Deciphering the rhizosphere bacteriome associated with biological control of tobacco black shank disease

IntroductionThe black shank disease seriously affects the health of tobacco plants. Conventional control methods have limitations in terms of effectiveness or economic aspects and cause public health concerns. Thus, biological control methods have come into the field, and microorganisms play a key role in suppressing tobacco black shank disease.MethodsIn this study, we examined the impact of soil microbial community on black shank disease basing on the structural difference of bacterial communities in rhizosphere soils. We used Illumina sequencing to compare the bacterial community diversity and structure in different rhizosphere soil samples in terms of healthy tobacco, tobacco showing typical black shank symptoms, and tobacco treated with the biocontrol agent, Bacillus velezensis S719.ResultsWe found that Alphaproteobacteria in the biocontrol group, accounted for 27.2% of the ASVs, was the most abundant bacterial class among three groups. Heatmap and LEfSe analyses were done to determine the distinct bacterial genera in the three sample groups. For the healthy group, Pseudomonas was the most significant genus; for the diseased group, Stenotrophomonas exhibited the strongest enrichment trend, and Sphingomonas showed the highest linear discriminant analysis score, and was even more abundant than Bacillus; for the biocontrol group, Bacillus, and Gemmatimonas were the largely distributed genus. In addition, co-occurrence network analysis confirmed the abundance of taxa, and detected a recovery trend in the network topological parameters of the biocontrol group. Further functional prediction also provided a possible explanation for the bacterial community changes with related KEGG annotation terms.DiscussionThese findings will improve our knowledge of plant-microbe interactions and the application of biocontrol agents to improve plant fitness, and may contribute to the selection of biocontrol strains

Theoretical and Experimental Investigation of Vehicle-Mounted Transient Electromagnetic Method Detection for Internal Defects of Operational Tunnels

With the durable operation of high-speed railway tunnels in China, many tunnel defects successively appeared in the tunnel lining structure and gradually threatened the safe operation of the tunnels. In the limited maintenance time of high-speed railways, it is urgent to find out and maintain tunnel defects, especially internal defects. We propose an applied detection technology called the vehicle-mounted transient electromagnetic method (TEM). The detection technology aims to rapidly detect and locate the internal defects of the lining structure throughout the entire tunnel. Firstly, we investigate tunnel defects in detail and introduce the rapid detection method. Secondly, we analyze the principle and process of vehicle-mounted TEM. Thirdly, the rationality and applicability of vehicle-mounted TEM are verified by three different methods, including theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, and laboratory experiment. Finally, we compare the inversion results of experimental data under the two conditions. The results illustrate that tunnel surface defects are the external manifestations and characteristics of tunnel defects, while the forms of surface defects are directly related to internal defects. This detection method is suitable for the significant resistivity difference between tunnel defects and surrounding rocks, and its rationality is effectively validated. Furthermore, the apparent resistivity results reveal that there is a low resistivity region in front of the transmitter coil, and that the relative position can be preliminarily judged. The research results can provide a potential and significant application technology for the rapid detection of tunnel defects

Characterization of a Versatile Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacterium Pseudomonas mediterranea Strain S58

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacterial strain S58 was isolated from the tobacco rhizosphere. It showed strong antagonism against a battery of plant pathogenic fungi and bacteria, and controlled wheat sharp eyespot and tobacco wildfire diseases efficiently. Further tests showed that strain S58 solubilized organic phosphate and produced siderophore, protease, ammonia, and indole-3-acetic acid. In Arabidopsis thaliana, it promoted plant growth and changed root system architecture by restricting the growth of primary roots and increasing lateral root numbers. We relied on morphological, biochemical, physiological characteristics, and molecular phylogenic analysis to identify strain S58 as Pseudomonas mediterranea. The complete genome of strain S58 has a single circular chromosome of 6,150,838 bp with a 61.06% G+C content. The bacterial genome contained 5,312 predicted genes with an average length of 992.90 bp. A genome analysis suggested that P. mediterranea S58 was a rich cyclic lipopeptide (CLP)-producing strain that possessed seven non-ribosomal peptide gene clusters for CLP synthesis. Leaf inoculation of the bacterial culture and supernatants triggered cell death-like immunity in tobacco. Quantitative real-time PCR assays showed that the strain S58 induced the expression of pattern-triggered immunity and cell death marker genes, but not jasmonic acid marker genes. The results suggested that P. mediterranea S58 is a novel, versatile plant growth-promoting agent with multiple beneficial traits for plants

Sloshing of Liquid in a Cylindrical Tank with Multiple Baffles and Considering Soil-Structure Interaction

In this study, the liquid sloshing in a cylindrical tank considering soil–structure interaction and undergoing horizontal excitation is investigated analytically. Multiple rigid annular baffles are positioned on the rigid wall to mitigate the liquid sloshing. Firstly, combined with the subdomain partition method for sloshing, the complex liquid domain is partitioned into simple subdomains with the single condition for boundary. Based on continuity conditions of velocity and pressure as well as the linear sloshing equation for free surface, the exact solution for convective velocity potential is derived with high accuracy. By yielding the similar hydrodynamic shear and moment as those of the original system, a mechanical model is developed to describe continuous sloshing, and parameters of the model are given in detail. Then, by means of the least squares approach, the Chebyshev polynomials are utilized to fit impedances for the circular surface foundation. A lumped parameter model is employed to represent influences of soil on the superstructure. Finally, by using the substructure method, a coupling model of the soil–tank system is developed to simplify the dynamic analysis. Comparison investigations are carried out to verify the effectiveness of the model. Detailed sloshing characteristics and dynamic responses of sloshing are analyzed with regard to different baffle sizes and positions as well as soil parameters, respectively. The novelty of the present study is that an equivalent analytical model for the soil–foundation–tank–liquid system with multiple baffles is firstly obtained and it allows the dynamic behaviors of the coupling system to be investigated with high computation efficiency and acceptable accuracy

Computational simulation of the damage response for machining long fibre reinforced plastic (LFRP) composite parts: A review

Long fibre reinforced plastics (LFRPs) possess excellent mechanical properties and are widely used in the aerospace, transportation and energy sectors. However, their anisotropic and inhomogeneous characteristics as well as their low thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity make them prone to subsurface damage, delamination and thermal damage during the machining process, which seriously reduces the bearing capacity and shortens the service life of the components. To improve the processing quality of composites, finite element (FE) models were developed to investigate the material removal mechanism and to analyse the influence of the processing parameters on the damage. A review of current studies on composite processing modelling could significantly help researchers to understand failure initiation and development during machining and thus inspire scholars to develop new models with high prediction accuracy and computational efficiency as well as a wide range of applications. To this aim, this review paper summarises the development of LFRP machining simulations reported in the literature and the factors that can be considered in model improvement. Specifically, the existing numerical models that simulate the mechanical and thermal behaviours of LFRPs and LFRP-metal stacks in orthogonal cutting, drilling and milling are analysed. The material models used to characterise the constituent phases of the LFRP parts are reviewed. The mechanism of material removal and the damage responses during the machining of LFRP laminates under different tool geometries and processing parameters are discussed. In addition, novel and objective evaluations that concern the current simulation studies are conducted to summarise their advantages. Aspects that could be improved are further detailed, to provide suggestions for future research relating to the simulation of LFRP machining

Stem Photosynthesis of Twig and Its Contribution to New Organ Development in Cutting Seedlings of Salix Matsudana Koidz.

The objective of this study was to illustrate the photosynthetic characteristics of current twigs of Salix matsudana Koidz., and clarify the effect of stem photosynthesis on the new organ development in cutting seedlings. Excised twigs were taken as the experimental samples. The response of the stem photosynthesis rate to increasing light intensity and the effective photochemical efficiency of the cross section of the twig were determined. Then, twigs were used as cuttings and exposed to 0, 20, and 100 μmol m−2 s−1 light intensities, respectively, to achieve distinctive stem photosynthetic rates. After 14 days of treatment, stem water and non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) content, as well as the biomass and carbon isotopic composition, of new organs in the cutting seedlings under different light treatments were examined. The results showed that the gross photosynthetic rate significantly increased within 400 μmol m−2 s−1 of light intensity, and the maximum rate was approximately 1.27 μmol m−2 s−1. The effective photochemical efficiency of the PSⅡ of the cortex was significantly higher than the inner tissues in the cross section of the twig. When twig cuttings were exposed to different light intensities, stem water and starch content, as well as bud and root biomass, were significantly higher in the cutting seedling subjected to 100 μmol m−2 s−1 than the case treated in darkness; however, the bud δ13C trend was the opposite. Stem photosynthesis played a positive role in the maintenance of stem water and starch supply for the cutting seedlings, and 13C depleted assimilates produced by stem photosynthesis contributed to bud biomass, revealing that stem photosynthesis promotes organ development in cutting seedlings of Salix matsudana

An Experimental Study on the Mechanical Properties of a High Damping Rubber Bearing with Low Shape Factor

A high damping rubber bearing (HDRB) is widely utilized in base-isolation structures due to its good energy dissipation capacity and environmentally friendly properties; however, it is incapable of isolating the vertical vibration caused by earthquakes and subways effectively. Thick rubber bearings with a low shape factor have become one of the important vertical isolation forms. This paper provides an experimental comparative study on high damping rubber bearings with low shape factor (HDRB-LSF), thick lead–rubber bearings (TLRB), and lead–rubber bearings (LRB). The abilities of the bearing and energy dissipation of the above bearings are analyzed contrastively considering the influence of vertical pressure, loading frequency, shear strain, and pre-pressure. Firstly, the HDRB-LSF, TLRB, and LRB are designed according to the Chinese Code for seismic design of buildings. Secondly, cyclic vertical compression tests and horizontal shear tests, as well as their correlation tests, are conducted, respectively. The vibrational characteristics and hysteresis feature of these three bearings are critically compared. Thirdly, a corrected calculation of vertical stiffness for the thick rubber bearings is proposed based on the experimental data to provide a more accurate and realistic tool measuring the vertical mechanical properties of rubber bearings. The test results proved that the HDRB-LSF has the most advanced performance of the three bearings. For the fatigue property, the hysteresis curves of the HDRB-LSF along with TLRB are plump both horizontally and vertically, thus providing a good energy dissipation effect. Regarding vertical stiffness, results from different loading cases show that the designed HDRB-LSF possesses a better vertical isolation effect and preferable environmental protection than LRB, a larger bearing capacity, and, similarly, a more environmentally friendly property than TLRB. Hence, it can avoid the unfavorable resonance effect caused by vertical periodic coupling within the structure. All the experimental data find that the proposed corrected equation can calculate the vertical stiffness of bearings with a higher accuracy. This paper presents the results of an analytical, parametric study that aimed to further explore the low shape factor concepts of rubber bearings applied in three-dimensional isolation for building structures

Assessment of Peanut Protein Powder Quality by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Generalized Regression Neural Network-Based Approach

The global demand for protein is on an upward trajectory, and peanut protein powder has emerged as a significant player, owing to its affordability and high quality, with great future market potential. However, the industry currently lacks efficient methods for rapid quality testing. This research paper addressed this gap by introducing a portable device with employed near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) to quickly assess the quality of peanut protein powder. The principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares (PLS), and generalized regression neural network (GRNN) methods were used to construct the model to further enhance the accuracy and efficiency of the device. The results demonstrated that the newly established NIR method with PLS and GRNN analysis simultaneously predicted the fat, protein, and moisture of peanut protein powder. The GRNN model showed better predictive performance than the PLS model, the correlation coefficient in calibration (Rcal) of the fat, the protein, and the moisture of peanut protein powder were 0.995, 0.990, and 0.990, respectively, and the residual prediction deviation (RPD) were 10.82, 10.03, and 8.41, respectively. The findings unveiled that the portable NIR spectroscopic equipment combined with the GRNN method achieved rapid quantitative analysis of peanut protein powder. This advancement holds a significant application of this device for the industry, potentially revolutionizing quality testing procedures and ensuring the consistent delivery of high-quality products to fulfil consumer desires

Covalent Immobilization of Proteins on 3D Poly(acrylic acid) Brushes: Mechanism Study and a More Effective and Controllable Process

Polymeric brushes have emerged as a novel 3D material platform that provides great amounts of binding sites for biomolecules. This paper investigates the covalent immobilization mechanism of protein by spherical poly­(acrylic acid) brushes (SPAABs) in the widely adopted <i>N</i>-hydroxysuccinimide/<i>N</i>-(3-dimethyl-aminopropyl)-<i>N</i>′-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (NHS/EDC) process. It was discovered that electrostatic interaction plays a crucial role in the covalent immobilization of protein. Due to the existence of 3D architecture and “Donnan effect”, SPAABs exhibit quite different immobilization kinetics in comparison with conventional 2D materials. Under conditions favorable to electrostatic interaction, the effect of “electrostatic interaction induced covalent binding” was observed as a result of competitive immobilization by physical adsorption and chemical binding. On the basis of the mechanism study, a new “chemical conjugation after electrostatic entrapment” (CCEE) method was developed which set the chemical and physical immobilization process apart. A more effective and well-defined covalent immobilization was achieved. And the binding capacity can be tuned in a wide range (0–4.2 mg protein/mg SPAABs) with a high level of control