Effects of biofertilizers on grain yield and protein content of two soybean (Glycine max L.) cultivars

Nutrient management is one of the most important factors in successful cultivation of plants. Biofertilizers can affect the quality and quantity of crop. In order to study the effects of biofertilizers on grain yield and protein content of two soybean (Glycine max L.) cultivars, an experiment was conducted using a factorial arrangement based on randomized complete block design with four replications, at the Mahidasht Research Station of Kermanshah in 2010. The factors were soybean cultivar (Williams and Line no. 17) and fertilizer application (b1= N + P, b2= Bradyrhizobium japonicum + P, b3= N + Bacillus and Pseudomonas + 50% of P, b4= B. japonicum + Bacillus and Pseudomonas + 50% of P, b5= B. japonicum + 50% of N + Bacillus and Pseudomonas + 50% of P). Results show that Line no. 17 with 2911.2 kg/ha had higher seed yield than Williams with 2711 kg/ha. Also, fertilizer levels of b3 with 3058.2 and b2 with 2643.8 kg/ha produced the highest and the lowest seed yield, respectively. Plants treated with fertilizer levels of b1, b2 and b5 in comparison with other fertilizer levels significantly produced lower thousand seed weight. In Line no. 17 fertilizer level of b3 with 2.88 produced the highest seed per pod. Results show that fertilizer levels had a significant effect on the number of pod per plant and treatments containing biological fertilizers in terms of the number of pods per plant were equal or superior to chemical fertilizer. It was also observed that fertilizer levels of b1, b3 and b5, produced the highest protein percentage. It therefore seems that biofertilizers can be considered as a replacement for part of chemical fertilizers in soybean production.Key words: Bacillus, Bradyrhizobium japonicum, phosphate solubilizing, protein, Pseudomonas

Date-Driven Approach for Identifying State of Hemodialysis Fistulas: Entropy-Complexity and Formal Concept Analysis

The paper explores mathematical methods that differentiate regular and chaotic time series, specifically for identifying pathological fistulas. It proposes a noise-resistant method for classifying responding rows of normally and pathologically functioning fistulas. This approach is grounded in the hypothesis that laminar blood flow signifies normal function, while turbulent flow indicates pathology. The study explores two distinct methods for distinguishing chaotic from regular time series. The first method involves mapping the time series onto the entropy-complexity plane and subsequently comparing it to established clusters. The second method, introduced by the authors, constructs a concepts-objects graph using formal concept analysis. Both of these methods exhibit high efficiency in determining the state of the fistula.Comment: Accepted in AIST-2023 conference. Yerevan, Armeni

Effects of aflatoxin B1 on growth performance, health indices, phagocytic activity and histopathological alteration in Fenneropenaeus indicus

Mycotoxins contamination of feedstuff for aquatic animals is common in regions with humid tropical conditions. In this study Indian white shrimp, Fenneropenaeus indicus, (11.79 ± 1.76 g) were fed with diets containing 0, 20, 50, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1600 ppb levels of aflatoxin B1 (AFLB1) for 8 weeks. Final weight, aflatoxin B1 residue (2-week intervals), Total Hemocyte Count (THC), Total Plasma Protein (TPP), Phagocytic Activity (PA), Survival rate (4-week intervals) were determined. Histopathological alterations in hepatopancreas, midgut and muscle tissues were studied at the end of 4 and 8 weeks. Shrimps fed with the 1600, 800 and 400 ppb concentrations of AFLB1 exhibited slow growth, and more reddish discoloration disseminated over the body at 4th week. Growth parameters, survival rate and health indices (THC, TPP) of F. indicus, are affected by the different doses of AFLB1 in diets. At the end of 8th week, doses of AFLB1 in the diets showed negative correlation to final weight, survival rate, THC and TPP (r = - 0.312, -0.603, -0.237 and - 0.649 at P<0.001, respectively). Moreover, significant histopathological alterations in the hepatopancreas, midgut and muscle tissues of exposed shrimps to different levels of AFLB1 were observed and these alterations are obviously indicated by changes in the health indexes (THC and TPP)

Requirements for effective academic leadership in Iran: A nominal group technique exercise

Background. During the last two decades, medical education in Iran has shifted from elite to mass education, with a considerable increase in number of schools, faculties, and programs. Because of this transformation, it is a good case now to explore academic leadership in a non-western country. The objective of this study was to explore the views on effective academic leadership requirements held by key informants in Iran's medical education system. Methods. A nominal group study was conducted by strategic sampling in which participants were requested to discuss and report on requirements for academic leadership, suggestions and barriers. Written notes from the discussions were transcribed and subjected to content analysis. Results. Six themes of effective academic leadership emerged: 1)shared vision, goal, and strategy, 2) teaching and research leadership, 3) fair and efficient management, 4) mutual trust and respect, 5) development and recognition, and 6) transformational leadership. Current Iranian academic leadership suffers from lack of meritocracy, conservative leaders, politicization, bureaucracy, and belief in misconceptions. Conclusion. The structure of the Iranian medical university system is not supportive of effective academic leadership. However, participants' views on effective academic leadership are in line with what is also found in the western literature, that is, if the managers could create the premises for a supportive and transformational leadership, they could generate mutual trust and respect in academia and increase scientific production. © 2008 Bikmoradi et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

The effect of acute exercise on objectively measured sleep and cognition in older adults

Background: Exercise can improve cognition in aging, however it is unclear how exercise influences cognition, and sleep may partially explain this association. The current study aimed to investigate whether objectively measured sleep mediates the effect of an acute exercise intervention on cognition in older adults. Methods: Participants were 30 cognitively unimpaired, physically active older adults (69.2 ± 4.3 years) with poor sleep (determined via self-report). After a triple baseline cognitive assessment to account for any natural fluctuation in cognitive performance, participants completed either a single bout of 20-minutes of high intensity exercise on a cycle ergometer, or a control condition, in a cross-over trial design. Cognition was measured immediately post-intervention and the following day, and sleep (total sleep time, sleep onset latency, sleep efficiency, % of rapid eye movement sleep, light sleep and deep sleep) was characterized using WatchPAT™ at baseline (5 nights) and measured for one night after both exercise and control conditions. Results: Results showed no effect of the exercise intervention on cognition immediately post-intervention, nor an effect of acute exercise on any sleep variable. There was no mediating effect of sleep on associations between exercise and cognition. However, a change from baseline to post-intervention in light sleep and deep sleep did predict change in episodic memory at the ~24 h post-intervention cognitive assessment, regardless of intervention condition. Discussion: There was no effect of acute high intensity exercise on sleep or cognition in the current study. However, results suggest that associations between sleep and cognition may exist independently of exercise in our sample. Further research is required, and such studies may aid in informing the most effective lifestyle interventions for cognitive health

The effect of acute exercise on objectively measured sleep and cognition in older adults

BackgroundExercise can improve cognition in aging, however it is unclear how exercise influences cognition, and sleep may partially explain this association. The current study aimed to investigate whether objectively measured sleep mediates the effect of an acute exercise intervention on cognition in older adults.MethodsParticipants were 30 cognitively unimpaired, physically active older adults (69.2 ± 4.3 years) with poor sleep (determined via self-report). After a triple baseline cognitive assessment to account for any natural fluctuation in cognitive performance, participants completed either a single bout of 20-minutes of high intensity exercise on a cycle ergometer, or a control condition, in a cross-over trial design. Cognition was measured immediately post-intervention and the following day, and sleep (total sleep time, sleep onset latency, sleep efficiency, % of rapid eye movement sleep, light sleep and deep sleep) was characterized using WatchPAT™ at baseline (5 nights) and measured for one night after both exercise and control conditions.ResultsResults showed no effect of the exercise intervention on cognition immediately post-intervention, nor an effect of acute exercise on any sleep variable. There was no mediating effect of sleep on associations between exercise and cognition. However, a change from baseline to post-intervention in light sleep and deep sleep did predict change in episodic memory at the ~24 h post-intervention cognitive assessment, regardless of intervention condition.DiscussionThere was no effect of acute high intensity exercise on sleep or cognition in the current study. However, results suggest that associations between sleep and cognition may exist independently of exercise in our sample. Further research is required, and such studies may aid in informing the most effective lifestyle interventions for cognitive health

Improved ring potential of QED at finite temperature and in the presence of weak and strong magnetic field

Using the general structure of the vacuum polarization tensor $\Pi_{\mu\nu}(k_{0},\mathbf{k})$ in the infrared (IR) limit, $k_{0}\to 0$, the ring contribution to QED effective potential at finite temperature and non-zero magnetic field is determined beyond the static limit, $(k_{0}\to 0,\mathbf{k}\to \mathbf{0})$. The resulting ring potential is then studied in weak and strong magnetic field limit. In the limit of weak magnetic field, at high temperature and for $\alpha\to 0$, the improved ring potential consists of a term proportional to $T^{4}\alpha^{5/2}$, in addition to the expected $T^{4}\alpha^{3/2}$ term arising from the static limit. Here, $\alpha$ is the fine structure constant. In the limit of strong magnetic field, where QED dynamics is dominated by the lowest Landau level (LLL), the ring potential includes a novel term consisting of dilogarithmic function $(eB){Li}_{2}(-\frac{2\alpha}{\pi}\frac{eB}{m^{2}})$. Using the ring improved (one-loop) effective potential including the one-loop effective potential and ring potential in the IR limit, the dynamical chiral symmetry breaking of QED is studied at finite temperature and in the presence of strong magnetic field. The gap equation, the dynamical mass and the critical temperature of QED in the regime of LLL dominance are determined in the improved IR as well as in the static limit. For a given value of magnetic field, the improved ring potential is shown to be more efficient in decreasing the critical temperature arising from one-loop effective potential.Comment: V1: 39 pages, 2 figures, 2 tables, LaTeX format; V2: 53 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, Sect. IV revised, results are unchanged, 3 appendices and references added, version accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Different effects of aerobic exercise and diaphragmatic breathing on lower esophageal sphincter pressure and quality of life in patients with reflux: A comparative study

BACKGROUND Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a worldwide disorder with an increasing prevalence. The quality of life (QOL) of the patients may be influenced by reflux disease. Diaphragmatic breathing (DB), as well as aerobic exercise (AE), may improve the symptoms of reflux disease, although it remains a controversial issue. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of AE and DB on QOL and lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure of patients with moderate to severe reflux. METHODS This was a case-control study that was conducted for 8 weeks among patients with moderate to severe GERD. The block randomization method was designed to randomize patients into three groups (AE, DB, and control) to achieve equal sample sizes. The control group received omeprazole 20 mg once daily. The other groups, in addition to omeprazole, received AE and DB. QOL and LES pressure were measured before and after the study by Questionary and Manometry method, respectively. RESULTS 75 patients were enrolled in this study. Positive effects of DB on LES pressure was approved (p = 0.001). DB had significantly more effects on QOL than aerobic exercise (p = 0.003). AE can significantly improve QOL in patients (p = 0.02) but no significant change in LES pressure (p = 0.38). There was no change in the control group for both variables. CONCLUSION AE had no effects on LES pressure but can improve QOL of the patients. DB had more effects on QOL than AE, so injured or disable patients with reflux who cannot do AE, can benefit from DB to improve their reflux symptoms. © 2021 The Author(s)

Neuropathological changes in brain cortex and hippocampus in a rat model of Alzheimer's disease

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder with progressive loss of cognitive abilities and memory loss. The aim of this study was to compare neuropathological changes in hippocampus and brain cortex in a rat model of AD. Methods: Adult male Albino Wistar rats (weighing 250-300 g) were used for behavioral and histopathological studies. The rats were randomly assigned to three groups: control, sham and β-amyloid (Aβ) injection. For behavioral analysis, Y-maze and shuttle box were used, respectively at 14 and 16 days post-lesion. For histological studies, Nissl, modified Bielschowsky and modified Congo red staining were performed. The lesion was induced by injection of 4 μL of Aβ (1-40) into the hippocampal fissure. Results: In the present study, Aβ (1-40) injection into hippocampus could decrease the behavioral indexes and the number of CA1 neurons in hippocampus. Aβ injection CA1 caused Aβ deposition in the hippocampus and less than in cortex. We observed the loss of neurons in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex and certain subcortical regions. Y-maze test and single-trial passive avoidance test showed reduced memory retention in AD group. Conclusion: We found a significant decreased acquisition of passive avoidance and alternation behavior responses in AD group compared to control and sham group (P<0.0001). Compacted amyloid cores were present in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and white matter, whereas, scattered amyloid cores were seen in cortex and hippocampus of AD group. Also, reduced neuronal density was indicated in AD group