Growth Properties Research Articles

Study of Nb2O5 High-k Dielectric Material Deposited By Atomic Layer Deposition for Metal-Insulator-Metal Capacitor

Metal-Insulator-Metal (MIM) capacitors are important components in many electronic devices, including memory devices, filters, and oscillators. The performance of these devices depends strongly on the electrical properties of the dielectric layer. The application of new high-k materials can improve the properties of modern capacitors such as leakage current and capacitance density. However, it is necessary to understand the deposition conditions of both electrode and dielectric materials in order to master the dielectric properties in future MIM capacitors.One potentially interesting high-k material is niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5) with a wide band gap (3.6 eV) and high refractive index (n=2.3 @633 nm) deposited by Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) using niobium (V) ethoxide as niobium precursor at 180°C and H2O as reaction agent and oxygen source. Nb2O5 films were deposited directly on a silicon (Si 100) substrate or on a 10nm of titanium nitride (deposited by ALD on Si substrate, n=1.4@633 nm). The Nb2O5 films were deposited with a good film thickness uniformity on the 6-inches of the wafers with a thickness ranging from 20 to 60 nm on each sample. The deposition was done under a suitable ALD temperature of 200-300 °C. In order to investigate the film growth, structure, morphology and optical properties, the samples were characterized by spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The as-deposited films were then annealed in a furnace at temperature ranging from 500 to 650°C under N2 atmosphere.Subsequently, a MIM structure (Al/Nb2O5/TiN) was produced by adding a second aluminum layer deposited at 250°C on a Nb2O5/TiN/Si stack by the sputtering method. The surface of the second electrodes was aimed to have 0.1-1.0 mm2 to confirm the surface dependency of the capacitance value. The electrical properties of Nb2O5 dielectric layer such as dielectric constant, breakdown voltage and leakage current at possible user voltage were measured on this last structure. The low leakage current density is desirable for MIM capacitors as it helps to minimize energy loss and increase the energy storage capabilities of the capacitors. The obtained J-E curve was compared to some electrical conduction mechanisms to identify its electrical conduction behaviors. The barrier height of the F-N tunneling mechanism was determined by fitting the experimental data to the F-N equation. These measurements indicate that the electrical properties of the Nb2O5 material produced by ALD with specific settings are promising for the application in capacitors. These results provide new insight into our understanding of the application of Nb2O5 realized by ALD for the MIM capacitor.

Influence of the Complex Bacterial Preparation Azogran on Some Physiological-Biochemical Properties and Productivity of Potato Plants Infected by the Potato Virus X

The problem of increasing the yield of cultivated plants attracts the attention of specialists and prompts scientists to study viral plant diseases as one of the causes of significant crop losses. A virus is an endogenous parasite that, having entered plant cells, uses the functions of cell organoids and biosystems for its reproduction, which leads to plant disease and a decrease in their productivity. One of the promising approaches to reducing viral damage to plants is the use of microbial antiviral preparations. The complex bacterial preparation Azogran, developed at the Institute of Microbiology and Virology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, is based on the interaction of phosphate-mobilizing bacteria Bacillus subtilis IMV B-7023, nitrogen-fixing bacteria Azotobacter vinelandii IMV B-7076, and clay mineral — bentonite. Phosphate-mobilizing bacteria and nitrogen-fixing bacteria significantly improve the growth and development of plants, essentially increasing the yield of agricultural crops. However, the effect of Azogran on the development and yield of potato plants infected with the X-virus has not been sufficiently studied. Taking this into account, the aim of the work was to study the effect of the complex bacterial preparation Azogran on the growth, some physiological and biochemical properties, and productivity of potato plants, uninfected and infected by the potato virus X. Methods. Microbiological (obtaining the bacterial preparation Azogran, used in granular form (0.25 g)), virological (isolation of potato virus X, inoculation of plants with potato virus X), serological (testing for the presence or absence of the virus), biochemical (determination of chlorophylls a, b and carotenoids), spectrophotometric, and statistical analysis. Results. In the conducted experiments, the Azogran was used in granular form in the amount of one and two granules. The effectiveness of the use of the preparation, which stimulates the intensive growth of plants of two varieties of potatoes (early variety Spokusa and medium variety Diva), which leads to an increase in their yield, is shown. The positive effect of Azogran was observed on the development of both infected and non-infected plants. It was found that when two granules of the preparation were applied, the yield of potatoes of the Diva variety increased by 27.02%, and the yield of potatoes of the Spokusa variety under the same conditions increased by 29.46%. A similar effect of Azogran was observed on plants infected with the potato virus X, only to a lesser extent: in the Diva variety, the yield was 16.3% higher compared to the control (control — plants not infected by the virus), and in the Spokusa variety it was higher by 22.59%. When studying the content of chlorophylls a and b and carotenoids in virus-infected potato plants, it was established that the content of chlorophylls at different stages of virus infection was different, but the content of chlorophylls and carotenoids was higher in plants bacterized with Azogran. Conclusions. The complex bacterial preparation Azogran has a positive effect on the development of uninfected and infected plants, reducing the harmfulness of viral infections and contributing to the increase in potato productivity. Azogran can be successfully used in crop production to increase the quality and quantity of crop yields.

Growth, crystal structures, and magnetic properties of Fe–As films grown on GaAs (111)B substrates by molecular beam epitaxy

We study epitaxial growth, crystal structures, and magnetic properties of Fe–As compound thin films grown on GaAs (111)B substrates at various values of the As4:Fe flux ratio γ, using molecular beam epitaxy. The samples grown at low As4 flux (γ = 0.3, sample A) show mainly a body-centered-cubic (bcc) crystal structure, exhibiting ferromagnetic properties similar to bcc Fe. Meanwhile, the Fe–As samples grown at medium γ (2.7–4.5, sample group B) comprise regions of Ni2In-type FeAs (a hexagonal crystal with lattice constants of a = 0.399 nm and c = 0.536 nm), which are grown at the bottom and interface with the GaAs buffer layer, and a layer of non-stoichiometric FeAs with a DO3 structure (a = 0.522 nm) formed on the top. The DO3-structure FeAs phase contains partially transformed regions, which are characterized by thin stripes in a scanning transmission electron microscopy image. Furthermore, in the sample grown with high γ = 8.5 (sample C), a hexagonal Fe–As crystal with a large in-plane lattice constant (a = 0.691 nm and c = 0.542 nm) and threefold screw axes are observed. None of these crystal structures of Fe–As compounds has ever been reported. While sample C shows no ferromagnetism, the samples in group B exhibit strong ferromagnetism with high Curie temperature TC above 400 K. These new ferromagnetic Fe–As compounds are promising for spintronic device applications.

Structural and optical properties of cadmium selenide thin film growth with different substrate temperatures by spray pyrolysis deposition

In this work, cadmium selenide (CdSe) thin films were deposited successfully by spray pyrolysis at different substrate temperatures. The influence of the preparation technique on the optical, morphological, and structural properties of the different substrate temperature CdSe films were investigated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV-Visible optical transmission. The XRD analysis reveals that CdSe thin film has hexagonal (wurtzite) and (cubic) crystal structures with different particle sizes depending on the substrate temperature. The SEM image shows uniform and adherent crystals. The optical energy gap was found to be in the range of 1. 70 – 2.59 eV with different temperatures.

Simulation on liquid phase sintering of CeO2-CoO ceramic by diffusional Monte Carlo Potts model

Difficulty in control of in-situ crystal growth of CeO2-CoO ceramics limits its catalyst application of solid oxide fuel cells. It is necessary to explore a method to simulate the microstructure growth process of this ceramics under high temperature. In this work, the diffusional Monte Carlo Potts model for the simulation on liquid phase sintering of CeO2-CoO ceramics is established. With geometric and concentration-dependent probability calculated, the phenomena of solidification and melting in liquid phase sintering process are simulated. Moreover, effects of diffusion and grain consolidation are also taken into consideration. The simulation on both isothermal sintering and cooling process is run. The properties of grain growth, grain size distribution and sintering neck evolution are studied. It is found that the grain growth exponent, temporal revolution of grain number and sintering neck obtained from simulation basically agree with relevant theories. In addition, grain size distribution basically remains constant and follows lognormal distribution during the sintering process. This work provides a method to study the in-situ crystal growth process of liquid phase sintered ceramics.

Evaluation of Physicochemical Properties of Yogurt Fortified with Four Verities of Common Bean Whey (Phaseolus vulgaris)

Background: In recent years, the role of novel foods in public health has rapidly grown due to increased life expectancy, rising medication costs and consumers’ focus on obtaining health benefits. Methods: This study evaluates the acid production, microbial growth, physicochemical and textural properties of common bean-fortified yogurt (CBWFY) during 28 days of cold storage. Result: All varieties of CBWFY showed higher acidity and lower pH value, resulting in a higher microbial population after production and during 28-day storage. The color values “a” and “L” did not vary significantly in all samples and remained steady after 28 days, while the “b” value increased. The highest syneresis (14.86%) was found in white bean whey, while the lowest syneresis (1.81%) was observed in kidney bean whey. In terms of texture, the cohesiveness of CBWFY and the control sample decreased, while the hardness, springiness and gumminess improved during cold storage. Remarkably, cranberry bean whey had higher values (cohesiveness, springiness and gumminess) despite the hardness found in white bean whey.

Using microalgae to reduce the use of conventional fertilizers in hydroponics and soil-based cultivation

The intensive use of agrochemicals has led to nutrient loss, greenhouse gas emissions, and resource depletion, thus the development of sustainable agricultural solutions is required. Microalgal biomass has the potential to provide nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, along with various plant growth promoters, to enhance crop productivity and impart disease resistance. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the potential applications of microalgal extracts and biomass in the contexts of seed germination, hydroponic systems, and soil-based crop cultivation. The results revealed that the extracts from Chlorella sp. and Anabaena sp. have no significant impact on the germination of wheat seeds. High concentrations of Chlorella sp. and Anabaena sp. cell extracts in hydroponics enhanced the length of cucumber seedling stems by 81.7 % and 58.3 %, respectively. Additionally, the use of microalgal cell extracts hindered root elongation while stimulating the growth of lateral and fibrous roots. Furthermore, the study compared the performance of 5 different fertilizers: 1) inorganic fertilizer (IF), 2) organic fertilizer (OF), 3) microalgae-based biofertilizer (MF), 4) inorganic fertilizer + microalgae-based biofertilizer (IM), 5) organic fertilizer + microalgae-based biofertilizer (OM). The findings indicate that the plant growth and soil physicochemical properties in the groups supplied with different fertilizers are comparable and significantly higher than those in the control group. The levels of protein, chlorophyll A, and chlorophyll B in the MF group increased significantly by 40 %, 29.2 %, and 33.5 %, respectively, compared to the control group. However, it remained notably lower compared to groups supplied with inorganic and organic fertilizers (p < 0.05). Combining microalgae with organic fertilizer can simultaneously enhance the yield and quality of Chinese cabbage, representing a promising source of crop nutrition. In conclusion, this study suggests that it is promising to use microalgae to reduce the use of conventional fertilizers in hydroponics and soil-based cultivation.

Effect of Tillage, Crop Residue Management and Nutrient Levels on Energetics, Microbial Growth, Dehydrogenase Activity, Weed Parameters, Quality Parameters and Soil Physico-Chemical Properties of Maize (Zea mays L.)

The field experiment on “Effect of tillage, crop residue management and nutrient levels on energetics, microbial growth, dehydrogenase activity, weed parameters, quality parameters and soil physico-chemical properties of maize (Zea mays L.)” was conducted during rabi season of 2022-23 at Maize Research Centre, Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agriculture University, Agricultural Research Institute, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, Telangana. The experiment comprised of 12 treatment combinations laid out in a split–plot design with three replications. The main–plot treatments included four different tillage practices:M1-Conventional tillage (Plough + Cultivator + Rotovator), M2-Residue incorporation (After 10 days of spreading the haulms, only rotovator was run), M3- Residue incorporation (After spreading the haulms, microbial consortium was sprayed and after 10 days only rotovator was run) and M4- Zero-tillage (Only microbial consortium was sprayed on the haulms). Sub–plot treatments included three nutrient levels: N1- 100% RDF (240-80-80 N-P2O5-K2O kg ha-1), N2: 100% RDN &amp; P and 50% RDK (240-80-40 N-P2O5-K2O kg ha-1), and N3: 87.5% of RDN, 75% RDP and 75% RDK (210-60-60 N-P2O5-K2O kg ha-1). Results revealed that, among the tillage practices, residue incorporation (M3) had recorded significantly higher total microbial population, dehydrogenase activity and post-harvest soil available NPK of maize and lowest weed density and weed dry matter and it was on par with zero-tillage (M4) whereas all the parameters were significantly lower in conventional tillage (M1). However, Energy indices viz., energy use efficiency, specific energy, net energy, energy productivity, energy intensiveness was found to be the best in M1 -conventional tillage. Among the different nutrient levels, N1 (100% RDF) had shown significantly higher total microbial population, dehydrogenase activity and post-harvest soil available NPK of maize. Energy indices viz., energy use efficiency, specific energy, net energy and energy productivity was found to be the best in N1- 100% RDF. Whereas energy intensiveness was found to be best with N3- 87.5% of RDN, 75% RDP and 75% RDK. However, energy indices like energy use efficiency, energy productivity and energy intensiveness indicated non-significant effect of different nutrient levels. Tillage as well as nutrient levels did not exert any significant effect on moisture content and bulk density at sowing, tasselling &amp; silking and at harvest stages. Similar results were followed with quality parameters. The interaction effect due to tillage and nutrient levels on soil microbial studies, enzymatic activity, weed parameters, quality parameters, soil physico-chemical parameters, and energy indices was found non- significant.

Variation in the physical properties of soil in relation to natural and anthropogenic factors in the hilly loess region of China

Soil particle size distribution (PSD), bulk density (BD), saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks), soil water content (SWC) and generalized soil structure index (GSSI) are key physical properties for vegetation growth and are easily affected by natural and anthropogenic factors. However, how these soil physical properties respond to land use, slope aspect, slope position, and their interactions are less clearly understood. Here, an experiment with three land uses (cropland, grassland, and black locust [Robinia pseudoacacia L.] forests after 4, 9, 15, and 19 years of restoration), two slope aspects (south and north slope) and two slope positions (up and down slope) were conducted in the hilly loess region of China. The results showed the following: (1) The variation in different physical properties were driven by different factors of land use, slope aspect, slope position and their interactions. (2) The 9, 15 and 19 year old locust forests significantly decreased the BD by 6.75 %–19.32 % and increased the Ks by 69.96 %–195.97 % compared with grassland, while the cropland had higher SWC and GSSI values than the grassland and locust forests. (3) Soil physical properties were higher on the north slope than on the south slope and were larger on the down slope than on the up slope. (4) The BD, Ks, SWC, and GSSI of locust forests displayed different changes with the restoration year. (5) The key factor affecting forest growth and soil quality improvement varied with forest ages. Overall, 19 year old locust was the most effective at improving the BD and Ks. Furthermore, slope aspect, slope position and restoration time should be considered when evaluating the response of physical properties to land uses.

UCHL3 inhibits ferroptosis by stabilizing β-catenin and maintains stem-like properties of hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary hepatic liver cancer. Dysregulated Wnt/β-catenin activation is closely related to the progression of cancer. Nevertheless, the mechanism that sustains the abnormal expression of β-catenin in HCC has yet to be identified. In this study, we find that UCHL3 is overexpressed in HCC tissues and correlated with β-catenin protein level. High expression of UCHL3 is associated with poor prognosis. UCHL3 knockdown markedly reduces the protein level of β-catenin in HCC cells. TOP-luciferase activity and β-catenin target genes expression are also decreased upon UCHL3 depletion. We find that the ARM domain of β-catenin is required for the interaction with UCHL3. UCHL3 increases β-catenin protein stability via removing K48-specific poly-ubiquitin chains from β-catenin protein. Furthermore, the depletion of UCHL3 induces ferroptosis and hinders the growth, invasion, and stem cell properties of HCC cells. These impacts could be restored by the overexpression of β-catenin. In addition, the UCHL3 inhibitor TCID inhibits the aggressive phenotype of HCC through the degradation of β-catenin. In general, our results indicates that UCHL3 increases the stability of β-catenin, which in turn facilitates tumorigenesis of HCC, suggesting that targeting UCHL3 may be a promising approach for the treatment of HCC.

Growth and microwave properties of layered ferrogarnet structures

The ferrogarnet structures consisting from one- to three- layers of monocrystalline yttrium-iron garnet Y3Fe5O12 (YIG) films, two- layered YIG - La,Ga:YIG and two- layered {Y,Sm,Lu}3(Fe,Ga)5O12 -YIG structures were grown by liquid-phase epitaxy (LPE) method on gadolinium - gallium garnet Gd3Ga5O12 (GGG) substrates of (111) orientation. The obtained layered ferrogarnet structures were studied by the methods of ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) and magnetostatic wave (MSW) interference. The two- and three- layered YIG structures have a wide FMR line width (∆H). For the three- layered YIG structures with the total thickness of 68-102 μm ∆H = 5,7- 11,5 Oe. The line width ∆H = 0,34 – 1,22 Oe correspond to the two- layered (Y,Sm,La)3(Fe,Ga)5O12 – YIG structures with thicknesses from 3 to 65 μm. Individual layers in all structures are characterized by similar or different saturation magnetizations (4πMs).The frequency MSW separation in the YIG - La,Ga:YIG layered structure was observed. It was shown that the propagation losses of MSW in one- and two- layered structures increase with decreasing wavelength of MSW and transition to a two- layered structure.

Application of culturomics in fungal isolation from mangrove sediments

BackgroundFungi play a crucial role in ecosystems, and they have been widely considered a promising source for natural compounds that are crucial for drug discovery. Fungi have a high diversity, but about 95% of them remain unknown to science. The description rate of fungi is very low, mainly due to the inability of most fungi to grow in artificial media, which could not provide a sufficiently similar environment to their natural habitats. Moreover, many species in nature are in a state of low metabolic activity which cannot readily proliferate without proper resuscitation. Previously developed culturomics techniques are mostly designed and applicable for bacteria, with few attempts for fungal isolation because of their significantly larger cell size and hyphal growth properties.ResultsThis study attempted to isolate previously uncultured and rare fungi from mangrove sediments using newly developed fungal enrichment culture method (FECM) and fungal isolation chips (FiChips). Comparison of fungal community composition at different enrichment stages showed that FECM had great influence on fungal community composition, with rare taxa increased significantly, thus improving the isolation efficiency of previously uncultured fungi. Similarly, in situ cultivation using FiChips has a significant advantage in detecting and culturing rare fungi, as compared to the conventional dilution plate method (DPM). In addition, based on morphological comparisons and phylogenetic analyses, we described and proposed 38 new ascomycetous taxa, including three new families, eight new genera, 25 new species, and two new combinations (presented in additional file 1).ConclusionsOur study demonstrated that mangrove sediments harbor a high diversity of fungi, and our new isolation approaches (FECM and FiChips) presented a high efficiency in isolating hitherto uncultured fungi, which is potentially usable for fungal isolation in other similar environments.Dds2rK-5aaMj4bHfhLGEseVideo

Soil amendment with biochar improves wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) growth, yield and post-harvest soil properties

Soil amendment with biochar improves wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) growth, yield and post-harvest soil properties

Влияние питательного субстрата на рост и распределение биомассы сеянцев Picea obovata Ledeb. в Северной Монголии

The development of seedling production technology and methods of establishing highyielding plantations of Picea obovata Ledeb. on a scientific basis is one of the urgent problems of forestry in Mongolia. In this study, we aimed to solve the following problems: to conduct a comparative analysis of the seedling growth parameters and biomass accumulation grown on different nutrient substrates; to assess the relationship between seedling growth, biomass accumulation and soil properties; to determine the most optimal nutrient substrates for seedling production of Siberian spruce in greenhouse conditions in Northern Mongolia. Six formulations of nutrient substrates (T1, Т2, Т3, Т4, Т5, Т6) were used for the seedling production of Picea obovata Ledeb. in greenhouses equipped with a sprinkler system. Nutrient substrates were prepared using black soil, manure, compost, peat, sawdust, sand in different composition ratios. During the 4-year-observation period height, root collar diameter, root length and aboveground and belowground biomass of seedlings were measured at the end of each growing season. We divided the biomass of seedlings into several structural elements. We found that all tested nutrient substrates, except the control substrate, had a positive effect on seedling growth in height and diameter. Comparative analyses showed that different ratio and composition of black soil, compost, manure, sawdust, and sand in the nutrient substrate had different effects on seedling growth (p &gt; 0.001) and biomass accumulation (p &gt; 0.001). Among the proposed nutrient substrates, the treatments T2 (50 % black soil + 20 % sand + 20 % peat + 10 % compost) and T6 (60 % black soil + 20 % sand + 10 % peat + 10 % compost) were selected as the most effective soil substrate that are suitable for further seedling production of Siberian spruce under greenhouse conditions in Mongolia. There fore, it was observed that good root system development was a determinant of seedling growth in height, diameter, and aboveground biomass accumulation especially from 3–4 years of age. Spruce seedling growth was positively correlated not only with humus content (r = 0.46), but also with soil acidity (r = 0.43) and available phosphorus (r = 0.48). The results of this investigation made an important contribution to the development of production technology for growing standard and large-sized seedlings of Picea obovata in greenhouse complexes in Northern Mongolia. For citation: Jagdag D., Batsaikhan G., Baatarbileg N., Lobanov A.I., Gerelbaatar S. Effect of Nutrient Substrate on Seedling Growth and Biomass Allocation of Picea obovata Ledeb. in Northern Mongolia. Lesnoy Zhurnal = Russian Forestry Journal, 2023, no. 6, pp. 57–69. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.37482/0536-1036-2023-6-57-69

The fracture toughness and fatigue crack growth properties of 18Ni 300 maraging steel manufactured by wire + arc additive manufacturing

Wire + arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) was used to manufacture the 18Ni 300 maraging steel component. The microstructure, tensile properties, fracture toughness, and fatigue crack growth resistance of the WAAM-ed 18Ni 300 maraging steel were investigated. The bottom regions showed unique microstructure: martensite, tempered martensite, ferrite, granular perlite, and carbide. The formation of tempered martensite in remelting regions would contribute to the following reasons: the cooling impact of the substrate; the partial remelting and long low tempering time. For the non-remelting regions, much ferrite would contribute to the organic mixture of ferrite and (granular) carbides, providing the environment of forming perlite. Meanwhile, numerous Ni3Mo and Ni3Ti IMCs were observed in the martensite matrix. The tensile properties of different regions and directions were different. The fracture toughness and fatigue crack growth resistance of horizontal sample was greater than the vertical sample due to the unique microstructures in the bottom region and weak interlayer combination. The WAAM-ed 18Ni 300 component had a great matching between fracture toughness and yield strength, which is similar to the SLM-ed 18Ni 300, illustrating the WAAM-ed 18Ni 300 components might have a better application potential in the aerospace equipment field.

Fabrication, bacteriostasis and plant growth properties researches of ultrasmall particle sizes of Ag synergistic with Fe3O4/Cu/CuO nanocomposites

Nano-silver (Ag) with ultra-small particle sizes have strong antibacterial activity because it can pass through the bacterial cell wall and enter the internal environment, causing irreversible damage to bacteria, but the disadvantages such as easy agglomeration and high toxicity alone limit its application. Therefore, In this study, by loading ∼ 3 nm ultrasmall particle sizes Ag (QDs) on the Fe3O4/Cu/CuO (FC) surface, core–shell type Fe3O4/Cu/CuO@Ag nanocomposite (FAN) was created. We used commercially available Bordeaux liquid (BM) as a control and targeted Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) to investigate the antibacterial activity of the material and its antibacterial mechanism. To examine the biocompatibility of materials with human cells and their effect on plant growth, the model plant employs mung bean as its objectives. The results showed that FAN can effectively inhibit E. coli and S. aureus for up to 99.99 % within 20 min, which is ten times greater than BM. It had a delaying effect on the adaptation period and logarithmic phase of bacterial growth, and could effectively destroy bacterial cell walls and respiratory enzymes. According to biocompatibility studies, FAN has little effect on lactation cells and can promote mung bean germination, root growth, and chlorophyll content with twice the efficiency of BM. This research opens the door to inhibition agents for bacterial control in applications.

Turkey Oak (Quercus cerris L.) Resilience to Climate Change: Insights from Coppice Forests in Southern and Central Europe

Turkey oak (Quercus cerris L.) is a thermophilic oak species that is gaining importance in the context of ongoing climate change because of its better resistance to climatic extremes and drier conditions. Therefore, this article focuses on Turkey oak’s role and growth properties in the coppice forests of Southern Europe (Italy, Bulgaria) compared to similar site conditions in Central Europe (Slovakia, Czechia). The aims are to evaluate the basic dendrometry indicators, stand biodiversity, growth dynamics, and the effect of climatic factors on tree-ring increment on specific site chronologies. We found that the tree density in coppices of 50–60 years varied between 475 and 775 trees ha−1, and the stand volume ranged from 141 to 407 m3 ha−1. The complex stand diversity of all plots ranged from a monotonous to uniform structure. The size of tree-ring growth was closely related to indicators of stand density. The lowest influence of climatic factors on tree-ring growth was found in sites in Italy and the highest in Slovakia. The primary limiting factor for growth was the lack of precipitation during the growing season, especially in June and July. In contrast, temperature had a marginal effect on radial growth compared to precipitation. The radial growth in research plots in Southern Europe goes through longer 6 to 8-year growth cycles, and in Central European sites, it goes through shorter cycles of 2.4 to 4.8 years, which confirms better growth conditions in this region. The studied coppice stands exhibit a stable reaction to climate change. Yet, regarding cyclical growth, the Central European stands benefit from an advantageous climate and grow better than in Southern Europe. As part of the changing environmental conditions, Turkey oak is becoming an important tree species that can achieve high production potential even in drier habitats due to its regeneration characteristic as coppice and may play a critical role in its northerly introduction in Europe.

Effect of Inorganic Nutrients and Biofertilizers on Growth, Yield and Soil Properties of Maize (Zea mays L.) in N-W Region of Punjab, India

The field experiment on “Effect of inorganic nutrients and bio fertilizers on growth and yield of Maize (Zea mays. L) in N-W region of Punjab” was carried out at the research farm of Guru Kashi University, Talwandi Sabo, Bathinda (Punjab) during kharif season 2022. The experiment comprising total 8 treatment combinations; viz:, T0-control, T1- (100 percent RDF), T2 NP (150 kg per ha;70 kg per ha), T3-NP (100 kg per ha; 40 kg per ha) + Azospirillum, T4-NPK (140 kg per ha; 70 kg per ha; 70 kg per ha), T5- NPK (110 kg per ha; 40 kg per ha; 30kg per ha) +Azotobacter, T6- NPK+Zn (150kg per ha; 70 kg per ha; 70 kg per ha) + 50 kg per ha, T7- NPK +S+ S +Zn (160 kg per ha;70 kg per ha;70 kg per ha) + 50 kg per ha +30 kg per ha, T8-NPK (110kg per ha; 50kg per ha; 50kg per ha) + Azotobacter +Azospirillum. Experiment was carried out in randomized block design with three replications. Results revealed that growth, yield and economics of Maize influenced significantly due to application of nitrogen practices. The highest grain yield of 59.70 quintal per ha and stover yield 93.4 quintal per ha was recorded with combined application of NPK + S + Zn (160 kg per ha; 70 kg per ha; 70 kg per ha) + 50 kg per ha + 30 kg per ha (T7).

Entanglement Growth and Minimal Membranes in (d+1) Random Unitary Circuits.

Understanding the nature of entanglement growth in many-body systems is one of the fundamental questions in quantum physics. Here, we study this problem by characterizing the entanglement fluctuations and distribution of a (d+1)-dimensional qubit lattice evolved under a random unitary circuit. Focusing on Clifford gates, we perform extensive numerical simulations of random circuits in 1≤d≤4 dimensions. Our findings demonstrate that properties of growth of bipartite entanglement entropy are characterized by the roughening exponents of a d-dimensional membrane in a (d+1)-dimensional elastic medium.

Aquaporin 1 overexpression may enhance glioma tumorigenesis by interacting with the transcriptional regulation networks of Foxo4, Maz, and E2F families

BackgroundThe glioblastoma has served as a valuable experimental model system for investigating the growth and invasive properties of glioblastoma. Aquaporin-1 (AQP1) in facilitating cell migration and potentially contributing to tumor progression. In this study, we analyzed the role of AQP1 overexpression in glioblastoma and elucidated the main mechanisms involved.MethodsAQP1 overexpression recombinant vector was introduced into C6 rat glioma cells to construct an AQP1 overexpression C6 cell line, and its effect on cell viability and migration ability was detected by MTT and Transwell. RNA was extracted by Trizol method for gene sequencing and transcriptomics analysis, and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched for up- and downregulated genes by Principal component analysis (PCA), and the molecular mechanism of AQP1 overexpression was analyzed in comparison with the control group using the NCBI GEO database. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney paired two tailed t test.ResultsThe cell viability of AQP1-transfected cell lines increased by 23% and the mean distance traveled increased by 67% compared with the control group. Quantitative analysis of gene expression showed that there were 12,121 genes with an average transcripts per million (TPM) value greater than 1. DEGs accounted for 13% of the genes expressed, with the highest correlation with upregulated genes being FOXO4 and MAZ, and the highest with downregulated genes being E2F TFs.ConclusionsAQP1 may be implicated in glioma formation by interacting with the transcriptional regulation networks involving the FOXO4, MAZ, and E2F1/2. These findings shed light on the potential significance of AQP1 in glioma pathogenesis and warrant further investigations to unravel the underlying molecular mechanisms.