Normal Water Research Articles

Nitrogen deposition alters drought-induced changes in biomass and nonstructural carbohydrates allocation patterns of Quercus mongolica seedlings

Water and nitrogen (N) are major constraints that affect plant growth and survival. N deposition can enhance plant photosynthetic capacity and drought tolerance. However, the ecophysiological processes of plants in response to N deposition associated with drought stress are unclear. We investigated the allocation patterns of biomass and nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) among different organs in response to the addition of ammonium nitrate in Mongolian oak seedlings along a drought stress gradient. This study used pot experiment with three levels of N addition (CK: 0, LN: 5 and HN: 10 g N m−2 yr−1) in conjunction with three irrigated water volumes (W0: 36 L, W1: 25 L, reduction 30%, and W2: 18 L, reduction 50 %). The results showed drought stress, resulting in a decreasing trend in photosynthesis, had been reversed by N addition, and trends in water use efficiency also appeared to increase. Similarly, drought caused a decreasing trend in the biomass and the decreases in the ratio of root-to-shoot (R:S) and total biomass at the whole-seedling level. The enhancements in aboveground biomass were induced by N addition regardless of water conditions. Adversely, root biomass appeared to decrease under normal water conditions (W0) and increased under drought stress. In addition, leaf soluble sugar (SS) concentration and leaf SS: starch increased with N addition under W0 and decreased under severe drought (W2). When water and N availability were abundant, the carbon (C) use strategy of Mongolian oak seedlings focused on aboveground growth to get more carbohydrates. However, when water availability was in severe deficit, the C use strategy of seedlings shifted from growth to protection and defense by restoring more carbohydrates in stems or roots to survive the harsh environments, even when N availability was adequate. This study provided new insights into the understanding of C use strategy and drought survival mechanism in response to environmental change.

Apoptosis antagonizing transcription factor-mediated liver damage and inflammation to cancer: Therapeutic intervention by curcumin in experimental metabolic dysfunction associated steatohepatitis-hepatocellular carcinoma.

In tandem with the expanding obesity pandemic, the prevalence of metabolic dysfunction associated steatohepatitis (MASH, formerly known as NASH)- driven hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is predicted to rise globally, creating a significant need for therapeutic interventions. We previously identified the upregulation of apoptosis antagonizing transcription factor (AATF), which is implicated in facilitating the progression from MASH to HCC. The objective of this study was to examine whether the intervention of curcumin could alleviate AATF-mediated MASH, inhibit tumor growth, and elucidate the underlying mechanism. A preclinical murine model mimicking human MASH-HCC was employed, subjecting mice to either a chow diet normal water (CDNW) or western diet sugar water (WDSW) along with very low dose of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4 - 0.2 μL/g, weekly). Mice receiving curcumin (CUR) alongside WDSW/CCl4 exhibited significant improvements, including reduced liver enzymes, dyslipidemia, steatosis, inflammation, and hepatocellular ballooning. Curcumin treatment also suppressed hepatic expression of inflammatory, fibrogenic, and oncogenic markers. Of note, there was a significant reduction in the expression of AATF upon curcumin treatment in WDSW/CCl4 mice and human HCC cells. In contrast, curcumin upregulated Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) in MASH liver and HCC cells, which is known to downregulate sp1 (specificity protein-1) expression. Thus, curcumin treatment effectively inhibited the progression of MASH to HCC by downregulating the expression of AATF via the KLF4-Sp1 signaling pathway. These preclinical findings establish a novel molecular connection between curcumin and AATF in reducing hepatocarcinogenesis, and provide a strong rationale for the development of curcumin as a viable treatment for MASH-HCC in humans.

Potassium and Brackish Water Irrigation Influence Electrical Conductivity, Potassium Dynamic, and Maize Yield in Coastal Saline Soil

ABSTRACT Brackish water irrigation builds up salinity in the root zone of crops resulting in osmotic stress, nutritional imbalance, and specific ion effect. The development of agro-technology to ameliorate the adverse effects of salt stress has received considerable attention. In this pot culture experiment, we used two types of irrigation water (SW0- normal water, EC- 0.5 dS m−1 and SW1-brackish water, EC- 4 dS m−1), two sources of potassium (K) fertilizers (F1-KCl and F2-K2SO4) and three doses of K (K1–0, K2–30, K3–60 mg kg−1) to study the effect of brackish water irrigation and K on soil saturated paste electrical conductivity (ECe), K dynamic and maize biomass yield in saline soil. The ECe in SW1 was increased significantly (P < .001) by 182% over SW0 but decreased with K application. The SW1 treatment significantly increased the release of non-exch.K by 27% over SW0 at 21 DASE (the day after seedling emergence). The addition of K3 significantly increased the water-soluble K (ws.K), exchangeable K (exch.K) and non-exch.K by 54, 93, and 9%, respectively over K1. The SW1K3 treatment significantly reduced ECe and increased maize biomass yield (24%) over SW1K1. The outcome of the study suggested that SW1 with K3 supports maize production in saline soil during winter.

Diallel analysis of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) genotypes under water deficit stress

Combining ability is referred to as the hybridization value of the parental genotypes involved in the crossing to develop hybrids. The best parents are selected through combining ability methods and subsequently used to produce high yielding and resistant hybrids. Thus, the objectives of this study were to (i) understand the nature and action of genes controlling water deficit tolerance, and (ii) identify superior genotypes from the genetic breadth provided by hybridization in cowpea. Twenty-four genotypes were subjected to normal irrigation and water deficit condition to examine combining ability, genotypic and phenotypic correlations for traits directly related to water deficit (proline and chlorophylls), grain yield and yield components. The results showed the presence of the action of additive and non-additive genes under both water regime conditions. However, there was the predominance of the action of additive genes for most of the traits studied under both conditions. The parents KVX61-1, IT06K242-3, IT07K-211–1-8, Kpodjiguèguè, IT99K-573–1-1, Tawa and IT97K-206–1-1 were observed to be good general combiners for proline content, chlorophyll content and traits associated with yield, while KVX61-1 × KVX396-18, IT06K242-3 × KVX396-18, IT07K-211–1-1 × KVX396-18, Kpodjiguèguè x KVX396-18, KVX61 -1 × IT97K-206–1-1, IT06K242-3 × IT97K-206–1-1, IT07K-211–1-1 × IT97K-206–1-1 and Kpodjiguèguè x IT97K-206–1-1 were proven to be the best specific combiners for traits directly related to water deficit tolerance and yield. It should be noted that number of days to pod maturity, pod length, number of pods per plant and weight of hundred seeds were highly heritable traits in this study.

Assessment of groundwater reservoir and the influence of its characteristics on water dynamic control.

Groundwater reservoirs play an important role in regional water volume balance. In order to ensure the efficiency of a groundwater reservoir and obtain its maximum value, it is necessary to figure out its characteristics, such as minimum water level, normal water level, and maximum water level. The characteristics not only determined the storage capacity but also influenced the water allocation and utilization. Therefore, this paper took a groundwater reservoir built in an alluvial fan as an example to assess its storage capacity and the influence on water dynamic control. The alluvial fan was located in the front of Lao River, where there were an alluvial-diluvial fan, groundwater storage space, and natural impervious boundary. Therefore, it was an ideal place for constructing a groundwater reservoir. Through theoretical analysis and numerical simulation, the storage capacity was determined, and the influence of groundwater reservoir characteristics on water dynamic control was analyzed. On this basis, the water-supply method in the research area was confirmed. This paper will present a new method for repairing the groundwater system and protecting the ecological environment.

Circulating microRNAs as novel biomarkers for measuring the potency of ginger extract against cyclophosphamide toxicity in rat renal tissues: molecular and histopathological study.

This study aims to explore underlying molecular variations in the expression of miRNAs in kidney tissues of ginger-treated and non-treated cyclophosphamide (CP)-intoxicated rats. A total of 40 adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups of 10 each: Group I (control: received normal food and water), Group II (received ginger at a dose of 300 mg/kg), Group III (received CP 75 mg/kg, i.p.), and Group IV (received the same dose of CP and ginger extract). Rats received a single injection of 75 mg/kg CP on days 3, 4, 5, 19, 20, and 21. In CP-intoxicated rats, the treatment with ginger extract at a dose of 300 mg/kg was received by oral gavage starting seven days before CP and continuing throughout the duration of the experiment for four weeks. Molecular variations in the expression of miRNAs, apoptotic genes, histological kidney damage, and abnormal kidney function in control, ginger, and CP-intoxicated rats were identified by using real-time RT-PCR Analysis, immunohistochemical, and colorimetric assays. In addition, HPLC analysis and liquid chromatography spectrophotometry analysis using Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, and Β-Carotene-linoleic acid reagents were applied respectively for in-vitro screening of phytoconstituents and antioxidant activity for ginger extract. The kidney tissues of CP-intoxicated rats displayed an increase in lipid peroxidation marker malonaldehyde (MDA), DNA damage, and fibrosis markers like hyaluronic acid (HA) and hydroxyproline Hypx) with a decrease in the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). In addition, molecular expressions of mRNA fibrotic genes such as collagen, type 1, alpha 1 (COL1A1), and α-smooth muscle actin (αSMA). Molecular expressions of levels of B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCl-2) mRNA gene were down-regulated, and the expression of mRNA apoptotic; BCL2 associated X gene (Bax), caspase-3, Bax/BCl-2 ratio genes were significantly up-regulated respectively. Moreover, cellular oxidative genes, erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were down-regulated, respectively. The miR-155-5p, miR-34a-5p, miR-21-5p significantly increased while the miR-193b-3p, miR-455-3p, and miR-342-3p significantly decreased. Ginger also increased the expression of Nrf2, HO-1, and BCl-2 genes in the kidneys of rats induced with CP. In addition, active phytoconstituents, particularly 6]]-shogaol and 6]]-gingerol, were significantly identified in ginger extract using HPLC analysis. Antioxidant activity of these active metabolites were shown to be higher against in vitro free radicals (DPPH and Β-Carotene-linoleic acid), suggesting the potential antioxidant and antiapoptotic properties of ginger against CP-toxicity. Treatment with ginger in rats induced with CP resulted in significant improvement in the expression of certain molecular miRNAs. The kidney tissues of these rats showed a marked decrease in the expression of miR-155-5p, miR-34a-5p, and miR-21-5p, while the levels of miR-193b-3p, miR-455-3p, and miR-342-3p were observed to increase significantly. In conclusion, ginger can protect rats from CP-induced nephrotoxicity.

Comparative effect of ethanol extract of Moringa oleifera leaf and Boo-Sta Plus on the body weight and haematological indices of Wister albino rats

The comparative effects of ethanol extract of Moringa oleifera and Boo-Sta Plus on the red blood cell indices and body weight of Wistar albino rats were investigated. Fortification of food is not just trending in the human diet but also in the animal diet. Boo-Sta Plus have been employed in dietary fortification to achieve better results in meat quality, protein mass and weight gain, however, these artificial fortification causes antibiotic resistance and may have other negative health implications. Focus is now being directed on plant-based alternatives such as Moringa oliefera to curb these negative effects. Fresh leaves of Moringa oleifera were washed, oven dried and ground. Twenty (20) Wistar rats weighing (150-170 g) were divided into four groups containing five rats in each group (A, B, C and D). Rats in group A (control) received normal rat chow feed and water. Group B was fed 200 mg/kg body weight Moringa extract (low dose), Group C received 400 mg/kg body weight (high dose) and Group D received Boo Sta-Plus. All the experimental groups received their respective treatment in addition to feeding and water. Weekly body weight was recorded during the duration of 21 days of administration of leaf extract. At the end of 21 days of treatment, blood samples were obtained through cardiac puncture and analysed for haematological indices. The results show that Moringa oleifera leaf extract (low dose) and Boo-Sta Plus caused a significant increase (p &lt; 0.05) in the RBC, Hb, PCV, whereas a high dose of the leaf extract caused a decrease in the red blood cell indices when compared with the control. The administration of extract caused weight increase at a high dose comparatively to the Boo-Sta Plus and control. It is therefore concluded that ethanol extract of Moringa oleifera has positive effects on blood parameters and body weight and could serve as a substitute for Boo-Sta Plus thereby curbing the adverse health implications of artificial boosters.

Surface premelting of ice far below the triple point

Premelting of ice, a quasi-liquid layer (QLL) at the surface below the melting temperature, was first postulated by Michael Faraday 160 y ago. Since then, it has been extensively studied theoretically and experimentally through many techniques. Existing work has been performed predominantly on hexagonal ice, at conditions close to the triple point. Whether the same phenomenon can persist at much lower pressure and temperature, where stacking disordered ice sublimates directly into water vapor, remains unclear. Herein, we report direct observations of surface premelting on ice nanocrystals below the sublimation temperature using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Similar to what has been reported on hexagonal ice, a QLL is found at the solid-vapor interface. It preferentially decorates certain facets, and its thickness increases as the phase transition temperature is approached. In situ TEM reveals strong diffusion of the QLL, while electron energy loss spectroscopy confirms its amorphous nature. More significantly, the premelting observed in this work is thought to be related to the metastable low-density ultraviscous water, instead of ambient liquid water as in the case of hexagonal ice. This opens a route to understand premelting and grassy liquid state, far away from the normal water triple point.

Magnetic treatment of irrigation water and its effect on French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)

Abstract Magnetic water treatment (magnetic treatment device (MTD)) has long been a contentious procedure for domestic water treatment. This study examines the pros and cons of using different water types with and without a magnetic field treatment for growing French bean crop irrigation. The MTD used in this experiment works by ionizing the dissolved solid using a cathode and anode, electrolysing water using a dynamic pulse current at 50 kHz, and energizing the cations using a 7,000 Gauss magnet. The MTD of normal, waste and saline water enhanced the yield by 12.7, 16.9, and 20.07% over their respective control plots. Contrarily, seed protein (22.52 g/100 g), vitamin A (687.09 IU), potassium (212.44 mg/100 g), vitamin K (14.32 mg/100 g), and calcium (39.93 mg/100 g) reached their peak values when French bean plants were irrigated by magnetically treated wastewater. Na concentration in pods was significantly reduced when 3,000 mg/L of magnetically treated saline water was used to irrigate French bean plants. The MTD of irrigation water has also improved N and K desorption from colloidal soil complexes, which significantly helped make these two elements easily available to the plants and promoting better plant growth and yield. Overall, using the MTD, the overall characteristics of French bean were improved.

A STUDY ON CONCRETE CONTAINING THE SANDSTONE SLURRY AND FLY ASH PARTIALLY REPLACED WITH SAND AND CEMENT

Now a day’s the waste is produced in immense amounts during construction and coal burning, this study mainly focused on the utilization of sandstone slurry produced during sandstone cutting and Class-F fly ash produced by coal-burning. In this study a deep analysis is taken after 28 days’ testing, six concrete mixes were prepared one is conventional as M20, and trial mix batches are a total of five, three specimens were taken from each concrete mix separately to determine the engineering properties of the prepared specimen. Fly ash partly replaced with the cement in % of 5%,10%,15%,20%,25% and Sandstone slurry partially replaced with sand in % of 10%,20%,30%,40%,50%. Water cement ration took .4-.7%, after 28 days specimens were tested of water curing at ±2, 270C. Sulfate bath is prepared for durability test with 5% Na2SO4 and prepared specimen left for 28 days curing in prepared sulfate bath after completion of 28 days’ normal water curing, the specimen was tested after 56-day curing, acidic nature was maintained for prepared bath, on daily basis pH value has been noted if found more than 6.9 pH than sulphuric acid is added to keep the acidic nature of prepared bath. Only 5% FA and 10% SSS specimen show strength increment up to 14.477% and after sulfate bath, no change was found in specimen’s volume. In compressive strength maximum strength increased up to 19.39%, from 5% FA and 10% SSS replacement. In splitting tensile strength maximum strength increased 11.37% with 10% FA and 20% SSS.

Effect of Salt Concentration on Oil Recovery during Polymer Flooding: Simulation Studies on Xanthan Gum and Gum Arabic.

Oil recoveries from medium and heavy oil reservoirs under natural recovery production are small because of the high viscosity of the oil. Normal water flooding procedures are usually ineffective, as the injected water bypasses much of the oil because of its high mobility. Thermal flooding processes are desirable but have many disadvantages from costs, effects on the environment, and loss of lighter hydrocarbons. Chemical flooding options, such as bio-polymer flooding options, are attractive, as they are environmentally friendly and relatively cheap to deploy and help to increase the viscosity of the injecting fluid, thereby reducing its mobility and increasing its oil recovery. The downside to polymer flooding includes reservoir temperature, salinity, molecular weight, and composition. Six weight percentages of two polymers (xanthan gum, XG, and gum arabic, GA) are dissolved in water, and their viscosity is measured in the laboratory. These viscosities are incorporated with correlations in the Eclipse software to create models with different polymer concentrations of (0.1% wt., 0.2% wt., 0.3% wt., 0.4% wt., 0.5% wt., and 1% wt.). A base case of natural recovery and water injection was simulated to produce an oil recovery of 5.9% and 30.8%, respectively, while at 0.1% wt. and 1% wt., respectively, oil recoveries of 38.8% and 45.7% (for GA) and 48.1% and 49.8% (for XG) are estimated. At 5% and 10% saline conditions, a drop in oil recovery of (4.6% and 5.3%) is estimated during GA flooding and (1.2% and 1.7%) for XG flooding at 1% wt., respectively. XG exhibits higher oil recoveries compared to GA at the same % wt., while oil recoveries during GA floodings are more negatively affected by higher saline concentrations.

Associations of dietary, sociodemographic, and anthropometric factors with anemia among the Zhuang ethnic adults: a cross-sectional study in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China

BackgroundAfter decades of rapid economic development, anemia remains a significant public health challenge globally. This study aimed to estimate the associations of sociodemographic, dietary, and body composition factors with anemia among the Zhuang in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.MethodsOur study population from the baseline survey of the Guangxi ethnic minority Cohort Study of Chronic Diseases consisted of 13,465 adults (6,779 women and 6,686 men) aged 24–82 years. A validated interviewer-administered laptop-based questionnaire system was used to collect information on participants’ sociodemographic, lifestyle, and dietary factors. Each participant underwent a physical examination, and hematological indices were measured. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was used to select the variables, and logistic regression was applied to estimate the associations of independent risk factors with anemia.ResultsThe overall prevalences of anemia in men and women were 9.63% (95% CI: 8.94–10.36%) and 18.33% (95% CI: 17.42─19.28%), respectively. LASSO and logistic regression analyses showed that age was positively associated with anemia for both women and men. For diet in women, red meat consumption for 5–7 days/week (OR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.65–0.98, p = 0.0290) and corn/sweet potato consumption for 5–7 days/week (OR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.55–0.96, p = 0.0281) were negatively associated with anemia. For men, fruit consumption for 5–7 days/week (OR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.60–0.94, p = 0.0130) and corn/sweet potato consumption for 5–7 days/week (OR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.46–0.91, p = 0.0136) were negatively correlated with anemia. Compared with a normal body water percentage (55–65%), a body water percentage below normal (< 55%) was negatively related to anemia (OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.53–0.86, p = 0.0014). Conversely, a body water percentage above normal (> 65%) was positively correlated with anemia in men (OR = 1.73, 95% CI: 1.38–2.17, p < 0.0001).ConclusionsAnemia remains a moderate public health problem for premenopausal women and the elderly population in the Guangxi Zhuang minority region. The prevention of anemia at the population level requires multifaceted intervention measures according to sex and age, with a focus on dietary factors and the control of body composition.

Physicochemical and Organoleptic Analysis of Tomato Irrigated with fish farms water; at URERMS-ADRAR. Algeria

The objective of the developed system is to encourage efficient water management practices that optimize the usage of water by keeping crop health and yield intact through the implementation of an automated irrigation system. The study aimed to determine the impact of irrigation by fish farming on growth rates and concentrations of macro- and micronutrients in tomatoes. Results indicated that irrigation with fish farm effluent significantly increased and effluent water, depending on its composition to feed the fish, can supply nutrients and increase the concentrations of these elements in tomatoes irrigated with this water with a refractive index = 1.3391 and a calorie value of 19.927 Calorie in the first sampling and 16.696 calories in the second sampling for 100 g for the year 2021 and for the year 2022 we have a refractive index = 1.3495 and a calorie value of 20.66 Calorie for 100 g. Here we show for the first time that is more than the standard norm (Cotte.2000) which is 18 Calories. Also, after carrying out microbiological analyzes, there is a total absence of pathogenic bacteria, as well as the organoleptic parameters are heading in the right direction where tomatoes irrigated by fish farming water is concentrated compared to the tomatoes irrigated by normal fresh water with Light red of 53 %, Cooked acid of 47 %, spherical form of 94 % and a pleasant smell of 88 %. Therefore, using fish farm effluent in irrigation provides water requirements for plants and also can improve the availability of nutrient elements for tomatoes.

Morpho-anatomical adaptations of dominantly grown wild Datura inoxia to wastewater resource: Productivity and ecological issues

With the increasing global water scarcity, wastewater irrigation has become widespread, but it can have detrimental ecological consequences. Although wastewater contains valuable nutrients for plants, improper treatment or the use of untreated wastewater in irrigation can negatively impact soil fertility and plant growth. This study is divided into two parts: firstly, a phytosociological survey was conducted to identify plant species with the highest importance value index (IVI) in the vicinity of wastewater-irrigated areas. Secondly, a comparative morpho-anatomical analysis was carried out to investigate the morpho-anatomical adaptations of the species with the highest IVI under wastewater irrigation compared to normal water irrigation. The results of the phytosociological survey revealed the presence of 51 plant species in the vicinity of the wastewater-irrigated areas, with varying relative densities and coverage. Datura inoxia exhibited the highest IVI (28.79), followed by Xanthium strumarium (24.34), while Lippia nodiflora showed the lowest IVI (1.86). The morphological growth of D. inoxia was superior under normal water irrigation, but the average root length was greater under wastewater irrigation. Regarding cell anatomy, cell thickness and cell area characteristics in the dermal, ground, and vascular tissues of the stem and root tended to be greater under wastewater treatment. However, the opposite trend was observed in leaf anatomical analysis, possibly due to the combined effect of wastewater and climatic conditions. Stem and root xylem thickness were greater under wastewater irrigation, whereas phloem thickness was higher under normal water irrigation. The number of vascular bundles in the stem, root, and leaf was higher under wastewater treatment compared to normal water irrigation, but their arrangement was circular in the latter and scattered under wastewater irrigation. Datura inoxia demonstrated strong adaptive potential under wastewater irrigation, as indicated by its highest relative density, coverage, and IVI, suggesting its suitability for phytoremediation. However, due to the low relative density, coverage, and IVI of many other species, the use of untreated wastewater for irrigation cannot be appreciated.

Research and Application of Intelligent Water Source Well Air Defense Pumping and Dry Burning Technology

The surface water injection technology for developing low permeability reservoirs comes from the water supply of water source wells. The groundwater resources in oil fields are limited, with high water consumption and a decrease in water level, lacking effective monitoring methods. In recent years, there have been frequent occurrences of unsafe waste of electrical energy due to dry burning during pumping in water source wells, which has seriously affected the normal water injection of oilfield formations. In order to prevent dry burning of water source wells by pumping air, research on intelligent air defense dry burning technology for water source wells has been carried out. The automatic pump stop alarm at low water level and the automatic pump start at high water level avoid the phenomenon of dry burning during pumping in the water source well, ensure the normal operation of the water source well, and ensure sufficient water injection from the source. Reduce employee labor intensity and achieve the goal of optimizing human resources. Associate the start and stop status of the water source well with the tank position of the water injection station to achieve automatic water distribution and inventory, achieve digital management and fine management, and achieve the goal of reducing costs and increasing efficiency, which has promotion value.

The effects of high temperature, drought, and their combined stresses on the photosynthesis and senescence of summer maize

Global climate change has significantly increased the frequency and intensity of high temperature and drought stresses. Additionally, the high temperature and drought are often concurred, which make the situation of maize production tougher. However, the influence of the combined stresses of high temperature and drought on summer maize production remains uncertain. The study aimed to investigate the effects of high temperature, drought, and their combined stress at different growth stages on photosynthetic and senescence characteristics of summer maize. Denghai 605 (DH605) was used as the experimental material. High temperature (T), drought (D), and their combined stress (T-D) for 6 days were set at the 3rd leaf stage, 12th leaf stage, and tasseling stage, respectively. The natural temperature and normal water management were used as the control (CK). The results showed that high temperature, drought, and their combined stress at different growth stages decreased the activities of antioxidant enzymes and soluble protein content in leaves, leading to increases in MDA content and damage to cell membranes, which accelerated the senescence of the plant. Accordingly, the activities of RuBPcase and PEPCase were decreased, indicating the abilities of plants to harvest and utilize light energy declined due to high temperature, drought, and combined stresses at different growth stages. As a result, the Pn and thus, the dry matter accumulation rate were decreased by these stresses. In addition, the translocation of dry matter to ears was impeded by stresses, especially by the high temperature at the VT stage. While, high temperatures concurred with drought aggravated the adverse effects on summer maize, compared with single stresses. Significantly, high temperature, drought, and their combined stresses at the VT stage decreased the yield mostly, followed by stresses at the V12 stage, and then by stresses at the V3 stage. Compared with CK, the yield of VT-T-D, V12-T-D, and V3-T-D were decreased by 61.6 %, 13.7 %, and 10.4 %, respectively. As global climate change is unstoppable, the superimposed changes of various meteorological factors make the growth conditions for crop production extreme. Studies to explore the combined effects of two or even more meteorological factors on crop growth are becoming more and more important. This study fulfilled the current knowledge gap of the combined stresses on maize production, however, the underlying mechanisms should be dug out in the future.

Effects of Enzyme and Vinegar (Acetic Acid) on Growth Performance and Hematological Parameters in Broiler

The experiment was conducted on “Cobb 500” broiler chicks to investigate the effects of enzymes and vinegar on live weight and hematological parameters (TEC, Hb concentration, PCV, ESR, TLC, AST and ALT). A total of 250-day-old broiler chicks were allowed to take rest for 13 days for the adaptation and supplied with normal diet and water. After day 13 they were randomly divided into four equal groups (N=50) and marked them as group T0, T1, T2 and T3. Broiler chicks of group T0 were kept as control and fed with only the commercial broiler ration and fresh drinking water for 21 days but the group T1, T2 and T3 were treated with enzymes (Alquerzim®) @ 1gm/L, vinegar @ 1gm/L, enzymes (Alquerzim®) plus vinegar @ 1ml/L drinking water with normal diet for 21 days respectively. Live weight as gm of broiler chicks were measured on the day 14 of age (1st day of experiment) and sequentially at 7 days interval up to the end of the experiment (day 35 of age i.e 21st day of experiment). For the hematological examinations, blood samples were collected from the randomly selected 10 (i.e. n = 10) birds from each and every group at the end of experiment on day 35 of age (21st day of experiment). It was observed that live weight was increased significantly (p&lt;0.01) in the treatment groups (T1, T2 and T3) as compared to control group T0. TEC, Hb concentration and PCV were increased significantly (p&lt;0.01) but the ESR and TLC significantly (p&lt;0.01) decreased in all the treatment groups as compared to control group T0. Serum biochemical parameters like AST and ALT values were also decreased significantly (p&lt;0.05) in the treatment groups as compared to control group T0. Therefore, it may be concluded that additional enzymes and vinegar had better performance in terms of live weight gain and hematological parameters without any detrimental effects in broilers

L-arabinose Attenuates LPS-Induced Intestinal Inflammation and Injury through Reduced M1 Macrophage Polarization

BackgroundL-arabinose has anti-inflammatory and metabolism-promoting properties, and macrophages participate in the alleviation of inflammation; however, the mechanism by which they contribute to the anti-inflammatory effects of L-arabinose is unknown. ObjectivesTo investigate the involvement of macrophages in the mitigation of L-arabinose in an intestinal inflammation model induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). MethodsFive-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were divided into 3 groups: a control and an LPS group that both received normal water supplementation, and an L-arabinose (ARA+LPS) group that received 5% L-arabinose supplementation. Mice in the LPS and ARA+LPS groups were intraperitoneally injected with LPS (10 mg/kg body weight), whereas the control group was intraperitoneally injected with the same volume of saline. Intestinal morphology, cytokines, tight junction proteins, macrophage phenotypes, and microbial communities were profiled at 6 h postinjection. ResultsL-arabinose alleviated LPS-induced damage to intestinal morphology. L-arabinose down-regulated serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6, and messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and toll-like receptor-4 in jejunum and colon compared with those of the LPS group (P < 0.05). The mRNA and protein levels of occludin and claudin-1 were significantly increased by L-arabinose (P < 0.05). Interferon regulatory factor-5 (IRF-5) and signal transducer and activator of transcription-1 (STAT-1), key genes characterized by M1 macrophages, were elevated in the jejunum and colon of LPS mice (P < 0.05) but decreased in the ARA+LPS mice (P < 0.05). In vitro, L-arabinose decreased the proportion of M1 macrophages and inhibited mRNA levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IFN-γ, as well as IRF-5 and STAT-1 (P < 0.01). Moreover, L-arabinose restored the abundance of norank_f__Muribaculaceae, Faecalibaculum, Dubosiella, Prevotellaceae_UCG-001, and Paraasutterella compared with those of LPS (P < 0.05) and increased the concentration of short-chain fatty acids (P < 0.05). ConclusionThe anti-inflammatory effects of L-arabinose are achieved by reducing M1 macrophage polarization, suggesting that L-arabinose could be a candidate functional food or nutritional strategy for intestinal inflammation and injury.

Effects of Water Control and Nitrogen Addition on Functional Traits and Rhizosphere Microbial Community Diversity of Haloxylon ammodendron Seedlings

Water and nitrogen sources have always been the primary limiting factors for vegetation growth in arid and semi-arid regions and play an important role in the physiological ecology of vegetation. In this work, we studied the effects of water deficit and nitrogen addition on the physiological traits and rhizosphere bacterial microbial community of Haloxylon ammodendron seedlings in sterilized and non-sterilized soil habitats. A pot experiment was conducted to control the water and nitrogen sources of H. ammodendron seedlings. The water deficit treatment was divided into two groups based on gradient: a normal water group (CK, 70% field water holding capacity) and water deficit group (D, 30% field water holding capacity). The nitrogen addition treatment was divided into a no addition group (CK, 2.8 mg·kg−1) and addition group (N, 22.4 mg·kg−1). At the end of the growing season, the biochemical indexes of H. ammodendron seedlings were measured, and the rhizosphere soil was subjected to 16S rDNA-high-throughput sequencing to determine the rhizosphere bacterial community composition of H. ammodendron seedlings under different treatments. The results showed that the root-to-crown ratio of H. ammodendron seedlings increased significantly (p &lt; 0.05) under the water deficit treatment compared to the control and nitrogen addition treatments, indicating that H. ammodendron seedlings preferred to allocate biological carbon to the lower part of the ground. In contrast, plant height and root length were significantly lower (p &lt; 0.05) under water deficit treatment compared to the control, and no significant change was observed under water deficit and nitrogen addition compared to the control, indicating that water deficit inhibited the growth of H. ammodendron seedlings and nitrogen addition mitigated the effect of water deficit on the growth of H. ammodendron seedlings. Under sterilized soil conditions, both water deficit and nitrogen addition significantly increased the abundance and diversity of bacterial communities in H. ammodendron seedlings (p &lt; 0.05). Conversely, under non-sterilized conditions, both inhibited the diversity of microbial bacterial communities, and the microbial characteristic species under different controls were different. Therefore, in the short-term experiment, H. ammodendron seedlings were affected by water deficit and allocated greater quantities of biomass to the underground part, especially in the non-sterile microbial environment; different initial soil conditions resulted in divergent responses of rhizosphere bacterial communities to water deficit and nitrogen addition. Under different initial soil conditions, the same water deficit and nitrogen addition treatment will lead to the development of distinct differences in rhizosphere bacterial community composition.

Evaluation the efficacy of Leea indica leaves aqueous extract against nephrotoxicity induced by Diethylnitrosamine (DEN) in male rats

The aim of this study is to find out the quality of the aqueous extract of leea indica leaves in protecting kidney tissues from oxidative stress caused by DEN. Forty adult males were randomly assigned in four equal sets (ten animals per set), the (G1) They were given 1 ml of normal water, a control set was returned, and the G2 given200 mg/kg of DEN two days , while the G3 given 60 mg/kg of leea indica leaves, while the animals of thegiven G4 200 mg/kg of DEN. And 60 mg/kg of L.indica extract. FINDINGS When the albino rat was dosed with leea indica aqueous extract, the kidney damage induced by DEN was significantly decreased. The extract worked to mitigate kidney damage caused by DEN, which was demonstrated in histological examination by atrophy of the renal glomerulus and shrinkage of the glomerulus. Urinary tubules break down with hemorrhage. We conclude from the current study that the aqueous extract of the leaves of the bandicoot berries contributed to the reduction of hepatotoxicity induced by diethyl nitrosamine.&#x0D;