bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Solubility of boron and carbon in γ-iron of Fe-B-C alloys
Authors: Filonenko N. Yu. , Galdina A. N.
Published: December 2019

It is known that solubility of elements affects the phase composition of alloys that are formed in the solidification process. To predict the phase composition of alloys, it is necessary to determine the solubility limit in the phases. In the paper the structural properties of austenite of alloys in the system of Fe-B-C are studied and the solubility limit of boron and carbon is determined. The investigation is carried out for the specimens with carbon content of 0.0001–2.3 wt.% and boron content of 0.0001–1.0 wt.%, the rest is iron. To determine the physical properties of alloys, we use the microstructure analysis, X-ray microanalysis, X-ray structure analysis and differential thermal analysis. It is shown experimentally that the maximum shift of the eutectoid point is observed when boron content is up to 0.004 wt.%. When boron content of the alloy increases to 0.01 wt.%, the eutectoid point shifts to the left to 0.21 wt.%-carbon and the austenite area decreases. Further increase in the numerical value of boron content in the alloy is hardly caused the eutectoid point to shift. In this paper, the vertical section of the Fe-B-C system state diagram is obtained from experimental data. For the first time we obtain temperature dependence of the free energy of γ-iron solid solution, using the quasi-chemical method, and determine the solubility limit of carbon and boron. The maximum weight fraction of boron in the austenite can be up to 0.0136 wt.%, and that for carbon – up to 1.12 wt.%.
Optical properties of Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 crystals
Authors: Kruzina T. V. , Popov S. A. , Potapovich Yu. N. , Rutskyi A. S.
Published: December 2019

We report some peculiarities of behavior of domain structure and birefringence ∆n of Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 crystals. Polarization-optical methods are used to study the domain structure and the birefringence ∆n in temperature interval 25°C÷520°C and axial pressure interval 2.5÷60 bar. Single domain state is achieved by application of axial pressure along [100] and [110] directions at temperature near 500°C. Application of axial pressure ~50 bar along [100] direction leads to switching of the samples into anisotropic single domain state. While application of axial pressure ~0.5 bar along [110] direction results in exposition of visually isotropic state and the state is preserved during a cooling process in temperature interval ~500°C÷240°C. In both cases the anisotropic single domain state is observed at room temperature. It is shown that f axial pressure (2.5÷25 bar) application along [110] direction at room temperature leads to a significant increase of the birefringence. It is supposed that both the peculiarities of Δn behavior and the linear behavior of Δn = f(p) are associated with presence of the nanoregions with various orientations of optical indicatrices and their involvement into the orientation process under the action of axial pressure.
Computational study of nonlinear optical properties of benzoxazoles exhibiting excited state proton transfer
Authors: Syetov Y.
Published: December 2019

Hyperpolarizability of molecules of 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole and 2,5-bis(2-benzoxazolyl)phenol is calculated by density functional theory quadratic response method for static electric field and hyper-Rayleigh scattering at 532 nm. It is found that 2,5-bis(2-benzoxazolyl)phenol demonstrates the hyperpolarizability about ten times larger than 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole. Dominant component of the hyperpolarizability tensor corresponds to the long axis of the molecule.
Influence of copper on electrical conductivity of glass-ceramics based on vanadium dioxide
Authors: Ivon A. I. , Kolbunov V. R.
Published: December 2019

The results of studying the electrical conductivity σ for the glass-ceramic systems VO2 ‒vanadium-phosphate glass (VPG) and VO2‒VPG‒SnO2 with the additions of Cu and Cu2O are presented. It is found that the jump of conductivity at the temperature of metal-semiconductor phase transition (MSPT) in VO2 (Tt = 341K) takes place only for glass-ceramics containing not more than 5 wt% of these additives. When their content exceeds 5 wt%, the VO2 content decreases sharply according to the data of differential thermal analysis. The reason for this is the oxidation-reduction reactions in the liquid phase between Cu and VO2 at ceramics synthesis. These reactions result in the appearance of Magneli phases in glass‒ceramics composition. The phase transitions in Magneli phases V4O7, V5O9, and V6O13 are indicated by the temperature dependence of σ, as bends of the straight lines in coordinates log10σ ~ 1/T at the phase transition temperatures Tt of these phases: 240K, 150K, and 130K. The activation energy of σ for T> Tt is lower than for T <Tt, which indicates a change in the structure of energy zones inherent to MSPT.
Determination of the conductivity of non-metallic powder materials by the eddy current method
Authors: Khandetskyi V. S.
Published: December 2019

A theoretical analysis of the interaction of the eddy current sensor field with powder particles makes it possible to calculate the particle conductivity using the measured value of the sensor added active resistance. Relative to its own reactance, the value of this resistance is proportional to powder density, frequency of the probing field, electrical conductivity of particles and square of their diameter. Particles of spherical shape and cylindrical shape, the height of which is equal to the diameter of the base, are considered. The analysis allows to explain the experimentally observed different character of the resistance frequency dependences for powder and corresponding solid material when measuring by the same sensor.
Application of varistor-posistor structure for protection from overvoltages of photovoltaic cells of solar arrays
Authors: Ivanchenko A. V. , Tonkoshkur A. S. , Mazurik S. V.
Published: December 2019

The problems of reducing the cost of ensuring the safe operation of solar cells by using low-cost elements of solid-state electronics to protect against overvoltage photovoltaic cells of solar arrays are considered. The results of experimental studies of the use of a varistor-posistor structure based on a metal oxide varistor and PPTC fuses of the PolySwitch type being in thermal contact to prevent overvoltages in series connections of photovoltaic cells are presented. General schemes for using the considered solid-state structure to limit the indicated constant overvoltages are given and justified. The requirements to the parameters of this structure are determined and experimentally verified. It is shown that such a device makes it possible to limit the long-term constant overvoltages that occur in photovoltaic arrays at the level of photovoltaic cells in the case of their malfunction or shadowing, which can lead to fire hazard and other “abnormal” situations during the operation of solar electric energy sources.
Investigation of the method of improving the interference protection of axisymmetric antennas in the anterior semispace
Authors: Magro V. I. , Morozov V. M.
Published: December 2019

The method of improving the interference protection of axisymmetric antennas is considered. An experimental study of the focusing properties of a zonal antenna is carried out in this work. Such a zonal antenna acts as a shading screen and is located in the aperture of an axisymmetric antenna. The combination of a shading screen with an axisymmetric antenna can significantly reduce the level of side lobes in the anterior semi-space, and as a result, significantly improve the immunity of the antenna system. A zonal antenna for 40 GHz frequency is manufactured. The field distribution along the axis of symmetry for different numbers of rings in the antenna is experimentally investigated. The number of rings varied from 1 to 5. The focusing properties of the zonal antenna are studied at the change of operating frequency. The position of the focus is investigated when the working frequency changes in relation to the calculated frequency. It is established that the experimentally found focal point does not coincide with the focal point found by geometric optics. For a zonal antenna with three rings, the difference between the experimentally found focus and the focus found by the law of geometric optics is 0.1%. The distribution of the field in planes perpendicular to the focal line is investigated. It is established that an increase in the number of rings in a zonal antenna to more than five leads to diffraction effects which impair the focusing properties of the zonal antenna. At the same time there is a "deliquescence" of the wave beam in the focus. These studies allow us to determine the boundaries of the working frequency of a complex antenna system.
Two-band antennas of microwave range of waves
Authors: Ovsyanikov V. V. , Svynarenko D. M. , Beznosova O. R. , Tsypko L. Z.
Published: December 2019

The article presents the results of theoretical and experimental studies of the current distribution, the values and coordinates of the load connection points, as well as the radiation patterns for two-band linear microwave antennas with quarter-wave two-wire shunts of the upper range and concentrated reactive loads. Such antennas are promising for use in two-band duplex mobile satellite systems for receiving and transmitting data, for example, GLOBALSTAR, IRIDIUM, ELLIPSO, GPS and others. Theoretical studies are carried out by the method of integral equation. It is found that with a constant length of a quarter-wave shunt and different sizes of the antenna, the antenna can acquire or lose the property of two frequencies. A method for eliminating this negative phenomenon is proposed.
Lauren Shaw, ed. 2013. Song and Social Change in Latin America
Authors: Fotopoulou Styliani
Published: December 2019

Lauren Shaw, ed. 2013. Song and Social Change in Latin America. Lanham, MD:

Lexington Books. 256pp. ISBN 978-0-73917-948-2 (hbk).
Introduction: Reflections on the Past, Present and Future of Popular Music Scholarship
Authors: Kattari Kimberly
Published: December 2019

In 2018, the Popular Music Section of the Society for Ethnomusicology organized a roundtable that explored the development of popular music scholarship, not only within ethnomusicology but also in relation to the larger field of popular music studies. This special section, which includes transcriptions of each of the panelists’ spoken remarks, highlights reflections from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds (including folklore and ethnomusicology, anthropology, American studies and history, and popular culture studies) and experiences (both within academia and in the public sector). The roundtable participants recognize the value and impact of scholarship on popular music and culture, for it contributes to our understanding of the powerful and meaningful ways in which people engage aesthetically with the world around them. By reflecting on the past and present context of popular music scholarship, the panelists offer suggestions for the future growth of the field, underscoring its role in challenging elitist and ethnocentric biases, contesting the institutional marginalization and dismissal of popular culture, fostering interdisciplinary conversations, and engaging in activist scholarship that exposes, critiques and helps to change structural inequities.
Leopard Tortoise (Stigmochelys pardalis) Road Mortality and Extralimital Occurence in Western Cape, South Africa.
Authors: Baxter-Gilbert James , Riley Julia L
Published: December 2019

During field surveys in the Spring of 2018 we made two observations of Leopard Tortoises (Stigmochelys pardalis) on roadsides near Lambert's Bay, WC, South Africa. One was a deceased adult female, killed as a result of a tortoise-vehicle collision. The other was a live adult females, which was move off the road in the direction she was headed. These observations illustrate that even the largest tortoise species in the region can be suseptable to road mortlaity, a known threat of turtle and torioses populations globally. Furthermore, these observations occured well outside the species presumed native range and listed introduced range.
Effect of Short and Long Term Irrigation with Treated Wastewater on Chemical Composition and Herbicidal Activity of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehn. Essential Oils
Authors: MAALOUL Aya , VERDEGUER SANCHO Mercedes , ODDO Martina , SAADAOUI Ezzeddine , JEBRI Monia , MICHALET Serge , DIJOUX-FRANCA Marie-Geneviève , MARS Mohamed , ROMDHANE Mehrez
Published: December 2019

Water shortage throughout the world, especially in arid regions in the later decades has led to search for alternatives to save potable fresh water. Treated wastewater (TWW) appears to be an opportunity for irrigation. However, it could represent a stress factor for plants, and influence their metabolism, changing their secondary metabolites and, consequently, their biological properties. Eucalyptus camaldulensis essential oil (EO) had been reported to possess phytotoxic activity. The main objective of this work was to compare the chemical composition and herbicidal activity of E. camaldulensis EO obtained from leaves of young plants and old trees irrigated with well water (WW) and TWW. Germination tests were performed in vitro against Amaranthus hybridus, Chenopodium album, Echinochloa crus-galli and Lolium perenne. The EOs composition was analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. A high percentage of oxygenated monoterpenes, with 1,8-cineole as main compound, was found in the EOs from leaves of young plants irrigated with both types of water. The EO from leaves of old trees irrigated with WW contained a main fraction of monoterpene hydrocarbons (45.17%) with p-cymene as principal compound. The highest herbicidal potential was shown by the EO from young plants irrigated with TWW. It completely inhibited A. hybridus and L. perenne germination, and nearly blocked the others at all concentrations assayed. It also showed strong phytotoxic activity on seedling length. The results suggest the possible use of TWW to irrigate Eucalyptus crops as it enhances the EOs herbicidal potential that could be used as natural herbicides.

 

In press - Online First. Article has been peer reviewed, accepted for publication and published online without pagination. It will receive pagination when the issue will be ready for publishing as a complete number (Volume 47, Issue 4, 2019). The article is searchable and citable by Digital Object Identifier (DOI). DOI link will become active after the article will be included in the complete issue.
Somatic Embryogenesis Induction in Leaf and Root Explants of Allophylus edulis (A.St.-Hil., Cambess. and A. Juss.) Radlk.
Authors: MESSIAS Thiago da Silva , REZENDE Rodrigo Kelson Silva , Da SILVA Luciely Faustino , JESUS Maílson Vieira , NUNES Geisianny Pereira
Published: December 2019

Allophylus edulis (A.St.-Hil., Cambess. and A. Juss.) Radlk., commonly known as cocum, belongs to the Sapindaceae family. This species is of great medicinal interest, with studies showing that its fruits have antioxidant, anti-cholinesterase, and cytotoxic activity. In addition, it is used in traditional medicine as an antidiarrheal, anti-inflammatory and antihypertensive. The objective of this study was to perform somatic embryogenesis in vitro from leaf and root explants of Allophylus edulis, using different 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) concentrations combined with naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). All treatments exhibited 100% callus formation, except for the treatment without supplementation of growth regulators. The calluses developed in treatments from leaf explants showed up to two colors (brown and brown/cream), and the highest fresh and dry mass was observed in the treatment with 0.5 mg L-1 of BAP with 0.1 mg L-1 of NAA. There was no shoot formation from the leaf explants. The callogenesis in treatments from root segments showed callus formation with up to three colors (brown, brown/cream, and cream/green), and the highest fresh and dry mass was obtained when cultivated with 2.0 mg L-1 of BAP combined with 0.1 mg L-1 of NAA. These auxin and cytokinin concentrations also showed a higher number of shoots. The interaction between auxin and cytokinin is recommended to obtain somatic embryogenesis in root segments and callus with morphological characteristics suitable for organogenesis.

 

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In press - Online First. Article has been peer reviewed, accepted for publication and published online without pagination. It will receive pagination when the issue will be ready for publishing as a complete number (Volume 47, Issue 4, 2019). The article is searchable and citable by Digital Object Identifier (DOI). DOI link will become active after the article will be included in the complete issue.

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Foliar Micromorphology and Histochemical Localization of Specific Metabolites in the Leaves of Celosia argentea L.
Authors: ADEGBAJU Oluwafunmilayo Dorcas , OTUNOLA Gloria Aderonke , AFOLAYAN Anthony Jide
Published: December 2019

Celosia argentea is an essential vegetable that is cultivated in the western part of Africa. This species has a growing reputation for its role in alleviating nutritional challenges and has found great application as herb of therapeutic importance in many regions of the world. This study investigated the foliar micromorphology and the histochemistry of Celosia argentea. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrometry and staining agents were used to evaluate the micromorphology of the plant. The result revealed sunken amphistomatic stomata distribution on both surfaces of the leaf. Anomocytic and anisocytic stomata complexes were also observed on both epidermal surfaces. A definitive protuberance was observed on the polar end of the adaxial stomata. Stomata apparatus was ellipsoidal with a mean length of 19.60 ± 0.56 µm, while the mean stomata densities on the adaxial and abaxial surfaces were 83.5 ± 2.12 mm‑2 and 194.18 ± 3.70 mm‑2 respectively. Trichomes (with a length of 100.94 ± 9.44 µm) were sparsely distributed on both surfaces; glandular trichomes were observed only on the abaxial surface. The EDX spectrometry revealed the presence of iron, oxygen, sodium, calcium, potassium and sulphur as the major elements on the leaf, while histochemical tests revealed the presence of polyphenols, starch and lipids. Our results could be used to support and validate the information database on the anatomy of Celosia argentea.

 

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In press - Online First. Article has been peer reviewed, accepted for publication and published online without pagination. It will receive pagination when the issue will be ready for publishing as a complete number (Volume 47, Issue 4, 2019). The article is searchable and citable by Digital Object Identifier (DOI). DOI link will become active after the article will be included in the complete issue.

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Some Pomological Properties of Promising Seed Propagated Walnut Genotypes from Inner Turkey
Authors: KOC Aysen , KELES Hakan , ERCISLI Sezai
Published: December 2019

In this study, fruits from seed propagated walnut (Juglans regia L.) trees were collected two consecutive years in harvest seasons in Yozgat province in Turkey.  Considering two years results, promising five genotypes were determined as cultivar candidate. In the promising genotypes, nut weight ranged from 12.55 (Y11) to 15.08 g (Y15), kernel weight ranged from 5.23 (Y11) to 7.34 g (Y15) and kernel ratio varied between 41.67 (Y11) to 50.84% (Y1), respectively. Linoleic acid was the only polyunsaturated fatty acids and oleic, palmitoleic and gondoic acids determined as major monounsaturated acids ranged from 30.36 to 48.43%, 0.05 to 0.14% and 0.22 to 0.29%, respectively. Propylparaben was the major phenolic acid among the determined phenolic acids in fruits of all five promising genotypes and Y16 had the highest amount of propylparaben (128.08 mg per kg) in its kernel. Malic and tartaric acid were the major organic acids in walnut kernels ranged from 47.88 to 78.51 mg per 100 g and 30.27 to 49.60 mg per 100 g, respectively. L-ascorbic acid was the another organic acids in walnut kernels ranged from 10.71 to 19.71 mg per 100 g. Citric acid was non-determined in kernels of Y1, Y14 and Y15 but determined at kernels of Y11 and Y16 as 4.51 and 7.55 mg per 100 g, respectively. It was determined that the oxalic, malonic, succinic, maleic and fumaric acid contents varied between 8.39-12.08 mg per 100 g, 6.02-9.19 mg per 100 g, 2.86-5.32 mg per 100 g, 0.26-3.00 mg per 100 g and 0.26-0.58 mg per 100 g, respectively.

 

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In press - Online First. Article has been peer reviewed, accepted for publication and published online without pagination. It will receive pagination when the issue will be ready for publishing as a complete number (Volume 47, Issue 4, 2019). The article is searchable and citable by Digital Object Identifier (DOI). DOI link will become active after the article will be included in the complete issue.

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Identification and Characterization of a SEPALLATA-like MADS-box Gene from Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)
Authors: CHENG Yanwei , HE Peng , JIANG Lunwei , LIU Shiqiang , ZHOU Yong
Published: December 2019

SEPALLATA (SEP) genes encode the E class MADS-box transcription factors that play vital roles in various aspects of plant growth and development. In this study, we isolated a SEP-like gene from cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), which was previously named as CsMADS01. CsMADS01 had a coding sequence (CDS) of 741 bp, and coded a deduced protein of 246 amino acid residues that was predicted to be located in the nucleus. The putative CsMADS01 protein was typically characterized by the MIKC-type MADS (including MADS, I, K, and C domains) and shared high homology with other SEP-like proteins. Phylogenetic analysis of CsMADS01 and SEP proteins from other plants revealed that CsMADS01 was a member of the SEP1/2 clade of SEP proteins and was the most closely related to ZjMADS48 from Chinese jujube. Promoter analysis showed that several cis-elements related to stress response and hormones were present in the promoter region of CsMADS01. Expression analysis indicated that CsMADS01 was highly expressed during the development of male and female flowers, and the expression increased gradually along with fruit development. Ectopic expression of CsMADS01 in Arabidopsis resulted in a phyllody-like phenotype and the transgenic plants never flowered. These results suggest that CsMADS01 plays an important role in the growth and development of cucumber.

 

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In press - Online First. Article has been peer reviewed, accepted for publication and published online without pagination. It will receive pagination when the issue will be ready for publishing as a complete number (Volume 47, Issue 4, 2019). The article is searchable and citable by Digital Object Identifier (DOI). DOI link will become active after the article will be included in the complete issue.

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Effects of Mycorrhiza Inoculation and Grafting for Sweet Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) Crop Under Low-Tech Greenhouse Conditions
Authors: OMBÓDI Attila , CSORBAINÉ GÓGÁN Andrea , BIRKÁS Zita , KAPPEL Noémi , MORIKAWA Claudio Kendi , KOCZKA Noémi , POSTA Katalin
Published: December 2019

In low-cost, unheated greenhouses and tunnels the use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and/or grafting can be a less expensive and sustainable solution to combat the adverse effects of monoculture, instead of costly soilless culture. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of a commercially available AMF inoculant and grafting on sweet pepper, under circumstances of modelling commercial low-tech greenhouse production. ‘SV9702PP F1’ sweet pepper hybrid was cultivated for seven months in an unheated greenhouse. Beside the control, three treatments were applied: ungrafted AMF treated plants, plants grafted on ‘Bagi F1’ hybrid and AMF treated plus grafted plants. AMF was applied into the planting holes just before transplanting. AMF treatment had positive effects on relative chlorophyll content of leaves (expressed in SPAD value), on plant stand, on plant mass production, on yield and on root colonization rate, despite the high presence of indigenous populations of AMF in the greenhouse soil. With the applied rootstock/scion combination, grafting did not significantly affect the aforementioned parameters. SPAD values were increased by the AMF treatment during periods when smaller doses of nitrogen (less than 0.8 g N per m-2 week-1) were applied. Significant positive correlation was found between root colonization rate and marketable yield. AMF treatment increased the yield by 18% (from 12.43 to 14.74 kg m-2), mostly due to higher number of fruits. Yield increase was mainly realised during the last third of the harvest period, when the applied nutrient doses were low and temperature conditions were suboptimal.

 

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In press - Online First. Article has been peer reviewed, accepted for publication and published online without pagination. It will receive pagination when the issue will be ready for publishing as a complete number (Volume 47, Issue 4, 2019). The article is searchable and citable by Digital Object Identifier (DOI). DOI link will become active after the article will be included in the complete issue.

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Histocytological Study of Somatic Embryogenesis in the Tree Cinnamomum camphora L. (Lauraceae)
Authors: JING Ruyue , WANG Peilan , HUANG Zhen , LI Zhihui
Published: December 2019

Histocytological studies were conducted on primary, secondary, and malformed embryos produced during somatic embryogenesis of Cinnamomum camphora L. to better understand its development. Exploring its callus types and structures provided a theoretical basis for clarifying the mechanism of somatic embryogenesis, which may shed light on the mechanism of zygotic embryogenesis. We used immature zygotic embryos as explants to induce somatic embryos, forming many embryogenic calli that differentiated into mature somatic embryos. Our results showed that somatic embryogenesis of C. camphora was similar to that of zygotic embryos. We have been dedifferentiated four types of callus. Compared with non-embryogenic cells, embryogenic cells had a closer arrangement, larger nucleus, thicker cytoplasm, more starch granules and easier to stain into black. Somatic embryogenesis had two pathways: direct (predominate) and indirect (rare). Embryogenic cells of C. camphora could have either an internal or external origin, the latter being primary, for which occurrence sites include epidermis and near-epidermis (little internally). Mostly arising from single cells, C. camphora follows two developmental pathways: single-cell equal as opposed to unequal, wherein both divide to form multi-cell proembryos. However, multicellular origins can occasionally occur and feature physiological isolation during somatic embryo development. This development has four embryo stages: globular, heart-shaped, torpedo, and cotyledon, with procambium cells apparent in globular embryos and late cotyledons forming “Y-shaped” vascular bundles. Secondary embryos were present in all stages, directly occurring on primary embryo’s germ and radicle end surfaces. We conclude that secondary and primary embryos of C. camphora undergo similar developmental processes. At the same time, conjoined cotyledon embryos and morphological abnormal embryos were found, with an internal origin more likely to generate abnormal embryos.

 

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In press - Online First. Article has been peer reviewed, accepted for publication and published online without pagination. It will receive pagination when the issue will be ready for publishing as a complete number (Volume 47, Issue 4, 2019). The article is searchable and citable by Digital Object Identifier (DOI). DOI link will become active after the article will be included in the complete issue.

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Growth Analysis of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) in Response to Fertilization and Soil Tillage
Authors: KAKABOUKI Ioanna , ROUSSIS Ioannis E. , PAPASTYLIANOU Panagiota , KANATAS Panagiotis , HELA Dimitra , KATSENIOS Nikolaos , FUENTES Francisco
Published: December 2019

Growth analysis is an appropriate method for plant response to various environmental and cultural conditions during plant life. A 2-year experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of soil tillage and fertilization on the growth and growth parameters of quinoa crop and to determine the association between yield and growth characteristics at both the single plant and crop stand level. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with two replicates, two main plots [conventional (CT) and minimum tillage (MT)] and four sub-plots [fertilization treatments: untreated, inorganic fertilization of 100 (N1) and 200 kg N ha-1 (N2) and sheep manure]. The highest absolute growth rate (AGR) and crop growth rate (CGR) values were recorded between the middle of vegetative growth stage and the beginning of anthesis (50-75 DAS) under conventional tillage coupled with manure (AGR: 0.4577 g day-1, CGR: 11.44 g m-2 day-1) and with N2 treatment (AGR: 0.4521 g day-1, CGR: 11.31 g m-2 day-1). Concerning specific leaf area (SLA), the highest value (150.58 cm2 g-1) was found at 75 DAS in N2 treatment. Leaf area index (LAI) were positively affected by soil tillage and fertilization with greatest values found under conventional tillage coupled with N2 treatment (5.110 m2 m-2). The highest seed yield was observed in N2 treatment (2488 and 2388 kg ha-1 under CT and MT, respectively). As a conclusion, the cultivation under conventional tillage and the increasing levels of applied nitrogen up to 200 kg N ha-1 increases crop growth and yield.

 

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In press - Online First. Article has been peer reviewed, accepted for publication and published online without pagination. It will receive pagination when the issue will be ready for publishing as a complete number (Volume 47, Issue 4, 2019). The article is searchable and citable by Digital Object Identifier (DOI). DOI link will become active after the article will be included in the complete issue.

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Genetic Diversity of some Daffodil (Narcissus L. spp.) Genotypes in Turkey by Using SRAP Markers
Authors: ZEYBEKOĞLU Emrah , KAYGISIZ ASCIOGUL Tansal , ILBI Hulya , OZZAMBAK Mustafa E.
Published: December 2019

Daffodil (Narcissus L. spp.) is one of the oldest ornamental flowers that have been cultivated from ancient times to nowadays. The species Narcissus tazetta L. and N. serotinus L. have spread out in different regions of Turkey and some other species have been naturalized. The purpose of this study was to characterize some daffodil populations that were collected from different regions of Turkey by using SRAP markers. Twenty-two daffodil populations of different species such as N. tazetta, N. serotinus, N. pseudonarcissus L., N. poeticus L. and N. jonquilla L. were used. Thirty-seven of 48 SRAP primer combinations showed scorable and polymorphic bands between samples. The similarity coefficients were used to construct a dendrogram by Unweighted Pair-Group Method with Arithmetic Averages (UPGMA) using NTSYS-PC. Cophenetic correlation between ultrametric similarities of tree and similarity matrix were high (r = 0.97). The genotypes of Narcissus species were divided into 2 main groups. Although there was less genetic variation among N. tazetta species, even collected from different regions of Turkey, N. poeticus, N. pseudonarsis, N. jonquilla and N. serotinus had more genetic divergence among them. It can be concluded that genetic variation of Narcissus species can be used for daffodil breeding programs.

 

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In press - Online First. Article has been peer reviewed, accepted for publication and published online without pagination. It will receive pagination when the issue will be ready for publishing as a complete number (Volume 47, Issue 4, 2019). The article is searchable and citable by Digital Object Identifier (DOI). DOI link will become active after the article will be included in the complete issue.

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The Estimation of Nitrogen Uptake and Utilization Efficiency in Cotton by the Fertilizer-Response Model
Authors: MA Lulu , ZHANG Qiang , LIN Jiao , SU Wei , YIN Caixia , LV Xin , ZHANG Ze
Published: December 2019

Due to the indeterminate growth habit of cotton crops, a better understanding of N status at the rational fertilizer regime is important to promote lint yield. The fertilizer-response model was employed to evaluate N status by analyzing data of shoot dry mass, N content and N concentration at different growing stages. A field study was conducted on drip-irrigated cotton plants with N fertilizer addition in total amounts of 0 (N0), 120 (N1), 240 (N2), 360 (N3) and 480 (N4) kg ha-1 in Xinjiang, China in 2016. Thirty percent of total fertilizers were applied at planting and the rest 70% were applied over six applications. The N fertilizer treatment at the accumulative rate of 70 kg ha-1 was enough to induce the N status of steady state accumulation 60 days after germination. Since 90 days the treatments that delivered the N amount between 120 and 240 kg ha-1 was deficient for cotton demand, higher rates from 360 and 480 kg ha-1 induced inherent N reserve and resulted in the highest level of yield. With regard to the practical meaning, the N fertilizer dose of 360 kg ha-1 can be used for cotton growth. The N fertilizer dose of 120 kg ha-1 can be recommended when the yield of 5,840 kg ha-1 lint can meet the goal of cotton culture.

 

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In press - Online First. Article has been peer reviewed, accepted for publication and published online without pagination. It will receive pagination when the issue will be ready for publishing as a complete number (Volume 47, Issue 4, 2019). The article is searchable and citable by Digital Object Identifier (DOI). DOI link will become active after the article will be included in the complete issue.

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Inhibitory Effects of Iso-α and β Hop Acids Against Pediococcus pentosaceus
Authors: MICHIU Delia , DELVIGNE Frank , MABON Nicolas , JIMBOREAN Mirela , FOGARASI Melinda , MIHAI Mihaela , TOFANĂ Maria , THONART Philippe
Published: December 2019

The goal of the research was to assess the inhibitory effects of  hop extracts, iso-α and β acids, against Pediococcus pentosaceus bacteria, during a short incubation period, both in liquid selective media (high pH values) and beer wort fermentation (low pH values) and testing if the identified iso-α acid stress changes the activity of S. cerevisiae boulardii yeast and ethanol production. Flow cytometry analysis was used for bacterial and yeast cell viability. In relation to the antibacterial activity of β-acids, a lower viability of Pediococcus pentosaceus cells was observed after a short incubation period in selective media, under iso-α acid stress. In beer wort, for a mixed culture with P. pentosaceus bacteria and S. cerevisiae boulardii yeast, under iso-α acid stress conditions at pH 4.0-5.0, Pediococcus pentosaceus exhibited lower cell viability (20.7%) than in selective media (61.4%). Regarding iso-α hop acid on S. cerevisiae boulardii yeast, the results showed that iso-α does not change the S. cerevisiae activity but prevents the culture from being contaminated by Pediococcus pentosaceus. The results highlighted reliable inhibitory effects of iso-α and β-acids against P. pentosaceus, both at pH 6.0-7.0 and pH 4.0-5.0, which open the possibility of hops being used as a supplement to prevent beverage contamination with spoilage microorganisms.

 

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In press - Online First. Article has been peer reviewed, accepted for publication and published online without pagination. It will receive pagination when the issue will be ready for publishing as a complete number (Volume 47, Issue 4, 2019). The article is searchable and citable by Digital Object Identifier (DOI). DOI link will become active after the article will be included in the complete issue.

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Assessment of the Effectiveness of Ginger (Zingiber officinale), Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) and Sodium Benzoate on the Shelf Life of Soymilk
Authors: AREKEMASE Musa O. , BABASHOLA Deborah R.
Published: December 2019

The significance of preservatives in food preparations lies in their ability to inhibit or retard the growth of microorganisms which in turn reduces their deteriorative effects on food. The preservative effects at varying concentrations (1%, 3%, 5% v/v) of sodium benzoate was compared with extracts of ginger, cloves and a combination of the two extracts on soymilk at refrigerated temperature. Indices for measurement of shelf life included drop in pH, protein and fat contents, changes in colour and odour, as well as changes in microbial counts. The protein, fat contents and pH decreased more with storage time and these were concentration dependent. The bacterial counts during 25 days of storage ranged from 1.0 x 104 to 6.4 x 105, while fungal counts ranged from 8.0 x 103 to 18.4 x 104. At all concentrations, sodium benzoate exhibited the best preservative effect on the soymilk samples. Reduction in total microbial count was more pronounced in samples treated with clove extract than those treated with ginger extract, while the extracts’ combination exhibited the best preservative effect of all the spice treated samples. The use of ginger as a preservative increased shelf life of soymilk by 7 days, cloves extended shelf life by 10 days, while the combination of the extracts maintained a longer shelf life of 13 days. The bacterial isolates include Bacillus cereus Strain KWS2, Bacillus subtilis strain BTBS, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain PJ-5, Bacillus safensis strain SABA5 and Lactobacillus fermentum strain SABA5, while the fungal isolates were Aspergillus niger, Aspergilus fumigatus, Fusarium moniliforme and Saccharomyces cerevisae. The phytochemicals found in ginger and cloves include tannins, phenol, alkaloid, flavonoid, terpenoids, steroids, glycosides, coumarin and saponins, which might be responsible for the antimicrobial properties. The results of the study showed that a combination of ginger and cloves extracts is a better preservative of soymilk than the single extracts, as natural preservatives.
Phylogenetic Analysis and In Silico Characterization of Cytochrome P450 1A (Cyp1A) Protein from the African Catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822)
Authors: KARPAGAVALLI Muthuramalingam , THANGARAJ Muthusamy , ANNADURAI Duraisamy , AJITHKUMAR Thangappan , GYANAPRAKASH Mahapathra , SURABI Raman
Published: December 2019

The CYP family enzymes are broadly used as biomarkers because of their pattern of expression. This study describes the application of in silico tools to predict the physico-chemical characters of CYP1A protein from the catfish, Clarias gariepinus. The nucleotide sequence analysis of C. gariepinus CYP1A gene showed higher similarity with C. batrachus and reflected in the phylogenetic tree. The comparative modelling results showed this CYP1A protein was highly similar with the 3-D crystal structure of human Cytochrome p450 1A1 (PDB: 1BE3). The prediction results depicted that most of the amino acids formed alpha helix. The predicted pI was 9.10, hydropathycity was -0.226, exposed and buried residues were 61.67, 38.33% respectively. Ramachandran plot analysis showed that most of the amino acids falling on the favoured region and exhibited right- handed alpha helices as the most stable secondary structure. Some amino acids were also found to form loops to interconnect different helices. The CYP1A protein was predicted to be localized in the mitochondrion of the eukaryotic cell.
Avifaunal Assemblage along Rural-Urban Gradients in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India
Authors: SIDDIQUI Arif , AHMED Tanveer , KHAN Afifullah
Published: December 2019

Studies assessing the effect of urbanization on bird community structure largely carried out in developed countries and little is known about the developing region particularly in India. Bird diversity, richness, composition and guild structure was examined at urban, semi-urban, semi-rural and rural-natural sites in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. Each site was sampled using 90 fixed radius point counts between January and June 2016. Semi-urban site was more species rich (2.38 ± 0.06), diverse (0.80 ± .01) and even (0.90 ± .00) than other three urban-rural gradient sites. Density of bird peaked at urban site (43.09 ± 4.7). Numerically, urban site was dominated by omnivore species which was replaced by insectivorous species at semi-natural, semi-rural and rural-natural sites. The current information corroborates the earlier studies assessing impact of urbanization of birds and Conell’s intermediate disturbance hypothesis of higher richness and diversity at intermediate disturbance.
In vitro Plant Regeneration from Mature Seed Explants of Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal, an Important, Rare and Endangered Medicinal Plant
Authors: TATA Sape Subba , JYOTHIRMAYEE Geddam , KUMAR Owk Aniel
Published: December 2019

Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal a member of the Solanaceae family, is a traditional medicinal plant commonly known in India as Ashwagandha. It is used for different diseases such as hiccup, cough, rheumatism, tuberculosis, and exhibits excellent antitumor and anti-bacterial activities as well. Direct organogenesis of plants using mature seeds provides faster response and is also a time saving approach, thus the present study was conducted to investigate the optimal concentrations and combinations of plant growth regulators with MS medium for the establishment of an efficient regeneration system in W. somnifera using mature seed as an explant. Therefore, an efficient in vitro protocol for high frequency regeneration has been developed using mature seeds as explant. In the present study, the multiple shoots along with embryogenic callus induction was best seen in MS medium supplemented with BAP (1.5 mg/L) and IAA (0.5 mg/L). Furthermore, MS medium fortified with GA3 (0.3 mg/L) and IBA (3.0 mg/L) alone was suited for shoot elongation and rhizogenesis respectively. The rooted plantlets were hardened and successfully established in the soil. The establishment of a highly reproducible regeneration system would greatly influence the efforts of improvement of the hereby studied medicinal plant species through useful gene transfer technology.
Bioremediation of Phenol by Mutated and Immobilized Aspergillus and Penicillium Species
Authors: IBRAHIM Amany G. , AL-GHAMDI Lujin  S.
Published: December 2019

Phenol and its chemical derivatives are essential for production of polycarbonates epoxies, bakelite, nylon, detergents, herbicides, and numerous pharmaceutical drugs. In order to increase the biodegradation of phenol by fungi, fungal strains (Aspergillus niger, Penicillium griseofulvum and Aspergillus terreus), were isolated from different contaminated sites in Saudi Arabia such as Jeddah Governate, the second industrial city of Jeddah, some garbage collection places, gas stations and Red Sea), then  screened for phenol degradation. For the first time in Saudi Arabia, biodegradation of phenol by fungi is improved by mutation as well as immobilization of fungi above calcium alginate. The isolated fungal strains (Aspergillus niger, Penicillium griseofulvum and Aspergillus terreus), were mutated physically (UV) and chemically (Ethidium bromide), also immobilized in alginate beads and its phenol degradation efficiency was observed. The degradation was increased many fold after immobilization, but after mutation some mutants appeared highly degradation rate for the phenol such as Aspergillus  niger, and Penicillium griseofulvum but Aspergillus terreus appeared highly degradation rate for the phenol only after exposure to UV for 5 and 10 mins only than the wild strains. In addition, phenol degradation was increased with increase the fungal disk size of the tested strains.
Introduction Pages
Authors: SESTRAS Radu E.
Published: December 2019

Notulae Scientia Biologicae (http://www.notulaebiologicae.ro), Issue 4, Volume 11, 2019: The papers published in this issue represent interesting novelties in different topics of life science. Among the exciting researches, we invite readers to find news about: anticancer activity of water and methanol extracts of Hypericum scabrum L. on different cancer cell lines; curcumin alleviates potassium bromate-induced hepatic damage by repressing CRP Induction through TNF-α and IL-1β and by suppressing oxidative stress; evaluation of leukocyte mobilization and platelet aggregatory effects of ciprofloxacin, lincomycin and erythromycin in Wistar albino rats; ameliorative effect of aqueous leaf extract of Moringa oleifera on reproductive function following cadmium chloride induced oxidative stress in male Wistar rats; acute and sub-acute toxicity of Cola millenii leaf and stem bark extracts in albino rats; the effects of using synthetic and natural color foods on lipid profile and liver function in rats; phylogenetic analysis and in silico characterization of cytochrome P450 1A (Cyp1A) protein from the African catfish, Clarias gariepinus; growth performance indices of New Zealand white rabbits administered Panax ginseng extracts; the clinicopathological evaluations of the efficacy of incorporation of amantadine hydrochloride in the treatment of West African dwarf goats experimentally infected with peste des petits ruminants virus; in vitro plant regeneration from mature seed explants of Withania somnifera, an important, rare and endangered medicinal plant.
Development of high strength steel sheet with improved strainhardenability for automotive application
Authors: Chandrawanshi Madhawan , Kumar Singh Rajan , Sudharshan R.
Published: December 2019

Advance high strength steel with minimum UTS of 780 MPa is industrially developed utilizing continuous annealing line (CAL) and Gleeble thermo mechanical simulation. An outline of superior elongation, improved strain hardenability, enhanced strength of developed Fe – C – Mn – Si TRIP assisted steel is described. Correlation amid Simulated result and industrially annealed steel are stabilized for microstructure and mechanical property. Annealing condition is optimized for best combination of strength and formability accordingly. CCT diagram for the selected composition from JMatPro is utilized to optimize rapid cooling rate and over aging section temperature. Final microstructure of developed steel comprises tempered martensite, granular bainite with retained austenite distributed in polygonal ferrite matrix. An evaluation of developed TRIP steel is carried out with the help of microstructure and XRD analysis. It was concluded that strain hardening coeﬃcient of new steel is comparable to that of drawing grades attributable to about 13 % retained austenite in microstructure.