T3 Treatment Research Articles

EFFECT OF SOIL CONDITIONERS APPLIED TO SEED ON GRAIN YIELD AND YIELD CHARACTERISTICS IN WHEAT

This study, researching the effect of seed treatment with liquid soil conditioners on yield properties of bread wheat varieties, was completed in 2017 and 2018 in the experimental field of Tekirdag Namik Kemal University Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Field Crops. The experiments were conducted with 3 bread wheat varieties and 4 soil amendments (control + 3 different liquid soil amendments) in 3 repetitions. Flamura 85, Selimiye and Esperia bread wheat varieties, commonly sown in the Thrace region were used as experimental material. In the experiment, 4 different treatments including 3 different soil regulators and 1 control (T1: Control; T2: 13-5-8+glycine betaine; T3: 15% organic matter, 15% humic and fulvic acid+0.03% potassium and T4: 25% organic matter + 65% humic acid + 6% potassium (T4) were made. Seeds treated with a spray and then dried were sown as split plot experimental design. In the study, the variations in the plant height (PH), spike length (SL), number of spikelets per spike (NSS), number of grains per spike (NGS), grain weight per spike (GWS), spike fertility index (SFI), harvest index (HI) and grain yield (GY) parameters were investigated for the bread wheat varieties. According to the research results, all soil conditioners applied to seeds were determined to affect the investigated characters at a statistically significant level. T4 treatment caused clear increases in the SL, NSS, NGS, GWS and GY parameters. For the PH parameter, T3 treatment caused a significant increase, while for the SFI parameter, T2 treatment caused a significant increase. For the HI parameter, treatments T2 and T3 had the highest effect. T4 treatment caused an increase in plant height for the Flamura 85 variety, reduced the plant height of the Selimiye variety and had no statistically significant effect on the Esperia variety. Spike characteristics like SL, NSS and NGS increased compared to controls with all soil conditioner treatments, while parameters like GWS and BFI differed according to variety. For the HI parameter, the T2 treatment of the Selimiye and Esperia varieties and the T3 treatment of Flamura 85 variety provided highest results. Grain yield, the most important parameter for wheat, provided the highest results in different soil conditioner treatments depending on the variety; the most significant increases were observed in Esperia variety with T2 treatment and in Flamura 85 variety with T3 treatment.

Effects of Combined Nitrogen-Phosphorus on Biomass Accumulation, Allocation, and Allometric Growth Relationships in Pinus yunnanensis Seedlings after Top Pruning.

Pinus yunnanensis (Franch), a species endemic to southwestern China, provides significant ecological and economic benefits. The quality of afforestation can be enhanced by promoting high-quality sprout growth. This study analyzed the effects of six fertilization treatments following top pruning: T1 (N: 0 g/plant-1; P: 0 g/plant-1), T2 (N: 0 g/plant-1; P: 2 g/plant-1), T3 (N: 0 g/plant-1; P: 4 g/plant-1), T4 (N: 0.6 g/plant-1; P: 0 g/plant-1), T5 (N: 0.6 g/plant-1; P: 2 g/plant-1), and T6 (N: 0.6 g/plant-1; P: 4 g/plant-1). The accumulation and allocation of aboveground biomass in roots, stems, and leaves of P. yunnanensis were measured, as well as changes in biomass per plant at 90 days (early stage), 180 days (middle stage), and 270 days (late stage) post-fertilization. At 90 days, root biomass accumulation in T3 was significantly higher, by 13.31%, compared to that in T1 (p < 0.05). The growth rates of stem and plant biomass followed the order T6 > T1 > T3 > T5 > T4 > T2. The biomass of sprouts and individual plants exhibited allometric growth under T1, T5, and T6 treatments. At 180 days, needle biomass allocation in T1 and T4 increased by 7.47% and 8.6%, respectively, compared to 90 days. Combined nitrogen-phosphorus fertilization significantly influenced aboveground biomass allocation, promoting growth more effectively than other treatments. By 270 days, the stem and individual biomass in T2 and T3 treatments showed significant differences (p < 0.01) compared to other treatments. Overall, root, stem, and sprouts were primarily influenced by phosphorus fertilization, while nitrogen fertilization notably promoted needle and leaf growth in later stages. The aboveground components were more affected by phosphorus fertilization. The combination of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers enhanced early-stage stem and sprouts, as well as late-stage root development.

Triiodothyronine (T3) promotes browning of white adipose through inhibition of the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway

Obesity arises from an imbalance between energy consumption and energy expenditure, and thyroid hormone levels serve as a determinant of energy expenditure. We conducted experiments at the animal and cellular levels and combined those findings with clinical data to elucidate the role of triiodothyronine (T3) in facilitating the browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) and its underlying mechanism. The results showed (i) the impaired metabolic function of local WAT and the compensatory elevation of systemic thermogenesis in obesity; (ii) T3 treatment of white adipocytes in vitro and local WAT in vivo induced a shift towards a morphologically “brown” phenotype, accompanied by upregulation of mRNA and protein expression of browning-related and mitochondrial function markers, which suggest that T3 intervention promotes the browning of WAT; and (iii) the aforementioned processes could be modulated through inhibition of the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway; however, whether T3 affects the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway by affecting insulin signalling remains to be studied and clarified. The results of our study indicate that T3 treatment promotes browning of WAT through inhibition of the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway; these findings offer novel perspectives regarding the potential of localised therapies for addressing WAT volume in individuals with obesity.

Influence of Molasses and Caesalpinia spinosa Meal Inoculums on Biogas Production from Cattle Manure

The management of organic waste through anaerobic digestion is an alternative to energy recovery. This research focused on evaluating the production of biogas with different inoculums. For this purpose, two types of systems were implemented—one used a heating system controlled by an STC-1000 thermostat, while the other used a solar heating system under a polycarbonate parabolic trough. The experiment was carried out at laboratory level with 3 L PET bottle biodigesters and the biogas produced was collected with the water displacement technique in 3 L bottles, calibrated every 50 mL, over 43 days. Inoculums of the following manure concentrations were used: water (1:5, 1:2, 1:3) mixed with Caesalpinia spinosa meal and molasses. The results determined that the thermostat-controlled heating system generated 69.6 mL/day of biogas while the other system produced 610.9 mL/day. On the other hand, the T1 treatment with a manure:water ratio of 1:5 and molasses and Caesalpinia spinosa meal inoculums in both systems had a higher average biogas volume. In terms of methane (CH₄), the highest value of 76.9% was obtained through the T1 treatment under the controlled heating system. This allows the production of biogas with a high concentration of methane, which in future applications can be utilized for residential or industrial purposes, promoting economic, social and environmental development. Since the main challenge in the production of biogas is to reduce the digestion time, which is influenced by the temperature of the site, two types of inoculums with a low cost and easy access were used.

Growth and Yield Performance of Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum L.) Swayed by Mulching and Organic Fertilizers

The utilization of organic fertilizers is currently on the rise to sustain higher food quality while minimizing environmental pollution. Mulching with organic materials maintains soil physical conditions, crucial for realizing a crop’s genetic yield potential even when all other requirements are met. Hence, a field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of mustard oil cake (MOC), poultry manure (PM) and vermicompost (V) alone and in combination with mulching (Mu) on growth and yield parameters of Tomato. Significant increases were (p ≤ 0.05) observed in plant height, leaf number, leaf area, stem girth, root length and root girth of tomato plants compared to the control (T1), where no fertilizers were applied. At 90 days after transplantation (DAT), the T9 (V8Mu0) treatment resulted in the highest plant height (142 cm) and the longest root length (25 cm) while the maximum quantity of fresh weight (154.63 g plant-1) for tomato plant was obtained from the treatment T6, which received vermicompost at 4 t ha-1 with mulching. Application of poultry manure at the rate of 8 t ha-1 without mulching (T8) resulted in a significant higher number (14 fruits plant-1) of green tomatoes. Fresh weight of green tomatoes were varied significantly (p ≤ 0.05) among the treatments with the maximum fresh weight obtained from the T₉ (128.97 g plant-1) and the minimum from T₁ (12.73 g plant-1) treatments. Nitrogen, P, K, Ca, Mg and S of green tomatoes varied significantly among the treatments. The utmost P, K, S, Ca and Mg contents (0.72, 6.26, 0.23, 0.54 and 0.31 g kg-1, respectively) of green tomatoes were recorded in the treatment T₆ (V₄Mu). Hence, the utilization of organic fertilizers, either alone or in conjunction with mulching, markedly enhanced the growth and yield of the tested vegetable, offering viable strategies for enhancing the yield potential. Dhaka Univ. J. Biol. Sci. 33(2): 53-65, 2024 (July)

Effect of stocking density and feeding regimes on physiological recovery in stunted Labeo rohita fingerlings reared in cages

Aim: To find out the physiological recovery status of stunted fingerling of Labeo rohita reared in floating net cages at different stocking densities and feeding rations in cages. Methodology: Stunted fingerling (8 months) of L. rohita with an average body weight of 38.23 ± 1.90 g and length 14.65 ± 0.30 cm were stocked in cages at different densities viz. T1 (10), T2 (15), T3 (20) and T4 (25) fish m-3 and varying levels of feeding rations such as 3, 4, 5 and 6% for 330 days with crude protein (28%) pellet were fed twice a day. The 4×4 factorial design was used, and each stocking density and feeding level were triplicated. A total of 48 numbers of square shaped floating net cage, made of HDPE, each measuring 27 m-3 with 6 mm mesh size were used for the experiment. Results: A significant physiological recovery was observed in the T1 (10*5 and 10*6) treatment groups, which showed highest Hb (11.23± 0.08 g d l-1), RBC (2.83 ± 0.03 ×106 cum m-1), PCV (45.76 ± 0.16 %) and lymphocyte (69.32 ± 0.12 %) content at the end of the experiment. Similarly, significant changes were observed in glucose, cortisol, and lactate dehydrogenase, which were highest in T4 and normal in T1 group as the experiment progressed. Interpretation: The result of present study recommends that cage culture of stunted Labeo rohita is possible in Indian reservoirs with lower stocking density 10 m-2 and feeding ration of 5% body weight which maintains better physiological conditions for optimal growth of fish. Key words: Cage culture, Feeding ration, Labeo rohita, Physiological parameters, Stunted, Stocking density

Zinc and Boron Foliar Application Effects on Primed Mung Bean (Vigna radiata L.) Growth and Productivity

Mung bean is recognized for its abundant high-quality protein content. For human consumption, it is a high-quality protein source and also serves various purposes crops, its arvested residue is used for green manuring and also used for fodder purposes. The research aimed to assess the impact of foliar micronutrient application on primed mung bean (Vigna radiata). The experimental procedures were executed in the sandy loam soil prevalent in the central plain region of Punjab. The investigation was conducted during the Zaid season 2022, focusing on the (SML-1827) mung bean variety. Specifically, the research assessed the impact of foliar micronutrient applications involving zinc and boron at 15 and 45 days after sowing (DAS) on primed mung bean growth characteristics. The experimental design employed a Randomized Block Design, incorporating 11 distinct treatment combinations, each replicated thrice. The investigation revealed that foliar micronutrient treatment on primed mung bean substantially influenced growth and yield parameters. Growth indicators for mung bean exhibited a positive trend when zinc and boron were jointly applied to primed seeds with gibberellic acid, followed by a decline in the control group, which experienced typical growth conditions devoid of growth regulators and micronutrients. Specifically, the highest recorded plant height was 70.1 cm in the T9 (GA(50 mg.L-1) + ZnSO4 (0.5%) + B (1%)) treatment, while the lowest height was 58 cm in the T0 (control) treatment. Similarly, the most significant fresh weight was observed in T9 (GA(50 mg.L-1) + ZnSO4 (0.5%)+ B (1%)) treatments at 136.8 g, with the lowest weight recorded in T0 (control) treatments at 86.6g. the most significant grain yield was achieved in T9 112 g.m-2, followed by T10 (SA(150 mg.L-1)+ ZnSO4 (0.5%)+B (1%)) at 105.7 g.m-2. This study suggests micronutrients and growth regulators can be sustainable agricultural inputs to enhance soil health and productivity.

Effects of Compound Fertilizer and Branch Fertilizer on Population Construction and Yield of Machine-Transplanted Rice.

In order to study the effects of combined application of compound fertilizer and branch fertilizer on the growth and yield of machine-transplanted rice, four hybrid rice varieties were used as experimental materials, and four fertilization treatments were set up by completely random design: compound fertilizer (T0), compound fertilizer + conventional branch fertilizer (T1), compound fertilizer + (branch fertilizer - 20%) (T2), compound fertilizer + (branch fertilizer + 20%) (T3). The results showed that the branch fertilizer could effectively promote the early growth and rapid development of tillers, and increase the agronomic traits such as chlorophyll content, LAI and dry matter accumulation. Among the four varieties, the yield of the V4 variety was the highest under T3 treatment, which was 11,471.15 kg·hm-2, which was 37.34% higher than that of the control, and the yield increase effect was the most significant. The correlations showed that dry matter accumulation and LAI were significantly or highly significantly positively correlated with the number of effective spikes and yield, and the number of effective spikes was highly significantly positively correlated with the yield. In general, the application of pitchfork fertiliser increased the effective number of spikes and the number of grains per spike of each variety to different degrees, which effectively promoted the improvement of the rice yield.

Chemical composition of city wastewater and its effect on germination of some vegetable seeds

Due to increasing shortage of fresh water, the use of city wastewater in agricultural purpose has become more popular day by day. This experiment was conducted to analyze the physico-chemical parameters of the city wastewater and its effect on seed germination and seedling growth of Abelmoschus esculentus (Lady’s Finger), Vigna unguiculata (Yard Long Bean) and Cucumis sativus (Cucumber) plants during the period of January, March and May, 2023 with the application of five treatments i.e. T0 (control), T1 (3ml), T2 (5ml), T3 (7ml) and T4 (10ml). The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications. Analyses included pH, EC, hardness, cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, Zn2+, Cu2+, Mn2+ and Fe3+), anions (CO32-, HCO3-, SO42-, PO43- and Cl-) and TDS (total dissolved solids), SAR (sodium adsorption ratio). The pH (6.9 ~ 7.23) was neutral to alkaline and could be suitable for agricultural uses. According to TDS and SAR values, all samples of wastewater were classified as ‘Freshwater’ and ‘excellent’ categories. T0 (control) and T3 (7ml) were showed the highest germination percentage (100%) for every month and T4 (10ml) was showed the lowest germination percentage (80%). The speed of germination, relative germination ratio and germination index were also highest at T0 (control) and lowest was in T1 (3ml) condition and again the shoot and root length of the vegetables were gradually enhanced with increasing concentration and highest shoot and root length found in T4 (10 ml) treatment and lowest shoot and root length observed in T0 (control) treatment. Thus, the city wastewater, after proper dilutions can be used as a promising source of water in agricultural practice.

A Quantitative Phase Analysis by Neutron Diffraction of Conventional and Advanced Aluminum Alloys Thermally Conditioned for Elevated-Temperature Applications.

As the issue of climate change becomes more prevalent, engineers have focused on developing lightweight Al alloys capable of increasing the power density of powertrains. The characterization of these alloys has been focused on mechanical properties and less on the fundamental response of microstructures to achieve these properties. Therefore, this study assesses the quality of the microstructure of two high-temperature Al alloys (A356 + 3.5RE and Al-8Ce-10Mg), comparing them to T6 A356. These alloys underwent thermal conditioning at 250 and 300 °C for 200 h. Time-of-flight neutron diffraction experiments were performed before and after conditioning. The phase evolution was quantified using Rietveld refinement. It was found that the Si phase grows significantly (13-24%) in T6 A356, A356 + 3.5RE, and T6 A356 + 3.5RE alloys, which is typically correlated with a reduction in mechanical properties. Subjecting the A356 3.5RE alloy to a T6 heat treatment stabilizes the orthorhombic Al4Ce3Si6 and monoclinic β-Al5FeSi phases, making them resistant to thermal conditioning. These two phases are known for enhancing mechanical properties. Additionally, the T6 treatment reduced the vol.% of the cubic Al20CeTi2 and hexagonal ᴨ-Al9FeSi3Mg5 phases by 13% and 23%, respectively. These phases have detrimental mechanical properties. The Al-8Ce-10Mg alloy cubic β-Al3Mg2 phase showed significant growth (82-101%) in response to conditioning, while the orthorhombic Al11Ce3 phase remained stable. The growth of the beta phase is known to decrease the mechanical properties of this alloy. These efforts give valuable insight into how these alloys will perform and evolve in demanding high-temperature environments.

Advanced Dehydration Techniques Standardized for Flowers of Gomphrena globosa L.

The present experiment was conducted on standardizing dehydration technique for Gomphrena globose flower by using embedding drying methods in room temperature and hot air oven at 55°C was done. The experiment consisted of 10 treatments with 3 replications designed in completely randomized design. Treatments used were as; T1-Boric acid (room temperature), T2-Silica gel (room temperature), T3-Sand (room temperature), T4-Sawdust (room temperature), T5-Cocopeat (room temperature), T6-Boric acid (hot air oven at 55 °C), T7-Silica gel (hot air oven at 55 °C), T8-Sand (hot air oven at 55 °C), T9-Sawdust (hot air oven at 55 °C), T10-Cocopeat (hot air oven at 55 °C). The most reduction in flower fresh and dry weight, measuring 2.36 and 2.12 g, was observed in Treatment T7 (Silica gel with hot air oven at 55°C), where silica gel was employed as the desiccant. The least reduction in flower fresh and dry diameter, measuring 1.92 and 1.81 g, was observed in Treatment T7 (Silica gel with hot air oven at 55°C), where silica gel was employed as the desiccant. The highest drying duration for gomphrena in T3 (Sand) and T4 (Sawdust) treatments was 234.21 and 210.40 hrs at room temperature. The boric acid and silica gel demonstrated outstanding performance in terms of quality parameters, including texture, color, and overall appearance. Among all treatment, embedding drying with silica with hot air oven dehydration at 55°C was found to be best in term of reduction in weight, diameter and overall colour, appearance and texture of Gomphrena globose flowers.

Assessment of Hast Bahar (Flowering Season) for Yield and Quality of Pomegranate at Farmer’s Field

An on-farm trail (OFT) on assessment of flowering season of pomegranate was tested. The experiment was conducted with three treatments comprising mrig bahar flowering as a control and hast bahar flowering with and without application of micronutrients and kaolin clay during June to February for three consecutive years from 2019–2022 in the different farmer fields at the Tharad taluka of Banskantha district, Gujarat, India. The treatment T1 Mrig bahar (June-July) flowering recorded the maximum total number of flowers (293.67) hermaphrodite flowers (108.9) and fruit setting (71.85%). Further, T1 exhibited the highest average number of fruits plant-1 (79.0) and maximum fruit yield (11.78 kg plant-1) followed by T3 and T2 treatments (10.14 kg plant-1 and 9.02 kg plant-1) respectively. In terms of total fruit yield, Treatment T1 exhibited the highest fruit yield of (9813 kg ha-1). Whereas, maximum individual fruit weight 179.44 g plant-1 and Total Soluble Solids (15.75°Brix) were found in Treatment T3. Moreover, treatment T3 Hast Bahar (Sept–Oct) flowering with foliar spray of micromix 0.2% and kaolin Clay 4.0%) has the lowest average fruit cracking (6.30%) and the lowest incidence of sunburn (8.80%) across the three years. However, treatment T1 recorded highest average fruit cracking (18.90%). Further, during the Mrig bahar season, incidence of leaf spots and fruit rot was observed higher compared to the Hast bahar flowering. In case of economics, treatment T3 obtained the highest average income of 411813 ha-1 as compared to treatment T2 and T3 ` 353074 ha-1 and 333425 ha-1, respectively.

Effect of heat treatment on the deformation behavior of an Al–Cu alloy studied by in-situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction

The effect of T6 heat treatment on microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of a multi-component hot-rolled (HR) Al–Cu alloy were studied by scanning/transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM) and electron back scattering diffraction (EBSD), and in-situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction (SXRD). The microstructure in HR alloy comprising Al9FeNi, Al7Cu2Fe, Al3CuNi, Al20Ti2Ce, Al3(TiZr), and Al2Cu; while the HR-T6 alloy containing Al9FeNi and Al7Cu2Fe. The tensile strength and elongation of HR-T6 alloy were improved simultaneously compared to HR alloy. After T6 heat treatment, the tensile strength of sample increased from 240 MPa to 309 MPa (28.75 % improvement) and the elongation increased from 4.1 % to 8.9 % (increased by 117 %). The strain evolution and load partition on behavior of the secondary phase and Al matrix upon tensile load were investigated by in-situ SXRD. The lattice strains of Al matrix and Al9FeNi phase of HR and HR-T6 samples increased from 1750με and 1480με to 2870με and 3490με, respectively, in the plastic deformation zone. The Al matrix and the secondary phase after T6 treatment have improved stress bearing capacity, especially for Al9FeNi phase. The "hard" Al9FeNi phase exhibited higher stress of 377 MPa compared to the "soft" Al matrix (stress of 214 MPa). This work provides an insight into the tailoring of strength-ductility comprehensive understanding the deformation behavior of Al–Cu alloys.

Technological usage of ripe banana pulp for the development of a salad dressing

Oxidized banana (OB) is one of the important food wastes which contains a high potential to use in different products such as salad dressing. OB is a good ingredient in salad dressing due to its presence of antioxidants, vitamins, dietary fibers, and starch. the current study aimed to replace OB with non-oxidized banana (T1: 0 % T2: 25 %, T3: 50 %, T4: 75 %, and T5: 100 % OB) in salad dressing formulation and focused on the effects of OB on color, sensory, physical, chemical, rheological properties, microbial growth, and consumer studies. E-nose and volatile compounds analysis by GC-MS was also performed. According to the results, L*, a*, and b* values decreased significantly (P < 0.5) leading to a darker color of the product and effected other color evaluations (Hue, chroma, and ∆E). Viscosity was decreased significantly by the addition of the OB in the dressing formulation while pH did not change between T5 and T1 treatments. All sensory attributes score (9-point hedonic scale) decreased and consumers were given of fact of OB salad dressing has environmental benefits. Steady shear flow measurements, frequency sweep analysis, and the thixotropic loop of the oxidized banana indicated that adding OB to salad dressing negatively affected textural properties. The most effective attributes are, texture, and color discriminating the underlying differences among all 5 treatments according to MANOVA Wilks’ P-values. McNemar’s test was applied to analyze before and after consumers had been given the information about OB environmental benefits indicating that emotional attributes were changed after knowing the fact state as well as the odds ratio predicted purchase intent which increased with an increase in overall liking, pleased, flavor, and satisfied attributes. The acceptability threshold for OB in salad dressing formulation is 50 % OB. Among the identified volatile organic compounds are acetic acid, hexanoic acid, 3-methyl-1-butanol, 2-methylpropyl acetate, ethyl hexanoate, and phenylethyl acetate. The volatile organic compounds identified are 3-methyl-butanoic acid, 2-methyl-butanoic acid, and (E)-2-Decenal. The electronic device could discriminate these aromas, and the results obtained agree with those of the tasting panel and the volatile compounds.

Influence of Equal Channel Angular Pressing Processing on the Microstructure, Hardness and Corrosion Resistance of Al-Si Alloy

In this study, the impact of heat treatment and Equal Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP) processing routes on refining the microstructure, hardness, and corrosion resistance of Al-7.5% S alloy in a 3.5% NaCl solution was examined. The alloy underwent T5 and T6 heat treatments, followed by ECAP processing via routes A and Bc in a mold with a channel angle of 120° at room temperature. The results indicate that dendritic α-Al grains transformed to globular and fiber shapes after processing routes Bc and A, respectively. Both processing routes fragmented coarse and brittle Si particles into smaller sizes in the eutectic phase. The use of a combination of heat treatment and the Equal Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP) process significantly improved the hardness and corrosion resistance of the samples. The hardness of the heat-treated samples increased considerably from 68 to 116 and 129 HV after three and four passes, respectively. Reducing the area ratio between the noble silicon particles and the less noble eutectic aluminum phase greatly enhances the resistance of alloy to pitting corrosion.

Investigating the interdependence of microstructure and properties in low-Cu content Al-Zn-Mg alloys via thermodynamic calculation

This paper redesigned the Al-Zn-Mg alloy composition by thermodynamic calculations and experiments, and also explained the precipitation strengthening of the 7xxx alloy. At a Zn/Mg ratio of 3.3–5.3, only the η phase is present. The η phase was experimentally verified as the main contributor to precipitation strengthening. The Al-7.6Zn-2.2Mg-0.2Cu-0.2Cr-0.4Mn-0.15Zr alloy exhibited excellent mechanical properties, with yield and tensile strengths of 510 MPa and 542 MPa under T6 treatment. The low copper content 7xxx alloy designed in this study achieves a yield strength exceeding 500 MPa solely through the compositional design of the Zn/Mg ratio.

Assessing the impact of triiodothyronine treatment on the lung microbiome of mice with pulmonary fibrosis

BackgroundIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), an interstitial lung disease, is characterized by the exacerbation of progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PF). IPF primarily affects older individuals and can lead to respiratory failure. This study aimed to assess the effects of triiodothyronine (T3) treatment on the lung microbiome of mice with PF.MethodsMice were perfused with bleomycin (BLM) to establish a PF model. Using a randomized design, 40 female specific pathogen-free (SPF) C57BL6/N mice were divided into four groups: saline, saline + T3, BLM, and BLM + T3. Histological morphology was assessed through Hematoxylin and Eosin staining as well as Masson’s Trichrome staining. For the identification of lung bacteria, 16S rRNA gene sequencing was employed. An Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay was used to measure total T3 (TT3), free T3 (FT3, and reverse T3 (rT3) levels in the peripheral serum.ResultsT3 treatment ameliorated BLM-induced lung fibrosis and structural damage. The microbiome experienced a decrease in the abundance of Proteobacteria, Bacteroides, and Actinomycetes and an increase in the abundance of Firmicutes when exposed to BLM; however, T3 treatment reversed this effect. The four groups showed no significant difference in alpha microbiome diversity (P > 0.05). Serum concentrations of TT3 and FT3 were positively correlated with microbiome abundance (P < 0.05). Administration of T3 enhanced the microbiota in PF without affecting the diversity and biological functions of the microbiome (P > 0.05).ConclusionThe administration of T3 demonstrated a favorable impact on the lung microbiota of mice afflicted with PF, thereby partially substantiating the potential role of T3 as a therapeutic agent in the management of PF.

Study of strengthening mechanisms in Al-Cu and Al-Cu-Mg systems subjected to plastic deformation and T6 treatment

ABSTRACT A series of Al-4Cu and Al-2Cu-2Mg wt.% alloys were synthesized through casting and subjected to plastic deformation to evaluate the interaction and contribution of the different strengthening mechanisms since the experimental Vickers microhardness test. The plastic deformation was performed by cold-rolling to achieve a 50% thickness reduction. The results show that solid solution strengthening is the main mechanism responsible for the total hardness enhancement of the alloys, and the Mg presents a higher hardening capacity for the solid solution strengthening than the Cu. For Al-4Cu alloy, competition between the annihilation of dislocations and the formation of precipitates generates an apparent low response precipitation hardening. Nevertheless, for Al-2Cu-2Mg alloy, the Mg addition allowed retard the dislocation annihilation induced an apparent higher response precipitation hardening.

Microbial regulatory mechanisms of disease-resistant tobacco varieties in the prevention and control of bacterial wilt disease

Bacterial wilt disease poses a significant threat to the production and quality of tobacco. Disease-resistant varieties of tobacco are the primary means of preventing bacterial wilt, but the soil microbial mechanisms that alleviate this disease require further in-depth research. In our study, we analyzed the physicochemical and microbial properties of rhizosphere soil in four different disease-resistant varieties of tobacco. The treatments included: T1 (Chang Bo Huang; 100 % infection rate); T2 (Yun Yan 87; 80 % infection rate); T3 (K326; 50 % infection rate) and T4 (YAN YAN 97; 0 % infection rate). Our results showed that the T4 treatment improved the fresh biomass of tobacco by 35.42 % compared to the T1 treatment. In addition, a significant increase in soil pH and soil organic matter (SOM) from 4.98 and 1.24 % under T1 treatment to 5.86 and 1.38 % under T4 treatment, respectively. As the disease resistance of the tobacco variety improved was found, there was a noticeable upward trend in the number of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in the rhizosphere soil, showing higher sensitivity compared to fungi. Additionally, rhizosphere soil from susceptible varieties exhibited higher levels of metabolites, resulting in the accumulation of acidic substances (6-aminopenicillanic acid, garcinia acid, and 4-decan-4-ylbenzenesulfonic acid). Moreover, these soil metabolites might have attracted certain pathogenic fungi (Monoblepharomycota), contributing to the spread of soil diseases. This study suggests that the rhizosphere soil of disease-resistant tobacco variety provides a better microecological environment which could inhibit accumulation of allelopathic substances and reduce the spread of bacterial wilt disease.

The Effect of a Combination of Coconut Dregs and Fermented Chicken Manure on Population, Weight and Length of Maggots (Hermetia illucens)

Maggot is an organism that originates from the eggs of the BSF fly (Black Soldier Fly) which is usually known as a rotting organism because of its habit of consuming organic materials. Maggots can be an alternative feed because they have a fairly high protein content and are suitable as fresh fish feed or as raw fish feed ingredients. The study aims to determine the effect of the proportion of the combination of coconut pulp and fermented chicken manure on the population, weight and length of maggot (Hermetia illucens). This research method used an experiment with 6 treatments, 5 replicates for each treatment. The treatments applied were T1: 100% coconut pulp, T2: 95% coconut pulp + 5% chicken manure, T3: 90% coconut pulp + 10% chicken manure, T4: 85% coconut pulp + 15% chicken manure, T5: 80% coconut pulp + 20% chicken manure, T6: 75% coconut pulp + 25% chicken manure. Maggot maintenance started from 0-14 days of age. The observed paramameter of the population were weight and length of maggot (Hermetia illucens). This study used a Complete Random Design (RAL) with 5 replicates and the data was analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Based on the results of statistical analysis, the combination of coconut pulp and fermented chicken manure on the population, weight and length of manggot (Hermetia illucens) (P &lt; 0.05). The results of the research on the combination of coconut pulp and fermented chicken manure with different combinations showed that there were some differences. T6 treatment was able to show the highest results in population, weight and length of maggot (Hermetia illucens).