Tillage and manure effect on soil microbial biomass and respiration, and on enzyme activities

Application of liquid pig manure on soil for agricultural use increases the organic matter content and constitutes an important input of nutrients into the soil, increasing microbial activity through the direct addition of nutrients and microorganisms. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of both tillage and liquid pig manure application on soil microbial biomass, enzyme activities and microbial respiration in a meadow soil. The results obtained did not show any significant effect of tillage and manure on microbial biomass carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) nor on soil acid phosphatase activity. However, these treatments significantly increased microbial biomass P, urease, alkaline phosphatase and ammonification rates. The maximum microbial activity was observed in surface soil layer both under conventional tillage and zero-tillage. In fact, microbial respirations (CO2) of bacteria and actinomycetes were higher in the surface soil and increased with the level of manure. Tillage and manure application had no significant effect on fungal respiration but interaction between tillage and manure application significantly influenced soil urease and ammonification rates. Hence, we suggested that soil microbial biomass and enzyme activities were closely correlated to the N mineralization potential, N and C mineralization rates, total amounts of C or N, soil pH, ammonification rates and soil structural stability.Keywords: Microbial biomass, enzyme activities, respiration, pastures soi

Modeling the association between EFL students’ boredom and enjoyment: The mediating role of teacher humor style

This study sought to explore the association between English as a foreign language (EFL) students‟ foreign language learning boredom (FLB) and foreign language enjoyment (FLE) (i.e., personal enjoyment, teacher appreciation, and social enjoyment) as well as the mediating role of student-perceived teacher humor styles (i.e., affiliative, self-enhancing, aggressive, and self-defeating). In doing so, we firstly investigated the relationship between 229 (67 male and 162 female) Turkish EFL university students‟ FLB, FLE, and perceived teacher humor styles. We then probed to determine whether perceived teacher humor styles predict their FLB and FLE. The results indicated that all three indices of FLE had significant negative correlations with FLB. While affiliative and self-enhancing humor styles were significantly and positively correlated with FLE, they were negatively associated with FLB. Aggressive humor had only a significant negative correlation with the teacher appreciation subscale of FLE whereas self-defeating humor indicated a significant positive correlation with FLB. The results also showed that FLE could negatively predict FLB. Finally, the results of the mediation analysis indicated two significant mediation relationships which were significantly related to FLB through affiliative and self-enhancing humor. Implications are discussed in the context of teacher education

Potential sources of foreign language learning boredom: A Q methodology study

The present study employed an interpretive approach to investigate individual learners’ viewpoints on foreign language learning boredom (FLLB). To this aim, a Q method, which shares features of both qualitative and quantitative research approaches, was used to explore 37 Iranian English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ perceptions of potential sources of boredom in the classroom. Nonprobability purposeful sampling was used to select participants from two private language institutes in Mashhad, Iran. A hybrid-type Q sampling was employed to produce 40 statements related to the sources of FLLB. Using PQ Method, an exclusive statistical package for Q methodology, the Q sorts were intercorrelated and factor-analyzed. Three factors were extracted and rotated using varimax rotation and hand adjustment. Factor arrays and qualitative analyses were utilized to find and interpret three different accounts of FLLB. The three factors showed that the students held three divergent prototypical points of view about the sources of boredom experienced in EFL learning in class: (a) teacher-induced boredom, (b) student-induced boredom, and (c) activity-induced boredom. The findings also showed that different learner prototypes experience FLLB distinctly. Thus teachers should consider using different strategies to prevent or reduce this negative emotion in the context of L2 learning since otherwise this process could be impeded

When time matters: Mechanisms of change in a mediational model of foreign language playfulness and L2 learners’ emotions using latent change score mediation model

In a dynamic system, time-dependent links between affective factors can provide more information than the level of response within a single isolated system. In the present study, influenced by the positive psychology movement and the complex dynamic systems theory in the domain of second language acquisition, first, we dealt with change in terms of short-term dynamics and long-term trajectories of foreign language enjoyment (FLE), foreign language boredom (FLB), and foreign language playfulness (FLP) in a sample of 636 learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) using univariant latent change score (LCS) models. Then, we explored the developmental processes involved in how changes in FLE and FLP were associated with changes in FLB. In particular, we tested mediation models to see whether the growth of FLP acts as a mediator between FLE and FLB changes in a multivariant LCS mediation (LCSM) model. The findings showed that (a) in a multivariant LCS model, FLE and FLP increases independently predicted decreases in FLB over time and (b) the growth of FLP acted as a mediator between variation in FLE and FLB. Participants showed interindividual and intraindividual divergences in their L2 emotions, not just on the first time of measurement, but also in short-term dynamics and long-term trajectories. The findings facilitate understanding of the complicated mechanism of variation in L2 emotions, thus potentially contributing to enhancement of pedagogical practices and learning outcomes

Study of type and frequency of Alfa-thalassemia mutations in a cohort of 3,823 patients from Isfahan Province, Iran

Introduction: Alpha-thalassemia (α-thalassemia) is caused by a range of mutations in the α-globin gene resulting in the complete reduction or absence of α-globin chain production. Material and methods: This study assessed the presence of α-thalassemia in 3,823 patients referred to Al-Zahra Hospital, Isfahan, Iran during a 10-year period (from 2012 to 2022). These patients experienced anaemia for more than ten years but had not the full indication for β-thalassemia or iron deficiency. Results: Based on the present assessment, 3,483 cases out of 3,823 suspicious cases had an α-Thalassemia-involved mutation (91.1%). According to the results, the most common detected mutation in the α-thalassemia carriers of Isfahan province was –α3.7 with a frequency of 81.58% (3,119 individuals), followed by α5nt (–TGAGG) (3.71% in total or 39.01% between 364 patients), polyadenylation signal mutations (polyA2) (14.28% between 364 patients), αcodon 19 (GCG4GC–, a2) (11.53%), –α3.7/–α3.7 (11.53%), –α20.5 (7.69%), Hb Constant Spring [Hb CS, a142, Stop →Gln; HBA2: c.427T4C] (5.7%), α4.2 (5.49) and – –MED (4.67%). Conclusion: The results of this investigation may be valuable for designing a program for carrier screening, premarital genetic counselling, and prenatal diagnosis in the Isfahan province

Promoting the Quality Level of Signaling in Railway Transportation System Taking Advantage from Wireless Sensor Networks Technology

Given the importance of using the railway networks for the reliable and safe transportation of goods and passengers, which plays an important role in the economy of rail transport of the country, it is necessary to use wireless sensor network techniques to raise the quality and quantity and also maintain the application of these facilities for better control and optimal use of relevant technologies in this regard. Regarding the development of wireless sensor networks for collecting and processing environmental information, we intended to employ them in order to maintain railways, and also prevent defects that might occur in mobile machines and parts, as well as to avoid probable events and reduce human errors. Considering the limited capacity of batteries for sensor nodes in a wireless sensor network, energy efficiency is an important issue; thus mobile sinks are presented as a possible solution. In this study, the proposed routing uses Ring Routing and an optimization gravitational search algorithm for the primary selection of the ring causes an increase in a sensor network’s lifespan. In this study, by applying the proposed method in the railway transportation system, it is improved to reduce the existing errors by creating a system with a higher safety factor and high quality and efficiency, together with maximum efficiency and good speed

Graphical analysis of multi-environmental trials for wheat grain yield based on GGE-biplot analysis under diverse sowing dates

Abstract Background Information on the nature and extent of genetic and genotype × environment (GE) interaction is extremely rare in wheat varieties under different sowing dates. In the present study, the GGE biplot method was conducted to investigate genotype × environment interaction effects and evaluate the adaptability and yield stability of 13 wheat varieties across eight sowing dates, in order to facilitate comparison among varieties and sowing dates and identify suitable varieties for the future breeding studies. Results Considerable genotypic variation was observed among genotypes for all of the evaluated traits, demonstrating that selection for these traits would be successful. Low broad sense heritability obtained for grain yield showed that, both genetic and non-genetic gene actions played a role in the control of this trait, and suggested that indirect selection based on its components which had high heritability and high correlation with yield, would be more effective to improve grain yield in this germplasm. Hence, selection based on an index may be more useful for improvement of this trait in recurrent selection programs. The results of the stability analysis showed that the environmental effect was a major source of variation, which captured 72.21% of total variation, whereas G and GE explained 6.94% and 18.33%, respectively. The partitioning of GGE through GGE biplot analysis showed that, the first two PCs accounted for 54.64% and 35.15% of the GGE sum of squares respectively, capturing a total of 89.79% variation. According to the GGE biplot, among the studied varieties, the performance of Gascogen was the least stable, whereas Sirvan, Roshan, and Pishtaz had superior performance under all sowing dates, suggesting that they have a broad adaptation to the diverse sowing dates. These varieties may be recommended for genetic improvement of wheat with a high degree of adaptation. Conclusion The results obtained in this study demonstrated the efficiency of the GGE biplot technique for selecting high yielding and stable varieties across sowing dates

A Longitudinal Study of the Subdomains of Foreign Language Enjoyment: A Factor of Curves Latent Growth Modeling

The present research employed a dynamic approach to language learning and traced the co-development of English language learners’ private and social foreign language enjoyment(FLE). To this aim, a factor of curves model (FCM) was used, as an innovative statisticalprocedure, to trace the covariance of the subdomains of FLE longitudinally on fourmeasurement occasions and to explore the covariance of the initial state and slope of the sub-domains of FLE and how variation in private and social FLE can be explained by theunderlying global factor of FLE. For data collection, the FLE scale developed by Dewaele andMacIntyre (2014) was distributed to 437 adult EFL learners in four phases. The data wereanalyzed in Mplus in three steps suggested by Wickrama et al (2016). The results indicatedthat all growth parameters across the two primary growth curves (intercepts and slopes ofprivate FLE and social FLE) were statistically significant. This confirmed the existence ofsufficient inter-individual variation and intra-individual trend within each subdomain of FLEand a significant increase over time in these subdomains. Also, the primary growth factors ofprivate FLE and social FLE differentially contributed to second-order growth factors of FLE.Finally, the variances of the intercept and slope of each second subdomain were revealed tobe largely explained by the global factor of FLE. These findings were discussed in the light ofthe potential variables associated with FLE.Keywords: foreign language enjoyment, private FLE, social FLE, factor of curves model,parallel process modelin

The efficacy of some chemical and botanical pesticides against Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) on Platanus orientalis (Platanaceae) in urban areas

Fatemi, Masoud, Torabi, Ehssan, Olyaie-Torshiz, Ali, Taherian, Majid (2021): The efficacy of some chemical and botanical pesticides against Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) on Platanus orientalis (Platanaceae) in urban areas. Persian Journal of Acarology 10 (23): 309-319, DOI: 10.22073/pja.v10i3.6762

Change over Time in Learners’ Mindsets about Learning a Foreign Language

Inspired by the recent avenues for longitudinal research in second language acquisition (SLA), in this study we aimed to trace changes in language mindsets over time via a curve of factors model. The data were collected from 437 adult English as a foreign language learners’ response to the Language Mindsets Index in four time points. The model fit was accepted and the invariance of the latent factor was attested over time. The findings indicated a negative covariance between the initial level language mindsets and the growth level of the construct. This finding implies that learners with a highly initial level of language mindsets experienced less change in the construct over time and those with a lower level of the construct changed their mindsets more over time. Pedagogical implications of the findings such as language teachers’ consideration of growth language mindsets interventions are discussed