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This study investigates the physiological responses of three grapevine cultivars to salt stress. Cuttings from cv. 'Sultana seedless', cv. 'Hamburg muscat' and the local variety cv. 'Ercis uzumu', were utilized. After rooting, the cuttings were brought to the vegetative stage with a single internode before subjecting them to salt treatments. Salt stress was induced using NaCl solutions at concentrations of 0, 50, and 100 mM at four-day intervals. Throughout the experiment, various physiological parameters were assessed, including ion homeostasis, osmotic regulation, antioxidant activity, and mineral uptake in different plant tissues. Our findings revealed significant variations in salt tolerance among the tested grapevine cultivars. Specifically, cv. 'Ercis uzumu' exhibited robust physiological responses to salt stress, indicating high tolerance, while cv. 'Sultana seedless' demonstrated moderate responses, and cv. 'Hamburg muscat' displayed heightened sensitivity to salt stress at the physiological level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present research work reports the impact of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on sugarcane morphological characteristics, the production of secondary metabolite (SMs), and the antimicrobial activity of sugarcane callus culture in vitro. Explants (young leaf sheaths and leaf rolls) of usually smaller diameter were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium following our previous protocol for sugarcane callogenesis. The induced calli were subjected to varying concentrations (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 mg/l) of MWCNTs for multiplication. The highest multiplication was recorded on media containing 5.0 mg/l of CNTs with fresh weight 2.8567 g. Different concentrations (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 mg/l) of MWCNTs were applied to regenerate the calli cultures. The highest number of shoots and roots were developed on 15.0 mg/l, while the highest shoot and root length (in centimeter) were observed on the highest used concentration, i.e. 20.0 mg/l CNTs. Similarly, the sub-cultured calli were subjected to phytochemical analysis and the effect of MWCNTs on amount of biochemical contents like total phenolic contents, flavonoids, saponins and terpenoids was determined. The highest contents were found in the culture containing the highest concentration of CNTs, in all cases. Moreover, the antioxidant activities of the MWCNTs induced in vitro sugarcane were also evaluated by the 1,1 diphenyl 2, picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) methods, which was found highest, i.e. 95.556% with EC50 value of 34.49 µg/ml for crude extract of callus grown on MS-media containing 5.0 mg/l MWCNTs. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated against two bacterial pathogens, Clavibactor michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (CMM) and Ralstonia solanacearum (RS) with inhibition zone of 14 mm in case of CMM, while 17 mm was measured against RS Spp. Our results reveal that using MWCNTs in specific concentrations could act as a plant growth promotor and novel elicitor for the in vitro biosynthesis of useful SMs with antimicrobial activity against broad spectrum microbial pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determination of the distinctness, uniformity and stability (DUS) of plant cultivars is an important means of protecting the original innovations of breeders, increasing the enthusiasm of breeders and promoting the development of plant breeding. In this study, combinations of simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers and DUS morphological characteristics were used to identify cultivars. The genetic diversity of 30 flax plant cultivars was analyzed using 20 SSR markers and 18 DUS morphological characteristics. The results of the morphological characteristic analysis showed that the 30 flax cultivars had high genetic diversity. Ninety allelic variations were detected in 20 polymorphic SSR molecular markers, and 2–10 allelic variations were detected in each pair of primers. The diversity index (H) of Nei's gene range was 0.10–0.39, with a mean value of 0.23; the Shannon information index (I) range was 0.19–0.57, with a mean value of 0.37; and the polymorphism information content (PIC) range was 0.25–0.82, with a mean value of 0.51. Cluster analysis revealed that there were correlations between the SSR markers and morphological characteristics, and there were also some differences. These results show that these two methods have good potential for future research, especially for DUS analysis of hundreds of cultivars. Therefore, the use of molecular markers can reduce the cost and duration of resource consumption, and more importantly, identify and protect highly specific plant cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migration of Sakhalin sculpin Cottus amblystomopsis larvae from the river to the sea for early rearing—the primary dispersion, occurs in the form of passive downstream migration in the first 1.0–1.5 h after dark. Reaction of larvae to decrease of illumination ensures their involvement into the flow and the implementation of downstream migration. Total duration of primary dispersion period does not exceed 3 days. Body length of the larvae is on average 7.7 mm, their vertebrae and spinous processes are formed, the anlages of unpaired fins are noticeable, and pectoral fins are well developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to document the traditional knowledge and the distribution of diverse halophytes used by the coastal community of Vietnam to compensate for the food, fodder, and medicine demands. The information was gathered from the local people, plant traders, and herbalists using a semi-structured questionnaire. The survey indicated the ethnobotanical uses of 11 plant species from 8 families in the targeted area. 60% of studied plants were used in more than two different ways in which the majority of halophytic species possessed medicinal values, followed by being culinary, fodder, roof thatching, handicraft, and growing medium. The main diseases in the regions were joint and stomach pain. According to the mode of preparation, decoction form was the predominance with 64% over all modes. Based on the result, Cocos nucifera L., Portulaca oleracea L., and Suaeda maritima (L.) Dumort. had the highest appearance frequency of 17%. In addition, the seashore was the most prevalent location of halophytes that it was inhabited by 5 out of 11 species. The predominant habit recorded was herbs, followed by shrubs, trees, and vines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In deep underground geotechnical engineering, water–rock interaction emerges as a critical factor influencing the stability of engineering rock masses. This study delves into the macroscopic nonlinear mechanical behavior and fracture characteristics of natural water-bearing and saturated sandstone samples under various true triaxial stress states. The objective is to systematically elucidate the impact of actual three-dimensional stress conditions and water content on the mechanical behavior and fracture mechanisms of sandstone formations. The findings reveal significant anisotropic deformation in sandstone under 3D stress, while saturated sandstone exhibits robust plastic deformation capacity. Moreover, changes in the strain ratio coefficient are identified as precursors to rock fracture. The dilatation behavior of sandstone weakens progressively with increasing σ2, indicating reduced expansion in saturated sandstone. To account for the influence of σ2, a novel dilation index is proposed. The true triaxial strength of sandstone demonstrates a close relationship with both σ2 and water content, with strength initially increasing before declining as σ2 rises. In addition, water significantly undermines sandstone strength, although this weakening trend moderates with increasing σ2. Morphological analysis and SEM observations unveil three-dimensional volume fracturing characteristics in rock fractures, primarily characterized by shear accompanied by tensile fractures. Saturated sandstone samples, in contrast, exhibit numerous tensile and intergranular fractures. Overall, this study holds paramount practical significance for the evaluation of rock stability and the design of water-bearing engineering rock masses, encompassing domains, such as geology, water conservancy, and mining. Highlights: The influence of the σ2 and water on the nonlinear mechanical behavior of sedimentary sandstone was studied. A new dilatation index and strength criterion considering the effect of the σ2 was proposed. The 3D fracture morphology and failure network characteristics of sandstone was analyzed. Mesoscopic fracture mechanism of the σ2 and water on sandstone was revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of stacking sequence on the physical and chemical properties of a hybrid composite composed of biomass sheep wool fiber and glass fiber reinforced with epoxy was investigated in this study. The hybrid composite was developed as an alternative material for engineering applications to harmful man-made glass fiber composites. The hybrid composite laminates were made by hand and had a total fiber volume fraction of 60% (biomass sheep wool fiber 30% and glass fiber 30%) and 40% reinforcement. Three distinct stacking sequences, STQ1, STQ2, and STQ3, were prepared and tested in accordance with ASTM standards. The results of the tensile and bending tests revealed that STQ1 biocomposites have higher strength and maximum bending than STQ2 and STQ3 composites. Furthermore, STQ1 biocomposite absorbed more moisture and chemicals than STQ2 and STQ3 composite. Morphological studies of fracture surfaces on biocomposites revealed that STQ1 has better interfacial bonding of fiber and matrix than other composites, confirming its suitability for lightweight applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chloroplast (cp) genome sequence of Mussaenda pubescens, a promising resource that is used as a traditional medicine and drink, is important for understanding the phylogenetic relationships among the Mussaenda family and genetic improvement and reservation. This research represented the first comprehensive description of the morphological characteristics of M. pubescens, as well as an analysis of the complete cp genome and phylogenetic relationship. The results indicated a close relationship between M. pubescens and M. hirsutula based on the morphological characteristics of the flower and leaves. The cp was sequenced using the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform. The results indicated the cp genome of M. pubescens spanned a total length of 155,122 bp, including a pair of inverted repeats (IRA and IRB) with a length of 25,871 bp for each region, as well as a large single-copy (LSC) region and a small single-copy (SSC) region with lengths of 85,370 bp and 18,010 bp, respectively. The results of phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that species within the same genus displayed a tendency to group closely together. It was suggested that Antirhea, Cinchona, Mitragyna, Neolamarckia, and Uncaria might have experienced an early divergence. Furthermore, M. hirsutula showed a close genetic connection to M. pubescens, with the two species having partially overlapping distributions in China. This study presents crucial findings regarding the identification, evolution, and phylogenetic research on Mussaenda plants, specifically targeting M. pubescens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid recognition of microalgae is a key technology for real-time monitoring of algae composition and understanding the cause of algae blooms in aquatic ecological environment. Despite the development of machine learning technology, microalgal machine recognition has also been a lot of research and application, but there is not much attention to the unique microscopic characteristics of microalgal cells, which makes it difficult for the existing technologies to adapt to a large number of algae in a complex water environment. This study attempted for the first time to apply a convolutional neural network (CNN) model (Inception-v3) with higher microscopic object learning ability for microalgal classification and recognition. Through transfer learning, model training and parameter optimization, the identification accuracy of 25 species of microalgae can reach more than 90%. In addition, a new solution of introducing the morphological characteristics of the colony structure into the model was proposed to improve the identification accuracy of Microcyst is of different species in the same genus, which would be of great help in classifying and monitoring the microcyst in production capacity of harmful algae in water. These results will provide a new solution for the machine recognition of microalgae and suggested that more attention should be paid to the introduction of artificially identified micro-characteristics of microalgal cells into model learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first record of abnormal body coloration in Sebastes koreanus Kim and Lee, 1994, from the Yellow Sea of China, was documented based on morphological characteristics and DNA barcoding. The two rockfish specimens were collected from the coastal waters of Qingdao, China, and the whole body and all fins of them were red. Of the two red-colored rockfish, there were tiny deep red spots on each fin, 2 red radial stripes behind and below the eyes and 1 large deep red blotch on the opercula, while the similar stripe and spot patterns are also present in the S. koreanus specimens with normal body coloration. The countable characteristics of the two specimens are in the range of the morphometry of S. koreanus. To further clarify the species identity and taxonomic status of the two specimens, DNA barcode analysis was carried out. The genetic distance between the red-colored rockfish and S. koreanus was 0, and the minimum net genetic distances between the red-colored rockfish and other Sebastes species except for S. koreanus were 3.0%, which exceeds the threshold of species delimitation. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the DNA barcoding sequences of the two red-colored rockfish clustered with the S. koreanus sequences. The above results of DNA barcode analysis also support that the two red-colored rockfish could be identified as the species of S. koreanus. The mechanism of color variation in S. koreanus is desirable for further research and the species could be an ideal model to study the color-driven speciation of the rockfishes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) is a widely used Chinese medicinal herb in many countries globally. However, asexual reproduction causes the germplasm of P. ternata to degrade, and there is limited research on genetic breeding. The objective of this study is to induce tetraploid ‘Pearl’ P. ternate plants by treating leaves and tubers with colchicine to acquire superior germplasm resources. The in vitro medium for autotetraploid plants was optimized through orthogonal experiments. Subsequently, the morphology, tissues, and cells of diploid and tetraploid plants were compared. The results indicated that the number of chromosomes in diploid plants was 2n = 2x = 66, while the tetraploid plants were 2n = 4x = 132 by somatic chromosome counting and flow cytometry analysis. The leaf was more suitable than the tuber for polyploid induction, and the maximum induction rate was 29.49% when leaves were treated with a 0.05% colchicine solution for 96 h. In MS medium supplemented with 0.1 mg·L− 1 6-BA, 0.1 mg·L− 1 NAA, and 1.0 mg·L− 1 KT, tetraploid leaves successfully developed into plantlets with roots, achieving a 100% transplant survival rate. Tetraploid P. ternata exhibited larger and denser leaves, thicker petioles, and larger stomata but had shorter plants compared to diploid. Meanwhile, tetraploid leaves produced a greater number of tubers. This study induced tetraploids in P. ternata and established an artificial tetraploid rapid propagation system for P. ternata. It provided the theoretical foundation and experimental support for its genetic breeding and variety enhancement.Key message: Tetraploid induction in vitro and autotetraploid regeneration were established for P. ternata. Compared to diploids, tetraploid plants had larger and denser leaves, thicker petioles, larger stomata, and produced more tubers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to suggest a new method for predicting 3D sphericity through traditional 2D image processing through a novel sieving analysis. The 3D sphericity indices of grains (over 3000 particles for each material) from seven irregular granular materials are determined using μCT slices. These indices are then compared with existing 2D indices obtained through SEM image processing. Additionally, seven synthetic materials (semi-regular in size and shape) are also assessed to account for unusual particle shapes. The findings shed light on the role of sphericity in the rate at which particles pass through sieve openings. The results indicate that the initial passing rate of grains is strongly correlated with the 3D sphericity indices, which significantly decrease as sphericity decreases. The proposed method involves a sequential sieving test, performed similarly to the conventional sieving test but conducted sequentially at different time steps. Several correlations between 3D sphericity and its 2D counterparts are presented, which can successfully predict the 3D sphericity indices. Additionally, two empirical equations are proposed to predict the most frequent flatness and elongation aspect ratios, used in the Zingg diagram. Furthermore, the grading analysis derived from both 2D and 3D image processing is compared with sieve analysis. The results show that, unlike the 2D results, the grading curves obtained from 3D image processing are in excellent agreement with the sieve analysis. A corrected grading curve, derived from traditional 2D image processing, is proposed to align with 3D grading curves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimizing light conditions is critical for plant growth and seedling production in greenhouse, especially in seasons when the sunlight is insufficient. In the present study, tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum cv. Fenbeibei) seedlings were grown at two levels of supplementary light duration of 6 h·d− 1 (short) (07:00–10:00 and 15:00–18:00) or 12 h·d− 1 (long) (04:00–10:00 and 15:00–21:00) provided by white light-emitting diodes (LEDs, white long and white short, WL and WS) or combinations of white and blue LEDs (white & blue long and white & blue short, WBL and WBS) with same supplementary daily light integral (at 5.5 mol m− 2 d− 1) after sowing, and tomato seedlings grown under sunlight only were set as the control. The percentages of light intensity provided by white and blue LEDs under the WB treatments were 85% and 15%, respectively. The results indicated that tomato seedlings grown under WBL treatment exhibited the lowest plant height and shortest hypocotyl length, which was decreased by 34.6% and 41.8%, respectively, compared with the control. The chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll contents of tomato seedlings grown under WBL were significant higher than those under other treatments. The root fresh weight, root dry weight, and the stem firmness of the greenhouse-grown tomato seedlings under WBL were increased by 21.5%, 41.2%, and 38.6%, compared with those grown under WBS, respectively. The sucrose content of tomato seedlings under WBL was increased by 60.4%, compared with that under WL. In conclusion, 12 h·d− 1 supplementary light provided by combinations of white and blue LEDs led to compact morphological characteristics, superior mechanical properties, and satisfactory growth performance. Our findings provide an available lighting strategy to obtain the desired morphological and quality properties of tomato seedlings grown in the seasons with insufficient light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, as a first step toward the development of novel candidate for absorbable suture materials based on poly(glycolide-co-ɛ-caprolactone), we synthesized a poly(glycolide-co-ɛ-caprolactone-co-l-lactide) block copolymer with ABA block structure via a two-step polymerization process and prepared the final PGCLA suture using a pilot-scale melt spinning machine. Then, to understand the mechanism on the early degradation stage of the PGCLA suture, we systematically investigated the mechanical, morphological properties and microstructural changes of the PGCLA suture through in vitro degradation. As a result, it was observed that, during the in vitro degradation process, the mechanical properties of PGCLA sutures exhibited an overall linear decrease and retained only 32% of its initial strength at 2 weeks of degradation. In addition, it was confirmed that, from FE-SEM analysis, internal degradation and structural changes, including longitudinal cracks on the suture surface, were noticeably appeared at 2 weeks of degradation. Interestingly, the results obtained from 1H-NMR and WAXS analyses exhibited clearly that PGCLA sutures undergo simultaneous degradation of glycolide units and l-lactide units present in the amorphous region during in vitro degradation. Therefore, based on these findings, we concluded that in the early stage of in vitro degradation of PGCLA suture, simultaneous degradation of glycolide units and l-lactide units in the amorphous region occurs, leading to chemical and structural changes such as erosion and cracking of the suture, as well as a decrease in its mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Fusarium wilt is the major biotic constraint responsible for substantial loss in the agricultural production and yield of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.). To better understand the symptomatology and etiology of wilt disease, safflower-growing fields of Karnataka and Maharashtra states in India were surveyed. The infected plants exhibited characteristic symptoms of wilt disease including browning of stem, chlorosis, and drooping of leaves. Fungal isolates obtained from infected parts of plants were morphologically characterized. Along with Fusarium oxysporum, another species of Fusarium was identified. This species produced buff to dark red colonies with aerial mycelia. Microconidia were clavate with a flattened base, aseptate, and 5.2–5.9 × 1.5–2.0 μm in size. Macroconidia were falcate to subfalcate, 3–5 septate, and 21.1–38.0 × 1.9–2.7 μm in size. Using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of rDNA and translation elongation factor-1α (TEF-1α) genes, the identity of this species was confirmed as Fusarium proliferatum (Fp). Molecular phylogeny was inferred for all Fp isolates using ITS and TEF-1a sequences and they displayed close relatedness to Fp type material. The adult plants of susceptible cultivar of safflower (cv. Manjira) were inoculated with Fp spore suspension wherein the wilt disease was recapitulated. Morphologically identical Fp was isolated from the infected plants fulfilling Koch's postulates. This is a new record of wilt disease inflicted by Fp on safflower-growing fields of India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, ultrafast laser machining has been used to machine hard materials. Ultrafast laser machining can be precisely machined without a non-thermal effect or damage to machining tools. However, their morphologies differed depending on the pulse energy. Generally, to machine difficult-to-machine materials, hard materials are irradiated by laser pulses with high pulse energy. Laser pulses with high pulse energy remove large volumes. However, burrs are formed at the top surface, and the large volumes removed remain empty. These burrs and empty spaces reduce the efficiency of the process. Owing to these problems, the formation of burrs must be restricted during laser ablation. Accordingly, this work aimed to reduce the formation of burrs and improve the machining efficiency. In this study, to overcome the aforementioned undesirable effects, the position of a focused laser beam with a high pulse energy was altered when irradiating cemented tungsten carbides; the laser had a pulse duration of 190 fs, wavelength of 1026 nm, frequency of 6 kHz, and pulse energy of 100 µJ. When focused laser beam was irradiated at the ablated bottom surface, the laser machining efficiency increased. Moreover, the position of the focused laser beam affected the morphology of burrs. On focusing the laser beam at the surface, burrs with shorter heights and larger lengths were formed. The morphologies of these burrs and the ablated space affected the laser passing rate and machining efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Northern Viet Nam displays a remarkable diversity of wild bananas (Musa L.), including the species from which the majority of cultivated bananas derive. The taxonomy and exact distribution of these wild bananas are however not well known, limiting their conservation and use. In the present study, we describe the morphology, ecology, and phytogeography of the 6 Musa species that were collected between 2016 and 2019 in northern Viet Nam: Musa acuminata Colla, M. balbisiana Colla, M. itinerans Cheesman, M. haekkinenii N.S.Ly & Haev, M. lutea R.V.Valmayor, L.D.Danh and Hakkinen and M. paracoccinea A.Z.Liu and D.Z.Li:. Of these, M. itinerans was the species with the most widespread distribution range, occurring as large mats in various habitats between 136 and 1331 m, whereas M. acuminata was found between 136 and 989 m and M. balbisiana was between 108 and 981 m. Furthermore, M. lutea, M. paracoccinea and M. haekkinenii were distributed in open areas with low competition for light, between 80 and 800 m. These latter three species have the potential to become ornamental plants, being characterized by bright and colourful upright inflorescences. The data presented here will help in providing a valuable contribution to the conservation and use of the wild bananas in northern Viet Nam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endometriosis involving the presence and growth of glands and stroma outside the uterine cavity is a common, inflammatory, benign gynecologic disease. Nevertheless, no single theory can exactly account for the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Telocytes, a kind of novel mesenchymal cells, have been suggested to be crucial in promoting angiogenesis and increasing the activity of endometrial interstitial cells and inflammatory cells. Given above roles, telocytes may be considered as the possible pathogenesis of endometriosis. We reviewed the current literature on telocytes. The following aspects were considered: (A) the telocytes' typical characteristics, function, and morphological changes in endometriosis; (B) the potential role of telocytes in endometriosis by impacting the inflammation, invasion, and angiogenesis; (C) telocytes as the potential treatment options for endometriosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ascorbic acid (AsA) is a crucial antioxidant in vegetables. Celery (Apium graveolens L.) is a vegetable of Apiaceae and is rich in AsA. Till now, the effects of different storage conditions on celery morphological characteristics, anatomical features, and antioxidant accumulation are unclear. Here, the celery cvs. 'Sijixiaoxiangqin' and 'Liuhehuangxinqin' were selected as experimental materials, and the two celery plants grown for 65 days were harvested from soils and stored in light at room temperature (25 °C), darkness at low temperature (4 °C), and darkness at room temperature (25 °C) for 0, 6, 24, 30, 48, and 54 h, respectively. The results showed that celery in darkness had better water retention capacity than celery in light. Morphological changes in celery mesophyll, leaf veins, and petioles were the least in darkness at low temperature (4 °C). The weight loss rate and wilting degree in darkness at low temperature (4 °C) were the lowest, and the AsA content remained at a high level. The expression patterns of GDP-d-mannose pyrophosphorylase (AgGMP) and l-galactose dehydrogenase (AgGalDH) were similar to the change of AsA content. The results indicated that low temperature and dark was the optimized storage condition for 'Sijixiaoxiangqin' and 'Liuhehuangxinqin' celery. AgGMP and AgGalDH genes may play an important role in the accumulation of AsA in celery. This paper will provide potential references for prolonging the shelf life of celery and other horticultural crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence for the importance of seedling morphology and the benefits of multi-cropping in tree plantations continues to increase worldwide. The effects of seedling form on the performance of multi-cropped and monoculture plantings of northern red oak and shortleaf pine seedlings were quantified to test the hypotheses that: (1) multi-cropping northern red oak and shortleaf pine seedlings would lead to increased survival and growth of these species, and (2) that the productivity and overall success of mixed oak-pine plantations can be influenced by seedling morphology. Four different form classes of 1–0, bareroot northern red oak seedlings (Short:Thin, Short:Thick, Tall:Thin, and Tall:Thick) were planted with 1–0, bareroot shortleaf pine seedlings at a 2.44 m spacing, with 0.31 m between each planted oak and pine. Adjacent monocultures of shortleaf pine and all form classes of northern red oak were also planted for comparison. Measurements of seedling performance over six years revealed no significant differences in shortleaf pine and northern red oak survival and growth among multi-cropped and monoculture treatments. In contrast, mean height and mean basal diameter in Tall:Thick northern red oak seedlings were significantly greater than in the remaining three northern red oak form classes, regardless of multi-cropping treatment. Survival did not differ among form classes (p > 0.05). These results suggest that seedling morphology was more important than the effects of multi-cropping early on in the development of these plantations, and that further testing of the effects of form class across different multi-cropped species is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geotechnical and geo-environmental engineers are interested in the desiccation-induced cracks as they significantly influence the performance of geotechnical structures. A comprehensive understanding is required for developing rational tools for the design of geotechnical structures taking account of the morphological characteristics of desiccation-induced cracks. This study provides a critical review based on more than 100 publications related to the morphological characteristics of cohesive soil desiccation cracks from in situ investigations as well as laboratory studies during the past several decades. Both the in situ and laboratory characterization techniques are comprehensively reviewed, and their advantages and limitations are summarized. The mixture of the hexagonal pattern and the orthogonal pattern is typically observed in desiccation cracks, which is a combined result of the simultaneous strain energy release and the successive interaction between the generated stress field and the existing or induced heterogeneities. A theoretical equation is proposed to estimate the crack block size considering the effects of soil layer thickness, base friction, and environmental factors. It has been found that the crack depth increases linearly with the increasing crack width based on limited measurements at different scales. A reliable in situ characterization technique for the three-dimensional crack morphology and a more effective and fully coupled numerical modelling technique for the multi-physical and multi-scale desiccation cracking behavior are recommended for future works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that the effect of particle size, particle size distribution (PSD), fineness and microstructure of cement is significant on mechanical and durability properties of mortar and concrete. It is understood from literature that there is scope to improve the mechanical properties and microstructure of the Original Sugar Cane Bagasse Ash (OSCBA) after treatment. The treatment includes a grounding and burning process. After sequential steps, various morphological characteristics like particle size, particle size distribution and morphological characteristics are evaluated by using FESEM and EDAX. It is found that there is a reduction in pore size, carbon content and agglomeration formation for Processed SCBA (PSCBA). The grounding ball size, number of grounding balls, grounding time, ratio of OSCBA to grounding balls, temperature, burning time and feeding particles are found to be crucial parameters which will influence the morphological properties. The study further extended to evaluate the properties of cement pastes blended with OSCBA and PSCBA from 0% to 40% as partial replacement for Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC). Fresh and hardened properties of blended cements are studied. PSCBA blended cements exhibit significant improvement than without processing SCBA (OSCBA) blended cements due to enhanced morphological characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amino acids are an important constituent in organic nitrogen deposition, and changes in the content of their components have a direct impact on the nitrogen input to the ecosystem. From December 2018 to November 2019, 176 precipitation samples were collected at Danjiangkou Reservoir, the source of the middle line of the South–to–North Water Diversion Project, and the variation characteristics of dissolved free amino acids (DFAA) and dissolved combined amino acids (DCAA) were analyzed. The volume-weighted value concentration ranges of DFAA and DCAA were 0.159–1.136 μmol/L and 1.603–7.044 μmol/L, respectively, and amino acids were dominated by DCAA in wet deposition. Our results showed that glutamic acid (Glu), glycine (Gly), and aspartic acid (Asp) were the dominant amino acids in both DFAA and DCAA. The concentration of DFAA was highest in winter, while the concentration of DCAA was in autumn. Dissolved total amino acids (DTAA) were insignificantly correlated with DFAA, whereas they were linearly correlated with DCAA, indicating a significant influence of agricultural activities on DTAA. The analysis of the backward trajectory of air masses showed that amino acids were mainly influenced by proximity inputs around the reservoir. The bioavailability of organic matter was higher in the southeastern of the reservoir than in the northwestern. The wet deposition flux of TDN was 14.096 kg N/ha/year, and the potential ecological impact on water bodies cannot be ignored. This study was conducted to clarify the variation characteristics of amino acids fractions in wet deposition and to provide parameters for regional assessment of amino acids wet deposition. The ecological impact of nitrogen wet deposition on water bodies will be explored to provide a basis for nitrogen pollution control and water quality protection in the middle line of the South–to–North Water Diversion Project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new Sillago species, Sillago parasihama sp. n., is identified based on 127 specimens collected from the southern coast of China. We compared the morphological characters between Sillago parasihama and all other 11 Sillago species with two posterior extensions on the swim bladder. The new species is like S. sihama in the countable characters and color pattern, but is different from the latter by the distinct swim bladders. The swim bladder of S. parasihama is without lateral process. The posterior sub-extensions of anterolateral extensions are unique with some dendritic or sometimes stunted blind tubule, which are unilateral and outward, extending along the abdominal, and are about one-third to half of the body of swim bladder in length. But the swim bladder of S. sihama with 8–10 lateral processes, the posterior sub-extensions of anterolateral extensions are kinky, long and complicated, extending along the abdominal wall below the peritoneum to the base of posterior extensions. S. parasihama can be distinguished from other species in this group by color pattern, meristic, and morphometric characters. Moreover, the results of genetic analysis using sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) fragment show significant interspecific-level genetic distances (0.159–0.231) between S. parasihama and 8 congeners in the group, which also support the validity of new species. We also provide a distribution map and a key of the related species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In cities and other areas of human activity, the implementation of various ground projects has resulted in significant changes to natural surface morphology, a prominent feature of which is the formation of a variety of discontinuous terrains, such as roads and building basements. These discontinuous terrains result in obvious topographic distortions of the digital elevation model (DEM) constructed by traditional modeling methods, which limits the applicability of DEMs to these areas. To solve these problems, this paper proposes a DEM modeling method to enhance the expression of discontinuous terrain from the perspective of simplicity and convenience of application. The method is based on terrain data such as topographic feature lines, altimetric points, and contour lines. First, parallel feature lines are generated according to a certain distance. Then, vertices are inserted onto the topographic feature line and the parallel feature line according to a specified step length, and known altimetric points are selected from both sides of the original topographic feature line to estimate the height values of the vertices. Finally, by combining the topographic feature line, parallel feature line and other available topographic data for TIN construction, the result can effectively express the special topography of discontinuous terrain. In this study, a region in Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province, China, was selected as the study area to conduct a DEM construction experiment. The experimental results showed that the DEM constructed using this method can well express the morphological characteristics of discontinuous terrain, and the height accuracy of the construction results was also significantly improved compared with that of a conventional method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polygonal salt crust patches (PSCPs) in modern playas have critical hydrologic implications for arid areas, but the morphology and origin of these polygonal features are under debate. This study investigated the structure and morphological characteristics of crustal landforms in a modern playa located in the West Juyan Lake, western Inner Mongolia of China, through an integrated analysis of high-resolution remote sensing images obtained from Google Earth, pedestrian field surveys, and unmanned aerial vehicle photography. The study area covers approximately 2,650 ha and the number of salt crust patches was 3,491. Across this area, the coverage and number of salt crust patches varied with elevation and sedimentary environment. The results show that the polygonal patch pattern of the salt crust landforms was fractal, and similar polygonal patch perimeter to area ratios and landscape index values prevail in the study area. The wind erosion of material on the surface of the Gobi Desert, a mountain torrent alluvial fan, and material carried by seasonal river water probably provided the provenance of the regional salt crust landforms. The structure and morphological characteristics of salt crust in typical playas of the arid and semiarid region are important for better understanding their composition and sedimentary environment. This study can help reveal relevant information regarding environmental change and provide a reference for saline dust emissions from playas in arid areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The present study aimed to examine the factors related to the morphological characteristics of the femoral condyle in posterior cruciate ligament rupture in female and male populations. Methods: One hundred and three patients (41 females, 62 males) with posterior cruciate ligament rupture from 2010 to 2020 were included in this retrospective case–control study. The sex and age of the posterior cruciate ligament rupture group were matched to those of the control group (41 females, 62 males; age range 16–69 years). Magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure the intercondylar notch width, femoral condylar width, and intercondylar notch angle in both the axial and coronal images. The 'α' angle was also measured using magnetic resonance imaging. The notch width index is the ratio of the intercondylar notch width to the femoral condylar width. Three types of intercondylar notch shapes (types A, U, and W) were evaluated in the axial magnetic resonance imaging images. Results: The difference in the mean coronal notch width index between the study groups was statistically significant in the female population. The difference in the mean coronal femoral condylar width between the study groups was statistically significant in the male population. Conclusions: A larger coronal notch width index was the greatest risk factor for posterior cruciate ligament rupture in the female population. In the male population, decreased coronal condylar width was the greatest risk factor for posterior cruciate ligament rupture. The results did not indicate that patients with a PCL rupture have a stenotic intercondylar notch. Posterior cruciate ligament injury prevention strategies could be applied to females with a larger coronal notch width index and males with a decreased condylar width. Levels of evidence: Level III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies on false memory of non-semantic stimuli reported that false memories were produced for items that were unstudied but that were similar to the studied items. However, it remains unclear what representations of false memory are constructed by studied items and how the representations of studied items contribute to the occurrence of false memory. Therefore, we examined whether false memory is produced in the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm for non-semantic stimuli (i.e., facial lists), which was divided according to the morphological characteristics quantified by principal component analysis, and whether the false memory rate could be quantitatively predicted by the morphological characteristics of the studied items with a regression analysis. Thirty-five participants memorized five faces and performed a recognition memory test, including an unstudied lure item whose morphological characteristics were approximately the average of the studied items. The results showed that the lure items were more likely to be falsely remembered than other unstudied items whose morphological characteristics were not the average of the studied items, indicating that false memory of non-semantic stimuli was produced in the DRM paradigm owing to the morphological characteristics of the studied items. In contrast, the false memory rate could not be quantitatively explained by each kind of morphological characteristic. This indicates that false memory was not caused by the particular morphological characteristic of the studied items. Moreover, these results implicate that false memory of non-semantic stimuli in the DRM paradigm was provoked by gist representation of the studied items. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was the evaluation of molecular and morphological diversity among 80 caper (Capparis spinosa L.) genotypes from the 12 regions of the central Zagros Mountains located in the west of Iran. The results showed a high level of morphological genetic variation among the caper samples. According to the morphological cluster analysis, 80 genotypes were clustered into five main groups. The 15 factors justified 78.7% of the total variation based on factor analysis. ISSR primers produced a total of 108 polymorphic bands (85.04%) from 127 bands and the PIC for primers ranged from 0.02 to 0.33. SCoT primers produced a total of 165 polymorphic bands (86.48%) from 190 bands and the PIC for primers ranged from 0.16 to 0.30. Ordination and cluster analysis by ISSR markers showed that the genetic relationships among all accessions could be separated into three major groups and by SCoT markers separated into six groups. The results did not show a perfect match between the molecular diversity groupings and geographical regions, because many natural factors and human activities shape the amount and pattern of genetic diversity in a plant population. SCoT and ISSR markers for the assessment of genetic diversity of caper germplasm were almost identical. The combined (ISSR + SCoT) markers haven't shown more information on genetic diversity than a single analysis of ISSR and SCoT. The results indicated the existence of dispersion and different levels of morphological variation and molecular genetic diversity in the genotypes collected from the west of Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As human activities increase, artificially modified terrain is increasingly widely distributed in road, hydrological, and urban construction. Artificially modified terrain plays an important role in protecting from geological disasters and in the planning and design of urban landscapes. Compared with natural slopes, artificial slopes have obvious morphological characteristics. Traditional modeling methods are no longer suitable for digital elevation model (DEM) modeling of artificial slopes because they often seriously distort the DEM results. In this paper, from the perspective of morphological characteristics, artificial slopes are divided into two types, namely, regular slopes and irregular slopes, based on whether the top and bottom lines of the artificial slope are parallel. Then, according to the morphological characteristics of the two types of slopes, the following DEM construction methods are designed: the first method (perpendicular + inverse distance weighted) is suitable for regular slopes, and the second method (perpendicular + high-accuracy surface modeling) is suitable for irregular slopes. Finally, a DEM construction test is carried out using the artificial slopes in the study area. The results show that for the regular and irregular slopes in the study area, the construction method proposed in this paper has significant advantages in morphological accuracy over the traditional method (triangulated irregular network), and the elevation accuracy method is also superior to the traditional method (using this method, the mean error and standard deviation error of the regular slope DEM are 0.08 m and 0.13 m, respectively, and those of the irregular slope DEM are 0.08 m and 0.06 m). In addition, the top lines and bottom lines can be included in the DEM construction of the background area after processing the elevation information of the boundary line to realize a smooth transition in the boundary between the artificial slope and the background area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphological characteristics and deformation failure modes of weak structural planes for rock and soil under certain loading conditions are significant to the instability of geotechnical engineering slope. The stability analysis of the internal weak structural planes and their feature descriptions often lack effective field testing means. Therefore, a novel approach for the stability analysis of inner weak structural planes is proposed using the multi-frequency ultrasonic imaging technique and imaging characteristics during some rock and soil physical model tests. This approach can obtain the ultrasonic image (profile) of inner weak structural planes at different angles and frequencies under the corresponding conditions using multiple frequency ultrasonic waves. Ultrasonic image's grey gradient and reflection attenuation features are statistically analyzed, including the qualitative and quantitative analysis of imaging features. It can be used to realize the visual analysis and stability determination of the weak structural planes. This approach can realize the real-time imaging detection and stability monitoring of weak structural planes during the physical model test. It solves the problems that the imaging detection of in-suit weak structural planes cannot be achieved and the precise analysis of local inner structural planes. Thus, it can provide a novel approach to deep research of instability mechanisms induced by weak structural planes during geotechnical engineering and geological investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the oasis-desert ecotone, nebkhas are of great importance for blocking the intrusion of shifting sand and maintaining the ecological security of oases. The morphological characteristics of nebkhas have been widely researched. However, their spatial distribution and morphological variation with the environment remain unclear. In this paper, we systematically analyzed the spatial distribution pattern, morphological changes, and potential indicative significance of Tamarix ramosissima nebkhas (that is, nebkhas formed around T. ramosissima) in a typical oasis-desert ecotone in Northwest China. Our results showed that the intensity of aeolian activities increased from the inside to the outside of the ecotone, and only T. ramosissima shrubs with high tolerance to aeolian activities could survive. Moreover, from the inside to the outside of the ecotone, the density of the T. ramosissima nebkhas decreased, their size increased, and spatial distribution shifted from aggregation to random. The T. ramosissima shrub can trap aeolian transport and protect nebkhas, leading to sand accumulation in the space between, and leeward edges of, the shrubs. Wind erosion mainly occurs to the windward side and along the sides of the nebkhas. Further, the protective effect of the shrub gradually increased with its growth in a year, resulting in the gradually changed of nebkha surface from wind erosion to sand accumulation, and the nebkha volume showed a fluctuating state of first decreasing and then increasing. This indicates that wind erosion and sand accumulation on the nebkha surface were closely related to the growth cycle of the shrub. In addition, nebkhas exhibited a spatial pattern of growth, inside of the ecotone, to degradation, outside of the ecotone. These results indicate that we should focus on the outside of the ecotone to ensure the ecological stability of oases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Close to 66% of the annual national production of the brown alga Undaria pinnatifida, about 115 thousand tonnes (fresh weight), is produced through farming in Liaoning Province in north China. To clarify the agronomic characters and genetic differences of currently farmed U. pinnatifida, we investigated three major farmed cultivars in combination with other traditional ones focusing specially on sporophylls, one of the principal end products in a typical farm at Lvshun, Dalian city. Results showed that these cultivars differ in timing of maturation and are arranged to be harvested in sequence in the farm to diversify the periods of harvesting and processing. Sporophyll fresh weight and the stipe width are positively correlated with the growth of the plant. Ten neutral microsatellite markers were used to assess relationships among major farmed cultivars. Both genetic distance and Bayesian model-based analyses showed that there was genetic differentiation among C1, C2, and other traditional cultivars. C3 showed the highest genetic variations in major farmed cultivars, with three private alleles and a mean expected heterozygosity of 0.817. In general, prominent genetic divergences were found among different cultivars confirming the effect of consecutive selection, while weak relationships were observed between sporophyll forms and genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermoplastic vulcanizates based on an ABS-plastic and a nitrile butadiene rubber blend filled with fluorinated carbon were considered and their stress–strain properties, resistance to aggressive liquids and thermal-oxidative aging were investigated. Fillers of PKF-MS, PKF-2V and FUP-NK-S grades were used as the modified carbon black. It was found that they increased the stress–strain properties of vulcanizates noticeably. To determine their morphological characteristics, an analytical complex based on a Leica DM-2500 research optical microscope, a high-resolution Leica DFC-420 color digital camera, and a specialized computer station were used. It is concluded that the grade and content of the modified filler are the main factors determining the final morphology and physicomechanical characteristics of the thermoplastic vulcanizate considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, four crops residues such as eggplant, cassava, okra and mulberry plants were assessed as papermaking raw materials. These crops residues had lower α-cellulose and holocellulose and moderate lignin content with syringyl:guaiacyl range of 1.05–1.63. The fiber length of eggplant, cassava, and mulberry plants were shorter (0.58–0.65 mm), while the same for okra plant was medium (1.14 mm). The Runkle ratios of these plant fibers were low (0.208–0.678), and flexibility coefficient was low to medium (55–79). All these non-wood plants were difficult to cook except eggplant plant. Eggplant plant produced screened pulp yield of 33.21 with kappa number of 22.9 at the conditions 3 h cooking at 170 °C with 20 alkali charge. Cassava plant showed the lowest screened pulp yield of 17.7% with kappa number 30.3 at the conditions 2 h cooking at 170 °C with 20 alkali charge. The okra plant pulp showed the best papermaking properties among these crops residues. Eggplant and okra plants can be used for brown packaging grade pulp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multidimensional morphological characteristics (including scale, horizontal shape and 3D morphology) of precipitation areas over the Tibetan Plateau in summer were studied using 15 years (1998–2012) of observational data from the precipitation radar onboard the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite. As the scale of the precipitation area increased from 20 to 150 km, the near-surface rain rate (RRav) of the precipitation area increased by up to 78% (from ∼1.12 to ∼2 mm h−1). Linear precipitation areas had the lowest median RRav (∼1 mm h−1 over the eastern Tibetan Plateau), whereas square-shaped precipitation areas had the highest median RRav (∼1.58 mm h−1 over the eastern Tibetan Plateau). The 3D morphology was defined as the ratio of the average vertical scale to the average horizontal scale, where a large value corresponds to thin and tall, and a small value corresponds to plump and short. Thin-and-tall precipitation areas and plump-and-short precipitation areas had a greater median RRav, whereas the precipitation areas with a moderate 3D morphology had the lowest median RRav. The vertical structure of the precipitation-area reflectivity was sensitive to both size and 3D morphology, but was not sensitive to the horizontal shape. The relationship between RRav and the morphological characteristics was most significant over the southern slopes of the Tanggula Mountains and the Tibetan Plateau east of 100°E. The morphological characteristics of precipitation areas are therefore closely related to the intensity of precipitation and could potentially be used to forecast precipitation and verify numerical models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bakanae disease caused by Gibberella fujikuroi species complex is one of the major fungal diseases of rice. It is present in the major rice production areas in the world. In 2016, field surveys were conducted from rice germination to maturity. Four isolates of Fusarium proliferatum associated with Bakanae disease were obtained from infected rice plants and identified using morphological and molecular-based methods. Pathogenicity tests were carried on susceptible rice variety. Initially, pale green to yellowing of leaves and thinner plants were observed. Then, these plants turned brownish and died, while control plants showed no symptoms. All isolates were found to be pathogenic. The disease severity values ranged from 27 to 66%. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the presence of F. proliferatum causing Bakanae disease on rice in Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this basic research study was to clarify the morphological characteristics of the posterior oblique fibers (POL) of the ulnar collateral ligament using a large number of specimens. Methods: This study examined 50 arms from 25 Japanese cadavers. Type classification was performed by focusing on the positional relationship between POL morphology and the joint capsule. The morphological features measured were fiber bundle length, width, and thickness. Results: The POL was classified as follows: Type I, the POL's anterior and posterior edges are located on the surface of the joint capsule and can be separated as a single fiber bundle; Type II-a, the POL anterior edge can be separated, but the posterior edge cannot be separated; Type II-b, the POL posterior edge can be separated, but the anterior edge cannot be separated; and Type III, the POL cannot be separated from the joint capsule. Type I was seen in 23 elbows (46%), Type II-a in 6 elbows (12%), Type II-b in 7 elbows (14%), and Type III in 14 elbows (28%). Conclusion: The results of this study suggested that the POL could be classified into an independent type and an unclear type, and the presence of the unclear type was one of the factors that caused morphological variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A light-weight structure with sufficient mechanical strength and heat transfer performance is increasingly required for some thermal management issues. The porous structure with the skeleton supporting the ambient stress and the pores holding the flowing fluid is considered very promising, attracting significant scientific and industrial interest over the past few decades. However, due to complicated morphology of the porous matrices and thereby various performance of the pressure drop and heat transfer coefficients (HTC), the comprehensive comparison and evaluation between different structures are largely unclear. In this work, recent researches on the efforts of forced convection heat transfer in light-weight porous structure are reviewed; special interest is placed in the open-cell foam, lattice-frame, structured packed bed, and wire-woven structures. Their experimental apparatus, morphological of the porous structures, effect of morphology on pressure drop and HTC, and further applications are discussed. The new method which measure morphology accurately should be paid more attention to develop more accuracy correlation. Also, the most research focused on low Reynolds number and existing structure, while very few researchers investigated the property of forced convection heat transfer in high velocity region and developed new porous structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expedience of using oocytes with morphological dysmorphism in assisted reproduction technology programs is debatable. This study aimed to estimate morphological and molecular cytogenetic characteristics of enlarged oocytes and to predict results of their further fertilization. Among 774 oocytes retrieved from 80 patients, 83 (11%) cells were enlarged. Morphometric analysis showed the diameter of the ooplasm to be (176.67 ± 1.76) μm and the diameter with ZP (200.8 ± 4.24) μm. Among these giant oocytes, 47 (56.6%) were at the metaphase II stage, 26 (31.3%) at the metaphase I stage, and 10 (12.1%) at the prophase I stage. The retrieved giant oocytes were characterized by dysmorphism of endo- and exocytoplasmic structures. Among 47 cells at the metaphase II stage, 40 (85.1%) oocytes had two polar bodies, three (6.4%) oocytes had one polar body, and four (8.5%) oocytes had a fragmented polar body. The assessment of the presence of meiotic spindle by polarization microscopy showed that 39 (83%) oocytes had two meiotic spindles, 3 (6.4%) oocytes had one meiotic spindle, and 5 oocytes (10.6%) had no visualized meiotic spindles despite the presence of polar bodies. After fertilization of 47 oocytes at the metaphase II stage, pronuclei were detected in 42 (89.4%) cells, including 9 (21.4%) oocytes with two pronuclei, 27 (63.3%) oocytes with 3 pronuclei, and 6 (15.3%) oocytes with four pronuclei. The molecular cytogenetic analysis demonstrated that the embryos obtained after fertilization of giant oocytes had a polyploid chromosome set number. Thus, the results of our study showed the inexpediency of using giant oocytes for further fertilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The processes of electrochemical deposition into a matrix of vertical vias of different diameters (500–2000 nm) in Si/SiO2 substrates with a TiN barrier layer at the bottom of the holes are studied. Morphological studies of the metal in the holes show that the structure of copper clusters is rather uniform and is formed from crystallites of ~30 to 50 nm. Repeatability and stability with a homogeneous structure and with holes filled 100% by Cu determine the prospect of using the Si/SiO2/Cu system as a basic element for creating three-dimensional micro- and nanostructures, as well as for the 3D assembly of IC crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study was undertaken to evaluate some morphological traits of the goat breeds raised in Southwest China. The field experimentation and data collection were from 434 animals presenting seven breeds of the Dazu black goat (DBG; n = 203), Saanen milk goat (SMG; n = 50), Black Boer × Dazu black goat (BXC; n = 28), Hechuan white goat (HWG; n = 49), Inner Mongolia Cashmere goat (IMCG; n = 25), IMCG × DBG (F1; n = 57) and F1 × F1 (F2; n = 22). All studied animals were adult and selected to be at the same age (36.50 ± 0.75 months). After editing, more than 20 morphological and production traits like body condition score (BCS), testicle measurements, coat colour, fibre traits, skin colour, horn colour, horn shape, horn orientation, wattles, front hair, beard, ear shape, ear size, rump angle, hind leg angulation and physiological variables were analysed. BXC and DBG had dark coat colour, whilst SMG, HWG and IMCG had light colour, whilst F1 and F2 ranged from light to dark coat colour. Concerning BCS, the breeds BXC and DBG were characterized as fat goats, whilst SMG, HWG, F1 and F2 were average, whilst IMCG was thin. The maximum values for testis measurements were recorded for BXC, SMG and DBG. For fibre traits, IMCG, F1 and F2 were the most superior. BXC and DBG males have good fertility parameters. The highest values for rectal temperature, skin temperature and breath rate were recorded for SMG. These findings revealed the presence of a wide range of morphological differences among studied goat breeds. Such diversity in the performance of goat breeds raised in Southwest China is crucial to implement reliable selection strategies for breeding goats in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refining oil contaminants are complex and cause serious harm to the environment. Remediation of refining oil-contaminated soil is challenging but has significant impact in China. Two plant species Agropyron fragile (Roth) P. Candargy and Avena sativa L. and one bacterium Bacillus tequilensis ZJ01 were used to investigate their efficiency in remediating the refining oil-polluted soil sampled from an oil field in northern China. The simulated experiments of remediations by A. fragile or A. sativa alone and A. fragile or A. sativa combined with B. tequilensis ZJ01 for 39 days and by B. tequilensis ZJ01 alone for 7 days were performed in the laboratory, with B. tequilensis ZJ01 added before or after the germination of seeds. Seed germination rates and morphological characteristics of the plants, along with the varieties of oil hydrocarbons in the soil, were recorded to reflect the remediation efficiency. The results showed that the contamination was weakened in all experimental groups. A. sativa was more sensitive to the pollutants than A. fragile, and A. fragile was much more resistant to the oil hydrocarbons, especially to aromatic hydrocarbons. Adding B. tequilensis ZJ01 before the germination of seeds could restrain the plant growth while adding after the germination of A. fragile seeds notably improved the remediation efficiency. The degradation rate of oil hydrocarbons by B. tequilensis ZJ01 alone was also considerable. Together, our results suggest that the unitary remediation by B. tequilensis ZJ01 and the binary remediation by A. fragile combined with B. tequilensis ZJ01 added after the germination of seeds are recommended for future in situ remediations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristics of quartz-hosted fluid inclusions in fluvial sediments from five locations in the upstream, midstream, and estuary of the Changjiang River, China, are analyzed. The sources of sediments are discussed concerning their differences in the shape, size, number, gas percentage and genetic type of quartz-hosted fluid inclusions. From upstream to downstream, the characteristics of quartz-hosted fluid inclusions in sediments are different. The fluid inclusion types in the samples from upstream to estuary are gradually enriched. The sediment influx from the tributaries of the Changjiang River makes new types of quartz-hosted fluid inclusions in the downstream and estuary. In terms of the number and size, most quartz-hosted fluid inclusions are concentrated in the range of 2–4 µm in diameters and 10–150 in number per 10−3 mm3. The number and size ranges of the fluid inclusions from different positions are also different. The fluid inclusions in the sample collected from the Shigu, upstream of the Changjiang River, are 2–18 µm in size, with the number of 2–166 per 10−3 mm3. Among the samples collected from Yibin, Yichang and Wuhan, the sizes of fluid inclusions are 2–15, 2–10, 2–12 µm, with the number of 1–270, 2–220, and 1–308 per 10−3 mm3, respectively. The proportion of primary fluid inclusions in the sample of the upstream (14%) is higher than that of the midstream (6%–8%) and the estuary (5%), suggesting that different types of source rocks have been input into the river by the tributaries. The characteristics of quartz-hosted fluid inclusions in the fluvial sediments could offer a new perspective for exploration of the source of sediments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the supercavitation effect, a novel device named the rotational supercavitating evaporator (RSCE) has been designed for the desalination. In order to improve the blade shape of the rotational cavitator in the RSCE for the performance optimization, the blade shapes of different sizes are designed by utilizing the improved calculation method for the blade shape and the validated empirical formulae based on previous two-dimensional numerical simulations, from which the optimized blade shape with the wedge angle of 45° and the design speed of 5 000 r/min is selected. The estimation method for the desalination performance parameters is developed to validate the feasibility of the utilization of the results obtained by the two-dimensional numerical simulations in the design of the three-dimensional blade shape. Three-dimensional numerical simulations are then conducted for the supercavitating flows around the rotational cavitator with the optimized blade shape at different rotational speeds to obtain the morphological characteristics of the rotational natural supercavitation. The results show that the profile of the supercavity tail is concaved toward the inside of the supercavity due to the re-entrant jet. The empirical formulae for estimating the supercavity size with consideration of the rotation are obtained by fitting the data, with the exponents different from those obtained by the previous two-dimensional numerical simulations. The influences of the rotation on the morphological characteristics are analyzed from the perspectives of the tip and hub vortices and the interaction between the supercavity tail and the blade. Further numerical simulation of the supercavitating flow around the rotational cavitator made up by the blades with exit edge of uniform thickness illustrate that the morphological characteristics are also affected by the blade shape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine ecosystems provide a wide variety of diverse habitats that frequently promote migration and ecological adaptation. The extent to which the geographic distribution of marine organism has reshaped by human activities remains underappreciated. The limitations intrinsic to morphology-based identification systems have engendered an urgent need for reliable genetic methods that enable the unequivocal recognition of fish species, particularly those that are prone to overexploitation and/or market substitution. In the present study, however, an attempt has been taken to identify two locally adapted fish species, Siganus sutor (Valenciennes, 1835) and Seriolina nigrofasciata (Rüppell, 1829) of order Perciformes, which happens to be the first record in Odisha coast, Bay of Bengal. The diagnostic characteristics of Siganus sutor are: dorsal fin XIII-10, anal fin VII-9, pectoral fin 15, pelvic fin II-3, while that of Seriolina nigrofasciata dorsal fin VI-I-35, anal fin I-17, pectoral fin 16, pelvic fin 5. All COI barcodes generated in this study were matched with reference sequences of expected species, according to morphological identification. Bayesian and likelihood phylogenetic trees were drawn based on DNA barcodes and all the specimens clustered in agreement with their taxonomic classification at the species level. The phylogeographic studies based on haplotype network and migration rates suggest that both the species were not panmitic and the high-frequency population distribution indicates successful migration. The result of this study provides an important validation of the use of DNA barcode sequences for monitoring species diversity and changes within a complex marine ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithophyllum okamurae is one of the important encrusting coralline algae, which plays important roles as primary producer, carbonate sediment builder, and habitat provider in the marine ecosystems. In this study, L. okamurae was collected from tropical coast of Sanya, and firstly described based on both detailed morph-anatomical characteristics and molecular studies of typic DNA sequences. The structure of the thalli of L. okamurae was pseudoparenchymatous construction with radially organized dimerous organizations in the crustose portion. The pseudoparenchymatous construction were composed of three parts, including 1 to 3 layers of epithelia cells which had flatten to round outermost walls, one layer of square or rectangular cells of the hypothallia and multiple layers of square or elongated rectangular peripheral cells. Palisade cells were observed, and the cells of the contiguous vegetative filaments were connected by secondary pit-connections with cell fusions absent. The carposporangial conceptacles, the spermatangial conceptacles, the bisporangial conceptacles and the tetrasporangial conceptacles were observed, and all these four kinds of conceptacles were uniporate. The spermatangial conceptacles were slightly convex and buried at shallow depths in the thalli tissues, and the carposporangial conceptacles and asexual conceptacles were protruding and conical. Phylogenetic studies based on DNA barcoding markers of 18S rDNA, COI, rbcL and psbA revealed that L. okamurae clustered with the closest relation of L. atlanticum, and formed a distinct branch. Based on the comparative anatomical features and the molecular data, the detailed description of the valid species of L. okamurae was firstly given in this study to provide theoretical basis for algae resources utilization and conservation in marine ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The structural characteristics of the tree crowns of Cunninghamia lanceolata var. Luotian (herein, Luotian), a natural variety of C. lanceolata (Chinese-fir, herein Lanceolata) in China, were analyzed using trunk and branch measurements and biomass determinations. Samples from two typical cultivated varietal populations were collected, including twenty-six 15–23-year-old trees of Luotian from a plantation, and nine 16–23-year-old trees of Lanceolata. Our results show that Luotian and Lanceolata samples differed significantly in crown structure, morphological indices, and biomass: (1) the oldest live branches on Luotian trees were 5–6 years old and 8–11 years old on Lanceolata. The ages of the live branches were not affected by the ages of the Luotian trees, while live branch ages increased with ages of Lanceolata trees; (2) the maximum branching order of Luotian was level two. Compared to Lanceolata, the average number of first-order lateral branches (i.e., branches emerging from the trunk) and the number of first-order lateral branch whorls per sample tree were 12.9% and 32.2% lower, respectively, in Luotian. However, the average number of branches within a single whorl was 21.8% greater in Luotian; the average number of branch whorls at crown height was 51.1% greater. Thus, the Luotian variety has thicker branches; (3) the average lateral branch angles in Luotian and Lanceolata sample trees were 105.2° and 61.4°, respectively. The branch angles in 53.0% of lateral branches on Luotian ranged from 105° to 135°, but 30° to 90° in 96% of the lateral branches on Lanceolata. Within the same crown layer, the average branch angle was 1.6–2.2 times greater in Luotian, and the angle was directly proportional to crown thickness; (4) the average base diameter and branch length on Luotian were 1.3 cm and 75.8 cm, respectively, and 1.6 cm and 112.2 cm for Lanceolata. For individual trees, branch growth differed significantly (p < 0.01) between Luotian and Lanceolata. However, the lateral branches grew at a similar rate among Luotian trees of different ages; (5) the average height to the lowest live branch on Luotian was 128.3% greater than on Lanceolata, resulting in a significant difference (p < 0.01) in crown size. Compared to the crowns on Lanceolata, the Luotian crowns were 45.3% higher and 41.1% wider, and the surface area, volume, and growth of the crown were 27.0%, 11.4%, and 2.4 times greater than for Lanceolata, respectively; and, (6) the biomass of Luotian and Lanceolata sample trees also differed significantly. The mean crown, branch, and leaf biomass for Luotian was 40.0%, 25.2%, and 54.1% of those for Lanceolata, respectively. However, the leaf biomass in each layer of the Luotian crown was higher than that of Lanceolata, and leaf biomass increased with crown thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytopathogenic fungal species of the Diaporthe/Phomopsis complex (DPC) are associated with three highly destructive diseases on soybean: seed decay, pod and stem blight, and stem canker. They are responsible for poor seed quality and significant yield reduction in most soybean-producing areas. Precise identification and classification of DPC species are important in understanding the epidemiology of disease and to develop effective control measures. Although cultural and morphological characteristics of DPC-associated pathogens have been described, establishing a more accurate taxonomic framework seems necessary for a revaluation of the taxonomy and phylogeny of DPC species. In this study, we focused on morphological and molecular analyses of species from DPC-damaged European soybean seeds obtained from several locations throughout Europe. Colony characteristics, conidia dimensions, existence of α- and β-conidia, and formation of perithecia were evaluated in order to assign the isolates to a species morphologically. Phylogenetic relationships were determined based on sequences from beta-tubulin (TUB), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1), and nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacers (ITS). All isolates were tested for pathogenicity on soybean with positive results. In this study, we present updated taxonomic data by combining morphological observations and molecular tools which placed 32 Diaporthe isolates into four DPC species: D. longicolla, D. caulivora, D. eres, and D. novem, which are well-known soybean pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]