Anthesis of spikelets in the panicle of a tall indica rice cultivar, Kajalghara, was completed within a period of 7 days. Development progressed in basipetal fashion from the spikelets of the uppermost primary branch of the panicle to the lowermost. According to the timing of onset of anthesis, spikelets of the panicle were segregated into seven groups. Dry mass accumulation and starch and assimilate (soluble carbohydrates and amino acids) contents of each group were studied from anthesis to grain maturity. Spikelets that anthesed earlier produced better quality grains and also had higher sink efficiency in converting soluble assimilates into reserve structural matter than those which anthesed later. These results rule out deficiency in supply of assimilates as a cause of partial filling of grains in the rice panicle. The study also emphasises the need for improving the percentage of high density grains in the rice panicle to maximise the use of available assimilates and enhance the grain yield potential of the plant.

IMPORTANCE Guidelines for patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) recommend intensive statin therapy and adding nonstatin therapy if low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels are 70 mg/dL or more. Compliance with guidelines is often low.OBJECTIVE To track LDL-C treatment patterns in the US over 2 years. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS GOULD is a prospective observational registry study involving multiple centers. Patients with ASCVD receiving any lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) were eligible. Between December 2016 and July 2018, patients were enrolled in 1 of 3 cohorts: (1) those currently receiving proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitor (PCSK9i) and 2 groups not receiving PCSK9i drugs, with (2) LDL-C levels of 100 mg/dL or more or (3) LDL-C levels of 70 to 99 mg/dL. Patients had medical record reviews and telephone interviews every 6 months. Analysis was done on data collected as of October 5, 2020. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURESThe primary outcome was the change in LLT use in 2 years. Secondary outcomes included the number of LDL-C measurements, LDL-C levels, and responses to structured physician and patient questionnaires over 2 years.RESULTS A total of 5006 patients were enrolled (mean [SD] age, 67.8 [9.9] years; 1985 women [39.7%]; 4312 White individuals [86.1%]). At 2 years, 885 (17.1%) had LLT intensification. In the cohorts with LDL-C levels of 100 mg/dL or more and 70 to 99 mg/dL, LLT intensification occurred in 403 (22.4%) and 383 (14.4%), respectively; statins were intensified in 115 (6.4%) and 168 (6.3%), ezetimibe added in 123 (6.8%) and 118 (4.5%), and PCSK9i added in 114 (6.3%) and 58 (2.2%), respectively. In the PCSK9i cohort, 508 of 554 (91.7%) were still taking PCSK9i at 2 years. Lipid panels were measured at least once over 2 years in 3768 patients (88.5%; PCSK9i cohort, 492 [96.1%]; LDL-C levels Ն100 mg/dL or more, 1294 [85.9%]; 70-99 mg/dL, 1982 [88.6%]). Levels of LDL-C fell from medians (interquartile ranges) of 120 (108-141) mg/dL to 95 (73-118) mg/dL in the cohort with LDL-C levels of 100 mg/dL or more, 82 (75-89) to 77 (65-90) mg/dL in the cohort with LDL-C levels of 70 to 99 mg/dL, and 67 (42-104) mg/dL to 67 (42-96) mg/dL in the PCSK9i cohort. Levels of LDL-C less than 70 mg/dL at 2 years were achieved by 308 patients (21.0%) and 758 patients (33.9%) in the cohorts with LDL-C levels of 100 mg/dL or more and 70 to 99 mg/dL, respectively, and 272 patients (52.4%) in the PCSK9i cohort. At 2 years, practice characteristics were associated with more LLT intensification (teaching vs nonteaching hospitals, 148 of 589 [25.1%] vs 600 of 3607 [16.6%]; lipid protocols or none, 359 of 1612 [22.3%] vs 389 of 2584 [15.1%]; cardiology, 452 of 2087 [21.7%] vs internal or family medicine, 204 of 1745 [11.7%] and other, 92 of 364 [25.3%]; all P < .001) and achievement of LDL-C less than 70 mg/dL (teaching vs nonteaching hospitals, 173 of 488 [35.5%] vs 823 of 2986 [27.6%]; lipid protocols vs none, 451 of 1411 [32.0%] vs 545 of 2063 [26.4%]; both P < .001; cardi...

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Primary branch development of the rice panicle was in the order of a basipetal sequence from the top to the bottom at the time of anthesis. Delayed development of spikelets on the proximal branches of the panicle resulted in reduced grain filling. Two experiments were carried out to manipulate growth and development of the proximal spikelets with exogenous application of chemicals regulating formation or action of ethylene. In the first experiment, inhibitors of ethylene synthesis (cobalt) and action (silver) improved grain biomass and specific gravity of the basal spikelets, while 2-chloroethylphosphonic acid (CEPA) depressed these parameters significantly. In the second experiment, the ethylene synthesis inhibitor 1-aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) promoted spikelet development on the basal primary branches and improved their survival and grain biomass. On the contrary, the ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1- carboxylic acid (ACC) inhibited growth and development of these spikelets. The action of AVG was reversed when ACC was applied in combination with AVG. In both experiments, the chemicals did not influence growth and development of the superior spikelets on the apical primary branches of the panicle. Depression of growth and development by CEPA or ACC coincided with a concomitant rise in soluble carbohydrate concentration of the spikelets, whereas treatments with ethylene inhibitors decreased the concentration of the materials. The role of ethylene in metabolic dominance of the apical spikelets and its impact on grain yield of rice panicles is discussed.

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in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com).Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) is the primary conversion process in oil refining. The performance of an FCC riser strongly depends on the interactions between oil/catalyst flow and cracking kinetics, but most FCC riser models do not consider such interactions. Accordingly, this work develops a computationally simple model capturing the dominant features of flow-reaction coupling in the riser's dense phase and acceleration zones. Specifically, the particle-particle collision force and the particle-fluid interfacial force are considered. With a four-lump kinetic model, the riser model predicts conversion and selectivity from the axial profile of the catalyst-to-oil ratio resulting from particle-fluid interfacial momentum transfer. The cracking intensity in the riser bottom zone is much greater than that calculated from conventional riser models, which neglects oil-catalyst hydrodynamic coupling and catalyst dilution due to volume expansion. The present model compares well with published data and predicts conversion-selectivity patterns that are qualitatively different from those obtained from conventional models.

Grain quality, soluble and insoluble carbohydrate contents, and activities of two key enzymes (sucrose synthase and invertase) involved in starch synthesis in the endosperm were measured in the components of the fertile florets of spikelets located at the tip of the uppermost primary branch (top spikelet), and the penultimate position of the lowermost primary branch (basal spikelet) of rice panicles during the period begining some days before anthesis to maturity. The basal spikelet, which reached anthesis a week after the top spikelet, produced a partially filled poor quality grain in contrast to the good quality high density grain produced by the latter. Sucrose was the major translocatable sugar in the organs of the fertile florets of both top and basal spikelets, and poor grain filling of the latter was not caused by deficiency of this material due to any resistance in supply in the external protective organs. The activities of the sucrose synthase and invertase were higher and lower respectively, in the endosperm cells of the top spikelet compared with the basal spikelet. We conclude that poor synthesis of the starch leading to partial grain filling in the basal spikelet is due to a lower activity of sucrose synthase.