Transparent Boxes Research Articles

Allelopathic activity of coffee extracts: implications for germination and initial growth in select weeds and polyploidy in Lactuca sativa L

ABSTRACT Coffee beans contain compounds with allelopathic activity, such that some beans that do not meet quality standards might rather be used to obtain a natural herbicide which consequently might be employed to control undesired plants and avoid economic losses. Thus, the objectives of this study were: (1) to investigate the allelopathic effect of different concentrations of green (GC) and roasted (RC) coffee extracts on the inhibition of germination and initial growth of Lactuca sativa L. Bidens pilosa L. and Cyperus rotundus L. and (2) determine the induction of changes in the cell cycle of L. sativa L. and (3) quantify some compounds in the GC and RC extracts with possible allelopathic effects. Seeds and tubers were sown on germination paper, moistened with water or different concentrations of extracts, stored in transparent plastic boxes, and maintained in a germination chamber. Caffeine was found at higher concentrations of 79.768 and 15.532 g/L in GC and RC extracts, respectively. In general, RC extract for L. sativa L. and GC for B. pilosa L. diminished germination parameters. For C. rotundus L. GC extract decreased growth regardless of the concentration. An increased frequency of cell cycle alterations was observed in the root cells of L. sativa L. This study is the first to report that the studied extracts possess allelopathic potential, as they are effective in reducing germination and/or initial growth of weed species and L. sativa L. as well as inducing alterations in the cell cycle of L. sativa L.

Investigation of the Influence of Environmental Thermal Characteristics on Thermal Modes of Transparent Boxes

This paper presents the results of experiments to investigate the influence of thermal characteristics of the environment on the thermal modes of transparent boxes. To conduct experiments on the non-stationary thermal model of solar greenhouses developed by us, two identical transparent boxes with dimensions of 0.80 x 0.65 x 0.80 m were constructed. The transparent boxes have rectangular shapes. One transparent box has glass walls and the other with polyethylene walls. The influence of the thermal characteristics of the environment and the thermal conditions inside the transparent boxes with film and glass transparent walls are investigated. The experimental results show that at a maximum ambient air temperature of 42 °C on 27.06.2024 at 13:48 hours, the air temperature increases to 10% and 23% in transparent boxes with polyethylene and with glass walls, respectively, and at 05:10 hours, the humidity decreases to 8% and 11%, respectively. Thus, the influence of the thermal characteristics of the environment on the thermal conditions of transparent boxes with glass walls, at the maximum ambient temperature, is greater by 1.2 times than in transparent boxes with polyethylene walls, and humidity decreases by half.

Stability of medially and laterally malpositioned screws: a biomechanical study on cadavers

BACKGROUND CONTEXTPedicle screw instrumentation is widely used in spine surgery. Axial screw misplacement is a common complication. In addition to the recognized neurovascular risks associated with screw misplacement, the biomechanical stability of misplaced screws remains a subject of debate. PURPOSEThe present study investigates whether screw misplacement in the lumbar spine reduces mechanical screw hold. STUDY DESIGN/SETTINGCadaveric biomechanical study. METHODSPedicle screw (mis)placement was planned for 12 fresh frozen cadaveric spines between the T12 and the L5 levels. The screws were then implanted into the vertebrae with the help of 3D-printed template guides. Pre- and postinstrumentation computed tomography (CT) scans were acquired for instrumentation planning and quantification of the misplacement. The instrumented vertebrae were potted into CT transparent boxes using Polymethyl methacrylate and mounted on a standardized biomechanical setup for pull-out (PO) testing with uniaxial tensile load. RESULTSThe bone density of all the specimens as per HU was comparable. The predicted pull-out force (POF) for screws medially misplaced by 2 , 4, and 6 mm was respectively 985 N (SD 474), 968 N (SD 476) and 822 N (SD 478). For screws laterally misplaced by 2 , 4, and 6 mm the POF was respectively 605 N (SD 473), 411 N (SD 475), and 334 N (SD 477). Screws that did not perforate the pedicle (control) resisted pull-out forces of 837 N (SD 471). CONCLUSIONSMedial misplacement is associated with increased axial screw hold against static loads compared to correctly placed screws and laterally placed screws. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCEIn clinical settings, the reinsertion of medially misplaced screws should primarily aim to prevent neurological complications while the reinsertion of lateral misplaced screws should aim to prevent screw loosening.

Effects of Different Pollen Substitute Diets on the Survival Rate and Diet Preference of Foraging Honey Bees (Apis mellifera L.)

Honey bee is an eusocial insect from class Insecta. The potential for thriving honey bee colonies hinges on the availability of an effective pollen substitute, particularly during periods of scarcity when natural pollen supply is limited. Numerous beekeepers provide their bees with various pollen substitutes to ensure they receive adequate nutrition during periods of insufficient pollen quantity or quality. For Methodology transparent boxes were made and each artificial diet were kept in each box for each ten replicas of Honey Bees. The experiment was based on Artificial diets as pollen substitutes. For experiment Honey Bee, Apis mellifera was taken and feed with five different diets and data was analysed with test significance level is 0.001.

The effect of the AIM2 inflammasome in noise-induced cognitive dysfunction in rats

Objective: To explore the effect of the absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) -mediated neuroinflammation in noise-induced cognitive dysfunction in rats. Methods: In April 2023, sixteen male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group and noise group, with 8 rats in each group. The rats in the noise group were placed in 50 cm×50 cm×40 cm transparent boxes and exposed to 100 dB (A) white noise with a sound pressure level of 100 dB (A) (4 h/d for 30 d) . At the same time, rats in the control group were kept in similar boxes with environmental noise less than 60 dB (A) . After 30 days of noise exposure, the Morris water maze experiment was applied to test the learning and memory abilities of the rats; the pathological morphology of hippocampal tissues was observed by Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) staining. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression levels of AIM2, cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-1 (caspase-1) , apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC) , interleukin-1β (IL-1β) , IL-18, ionic calcium-binding articulation molecule-1 (Iba-1) , and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) . The expression of both Iba-1 and GFAP in hippocampal tissue was assessed by immunohistochemical staining. The co-localization of AIM2 with Iba-1 or GFAP was determined by immunofluorescence double staining. Results: Compared with the control group, the escape latency of rats in the noise group was increased by 16.29 s, 17.71 s, and 20.26 s on days 3, 4, and 5, respectively. On day 6, the noise-exposed rats spent shorter time in the target quadrant and had fewer times in crossing the platform[ (7.25±2.27) s and (1.13±0.64) times] than the control group[ (15.64±3.99) s and (4.25±2.12) times] (P<0.05) . After noise exposure, hippocampal neurons of rats displayed marked nuclear hyperchromatic and pyknosis phenomenon. The noise-exposed rats had higher numbers of both microglia and astrocytes (27.00±2.65 and 43.33±5.51) in the DG area of the hippocampus relative to the control group (14.67±3.06 and 20.00±4.58) (P<0.05) . Moreover, the glial cells in the noise group had larger cell cytosol with more and thicker branches. The protein expression levels of inflammatory cytokines Cleaved-IL-1β and Cleaved-IL-18 in the hippocampus of rats in the noise group (1.55±0.19 and 1.74±0.12) were significantly higher than the control group (1.00±0.11 and 1.00±0.13) (P<0.05) . After noise exposure, the protein expression levels of AIM2, Cleaved-Caspase-1 and ASC (1.19±0.09, 1.34±0.07 and 1.14±0.01) were higher than the control group (1.00±0.07, 1.00±0.14 and 1.00±0.06) and differences between the two groups were statistically significant (P<0.05) . A significant increase in the number of cells co-localizing AIM2 with Iba-1 or GFAP in the noise group (28.67±4.04 and 40.67±5.13) compared with the control group (15.67±4.04 and 17.67±3.79) , and statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups (P<0.05) . Conclusion: Noise exposure may activate the AIM2 inflammasome in hippocampal glial cells of rats, releasing excessive inflammatory cytokines and causing neuroinflammation that damages neurons.

Novel rapid screening assay to incorporate complexity and increase throughput in early-stage plant biological testing

The search for new biological products with a positive impact on crop performance is typically initiated by laboratory based in vitro assays. However, live plants and their associated microbes are often removed from in vitro testing assays as a way to reduce biological complexity (variation) and facilitate molecular techniques in the pursuit of uncovering mode-of-action (MoA) mechanisms. Nevertheless, when studying biological candidates intended for use in agriculture, it is essential to incorporate this complexity and validate mechanisms under conditions as close to in situ as possible in order to understand the capacities and MoA of the biologicals in the intended application environments. To address this paradox, we have developed a high-capacity early-stage plant assay that incorporates a live non-sterile plant while also enabling molecular MoA investigations, and that can be conducted in laboratories without greenhouse facilities. The high-capacity design features plants grown in 8-chamber transparent boxes to allow for multiplex imaging and increased biological replicates for greater statistical power. The transparent box design allows the visualization of shoots, roots, tagged-microbes, or visible substrates, and further non-destructive access to shoots or roots for sampling. The boxes are held in racks that hold eight plant boxes during growth in a 19 by 17 cm space, further increasing the throughput to >670 plants per m2 and easing the logistical challenges of plant assays. Furthermore, the box can support various levels of microbial complexity with the option to select the plant growth medium that meets experimental objectives, as well as using sterile or non-sterile seeds. A script-based post-imaging quantification was developed to automate image processing and allow for individual plant readings, further enabling increased statistical confidence. As proof of concept, we use the high-capacity plant system to evaluate the biocontrol potential of Pseudomonas protegens and the biostimulation potential of Pseudomonas koreensis, and are in both cases able to show statistically significant differing plant biomass between treatments under these closer-to-nature conditions. We further demonstrate that the high-capacity plant system is suitable for paired molecular investigations by performing metabolomics and qPCR DNA quantification directly from the plant box to explore in situ chemical MoA, as well as confirm the survival of the P. protegens strains to validate their role in the improved plant phenotype. In conclusion, the study presents a modular high-capacity plant assay system that enables increased throughput functional testing of microbial biocontrol and biostimulant candidates in planta. This novel assaying system saves time, reduces human error, provides quantitative and non-destructive in planta data, and can be used in laboratories without greenhouse facilities. We therefore believe it provides a potent early-stage testing option that bridges in vitro and greenhouse testing, and will expedite the discovery of superior next-generation biological products in agriculture.

The applicability of scanner method to investigate rhizosphere in wetlands

Temporal changes in rhizosphere, including roots and rhizomes, are prerequisites for understanding plant community dynamics, while observation methods have room for development. Monitoring roots and rhizomes by non-destructive methods is desirable, particularly in wetlands, because plants often develop shallow roots that are determined by the water level. Here, we examined the applicability of flatbed scanner method, which allows for least destructive monitoring. The examination was performed on a post-mined peatland in Sarobetsu mire, northern Japan, where herbaceous plants are dominant. Photos (297 mm in height × 216 mm in width) were taken periodically using a scanner in transparent boxes installed in peat layers from 2020 to 2023. Most photos taken by the scanner showed clear for image analyses and were analyzed for temporal changes in root area and length of dominant species. Although root extraction was conducted automatically using open-source software, manual operations were required to increase root detectability and identification. The belowground plant organs were separated into main roots, fine roots, adventitious roots and rhizomes. The roots were mostly distributed within the photo planes, except for the deep rhizomes of Phragmites australis, indicating that this method captured most roots. In total, 62% of the roots were distributed above the groundwater level of which average was 7 cm below the peat surface. The examined species fluctuated in root area and length with upward trends and developed at different depths. We conclude that the scanner method proposed in this study is applicable to monitoring root dynamics, evaluated by the recruitment and growth at species level for the long term and provides a new insight into understanding rhizosphere dynamics in wetland ecosystems.

Pengembangan Usaha Kue Bolu Coklat Brownies Sq-Five

Dessert boxes are one of the dessert (cake) snack products that are currently in great demand among consumers. Sweet foods arranged in transparent boxes usually consist of several layers. such as sponge cake, sweet cream, a pinch of cocoa powder, dry cakes as decoration. The aim of this business is to gain experience by learning entrepreneurship while making a profit, giving motivation to the young generation of Indonesia to always have ideas to produce a product that has value. benefits for himself and the community, enlivening the culinary variety. add to the creation of a special food menu, the raw materials used are easy to get. And the aim is to find out the current financial condition of the business or business and to see the impact of the business on the community economy together.

Characterization of Seed-to-Seedling Transmission of Alternaria brassicicola in Broccoli.

Alternaria brassicicola is part of a complex of Alternaria species that causes leaf blight and head rot in brassica crops such as broccoli, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, and collards. Seed can serve as a potential source of inoculum for the transmission of A. brassicicola in broccoli as demonstrated earlier; however, seed-to-seedling transmission of pathogen was never characterized empirically. So, the objectives of this study were to (i) re-evaluate the effect of artificial seed infestation on seed germination and seed-to-seedling transmission of A. brassicicola in broccoli; (ii) determine the effect of A. brassicicola-seed inoculum levels on seed-to-seedling transmission; (iii) evaluate if variations in A. brassicicola aggressiveness affect A. brassicicola seed-to-seedling transmission; and (iv) evaluate seed treatments that can reduce seed-to-seedling transmission of A. brassicicola in broccoli. Artificially infested seedlots were generated by inoculating broccoli seeds with a spore suspension of 1 × 105 conidia/ml of A. brassicicola using the vacuum infiltration method. Inoculated (n = 10 seedlots; 300 seeds/seedlot) or control seedlots in three replicates were planted on two layers of sterile blotter paper saturated with sterile water in transparent plastic boxes and incubated at 20°C and >90% relative humidity (RH) under continuous fluorescent light. Percent seed germination and percent seed-to-seedling transmission were recorded every other day for 21 days. Percent seed germination was significantly affected with artificial pathogen inoculation. One hundred percent of the seedlots transmitted the pathogen to broccoli seedlings, and seed-to-seedling percentages of the seedlots varied considerably. A strong linear and significant relationship between A. brassicicola inoculum level and seed-to-seedling transmission (%) within each seedlot was observed. Interestingly, variations in aggressiveness of A. brassicicola isolates did not affect seed-to-seedling transmission, as 100% of the seedlots were able to transmit the pathogen. Seed treatment with Miravis (a.i. pydiflumetofen 18.3%) significantly increased seed germination and reduced seed-to-seedling transmission percentages in A. brassicicola-inoculated seedlots. These results indicate that artificial seed inoculation with A. brassicicola can result in consistent seed-to-seedling transmission with significant impact on seed germination. Seed inoculum density of ≥104 conidia/ml is necessary for reliable transmission of A. brassicicola. Further seed-to-seedling transmission is not dependent on aggressiveness of A. brassicicola isolates and seed treatment with Miravis can significantly reduce pathogen transmission in broccoli seedings. Overall, this study provides detailed characterization of seed-to-seedling transmission of A. brassicicola in broccoli that can be further used to determine inoculum threshold, which has potential applications in seed-health testing and sample size determination. Furthermore, we also provide options for effective seed treatments that can significantly reduce A. brassicicola seed-to-seedling transmission and may potentially aid in managing seedborne fungal infection.

Revealing the characteristics of biofilms on different polypropylene plastic products: Comparison between disposable masks and takeaway boxes

The increasingly severe plastic pollution issue was intensified by the enormous plastic emissions into ecosystems during the Covid-19 pandemic. Plastic wastes entering the environment were swiftly exposed to microorganisms and colonized by biofilms, and the plastic-biofilm combined effects further influenced the ecosystem. However, the non-woven structure of disposable masks discarded carelessly during the COVID-19 pandemic was different from those of plastics with flat surface. To reveal the potential effects of plastic structure on colonized biofilms, white disposable surgical masks (DM) and transparent takeaway boxes (TB), both made of polyethylene, were selected for the incubation of organic conditioning films and biofilms. The results indicated that the non-woven structure of disposable mask was destroyed by the influence of water infiltration and biofilm colonization. The influence of surface structure on conditioning films led to a relatively higher proportion of tryptophan-like substances on DM than those on TB samples. Therefore, biofilms with significantly higher microbial biomass and carbon metabolic capacity were formed on DM than those on TB samples owing to the combined effects of their differences in surface structure and conditioning films. Moreover, abundant functional microorganisms associated with stress tolerance, carbon metabolism and biofilm formation were observed in biofilms on disposable mask. Combining with the results of partial least squares regression analysis, the selective colonization of functional microorganisms on disposable masks with uneven surface longitudinal fluctuation was revealed. Although the predicted functions of biofilms on disposable masks and takeaway boxes showed more similarity to each other than to those of free-living aquatic microorganisms owing to the existence of the plastisphere, biofilms on disposable masks may potentially trigger environmental risks different from those of takeaway boxes by unique carbon metabolism and abundant biomass.

Homeopatic for treatment of cucumber seeds contaminated with auxinic herbicide

The aim of the present study was to investigate the use of homeopathic preparations to reduce the harmful effects caused by auxin herbicide residues on seed germination and early development of cucumber seedlings. The statistical design was completely randomized (DIC) in a 3x5+2 factorial scheme, with four replications. The treatments were the combination of three homeopathic preparations (Nux vomica, Carbo vegetabilis and Arsenicum album), in five centesimal dynamizations (6CH; 12CH; 18CH; 24CH and 30CH), plus two controls (T0= distilled water and TH = herbicide (Artys™) without homeopathic treatment). Each experimental unit consisted of transparent acrylic boxes (Gerbox™) with 25 cucumber seeds, distributed over two sheets of paper for germination and moistened with homeopathic treatments. The experimental units were kept in a BOD germination chamber (in a controlled environment at 25 ºC and 12 ho of light). On the tenth day after the installation of the experiment, the following variables were evaluated: percentage of germination, shoot length, root length, phytointoxication, percentage of dead seedlings and total dry mass. The homeopathic treatment of cucumber seeds contaminated with picloram + 2,4-D herbicide (Artys™) causes positive changes, causing interesting effects on seed germination, but it is not efficient for the total neutralization of the effect caused by the herbicide 2 picloram + 2,4-D and development of early cucumber seedlings. However, for some variables, the results are inconclusive with the preparations (Nux vomica, Carbo vegetabilis and Arsenicum album), and their ultradilutions (6CH, 12CH, 18CH, 24CH and 30CH), requiring more research to evaluate and describe the complexity of properties inherent to homeopathic treatment.

First Report of Pyricularia oryzae Causing Blast on Palm Grass in China.

Palm grass (Setaria palmifolia) has been used as an ornamental plant and vegetable crop (Wu, 2009; Plarre, 1995). In June 2019, 2-10 mm severe leaf lesions with gray centers and brown-yellow edges were observed on the leaves of palm grass in Liuyang city (28°43'N, 114°12'E), Hunan province, China (Fig. 1A). Disease incidence on leaves was 20 - 40%. The infected leaves were collected and disinfected with 75% alcohol for 30 sec and 1% sodium hypochlorite for 1 min, followed by three rinses in sterilized ddH2O, dried on sterilized filter paper, and incubated on water agar for 48 h under continuous fluorescent light at 26℃. Then, typical pyriform and 2-septate conidia (23.97 - 30.37 × 7.42 - 9.98 μm, N = 30) appeared at the lesions (Fig. 1B). Four single-spore were captured, and then grew on oatmeal tomato agar for seven days under continuous fluorescent light at 26℃ to obtain four isolates (LY-ZY-7a, -7b, -9b and -9c) and produce conidia for inoculation tests. The colony morphology of LY-ZY-7b on OTA was gray and floccose, and the growth rate was 6.15 - 6.31 mm/d at 26 °C (Fig. 1C). Spores of LY-ZY-7b were washed off with sterilized ddH2O plus 0.025% Tween-20 to make spore suspensions. For scratch inoculation, 10 μL spore suspension (1 × 105 spores/mL) was inoculated on the wound scratched with a sterilized pin along the vein (3 mm × 3 mm) on palm grass middle leaf of 4-week-old seedlings. The inoculated leaves were sealed in a 15-cm Petri dish. For spray inoculation, 20 mL spore suspension (5 × 104 spores/mL) was made and sprayed on ten healthy palm grasses of 4-week-old seedlings. Plants used as negative controls were sprayed with sterilized ddH2O plus 0.025% Tween-20 (Liu et al. 2022; Zhang et al. 2014). After inoculation, all plants were put into transparent boxes to maintain > 95% humidity and covered with black plastic bags for one day. Then, the boxes containing the plants were placed in a growth chamber at 26°C (12 h light / 12 h darkness photoperiod). After six days, typical blast-type lesions with brown-yellow edges were visible on the leaves. Control plants did not show symptoms (Fig. 1D, 1E). Microscopical examination showed that the conidia and conidiophore recovered from the lesion of the inoculated plants have the same morphology as those recovered from natural infected tissues (Fig. 1F, 1G). The colony morphology of the pathogen isolated from the artificially inoculated tissue was consistent with that of isolate LY-ZY-7b (Fig. 1C). The spore suspension (5 × 104 spores/mL) of isolate LY-ZY-7b and one rice-infecting strain P131 (Yang et al., 2010) was made and sprayed onto 4-week-old seedlings of three rice cultivars. But unfortunately, isolate LY-ZY-7b could not cause any disease lesions on the tested rice cultivars, whereas strain P131 produced many typical blast lesions on rice leaves (Fig. 1H). Then, the fungal genetic identity of four isolates (LY-ZY-7a, -7b, -9b, and -9c) was confirmed by comparison of the sequence obtained from partial DNA of Actin (ACT), ITS, and RPB1 loci from our isolates and those previously published by Klaubauf et al. 2014. The nucleotide sequences of ACT, ITS, and RPB1 were submitted to GenBank ON228695-ON228697 (ACT), ON210978-ON210980 (ITS), ON228698-ON228701 (RPB1). A phylogenetic tree deduced from a maximum likelihood analysis based on combined ACT-ITS-RPB1 sequence data of Pyricularia showed that these four isolates (LY-ZY-7a, -7b, -9b, and -9c) clustered together on Pyricularia oryzae, with a high bootstrap support value (Fig. 2). Based on morphological characteristics and molecular phylogeny, these four isolates were identified as P. oryzae (Klaubauf et al. 2014; Qi et al. 2019). To our knowledge, this is the first report of blast disease on palm grass caused by P. oryzae in China, which will help develop disease management strategies against palm grass blast. Moreover, as a host of P. oryzae, palm grass might contribute as an inoculum source for blast diseases on cereal crops (such as rice, wheat, and barley) caused by P. oryzae in the field.

ZEMİN SIVILAŞMASINA KARŞI GELİŞTİRİLEN KISMİ DOYGUNLUĞA İNDİRGEME METOTLARI ÜZERİNE DENEYSEL ÇALIŞMA: GAZ KABARCIKLARININ DAĞILIMI

Saturated deposits of sandy soils may liquefy during an earthquake event, causing detrimental effects on the site and structures. Mitigation of liquefaction-induced damage is of the essence when the structures are expected to exceed the acceptable limits of safety and serviceability. Induced Partial Saturation (IPS) has been recently proposed as a novel liquefaction countermeasure. In the present study, several laboratory tests were conducted on partially saturated sand models to offer insights into two IPS methods, paying more attention to the distribution of air/gas bubbles entrapped in pore spaces. For this purpose, loose deposits of partially saturated sand were prepared in transparent plexiglass boxes either injecting air or using a chemical substance. Digital images were recorded at different stages of the tests, which provided an opportunity to visualize the distribution of gas/air bubbles. Furthermore, moisture sensors were placed at different locations of sand models, allowing to capture the variation of the degree of saturation with time. Comprehensive analyses of the test data suggested that oxygen bubbles were generated through a reaction between water and chemical substance, and the distribution of oxygen bubbles was sufficiently uniform across the sand models. This method also allowed the preparation of sand models at the desired degrees of saturation. On the contrary, at 1-g injected air was observed to flow through a path of less resistance, and this technique was comparatively less successful in preparing sand models with uniformly distributed air bubbles and at lower degrees of saturation (i.e., below 90%).

Pathogenic Characterization of Pestalotiopsis grandis-urophylla Isolates Using Mycelial Suspension

Eucalyptus species are among the most important forest crops in the world and can be affected by several pathogens, mainly by fungi of the genus Pestalotiopsis, which cause leaf spots. Studies aimed at the pathogenic characterization of Pestalotiopsis spp. from lesions of eucalyptus leaves in Brazil are still limited. The objective of this work was to evaluate the pathogenic potential of Pestalotiopsis grandis-urophylla isolates. For that, healthy leaves of adult Eucalyptus grandis &amp;lsquo;GG 100&amp;rsquo; plants were inoculated with mycelial suspension of different P. grandis-urophylla isolates. The leaves inoculated with the pathogen were submitted to controlled conditions in a humid chamber in transparent acrylic gerbox boxes. Disease severity assessments were performed at 4, 6, 8 and 10 days after inoculation. Isolate E 72-04 had the highest area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC). Regarding the development of lesions, isolates E-72-02 and E-72-03 fit the polynomial model of the second degree, while isolate E-72-04 fit a linear model. The methodology tested reproduced typical symptoms of Pestalotiopsis and can be used as a parameter for new pathogenicity tests with this fungal genus.

First Report of Leaf Spot on Panax notoginseng Caused by Caryophylloseptoria pseudolychnidis in Yunnan, China.

Panax notoginseng is a unique traditional medicinal plant in China, which has the effects of improving myocardial ischemia, protecting liver and preventing cardiovascular diseases (Jiang, 2020). In July 2021, gray-brown round spots were found on the leaves of P. notoginseng in the plantations of Lincang City (23º43´10˝N, 100º7´32˝E). By September, the symptoms were observed on more P. notoginseng plants, with incidence reaching 31%. Initial symptoms on leaves were small, brown spots that expanded, with black granular bulges on the lesions, often surrounded with yellow halo. As the disease progressed, multiple lesions merged, leaves became yellow, and abscission occurred. To isolate the causal pathogen, twelve symptomatic leaves were randomly obtained from twelve P. notoginseng plants. Small pieces of infected leaf tissues (about 5 mm2) were disinfected with 75% ethanol for 30 s, soaked in 2% sodium hypochlorite for 3 min, and then rinsed 3 times with sterile water and blotted dry. Sample tissues were plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) plates incubated at 25℃ for 5 days with 12 h light/dark photoperiod. Hyphal-tips from the growing edge of colonies were transferred to fresh PDA to obtain pure cultures. Eight isolates were obtained with similar colony morphology, gray (top view) or black (back view) coloration, with a villous surface, and slow-growing on PDA. Conidia were hyaline, slender and obtuse to subobtuse at both ends, 10.3 to 52.62 (av. 25.2) µm × 1.4 to 4.0 (av. 2.4) µm (n=200) in size. Characteristics of the colonies and conidia were consistent with Caryophylloseptoria pseudolychnidis as described by Quaedvlieg et al. (2013) and Verkley et al. (2013). Genomic DNA of three representative isolates (LINC-4 to LINC-6) was extracted, and the rDNA-ITS region, ACT, and LSU gene regions were amplified and sequenced using the primer pairs ITS4/ITS5, 512F/783R, and LSU1Fd/LR5, respectively. Sequences have been deposited in GenBank (OK614104-OK614106 for ITS, OK614109-OK614111 for LSU, OK628350-OK628352 for ACT). BLAST search showed that all sequences were 98% to 100% homology with the corresponding sequences of C. pseudolychnidis. ITS sequences of the three isolates (LINC-4 to LINC-6) showed 99.21% identity (500/504 bp) to C. pseudolychnidis strain CBS 128630 (GenBank accession no. NR156266). LSU sequences of the three isolates showed 99.76% identity (823/825 bp) to C. pseudolychnidis strain CBS 128630 (MH876481). For ACT sequences, LINC-4 and LINC-5 showed 98.53% identity (201/204 bp) to C. pseudolychnidis strain 128614 (KF253599); LINC-6 showed 99.02% identity (202/204 bp) to C. pseudolychnidis strain 128614 (KF253599). Further, the neighbor-joining and maximum-likelihood method were used for multilocus phylogenetic analysis of the obtained sequences using MEGA-X (Kumar et al. 2018). The three isolates were clustered in the same clade with two C. pesudolychidis from database. Three isolates (LINC-4 to LINC-6) were tested for pathogenicity to confirm Koch's postulates. Annual potted P. notoginseng was inoculated with spore suspension (105 spores.mL-1). Each isolate was inoculated onto two leaves each of five P. notoginseng plants. The controls were similarly mock-inoculated with sterile water. To maintain high humidity (>90% RH), all plants were placed in transparent plastic boxes in a greenhouse at 25℃ with a 12 h light/dark photoperiod. Fifteen days post-inoculation, inoculated leaves showed similar symptoms to those observed in the field, and control plants remained healthy. The pathogen were reisolated from symptomatic leaf spots, and the colony characteristics were the same as those of the original isolates. Morphological characteristics, molecular data, and Koch's postulates tests confirmed C. pseudolychnidis as the cause of P. notoginseng leaf spot disease. To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. pseudolychnidis causing leaf spot on P. notoginseng in Yunnan, China. The spread of this disease might pose a serious threat to the production of P. notoginseng. The occurrence and spread of this pathogen should be further studied in order to formulate reasonable control measures.

Property characteristics and sanitary quality of seeds used by soybean farmers in the municipality of Marcelândia-MT, in the agricultural year 2021-2022 - case study

Soybean is one of the most important crops for the Brazilian economy, as it is one of the most consumed oilseeds in the world. It is currently one of the fastest growing crops in Brazil, with an increase in the area produced and productivity. However, for this to occur, it is necessary for producers to acquire seeds of high physiological quality, free of pathogens, and with high germination and vigor, ensuring adequate stands in the field. Diseases are one of the main aggravating factors in the decrease in the quality of soybean seed lots. Thus, this work aims to collect soybean seeds cultivar BRASMAX BÔNUS IPRO - 8579 RSF to determine the sanitary quality of different batches of seeds, in addition to collecting information on the actions of producers in Marcelândia-MT. To carry out the sanitary analysis, the blotter test method was used, using filter paper in transparent acrylic boxes (gerbox). Sample 3498 was the one with the highest number of diseases among the lots analyzed with the presence of Penicillium sp., Cercospora kikuchii, Fusarium spp., Bacteria and Colletotrichum truncatum. Sanity analyzes showed that all seed lots had some type of pathogen.

First Report of a Leaf Spot Disease of Tobacco Caused by Pseudomonas cichorii in China.

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.), one of the chief commercial crops, is wildly cultivated worldwide. In June 2020 and 2021, an unknown bacterial leaf spot on tobacco was found in Hezhou and Hechi City, Guangxi, China. 30% of the tobacco were affected and the rate of diseased leaves reached about 10% in the field under high temperature and rainstorm. The disease mainly damaged the middle and top leaves of tobacco plants at vigorous growing stage. The initial symptoms were water-soaked spots on the frontal half of a leaf, and then expanded into circular to irregular spots with a yellow halo at the edge. The spots mostly appeared dark brown at high air humidity, while yellow brown at low humidity and exhibited a concentric pattern. In severe cases, the lesions coalesced and the whole leaf was densely covered with lesions, resulting in the loss of baking value. A bacterium was consistently isolated from diseased leaf tissues on nutrient agar (NA). Growth on NA was predominantly grayish white circular bacterial colonies with smooth margins, and the bacterium is rod-shaped, gram-negative and fluorescent on King's B medium. Seven isolates (ND04A-ND04C and ZSXF02-ZSXF05) were selected for molecular identification and pathogenicity tests. Genomic DNA of the bacterium was extracted and the housekeeping gene of cts (encoding citrate synthase) was amplified with the primers cts-Fs/cts-Rs (forward primer cts-Fs: 5'-CCCGTCGAGCTGCCAATWCTGA-3'; reverse primer cts-Rs: 5'-ATCTCGCACGGSGTRTTGAACATC-3') (Berge et al. 2014; Sarkar et al. 2004). 409-bp cts gene sequences were deposited in the GenBank database for seven isolates (accession no. OK105110-OK105116). Sequence of seven isolates shared 100% identity with several Pseudomonas cichorii strains within the GenBank database (accession no. KY940268 and KY940271), and the phylogenetic tree of cts genes of the seven isolates clustered with the phylogroup 11 of Pseudomonas syringae (accession no. KJ877799 and KJ878111), which was classified as P.cichorii. To satisfy Koch's postulates, a pathogenicity test was tested by using a needle to dip a suspension of the bacterium (108 CFU/ml) and pricking three holes in the tobacco leaf. The control plants leaves were needled with sterile water. Each tobacco plant was inoculated with three leaves, and the test was repeated three times. All plants were placed in transparent plastic boxes and incubated in a greenhouse at 25 ± 3°C. The water-soaked spots appeared 24h after inoculation and quickly expanded through leaf veins. Three days after inoculation, all the inoculated leaves showed symptoms similar to those observed in the field. Control plants remained healthy. Only P. cichorii was successfully re-isolated from the lesions, confirming Koch's postulates. Pseudomonas cichorii can infect eggplant, lettuce, tomatoand other crops, and has a wide range of hosts (Timilsina et al. 2017; Ullah et al. 2015). To our knowledge, this is the first report of P. cichorii causing leaf spot on tobacco in China.

The settlement behavior of granular soils under vertical loading using the histogram equalization method

Settlement characteristics of soils are an important phenomenon in terms of bearing capacity and failure behavior. Within this context, the relative density value is a significant factor but its correlations are insufficient to provide precise results under exceptional conditions. The main aim of this study is to determine, for each soil type, the parameters that affect the settlement behavior of granular soils. Soil samples belonging to different granular soil classes were placed in transparent boxes and monitored. Then, behaviors were determined using the Histogram Equalization Method (HEM) performed on the images and loading tests. As a result, it was observed that relative density was the most effective factor for settlement behavior in sandy soils. Also, well-grading criteria was the most important factor for gravelly soils in their settlement behavior. In the well-graded soil samples in a dense condition, the pixel numbers in the image were found to be approximately 2 times higher than in the loose soils. On the other hand, the maximum pixel number for loose conditions in poor-graded soil samples was determined between 1.02 and 1.17 times greater compared to the dense soils. Consequently, the outputs obtained from the HEM agreed with the experiments.

Continuous frequency and isolation reconfigurable MIMO PIFA antennas using liquid materials

AbstractIn this paper, a continuous frequency and isolation reconfigurable multiple input multiple output (MIMO) PIFA antenna loaded with a decoupled neutralization line structure is proposed. A pair of transparent boxes made of PC material was loaded between the radiation plane and the ground to provide conditions for reconfiguration. The frequency reconfigurable range is from 1.58 GHz to 1.08 GHz (frequency tuning range 37.5%) which is achieved by controlling the height of pure water from 0 mm to 9.15 mm. Pure water in the PC box will interfere with the electric field distribution near the antenna and change the effective dielectric constant of the dielectric. In the range of 1.08 ~ 1.58 GHz continuous frequency reconfigurable, the load of neutralization line makes the mutual coupling of working frequency band decreases by at least 8 dB. And the antenna prototype is measured. The simulation results are in good agreement with the measured results, which verifies the feasibility of this technology.

Time reduction to evaluate Pinus taeda seeds germination by time-to-event analysis

The species Pinus taeda is largely used in intensive silviculture worldwide. This species has propagation through seeds, which requires determining seeds viability for their commercialization. The germination test recommended for this species usually requires up to 63 days to provide results on the quality of freshly harvested seeds, delaying commercialization and favoring contamination during the conduction of the test. The authors of this study aimed to establish the developmental stages of P. taeda seedlings to determine a criterion for interpreting the germination test with greater speed and efficiency to obtain results. The seeds were sown in transparent plastic boxes on two sheets of blotting paper and placed in a germinator at 22 °C with constant lighting. Five morphological stages of seedling development were defined with daily counts of the number of normal seedlings for each criterion, distribution in time, and the accumulated percentage of normal seedlings adjusted to time-to-event nonlinear regression. The new interpretation criterion proposed in this study is efficient, and P. taeda seedlings can be considered normal when cotyledon leaves differ by approximately 3 mm between the integument and hypocotyl, reducing the time to conduct the germination test by up to ten days compared to the criterion usually used in the routine analysis of seed laboratories.