Photosynthetic characteristics of summer maize under different planting patterns and the responses to nitrogen application of previous crop / Características fotossintéticas do milho verão sob diferentes padrões de plantio e as respostas à aplicação de nitrogênio da cultura anterior

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important grain crops in the North China Plain. Management practices affect the photosynthetic characteristics and the production of summer maize. This two-year (2014-2015) study examined the effects of different planting patterns and the application of nitrogen to previous winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) on the photosynthetic characteristics, yield and radiation use efficiency (RUE) of summer maize. Field experiments used a two-factor split-plot design with three replicates at Taian, Shandong Province, China (36°09' N, 117°09' E). The experiments involved two planting patterns(ridge planting, RP; and uniform row planting, UR) and two nitrogen application levels of previous winter wheat (N1, 112.50 kg ha-1; N2, 225.00 kg ha-1). The results indicated that the application of nitrogen on previous crop and ridge planting of the following crop had significant effects on the photosynthetic characteristics and yields of summer maize. Compared with UR, this study found that RP increased the chlorophyll content index (CCI), leaf area index (LAI), net photosynthetic rate (Pn), dry matter (DM), yield and grain RUE by 4.1%, 6.3%, 5.2%, 6.4%, 8.9% and 9.4%, respectively. The CCI, LAI, Pn, yield, and grain RUE of N2 were 9.7%, 3.3%, 3.7%, 10.0% and 10.1% higher than those of N1, respectively. RP combined with the application of nitrogen on previous crop of winter wheat could increase the CCI, LAI, Pn, DM, ultimately increasing the grain yield and RUE of the following summer's maize. It was concluded that previous crop nitrogen application and RP pattern treatment resulted in optimal cropping conditions for the North China plain.

O milho (Zea mays L.) é uma das culturas de grãos mais importantes da Planície do Norte da China. Práticas de manejo afetam as características fotossintéticas e a produção do milho verão. Este estudo de dois anos (2014-2015) examinou os efeitos de diferentes padrões de plantio e a aplicação de nitrogênio ao trigo de inverno anterior (Triticum aestivum L.) sobre as características fotossintéticas, produtividade e eficiência de uso de radiação (RUE) do milho verão. Experimentos de campo usaram um delineamento em parcelas subdivididas de dois fatores com três repetições em Taian, província de Shandong, China (36°09' N, 117°09' E). Os experimentos envolveram dois padrões de plantio (ridge planting, RP; e uniform row planting, UR) e dois níveis de aplicação de nitrogênio do trigo de inverno anterior (N1, 112,50 kg ha-1; N2, 225,00 kg ha-1). Os resultados indicaram que a aplicação de nitrogênio na cultura anterior e no plantio RP da cultura seguinte teve efeitos significativos nas características fotossintéticas e na produtividade do milho verão. Comparado com o plantio UR, este estudo concluiu que RP aumentou o índice de conteúdo de clorofila (CCI), índice de área foliar (LAI), taxa fotossintética líquida (Pn), matéria seca (DM), produtividade e RUE de grãos em 4,1%, 6,4%, 5,2%, 6,4%, 8,9% e 9,4%, respectivamente. Os valores de CCI, LAI, Pn, produtividade e RUE de N2 foram 9,7%, 3,3%, 3,7%, 10,0% e 10,1% superiores aos de N1, respectivamente. RP combinada com a aplicação de nitrogênio na safra anterior de trigo de inverno poderia aumentar os valores de CCI, LAI, Pn, DM, aumentando o rendimento de grãos e RUE do milho do verão seguinte. Concluiu-se que a aplicação prévia de nitrogênio na colheita e o tratamento com padrão RP resultaram em condições ótimas de cultivo para a planície do norte da China.

Electroacupuncture decreases the urinary bladder pressure in patients with acute gastrointestinal injury.

The present study investigates the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on urinary bladder pressure (UBP) in patients with acute gastrointestinal injury (AGI). Twenty patients with AGI admitted to the First Hospital of Jiaxing intensive care unit from December 2011 to June 2013 were evaluated. Conventional group patients (n = 10) were administered moderate enteral nutritional support, and electroacupuncture group patients (n = 10) were administered enteral nutritional support followed by EA at bilateral Zusanli (ST-36), Shangjuxu (ST-37), Hegu (LI-4), and QuChi (LI-11) acupoints. UBP was then measured every 6 h and the serum creatinine once daily for 7 days. There were no statistically significant patient demographic differences in the study groups (P > 0.05). The initial UBP of both patient groups was ≥12 mmHg. On days 6 and 7, the UBP significantly decreased in the EA group compared to the conventional group (P < 0.05). The serum creatinine concentration on day 7 was significantly lower in the EA group than in the conventional group (P < 0.05). Based on these results, electroacupuncture contributed to gastrointestinal motility recovery in patients with AGI. This procedure may reduce UBP and provide organ-protective effects in AGI patients.

Immunofluorescent, immunogold, and electrophoretic studies for desmin in embryonic hearts of normal and cardiac mutant Mexican axolotls, Ambystoma mexicanum.

Recessive mutant gene c for "cardiac nonfunction" in axolotls results in an absence of normal heart contractions in affected embryos due to a failure of myofibril formation. In the present study, the intermediate filament protein, desmin, is compared in developing normal and mutant hearts by means of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, immunofluorescent microscopy, and immunoelectron microscopy. Tissues were fixed in periodate-lysine-paraformaldehyde or paraformaldehyde-glutaraldehyde solutions and rapidly frozen or embedded in Lowicryl resin. Frozen sections stained with FITC-conjugated antibodies by an indirect approach revealed that desmin is localized in the I-band regions of adult cardiac myofibrils. In normal embryonic hearts at stage 32 (preheartbeat) desmin is localized as "spots" or amorphous collections in the cells. As development progresses to stage 35, staining for desmin in normal hearts becomes more intense with localization being most pronounced at the cell peripheries. By stage 41 most of the desmin in normal hearts is localized in the I band areas of the organized myofibrils and the staining of amorphous areas is much less prominent. During early development, the distribution of desmin in mutant hearts is similar to normal. However, while most of the desmin in normal organs at stage 41 is associated with myofibrils, the staining remains diffuse in mutants. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis reveals comparable patterns for desmin from normal and mutant hearts. Immunogold staining shows desmin localization to be between the myofibrils and around the I-band regions in adult cardiac muscle and in stage 41 normal embryonic hearts. Immunogold staining confirms a diffuse distribution of desmin in mutant hearts.