Leakage Reduction Research Articles

Double-Network structure chemically programmed DNA Cryogel: Enzyme immobilization platform with enhanced catalytic activity for portable biosensing

Enzyme-based hydrogels have conferred multiple benefits, particularly for disease diagnosis and environmental monitoring due to their pronounced biocompatibility, ability to load cargo, and optical properties. However, traditional hydrogels suffer from some significant limitations, such as enzyme leakage and catalytic activity decreased, restricting the extent to which hydrogels can be beneficially used. Herein, chemically programmed DNA-DNA interactions were designed as a promising solution for enzyme immobilization that substantially maintains biological functionality with remarkable leakage reduction. Additionally, their responsiveness and mechanical properties are dramatically enhanced after adjusting the porous structure of hydrogels via freezing. As a proof-of-concept, a DNA cryogel with a hierarchical structure was developed with adjustable distance among cascade enzymes, increasing the local concentration of intermediates and reducing their mass transfer energy barriers for direct glucose monitoring and glutathione (GSH) sensing. Moreover, after being integrated with a smartphone system, a universal sensing platform (immunosensor) was fabricated for rapid detection of environmental chemicals (i.e., bisphenol A) without expensive instruments and sophisticated procedures. This strategy provided some novel insights on hydrogel- based bioassays, implying their great potentials for conducting onsite analysis against various targets.

Enhancing electric vehicle charging performance through series-series topology resonance-coupled wireless power transfer.

The current electric vehicles (EVs) market is experiencing significant expansion, underscoring the need to address challenges associated with the limited driving range of EVs. A primary focus in this context is the improvement of the wireless charging process. To contribute to this research area, this study introduces a circular spiral coil design that incorporates transceiver coils. First, an in-depth analysis is conducted using Ansys Maxwell software to assess the effectiveness of the proposed solution through the magnetic field distribution, inductance properties, and mutual inductance between receiver and transmitter coils. In the next step, a direct shielding technique is applied, integrating a ferrite core bar to reduce power leakage and enhance power transmission efficiency. The ferrite magnetic shielding guides magnetic field lines, resulting in a significant reduction in flux leakage and improved power transmission. Lastly, a magnetic resonance series (SS) compensation wireless system is developed to achieve high coupling efficiency and superior performance. The system's effectiveness is evaluated through co-simulation using Ansys Simplorer software. The results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed solution, showing its ability to transmit 3.6 kilowatts with a success rate approaching 99%. This contribution significantly advances the development of wireless charging systems for electric vehicles, addressing concerns and promoting global adoption.

Latent Toehold-Mediated DNA Circuits Based on a Bulge-Loop Structure for Leakage Reduction and Its Application to Signal-Amplifying DNA Logic Gates.

DNA circuits based on successive toehold-mediated DNA displacement reactions, particularly entropy-driven DNA circuit (EDC) systems, have attracted considerable attention as powerful enzyme-free tools for dynamic DNA nanotechnology. However, background leakage (noise signal) often occurs when the circuit is executed nonspecifically, even in the absence of the appropriate catalyst DNA (input). This study designed and developed a new latent toehold-mediated DNA circuit (LDC) system that relies on a bulge-loop structure as a latent toehold toward leakage reduction. Furthermore, the number (size) of nucleotides (nt) in the bulge-loop is found to play a significant role in the performance (i.e., leakage, signal, and kinetics) of LDC systems. In fact, the signal rate for the LDC systems increased as the number of nt in the bulge-loop increased from 4 to 8, whereas the leakage rate of the LDC systems with bulge-loops of 7 nt or less was low, but the leakage rate of the LDC system with a bulge-loop of 8 nt increased significantly. Note that the LDC system with the optimal bulge-loop (7 nt) was capable of not only reducing the leakage but also accelerating the circuit speed without any signal loss, unlike methods of reducing the leakage by reducing the signal reported previously for the conventional EDC systems. These facts indicate that the 7 nt bulge-loop acts as a "latent" toehold for the DNA circuit system. By using the amplification function of output signals with an accelerated circuit and reduced leakage, our LDC system with a 7 nt bulge-loop could be applied directly and successfully to signal-amplifying DNA logic gates such as OR and AND gates, and thus, sufficient output signals could be obtained even with a small amount of input. These findings reveal that our LDC systems with a bulge-loop structure can replace the conventional EDC system and have enormous potential in the field of DNA nanotechnology.

MsSPL12 is a positive regulator in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) salt tolerance.

Over expression of MsSPL12 improved alfalfa salt tolerance by reducing Na+ accumulation and increasing antioxidant enzyme activity and regulating down-stream gene expression. Improvement of salt tolerance is one of the major goals in alfalfa breeding. Here, we demonstrated that MsSPL12, an alfalfa transcription factor gene highly expressed in the stem cells, plays a positive role in alfalfa salt tolerance. MsSPL12 is localized in the nucleus and shows transcriptional activity in the presence of its C-terminus. To investigate MsSPL12 function in plant response to salt stress, we generated transgenic plants overexpressing either MsSPL12 or a chimeric MsSPL12-SRDX gene that represses the function of MsSPL12 by using the Chimeric REpressor gene-Silencing Technology (CRES-T), and observed that overexpression of MsSPL12 increased the salt tolerance of alfalfa transgenic plants associated with an increase in K+/Na+ ratio and relative water content (RWC) under salt stress treatment, but a reduction in electrolyte leakage (EL), reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and proline (Pro) compared to wild type (WT) plants. However, transgenic plants overexpressing MsSPL12-SRDX showed an inhibited plant growth and a reduced salt tolerance. RNA-sequencing and quantitative real-time PCR analyses revealed that MsSPL12 affected the expression of plant abiotic resistance-related genes in multiple physiological pathways. The potential MsSPL12-mediated regulatory pathways based on the differentially expressed genes between the MsSPL12 overexpression transgenics and WT controls were predicted. In summary, our study proves that MsSPL12 is a positive regulator in alfalfa salt tolerance and can be used as a new candidate for manipulation to develop forage crops with enhanced salt tolerance.

High-Speed 16-Bit SAR-ADC Design at 500 MS/s with Variable Body Biasing for Sub-Threshold Leakage Reduction

In this study, a high-performance 16-bit, 500 MS/s successive approximation register analog-to-digital con-verter (SAR-ADC) with variable body biasing (VBB) for re-ducing sub-threshold leakage is designed and optimized. The suggested ADC architecture makes use of a voltage threshold complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (VTCMOS) cir-cuit with Widlar current mirror technology to efficiently con-sume 39.2 μW at an operating voltage of 1.0 V. Notably, the optimized ADC achieves outstanding performance measures, such as a signal-to-noise and distortion ratio (SNDR) of 97 dB and a total harmonic distortion (THD) of -97.97 dB, which are crucial markers of the ADC's accuracy and fidelity. An over-view of the growing need for high-resolution ADCs in contem-porary high-speed data conversion systems opens the study. The main goal of this effort is to improve overall ADC per-formance and tackle the problem of sub-threshold leakage. The Widlar current mirror technology and the VTCMOS cir-cuit are integrated for enhanced linearity, decreased current mismatch errors, and minimized leakage current. This inte-gration is highlighted in the full explanation of the ADC de-sign. The advent of the VBB approach as a successful method of leakage reduction is a significant contribution to this re-search. The theoretical foundations and workings of the VBB technique are discussed, and thorough simulations and tests are used to assess how the VBB technique affects leakage cur-rent and circuit performance. The SAR-ADC design and simulations were carried out using Cadence Virtuoso soft-ware.

Compensatory measures to reduce GHGs in wastewater treatment plants in Southern Italy

This study evaluates Greenhouse Gas (GHGs) emissions in 183 Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) located in the Apulia region in Southern Italy. All WWTPs examined treat municipal wastewater. GHGs from each treatment unit were estimated in the current situation and compared, for the same WWTPs, to those emitted after assuming structural compensatory measures to mitigate them. Total GHGs emissions in current estimation have been estimated equal to 83 kg CO2eq/PE⋅y and equal to 62 kg CO2eq/PE⋅y after upgrade. Some compensatory measures have been also discussed to lower GHGs emitted: the recirculation of sludge thickened in treatment secondary; reduction of biogas systems leakage, aerobic digester and thickener coverage and new system to recovery biogas from anaerobic digester generating energy. All upgrade systems considered result in electrical energy reduction and in significant GHGs emission reduction especially for anaerobic digestion based WWTPs.

Patients experience with the use of a penile clamp in post-prostatectomy incontinence - a prospective pilot study.

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of a penile clamp in managing urinary incontinence (UI) and its impact on perceived quality of life (QoL) amongst post-prostatectomy patients. A prospective pilot study was conducted including patients with post-prostatectomy UI treated with a penile clamp. Inclusion criteria consisted of UI after radical prostatectomy, good hand function, full cognitive function and a minimum penile length of 3 cm and a circumference of 5 cm. An appropriately sized penile clamp was selected during the first visit, and patients were given instructions on how to use it. The first follow-up was a scheduled phone call 1 week after the initial visit. Formal evaluations were performed prior to use of the penile clamp and again after 3 months of usage. These consisted of weighing pads during the daytime with evaluation of leakage, International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF), incontinence-QoL (I-QoL) and a questionnaire specific for the penile clamp. There were 22 patients included, and two were excluded due to reduced hand function and surgery before the study endpoint. The results showed a significant median reduction of urinary leakage of 57% at rest and 58% during physical activity. One complication was observed, as one patient developed a pinching ulcer, after extensive usage. ICIQ-SF showed an increase of 6% for the included patients (n = 20). Ten patients were satisfied with the clamp, and 15 would recommend the clamp to others. The penile clamp shows promising results in reducing leakage with minimal risks of complications. It can be used as a treatment for patients awaiting surgery. However, patient selection is important regarding hand function, cognitive function and the penile anatomy.

Numerical method for reducing the effect of spectral leakage on the frequency normalisation results of signals obtained in an asphalt pavement test using a FWD device

ABSTRACT This paper provides an evaluation of the numerical method for limiting the effect of spectral leakage on the frequency normalisation results of the pavement load and displacement functions which were induced with a dynamic impulse generated during FWD tests. The main part of the paper is concerned with the presentation of a method, which can be used to effectively reduce the effect of spectral leakage on the frequency normalisation of signals obtained through pavement testing with FWD. The method developed is supported by the observed differences between the results of the backcalculations carried out for the measurement results of the test section pavement deflections, which were subjected to frequency normalisation with and without spectral leakage reduction. The signals, where the proposed spectral leakage mitigation method was applied, were the only ones for which the identified values of the elastic modulus of the asphalt layer package model increase as the frequency increases, which agrees with the generally accepted relationship observed under laboratory conditions.

Generalized singular spectrum analysis for the decomposition and analysis of non-stationary signals

Singular spectrum analysis (SSA) has been verified to be an effective method for decomposing non-stationary signals. The decomposition and reconstruction stages can be interpreted as a zero-phase filtering process where reconstructed components are obtained by inputting a signal through moving average filters. However, mathematical analysis indicates that the use of a default rectangular window in the embedding stage would corrupt the frequency characteristics of the trajectory matrix, resulting in spectral leakage. To attenuate the effect of spectral leakage and to obtain more concentrated SSA components, this study introduces a windowing technique in SSA, called generalized singular spectrum analysis (GSSA). In GSSA, the default rectangular window is replaced with adjustable taper windows, which are widely used for attenuating spectral leakage. Through windowing, GSSA can achieve less spectral leakage, and produce more energy-concentrated reconstructed components compared with conventional SSA. Grouped spectral entropy (GSE) is used as the metric for evaluating the performance of the proposed GSSA algorithm. Results from experiments, which were conducted on a synthetic signal and two real electroencephalogram signals, show that GSSA outperforms the conventional SSA and the baseline in the reduction of spectral leakage. Compared with the baseline, the proposed GSSA achieves a lower averaged GSE, resulting in reduction of 0.4 for eigenfilters and 0.11 for reconstructed components, respectively. Our results reveal the effectiveness of GSSA in the decomposition and analysis of non-stationary signals.

Bacillus cereus: an effective bio-inoculant for promoting salt stress tolerance of rice seedlings under saline soil conditions

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are a powerful tool to maintain sustainable agriculture and promote plant resistance to biotic and abiotic types of stress. Salinity, a major abiotic stress hampers plant growth, development, and yield. Salt-tolerant PGPR are effective agents for ameliorating salinity effects on rice plants. The present study endeavored to isolate, determine halotolerant ability, characterize Plant Growth Promoting (PGP) traits, and finally observe the effect of PGPR strain on plant growth promotion of rice plants under saline and non-saline conditions. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequencing technique, the rhizobacterial strain DB2 was identified as Bacillus cereus ATCC 14579(T) from NCMR, NCCS Pune. To check the growth-promoting ability, the strain was inoculated with two rice genotypes named Chinsurah Nona I (salt tolerant-non aromatic) and Badshabhog (aromatic) under polyhouse conditions. Results showed a significant increment in relative water content (RWC), total chlorophyll content (TCC), root length (RL), and shoot length (SL) in both rice genotypes inoculated with DB2 under both saline and non-saline conditions. Under non-saline conditions enhancement of RWC, TCC, RL, and SL was better in DB2 inoculated Chinsurah Nona I than in Badshabhog inoculated with DB2. Whereas, DB2-inoculated Badshabhog showed more recovery of RWC, TCC, RL, and SL than DB2-inoculated Chinsurah Nona I under saline conditions. Under salt stress conditions, inoculation with the rhizobacterial strain showed a significant reduction in electrolytic leakage (EL) in rhizobacteria inoculated with both rice genotypes. Moreover, DB2 inoculation showed a significant reduction in Na+ content in the roots of Chinsurah Nona I (44.6%) and Badshabhog (24.5%) rice genotypes. The present study has indicated that the application of salt-tolerant PGPR may be an effective and sustainable solution for rice cultivation under salt-stress conditions.

Prioritising climate adaptation options to minimise financial and distributional impacts of water supply disruptions

Climate-related disruptions to water supply infrastructure services incur direct financial losses to utilities (e.g. to repair damaged assets) and externalise a societal cost to domestic customers due to additional costs that they may incur (e.g. to acquire water from alternative sources). The latter often represents an uncompensated social burden, which should be properly accounted for in investment planning. Here we present a new framework for quantifying direct financial risks burdened by utilities and alternative water purchase losses incurred by domestic customers, including those in low-income groups, during flood- and drought-induced utility water supply disruptions. This framework enables the comparison of benefit-cost ratios of a portfolio of flood protection and leakage reduction for water supply systems across the island of Jamaica. A system-level optioneering analysis allows the identification of the optimal adaptation option per system. We estimate that 34% of systems would benefit from flood defences and 53% would benefit from leakage reduction to adaptation to droughts. The benefit that could be achieved by implementing all system optimised adaptation options is estimated to be 720 million Jamaican dollars per year on average, representing a substantial saving for the utility and its customers, including low-income customers. We identify options that offer strong synergies between economic and equity objectives for both types of adaptation option. The proposed framework is established to support the business case for climate adaptation in the water supply sector and to prioritise across flood and drought mitigation options. We take a first step towards mainstreaming equity considerations in water supply sector optioneering frameworks by estimating the contribution of adaptation options towards reducing household costs for low-income customers.

Halotolerant and plant growth-promoting endophytic fungus Aspergillus terreus CR7 alleviates salt stress and exhibits genoprotective effect in Vigna radiata.

Soil salinity is one of the major environmental stresses that results in reduction of cultivable land and decreased productivity. In the present study, halotolerant and plant growth-promoting endophytic fungi were isolated from Catharanthus roseus, and their effect in mitigating salt stress in Vigna radiata was evaluated. An isolate CR7, identified to be Aspergillus terreus, showing plant growth promotion activities, viz. IAA production (23.43 ± 0.79 μg/ml), phosphate solubilization (133.63 ± 6.40 μg/ml), ACC deaminase activity (86.36 ± 2.70 μmol α-ketobutyrate/h/mg protein) etc. and ability to grow at 15% NaCl was selected for further in vivo studies. Colonization of CR7 was carried out in V. radiata which was subjected to different concentrations of salt (150, 200, and 250 mM NaCl). Under salt stress, A. terreus CR7 inoculated plants showed substantially improved root and shoot length, biomass, chlorophyll content, relative water content, phenolics, protein content, and DPPH scavenging activity. Endogenous IAA level was enhanced by 5.28-fold in treated plants at maximum salt stress. Inoculation of A. terreus CR7 affected oxidative stress parameters, exhibiting an increase in catalase and superoxide dismutase and reduction in proline, electrolyte leakage, and malondialdehyde content. Fluorescent microscopic analysis of roots revealed improved cell viability and decreased levels of glutathione and hydrogen peroxide under salt stress in treated plants. The isolate A. terreus CR7 also protected against DNA damage induced by salt stress which was evaluated using comet assay. A decrease in DNA tail length, tail moment, and olive tail moment to the extent of 19.87%, 19.76%, and 24.81%, respectively, was observed in A. terreus CR7-colonized plants under salt stress. It can be concluded that A. terreus CR7 can be exploited for alleviating the impact of salt stress in crop plants.

НR-ТЕХНОЛОГІЇ В УПРАВЛІННІ ПЕРСОНАЛОМ ЯК СКЛАДОВА ФІНАНСОВО-ЕКОНОМІЧНОЇ БЕЗПЕКИ ПІДПРИЄМСТВ В УМОВАХ ЦИФРОВОЇ ТРАНСФОРМАЦІЇ

Today, for some enterprises of Ukraine, there is a threat to their activities associated with active hostilities on a large territory, as well as constant cyber attacks from the Russian Federation. Also, the main factor in ensuring the company's competitiveness is the digital transformation of business processes, which ensures an increase in productivity and efficiency. The use of digital technologies in business requires more and more protection to minimize future threats from information leakage through cyber-attacks or rogue employees. Increasingly, there are cases where personnel are not responsible for disclosing information that poses a threat to the financial and economic activity of the enterprise. That is why there is a need to improve the use of HP technology in management personnel as a component of the financial and economic security of enterprises in the conditions of digital transformation. The method of writing the article is the study of HP technologies in personnel management as a component of the financial and economic security of enterprises in the conditions of digital transformation. The study of HP technologies in management personnel as a component of the financial and economic security of enterprises in the conditions of digital transformation was carried out. The advantages of HP technologies in management personnel are characterized and the importance of increased protection is emphasized. External and internal threats and risks affecting the financial and economic security of the enterprise are considered. It was determined that external threats have an unregulated nature and systematically affect the company's activities. Internal ones, in their situation, are more regulated and have local influence. It is proposed to develop the mechanism of financial and economic security of the enterprise taking into account the methods and tools of personnel management based on HR technologies. It is emphasized that for modern conditions it is important to pay considerable attention to the formation of the personnel management subsystem on the basis of HR technologies as a component of the financial and economic security of the enterprise, which ensures its strengthening. It was determined to increase the protection of information systems used by management personnel to ensure the reduction of leakage of corporate and personal information, which strengthens the financial and economic security of the enterprise.

Risk-based analysis of squeeze cementing operations

The success rate of a squeeze cementing operation is generally low due to complexities in the range of potential leakage pathways and enormous uncertainty in characterizing these pathways. This work aims first to develop a physically based numerical model of the key part of the squeeze cementing operation, i.e. invasion of cement slurry into a realistic microannuli geometry under operational conditions. Secondly, it aims to account for uncertainties by using statistical tools combined with the deterministic model to deliver probabilistic information regarding outcomes. This paper develops this novel risk-based approach. The first objective of this work is to build upon our previous model, which focused on a single-perforation injection scenario. We reconstruct a multi-perforation injection scenario by collocating radial (single-perforation) invasion flows. We use this model to investigate the invasion of a viscoplastic fluid, representing a cement slurry, into a randomized varying width microannulus channel. The second objective is to investigate the effect of relevant parameters on leakage reduction. This is broken into two parts. First, how effectively the squeeze operation fills the microannulus around a perforation, explored through metrics that quantify penetration/filling. Second, what effect the penetration/filling has on the leakage of the entire well, i.e. given that the squeeze operation is local. We compare the effect of different perforation patterns and rheological parameters on penetration/filling metrics and on the reduction of leakage. We generate a probability distribution of leakage rates before and after the operation. In this way can estimate both the mean reduction in leakage for different perforation patterns, and associated confidence intervals. Such predictions have not been made before. Our results demonstrate the inherent uncertainty of a squeeze operation, which arises from the geometrical complexity. Practically, this suggests that higher perforation density and lower yield stress slurry will lead to higher success rates, as is intuitive. However, the spread of uncertainty in outcomes is not reduced much by such practices, meaning that one can still be unlucky in perforating the wrong part of the annulus.

Hydraulic Modelling for Leakage Reduction in Water Distribution Systems Through Pressure Control

Background Leakage in a water distribution network makes up a significant amount of loss. In certain countries, this loss represents 40% to 50% of the supplied water, whereas the global average for most systems is estimated at around 30%. Furthermore, water demand is increasing as a result of population growth, while resources are dwindling. Methodology This study used hydraulic modelling for leakage reduction through pressure control. For this purpose, a hydraulic model was created using the software EPANET for a selected water distribution network in a district-metered zone in Jeddah. The model was calibrated and validated for the district-metered zone using data obtained by SCADA. Pressure management using a pressure-reduction valve was then implemented to control the amount of leakage in water distribution systems. Results The preliminary findings show that pressure optimization was required as there were nodes within the network that had excessive pressure. Application of pressure management to the district metered zone showed that the reduction in water pressure from 5 bar to 2 bar resulted in an immediate reduction in water losses. The leakage volume through the district-metered area at the time of maximum pressure dropped by 10% after pressure reduction. Simultaneously, the minimum required pressure was upheld at each demand node, preventing any lack of pressure in the water distribution system. Conclusion The results indicated that pressure control should be integrated with hydraulic modelling for effective leakage reduction. This research could help water-supply companies as a support tool for planning and managing leakage in water distribution systems.

Transient investigations of teeth on rotor and teeth on stator modified labyrinth seals

Teeth-on-rotor (TOR) and teeth-on-stator (TOS) layouts are compared in this paper to explore better arrangement for different labyrinth seals. The diaphragm labyrinth seal (DLS) and hole diaphragm labyrinth seal (HDLS) are both redesigned into TOR and TOS layouts. To accurately predict the rotordynamics and leakage performance of different seals, a one-motion transient computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method based on the simplified multi-frequency transient method is proposed. A comparison of the experimental results, two-motion transient CFD method and proposed method showcase the better accuracy of the current method in rotordynamic performance prediction. The results shows the better rotordynamic characteristics of the TOS layout for different layouts and of the HDLS type seals for three labyrinth type seals. Even though, the TOR layout cannot increase the stability of the rotor system, a clear circumferential velocity reduction in the DLS and HDLS seals can be observed in both the TOS and TOR layouts. However, the changes in leakage performance for DLS and HDLS seals are different from those for traditional LSs. Unlike TOR-LS and TOR-HDLS, which exhibit relatively large increases in leakage compared with the TOS layout, TOR-DLS achieves a maximum 1.7% leakage reduction at a 15000 rpm rotation speed. A decrease in the jet flow length and increase in the turbulence kinetic energy in TOR-DLS compared with those in TOS-DLS further explain this abnormal phenomenon.

24-Epibrassinolide Reduces Drought-Induced Oxidative Stress by Modulating the Antioxidant System and Respiration in Wheat Seedlings.

Brassinosteroids (BRs) represent a group of plant signaling molecules with a steroidal skeleton that play an essential role in plant adaptation to different environmental stresses, including drought. In this work, the effect of pretreatment with 0.4 µM 24-epibrassinolide (EBR) on the oxidant/antioxidant system in 4-day-old wheat seedlings (Triticum aestivum L.) was studied under moderate drought stress simulated by 12% polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG). It was revealed that EBR-pretreatment had a protective effect on wheat plants as evidenced by the maintenance of their growth rate, as well as the reduction in lipid peroxidation and electrolyte leakage from plant tissues under drought conditions. This effect was likely due to the ability of EBR to reduce the stress-induced accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and modulate the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Meanwhile, EBR pretreatment enhanced proline accumulation and increased the barrier properties of the cell walls in seedlings by accelerating the lignin deposition. Moreover, the ability of EBR to prevent a drought-caused increase in the intensity of the total dark respiration and the capacity of alternative respiration contributes significantly to the antistress action of this hormone.

Enhancing salinity tolerance in cucumber through Selenium biofortification and grafting

BackgroundSalinity stress is a major limiting factor for plant growth, particularly in arid and semi-arid environments. To mitigate the detrimental effects of salinity stress on vegetable production, selenium (Se) biofortification and grafting onto tolerant rootstocks have emerged as effective and sustainable cultivation practices. This study aimed to investigate the combined effects of Se biofortification and grafting onto tolerant rootstock on the yield of cucumber grown under salinity stress greenhouse conditions. The experiment followed a completely randomized factorial design with three factors: salinity level (0, 50, and 100 mM of NaCl), foliar Se application (0, 5, and 10 mg L-1 of sodium selenate) and grafting (grafted and non-grafted plants) using pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) as the rootstock. Each treatment was triplicated.ResultsThe results of this study showed that Se biofortification and grafting significantly enhanced salinity tolerance in grafted cucumbers, leading to increased yield and growth. Moreover, under salinity stress conditions, Se-Biofortified plants exhibited increased leaf relative water content (RWC), proline, total soluble sugars, protein, phenol, flavonoids, and antioxidant enzymes. These findings indicate that Se contributes to the stabilization of cucumber cell membrane and the reduction of ion leakage by promoting the synthesis of protective compounds and enhancing antioxidant enzyme activity. Moreover, grafting onto pumpkin resulted in increased salinity tolerance of cucumber through reduced Na uptake and translocation to the scion.ConclusionIn conclusion, the results highlight the effectiveness of Se biofortification and grafting onto pumpkin in improving cucumber salinity tolerance. A sodium selenate concentration of 10 mg L-1 is suggested to enhance the salinity tolerance of grafted cucumbers. These findings provide valuable insights for the development of sustainable cultivation practices to mitigate the adverse impact of salinity stress on cucumber production in challenging environments.

Two-step etch in n-on-p type-II superlattices for surface leakage reduction in mid-wave infrared megapixel detectors

Two-step etch in n-on-p type-II superlattices for surface leakage reduction in mid-wave infrared megapixel detectors

Enhanced rotordynamic performance under various structural arrangements of hole diaphragm labyrinth seal

In this study, we study the influence of five drilling hole arrangements on the rotordynamic and leakage performance of hole diaphragm labyrinth seal (HDLS) type seals with precise CFD analysis. Key findings reveal that hole distance significantly affects direct and cross-coupled stiffness, thereby impacting stability and leakage. Notably, the smallest hole in rectangle four holes(RF)-HDLS does not yield the minimum leakage. Vortex structure analysis, employing the Q-criterion, elucidate horizontal two holes(HT)-HDLS's superior leakage reduction owing to enhanced turbulence eddy dissipation. Seals with larger hole diameters, down single hole(DS)-HDLS and up single hole(US)-HDLS, demonstrate stable rotordynamic performance, with DS-HDLS exhibiting a notable 106.3% improvement in cross-coupled stiffness. In contrast, seals with holes positioned farther away, DS-HDLS, US-HDLS and vertical two holes(VT)-HDLS, experienced increased leakage with whirl frequency. HT-HDLS and RF-HDLS displayed a decrease, attributed to the stronger centrifugal effect. Comparing to center single hole(CS)-HDLS, VT-HDLS and US-HDLS achieved a significant 159.3% direct stiffness improvement and 432.7% reduction in cross-coupled stiffness. Despite a maximum 4.2% leakage increase, this substantial enhancement in rotor stability should not be overlooked. Moreover, all seals exhibited lower leakage rates than the traditional labyrinth seal.