Optimizing Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) Yields in Northwestern Ethiopia: A Comprehensive Study of Key Soil Nutrient Deficiencies

During crop cultivation, improper application of fertilizers can lead to an imbalance in soil nutrients, resulting in decreased crop yield and deterioration of soil health. To determine the optimal fertilizer combinations for crops, omission experiments prove to be the most practical and straightforward approach. This research was conducted in the Habru district, specifically in Sirinka kebele, during the 2021/2022 cropping season. The main objective was to identify the nutrients that limit Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) yield through omission trials in the same district. The test crop utilized in the study was the Melkam variety of Sorghum. The various treatments applied were Control, NPKSBZn, NPKSZn, NPKSB, NPKBZn, NPSBZn, NKSZn, PKSBZn, and RNP, all arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Prior to the experiment, a composite soil sample was collected from the field to assess crucial factors such as pH, soil texture, organic carbon content, cation exchange capacity (CEC), Total N, available P, Exchangeable S, K, Zn, and B. For the analysis of data, the statistical software SAS version 9.3 was employed to conduct variance analysis. The results from the analysis of variance revealed that the treatment with fully fertilized plots (NPKZnSB) achieved the highest grain yield of 4,144.14 kg ha-1. Following closely was the treatment with sulfur omission (NPKZnB) producing 4,100.0 kg ha-1, whereas the unfertilized treatments only yielded 2,595.32 kg ha-1. In addition to grain yield, the plots treated with NPKSB exhibited the highest agronomic efficiency of N and P. As a consequence, it is imperative for research and development efforts to prioritize nitrogen for achieving optimal sorghum production in the study area. Simultaneously, phosphorus can be strategically employed to maintain optimal fertility levels in the soil. To enhance crop productivity and sustainable agriculture practices, this study highlights the significance of balanced fertilizer application and the importance of understanding the nutrient requirements specific to Sorghum crops in the Habru district. By adopting such knowledge, farmers, and policymakers can make informed decisions and contribute to the overall agricultural development of the region

Il valore aggiunto nei sistemi scolastici: uno strumento di analisi della qualità

La ricerca valutativa sulla qualità prevede l’analisi di modelli sistemici finalizzati alla pianificazione di programmi ed obiettivi, competenze di ricerca che hanno l’intento di ottimizzare le procedure in funzione dell’esito atteso. Il controllo della qualità si sposta così dall’accertamento della conformità dei risultati ad obiettivi-standard, alla verifica esplorativa delle condizioni che assicurano coerenza ed allineamento degli interventi formativi con il processo di valutazione. Il controllo della qualità lascia emergere, difatti, questioni legate al valore aggiunto che le singole scuole producono in termini di accrescimento dei livelli di apprendimento dei discenti. Il saggio proposto intende evidenziare, quindi, la relazione esistente fra l’utilizzo di simili modelli organizzativi e didattici ed il conseguente impegno gestionale

Self-Assembled Materials Based on Fully Aromatic Peptides: The Impact of Tryptophan, Tyrosine, and Dopa Residues

: Peptides are able to self-organize in structural elements including cross-β structures. Taking advantage of this tendency, in the last decades, peptides have been scrutinized as molecular elements for the development of multivalent supramolecular architectures. In this context, different classes of peptides, also with completely aromatic sequences, were proposed. Our previous studies highlighted that the (FY)3 peptide, which alternates hydrophobic phenylalanine and more hydrophilic tyrosine residues, is able to self-assemble, thanks to the formation of both polar and apolar interfaces. It was observed that the replacement of Phe and Tyr residues with other noncoded aromatic amino acids like 2-naphthylalanine (Nal) and Dopa affects the interactions among peptides with consequences on the supramolecular organization. Herein, we have investigated the self-assembling behavior of two novel (FY)3 analogues with Trp and Dopa residues in place of the Phe and Tyr ones, respectively. Additionally, PEGylation of the N-terminus was analyzed too. The supramolecular organization, morphology, and capability to gel were evaluated using complementary techniques, including fluorescence, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Structural periodicities along and perpendicular to the fiber axis were detected by grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering. Finally, molecular dynamics studies provided interesting insights into the atomic structure of the cross-β that constitutes the basic motif of the assemblies formed by these novel peptide systems

Alfonsi regis dicta aut facta memoratu digna - I detti e i fatti memorabili di re Alfonso: introduzione, edizione, traduzione del ms. Urb. lat. 1185

Gli Alfonsi regis dicta aut facta memoratu digna del Panormita sono certamente l’opera più significativa dell’Umanesimo “monarchico” che si sviluppò a Napoli intorno alla metà del XV secolo. Il suo autore, Antonio Beccadelli, detto il Panormita, fu uno dei protagonisti dello straordinario rinnovamento culturale che ebbe luogo alla corte di Alfonso il Magnanimo (1394-1458), re della Corona d’Aragona e, dal 1442, di Napoli. L’opera, suddivisa in 4 libri, è organizzata in circa 230 capitoletti, ciascuno intitolato a una o più virtù possedute da Alfonso, il re sapiente e cristiano che può offrire un modello etico esemplare per tutti gli uomini. La presente edizione è basata sul ms. della Biblio­teca Apostolica Vaticana, Urb. lat. 1185, vergato da Pietro Ursuleo († 1483), rinomato copista della biblioteca dei re aragonesi di Napoli, per il conte di Urbino Federico da Montefeltro. Pubblicazione realizzata con il contributo erogato dalla Direzione generale Educazione, ricerca e istituti culturali del Ministero della Cultura.Panormita’s Alfonsi regis dicta aut facta memoratu digna is certainly the most significant work of the “monarchical” Humanism, which flourished in Naples around the mid-15th century. Its author, Antonio Beccadelli, known as the Panormita, was one of the protagonists of the extraordinary cultural renewal that took place at the court of Alfonso the Magnanimous (1394-1458), king of the Crown of Aragon and, from 1442, of Naples. The work, divided into 4 books, is organized into about 230 chapters, each entitled to one or more virtues possessed by Alfonso, the wise and Christian king who can offer an exemplary ethical model for all men. The Alfonsi Regis Triumphus describes the triumph celebrated in Naples by Alfonso the Magnanimous on February 26th, 1443, after the conquest of the Kingdom, completed in June of the previous year. Probably written close to the event, but completed in 1455, together with the De dictis et factis Alfonsi Regis and the Oratio in expeditionem contra Turcos is a masterpiece of the “mo­nar­chical” Humanism, which flourished at the royal court of Naples. This edition is based on the ms. of the Vatican Apostolic Library, Urb. lat. 1185, written by Petrus Ursuleus († 1483), renowned copyist of the library of the Aragonese kings of Naples, for the Earl of Urbino Federico da Montefeltro. Publication made with the contribution provided by the Directorate-General for Education, Research and Cultural Institutes of the Ministry of Culture

Performance Evaluation of Reconfiguration Policy in Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems including Multi-Spindle Machines: An Assessment by Simulation

Reconfigurable manufacturing systems (RMSs) are extensively studied and employed to address demand uncertainties. RMS machines are designed to be modular and adaptable to changing requirements. A recent innovation is the introduction of multi-spindle reconfigurable machines (MRMTs). This study evaluates the impact of MRMTs’ introduction into an RMS, considering factors such as the number of MRMT machines and reconfiguration policies. A simulation model incorporating failures, process time variability, and part inter-arrival supports the analysis. The numerical results aid decision makers in determining the optimal RMS configuration with MRMTs. The simulation outcomes indicate that a balanced number of multi-spindle machines can significantly enhance performance compared with an unbalanced distribution

Landslide risk mitigation: the experience of the MITIGO project in southern Italian Apennines

Herein we shortly illustrate the experience gained in a complex and very interdisciplinary research project co-funded by European Union. The project aims to the mitigation of landslide and seismic risks for road infrastructures and strategic structures of a large portion of a regional territory in the southern Italian Apennine chain. We develop the geotechnical part working together with sociologists, planners, physicists, geologists, and hydraulic, seismic, road, transport, mechanical and energy engineers. In particular, for landslide problems, the remedial measures are defined with a holistic vision of the problems and with sequences of bottom-up and top-down procedures