Removal Of Branches Research Articles

Optimizing a linear function over the efficient set of a multiple objective integer quadratic program

In this paper, we investigate the optimization of a function over the efficient set of a Multiple Objective Integer Quadratic Program (MOIQP). The method described employs a branch-and-cut approach to address the problem. At every node within the search tree, a profound cut is derived by considering the ascending trends of the criteria. This cut enables the removal of branches where the associated sub-problems don’t contain efficient solutions. The proposed methodology is illustrated in an example. Extensive numerical experiments are conducted to demonstrate the method’s effectiveness against state-of-the-art methods.

Productivity and amarketable gualities of apple tree fruits of the Golden Delicious variety on low growing rootstocks depending on pruning

One of the main agrotechnical activities carried out in the garden is tree pruning. When studying the variety-double combinations of apple trees in certain environmental conditions, it is necessary to take into account the strength of growth, the density of fouling, the type of branching, the structure of fruit formations, which depends on the varietal characteristics and technologies of growing plantations.The author presents the results of studying the parameters of the influence of the degree of pruning of Golden Delicious apple trees grafted on low-growing rootstocks SK-7 and M-9, depending on the rootstock, on growth processes, productivity and marketable qualities of apple fruits. The reaction of plantings to pruning was determined depending on the biological characteristics of the variety and on the degree of branch removal and their orientation. With an increase in the intensity of pruning, the leaf surface area per fruit on the rootstock SK-7 was 180–750 cm², on the rootstock M-9 — 172–619 cm², respectively. The yield of apple trees from one tree on the rootstock SK-7 was 13.2 kg with a minimum shape, 11.4 kg with an average, 10.5 kg with a maximum, and 11.4 kg, 9.5 kg and 7.7 kg on the rootstock M-9, respectively. The average weight of fruits grafted on the rootstock SK-7 increased by 1.9 times, and on the rootstock M-9 — by 1.3 times.It was noted that the life cycles of trees on the low-growing dwarf rootstock SK-7 were 10–12% higher than on the rootstock M-9.

Coexistence between Xylella fastidiosa Subsp. pauca and Susceptible Olive Plants in the Salento Peninsula (Southern Italy)

Olive Quick Decline Syndrome (OQDS) associated with Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca is one of the most destructive diseases of olive trees in the Salento Peninsula (Southern Italy), particularly on the cultivars Cellina di Nardò and Ogliarola Salentina. This study proposes the NuovOlivo protocol as a management strategy to permit coexistence between X. fastidiosa subsp. pauca and olive drupes and extra-virgin oil production. Thirty-two private olive orchards affected by OQDS and cultivated following the standard agronomic techniques in use in the area were surveyed during the 2019–2023 olive-growing seasons. Tested cultivars included Cellina di Nardò, Ogliarola Salentina, Coratina, Ascolana Tenera, Nociara, Leccino, and Bella di Cerignola. At the beginning of the protocol application, the susceptible plants showed OQDS symptom severity of 40–80% and did not produce olives or oil, while the resistant(?)/tolerant cultivars exhibited a 2–8% leaf scorch and a drupe production less than 1–2 kg/plant. After the removal of dry branches in January–February, plants were sprayed two times per year (preferably in March and October) with NuovOlivo®, a mixture of aqueous botanical extracts esterified in the presence of sodium hydroxide with vegetable oils and activated at the time of use with sodium bicarbonate. In all the orchards, a slow-release fertilizer was distributed, and weeds were controlled by mowing or chopping. Upon eventual appearance, the dry twigs were removed. Treated olive trees produced new vegetation, rebuilt their foliage, reduced OQDS symptoms, and turned out cluster inflorescence and drupes. The drupes yield was 6.67–51.36 kg per plant, with an average of 13.19% in extra-virgin olive oil (free acidity 0.01–0.2%). Plants used as controls showed OQDS symptoms and were unproductive, and newly formed shoots were desiccated. The proposed protocol promotes, supports, and restores new vegetation, flowers, fruits, and oil production of the treated olive plants affected by OQDS without losing susceptible olive plants. The Apulian landscape and economy, based on olive presence and production, could be also safeguarded.

Sweet Immunity in Action: Unlocking Stem Reserves to Improve Yield and Quality. A Potential Key Role for Jasmonic Acid.

Common agronomic practices such as stem topping, side branch removal, and girdling can induce wound priming, mediated by jasmonic acid (JA). Low light conditions during greenhouse tomato production make the leaves more sensitive to the application of exogenous sugar, which is perceived as a "danger" in accordance with the concept of "Sweet Immunity". Consequently, source-sink balances are altered, leading to the remobilization of stem starch reserves and enabling the redirection of more carbon toward developing fruits, thereby increasing tomato yield and fruit quality. Similarities are drawn with the mobilization of fructans following defoliation of fodder grasses (wounding) and the remobilization of fructan and starch reserves under terminal drought and heat stress in wheat and rice (microwounding, cellular leakage). A central role for JA signaling is evident in all of these processes, closely intertwining with sugar signaling pathways. Therefore, JA signaling, associated with wounding and sugar priming events, offers numerous opportunities to alter source-sink balances across a broader spectrum of agricultural and horticultural crops, for instance, through the exogenous application of JA and fructans or a combination. This may entail reconfiguring and reversing phloem connections, potentially leading to an enhanced yield and product quality. Such processes may also disengage the growth-defense trade-off in plants.

Preservation of the celiac branch of the vagus nerve reduces the incidence of postoperative diarrhea in gastric cancer: a cohort study

BackgroundTo investigate the short-term and long-term outcomes of preserving the celiac branch of the vagus nerve during laparoscopic distal gastrectomy.MethodsA total of 149 patients with prospective diagnosis of gastric cancer who underwent laparoscopic-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) combined with Billroth-II anastomosis and D2 lymph node dissection between 2017 and 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into the preserved LADG group (P-LADG, n = 56) and the resected LADG group (R-LADG, n = 93) according to whether the vagus nerve celiac branch was preserved. We selected 56 patients (P-LADG, n = 56) with preservation of the celiac branch of the vagus nerve and 56 patients (R-LADG, n = 56) with removal of the celiac branch of the vagus nerve by propensity-matched score method. Postoperative nutritional status, weight change, short-term and long-term postoperative complications, and gallstone formation were evaluated in both groups at 5 years of postoperative follow-up. The status of residual gastritis and bile reflux was assessed endoscopically at 12 months postoperatively.ResultsThe incidence of diarrhea at 5 years postoperatively was lower in the P-LADG group than in the R-LADG group (p < 0.05). In the multivariate logistic analysis, the removal of vagus nerve celiac branch was an independent risk factor for the occurrence of postoperative diarrhea (odds ratio = 3.389, 95% confidential interval = 1.143-10.049, p = 0.028). In the multivariate logistic analysis, the removal of vagus nerve celiac branch was an independent risk factor for the occurrence of postoperative diarrhea (odds ratio = 4.371, 95% confidential interval = 1.418-13.479, p = 0.010).ConclusionsPreservation of the celiac branch of the vagus nerve in LADG reduced the incidence of postoperative diarrhea postoperatively in gastric cancer.Trial registrationThis study was registered with the Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University in 2014 under the registration number: LCKY2014-04(X).

Agent-based modeling of banking service supply chain in Industry 4.0: A case study of Resalat Qard al Hasan Bank

Purpose: Industry 4.0 has profoundly impacted the structure of businesses and organizations worldwide, and the digital revolution has led to the transformation of the supply chain of various industries, including the supply chain of banking services. Therefore, it is necessary to redesign the supply chain in the new era. Methodology: This study investigated the supply chain of banking services of Industry 4.0 and its simulation based on agent-based modeling. This research model simulates the profit flow and other important financial variables related to agents such as customers, banks, fintechs, and other players in the supply chain of digital banking services. Findings: The simulation results in different time periods show the amount of changes in important parameters in the face of digital transformations in Industry 4.0. Factors such as the connection of organizations and fintechs to the supply chain of banking services, as well as the removal of physical branches and the use of digital tools, change the structure of the chain in terms of information evolution, service evolution, and financial evolution. Originality/value: This paper is one of the first studies to analyze the effects of Industry 4.0 on the banking service supply chain and can be considered a starting point for digital banking supply chain studies.

Evaluation of the Energy Use of Pruning Dipteryx alata Trees

Pruning is equivalent to the removal of whole branches or parts, living or dead, of a plant, to promote balance in the development of the species, therefore, the generation of waste portrays an indispensable and ever-present consequence. The residues derived from pruning come from silvicultural treatments and evidently have great potential to be used in energy generation. Briquetting, in addition to its energy advantage and practicality, collaborates with the mitigation of environmental impacts from encouraging the use of renewable energies to reducing the emission of greenhouse gases, as they are strongly recommended for replacing fossil coal. The main objective of this work was to evaluate the possibility, related to quality and productivity, of the energy use of residual biomass from urban pruning of Dipteryx alata, focusing on the production of briquettes, thus encouraging further studies related to native species of the Cerrado and the use of renewable energy. The contents of volatile materials, ash and fixed carbon, higher calorific value, basic and energetic density were determined, and briquettes were produced in a laboratory briquetting machine. The quality of the briquettes was determined through physical-mechanical analyses: apparent density, durability, tensile strength by diametral compression and expansion. The energy density of the biomass had a considerable increase after briquetting, confirming the increase in energy concentration per unit volume in densified materials. Therefore, it was concluded that the use of urban pruning residues of Dipteryx alata proved to be suitable for making briquettes to produce renewable and sustainable energy.

Comparison of Various Tree Features for Blocking Solar Radiation in the Arid Urban Environment

In the arid urban environment, pedestrians are often exposed to high amounts of solar radiation during summer, which can limit their activities. Shades are essential for reducing the harmful effects of solar radiation, particularly ultraviolet (UV) rays, which can be dangerous to human health. This study thoroughly evaluated the effect of various tree features for their efficacy in blocking solar radiation, especially photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and ultraviolet A (UVA). Tree height, trunk height, canopy height and diameter, leaf area index (LAI), leaf size and type, planting techniques (individual and cluster), and agriculture services for eight common tree species used in the Landscape at King Abdulaziz University campus in Jeddah, KSA, were examined. Measurements were taken at noon when the solar zenith angle was perpendicular. The study found that the ability to block PAR and UVA varies based on several factors analyzed. Canopy height and diameter increased a tree's capability to block radiation, with pyramid-shaped trees and simple leaves being the most effective. Higher LAI, cluster planting, and removal of lower branches also increased a tree's radiation-blocking power. In conclusion, shade trees mitigate PAR and UVA and provide pedestrians with more opportunities to enjoy open landscapes in arid regions. KEYWORDS landscape planting, leave index, solar effect, trees benefits, ultraviolet radiation, arid environments

CoTree: A Side-Channel Collision Tool to Push the Limits of Conquerable Space

By introducing collision information into divide-and-conquer distinguishers, the existing collision-optimized side-channel attacks transform the given candidate space into a significantly smaller collision space, thus achieving more efficient key recovery. However, the candidates of the first several sub-keys shared by collision chains are still repeatedly detected, which happens very frequently and brings huge computational overhead. To alleviate this, we propose a highly-efficient collision-optimized attack named Collision Tree (CoTree). This collision detection tool exploits tree structure to store the chains created from the same sub-chain on the same branch, thus significantly reducing the storage requirements. It then benefits from the properties of both tree and collisions, and exploits a top-down tree building procedure and traverses each node only once when detecting their collisions with a candidate of the sub-key currently under consideration. Finally, unlike the traditional top-down node removal, CoTree launches a bottom-up branch removal procedure to remove the chains unsatisfying the collision conditions from the tree after traversing all the considered candidates of this sub-key, thus avoiding the traversal of the branches satisfying the collision condition. These strategies make our CoTree significantly alleviate the repetitive collision detection, and our experiments verify that it significantly outperforms the existing works.

Reevaluation of the Application Method and Efficacy of Propiconazole in Controlling Laurel Wilt in Avocado Orchards in South Florida

Propiconazole has fungistatic and fungicidal properties against Harringtonia lauricola, the causal agent of laurel wilt disease. Propiconazole injections are used by Florida, USA, farmers as a prophylactic method to manage the disease in avocado (Persea americana) trees, but its efficacy has remained questionable for more than a decade due to documented restricted mobility within the tree vascular system. This study was conducted to evaluate the absorption of propiconazole when using soil drenching as an alternative application method, assess the efficacy of propiconazole in controlling disease development when drenched or injected, and its synergistic effect on common cultural management practices used by the local farmers, such as branch removal and trunk cutting (“stumping”). To determine if propiconazole soil-drenching can provide better xylem coverage, potted and mature orchard trees were treated with different concentrations and artificially inoculated with the pathogen. Propiconazole translocation from the roots to above-the-ground tissue was confirmed in potted and orchard trees, but the concentrations in orchard trees were below the fungicidal threshold (1 ppm). Although none of the potted trees developed laurel wilt symptoms, all inoculated branches of the orchard trees did. Furthermore, noninoculated branches in more than 80% of the inoculated and propiconazole-treated orchard trees developed symptoms, even though the inoculated branch was cut at the early stages of disease development. To elucidate if propiconazole injections effectively control the disease, trees from a commercial orchard that were injected five times were challenged by artificial inoculation. Propiconazole concentration in trees was highly variable (ranging from &lt; 0.01 to 294 ppm), but even in trees with a high concentration of propiconazole, inoculated and noninoculated branches developed symptoms. Even though drenched and injected trees were “stumped” soon after symptoms appeared in the noninoculated branches (4 to 5 months after inoculation), all of the stumps in the drenched plot and 80% of the injected trees, showed internal symptoms 5 and 4 months after the cut, respectively. Results demonstrate that the soil-drenching of propiconazole is an ineffective application method in orchard trees, and that the conventional injection does not prevent disease development after artificial inoculation. Moreover, because propiconazole does not prevent the movement of the pathogen to the trunk, the “stumping” of infected trees to reduce the disease in the orchard is an inadequate practice. This study highlights the critical need for other active ingredients with lower fungicidal thresholds, longer half-life, and higher xylem mobility.

Effects of Canopy Damage and Litterfall Input on CO2-Fixing Bacterial Communities

Extreme weather events often cause canopy disturbance and litter deposition. To study the CO2-fixing bacterial response to forest damage, we simulated the canopy damage caused by extreme weather with four different treatments: control (CN), canopy trimming + removal of branches and leaves debris (TR), canopy trimming + retaining of branches and leaves debris (TD), and undamaged + transplantation of branches and leaves debris (UD). We used the cbbL gene, which encodes ribulose-1,5-biphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RubisCO), for Miseq sequencing to analyze the dynamics of community composition of soil CO2-fixing bacteria for five consecutive years after canopy damage. Double treatments of canopy damage and litterfall inputs (TD) facilitate forest restoration better than single treatments (TR or UD). Most soil CO2-fixing bacteria are facultative autotrophic bacteria, and Nitrosospira, Streptomyces, and Saccharomonospora are the main carbon-fixing microorganisms, which have significant differences during the restoration of damaged forest canopy. The forest ecosystem restoration after canopy damage lasted 4–5 years. Rainfall and pH showed a significant negative correlation with most soil CO2-fixing bacteria communities. This study provides a theoretical basis for improving the carbon sequestration capacity of forest soil CO2-fixing bacteria after extreme weather and also provides guidance for forest ecosystem management.

Evaluation of pruning therapies in apple trees with fire blight

Ten experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of methods to therapeutically remove fire blight cankers from apple trees with different age, vigor, training system and rootstock combinations in Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania and New York, United States. Removal methods included pruning at varying distances from visible symptoms, utilization of a sanitizing agent and the use of a stub cut to minimize cankers on structural wood. Fire blight removal resulted in reductions of rootstock blight and tree death. Removal treatments resulted in fewer additional cankers compared to the no-treatment control in most trial sites and years. The standard best management practice (BMP) for removing fire blight was branch removal at 30 cm below the proximal edge of visibly cankered tissue with sanitized loppers. This practice significantly reduced the number of new systemically-caused symptoms compared to the no-treatment control in seven of nine experiments with significant reductions in five experiments. Aggressive removal, defined as BMP but branches removed approximately 76 cm from the proximal edge of visibly cankered tissue, generally did not improve the standard practice. Elimination of cutting tool sanitation did not result in more cankers than the standard practice. Breaking off diseased branches by hand provided a rapid removal method, but it resulted in a greater number of cankers in the orchard at the end of the season. In one of five experiments cutting which left a 13 cm stub distal to structural wood significantly reduced the number of cankers on structural wood compared to flush cut or 4 cm stubs.

Evaluation of the nature of honeysuckle fruiting in the conditions of the southern forest-steppe zone of Bashkortostan

Relevance. Evaluate varieties of honeysuckle with stability of fruiting in the climatic conditions of the southern forest-steppe zone of Bashkortostan with the stability of biotic and abiotic stressors.Materials and methodology. The objects of research are 8 introduced varieties of blue honeysuckle, located in the Kushnarenkovskiy breeding center for fruit and berry crops and grapes of the Bashkir Scientific Research Institute of Agriculture of the Ural Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Research is carried out in accordance with the program and methodology of selection and variety study of fruit, berry and nut crops.Results. All studied varieties of honeysuckle had a high level of adaptation to the conditions of the southern forest-steppe zone of Bashkortostan. Over the entire period of research, honeysuckle showed good winter hardiness. As a result of a 15-year study, it was revealed: in the 4th year after planting, it enters fruiting, until the 6th–8th year, the yield increases, from the 9th to the 12th year it stabilizes, from the 13th year it decreases. Varieties Bakcharskaya, Chelyabinka, Cinderella, Berel, Pamiati Gidzyuka differed in average precocity. The yield of varieties Bakcharskaya, Chelyabinka, Berel in the 11th year of fruiting exceeded the control by 13–20%. Blueberry and Tick were characterized by stable fruiting and yield — 1.32–4.5 kg/bush, in the control variety Blue spindle yield of 1.5 kg/bush was noted on the 11th and 12th year after planting. Rejuvenating pruning with the removal of perennial branches at a height of 30 cm from the soil level showed that most varieties had an increase in yield in the third or fourth year, and a decrease in the future. When pruning the varieties Bakcharskaya, Galochka, Chernichka, the yield decreased by 27–60% of the control variant (before pruning).

Traditional management of ancient Pu'er teagardens in Jingmai Mountains in Yunnan of China, a designated Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems site

BackgroundPu'er Traditional Tea Agroecosystem is one of the projects included in the United Nations' Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) since 2012. Against the background of having rich biodiversity and a long history of tea culture, the ancient tea trees in Pu'er have experienced from wild–transition–cultivation for thousands of years, and the local people's knowledge about the management of ancient teagardens has not been rigorously recorded. For this reason, it is important to study and record the traditional management knowledge of Pu'er ancient teagardens and the influence on the formation of tea trees and communities. This study focuses on the traditional management knowledge of ancient teagardens in Jingmai Mountains, Pu'er, and monoculture teagardens (monoculture and intensively managed planting base for tea cultivation) were used as the control, through the community structure, composition and biodiversity of ancient teagardens to respond to the influence of traditional management, and this work with a view to providing a reference for further research on the stability and sustainable development of tea agroecosystem.MethodsFrom 2021 to 2022, information on traditional management of ancient teagardens was obtained through semi-structured interviews with 93 local people in the Jingmai Mountains area of Pu'er. Informed consent was obtained from each participant before conducting the interview process. The communities, tea trees and biodiversity of Jingmai Mountains ancient teagardens (JMATGs) and monoculture teagardens (MTGs) were examined through field surveys, measurements and biodiversity survey methods. The Shannon-Weiner (H), Pielou (E) and Margalef (M) indices were calculated for the biodiversity of the teagardens within the unit sample, using monoculture teagardens as a control.ResultsThe tea tree morphology, community structure and composition of Pu'er ancient teagardens are significantly different from those of monoculture teagardens, and the biodiversity is significantly higher than that of monoculture teagardens. The local people mainly manage the ancient tea trees mainly using several methods, including weeding (96.8%), pruning (48.4%) and pest control (33.3%). The pest control mainly relies on the removal of diseased branches. JMATGs annual gross output is approximately 6.5 times that of MTGs. The traditional management of ancient teagardens is through setting up forest isolation zones as protected areas, planting tea trees in the understory on the sunny side, keeping tea trees 1.5–7 m apart, as well as consciously protecting forest animals such as spiders, birds and bees, and reasonably rearing livestock in the teagardens.ConclusionsThis study shows that local people have rich traditional knowledge and experience in the management of ancient teagardens in Pu'er, and that this traditional management knowledge has impacted the growth of ancient tea trees, enriched the structure and composition of tea plantation communities and actively protected the biodiversity within ancient teagardens.

Removal of Old Leaves and Soil Touching Unproductive Branches of Tea Bushes for Controlling Red Rust Disease in Bangladesh.

Only leaf reduction (Cultural measure), in treatment T4 [treated with leaf removal above 15 inches (38.10 cm) from ground level], maximum yield (2185.00 kgha-1) was found resulted 21.64% more over the control. T3 [10 inches (25.40 cm)] and T5 [20 inches (50.80 cm)] gave similar response having 20 and 20.68% increased yield over the control. The lowest severity (21.38 PDI) was found in T5 [20 inches (50.80 cm)] that was statistically identical to T4 [15 inches (38.10 cm)] and T3 [10 inches (25.40 cm)] having a decrease trend of 58.28%, 50.26% and 42.59% respectively. There is 92.99% impact of leaf reduction in reducing disease severity of red rust having a decrease trend of 7.2 PDI for removal of leaf by 5 inches (12.70 cm) from the soil level. Similarly there is 81.44% impact of leaf reduction in increasing yield of made tea (kg ha-1) having an increase trend of 103.01 unit for removal of leaf by 5 inches (12.70 cm) from the soil level. In leaf reduction (Cultural measure) with one round chemical application, treatment T13 [treated with leaf removal above 15 inches (38.10 cm) from ground level with one round of Carbendazim 50 WP] gave maximum yield (2,310.00 kgha-1) resulted 28.61% more over the control followed by T15 [20 inches (50.80 cm) with one round of Carbendazim 50 WP] and T14 [20 inches (50.80 cm) with one round of Copper-oxichloride 50 WP] having 28.18 and 27.69% increased yield of made tea. Lowest severity (9.63 PDI) was found in T15 [20 inches (50.80 cm) with one round of Carbendazim 50 WP] having 41.21% reduction over control followed by identical PDI in T12 [15 inches (38.10 cm) with one round of Copper-oxichloride 50 WP], T13 [15 inches (38.10 cm) with one round of Carbendazim 50 WP] and T14 [20 inches (50.80 cm) with one round of Copper-oxichloride 50 WP] having 77.40, 77.31 and 77.79% reduction respectively. There is 78.24% impact in reducing disease severity of red rust having a decrease trend of 2.23 PDI for removal of leaf by 5 inches (12.70 cm) from the soil level with one round chemical fungicide application. Similarly there is 51.76% impact in increasing yield of made tea (kg ha-1) having an increase trend of 30.21 unit for removal of leaf by 5 inches (12.70 cm) from the soil level with one round chemical fungicide. From the benefit cost analysis it is projected that the treatment T3 [10 inches (25.40 cm)] received the highest marginal rate of return (1202.17%) followed by 1152.17% in treatment T4 [treated with leaf removal above 15 inches (38.10 cm). One round of systemic fungicides like Carbendazim 50 WP with this cultural practice gave 1034.21% and 1091.42% marginal rate of return respectively. Considering yield of made tea, disease severity and benefit cost analysis viewpoint, it can be concluded that, the cost effective treatment is removal of soil touching old leaves attached with tea bushes of MSK and LSK pruned sections within 10 inches (25.40 cm) to 15 inches (38.10 cm) from the soil level.

Growth Response of Trees with Different Growth Statuses to Pruning on a Pinus massoniana Lamb. Plantation

Pruning is an important technique in culturing good knot-free timber. However, to make more accurate pruning plans, it is necessary to consider the growing status of trees and set reasonable pruning intensities based on this. In a seven-year-old Pinus massoniana Lamb. plantation, we carried out pruning twice with a time interval of two years. The treatments included one unpruned treatment (CK) and five pruned treatments (from P1 to P5, representing the live branch height being kept at 68%, 55%, 60%, 55% and 45% of the tree height). CK, P1 and P2 were conducted in the first pruning in March 2019, and the remaining treatments were conducted in the second pruning in January 2021. The growth investigations were carried out in March 2019, December 2019, December 2020 and December 2021. Another investigation was carried out only for the measurement of live branch heights and crown widths in January 2021 just after the second pruning. The results showed that pruning resulted in a 15.08% to 60.62% increase in diameter growth and an 10.28% to 29.87% increase in volume growth. The stem form was also improved. Significant differences were recorded in live branch heights after green pruning but gradually recovered to the same level in two years by branch senescence. Pruning also resulted in a faster extension of the crown width with an enlarged growing space by the removal of green branches. We highlighted that trees with different growth statuses responded differently to pruning intensities: trees of weak growth statuses grew better under a light pruning intensity, while those with a strong growth status grew better under a severe pruning intensity. Overall, for the seven-year-old young mason pine plantation, keeping four rounds of branches in trees with diameters of less than 8 cm and keeping three rounds of branches in trees with diameters of more than 8 cm were appropriate measures.

Operation features of the expert system for tree and shrub pruning

The article defines the importance of tree and shrub pruning for the environment of settlements and farms engaged in the cultivation of fruit plants. Such a process requires taking into account many parameters of both the plant itself and external conditions. This justifies the need to develop and use a software product capable of tracking over time the activities associated with pruning a plant and making recommendations to specialists for effective branch removal depending on the parameters of the setting. The problem domain has been analysed with the allocation of key parameters to create a formal model and a set of rules suitable for the use of object-orientated programming techniques. A user interface was created with the description of functional capabilities of the users of the developed software products.

Crown Lifting of Low-Density Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda) Plantations on Nonindustrial Private Forest Lands

AbstractPruning or the physical removal of lower branches, in combination with wider tree spacing, offers an alternative management scheme for small nonindustrial private forest landowners in areas lacking markets for small diameter wood. A 5-year-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantation was thinned to 495 trees/ha (200 trees/ac). Four crown-lifting treatments of 35%, 40%, 45%, and 50% live crown ratio (LCR) were then implemented. An additional unmanaged plot was established in an unthinned, unpruned area. Two replications were established for all pruning treatments. The target LCR was maintained throughout the study with the additional crown-lifting activities in 2003, 2004, and 2008. At age 8, the average diameter of the unmanaged plot was 13.5 cm (5.3 in), and the diameter of the 50% LCR treatment, which had the greatest diameter growth of all the treatments, was 20.8 cm (8.2 in). The highest mortality rate (22%) was observed in the unmanaged plot, but it was not significantly greater than the other treatments. Low density plantings maintained with pruning could allow small nonindustrial private landowners to obtain a high value sawtimber product while eliminating the need for thinning practices commonly used in traditional pine plantation management.

Molecular-level investigation of coal-tar pitch treated by air blowing: Revealing the restructure of aromatic compounds via radical reactions

Air blowing is conventionally used to improve the properties of pitch via oxidation. Previous studies have shown that pitch modification by air blowing affords considerably higher carbon yield, without restricting the fluidity necessary for impregnation of pitch. This has been attributed to the dehydrogenative polymerization and cross-linking of aromatic molecules during the air-blowing process. However, in this study, during air-blowing experiments, samples were obtained in similar yields but with higher softening points despite the absence of larger aromatic compounds. Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) was used for the advanced analysis of pitch, enabling us to achieve a more complete understanding of the mechanism of coal-tar pitch reforming via air blowing. The results show that air blowing does not simply induce polymerization of oxygen radicals but converges aromatic compounds to more stable congeners via radical reactions. The newly identified facts suggested herein can be summarized as follows. 1) Radical stability determines the reaction pathway. 2) Carbon radicals are derived from the removal of carbon branches. 3) Nitrogen radicals are generated by the removal of aliphatic carbons. 4) Oxygen radicals originate from the alcohol group formed by the oxygen atom supplied during oxidation. 5) Thus-generated radicals are either removed or bridged to afford high-molecular-weight aromatic compounds.

A Cohort Study of Surgical Indexes, Postoperative Complications, Recovery Speed, and Prognosis of Stanford Type A Aortic Dissection Compared with Traditional Sun's Operation.

The objective is to explore the surgical index, postoperative complications, recovery speed, and prognosis of Stanford type A aortic dissection (AD) compared with traditional 'Sun's operation. One hundred patients with Stanford type A AD treated from February 2018 to February 2021 were enrolled in our hospital. Patients were randomly divided into control and research group. The former group underwent traditional Sun's surgery, and the latter group underwent combined debranching surgery. The general data, surgical indexes, total amount of blood transfusion, renal function 72 hours after operation, postoperative indexes during hospitalization, and follow-up results after discharge were compared between the two groups. The CPB time, ACC time, operation time, and postoperative total drainage volume of the study group were all lower than those of the control group, and the intraoperative urine volume of the study group was higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05). The total amount of RBC infused in the study group was higher than that in the control group, while the total amount of PLT, cryoprecipitate, and plasma infusion in the study group was lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). At 72 hours after operation, BUN, Scr, and UA in the study group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The number of the secondary intubation, hemodialysis, neurological complications, and deaths in the study group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Both Sun's operation and branch removal are more effective treatment methods, and the two different surgical methods have different indications, advantages, and disadvantages, so different surgical methods can be chosen according to different conditions for Stanford AD. The possible postoperative complications should be comprehensively analyzed in the clinical work in order to reduce the occurrence of postoperative complications and improve the cure rate.