Regulation of tillage on grain matter accumulation in maize.

Introduction: To address issues related to shallow soil tillage, low soil nutrient content, and single tillage method in maize production in the Western Inner Mongolia Region, this study implemented various tillage and straw return techniques, including strip cultivation, subsoiling, deep tillage, no-tillage, straw incorporation with strip cultivation, straw incorporation with subsoiling, straw incorporation with deep tillage, and straw incorporation with no tillage, while using conventional shallow spinning by farmers as the control. Methods: We employed Xianyu 696 (XY696) and Ximeng 6 (XM6) as experimental materials to assess maize 100-grains weight, grain filling rate parameters, and grain nutrient quality. This investigation aimed to elucidate how tillage and straw return influence the accumulation of grain material in different maize varieties. Results and discussion: The results indicated that proper implementation of tillage and straw return had a significant impact on the 100-grains weight of both varieties. In comparison to CK (farmer's rotary rotation), the most notable rise in 100-grains weight was observed under the DPR treatment (straw incorporation with deep tillage), with a maximum increase of 4.84% for XY696 and 6.28% for XM6. The proper implementation of tillage and straw return in the field resulted in discernible differences in the stages of improving the grain filling rates of different maize varieties. Specifically, XY696 showed a predominant increase in the filling rate during the early stage (V1), while XM6 exhibited an increase in the filling rates during the middle and late stages (V2 and V3). In comparison to CK, V1 increased by 1.54% to 27.56% in XY696, and V2 and V3 increased by 0.41% to 10.42% in XM6 under various tillage and straw return practices. The proper implementation of tillage and straw return had a significant impact on the nutritional quality of the grains in each variety. In comparison to CK, the DPR treatment resulted in the most pronounced decrease in the soluble sugar content of grains by 25.43% and the greatest increase in the crude fat content of grains by 9.67%. Conclusion: Ultimately, the proper implementation of soil tillage and straw return facilitated an increase in grain crude fat content and significantly boosted grain weight by improving the grouting rate parameters at all stages for various maize varieties. Additionally, the utilization of DPR treatment proved to be more effective. Overall, DPR is the most promising strategy to improve maize yield and the nutritional quality of grain in the long term in the Western Inner Mongolia Region.

LFMNet: a lightweight model for identifying leaf diseases of maize with high similarity.

Maize leaf diseases significantly impact yield and quality. However, recognizing these diseases from images taken in natural environments is challenging due to complex backgrounds and high similarity of disease spots between classes.This study proposes a lightweight multi-level attention fusion network (LFMNet) which can identify maize leaf diseases with high similarity in natural environment. The main components of LFMNet are PMFFM and MAttion blocks, with three key improvements relative to existing essential blocks. First, it improves the adaptability to the change of maize leaf disease scale through the dense connection of partial convolution with different expansion rates and reduces the parameters at the same time. The second improvement is that it replaces a adaptable pooling kernel according to the size of the input feature map on the original PPA, and the convolution layer to reshape to enhance the feature extraction of maize leaves under complex background. The third improvement is that it replaces different pooling kernels to obtain features of different scales based on GMDC and generate feature weighting matrix to enhance important regional features. Experimental results show that the accuracy of the LFMNet model on the test dataset reaches 94.12%, which is better than the existing heavyweight networks, such as ResNet50 and Inception v3, and lightweight networks such as DenseNet 121,MobileNet(V3-large) and ShuffleNet V2. The number of parameters is only 0.88m, which is better than the current mainstream lightweight network. It is also effective to identify the disease types with similar disease spots in leaves.

Utilizing transcriptomics and metabolomics to unravel key genes and metabolites of maize seedlings in response to drought stress.

BACKGROUND: Drought stress can substantially restrict maize growth and productivity, and global warming and an increasing frequency of extreme weather events are likely to result in more yield losses in the future. Therefore, unraveling the molecular mechanism underlying the response to drought stress is essential for breeding drought-resilient crops. RESULTS: In this study, we subjected the 3-leaf-period plants of two maize inbred lines, a drought-tolerant line (si287) and a drought-sensitive line (X178), to drought stress for seven days while growing in a chamber. Subsequently, we measured physiological traits and analyzed transcriptomic and metabolic profiles of two inbred lines. Our KEGG analysis of genes and metabolites revealed significant differences in pathways related to glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, flavonoid biosynthesis, starch and sucrose metabolism, and biosynthesis of amino acids. Additionally, our joint analysis identified proline, tryptophan and phenylalanine are crucial amino acids for maize response to drought stress. Furthermore, we concentrated on tryptophan (Trp), which was found to enhance tolerance via IAA-ABA signaling, as well as SA and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) consequent reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging. We identified three hub genes in tryptophan biosynthesis, indole-3-acetaldehyde oxidase (ZmAO1, 542,228), catalase 1 (ZmCAT1, 542,369), and flavin-containing monooxygenase 6 (ZmYUC6, 103,629,142), High expression of these genes plays a significant role in regulating drought tolerance. Two metabolites related to tryptophan biosynthesis, quinolinic acid, and kynurenine improved maize tolerance to drought stress by scavenging reactive oxygen species. CONCLUSIONS: This study illuminates the mechanisms underlying the response of maize seedlings to drought stress. Especially, it identifies novel candidate genes and metabolites, enriching our understanding of the role of tryptophan in drought stress. The identification of distinct resistance mechanisms in maize inbred lines will facilitate the exploration of maize germplasm and the breeding of drought-resilient hybrids.

Effects of straw return with potassium fertilizer on the stem lodging resistance, grain quality and yield of spring maize (Zea mays L.).

This experiment aimed to study the effects of straw return combined with potassium fertilizer on stem lodging resistance, grain quality, and yield of spring maize. The objective was to provide a scientific basis for the rational utilization of Inner Mongolia spring maize straw and potassium fertilizer resources. The test material used was 'Xianyu 335', and the study was conducted in three ecological regions from east to west of Inner Mongolia (Tumochuan Plain Irrigation Area, Hetao Plain Irrigation Area, and Lingnan Warm Dry Zone). A split-plot design was employed, with the straw return method as the main plot and potassium fertilizer dosage as the secondary plot. We determined the stem resistance index, grain quality, and yield. The results showed that both straw return and potassium application improved stem lodging resistance, grain quality, and maize yield. Combining straw return with the reasonable application of potassium fertilizer enhanced the effectiveness of potassium fertilizer, increased lodging resistance, maize yield, and improved grain quality and yield stability. Under the straw return treatment, with potassium application compared to no potassium application, significant increases were observed in maize plant height, stem diameter, dry weight of stems, stem compressive strength, stem bending strength, grain protein content, yield, straw potassium accumulation content, and soil available potassium content. These increases were up to 30.79 cm, 2.63 mm, 15.40 g, 74.93 N/mm2, 99.65 N/mm2, 13.68%, 3142.43 kg/hm2, 57.97 kg/hm2, and 19.80 mg/kg, respectively. Therefore, the interaction of straw return and potassium fertilizer was found to be the most effective measure for maintaining high-yield and stress-resistant cultivation, improving grain quality, and optimizing the management of straw and potassium fertilizer resources. This approach is suitable for promotion and application in the spring maize growing areas of Inner Mongolia.

AMMI an GGE biplot analysis of grain yield for drought-tolerant maize hybrid selection in Inner Mongolia.

Due to the ongoing global warming, maize production worldwide is expected to be heavily inflicted by droughts. The grain yield of maize hybrids is an important factor in evaluating their suitability and stability. In this study, we utilized the AMMI model and GGE biplot to analyze grain yield of 20 hybrids from the three tested environments in Inner Mongolia in 2018 and 2019, aiming at selecting drought-tolerant maize hybrids. AMMI variance analysis revealed highly significant difference on main effects for genotype, environment, and their interaction. Furthermore, G11 (DK159) and G15 (JKY3308) exhibited favorable productivity and stability across all three test environments. Moreover, G10 (LH1) emerged as the most stable hybrid according to the AMMI analysis and the GGE biplot. Bayannur demonstrated the highest identification ability among the three tested sites. Our study provides accurate identification for drought-resilient maize hybrids in different rain-fed regions. These findings can contribute to the selection of appropriate hybrids that exhibit productivity, stability, and adaptability in drought-prone conditions.

Low-temperature corn straw-degrading bacterial agent and moisture effects on indigenous microbes.

While the in situ return of corn straw can improve soil fertility and farmland ecology, additional bacterial agents are required in low-temperature areas of northern China to accelerate straw degradation. Moisture is an important factor affecting microbial activity; however, owing to a lack of bacterial agents adapted to low-temperature complex soil environments, the effects of soil moisture on the interaction between exogenous bacterial agents and indigenous soil microorganisms remain unclear. To this end, we explored the effect of the compound bacterial agent CFF constructed using Pseudomonas putida and Acinetobacter lwoffii, developed to degrade corn straw in low-temperature soils (15 °C), on indigenous bacterial and fungal communities under dry (10% moisture content), slightly wet (20%), and wet (30%) soil-moisture conditions. The results showed that CFF application significantly affected the α-diversity of bacterial communities and changed both bacterial and fungal community structures, enhancing the correlation between microbial communities and soil-moisture content. CFF application also changed the network structure and the species of key microbial taxa, promoting more linkages among microbial genera. Notably, with an increase in soil moisture, CFF enhanced the rate of corn straw degradation by inducing positive interactions between bacterial and fungal genera and enriching straw degradation-related microbial taxa. Overall, our study demonstrates the alteration of indigenous microbial communities using bacterial agents (CFF) to overcome the limitations of indigenous microorganisms for in situ straw-return agriculture in low-temperature areas. KEY POINTS: • Low-temperature and variable moisture conditions (10-30%) were compared • Soil microbial network structure and linkages between genera were altered • CFF improves straw degradation via positive interactions between soil microbes.

Novel risk-factor analysis and risk-evaluation model of falls in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis.

This study investigated the prevalence of falls in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients, and established a nomogram model for evaluating the fall risk of MHD patients. This study enrolled 303 MHD patients from the dialysis department of a tertiary hospital in July 2021. The general data of the participants, as well as the scores on the FRAIL scale, Sarcopenia Screening Questionnaire (SARC-F), Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) Scale, and of anxiety and depression, and the occurrence of falls were recorded. Using R language, data were assigned to the training set (n = 212) and test set (n = 91), and a logistic regression model was established. The regression model was verified by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, area under the curve (AUC), and the calibration curve. As a result, the prevalence of falls in MHD patients was 20.46%. Risk factors for falls in the optimal multivariate logistic regression model included hearing impairment, the depression score, and the SPPB score, of which a higher depression score (odds ratio (OR): 1.28, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09-1.49, p = 0.002) and SPPB ≤ 6 (ORvsSPPB9-12: 3.69, 95% CI: 1.04-13.14, p = 0.043) conferred independent risk for falls. AUC of the nomogram in the training was 0.773, which in the test group was 0.663. The calibration and standard curves were fitted closely, indicated that the evaluation ability of the model was good. Thus, a higher depression score and SPPB ≤ 6 are independent risk factors for falls in MHD patients, and the nomogram with good accuracy and discrimination that was established in this study has clinical application value.

Improving maize quality from mechanical grain harvesting by matching maize varieties with accumulated temperature in northeast China.

BACKGROUND: Global warming has led to methods of planting late-maturing maize varieties in northeast China that have hindered the development of physiological maturity (PM) at harvest and the use of mechanical grain harvesting (MGH). Under these conditions it is difficult to balance the drying characteristics of maize varieties and to make full use of accumulated temperature resources in such a way as to reduce grain moisture content (GMC) at harvest. RESULTS: The effective accumulated temperature (AcT) and the drying rates of different varieties vary. In northeast China, with a GMC of 25%, the growth periods of a fast-drying variety (FDV) and a slow-drying variety (SDV) were 114-192 days and 110-188 days respectively. After PM, the FDV needed 47 days and the SDV needed 51 days to reduce the GMC to be ready for MGH. Harvested with a GMC of 20%, the growth period for the FDV was 97-175 days and for the SDV it was 90-171 days. After PM, the FDV required 64 days and the SDV needed 70 days to reduce the GMC to be ready for MGH. CONCLUSION: Matching cultivars with AcT can help farmers to choose suitable varieties. Promoting MGH may boost maize production, thus ensuring China's food security. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Impacts of cognition of exercise on physical activity participation in hemodialysis patients.

INTRODUCTION: Physical inactivity is a strong predictor of mortality in hemodialysis patients. Although regular physical activity reduces mortality, patients remain inactive. Comparing the cognition of exercise in hemodialysis patients with different physical activity status could highlight domains where inactive people experience heightened barriers to physical activity. We therefore assessed patients' perceived benefits and barriers to exercise using a standardized way, thereby informing future exercise interventions to address these barriers experienced by inactive patients. METHODS: ESRD patients undergoing hemodialysis were recruited and asked to complete a human activity profile, wear a pedometer for seven consecutive days, and complete the Dialysis Patient-perceived Exercise Benefits and Barriers Scale (DPEBBS). Binominal Logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine which benefits and barriers are associated with physical activity. This cross-sectional observational study was registered as NCT05189795. RESULTS: A total of 505 patients completed the survey, most of whom were male (67.1%), with an average age of 49.69 ± 13.96 years. And 52.67-76.63% patients on HAP questionnaire were inactive. The co-benefits in active patients were improving mood and prevention of muscle wasting but did not reach significance in physical activity level. Tiredness, muscle fatigue, and lack of knowledge of exercise were common barriers to patients, and all have a significant impact on a patient's physical activity level. CONCLUSIONS: For inactive patients, exercise during hemodialysis can not only improve physical activity but also reduce family burden. And improving physical activity is a long-term project that cannot be separated from the support of hemodialysis medical staff.

Community succession and functional prediction of microbial consortium with straw degradation during subculture at low temperature.

To systematically explore and analyze the microbial composition and function of microbial consortium M44 with straw degradation in the process of subculture at low temperature. In this study, straw degradation characteristics of samples in different culture stages were determined. MiSeq high-throughput sequencing technology was used to analyze the evolution of community structure and its relationship with degradation characteristics of microbial consortium in different culture periods, and the PICRUSt function prediction analysis was performed. The results showed that straw degradation rate, endoglucanase activity, and filter paper enzyme activity of M44 generally decreased with increasing culture algebra. The activities of xylanase, laccase, and lignin peroxidase, as well as VFA content, showing a single-peak curve change with first an increase and then decrease. In the process of subculture, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes were dominant in different culture stages. Pseudomonas, Flavobacterium, Devosia, Brevundimonas, Trichococcus, Acinetobacter, Dysgonomonas, and Rhizobium were functional bacteria in different culture stages. It was found by PICRUSt function prediction that the functions were concentrated in amino acid transport and metabolism, carbohydrate transship and metabolism related genes, which may contain a large number of fibers and lignin degrading enzyme genes. In this study, the microbial community succession and the gene function in different culture periods were clarified and provide a theoretical basis for screening and rational utilization of microbial consortia.

Adherence to High Dietary Diversity and Incident Cognitive Impairment for the Oldest-Old: A Community-Based, Nationwide Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Dietary diversity change is associated with cognitive function, however, whether the effect still exists among the oldest-old (80+) is unclear. Our aim was to examine the effect of dietary diversity changes on cognitive impairment for the oldest-old in a large prospective cohort. METHODS: Within the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Study, 6237 adults older than 80 years were included. The dietary diversity score (DDS) was assessed by a simplified food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Cognitive impairment was defined as a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score lower than 18 points. Cognitive decline was defined as a reduction of total MMSE score ≥3 points, and cognitive decline of different subdomains was defined as a reduction of ≥15% in the corresponding cognitive domain. The multivariate-adjusted Cox proportional hazard model evaluated the effects of DDS change on cognitive decline. The linear mixed-effect model was used to test subsequent changes in MMSE over the years. RESULTS: During 32,813 person-years of follow-up, 1829 participants developed cognitive impairment. Relative to the high-high DDS change pattern, participants in the low-low and high-low patterns were associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment with a hazard ratio (95% confidential interval, CI) of 1.43 (1.25, 1.63) and 1.44 (1.24, 1.67), and a faster decline in the MMSE score over the follow-up year. Participants with the low-high pattern had a similar incidence of cognitive impairment with HRs (95% CI) of 1.03 (0.88, 1.20). Compared with the stable DDS status group (-1-1), the risk of cognitive impairment was higher for those with large declines in DDS (≤-5) and the HR was 1.70 (95% CI: 1.44, 2.01). CONCLUSIONS: Even for people older than 80, dietary diversity change is a simple method to identify those who had a high risk of cognitive decline. Keeping high dietary diversity is beneficial for cognitive function and its subdomain even in the final phase of life, especially for females and the illiterate oldest-old.

Comprehensive application of bio-char and nitrogen fertilizer in dry-land maize cultivation.

Drought stress and the scarcity of nitrogen fertilizer are two of the important abiotic factors affecting maize growth. Bio-char can enhance the maize yield. Therefore, two field experiments were carried out in the 2 years (2019-2020) to study the effects of nitrogen fertilizer at three levels and four levels of bio-char on endogenous protective enzymes, dry matter accumulation, and yield of the maize 'Xianyu 335' under two different irrigation methods. A split-plot system in three replications was established to conduct the field trials. Two irrigation methods (Regular irrigation and Irregular irrigation) were in the main plots, three nitrogen fertilization levels (0, 150, 300 kg h-1 m2) were in sub-plots, and four bio-char levels (0, 8, 16, 24 t h-1 m-2) were in the sub-sub plots. Each sub-plot consisted of 9 rows with 5 m length and 0.6 m width, and each sub-plot area was 30 m2 in the 2 years. The results indicated that the irrigation methods, the nitrogen, and bio-char supply significantly affected the maize endogenous protective enzymes, dry matter accumulation, and yield in the 2 years. Under the same irrigation method, nitrogen fertilizer and bio-char significantly improved the endogenous protective enzyme activity, dry matter accumulation, and yield of maize compared to the treatment without nitrogen fertilizer and bio-char. The above characteristics improved with increased bio-char supply and nitrogen fertilization at 150 kg h-1 m-2. The treatment of C24N150 recorded the highest values for the parameters of maize endogenous protective enzymes activity, dry matter accumulation, and yield under different irrigation methods during the two harvest seasons.

Community succession and straw degradation characteristics using a microbial decomposer at low temperature.

This study explored changes in the microbial community structure during straw degradation by a microbial decomposer, M44. The microbial community succession at different degradation periods was analyzed using MiSeq high-throughput sequencing. The results showed that 14 days after inoculation, the filter paper enzyme and endoglucanase activities increased to 2.55 U·mL-1 and 2.34 U·mL-1. The xylanase, laccase, and lignin peroxidase activities rose to 9.86 U·mL-1, 132.16 U·L-1, and 85.43 U·L-1 after 28 d, which was consistent with changes in the straw degradation rate. The degradation rates of straw, lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose were 31.43%, 13.67%, 25.04%, and 21.69%, respectively, after 28 d of fermentation at 15°C. Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes were the main bacterial species in samples at different degradation stages. The dominant genera included Pseudomonas, Delftia, and Paenibacillus during the initial stage (1 d, 7 d) and the mid-term stage (14 d). The key functional microbes during the late stage (21 d, 28 d) were Rhizobium, Chryseobacterium, Sphingobacterium, Brevundimonas, and Devosia. Changes in the bacterial consortium structure and straw degradation characteristics during different degradation periods were clarified to provide a theoretical basis for the rational utilization of microbial decomposer M44.

Metagenomics study to compare the taxonomic composition and metabolism of a lignocellulolytic microbial consortium cultured in different carbon conditions.

A lignocellulolytic microbial consortium holds promise for the in situ biodegradation of crop straw and the comprehensive and effective utilization of agricultural waste. In this study, we applied metagenomics technology to comprehensively explore the metabolic functional potential and taxonomic diversity of the microbial consortia CS (cultured on corn stover) and FP (cultured on filter paper). Analyses of the data on metagenomics taxonomic affiliations revealed considerable differences in the taxonomic composition and carbohydrate-active enzymes profile of the microbial consortia CS and FP. Pseudomonas, Dysgonomonas and Sphingobacterium in CS and Cellvibrio and Pseudomonas in FP had a much wider distribution of lignocellulose degradative ability. The genes for more lignocellulose degradative enzymes were detected when the relatively simple substrate filter paper was used as the carbon source. Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COG) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) annotation analyses revealed considerable levels of similarity, and carbohydrate metabolic and amino acid metabolic pathways were the most enriched in CS and FP, respectively. The mechanism used by the two microbial consortia to degrade lignocellulose was similar, but the annotation of quantity of genes indicated that they are diverse and vary greatly. These data underlie the interactions between microorganisms and the synergism of enzymes during the degradative process of lignocellulose under different substrates and suggest the development of potential microbial resources.

Potentials of straw return and potassium supply on maize (Zea mays L.) photosynthesis, dry matter accumulation and yield.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is considered one of the most important grains in the world. Straw return has the effect of reducing soil bulk density and increasing soil porosity. Straw returning and potassium fertilizer can supplement soil potassium content. The improvement of soil structure and the optimization of soil nutrient levels provide a good environment for high yield and high efficiency of maize. Therefore, three field experiments were carried out over a three-year period (2018-2020) to study the effects of straw returning on photosynthesis, dry matter accumulation and yield of maize 'Xianyu 335' under two different fertilization methods and four potassium application levels. The results showed that straw returning and potassium application had significant effects on the above indicators. The above indicators were significantly improved by deep tillage straw returning compared with no tillage straw returning. Increasing potassium supply can promote the effect of straw returning. The photosynthesis, dry matter accumulation and yield parameters of maize treated with straw returning and deep tillage combined with 60 kg/hm2 potassium fertilizer (SFK60) reached the highest in the three harvest seasons. The corn planting profit of SFK45 treatment is the highest, which is $1868.92 per ha. Therefore, SFK45 is an effective way to ensure stable and high yield of corn and maximize farmers' income.

Regulation of subsoiling tillage on the grain filling characteristics of maize varieties from different eras.

Grain filling is the key stage for achieving high grain yield. Subsoiling tillage, as an effective conservation tillage, has been widely used in the maize planting region of China. This study was conducted to explore the effects of subsoiling on the grain filling characteristics of maize varieties of different eras. Five typical maize varieties from different eras (1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s) were used as experimental materials with two tillage modalities (rotation tillage and subsoiling tillage). The characteristic parameters (Tmax: the time when the maximum grouting rate was reached, Wmax: the grain weight at the maximum filling rate, Rmax: the maximum grouting rate, P: the active grouting stage, Gmean: the average grouting rate; A: the ultimate growth mass) and rate parameters (T1: the grain filling duration of the gradually increasing stage, V1: the average grain filling rate of the gradually increasing stage, T2: he grain filling duration of the rapidly increasing stage, V2: the average grain filling rate of the rapidly increasing stage, T3: the grain filling duration of the slowly increasing stage, V3: the average grain filling rate of the slowly increasing stage) of grain filling of two tillage modalities were analyzed and compared. The results showed that the filling parameters closely correlated with the 100-kernel weight were significantly different among varieties from different eras, and the grain filling parameters of the 2010s variety were better than those of the other varieties, the P and Tmax prolonged by 4.06-19.25%, 5.88-27.53% respectively, the Rmax and Gmean improved by 5.68-14.81%, 4.76-12.82% and the Wmax increased by 10.14-32.58%. Moreover, the 2010s variety helped the V2 and V3 increase by 6.49-13.89%, 4.55-15.00%. In compared with rotation tillage, the grain yield of maize varieties from different eras increased by 4.28-7.15% under the subsoiling condition, while the 100-kernel weight increased by 3.53-5.06%. Under the same contrast conditions, subsoiling improved the Rmax, Wmax and Gmean by 1.23-4.86%, 4.01-5.96%, 0.25-2.50% respectively, delayed the Tmax by 4.04-5.80% and extended the P by 1.19-4.03%. These differences were major reasons for the significant increases in 100-kernel dry weight under the subsoiling condition. Moreover, subsoiling enhanced the V2 and V3 by 0.70-4.29%, 0.00-2.44%. The duration of each filling stage and filling rate of maize varieties from different eras showed different responses to subsoiling. Under the subsoiling condition, the average filling rate of the 1970-2010s varieties were improved by 1.18%, 0.34%, 0.57%, 1.57% and 2.69%. In the rapidly increasing period, the grain filling rate parameters of the 2010s variety were more sensitive to subsoiling than those of the other varieties. The rapidly increasing and slowly increasing period are the key period of grain filling. Since the 2010s variety and subsoiling all improve the grain filling rate parameters of two periods, we suggest that should select the variety with higher grain filling rate in the rapidly increasing and slowly increasing period, and combine subsoiling measures to improve the grain filling characteristic parameters of maize in production, so as to achieve the purpose of increasing 100 grain weight and yield.

The effect of intradialytic combined exercise on hemodialysis efficiency in end-stage renal disease patients: a randomized-controlled trial.

PURPOSE: Insufficient dialysis is a difficult problem for patients undergoing hemodialysis, and causes cardiovascular complications and increases mortality. Increasing aerobic exercise and resistance exercise have been shown to be beneficial to physical fitness of patients undergoing hemodialysis, but a few studies have focused on combined exercise (combination of aerobic and resistance exercise training) and the interaction effect of combined exercise and intervention duration on hemodialysis efficiency. This study aimed to investigate the effects of 24-week combined exercise on hemodialysis efficiency, blood pressure, exercise capacity, and quality of life in patients undergoing hemodialysis. METHODS: In total, 47 eligible subjects were randomly allocated to exercise group and control group. The intervention group performed a 24-week, three times weekly, and moderate-intensity intradialytic combined exercise. Patients in the control group received usual care. The primary outcome was hemodialysis efficiency, which recorded every 4 weeks. Secondary outcomes included blood pressure, exercise capacity, and quality of life, measured at baseline and after 24 weeks of intervention. RESULTS: In intervention group, sp Kt/V significantly improved by 13.2%, and systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure significantly decreased by 8.5 mmHg and 6.5 mmHg, respectively. The 6-min walking distance increased significantly by 43 m (9.8%), but there was no significant change in quality of life. CONCLUSION: Combined exercise and intervention duration had an interaction effect on hemodialysis efficiency. Combined exercise improved blood pressure and physical fitness for patients undergoing hemodialysis, but did not affect quality of life. The extensive benefits of combined exercise provide evidence for the exercise development for patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Physiological Basis of Heterosis for Nitrogen Use Efficiency of Maize.

Efficient use of nitrogen inputs for concurrent improvements in grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) has been recognized as a viable strategy for sustainable agriculture development. Yet, there is little research on the possible physiological basis of maize hybrid heterosis for NUE and measurable traits that are corresponding to the NUE heterosis. A field study was conducted for two years to evaluate the heterosis for NUE and determine the relationship between NUE and its physiological components. Two commercial hybrids, 'Xianyu335' and 'Zhengdan958', and their parental inbred lines, were grown at 0 (0 N) and 150 kg N ha-1 (150 N), in a randomized complete block design with four replications each year. Compared to their parental lines, both hybrids displayed a significant heterosis, up to 466%, for NUE. N internal efficiency (NIE) accounted for 52% of the variation in heterosis for NUE, while there was generally negligible heterosis for nitrogen recovery efficiency (NRE). Heterosis for NIE and thereby for NUE in maize was ascribed to (i) an earlier establishment of pre-anthesis source for N accumulation, which phenotypically exhibited as a faster leaf appearance rate with higher maximum LAI and photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency; (ii) a larger amount of N being remobilized from the vegetative tissues, especially from leaves, during the grain filling. Phenotypically, there was notably a rapid reduction in post-anthesis specific weights of leaf and stalk, but with maintained functionally stay-green ear leaves; and (iii) a higher productive efficiency per unit grain N, which was characterized by a reduced grain N concentration and enhanced sink strength.

Exercise Training and Outcomes in Hemodialysis Patients: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Inadequate dialysis, renal hypertension, and impaired exercise capacity are factors that affect the quality of life (QoL) and mortality of adults with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing hemodialysis (HD). This systematic review provided valid evidence about the effect of exercise training on single-pool Kt/V (sp Kt/V), blood pressure, and peak uptake oxygen (VO2 peak). METHOD: A systematic review and meta-analysis of published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated the effects of no <8 weeks' exercise training on the physical fitness outcomes for adults with ESRD undergoing HD were accepted in this study. RESULTS: Included 20 trials (677 participants) indicated that various exercise types improved aerobic capacity, walking capacity, and health-related QoL totally. Of note, aerobic exercise and combined exercise were the predominant exercise types. CONCLUSION: Based on our evidence, aerobic exercise or combined exercise at least for 8 weeks to 12 months, 3 times weekly, will be beneficial to physical conditions of the patients with ESRD undergoing HD. The clinical staff can treat patients with the evidence above. Future studies need to provide more information basis for the construction of patient exercise system by adding various exercise combinations.

Construction of nursing-sensitive quality indicators for haemodialysis using Delphi method.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To provide a set of nursing-sensitive quality indicators (NSQIs) for the evaluation of clinical nursing quality in haemodialysis unit. BACKGROUND: There are no established objective indicators for evaluation of the quality of nursing care in haemodialysis units in China. DESIGN AND METHODS: We performed a literature search for eligible studies published from 2006-2016. A total of six studies were screened out from which 13 potential NSQIs were identified. Two rounds of Delphi surveys were conducted with the purpose of collecting opinions from a panel of independent experts. At last, 11 NSQIs were selected by consensus after exclusion of 8 NSQIs and addition of another 6 NSQIs. RESULTS: Two rounds of expert inquiry were conducted; the questionnaire recovery rate was 100%. The average authoritative coefficients Cr for the two rounds were 0.79 and 0.90, respectively. The Kendall W values ranged from 0.273-0.388 (p < 0.001). Eleven NSQIs were identified: nurse-to-patient ratio, dialysis ultrafiltration rate compliance rate, KT/V compliance rate, incidence of emergency during haemodialysis, person-time incidence rate of haemodialysis catheter-related bloodstream infections, incidence of coagulation in extracorporeal circulation, incidence of blood loss in extracorporeal circulation, incidence of pseudoaneurysm induced by fistula puncture, incidence of falls among haemodialysis patients, emergency dialysis rate of outpatients and incidence of fistula complications. CONCLUSION: The identified NSQIs reflect three aspects of haemodialysis nursing quality: importance, rationality of calculation formula and applicability of data collection methods. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The study provides a reference for the evaluation of clinical nursing quality in haemodialysis units.