of LJP in cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced immunosuppressed mouse models. The results showed that LJP had the characteristic absorption of typical polysaccharides consisting of 6 types of monosaccharides. In addition, LJP can increase significantly the organ index, splenic lymphocyte proliferation, macrophage phagocytosis, and natural killer (NK) cell activity in CTX-treated mice. LJP could also restore the levels of serum cytokines interleukin (IL-2), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in the CTX-treated mice. Finally, the results on measuring the T-lymphocytes subsets of spleen also confirmed LJP-induced immunomodulatory activity in immunosuppressed mice from another perspective. Therefore, LJP could be used as a potential immunomodulatory agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesoporous silica MCM-41 was modified by carboxyl groups and assembled with chitosan to produce a novel nanocarrier for the immobilization of lipase. The prepared composite was grafted with silane coupling agent KH560 to decrease the pore size of the mesoporous material and prevent the loss of shed lipase molecules. According to the characterization of the material before and after modification and determination of related parameters, the residual activity of the lipase fixed in the CTS-MCM-41 carrier was 85 % after seven repeated use cycles. The grafting rate of MCM-41 and shrinkage effect were maximized when the concentration of KH560 was 5.0 %, and the modification was performed at 4 h at 70 °C. Using glutaraldehyde as the crosslinking agent, the optimal conditions for enzyme immobilization involved a mass ratio of the carrier to enzyme of 4:1, glutaraldehyde solution volume of 3 %, reaction time of 3 h, and reaction temperature of 45 °C. Overall, the proposed innovative carrier for the fixation of lipase is stable and can physically control the free enzyme in the pore. Moreover, the efficient miniature lipase reactor can promote large-scale industrial production. [Display omitted] • MCM-41 carboxyl modification was combined with chitosan to obtain new nanomaterials. • The carrier was modified with silane coupling agent KH560 to reduce the pore size. • The prepared vector can control the free enzyme in the pore to obtain an efficient miniature lipase reactor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution is a major public health concern worldwide. Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is closely associated with cardiovascular diseases. However, the effect of PM2.5 exposure on thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAAD) has not been fully elucidated. Diesel exhaust particulate (DEP) is an important component of PM2.5, which causes health effects and is closely related to the incidence of cardiovascular disease. In the current study, we found that DEP exposure increased the incidence of aortic dissection (AD) in β-aminopropionitrile (BAPN)-induced thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA). In addition, exposure to PM2.5 increased the diameter of the thoracic aorta in mice models. The number of apoptotic cells increased in the aortic wall of PM2.5-treated mice, as did the protein expression level of BAX/Bcl2 and cleaved caspase3/caspase3. Using a rhythmically stretching aortic mechanical simulation model, fluorescent staining indicated that PM2.5 administration could induce mitochondrial dysfunction and increase reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs). Furthermore, ERK1/2 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways participated in the apoptosis of HASMCs after PM2.5 exposure. Therefore, we concluded that PM2.5 exposure could exacerbate the progression of TAAD, which could be induced by the increased apoptosis in HASMCs through the ERK1/2 MAPK signaling pathway. [Display omitted] • We evaluate the effects of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure on thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAAD). • The incidence of TAAD, aortic diameter and apoptosis level of mice aorta increased in TAAD mice after PM2.5 exposure. • An aorta smooth muscle-on-a-chip was used to verify the effects of PM2.5 exposure in human aorta smooth muscle cells (HASMCs). • The ERK1/2 MAPK signaling pathway may participate the apoptosis of HASMCs and the progression of TAAD after PM2.5 exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glutaraldehyde is usually used as a cross-linking agent in the immobilization of enzymes, but this will have a negative effect on the enzyme. Dialdehyde starch can effectively replace glutaraldehyde as a cross-linking agent, but the large particle size of dialdehyde starch affects the performance of immobilized enzyme. In this study, dialdehyde starch nanoparticles (DSNP) were combined with modified Fe 3 O 4 to obtain magnetic carrier (MDSNP), and Candida Antarctica lipase B (CALB) was crosslinked to the carrier to obtain magnetic immobilized enzyme (MDSNPCALB). The characterization results show that the functional groups of each material have obvious characteristic absorption peaks, strong diffraction peaks and typical crystal structures, high magnetism, no coercivity, relatively good dispersion and nano particle size. MDSNPCALB was added to degummed rice bran oil (RBO) and ethanolamine was used as an acyl receptor for acylation and deacidification. After repeated use for 10 times, MDSNPCALB remained highly active, indicating that MDSNPCALB can be effectively used for the deacidification of RBO. [Display omitted] • Using dialdehyde starch instead of glutaraldehyde as cross-linking agent is feasible. • Demonstration of successful preparation of immobilized enzymes by characterization. • Immobilized enzyme was used in deacidification of rice bran oil. • Amidation deacidification had more advantages in retaining bioactive substances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Correction to: I Scientific Reports i https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-06877-2, published online 18 February 2022 The original version of this Article contained an error in Affiliation 1, which was incorrectly given as 'School of Basic Medicine Sciences, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, 010110, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China'. The correct affiliation is listed below: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, 010110, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China The original Article has been corrected. [Extracted from the article]

• Purple light promoted M. aeruginosa cell growth among the 4 light quality treatments. • Purple light raised the photosynthetic rate by up-regulating related gene expression. • Purple light increased astaxanthin content by raising expression of related genes. • M. aeruginosa has the potential for astaxanthin production under purple light. The aim of this work was to uncover the astaxanthin biosynthesis mechanism in Microcystis aeruginosa under optimum light quality, and promote astaxanthin production using this alga. Among purple, blue and red light, only purple light promoted M. aeruginosa cell growth compared with white light, due to up-regulating expression of the genes related with DNA replication. An increase was detected in the photosynthetic rate under purple light, which should be caused by the raised carotenoid content and up-regulation of the genes associated with light reaction and carbon fixation. Compared with white light, purple light increased the levels of β-carotene, zeaxanthin and astaxanthin by up-regulating expression of the genes related with methylerythritol-4-phosphate pathway (MEP) and astaxanthin biosynthesis. For red and blue light, they did not impact or declined the content of astaxanthin and its precursors. Therefore, purple light promoted M. aeruginosa cell growth and astaxanthin production by up-regulating related gene expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• High intensity ultrasound technology was used to modify soy protein isolate-pectin. • The fluorescence intensity increased by high intensity ultrasound treatment. • The particle size of the complex reduced by high intensity ultrasound treatment. • The structural properties and solubility of protein were improved at 450 W for 15 min. In this study, a soy protein isolate (SPI)-pectin (PC) complex was prepared, and the effects of different high intensity ultrasound (HIU) powers on the structure and solubility of the complex were studied. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis exhibited that with increasing HIU power, the α-helix content of the SPI in the complex was significantly reduced, and the random coil content increased; however, an opposite trend appeared after higher power treatments. Fluorescence spectra showed that HIU treatment increased the fluorescence intensity of the complex, and the surface hydrophobicity was increased. The trend of the protein structure studied by Raman spectroscopy was similar to that of FTIR and fluorescence spectroscopy. When the HIU treatment was performed for 15 min and at 450 W power, the particle size of the complex was 451.85 ± 2.17 nm, and the solubility was 89.04 ± 0.19 %, indicating that the HIU treatment caused the spatial conformation of the protein to loosen and improved the functional properties of the complex. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) revealed that the complex after HIU treatment exhibited improved dispersibility in water and smaller particle size. Gel electrophoresis results indicated that HIU treatment did not affect the protein subunits of the complex. Therefore, the selection of a suitable HIU treatment power can effectively improve the structural properties and solubility of SPI in the complex, and promote the application of the SPI-PC complex in food processing and industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The highest yield of VFAs from CCW was achieved at pH 6.0. • The proportion of hexanoate at pH 6.0 accounted for 30.4% of the TVFAs. • The increase of hexanoate was accompanied with the decline of ethanol and butyrate. • Clostridium IV , Ruminococcus , and Candida could be related to hexanoate production. The effects of pH on the production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and the evolution of microbial community structure were studied via anaerobic fermentation of Chinese cabbage waste. The results showed that the concentration of total VFAs was highest at 20,241.4 mg COD/L at pH 6.0, followed by pH 7.0. Ethanol, acetate and butyrate were dominant under the acidic condition. The main products at pH 7.0 were acetate, propionate, and butyrate. Ethanol, acetate and butyrate were rapidly produced during the initial stage. The hexanoate concentration increased quickly from day 6 due to the chain extension between ethanol and butyrate, and was 4,885.1 mg COD/L on day 8, accounting for 30.4% of the total VFAs. As fermentation was extended, Bacteroidia and Clostridia were dominant at pH 6.0 and the uncontrolled pH, respectively. Clostridium IV , Ruminococcus , and Candida , were suspected to be related to hexanoate production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were combined with graphene oxide (GO) to effectively improve the immobilization effect of lipase, and magnetic graphene oxide (MGON) was modified to immobilize Candida rugosa lipase (CRL) with functionalized MGON as a carrier. The optimal magnetic carrier was screened. Characterization and analysis revealed that the specific surface area of MGON was 263.75 m2·g−1. The magnetic saturation intensities of the carrier modified with γ-ureapropyltrimethoxysilane (TMSPU), γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), and γ-mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane (MPTS) were 26.67, 35.1, and 43.1 emu/g, respectively. The enzyme carrying amounts of the three immobilized enzymes were 402.6, 323.4, and 288.8 mg/g, respectively. The number of binding sites of the modified carrier of TMSPU was more than that of the two other modified carriers. The optimum temperature of magnetic immobilized enzyme was 50 °C, its optimum pH was 7.0, and it had good thermal stability. The immobilized enzyme modified with TMSPU retainsed 80.28 % of the relative enzyme activity after eight times of reusability. These results demonstrated that TMSPU-modified MGON showed potential for applications involving enzyme immobilization. • MGON has the characteristics of large specific surface area and fast separation. • TMSPU functionalized MGON provides more enzyme binding sites. • The amount of TMSPU functionalized immobilized enzyme carrying enzyme is 402.6 mg/g. • TMSPU functionalized magnetic immobilized enzyme has higher esterification rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following reduced irrigation strategies in the north China plain (NCP), nitrogen (N) fertilizer application must be optimized in terms of the food production and resource use efficiency. In this study, experiments were conducted for three consecutive winter wheat seasons in 2013–2016. Treatments included pre-sowing irrigation of 750 m3 ha−1 season−1 with no subsequent irrigation during the whole season (W0) and irrigation of 750 m3 ha−1 season−1 at pre-sowing, jointing and anthesis (W2). N fertilizer was applied at sowing with three levels, i.e., 180 (N1), 225 (N2) and 270 (N3) kg ha−1 for each irrigation regime. Results exhibited that the average wheat yield of W0 was 17.3% lower than that of W2, however, the increased thousand kernel weight under W0 upheld relatively high yield averaging 7328 kg ha−1. In addition, increased water stress under W0 aided to improve pre-anthesis dry matter and N remobilization to grain which in turn, made larger N use efficiency and N harvest index. Furthermore, grain protein content ranged from 13.4 to 13.7% under W0, 13.0 to 13.3% higher than that of W2. At both irrigation levels, grain yield and grain protein content increased with an increase in N application rate, while no significant difference was observed between N2 and N3 under W0. Additionally, the N2 achieved the highest water use efficiency of 1.92 kg m−3 under W0. Overall, N2 appeared to be the optimized N level under W0 in terms of yield and nitrogen use, though it was 13.6% less than the largest net income under W2N3 due to 18.9% of yield loss. Moreover, W0N2 could reduce 1500 m3 ha−1 season−1 irrigation water, 45 kg ha−1 N fertilizer and 289.77 $ ha−1 total input and attain highest cost efficiency. The study demonstrated that disposable water and nitrogen applied at sowing of wheat is feasible, and N application rate of 225 kg ha−1 was recommended for the W0 regime to maximize wheat yield, grain quality, ecological and economic benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury (CIRI) is a major cause of ischemic stroke (IS) deterioration. Considering the intricate mechanism of the pathological process of CIRI, most drugs only work on one target. The neurovascular unit (NVU) puts forward the concept of neuroprotection from nerve protection to global stabilization. The NVU plays an important role in maintaining the brain microenvironment. This would promote neuronal survival and overall neurological recovery, which would likely lead to the reduction of mortality rate. Previous studies have shown that 4-methoxy benzyl alcohol (4-MA) ameliorated neurological score and cerebral infarct volume and reduced the concentration of Evans blue (EB) in brain tissue. In this research, we investigated the effects of 4-MA on NVU microenvironment improvement in rats impaired by middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R). First, we established a rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) so as to use Western blot analysis, immunofluorescence and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) evaluating the NVU's protection of 4-MA. Then we established a primary cortical neuron model of oxygen glucose deprivation and re-oxygenation (OGD/R) with the objective of identifying whether 4-MA exhibited anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic effects on neurons. NVU ultra structural changes were improved by 4-MA. Immunofluorescence and western blot showed that 4-MA protected NVUs through enhancement of the expression of the symbolic neuronal proteins Microtubule Associated Protein-2(MAP-2), and attenuation of protein expression of Asy symbolic protein Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein(GFAP). Furthermore, in the OGD/R model of I/R injury in vitro, 4-MA significantly increased Superoxide dismutase(SOD), Nitric Oxide(NO), B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2), decreased Bcl-2-Associated X(Bax) and increased Bcl-2/Bax. 4-MA can play the role of anti-ischemic stroke drug by ameliorating the microenvironment of NVUs while its neuroprotective effects will contribute towards the inhibition of the antioxidant and anti-apoptotic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphite/Cu composites have attracted intensive attention for engineering applications under dry sliding conditions due to their excellent thermal, electrical and self-lubrication performances. However, their mechanical and anti-wear properties are usually restrained by the fragility of graphite as well as the poor interfacial bonding between graphite and copper. Herein, Cr-Carbide coatings, synthesized on graphite particles by molten salt method, were introduced as interfacial layers to prepare graphite/Cu composites by vacuum hot pressing process for improving the mechanical and wear properties of the composites. The coating was composed of Cr3C2 and Cr7C3 phases with an average thickness of several micrometers. The flexural strength, electrical conductivity, and friction and wear behaviors of the composites were evaluated. Dry-sliding friction tests were performed at room-temperature using a reciprocating ball-on-disc tester. The results showed that the carbide coating was beneficial for the improvement of interfacial bonding, so that the flexural strength and electrical conductivity of the composites increased. Moreover, the carbide coating could maintain the load carrying capacity of the contact plane and stability of the friction films, proving helpful in keeping the wear mode as mild abrasive wear, rather than severe delamination wear that occurred on the uncoated composite. Comparing the performance of the composites containing 70 vol.% coated and pristine graphite, the coated graphite/Cu composite had an appropriate friction coefficient, particularly at high normal loads, and its flexural strength and electrical conductivity were increased by 160 and 85%, respectively, and the specific wear rate was decreased by 70%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant roots and rhizosphere soils assemble diverse microbial communities, and these root-associated microbiomes profoundly influence host development. Modern wheat has given rise to numerous cultivars for its wide range of ecological adaptations and commercial uses. Variations in nitrogen uptake by different wheat cultivars are widely observed in production practices. However, little is known about the composition and structure of the root-associated microbiota in different wheat cultivars, and it is not sure whether root-associated microbial communities are relevant in host nitrogen absorption. Therefore, there is an urgent need for systematic assessment of root-associated microbial communities and their association with host nitrogen absorption in field-grown wheat. Here, we investigated the root-associated microbial community composition, structure, and keystone taxa in wheat cultivars with different nitrogen absorption characteristics at different stages and their relationships with edaphic variables and host nitrogen uptake. Our results indicated that cultivar nitrogen absorption characteristics strongly interacted with bacterial and archaeal communities in the roots and edaphic physicochemical factors. The impact of host cultivar identity, developmental stage, and spatial niche on bacterial and archaeal community structure and network complexity increased progressively from rhizosphere soils to roots. The root microbial community had a significant direct effect on plant nitrogen absorption, while plant nitrogen absorption and soil temperature also significantly influenced root microbial community structure. The cultivar with higher nitrogen absorption at the jointing stage tended to cooperate with root microbial community to facilitate their own nitrogen absorption. Our work provides important information for further wheat microbiome manipulation to influence host nitrogen absorption. Key points: • Wheat cultivar and developmental stage affected microbiome structure and network. • The root microbial community strongly interacted with plant nitrogen absorption. • High nitrogen absorption cultivar tended to cooperate with root microbiome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium butyrate (NaB) is one of the short-chain fatty acids and is notably produced in large amounts from dietary fiber in the gut. Recent evidence suggests that NaB induces cell proliferation and apoptosis. Skeletal muscle is rich in plenty of mitochondrial. However, it is unclear how NaB acts on host muscle cells and whether it is involved in mitochondria-related functions in myocytes. The present study aimed to investigate the role of NaB treatment on the proliferation, apoptosis, and mitophagy of bovine skeletal muscle satellite cells (BSCs). The results showed that NaB inhibited proliferation, promoted apoptosis of BSCs, and promoted mitophagy in a time- and dose-dependent manner in BSCs. In addition, 1 mM NaB increased the mitochondrial ROS level, decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), increased the number of autophagic vesicles in mitochondria, and increased the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and ATP level. The effects of the mTOR pathway on BSCs were investigated. The results showed that 1 mM NaB inhibited the mRNA and protein expression of mTOR and genes AKT1, FOXO1, and EIF4EBP1 in the mTOR signaling pathway. In contrast, the addition of PP242, an inhibitor of the mTOR signaling pathway also inhibited mRNA and protein expression levels of mTOR, AKT1, FOXO1, and EIF4EBP1 and promoted mitophagy and apoptosis, which were consistent with the effect of NaB treatment. NaB might promote mitophagy and apoptosis in BSCs by inhibiting the mTOR signaling pathway. Our results would expand the knowledge of sodium butyrate on bovine skeletal muscle cell state and mitochondrial function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aortic aneurysm (AA), a potentially lethal condition with the characteristic of aortic dilatation, can only be treated by surgical or endovascular procedures. The underlying mechanisms of AA are unclear and early preventive treatment is still insufficient due to segmental aortic heterogeneity and the limitations of current disease models. Here, we firstly established a comprehensive lineage-specific vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC)-on-a-chip model using human induced pluripotent stem cells to yield cell lineages representing different segments of the aorta and tested the constructed organ-on-a-chip model under various tensile stress conditions. Bulk RNA sequencing, RT-qPCR, immunofluorescence, western blot and FACS analyses were performed to discover the segmental aortic heterogeneity of response for tensile stress and drug testing. The appropriate stretching frequency for all lineages of SMCs was 1.0 Hz, paraxial mesoderm (PM) SMCs were more sensitive to tensile stress than lateral mesoderm (LM) SMCs and neural crest (NC) SMCs. These differences may be related to the different transcriptional profiles of the tension-stressed distinct lineage-specific vascular SMCs, specifically in relation to the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Also, the organ-on-a-chip displayed contractile physiology, perfect fluid coordination, and was conducive to drug testing, displaying heterogeneous segmental aortic responses. Compared with LM-SMCs and NC-SMCs, PM-SMCs were more sensitive to ciprofloxacin. The model is evaluated as a novel and suitable supplement to AA animal models for determining differential physiology and drug response in different parts of the aorta. Furthermore, this system could pave the way for disease modeling, drug testing, and the personalized treatment of patients with AA in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate long-term snow-covered-area mapping is essential for climate change studies and water resource management. The NOAA AVHRR/2 provides a unique data source for long-term, large-spatial-scale monitoring of snow-covered areas at a daily scale. However, the value of AVHRR/2 in mapping snow-covered areas is limited, due to its lack of a shortwave infrared band for snow/cloud discrimination. We simulated the reflectance in the 3.75 µm mid-infrared band with a radiative transfer model and then developed three fractional-snow-cover retrieval algorithms for AVHRR/2 imagery at 1 km and 5 km resolutions. These algorithms are based on the multiple endmember spectral mixture analysis algorithm (MESMA), snow index (SI) algorithm, and non-snow/snow two endmember model (TEM) algorithm. Evaluation and comparison of these algorithms were performed using 313 scenarios that referenced snow-cover maps from Landsat-5/TM imagery at 30 m resolution. For all the evaluation data, the MESMA algorithm outperformed the other two algorithms, with an overall accuracy of 0.84 (0.85) and an RMSE of 0.23 (0.21) at the 1 km (5 km) scale. Regarding the effect of land cover type, we found that the three AVHRR/2 fractional-snow-cover retrieval algorithms have good accuracy in bare land, grassland, and Himalayan areas; however, the accuracy decreases in forest areas due to the shading of snow by the canopy. Regarding the topographic effect, the accuracy evaluation indices showed a decreasing and then increasing trend as the elevation increased. The accuracy was worst in the 4000–5000 m range, which was due to the severe snow fragmentation in the High Mountain Asia region; the early AVHRR/2 sensors could not effectively monitor the snow cover in this region. In this study, by increasing the number of bands of AVHRR/2 1 km data for fractional-snow-cover retrieval, a good foundation for subsequent long time series kilometre- resolution snow-cover monitoring has been laid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: The high refining cost of traditional rice bran oil with high acid value and its large environmental impact have limited its further application. In this study, a lipase‐catalysed hydrolysis reaction of crude rice bran oil at the oil–water interface was performed using a Pickering emulsion system stabilised by modified magnetic microcrystalline cellulose (MMC) particles. The results revealed that the modified MMC particles exhibited a rod‐like structure, and a contact angle of 84.8°. In addition, the stability of the Pickering emulsion can be enhanced when the modified MMC was used as an emulsifier, and at an optimal addition amount of 2.0wt.%. The saturation magnetisation value of the emulsifier decreased from 38.8 to 8.9 emu g−1 after 12 reuses. Furthermore, the hydrolysis rates of crude rice bran oil in the Pickering emulsion system and a two‐phase system at a Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) content of 2mg mL−1 were 92.8% and 58.8%, respectively. In addition, the relative activity of CALB after 10 reuses was 71.8%. These findings provide a sustainable interface biocatalysis method and provide ideas for the rational development of high acid value oils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive irrigation and nitrogen application have long seriously undermined agricultural sustainability in the North China Plain (NCP), leading to declining groundwater tables and intensified greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Developing low-input management practices that meet the growing food demand while reducing environmental costs is urgently needed. Here, we developed a novel nitrogen management strategy for a typical winter wheat-summer maize rotation system in the NCP under limited irrigation (wheat sowing irrigation only (W0) or sowing and jointing irrigation (W1)) and low nitrogen input (360 kg N ha−1, about 70 % of traditional annual nitrogen input). Novel nitrogen management strategy promoted efficient nitrogen fertilizer uptake and utilization by both crops via optimization of nitrogen fertilizer allocation between the two crops, i.e., increasing nitrogen inputs to wheat (from 180 to 240 kg N ha−1) while reducing nitrogen inputs to maize (from 180 to 120 kg N ha−1). Three-year field study demonstrated that integrated management practices combining novel nitrogen management strategy with limited irrigation increased annual yields and PFPN by 1.9–5.7 %, and reduced TGE by 55–68 kg CO 2 −eq ha−1 and GHGI by 2.2–10.3 %, without any additional cost. Our results provide agricultural operators and policymakers with practical and easy-to-scalable integrated management strategy, and offer key initiative to promote grain production in the NCP towards agriculture sustainable intensification with high productivity and efficiency, water conservation and emission reduction. • Novel N management improves annual yields and reduces GHGI under limited irrigation. • Soil-climate factors drive GHG emissions in the wheat-maize rotation system. • Climate-smart management synergistically achieves multiple agricultural goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) are intermediates of anaerobic fermentation with high value and wide range of usage. VFA production from vegetable wastes (VW) is an effective way to dispose of wastes and recover resources. The organic matter composition of the substrate influences VFA yield and distribution, which is related to the separation and purification of the downstream steps and the application of the product. Hence, potato peels, carrots, celery, and Chinese cabbage were selected to investigate the effect of VW types on the performance of the VFA production in a batch anaerobic fermentation reactor with continuous stirring at 37 °C, total solid (TS) of 4.5%. A VFA yield of 452 mg COD/g VS feed (chemical oxygen demand (COD); volatile solids (VS)) was achieved from potato peels, which was 40.1%, 21.5%, and 124.9% higher than that of carrots, celery, and Chinese cabbage, respectively. The rapid acidification of carrots caused a sharp decline in pH and led to inhibition of VFA production. The acidification of celery started slowly, and the yield of hexanoic acid increased rapidly in the later stage of fermentation. The VFA yield of Chinese cabbage was inhibited due to the low initial pH, but the ethanol concentration reached 7577.04 mg COD/L. According to the VFA profile, the fermentation of potato peels, carrots, celery, and Chinese cabbage can be classified as propionate-type, butyrate-type, mixed-acid type, and ethanol-acetate type metabolic pathway, respectively. The results of this study suggest that a suitable combination of vegetable waste types is important for selective VFA production. Unlabelled Image • The highest VFA yield was observed in potato peels. • Acetic and butyric acid of carrots accounted for 88.73%. • Celery produced a lot of hexanoic acid in the later stage of fermentation. • The metabolic pathway of Chinese cabbage was ethanol-acetate type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water stress is a primary trigger for reducing grain number per spike in wheat during the reproductive period. However, under stress conditions, the responses of plant organs and the interactions between them at the molecular and physiological levels remain unclear. In this study, when water stress occurred at the young microspore stage, RNA-seq data indicated that the spike had 970 differentially expressed genes, while the stem, comprising the two internodes below the spike (TIS), had 382. Abscisic acid (ABA) signal transduction genes were down-regulated by water stress in both these tissues, although to a greater extent in the TIS than in the spike. A reduction in sucrose was observed, and was accompanied by increases in cell wall invertase (CWIN) and sucrose:sucrose 1-fructosyl-transferase (1-SST) activities. Hexose and fructan were increased in the TIS but decreased in the spike. ABA was increased in the spike and TIS, and showed significant positive correlation with CWIN and 1-SST activities in the TIS. Overall, our results suggest that water stress induces the conversion of sucrose to hexose by CWIN, and to fructan by 1-SST, due to increased down-regulation of ABA signal transduction related-genes in the TIS; this leads to deficient sucrose supply to the spike and a decrease in grain number. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving winter wheat grain yield and water use efficiency (WUE) with minimum irrigation is very important for ensuring agricultural and ecological sustainability in the Northern China Plain (NCP). A three-year field experiment was conducted to determine how single irrigation can improve grain yield and WUE by manipulating the “sink-source” relationships. To achieve this, no-irrigation after sowing (W0) as a control, and five single irrigation treatments after sowing (75 mm of each irrigation) were established. They included irrigation at upstanding (WU), irrigation at jointing (WJ), irrigation at booting (WB), irrigation at anthesis (WA) and irrigation at medium milk (WM). Results showed that compared with no-irrigation after sowing (W0), WU, WJ, WB, WA and WM significantly improved mean grain yield by 14.1%, 19.9%, 17.9%, 11.6%, and 7.5%, respectively. WJ achieved the highest grain yield (8653.1 kg ha-1) and WUE (20.3 kg ha-1 mm-1), and WB observed the same level of grain yield and WUE as WJ. In comparison to WU, WJ and WB coordinated pre- and post-anthesis water use while reducing pre-anthesis and total evapotranspiration (ET). They also retained higher soil water content above 180 cm soil layers at anthesis, increased post-anthesis water use, and ultimately increased WUE. WJ and WB optimized population quantity and individual leaf size, delayed leaf senescence, extended grain-filling duration, improved post-anthesis biomass and biomass remobilization (source supply capacity) as well as post-anthesis biomass per unit anthesis leaf area (PostBA-leaf ratio). WJ also optimized the allocation of assimilation, increased the spike partitioning index (SPI, spike biomass/biomass at anthesis) and grain production efficiency (GPE, the ratio of grain number to biomass at anthesis), thus improved mean sink capacity by 28.1%, 5.7%, 21.9%, and 26.7% in comparison to W0, WU, WA and WM, respectively. Compared with WA and WM, WJ and WB also increased sink capacity, post-anthesis biomass and biomass remobilization. These results demonstrated that single irrigation at jointing or booting could improve grain yield and WUE via coordinating the “source-sink” relationships with the high sink capacity and source supply capacity. Therefore, we propose that under adequate soil moisture conditions before sowing, single irrigation scheme from jointing to booting with 75 mm irrigation amount is the optimal minimum irrigation practice for wheat production in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RNAs may act as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs), a critical mechanism in determining gene expression regulations in many cancers. However, the roles of ceRNAs in thyroid carcinoma remains elusive. In this study, we have developed a novel pipeline called Molecular Network-based Identification of ceRNA (MNIceRNA) to identify ceRNAs in thyroid carcinoma. MNIceRNA first constructs micro RNA (miRNA)-messenger RNA (mRNA)long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) networks from miRcode database and weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA), based on which to identify key drivers of differentially expressed RNAs between normal and tumor samples. It then infers ceRNAs of the identified key drivers using the long non-coding competing endogenous database (lnCeDB). We applied the pipeline into The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) thyroid carcinoma data. As a result, 598 lncRNAs, 1025 mRNAs, and 90 microRNA (miRNAs) were inferred to be differentially expressed between normal and thyroid cancer samples. We then obtained eight key driver miRNAs, among which hsa-mir-221 and hsa-mir-222 were key driver RNAs identified by both miRNA-mRNA-lncRNA and WGCNA network. In addition, hsa-mir-375 was inferred to be significant for patients' survival with 34 associated ceRNAs, among which RUNX2, DUSP6 and SEMA3D are known oncogenes regulating cellular proliferation and differentiation in thyroid cancer. These ceRNAs are critical in revealing the secrets behind thyroid cancer progression and may serve as future therapeutic biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Deodorization of water vapor contributed to the loss of oil and phytosterols. • Deodorization with nitrogen instead of water vapor improved phytosterols retention. • Nitrogen deodorization promoted the formation of phytosterol esters. • Nitrogen deodorization reduced the formation of phytosterol oxides products. Rice bran oil contains a significant quantity of phytosterols that have various active functions and are natural active substances beneficial to humans. It is well known that deodorization during refining affects the quality of rice bran oil. However, changes in phytosterols fraction caused by stripping with nitrogen compared to water vapor remain unexplored. We measured phytosterols in rice bran oil after deodorization with nitrogen and water vapor. The variations in sitosterol fraction, which accounts for the highest percentage of phytosterols in rice bran oil, were analyzed by Gas chromatography (GC), Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), and Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Results showed that using nitrogen as the stripping gas was more suitable for deodorization. It promoted the formation of phytosterol esters, reduced the production of phytosterol oxidation products and improved the oil quality. This study provides a theoretical basis for improving the industrial production quality of rice bran oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our previous study found that lipoxin A 4 (LXA 4) exerts therapeutic effects on osteoarthritis (OA). In this study, we evaluated the effects of LXA 4 via synovial macrophage M1/M2 subtype polarization on chondrocyte pyroptosis and corresponding mechanisms during mechanical stimulation. Synovial macrophages were subjected to various LXA 4 concentrations and cyclic tensile strain (CTS) conditions to determine optimal co-culture conditions. The effects of LXA 4 on chondrocyte pyroptosis, as represented by macrophage M1/M2 subtype polarization, were detected by western blot, immunofluorescence, and flow cytometry analyses. Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 10): control (CG), OA (OAG), OA with moderate-intensity treadmill exercise (OAE), and OAE + BOC-2 (an LXA 4 antagonist). All rats were evaluated using histology, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and western blot analyses. We found that with increasing Kellgren-Lawrence grade, LXA 4 expression was downregulated in articular fluid and that CD86 and Arg1 expression was upregulated in the synovium of patients. In vitro, CTS and LXA 4 both promoted M2 subtype polarization of synovial macrophages, which inhibited the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 and formation of NLRP3 in chondrocytes. In vivo, the OAE treatment exerted protective effects on articular cartilage and facilitated M2 polarization of synovial macrophages. These effects were suppressed by BOC-2 treatment. We concluded that moderate CTS enhances therapeutic effects of LXA 4 by inhibiting the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 and NLRP3. Furthermore, the therapeutic effects of LXA 4 during treadmill exercise in monoiodoacetate-induced OA were driven by promotion of synovial macrophage M2 subtype polarization. Hypothesis of mechanism of LXA 4 action in OA exercise therapy. (A) Appropriate treadmill exercise promotes the concentration of LXA 4 in the knee articular fluid and serum. The role of LXA 4 included systemic and local reactions. (B) Moderate CTS and LXA 4 treatment showed a synergistic effect on promoting M2 polarization in synovial macrophages, which inhibited the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 and formation of NLRP3 in chondrocytes, which eliminate inflammation, synthesize extracellular matrix, and promote tissue repair. [Display omitted] • We previously showed that LXA 4 exerted therapeutic effects of exercise on OA. • LXA 4 decreased and CD 86/Arg 1 increased in patients with increasing K-L grade. • Moderate CTS and LXA 4 inhibit chondrocyte pyroptosis via macrophage M2 polarization. • Treadmill exercise ameliorated OA through LXA 4 via M2 polarization of macrophages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adlay seeds are rich in nutrients and can be processed into noodle ingredients. Adding kansui into the dough system is an effective strategy to improve the quality of coarse grain noodles. The effect of kansui (0–1.2%) on the physicochemical, structural properties and quality characteristics of adlay seed flour-fortified wheat noodles was investigated. Alkali increased G′ and G″ of the doughs, which is consistent with the extension of the dough development time and dough stability time. Kansui induced free –SH to participate in the formation of disulfide bonds of doughs, and the starch granules were surrounded by continuous gluten networks. In addition, the increased pasting temperature and reduced breakdown were consistent with the increased degree of order and degree of the double helix, which indicates that kansui could maintain the integrity of starch granules. In terms of noodle quality, the cooking loss and water absorption increased by 45% and decreased by 25%, respectively. Kansui also imparts a yellowish appearance, firm and elastic mouthfeel to the noodles. Pearson's correlation analysis showed that pasting characteristic values were significantly correlated with most parameters in the evaluation of noodle qualities. As a result, 0.6% kansui is the optimal formula to produce adlay seed-wheat noodles. [Display omitted] • Alkaline noodles were prepared with partial substitution of wheat flour with adlay seed flour. • Kansui addition enhanced the G′ and G″ of dough and decreased the content of free –SH. • Kansui addition protects the integrity of starch granules during pasting. • Kansui fortified the textural properties of noodles (such as hardness and springiness). • Aggregates with enlarged particle sizes were observed for noodles containing kansui. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• D-mannose delays osteoarthritis degeneration in IL-1β-treated rat chondrocytes. • A median dose of d -mannose suppresses osteoarthritis development in vivo. • D-mannose delays degeneration by activating autophagy in IL-1β-treated chondrocytes. • D-mannose activates autophagy by phosphorylating AMPK in IL-1β-treated chondrocytes. Osteoarthritis (OA) is a heterogeneous disease that is consistently difficult to treat due to the complexity of the regulatory network involved in OA pathogenesis, especially in terms of cartilage degeneration. As a C-2 epimer of glucose, d -mannose can alleviate bone loss and repress immunopathology by upregulating regulatory T cells; however, the role of d -mannose in OA-related cartilage degeneration remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the chondroprotective effect of d -mannose in vitro and in vivo on OA. We found that incubating interleukin (IL)-1β-treated rat chondrocytes with d -mannose restrained OA degeneration by elevating cell proliferation, strongly activating autophagy, reducing apoptosis, and downregulating catabolism. Additionally, oral gavage administration of d -mannose to monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-treated rats revealed that a median (1.25 g/kg/day) rather than high or low dose of d -mannose suppressed OA progression and attenuated OA development based on lower macroscopic scores for cartilage, decreased histological scores for cartilage and synovium, strongly activated autophagy, and downregulated catabolism. In terms of a downstream mechanism, we showed that d -mannose might attenuate OA degeneration by activating autophagy in IL-1β-treated rat chondrocytes by promoting the phosphorylation of 5′ AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Our in vitro findings revealed that d -mannose delayed IL-1β-induced OA degeneration in rat chondrocytes by enhancing autophagy activation through the AMPK pathway. Furthermore, the in vivo results indicated that a median dose of d -mannose suppressed MIA-induced OA development. These results suggested that d -mannose exhibits chondroprotective effects and represents a potential disease-modifying drug and novel therapeutic agent for OA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive nitrogen (N) application rates and serious over-exploitation of groundwater under farmer practice threatens the sustainable use of resources in the North China Plain (NCP). Crop canopy structure affects light distribution between leaves, which is important to determine crop growth. A field experiment conducted from October 2016 to June 2019 in the NCP was designed to examine whether optimum water and nitrogen management could optimize canopy characteristics to improve yield and resource use efficiency. Field treatments included: (1) an example of local farming practices, which include the addition of 330 kg N ha−1 and irrigated twice (FP), (2) a reduced N rate of 270 kg N ha−1 and irrigated twice (T1), (3) a reduced rate of N rate of 210 kg N ha−1 and irrigated once (T2), and (4) no N applied (0 kg N ha−1) and irrigated once (T3). Results showed that the highest yield was in T1 treatment during 3 years' winter wheat growing seasons. Water use efficiency (WUE), N use efficiency (NUtE), and N partial factor productivity (PFPN) were significantly higher in T2 treatment than in FP, and the three-year average yield was 9.4% higher than that at FP. Optimum crop management practice (T1 and T2) improved canopy structure characteristics, with less relative photosynthetically active photon flux density (PPFD) penetrated of canopy and higher population uniformity as well as leaf area index, to coordinate the distribution of light within the canopy and maximize canopy light interception, resulting in higher yield and resource use efficiency. Leaf area index (LAI) and specific leaf area (SLA) were closely correlated with grain yield and WUE, while PPFD penetrated of canopy was negatively and significantly correlated with grain yield and WUE. The results indicate that canopy structure characteristics, especially PPFD and population uniformity are good indicators of yield and resource use efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The highest concentration and yield of VFAs were achieved with pH 7.0. • Butyric acid and acetic acid was the dominant product under acidic and alkaline pH, respectively. • When the NADH level achieves a relatively low state, VFA production is improved. • Alkaline and neutral pH had higher hydrolysis efficiency than acidic pH. In this study, potato peel waste was used as feedstock to produce volatile fatty acids (VFAs) by anaerobic digestion. The effects of different pH levels (pH 5.0, pH 7.0, pH 11.0, and uncontrolled pH) on VFA concentration and composition, intermediate products, and metabolic state were evaluated. The results showed that the highest total VFA production was achieved with pH 7.0 (41.9 g COD/L and 632.2 mg COD/g VS fed), followed by that with uncontrolled pH. Butyric acid was the dominant product under acidic pH, whereas acetic acid dominated under alkaline pH. The type of acidogenic fermentation at pH 7.0 was the mixed-acid type. The change in NADH level in the mixed-acid type of fermentation consisted of small fluctuations, enhancing the stability and efficiency of fermentation. The enzymatic activities of acetate kinase and butyrate kinase were slightly inhibited at pH 5.0 and 11.0, resulting in relatively low VFAs production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Contribution of spikes photosynthesis to grain yield of wheat was 20%. • No current models explicitly consider contribution of spike photosynthesis to grain. • Simulation results of excluding & including spike contributions are investigated. • APSIM overestimated leaf contribution to compensate neglection of spike contribution. • Most current models may simulate wheat yield correctly partly for the wrong reasons. Process-based crop models are increasingly used to simulate Genotype by Environment by Management interactions (GxExM), and to evaluate importance of physiological traits to assist in breeding selections. This requires the model to correctly simulate the key physiological processes that determine grain yield. Although spike photosynthesis contributes to grain yield of wheat, it has not been explicitly simulated in most crop models. Here we present experimental data from China and Mexico, derived from estimates of spike contributions to grain yield of wheat, and compared them with previous results. We then used the APSIM model to investigate the consequences of excluding and including spike contributions on simulation results, against the data from China consisting of 4 irrigation and plant density treatments. Our results show that the contribution of spikes photosynthesis to grain yield ranged from 9.8% to 39.0% with an average of 20.1%, consistent with results from previous studies. However, despite the omission of the contribution from spike photosynthesis to grain yield, APSIM captured the dynamics of LAI and biomass and grain yield with acceptable accuracy. Across the treatments, the APSIM (version 7.9) explained >78% of the variation in yield (RMSE = 737 kg ha-1) and biomass (RMSE = 1438 kg ha-1) compared with the experimental data. This highlight the fact that APSIM performed well in simulating yield partly for the wrong reasons. Adding spike contribution to APSIM improved the simulations of biomass and yield, particularly under high yield level. More detailed analysis revealed that APSIM overestimated leaf contribution to compensate neglection of spike contribution, explained by the overestimation of leave biomass and underestimation of stem biomass. While APSIM captured the trend of changes in pre-anthesis remobilization contribution to grain yield, it also underestimated this contribution across treatments. Future improvements should include the inclusion of spike photosynthesis contribution with correct spike light interception and RUE, and improved modelling of biomass partitioning to different organs and the remobilization of biomass to grain from pre-anthesis growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Compared to TI120, MI120 and MI150 significantly increased grain yield and WUE. • MI90 ensured grain yield by significantly improving thousand grain weight. • Except for MI60, MI treatments significantly delayed the senescence of flag leaf during grain filling. • MI treatments ensured the water supply in the mainly root distribution zone of wheat. • MI with reducing irrigation promoted water consumption of the deep soil profile. It's very important to guarantee the wheat production and improve water productivity in the North China Plain (NCP). In order to reduce irrigation and ensure the crop production in the NCP, a two-year field experiment of winter wheat was conducted in 2016–2018 using micro-sprinkling irrigation including different irrigation amount treatments (60 mm, MI60; 90 mm, MI90; 120 mm, MI120; and 150 mm, MI150), and the local traditional water-saving and productive flooding irrigation method (TI120) was as a control. The grain yield (GY), dry matter accumulation (DM), root system distribution and water utilization were investigated. The results showed that, the GY of MI60 decreased by 5.1–13.4% compared with TI120; GY of MI90 was comparable with TI120, while that of MI120 and MI150 increased significantly. The higher GY in micro-sprinkling treatments was mainly due to the significant increase of 1,000-grain weight (TGW), which was the result of the significant delay of the senescence in flag leaves during grain filling and then the increase in the post-anthesis DM. In addition, the roots mainly distributed in the 0−60 cm soil profile, and micro-sprinkling ensured the soil water supply in this areas at the critical growth stages; what's more, micro-sprinkling with reducing irrigation treatments significantly promoted the growth of root system to the deep soil layer, which improved the absorption and utilization of moisture stored in soil. Compared with TI120, the same irrigation amount treatment under micro-sprinkling (MI120) significantly increased water use efficiency (WUE) due to higher GY and lower seasonal evapotranspiration (ET); the 125% irrigation amount treatment (MI150) increased WUE due to higher GY and comparable ET; the 75% irrigation amount treatment (MI90) obtained the similar WUE to TI120; the 50% irrigation amount treatment (MI60) got similar or lower WUE to TI120. Overall, suitable reduction of irrigation amount under micro-sprinkling (MI90) can ensure the grain yield of winter wheat and efficient utilization of irrigation water in the NCP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]