Cyanamide Research Articles

A deep placement of lime nitrogen reduces the nitrate leaching and promotes soybean growth and seed yield

Deep placement of coated urea, lime nitrogen (Lime N), or urea with a nitrification inhibitor, 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP-U) did not inhibit N fixation activity, and it promoted soybean growth and seed yield. However, the effect of deep placement on the N budget including N leaching has not been evaluated. In this research, soybean plants were cultivated with a basal deep placement of urea, Lime N, or DMPP-U, and the control without deep placement of N fertilizer in lysimeters filled with Andosols. The nitrate was the principal N leachate and most of them leached until the flowering stage. The total amount of leached nitrate was the highest in urea deep placement, and it was reduced by the deep placement of Lime N or DMPP-U. In 2020, the total amount of nitrate in the leachate during the cultivation was 0.95, 1.83, and 2.78 ​g ​N m−2 in control, Lime N, and urea, respectively. The seed yield was higher in Lime N (424 ​g ​m−2) and urea (399 ​g ​m−2) than in the control (267 ​g ​m−2). The total amount of N accumulated in the shoots was higher in Lime N (32.1 ​g ​N m−2) than in the control (26.5 ​g ​N m−2) and urea (24.2 ​g ​N m−2) treatments. These results indicated that soybean plants with Lime N might assimilate more N both from N fertilizer and N2 fixation compared with control plants. Soil incubation test confirmed that the Lime N or DMPP-U retarded nitrification than urea.

Effects of lime nitrogen on the fungi community of tobacco soil and its correlation analysis

Soil microorganisms are closely related to soil environmental factors. To explore the effects of lime nitrogen, lime nitrogen combined with biocontrol agents on soil environmental factors and fungi and their correlation in tobacco fields, four treatments were set: 1_1: control group; 1_2: biocontrol agents group; 1_3: lime nitrogen group; 1_4: lime nitrogen with biocontrol agents group. Soil samples were taken during four growth periods of tobacco plants, and fungi were analyzed by high-throughput sequencing. The results showed that both 1_3 and 1_4 group increased the soil pH, OM, available nutrients, effective copper, available zinc, fungi richness and diversity of vigorous and maturity stage, urease, acid phosphatase, invertase activity, flue-cured tobacco economic characteristics, and the relative abundance of beneficial fungi such as Chaetomium, Solicoccozyma of maturity stage. At maturity stage, available zinc, available nitrogen, urease activity was significantly positively correlated with Chaetomium; Invertase activity showed significantly positive correlation with Solicoccozyma. In short, both 1_2 and 1_3 group improved physicochemical properties, more enzyme activity of the soil, which were significantly positively correlation with some beneficial fungi. Therefore, the relative abundance of certain beneficial fungi increased so that the disease resistance of tobacco plant was improved and flue-cured tobacco economic characters were better.

Effects of calcium cyanamide on Collembola in a standardized field study. Part 2: lessons learned for chemical risk assessment in field studies with soil invertebrates

BackgroundData from a one-year field study on the effect of a fertilizer (calcium cyanamide, trade name: Perlka®) on Collembola served as the basis for a broader discussion on performance and evaluation of these data for terrestrial risk assessment according to the REACH regulations) of the European Union.PerformanceDetails of the technical performance of this study have been described in Part 1 of this article. In this part, the experiences made in this very large field study with a non-pesticide (i.e., a fertilizer) is discussed in a wider context, in particular by asking: Is the existing information suitable for preparing a field test guideline for Collembola – and, secondly, would such a guideline be suitable for improving current REACH and/or EFSA guidelines for testing very different chemicals in the soil compartment?ResultsBy discussing individually the most important properties of such studies we could show that by combining experiences from earthworm field studies, literature, and our field study higher-tier testing with Collembola is not only technically possible, but also suitable for the evaluation of chemicals in soil (i.e., similar to existing OECD approaches for earthworms).ConclusionDue to our experience as well as information from literature, we could show that such Collembola field studies are suitable for improving risk assessment procedures in the soil compartment. This is in particular true, when realizing that the long-term protection of soil biodiversity is of high value both from an ecological as well as an ecotoxicological point of view. Thus, a specific Collembolan field test guideline is urgently needed.

Incorporation of calcium cyanamide and straw reduces phosphorus leaching in a flooded agricultural soil

Calcium cyanamide and straw additions coupled with one-month of flooding conditions can effectively inhibit soil diseases by generating anaerobic conditions and hydrolysing cyanamide during the summer fallow period in agricultural settings. However, the response of soil phosphorus (P) forms and mobility to the calcium cyanamide and straw additions under flooding conditions remain unknown. This study employed column leaching devices to monitor the P fractions and related movement in a flooded soil with six treatments: control, 0.5 g kg−1 calcium cyanamide (CC), 2 g kg−1 straw (S2), 0.5 g kg−1 calcium cyanamide coupled with 2 g kg−1 straw (CS2), 10 g kg−1 straw (S10) and 0.5 g kg−1 calcium cyanamide coupled with 10 g kg−1 straw (CS10). The results showed that the CC significantly reduced the cumulative P leaching by 26.3%, compared with the control, attributed to the fixation of dissolved P by calcium hydroxide hydrolyzed from calcium cyanamide. The S2, CS2, S10 and CS10 reduced the cumulative P leaching by 10.4%, 41.0%, 70.0% and 80.5%, and enhanced soil P adsorption maximum and the proportions of NaOH-P fraction, compared with the control, respectively. The reason for low P mobility in treatments with straw addition could be attributed to the strengthened association between dissolved P and poorly crystalline Al/Fe/Mn oxides in soils due to an acidification effect induced by decomposition of straw under flooded conditions. Such acidification further coupled with calcium hydroxide was responsible for the lowering of P mobility in CS2 and CS10 treatments. Redundancy analysis indicated that topsoil organic carbon is the most important factor explaining 32.9% of the variations in soil P fractions and cumulative leached P across the treatments. This study highlights that calcium cyanamide in combination with straw additions suppressed soil P leaching under flooded conditions during the summer fallow period, which provided a net water quality benefit slowing release of P to the environment. Future studies should be carried out in agricultural regions with various soil mineral matrices.

‘Just the right amount’ of hydrogen cyanamide for profitable bud-break in low-chill peach cultivars

‘Just the right amount’ of hydrogen cyanamide for profitable bud-break in low-chill peach cultivars

Chemical fumigants control apple replant disease: Microbial community structure-mediated inhibition of Fusarium and degradation of phenolic acids

Fusarium and phenolic acids in apple replant soil have deleterious effects on soil, which affects the growth of young replanted apple trees. Here, we studied the effects of different chemical fumigants (metham sodium, dazomet, calcium cyanamide, 1,3-dichloropropene, and methyl bromide) on Fusarium and phenolic acids in soil. The chemical fumigants disturbed the apple replant soil microbial community to different degrees in the order from highest to the lowest as methyl bromide > 1,3-dichloropropene > dazomet > metham sodium > calcium cyanamide. Compared with the control, the total numbers of Operational Taxonomic Unit (OTU) were 104.63 % and 9.38 % lower in the methyl bromide and calcium cyanamide treatments, respectively while the average contents of Fusarium were 88.04 % and 59.18% lower in these treatments, respectively. Higher disturbance degrees resulted in a slower recovery rate of the soil microbial community, which facilitated the transformation of the soil into a disease-suppressing state. During the recovery process, the roots recruited Streptomyces OTU2796 and Bacillus OTU2243, which alleviated Fusarium-induced stress via the synthesis of polyketones and macrolides. The roots also recruited Sphingomonas OTU3488, OTU5572, and OTU8147, which alleviated phenolic acid-induced stress through the degradation of benzoate and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Transcriptional activation of budding yeast DDI2/3 through chemical modifications of Fzf1.

DDI2 and DDI3 (DDI2/3) are two identical genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae encoding cyanamide (CY) hydratase. They are not only highly induced by CY, but also by a DNA-damaging agent methyl methanesulfonate (MMS), and the regulatory mechanism is unknown. In this study, we performed a modified genome-wide genetic synthetic array screen and identified Fzf1 as a zinc-finger transcriptional activator required for CY/MMS-induced DDI2/3 expression. Fzf1 binds to a DDI2/3 promoter consensus sequence CS2 in vivo and in vitro, and this interaction was enhanced in response to the CY treatment. Indeed, experimental over production of Fzf1 alone was sufficient to induce DDI2/3 expression; however, CY and MMS treatments did not cause the accumulation or apparent alteration in migration of cellular Fzf1. To test a hypothesis that Fzf1 is activated by covalent modification of CY and MMS, we performed mass spectrometry of CY/MMS-treated Fzf1 and detected a few modified lysine residues. Amino acid substitutions of these residues revealed that Fzf1-K70A completely abolished MMS-induced and reduced CY-induced DDI2/3 expression, indicating that the Fzf1-K70 methylation activates Fzf1. This study collectively reveals a novel regulatory mechanism by which Fzf1 is activated by chemical modifications and in turn induces the expression of its target genes for detoxification.

Nephrotoxic effect of Hydrogen Cyanamide (Dormex) and possible protective role of N-acetyl cysteine in male albino rats

Nephrotoxic effect of Hydrogen Cyanamide (Dormex) and possible protective role of N-acetyl cysteine in male albino rats

Efficiency of calcium cyanamide on the control of tomato soil-borne disease and their impacts on the soil microbial community

Soil-borne diseases resulting from continuous cropping are a huge problem for tomato producers around the world. In this study, differences in the efficiency of soil-borne disease control and the impact on the soil microbial community were investigated between two types of soil fumigation treatments, namely calcium cyanamide (CaCN2) and soil solarization with flooding (SS-F). Soil samples were taken at 0 days after transplantation (DAT), 60 DAT, 150 DAT and 220 DAT during the tomato season. The composition of microbiome after soil fumigation was assessed using heterotrophic plate counts, PCR and MiSeq high-throughput sequencing. CaCN2 and SS-F fumigation significantly reduced the disease incidences, at 4.98% and 11.41%, respectively, while the disease incidence of the CK was 26.62%. In addition, CaCN2 treatment significantly improved the tomato production by 21.65% compared to CK. Under CaCN2 fumigation, the soil microbial community was temporarily inhibited from 0 DAT to 60 DAT, while the bacterial and actinomycete communities recovered at 220 DAT. Remarkably, some potential beneficial microbial genera, e.g., Proteobacteria, Zygomycota phyla, Bradyrhizobium, Arthrobacter, Bacillus, Clostridium, Kaistobacter, Streptomyces, Gemmatimonadetes, and Mortierella, increased at 220 DAT after CaCN2 application. Nevertheless, the pathogenic Acremonium, Alternaria, Fusarium, Penicillium and Verticillium were significantly decreased. However, following SS-F fumigation, the relative abundance of non-soil-borne pathogenic Acremonium and Alternaria increased by 294.27% and 189.77%, respectively, compared to that in the CK. While the ratio of potential beneficial Trichoderma decreased, the bacterial composition of the SS-F soil at 220 DAT was nearly identical to that of the CK. In addition, a redundancy analysis showed that CaCN2 treatment increased the potential of hydrogen (pH) and the organic matter (OM), available phosphorus (AP), and available potassium (AK) contents, which were positively correlated with Bradyrhizobium, Rhodanobacter, Bacillus and Mycobacterium communities and negatively correlated with disease incidence. In conclusion, CaCN2 enhanced soil fertility, reduced the presence of soil pathogens, increased the relative abundance of potential beneficial bacteria and fungi and improved tomato yields.

Mathematical Equations of Thermodynamic Probability of Thermal Decomposition of Ammonia

Annotation: Technical solutions have been developed to create a technology for obtaining calcium cyanamide from lime, carbonate anhydride and industrial ammonia. A technological scheme for obtaining nitrogen fertilizer and an effective defoliant - calcium cyanamide has been developed and the optimal technological parameters of the process at the pilot plant an experimental batch of calcium cyanamide was produced. Keywords: Carbon dioxide, ammonia, expander gas, calcium cyanamide, off-gases.

Evaluating chemicals for inducing budburst in peach orchard grown in subtropical conditions

The availability of chill hours influences the break dormancy, sprouting and production of temperate fruit trees in different regions. During the winter, the chilling requirements for growing peaches in subtropical locations are restricted, and certain chemicals are required to overcome dormancy and induce budburst. As a result, further information concerning the use of these compounds on stimulating sprouting in peach trees is required. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of hydrogen cyanamide, nitrogen fertilizer, and calcium nitrate to trigger budburst in the ‘Douradão’ peach orchard, which is in the subtropical area of São Paulo state, Brazil. The following tree chemicals were tested: 0.6 % hydrogen cyanamide, 2.5 % nitrogen fertilizer with 4 % calcium nitrate, 4 % calcium nitrate, and control. The hydrogen cyanamide accelerated, predicted, and focused blooming on plants, along with improving fruit set and output. Furthermore, combining nitrogen fertilizer with calcium nitrate accelerated budburst, which boosted flowering, output per tree, and yield. The spraying of the peach plants with just calcium nitrate produced results like those obtained in the control. The results allow for the use of hydrogen cyanamide or nitrogen fertilizer + calcium nitrate as an option for triggering budburst in Douradão cultivar peach trees under subtropical circumstances, depending on the orchards system management used.

Non-target effects of agrichemicals applied in the fall or during the dormant season on subsequent development of Exobasidium leaf and fruit spot of blueberry

The basidiomycete Exobasidium maculosum causes Exobasidium leaf and fruit spot, an early-season disease of blueberry in the southern United States. Previous research suggested that the pathogen oversummers and overwinters epiphytically on the surface of blueberry bark and buds, most likely in its yeast stage. This is supported by the finding that a single dormant application of lime sulfur provides substantial control of the disease the following spring. As a surface resident for much of the year, E. maculosum is thus exposed to various horticultural and pest management practices which may affect its epiphytic population dynamics and impact subsequent disease development. The magnitude and consistency of such non-target effects was evaluated in multi-year field trials on susceptible ‘Premier’ and ‘Tifblue’ rabbiteye blueberry in southern Georgia. One fall application of stylet oil (timed to mimic sprays for blueberry bud mite control) or two fall applications of captan (timed to coincide with the management window for fungal foliar diseases) did not suppress Exobasidium leaf and fruit spot the following spring, whereas two fall applications of lime sulfur reduced the disease significantly (by 74.3% on average), albeit not to the same level as the late dormant lime sulfur standard (close to 90% average reduction across leaf and fruit spot intensity). A single late dormant spray of the growth regulator hydrogen cyanamide (a caustic compound with antimicrobial activity) suppressed disease intensity in most trials, but disease reduction was only partial (averaging 56.2% for leaf lesion density and 39.3% for fruit spot incidence). In contrast, a late dormant application of dormant oil consistently increased both leaf lesion density (by 80.7% on average) and fruit disease incidence (by 78.6%). The pronounced non-target effects associated with these off-season applications could explain variations in Exobasidium leaf and fruit spot risk among blueberry sites and years.

English

The sprouting induction is a fundamental cultural practice in peach orchards grown in subtropical regions around the world. The evaluation of alternatives compounds to induce sprouting is necessary mainly considering its effects on fruit quality. Two alternative compounds such as 2.5% nitrogen fertilizer (NF) + 4% calcium nitrate (CN) and 4% calcium nitrate (CN), besides the control were compared with 0.6% hydrogen cyanamide (HC), the most effectiveness chemical to induce budburst in peach crops grown in subtropical regions of Brazil. The field experiment was undertaken in São Paulo state, southeast Brazil, in two crop seasons. The hydrogen cyanamide increased crop performance of the ‘Douradão’ peach. Regardless, nitrogen fertilizer + calcium nitrate promoted an intermediate yield performance. Both treatments enhanced total phenolic compounds in fruits and their antioxidant activity. The efficacy of hydrogen cyanamide in a region with low chill accumulation was confirmed. Furthermore, nitrogen fertilizer + calcium nitrate are promising sprouting inducing and may be an alternative to replace hydrogen cyanamide, because of improved crop performance and peaches quality and considering the need for new products with less toxicity and characteristics of reducing environmental risk profiles and for the consumer market. Key words: Prunus persica, hydrogen cyanamide, nitrogen fertilizer, calcium nitrate, bioactive compounds.

The Impact of Dormancy Breakers on Hormone Profiles, Fruit Growth and Quality in Sweet Cherry

Chemical dormancy breakers are often used to manipulate floral bud break in sweet cherry production, and their use is increasing due to unpredictable climate effects. The role of plant hormones in regulating the critical transition of floral buds from dormant to opening in deciduous trees is now emerging. By monitoring changes in endogenous hormone levels within floral buds that are undergoing the transition from dormant to the growing state in response to various cues (environmental and/or chemical inducers), we can begin to distinguish the plant hormones that are the drivers of this process. This study sought to identify key hormonal regulators of floral bud break using sweet cherry as a model and modifying timing of bud break through the application of two chemical dormancy breakers, hydrogen cyanamide (HC, Dormex®) and emulsified vegetable oil compound (EVOC, Waiken®), and to determine the effect of these chemicals on fruit growth and quality. Treatments were applied at label rates 35–40 days before estimated bud break. We found that HC-treated tree buds broke earlier, and this was associated with a significant early elevation of the cytokinins dihydrozeatin and dihydrozeatin riboside compared to the control and EVOC-treated tree buds. In contrast, changes in auxin and abscisic acid content did not appear to explain the hastened bud burst induced by hydrogen cyanamide. While HC-treated trees resulted in larger fruit, there was a higher incidence of cracked fruit and the pack-out of A-grade fruit was reduced. The increase in fruit size was attributed to the earlier flowering and hence longer growing period. Harvest assessment of fruit quality showed no treatment effect on most quality parameters, including fruit dry matter content, total soluble solids or malic acid content, but a reduction in fruit compression firmness and stem pull force in EVOC-treated trees was observed. However, all fruit still met the Australian industry fruit quality export market standards. This study offers important insights into bud hormonal activities underpinning the action of these chemical regulators; understanding bud responses is critically important to ensuring consistent and sustainable fruit tree production systems into the future. It also demonstrates that the dormancy-breaking agents HC and EVOC have no detrimental impact on fruit quality at harvest or following storage, however growers need to be aware of the potential for increased fruit cracking when earlier bud break results in a longer growing season which has the potential to increase fruit size. Further studies are required to determine the role of gibberellin in hastening bud break by dormancy breakers.

Advancing Endodormancy Release in Temperate Fruit Trees Using Agrochemical Treatments.

Endodormancy in temperate fruit trees like Prunus is a protector state that allows the trees to survive in the adverse conditions of autumn and winter. During this process, plants accumulate chill hours. Flower buds require a certain number of chill hours to release from endodormancy, known as chilling requirements. This step is crucial for proper flowering and fruit set, since incomplete fulfillment of the chilling requirements produces asynchronous flowering, resulting in low quality flowers, and fruits. In recent decades, global warming has endangered this chill accumulation. Because of this fact, many agrochemicals have been used to promote endodormancy release. One of the first and most efficient agrochemicals used for this purpose was hydrogen cyanamide. The application of this agrochemical has been found to advance endodormancy release and synchronize flowering time, compressing the flowering period and increasing production in many species, including apple, grapevine, kiwi, and peach. However, some studies have pointed to the toxicity of this agrochemical. Therefore, other non-toxic agrochemicals have been used in recent years. Among them, Erger® + Activ Erger® and Syncron® + NitroActive® have been the most popular alternatives. These two treatments have been shown to efficiently advance endodormancy release in most of the species in which they have been applied. In addition, other less popular agrochemicals have also been applied, but their efficiency is still unclear. In recent years, several studies have focused on the biochemical and genetic variation produced by these treatments, and significant variations have been observed in reactive oxygen species, abscisic acid (ABA), and gibberellin (GA) levels and in the genes responsible for their biosynthesis. Given the importance of this topic, future studies should focus on the discovery and development of new environmentally friendly agrochemicals for improving the modulation of endodormancy release and look more deeply into the effects of these treatments in plants.

Influence of budburst inducers replacing hydrogen cyanamide on phenological parameters of ‘Castel Gala’ apple trees

Hydrogen cyanamide is the main budburst inducer applied in Brazil, even though it is highly toxic to the environment. This fact has triggered the search for alternatives with similar efficiency and lower toxicity. This study aimed at evaluating the efficiency of different budburst inducers by using phenology on the field and by applying the biological method of single bud. The experiment was conducted in an experimental orchard of ‘Castel Gala’ apple trees in both 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 seasons. Seven treatments, divided into three concentrations of Erger® associated with calcium nitrate, three concentrations of garlic extract associated with mineral oil and control (no application), were applied in the first season. The second season consisted of the seven treatments applied in the first season and two treatments of hydrogen cyanamide, at different concentrations, associated with mineral oil. Evaluation was carried out on the field by checking budburst and flowering percentages, fruit set and dates of phenological stages. In the second season, the test of the single bud evaluated percentages of total budburst and mixed buds, average budburst time (ABT) and average time for leaf opening (ATLO). The results show that garlic extract is not efficient inducing budburst in 'Castel Gala' apple trees; while the budburst inducers hydrogen cyanamide 1% + mineral oil 3% and Erger® 7% + calcium nitrate 5% are the best alternative for inducers, being the last main alternative to hydrogen cyanamide in 'Castel Gala' apple trees budburst induction. The biological method of single bud did not show to be a good alternative to evaluate the efficiency of budburst inducers in 'Castel Gala' apple trees. .

Effect of time of pruning and hydrogen cyanamide application on harvesting time and fruit quality in grapes (Vitis vinifera L.)

An experiment was conducted to ascertain the effect of pruning time and hydrogen cyanamide application on bud burst, maturity and fruit quality of Flame Seedless grapes. The plants were pruned at six different intervals and foliar application of hydrogen cyanamide @ 2% was given to the vines immediately after each pruning interval. These were compared with the vines kept untreated at each pruning interval. The study revealed that bud burst was 12–23 days earlier in vines treated with hydrogen cyanamide as compared to untreated vines. Amongst the hydrogen cyanamide treated vines, bud burst was the earliest when pruning was done in last week of December. In case of untreated vines, bud burst occurred during the month of March. The application of hydrogen cyanamide immediately after pruning advanced the time of flowering and ripening by 5–9 days and 4–5 days, respectively, as compared to untreated vines. The pruning time of first week of January registered more yield (31.4 kg/vine), while the overall yield (28.6 and 28.8 kg/vine) and bunch weight (378.1 and 378.4 g) were at par among the for treated and untreated vines, respectively. The fruit quality in terms of higher soluble solids content (18.8°Brix), total sugar, (15.62%) and lower acidity (0.5%) was also significantly achieved in treated vines. The study provides useful insight into improving the fruit quality and enhancing the marketability in grapes through advancement of budburst and ripening with the application of hydrogen cyanamide.

Promotores para a melhoria de brotação de cultivares de nogueira-pecã

Abstract The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of different bud-breaking substances on the budburst of the Barton, Desirable, and Jackson pecan (Carya illinoinensis) cultivars. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replicates. The treatments consisted of spraying different rates of commercial bud-break promoters on the trees of these cultivars, in order to induce budburst. The budburst percentage of axillary buds and the budburst heterogeneity index (BHI) were evaluated. Regardless of the used rate, the application of the hydrogen cyanamide product improved the budburst of the tested cultivars and reduced the BHI. In addition, water soluble N + Ca at 6% and water soluble N + organic C soluble in water at 7% significantly improve the budburst and reduce the BHI of the evaluated cultivars, being, therefore, potential alternatives to replace hydrogen cyanamide.

Minocycline improves the functional recovery after traumatic brain injury via inhibition of aquaporin-4

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the main concerns worldwide as there is still no comprehensive therapeutic intervention. Astrocytic water channel aquaporin-4 (AQP-4) system is closely related to the brain edema, water transport at blood-brain barrier (BBB) and astrocyte function in the central nervous system (CNS). Minocycline, a broad-spectrum semisynthetic tetracycline antibiotic, has shown anti-inflammation, anti-apoptotic, vascular protection and neuroprotective effects on TBI models. Here, we tried to further explore the underlying mechanism of minocycline treatment for TBI, especially the relationship of minocycline and AQP4 during TBI treatment. In present study, we observed that minocycline efficaciously reduces the elevation of AQP4 in TBI mice. Furthermore, minocycline significantly reduced neuronal apoptosis, ameliorated brain edema and BBB disruption after TBI. In addition, the expressions of tight junction protein and astrocyte morphology alteration were optimized by minocycline administration. Similar results were found after treating with TGN-020 (an inhibitor of AQP4) in TBI mice. Moreover, these effects were reversed by cyanamide (CYA) treatment, which notably upregulated AQP4 expression level in vivo. In primary cultured astrocytes, small-interfering RNA (siRNA) AQP4 treatment prevented glutamate-induced astrocyte swelling. To sum up, our study suggests that minocycline improves the functional recovery of TBI through reducing AQP4 level to optimize BBB integrity and astrocyte function, and highlights that the AQP4 may be an important therapeutic target during minocycline treating for TBI.

Effects of the Autumn Incorporation of Rice Straw and Application of Lime Nitrogen on Methane and Nitrous Oxide Emissions and Rice Growth of a High-Yielding Paddy Field in a Cool-Temperate Region in Japan

The effects of autumn plowing and lime nitrogen application on rice straw decomposition, CH4 and N2O emission and rice growth in the following year in a high-yielding rice cultivated paddy field were evaluated for two years. The experimental plots were set up, combining different times of rice straw (750 g m−2) incorporation into the soil by plowing (autumn or the following spring), with and without lime nitrogen application in autumn (5 g-N m−2). Autumn plowing promoted the decomposition of rice straw, but the application of lime nitrogen did not show a consistent trend. The soil pH was high (7.3) at the studied site, and the alkaline effect of lime nitrogen may not have been significant. As with straw decomposition, CH4 emissions were suppressed by autumn plowing, and no effect from the lime nitrogen application was observed. It was also suggested that the straw decomposition period may be shorter and the CH4 emissions may be higher in high-yielding cultivars that require a longer ripening period than in normal cultivars. The effect of both treatments on N2O emission was not clear. Both the autumn plowing of rice straw and lime nitrogen application were effective in promoting rice growth and increasing rice yield.