Efficacy of Femoral Neck System Fixation vs KHS Femoral Neck Dynamic Compression Locking Plate System in Femoral Neck Fracture.

Background: Femoral neck fracture is acknowledged as one of the common injuries in clinical orthopedics. Our study was aimed at investigating the efficacy of femoral neck fixation vs the KHS dynamic compression locking plate system in the treatment of femoral neck fracture. Methods: This was a prospective study. A toteal of 90 patients with femoral neck fracture who were admitted to The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University in Shijiazhuang, China from August 2017 to March 2020 were enrolled in our study. The patients were randomly divided into the control group (45 patients allocated to intervention with the novel femoral neck dynamic compression locking plate system) and the study group (45 patients who underwent femoral neck system fixation). Intraoperative blood loss, surgery duration, fracture healing time and related complications in the 2 groups were monitored and evaluated. The recovery of hip joint function at different times in the 2 groups were closely monitored. Results: The 2 groups completed the surgery process, and the incision healed. All patients were followed up for 6 to 8 months, with an average follow-up time of 7.01 ± 0.21 months. Surgery duration, length of hospital stay and fracture healing time in the study group were significantly lower than in the control group (P < .05), while no significant difference was found in intraoperative blood loss between the 2 groups (P > .05). At 1 and 3 months after surgery, hip joint function in the study group was significantly higher than in the control group (P < .05), but 6 months after surgery, there was no significant difference between the 2 groups (P > .05). There were no complications in the study group, whereas 1 patient had a complication in the control group. The total incidence of complications in the study group was lower than in the control group, but the difference was not significant (P > .05). Conclusion: Femoral neck system fixation demonstrated superior efficacy to the KHS femoral neck dynamic compression locking plate system in femoral neck fracture, and is considered as a valid method for wide application.

Selenium-enriched Bacillus subtilis Improves Growth Performance, Antioxidant Capacity, Immune Status, and Gut Health of Broiler Chickens.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of selenium (Se)-enriched Bacillus subtilis (Se-BS) on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immune status, and gut health in broilers. A total of 240 one-day-old Arbor Acres broilers were randomly allotted to four groups and fed with basal diet (control group), 0.30 mg/kg Se (SS group), 3 × 109 CFU/g B. subtilis (BS group), and 0.30 mg/kg Se + 3 × 109 CFU/g B. subtilis (Se-BS group) for 42 days. The results showed that Se-BS supplementation increased body weight (BW), average daily gain, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and the contents of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, and immunoglobulin (Ig) G in plasma, the index and wall thickness of the duodenum, the villus height and crypt depth of the jejunum, and GPx-1 and thioredoxin reductase 1 mRNA levels in liver and intestine and decreased feed conversion ratio (FCR) and plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) content compared with the control group on day 42 (P < 0.05). Compared with groups SS and BS, Se-BS supplementation increased BW, the activities of GPx, CAT, and POD, and the contents of IL-2, IL-4, and IgG in plasma, the index and wall thickness of the duodenum, the crypt depth and secretory IgA content of the jejunum, and GPx-1 mRNA levels in liver and intestine and decreased FCR and plasma MDA content on day 42 (P < 0.05). In conclusion, Se-BS supplementation effectively improved the growth performance antioxidant capacity, immune status, and gut health of broilers.

Screening and characterization estrogen receptor ligands from Arnebia euchroma (Royle) Johnst. via affinity ultrafiltration LC-MS and molecular docking.

Arnebiae Radix (dried root of Arnebia euchroma (Royle) Johnst.) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) used to treat macular eruptions, measles, sore throat, carbuncles, burns, skin ulcers, and inflammations. The Arnebiae Radix extract can exert anti-breast cancer effects through various mechanisms of action. This study aimed to rapidly screen potential estrogen receptor (estrogen receptor α and estrogen receptor ß) ligands from the Arnebiae Radix extract. In this study, an analytical method based on affinity ultrafiltration coupled with UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry was established for rapidly screening and identifying estrogen receptor ligands. Then, bindings of the components to the active site of estrogen receptor (estrogen receptor α and estrogen receptor ß) were investigated via molecular docking. Moreover, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) experiments with six compounds were performed to verify the affinity. As a result, a total of 21 ligands were screened from Arnebiae Radix using affinity ultrafiltration. Among them, 14 and 10 compounds from Arnebiae Radix showed affinity with estrogen receptor α and estrogen receptor ß, respectively. All of those ligands could have a good affinity for the multiple amino acid residues of the estrogen receptor based on molecular docking. In addition, six compounds display the great affinity by SPR. The method established in the study could be used to rapidly screen estrogen receptor ligands in Traditional Chinese medicine. The results demonstrated that the affinity ultrafiltration-UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry method not only aids in the interpretation of the potential bioactive components and possible mechanisms of action of Arnebiae Radix but also provides a further effective basis for the quality control of this valuable herb medicine.

PD-1 engineered cytomembrane cloaked molybdenum nitride for synergistic photothermal and enhanced immunotherapy of breast cancer.

Incomplete tumor ablation and subsequent tumor metastasis usually occur during photothermal anti-tumor processes. The combination of photothermal and immunotherapy has proven to be a promising method to conquer technical challenges. Inhibiting the programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1)/programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) immune pathway represents one of the most successful immunotherapy strategies. Whereas, the PD-L1 expression level significantly differs, leading to a relatively low response rate to the immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) approaches. Therefore, improving the expression level of PD-L1 becomes one potential method to enhance the response rate. Herein, NIH 3T3 cells were educated to steadily express PD-1 protein. Furthermore, the synthesized molybdenum nitride was then coated with PD-1 protein-modified cytomembrane, which endows it with immune checkpoint blocking capability. Moreover, under the irradiation of near-infrared light, the local mild heat released from the molybdenum nitride causes the apoptosis of tumor cells. More importantly, the elevated temperature simultaneously helps elevate the expression level of PD-L1, further enhancing the response rate of ICB. Finally, the PD-1 cytomembrane coatings interact with the upregulated PD-L1, leading to the activation of the immune system. In summary, we confirmed that the PD-1 protein-coated molybdenum nitride could synergistically ablate tumors and avoid metastasis.

Ammonium improved cell wall and cell membrane P reutilization and external P uptake in a putrescine and ethylene dependent pathway.

Ammonium promotes rice P uptake and reutilization better than nitrate, under P starvation conditions; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, ammonium treatment significantly increased putrescine and ethylene content in rice roots under P deficient conditions, by increasing the protein content of ornithine decarboxylase and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) oxidase compared with nitrate treatment. Ammonium treatment increased rice root cell wall P release by increasing pectin content and pectin methyl esterase (PME) activity, increased rice shoot cell membrane P release by decreasing phosphorus-containing lipid components, and maintained internal P homeostasis by increasing OsPT2/6/8 expression compared with nitrate treatment. Ammonium also improved external P uptake by regulating root morphology and increased rice grain yield by increasing the panicle number compared with nitrate treatment. The application of putrescine and ethylene synthesis precursor ACC further improved the above process. Our results demonstrate for the first time that ammonium increases rice P acquisition, reutilization, and homeostasis, and rice grain yield, in a putrescine- and ethylene-dependent manner, better than nitrate, under P starvation conditions.

Systematic Screening of Chemical Constituents in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Arnebiae Radix by UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry.

Arnebiae Radix (dried root of Arnebia euchroma (Royle) Johnst.) has been used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to treat macular eruptions, measles, sore throat, carbuncles, burns, skin ulcers, and inflammation. Previous studies have shown that shikonins and shikonofurans are two of their main bioactive ingredients. However, systematic investigations of their constituents have rarely been conducted. It is necessary to establish a rapid and effective method to identify the chemical constituents of Arnebiae Radix. This will help to further improve the effective resource utilization rate of this plant. In this study, a rapid and effective UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry method was established to simultaneously analyze chemical ingredients in Arnebiae Radix within a short period of time. Based on the results of a full scan MS, the MS2 database (mzVault and mzCloud), the diagnostic fragment ions, the retention time, and the bibliography, a total of 188 compounds were identified, with 114 of those being reported from Arnebiae Radix for the first time. The results of this study lay the foundation for obtaining a thorough understanding of the active ingredients in Arnebiae Radix and its quality control. This method may be widely used for the chemical characterization of different samples.

Unearthing the alleviatory mechanisms of hydrogen sulfide in aluminum toxicity in rice.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) improves aluminum (Al) resistance in rice, however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In the present study, treatment with 30-µM Al significantly inhibited rice root growth and increased the total Al content, apoplastic and cytoplasm Al concentration in the rice roots. However, pretreatment with NaHS (H2S donor) reversed these negative effects. Pretreatment with NaHS significantly increased energy production under Al toxicity conditions, such as by increasing the content of ATP and nonstructural carbohydrates. In addition, NaHS stimulated the AsA-GSH cycle to decrease the peroxidation damage induced by Al toxicity. Pretreatment with NaHS significantly inhibited ethylene emissions in the rice and then inhibited pectin synthesis and increased the pectin methylation degree to reduce cell wall Al deposition. The phytohormones indole-3-acetic and brassinolide were also involved in the alleviation of Al toxicity by H2S. The transcriptome results further confirmed that H2S alleviates Al toxicity by increasing the pathways relating to material and energy metabolism, redox reactions, cell wall components, and signal transduction. These findings improve our understanding of how H2S affects rice responses to Al toxicity, which will facilitate further studies on crop safety.

Identification of the metabolites of isochlorogenic acid A in rats by UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS.

CONTENT: Isochlorogenic acid A, one of the main components of Duhaldea nervosa (Wallich ex Candolle) A. Anderberg (Asteraceae), is a folk medicine used to treat a variety of diseases including fracture and rheumatoid arthritis. Despite its widespread use, the metabolism of isochlorogenic acid A in vivo has not been fully studied. OBJECTIVE: An analytical strategy based on UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS is proposed for the detection and identification of the metabolites of isochlorogenic acid A in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six male Sprague-Dawley rats (180 ± 20 g) were randomly divided into two groups. Then, blood and tissue samples were obtained after oral administration of isochlorogenic acid A (200 mg/kg). All the samples were pre-treated by the Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) method. Next, the samples were analysed by UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS. Finally, the metabolites were identified based on the metabolomic workflow template. RESULTS: A total of 33 metabolites were identified in rat plasma, with 30 of them being reported for the first time. The distribution of all metabolites in tissues was first investigated, three of them were widely distributed in liver, lungs, and kidneys. The corresponding reactions including methylation, hydrolysis, sulphate conjugation, glucuronide conjugation, as well as their composite reactions, are reported in this study. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: This method has wide-scale application prospects in the identification of metabolites. Considering that limited research has been conducted in this area, this study proposes metabolic pathways to further understand mechanisms of isochlorogenic acid A and the forms that are truly effective in vivo.

Hydrogen peroxide alleviates P starvation in rice by facilitating P remobilization from the root cell wall.

Phosphorus (P) deficiency limits rice production. Increasing the remobilization of P stored in the root cell wall is an efficient way to alleviate P starvation in rice. In the current study, we found that the addition of 50 µM H2O2 significantly increased soluble P content in rice. H2O2 stimulated pectin biosynthesis and increased pectin methylesterase (PME) activity, thus stimulating the release of P from the cell wall in roots. H2O2 also regulates internal P homeostasis by increasing the expression of P transporter genes OsPT2, OsPT6, and OsPT8 at different treatment times. In addition, the H2O2 treatment increased the expression of nitrate reductase (NR) genes OsNIA1 and OsNIA2 and the activity of NR, then increased the accumulation of nitric oxide (NO) in the rice root. The application of the NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and the H2O2 scavenger 4-hydroxy-TEMPO significantly increased soluble P content by increasing pectin levels and PME activity to enhance the remobilization of P from the cell wall. However, the addition of NO scavenger 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4, 4, 5, 5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (c-PTIO) with and without H2O2 had the opposite effect, suggesting that NO functions downstream of H2O2 to increase the remobilization of cell wall P in rice.

Ammonium mitigates Cd toxicity in rice (Oryza sativa) via putrescine-dependent alterations of cell wall composition.

In plants, different forms of nitrogen (NO3- or NH4+) affect nutrient uptake and environmental stress responses. In the present study, we tested whether NO3- and NH4+ affect the ability of rice (Oryza sativa) to tolerate the toxic heavy metal cadmium (Cd). Compared with NO3-, NH4+ treatment significantly increased chlorophyll contents and reduced Cd2+ levels in rice cultivars Nipponbare (japonica) and Kasalath (indica) grown in 0.2 mM Cd2+. NH4+ significantly reduced the pectin and hemicellulose contents and inhibited the pectin methylesterase (PME) activity in rice roots, thereby reducing the negative charges in the cell wall and decreasing the accumulation of Cd2+ in roots. In addition, NH4+ reduced the absorption and root-to-shoot translocation of Cd2+ by decreasing the expression of OsHMA2 and OsNramp5 in the root. Levels of the signaling molecule putrescine were significantly higher in the roots of both rice cultivars provided with NH4+ compared with NO3-. The addition of putrescine reduced Cd2+ contents in both rice cultivars and increased the chlorophyll content in shoots by reducing root cell wall pectin and hemicellulose contents, inhibiting PME activity and suppressing the expression of OsHMA2 and OsNramp5 in the root. Taken together, these results indicate that NH4+ treatment alleviated Cd toxicity, enabling rice to withstand the noxious effects of Cd by modifying the cell wall Cd-binding capacity due to alterations of pectin and hemicellulose contents and Cd transport, processes induced by increasing putrescine levels. Our findings suggest methods to decrease Cd accumulation in rice by applying NH4+ fertilizers.

Electroacupuncture exerts neuroprotective effects on ischemia/reperfusion injury in JNK knockout mice: the underlying mechanism.

Simple regulation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) or p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways is not enough to trigger cell apoptosis. However, activation of the stress activated pathway (JNK/p38 MAPK) together with inhibition of the growth factor activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway can promote cell apoptosis. We hypothesized that inhibition of the JNK or p38 pro-apoptotic pathway and activating the ERK pathway could be the mechanism of anti-apoptosis following cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. To investigate the mechanism of the protective effect of electroacupuncture on cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in JNK knockout mice, mouse models of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury were established by Longa's method. Electroacupuncture was conducted at acupoints Chize (LU5), Hegu (LI4), Sanyinjiao (SP6) and Zusanli (ST36) 1.5 hours after ischemia/reperfusion injury for 20 minutes, once a day. The neurological function was evaluated using neurological deficit scores. The expression of phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK) and phospho-p38 (p-p38) in JNK knockout mice was detected using double-labeling immunofluorescence and western blot assay. The mRNA expression of ERK and p38 was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Electroacupuncture improved neurological function, increased the immunoreactivity and relative expression of p-ERK and reduced that of p-p38 in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus on the injured side. Electroacupuncture increased mRNA expression of ERK, but decreased that of p38 in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus on the injured side. In conclusion, electroacupuncture upregulated the protective ERK pathway and inhibited the pro-apoptotic p38 pathway, thereby exerting a neuroprotective effect and improving the neurological function in JNK knockout mice.

Reduced graphene oxide coated Cu2-xSe nanoparticles for targeted chemo-photothermal therapy.

Recently, copper chalcogenide semiconductors have been reported as new near-infrared (NIR) photothermal agents. However, it is difficult to modify them with recognition molecules, and their photothermal conversion efficiencies are relatively low, making it difficult to achieve the targeted photothermal ablation of cancer cells with a high efficiency. In this study, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) was first coated on the surface of Cu2-xSe nanoparticles (NPs) to provide abundant functional groups for the next modification and to increase the photothermal conversion efficiency. Then, doxorubicin (DOX) was loaded and folic acid (FA) molecules were covalently linked onto the surface of Cu2-xSe/rGO nanocomposites. The formed DOX@Cu2-xSe@rGO-FA nanocomposites were successfully used as chemo-photothermal agents for the targeted killing of cancer cells by utilizing the recognition ability of FA, chemotherapy effect of DOX and photothermal effects of rGO and Cu2-xSe NPs. Under the 980-nm NIR laser irradiation, the nanocomposites showed significantly enhanced chemo-photothermal therapy effect, which can be potentially applied in the nanomedicine field.

A High Throughput Micro-Chamber Array Device for Single Cell Clonal Cultivation and Tumor Heterogeneity Analysis.

Recently, single cell cloning techniques have been gradually developed benefited from their important roles in monoclonal antibody screening, tumor heterogeneity research fields, etc. In this study, we developed a high throughput device containing 1400 lateral chambers to efficiently isolate single cells and carry out long-term single cell clonal cultivation as well as tumor heterogeneity studies. Most of the isolated single cells could proliferate normally nearly as long as three weeks and hundreds of clones could be formed once with one device, which made it possible to study tumor heterogeneity at single cell level. The device was further used to examine tumor heterogeneity such as morphology, growth rate, anti-cancer drug tolerance as well as adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette (ABC) transporter ABCG2 protein expression level. Except for the single cell isolation and tumor heterogeneity studies, the device is expected to be used as an excellent platform for drug screening, tumor biomarker discovering and tumor metastasis assay.

The reproductive toxicity of saponins isolated from Cortex Albiziae in female mice.

Saponin frsom Cortex Albiziae (SCA) are extensively used in the clinical treatment of tumor and depression. However, SCA may cause several adverse effects, including reproductive toxicity. The present study was designed to assess the mechanism by which SCA cause reproductive toxicity in female mice. The general reproductive toxicity testing was accomplished in female Kunming mice. The animals were divided into four groups: three groups that were treated by oral gavage with 135, 270, and 540 mg·kg(-1)·d(-1) of SCA prepared in physiological saline, respectively, and one vehicle control group that was treated with physiological saline only. The gestational toxicity tests were conducted at 540 mg·kg(-1)·d(-1). The general reproductive toxicity results showed that the pregnancy rate of the SCA-treated group decreased with the pregnancy rate being decreased by 70% at 540 mg·kg(-1)·d(-1). SCA elicited maternal toxicity in the ovary and the uterus, but no fetal toxicity or teratogenicity was observed. The rates of implantation in the early, middle, and late pregnancy were all decreased, with stillbirths and maternal deaths being observed. Histopathological changes showed that SCA adversely affected the ovary and the uterus. In conclusion, SCA-induced reproductive toxicity in female mice is most likely caused by its damage to the ovary and the uterus.

Reduced graphene oxide gated mesoporous silica nanoparticles as a versatile chemo-photothermal therapy system through pH controllable release.

Synergistic therapy has become a potential treatment in the battle against disease. In this work, we developed a novel versatile folate targeted system for cancer cells with the combination of chemotherapy and phototherapy by using mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) as a drug loading carrier, in which reduced graphene oxide (rGO) gated the MSNs by pH responsive detachment. That is, rGO herein acts not only for gating control of the drug release but also for near-infrared photothermal therapy. With this drug loading system, high photothermal conversion efficiency and excellent doxorubicin (DOX) loading capacity have been achieved, making the DOX loaded MSN@rGO-FA (DOX@MSN@rGO-FA) nanocomposites able to kill 68% of HEp-2 cells in synergistic therapy, as compared with 54% in photothermal therapy and 33% in chemotherapy, respectively, illustrating that a synergistic therapy strategy using this newly developed versatile drug loading system is much more efficient as evaluated in vitro.

Evaluating oxidation-reduction properties of dissolved organic matter from Chinese milk vetch (Astragalus sinicus L.): a comprehensive multi-parametric study.

Green manuring is a common practice in replenishment of soil organic matter and nutrients in rice paddy field. Owing to the complex interplay of multiple factors, the oxidation--reduction (redox) properties of dissolved organic matter (DOM) from green manure crops are presently not fully understood. In this study, a variety of surrogate parameters were used to evaluate the redox capacity and redox state of DOM derived from Chinese milk vetch (CMV, Astragalus sinicus L.) via microbial decomposition under continuously flooded (CF) and non-flooded (NF) conditions. Additionally, the correlation between the surrogate parameters of CMV-DOM and the kinetic parameters of relevant redox reactions was evaluated in a soil-water system containing CMV-DOM. Results showed that the redox properties of CMV-DOM were substantially different between the fresh and decomposed CMV-DOM treatments. Determination of the surrogate parameters via ultraviolet-visible/Fourier transform infrared absorption spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography generally provided high-quality data for predicting the redox capacity of CMV-DOM, while the surrogate parameters determined by elemental analysis were suitable for predicting the redox state of CMV-DOM. Depending on the redox capacity and redox state of various moieties/components, NF-decomposed CMV-DOM could easily accelerate soil reduction by shuttling electrons to iron oxides, because it contained more reversible redox-active functional groups (e.g. quinone and hydroquinone pairs) than CF-decomposed CMV-DOM. This work demonstrates that a single index cannot interpret complex changes in multiple factors that jointly determine the redox reactivity of CMV-DOM. Thus, a multi-parametric study is needed for providing comprehensive information on the redox properties of green manure DOM.

Synthesis, characterization, and anti-cancer activity of emodin-Mn(II) metal complex.

To synthesize and characterize a novel metal complex of Mn (II) with emodin, and evaluate its anti-cancer activity. The elemental analyses, IR, UV-vis, atomic absorption spectroscopy, TG-DSC, (1)H NMR, and (13)C NMR data were used to characterize the structure of the complex. The cytotoxicity of the complex against the human cancer cell lines HepG2, HeLa, MCF-7, B16, and MDA-MB-231 was tested by the MTT assay and flow cytometry. Emodin was coordinated with Mn(II) through the 9-C=O and 1-OH, and the general formula of the complex was Mn(II) (emodin)2·2H2O. In studies of the cytotoxicity, the complex exhibited significant activity, and the IC50 values of the complex against five cancer cell lines improved approximately three-fold compared with those of emodin. The complex could induce cell morphological changes, decrease the percentage of viability, and induce G0/G1 phase arrest and apoptosis in cancer cells. The coordination of emodin with Mn(II) can improve its anticancer activity, and the complex Mn(II) (emodin)2·2H2O could be studied further as a promising anticancer drug.

[Selenium cycling and transformation in paddy field and selenium nutrition of rice: a review].

Due to the alternate variation of soil redox potential and the particularity of soil components in paddy field, the selenium (Se) cycling and transformation in paddy soil are obviously different from those in upland soil, and can affect the Se availability in soil and the Se absorption and accumulation by rice. To deeply understand the Se cycling and transformation in paddy soil and the Se absorption and accumulation by rice is of great importance in studying the transformation of soil inorganic Se to organic Se. This paper summarized the researches on the cycling mechanisms and form transformation of Se in paddy soil and the metabolic mechanisms and absorption characteristics of Se by rice, and discussed the present status and development trend of the studies on the Se transformation in soil-rice system and the Se translocation in rice plant, which could provide references for the study of soil Se availability and the cultivation of Se-enriched rice.

[Effects of top pruning on fruiting characters of Platycodon grandiflorum].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of top pruning on fruiting characters of Platycodon grandiflorum, and find the suitable stage, in which seed growth and development furtherly. METHOD: One-year old seedlings were chosen and planted in field. Plant height, branching number, fruit number per plant, 1000 grains weight were measured during growth and development period, respectively. RESULT: The treatment of top pruning postponed in turn the flowering date, lowered the plant heights and the fruit number per plant, increased the branching number and influenced significantly on 1000 grains weights. CONCLUSION: The suitable stage of top pruning for producing seeds was from June 20th to July 5th.