Physicochemical Properties of the Rice Flour and Structural Features of the Isolated Starches from Saline-Tolerant Rice Grown at Different Levels of Soil Salinity.

Three varieties of saline-tolerant indica rice were grown in soils with salinities of 0.0-0.6% (w/w). The rice grown at salinities of 0.3 and 0.6% had a smaller grain dimension than its counterpart. Salinity stress altered the physiology of plants, leading to changes in the basic chemical compositions for all rice varieties, e.g., increasing the soil salinity improved the content of rice protein (RP). The pasting and rheological properties of the rice flour highly depended on its chemical compositions. An increase of RP inhibited the swelling of starch granules and accordingly decreased the peak viscosity of rice flour, while the aggregation of RP weakened the gel structure of the cooked rice flour. The isolated starches showed polyhedral granules, and they all had an A-type crystalline structure with relative crystallinity varying from 34.16 to 45.40%. Moreover, increasing the soil salinity enhanced the lamellar order and periodic length of the isolated starches.

Novel Salinity-Tolerant Third-Generation Hybrid Rice Developed via CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Gene Editing.

Climate change has caused high salinity in many fields, particularly in the mud flats in coastal regions. The resulting salinity has become one of the most significant abiotic stresses affecting the world's rice crop productivity. Developing elite cultivars with novel salinity-tolerance traits is regarded as the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly approach for utilizing saline-alkali land. To develop a highly efficient green strategy and create novel rice germplasms for salt-tolerant rice breeding, this study aimed to improve rice salinity tolerance by combining targeted CRISPR/Cas9-mediated editing of the OsRR22 gene with heterosis utilization. The novel alleles of the genic male-sterility (GMS) and elite restorer line (733Srr22-T1447-1 and HZrr22-T1349-3) produced 110 and 1 bp deletions at the third exon of OsRR22 and conferred a high level of salinity tolerance. Homozygous transgene-free progeny were identified via segregation in the T2 generation, with osrr22 showing similar agronomic performance to wild-type (733S and HZ). Furthermore, these two osrr22 lines were used to develop a new promising third-generation hybrid rice line with novel salinity tolerance. Overall, the results demonstrate that combining CRISPR/Cas9 targeted gene editing with the "third-generation hybrid rice system" approach allows for the efficient development of novel hybrid rice varieties that exhibit a high level of salinity tolerance, thereby ensuring improved cultivar stability and enhanced rice productivity.

Rice yield penalty and quality deterioration is associated with failure of nitrogen uptake from regreening to panicle initiation stage under salinity.

In recent years, the development and utilization of saline land for rice cultivation have effectively expanded grain productivity. Rice is a salt-sensitive crop, and the increasing salinity problem threatens rice yield and quality. Therefore, we conducted open field experiments to study the effect of salinity on different growth stages of rice. Irrigating saline treatment was conducted at three different growth stages: irrigating saline from the regreening stage to the panicle initiation stage (S1), irrigating saline from the panicle initiation stage to the flowering stage (S2), and irrigating saline from the flowering stage to the maturity stage (S3). Each treatment period lasted for about 30 days. At the same time, irrigating saline water from the regreening stage to the maturity stage (S4) treatment was added in 2022 to explore the performance of salt stress during the whole growth period of rice. Based on the treatment of these different saline irrigation growth periods, three saline concentrations were incorporated, including salinity 0‰ (T1), 3‰ (T2), and 6‰ (T3) concentrations. No irrigating saline during the whole growth period was also used as a control (CK). The results indicated that rice grain yield and quality were most sensitive to saline treatment during S1 among the three stress periods. At the S1 stage, salinity mainly reduced the nitrogen uptake, resulting in stunted plant growth, reducing tillering, yield, and yield components, and deteriorating the rice quality. Compared to the control, IEN (grain yield over the total amount of N uptake in plants at maturity) was more sensitive at the S1 stage than S2 and S3 stages under salinity. Furthermore, the findings of our study suggest that under salinity, rice growth is not only directly affected by the higher sodium (Na+) content in plants, but the higher concentration of Na+ reduced the ability of plants to uptake nitrogen. Thus, more attention should be paid to the field management of the S1 stage, the most sensitive stage during rice cultivation in salinized areas. It is necessary to avoid salt damage to rice during this period and ensure irrigation with precious freshwater resources.

Factors distinguishing invasive from pre-invasive adenocarcinoma presenting as pure ground glass pulmonary nodules.

BACKGROUND: To investigate predictors of pathological invasiveness and prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma in patients with pure ground-glass nodules (pGGNs). METHODS: Clinical and computed tomography (CT) features of invasive adenocarcinomas (IACs) and pre-IACs were retrospectively compared in 641 consecutive patients with pGGNs and confirmed lung adenocarcinomas who had undergone postoperative CT follow-up. Potential predictors of prognosis were investigated in these patients. RESULTS: Of 659 pGGNs in 641 patients, 258 (39.1%) were adenocarcinomas in situ, 265 (40.2%) were minimally invasive adenocarcinomas, and 136 (20.6%) were IACs. Respective optimal cutoffs for age, serum carcinoembryonic antigen concentration, maximal diameter, mean diameter, and CT density for distinguishing pre-IACs from IACs were 53 years, 2.19 ng/mL, 10.78 mm, 10.09 mm, and - 582.28 Hounsfield units (HU). Univariable analysis indicated that sex, age, maximal diameter, mean diameter, CT density, and spiculation were significant predictors of lung IAC. In multivariable analysis age, maximal diameter, and CT density were significant predictors of lung IAC. During a median follow-up of 41 months no pGGN IACs recurred. CONCLUSIONS: pGGNs may be lung IACs, especially in patients aged > 55 years with lesions that are > 1 cm in diameter and exhibit CT density > - 600 HU. pGGN IACs of < 3 cm in diameter have good post-resection prognoses.

Passivation Characteristics of Alloy Corrosion-Resistant Steel Cr10Mo1 in Simulating Concrete Pore Solutions: Combination Effects of pH and Chloride.

The electrochemical behaviour for passivation of new alloy corrosion-resistant steel Cr10Mo1 immersed in alkaline solutions with different pH values (13.3, 12.0, 10.5, and 9.0) and chloride contents (0.2 M and 1.0 M), was investigated by various electrochemical techniques: linear polarization resistance, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and capacitance measurements. The chemical composition and structure of passive films were determined by XPS. The morphological features and surface composition of the immersed steel were evaluated by SEM together with EDS chemical analysis. The results evidence that pH plays an important role in the passivation of the corrosion-resistant steel and the effect is highly dependent upon the chloride contents. In solutions with low chloride (0.2 M), the corrosion-resistant steel has notably enhanced passivity with pH falling from 13.3 to 9.0, but does conversely when in presence of high chloride (1.0 M). The passive film on the corrosion-resistant steel presents a bilayer structure: an outer layer enriched in Fe oxides and hydroxides, and an inner layer, rich in Cr species. The film composition varies with pH values and chloride contents. As the pH drops, more Cr oxides are enriched in the film while Fe oxides gradually decompose. Increasing chloride promotes Cr oxides and Fe oxides to transform into their hydroxides with little protection, and this is more significant at lower pH (10.5 and 9.0). These changes annotate passivation characteristics of the corrosion-resistant steel in the solutions of different electrolyte.

[Effect of schistosomiasis comprehensive control in Linxiang City, 2004-2012].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of schistosomiasis comprehensive control in Linxiang City. METHODS: The data of the endemic situation and control measures of schistosomiasis in Linxiang City from 2004 to 2012 were collected and analyzed, so as to assess the effect of schistosomiasis comprehensive control. RESULTS: Since 2005, a total of 14 610 household latrines improved, 9 782 biogas pools were built, 40.65 km river and river banks were protected, 809 cattle were eliminated, 23.30 hm2 pond were dug, 15.18 km ditches were hardened, 18.10 hm2 land were polished, more than 20 safe drinking water projects were constructed, and the beneficiary population reached 68 400 people. The human and cattle infection rate reduced from 2.07% and 3.95% in 2004 to 0.46% and 1.35% in 2012, with reduction rates of 77.78% and 65.82%, respectively. The living Oncomelania snail density and snail infection rate showed an overall decline tendency, which reduced from 0.114 4 snails/0.1 m2 and 0.19% in 2004 to 0.0 056 snails/0.1 m2 and 0 in 2012, with reduction rates of 95.10% and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The promotion and implementation of the schistosomiasis comprehensive control measures with emphasis on control of the source of infection control is the key to further expand the achievements of schistosomiasis control in Linxiang City.

[Surveillance of schistosomiasis in national surveillance site of Linxiang City, 2005-2010].

The schistosomiasis surveillance in a national surveillance site, Shuangzhou Village of Linxiang City from 2005 to 2010 showed that both the infection rates of residents and cattle decreased year by year, but the density of living Oncomelania snails in 2010 was higher than that in 2009, and the infection rate of cattle was still maintained at 3%-5%. It suggested that besides the current measures including molluscicide and infectious resource control, the environment modification also should be considered.