Single Pinch Research Articles

Optimizing Vegetative Growth and Flowering in Fuchsia x hybrida: The Role of Media, Pinching, and Growth Regulators

The present investigation was carried out at the experimental farms of Horticultural Regional training station and Krishi Vigyan Kendra at Kandaghat (Solan) Himachal Pradesh, India under polyhouse conditions. It was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 24 combinations of growing media M1: Soil+ Sand+ FYM (1:1:1v/v), M2:Cocopeat+Soil+Sand+ Leafmould+FYM (2:1:1:1v/v), M3:Cocopeat+Perlite+Vermiculite+Vermicompost (2:1:1:1 v/v), M4:Cocopeat + Vermicompost + Leafmould (2:1:1 v/v), growth regulator [G1: Control (0 ppm), G2:Benzyl adenine (150 ppm),G3: CPPU (10 ppm)] and pinching methods [P1:Single pinch and P2:Double pinch] which were replicated thrice each having 10 pots accommodating one plant per pot. Plants were raised through terminal cutting and were planted in 6-inch size pots. Study revealed that maximum plant height (33.13 cm), plant spread (33.37 cm), length of side shoots (24.67 cm) and minimum number of days taken for visible bud formation (92.40 days), number of days taken for peak flowering (160.60 days) was recorded when the single pinched plants were grown in media consisting cocopeat + Vermicompost + Leafmould (2:1:1 v/v) and sprayed with 150 ppm of benzyl adenine. However, maximum number of side shoots (27.33), number of flowers per plant (55.67), number of flowers per plant open at a time (42.93), duration of flowering (24.67days) was recorded when double pinched plants were grown in growing media consisting of cocopeat + vermicompost + Leafmould (2:1:1 v/v) and were sprayed with 150 ppm of benzyl adenine. The maximum flower diameter (4.61 cm) was recorded when single pinched plants were grown in medium consisting cocopeat + vermicompost + leafmould (2:1:1 v/v) and sprayed with 10 ppm of CPPU. Based on the present investigation findings, double pinched plants of Fuchsia x hybrida grown in pots consisting of growing media i.e., cocopeat + vermicompost+ leafmould (2:1:1 v/v), sprayed with 150 ppm of benzyl adenine is recommended to obtain quantitative and attractive pot plants of Fuchsia x hybrida.

Effect of Different Dates of Pinching on Growth and Yield Attributes of Chilli Pepper (Variety- Marshal) in Chitwan, Nepal

Low yield and increased use of chemical fertilizers are major problems for chilli growers in Chitwan, Nepal. An experiment to determine the effect of pinching on the vegetative and reproductive attributes of Chilli was conducted in the farmer's field to study its effect on height, branching system, and yield attributes of the plant. Seven treatments in total that were pinching at 15th, 30th, 45th, 15th & 30th,15th & 45th, 30th & 45th DAT and control with three replications were laid out in randomized complete block design in an area of 5.4 m2. A significant reduction in height by 32.70% was observed in the double-pinched plot than in the un-pinched plot. Similarly, an increase in the number of primary, secondary, and tertiary flowering branches was recorded in pinched plants as compared to controlled conditions. Pinching after the 15th & 45th DAT recorded a greater number of days to 1st flowering and 50% flowering while double pinching takes a maximum of days to flower followed by single pinching. Notably, double pinching at 15th & 30th DAT resulted in a substantial increase in the number of fruits per plant by 77.56%, average fruit weight by 27.57%, fruit length by 18.04%, and overall fruit yield by 118.65% compared to the control. While single pinching at the 15th, 30th, and 45th DAT yielded comparable results, the control treatment displayed inferior outcomes. These findings underscore the efficacy of pinching at 15th & 30th DAT as a beneficial approach to enhance the growth and yield traits of Chilli plants in Chitwan, Nepal.

Targeting Cx43 to Reduce the Severity of Pressure Ulcer Progression.

In the skin, repeated incidents of ischemia followed by reperfusion can result in the breakdown of the skin and the formation of a pressure ulcer. Here we gently applied paired magnets to the backs of mice to cause ischemia for 1.5 h and then removed them to allow reperfusion. The sterile inflammatory response generated within 4 h causes a stage 1 pressure ulcer with an elevation of the gap junction protein Cx43 in the epidermis. If this process is repeated the insult will result in a more severe stage 2 pressure ulcer with a breakdown of the epidermis 2-3 days later. After a single pinch, the elevation of Cx43 in the epidermis is associated with the inflammatory response with an increased number of neutrophils, HMGB1 (marker of necrosis) and RIP3 (responsible for necroptosis). Delivering Cx43 specific antisense oligonucleotides sub-dermally after a single insult, was able to significantly reduce the elevation of epidermal Cx43 protein expression and reduce the number of neutrophils and prevent the elevation of HMGB1 and RIP3. In a double pinch model, the Cx43 antisense treatment was able to reduce the level of inflammation, necroptosis, and the extent of tissue damage and progression to an open wound. This approach may be useful in reducing the progression of stage 1 pressure ulcers to stage 2.

Molecular dynamics simulation of the coalescence of surfactant-laden droplets.

We investigate the coalescence of surfactant-laden water droplets by using several different surfactant types and a wide range of concentrations by means of a coarse-grained model obtained by the statistical associating fluid theory. Our results demonstrate in detail a universal mass transport mechanism of surfactant across many concentrations and several surfactant types during the process. Coalescence initiation is seen to occur via a single pinch due to aggregation of surface surfactant, and its remnants tend to become engulfed in part inside the forming bridge. Across the board we confirm the existence of an initial thermal regime with constant bridge width followed by a later inertial regime with bridge width scaling roughly as the square root of time, but see no evidence of an intermediate viscous regime. Coalescence becomes slower as surfactant concentration grows, and we see evidence of the appearance of a further slowdown of a different nature for several times the critical concentration. We anticipate that our results provide further insights in the mechanisms of coalescence of surfactant-laden droplets.

IMPACT OF PINCHING ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF MARIGOLD (Tagetes erecta L.)

Marigold, a member of the Asteraceae family, is a popular ornamental plant grown throughout the world, including Nepal. The color and size of the flowers on marigold plants vary. Marigold plants can reach a height of 5 feet, but pinching procedures can lower this, allowing the intercultural operation to continue. Tagetes erecta L. is one of the most well-known marigold varieties in Nepal. Pinching is a technique for breaking apical dominance and redirecting energy to increase blossom production. Different experiments including treatments like no pinch, single pinch, and double pinches were reviewed to evaluate the effect of pinching on the growth and yield of marigolds. The effect of pinching on marigold growth and yield was investigated by comparing parameters such as plant height, number of branches per plant, number of flowers per plant, and flower size of pinched and unpinched (healthy) plants. The height of the unpinched plant was found to be 25% higher than that of the pinched. When plants are pinched, their apical dominance is broken, which encourages the plant to generate lateral branches and become bushy Because the majority of the nutrition is dislocated from the apical region of the plant when it is pinched; no pinched plants have fewer branches than pinched plants. Pinching stimulates cell division, cell size, leaf area, and photosynthetic compound production, which affects branch formation and, as a result, flower production. According to the results from various trials, double pinching resulted in the highest increase in plant height, number of branches, number of flowers per plant, and bloom size when compared to no pinching.

The paclobutrazol application and pinching technique on Lisianthus plants (Eustoma grandiflorum)

The research concerns on the paclobutrazol application and the pinching technique on Lisianthus plants (Eustoma grandiflorum). This research aimed to determine the appropriate time to apply the paclobutrazol and pinching technique suitable for Lisianthus potted plants. This study was carried out using factorial experiments consisting of two factors, arranged in Randomized Complete Block Design. The first factor was the time of application of paclobutrazol that consist of A0 (Without paclobutrazol application), A1 (Application of paclobutrazol 6 days after planting), A2 (Application of paclobutrazol 12 days after planting), A3 (Application of paclobutrazol 18 days after planting). The second factor of technique pinching was P0 (Without pinching), P1 (Single pinching technique), P2 (1½ pinching technique), P3 (Double pinching technique). The data were analyzed using analysis of variance at the 5% level and mean separations with Duncan’s Multiple Range Test. The results showed that the application of paclobutrazol and pinching technique could shorten Lisianthus plants. The application of paclobutrazol decreased the number of flowers per plant and shortened the flower stalks. The pinching technique increases the number of branches, number of internodes, number of nodes, number of flowers per plant. The application of paclobutrazol 18 days after planting and double pinching techniques were able to shorten the height of lisianthus plants with dense branching and many flowers.

Growth and Quality Response of Potted Marigold (Tagetes erecta) by Applying the Method of Pinching and Retard

Potted plants are generally used as interior decoration, and they require an ideal posture with lots of flowers to enhance sales. This can be achieved by removing apical dominance and applying retardant. This study examines the effect of pinching and paclobutrazol on growth and flowering of marigold pots. This study uses factorial randomized block design with two factors. Pinching (without pinching, single pinching, double pinching) was the first factor and paclobutrazol concentration (0, 15, 30, 45 ppm) was the second factor; both were repeated three times. The results show that pinching and paclobutrazol af ected growth and flower quality. The quality of pinching and paclobutrazol plants decreased plant height and leaf area but increased plant dry matter and a number of flowers. On the other hand, canopy increased on pinching and decreased on paclobutrazol. Quality parameters were achieved on pinching with 45 ppm paclobutrazol indicated as a good fit in producing ornamental pot plant.

Analysis of 3D deuterium ion emission angular distribution in plasma focus device using novel panorama polycarbonate detectors

Panorama mega-size polycarbonate ion image detectors (MS-PCID) were used for the first time in this study to detect images of deuterium ion emission angular distributions in a 3.5 kJ plasma focus device (PFD) space, as processed by novel panorama single-cell electrochemical etching systems. Images of ion emission angular distribution were analyzed from which infinite points can be selected in an image formed under a single pinch shot. By analyzing deuterium ion images formed on the polycarbonate cylindrical detector (~3500 cm2 effective area), which covers PFD top base and cylindrical wall, deuterium ion emission seems isotropic and symmetrical in ~4π PFD space with a dip on z-axis. Total deuterium ion tracks registered on the cylindrical polycarbonate detector was estimated ~4.2 × 1010 per shot. Isotropic deuterium emission with such a high fluence, makes whole PFD space available for wide range of wide-scale applications, what has been limited with common small solid angle ion emission understanding.

Experimental Study on Net Flow Rate Generation Inside Closed Loop Mechanical Circulatory System Using Impedance Pump

This present study focused on the performance of net flow rate inside closed loop mechanical circulatory system with single and double pinching impedance pumps which generates a unidirectional flow of fluid around closed loop of soft viscoelastic tubing. The experimental setup consisted of viscoelastic tubing connected between two ends of rigid tube which was compressed rhythmically or squeezed asymmetrically at various frequencies by motorized pinching. Hence, net flow of fluid around the tubing can occur without valves. Experiment was done on two different fluid, namely Newtonian and Non-Newtonian. Result showed that the flow rate inside closed loop system for non-Newtonian fluid and Newtonian fluid were in good agreement with each other. Single pinching showed a lower flow rate compared to double pinching at higher frequency. The results could be used as a model for a new Mechanical Circulatory Support System used by cardiac patients. Factors influencing the performance of valveless impedance pump was also explained.

Effects of anode geometry on forward wide-angle neon ion emissions in 3.5 kJ plasma focus device by novel mega-size panorama polycarbonate image detectors

Forward wide-angle neon ion emissions in a 3.5 kJ plasma focus device (PFD) were studied using 5 different anode top geometries; hollow-end cylinder, solid triangle, solid hemisphere, hollow-end cone and flat-end cone. Position-sensitive mega-size panorama polycarbonate ion image detectors (MS-PCID) developed by dual-cell circular mega-size electrochemical etching (MS-ECE) systems were applied for processesing wide-angle neon ion images on MS-PCIDs exposed on the PFD cylinder top base under a single pinch shot. The images can be simply observed, analyzed and relatively quantified in terms of ion emission angular distributions even by the unaided eyes. By analysis of the forward neon ion emission images, the ion emission yields, ion emission angular distributions, iso-fluence ion contours and solid angles of ion emissions in 4π PFD space were determined. The neon ion emission yields on the PFD cylinder top base are in an increasing order ~2.1×109, ~2.2 ×109, ~2.8×109, ~2.9×109, and ~3.5×109 neon ions/shot for the 5 stated anode top geometries respectively. The panorama neon ion images as diagnosed even by the unaided eyes demonstrate the lowest and highest ion yields from the hollow-end cylinder and flat-end cone anode tops respectively. Relative dynamic qualitative neon ion spectrometry was made by the unaided eyes demonstrating relative neon ion energy as they appear. The study also demonstrates the unique power of the MS-PCID/MS-ECE imaging system as an advanced state-of-the-art ion imaging method for wide-angle dynamic parametric studies in PFD space and other ion study applications.

Reverdin pinch grafts for surgical closure after removal of nonmelanoma skin cancer lesions of the leg

Background: Surgical closure after removal of nonmelanoma skin cancer on the leg can be challenging. Objective: Reverdin pinch grafting is an old skin transplant approach to treat leg ulcers. We present our experience using Reverdin pinch graft to close leg surgical defects following excision of nonmelanoma skin cancers. Patients and Methods: This was a retrospective study of 35 patients with medium-large sized defects with a median ± standard deviation of 20 ± 2.7 mm. Pinch grafts harvested from the thigh were used to cover the surgical leg defects with a 6-year follow-up period. Results: The average healing time after pinch grafting was 4 weeks ± 1.12 weeks. Ten patients (28.6%) had a failure of one or two single pinch grafts. There was no hypertrophic or keloid scarring in any grafted patients. Wound infection occurred in two patients (5.7%) and postoperative hemorrhage in only one patient (2.8%). Basal cell carcinoma arose in one patient (2.8%). Conclusion: Reverdin pinch graft technique is an easy and effective closure option for medium-large surgical defects of the leg after nonmelanoma skin cancer excision.

Effect of pinching on yield of African marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) cv. Pusa Narangi Gainda under Andaman conditions

An experiment was carried out to study the effect of pinching on flower yield of African marigold cv.Pusa Narangi Gainda at ICAR-CIARI, Port Blair during 2012 and 2013. The experiment consisted of three treatments T1 (Control) –no pinching, T2- Single pinching 20 days after transplanting and T3-double pinching 15 days after single pinching. The results showed that maximum plant spread (47.2 cm), number of branches (13.7), duration of flowering (36.7 days), number of flowers per plant (56.6), size of flower (6.18 cm), weight of single flower (7.08g), flower yield per plant (347.8 g) and seed yield per plant (20.23g) were observed in the double pinching treatment. The flower yield was maximum in double pinching with three times more yield than the control.

Features of the Growth Dynamics of Plasma Jets in Laser-Induced Vacuum Discharges with High Rates of Current Rise

An experimental study of the dynamics of formation of plasma jets and ion beams in laser-induced low-voltage discharges with high rates of current rise has been performed. It has been found that for given discharge characteristics (energy store voltage, discharge current, current rise rate, and discharge gap spacing) there exist optimum initial conditions, determined by the characteristics of the laser radiation, that provide stable single pinching of the cathode plasma jet at its maximum compression. Increasing the ion density and decreasing the temperature of the foreplasma by reducing the laser radiation power density at the cathode due to an increase in laser pulse duration improves the stability of the plasma pinching at a lower energy input.

Mind the gap: time to make sure that scientists and practitioners are on the same page

Mind the gap: time to make sure that scientists and practitioners are on the same page

To study the effect of pinching on yield and quality of carnation varieties grown under protected condition

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of pinching methods on carnation under protected condition. The results of present investigation revealed that the variety Liberty (V 2 ) recorded significantly the highest number of flowers per plant (6.23), number of flowers per square meter (205.70) and flower yield per hectare (2077778 Numbers). As per quality point of view the variety Farida (V 3 ) recorded significantly the highest vase life (12.33 days) and longevity of flowers (16.98 days). The treatment P 3 (Double pinch) resulted in significantly the highest number of flowers per plant (6.75), number of flowers per square meter (222.75) and flower yield per hectare (2250000 Numbers). The treatment P 1 (Single pinch) recorded significantly the highest vase life (11.94 days) and longevity of flowers (15.61 days).

Observation of micropinch formation in cathode jet of a low-power laser-induced vacuum discharge

The report presents the results from experimental investigation of micropinch formation in the plasma of a vacuum discharge induced by a 6 ns laser pulse of energy J = 0.5–200 mJ (at a storage voltage from 4 to 15 kV and the discharge current range of 6–26 kA, respectively). The discharge gap images were obtained using a pinhole camera in the EUV and soft X-ray ranges of 15–73 eV and 80–284 eV energy. It is shown that micropinch formation in the plasma cathode jet occurs, mainly, in the matter evaporated by the laser pulse at the discharge ignition near the moment when the current derivative reaches the maximum. It is found that the cathode jet may consist of several pinched areas, and each of them has its own structure, and the improvement of the discharge and laser radiation parameters allows us to reach a stable single pinching of plasma. The parameters of the micropinch (the plasma compression ratio, size, and position of the emitting area in the interelectrode gap) as well as the current flow through the interelectrode gap, at the given storage voltage, are completely governed by the laser radiation characteristics.

Effect of growing media, pinching and paclobutrazol on growth and flowering of Barleria cristata for suitability as pot plant

A study was conducted to see the effect of three growing media (soil from natural habitat, soil from natural habitat and FYM (2:1), v/v and soil, sand and FYM (2:1:1), three pinching treatments (No pinch, single pinch and double pinch) and paclobutrazol (0, 75, 150 ppm) on growth and flowering of seedlings as well as vegetatively propagated (rooted stem cuttings) of Phillipines violet or blue bell barleria (Barleria cristata L.). Plants raised through seeds and rooted cuttings differed significantly among themselves for various growth and flowering parameters. Plants raised under both methods of propagation showed optimum plant height (1.5 to 2.5 times to the height of the pot) when grown in soil from natural habitat and FYM with single and double pinching in absence of application of paclobutrazol for growing as pot plant. Seedlings recorded maximum number of secondary side shoots (20.58), leaves (177.42), flower clusters (16.17), flowers (23.58)/plant when grown in soil from natural habitat and FYM with double pinching and with the application of 75 ppm paclobutrazol and seed raised plants showed early visible bud formation and flowering when grown in all growing media without pinching and application of 75 ppm paclobutrazol. However, the cutting raised plants recorded maximum number, of secondary side shoots (16.00), leaves (171.67), flower clusters (17.83), flowers (24.42)/plant when grown in soil from natural habitat and FYM with double pinching and with the application of 75 ppm paclobutrazol. Seed raised plants showed better results in case of plant height, length of primary side shoots and plant spread than cutting raised plants while cutting raised plants recorded early visible bud formation and flowering and maximum number of flower clusters/plant than seed raised plants. Based on the findings of present investigations, seed raised Barleria cristata. plants grown in pots containing soil from natural habitat added with FYM (2:1, v/v), double pinching and application of 75 ppm paclobutrazol is recommended for better growth and flowering.

Influence of laser pulse parameters on characteristics of a source of multicharged metal ions based on laser-induced medium-power spark discharge

The dynamics of laser-induced vacuum spark discharge with storage energy not exceeding 25 J has been studied in a broad range of laser pulse energies and power densities. It is shown that, using discharge-initiating laser pulse of nanosecond duration, it is possible to obtain stable single pinching of cathode jet plasma at a storage voltage above 10 kV. Plasma pinching is accompanied by the generation of a beam of multicharged ions of the cathode material (aluminum) up to Al8+. The maximum energies of ions obey the scaling relation Emax = 5ZeU0 that has been obtained previously for a low-voltage discharge. An increase in the laser pulse energy leads to growth of the average beam charge and a sharp decrease in the ion energy.

COMPARISON OF SOIL AND SOILLESS CULTIVATION OF CARNATION IN ISPARTA PROVINCE

COMPARISON OF SOIL AND SOILLESS CULTIVATION OF CARNATION IN ISPARTA PROVINCE

X-ray emission from z pinches at 10 7 A: current scaling, gap closure, and shot-to-shot fluctuations.

We have measured the x-ray power and energy radiated by a tungsten-wire-array z pinch as a function of the peak pinch current and the width of the anode-cathode gap at the base of the pinch. The measurements were performed at 13- and 19-MA currents and 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-mm gaps. The wire material, number of wires, wire-array diameter, wire-array length, wire-array-electrode design, normalized-pinch-current time history, implosion time, and diagnostic package were held constant for the experiments. To keep the implosion time constant, the mass of the array was increased as I2 (i.e., the diameter of each wire was increased as I), where I is the peak pinch current. At 19 MA, the mass of the 300-wire 20-mm-diam 10-mm-length array was 5.9 mg. For the configuration studied, we find that to eliminate the effects of gap closure on the radiated energy, the width of the gap must be increased approximately as I. For shots unaffected by gap closure, we find that the peak radiated x-ray power P(r) proportional to I1.24+/-0.18, the total radiated x-ray energy E(r) proportional to I1.73+/-0.18, the x-ray-power rise time tau(r) proportional to I0.39+/-0.34, and the x-ray-power pulse width tau(w) proportional to demonstrate that the internal energy and radiative opacity of the pinch are not responsible for the observed subquadratic power scaling. Heuristic wire-ablation arguments suggest that quadratic power scaling will be achieved if the implosion time tau(i) is scaled as I(-1/3). The measured 1sigma shot-to-shot fluctuations in P(r), E(r), tau(r), tau(w), and tau(i) are approximately 12%, 9%, 26%, 9%, and 2%, respectively, assuming that the fluctuations are independent of I. These variations are for one-half of the pinch. If the half observed radiates in a manner that is statistically independent of the other half, the variations are a factor of 2(1/2) less for the entire pinch. We calculate the effect that shot-to-shot fluctuations of a single pinch would have on the shot-success probability of the double-pinch inertial-confinement-fusion driver proposed by Hammer et al. [Phys. Plasmas 6, 2129 (1999)]. We find that on a given shot, the probability that two independent pinches would radiate the same peak power to within a factor of 1+/-alpha (where 0< or =alpha<<1) is equal to erf(alpha/2sigma), where sigma is the 1sigma fractional variation of the peak power radiated by a single pinch. Assuming alpha must be < or =7% to achieve adequate odd-Legendre-mode radiation symmetry for thermonuclear-fusion experiments, sigma must be <3% for the shot-success probability to be > or =90%. The observed (12/2(1/2))%=8.5% fluctuation in P(r) would provide adequate symmetry on 44% of the shots. We propose that three-dimensional radiative-magnetohydrodynamic simulations be performed to quantify the sensitivity of the x-ray emission to various initial conditions, and to determine whether an imploding z pinch is a spatiotemporal chaotic system.