The effect of potassium fertilizer and planting dates on the growth and production of maize (Zea mays L.)

An agricultural field study was conducted in Ramadi City, located in the Western region of Iraq, during the fall season of 2023, with the objective of examining the effect of three planting dates.  viz 25 March, 5 and 15 April, and three levels of potassium fertilizer, including 100, 150 and 200 kg K2O per hectare, on maize, variety Buhuth 106. Variations in planting dates exerted a notable impact on traits, including plant height, leaf area, ear length, number of ears per plant, weight of 300 grain total grain yield. The planting date of 25 March gave the highest rate of the studied traits, reaching 202.00 cm, 3990 cm2, 15.138 cm, 1.824, 73.82 g and 4.372 tons. ha-1 respectively. Significant differences were observed between the levels of potassium fertilizer for the same traits above. the potassium fertilizer level of 100 kg K₂O. ha-1 was associated with the highest average values observed across all of the measured traits, which amounted to 187.156 cm, 3490 cm-2, 13.413 cm, 1.752 cm, 71.15 g and 3.301 tons. ha-1 respectively. The combined effect of the experimental variables also demonstrated a clear influence on grain yield, as planting on 25 March combined with the application of 100 kg K₂O per hectare resulted in the highest recorded grain yield of 5.210 tons

Electrochemical and surface analytical characterization study of the inhibition effect of boiled red onion extract on tin corrosion in 0.2 M Maleic acid medium.

The inhibition efficiency of boiled red onion skin extracts (BROE) against tin corrosion in 0.2 M Maleic acid has been studied using electrochemical and surface analytical methods. The electrochemical polarization curves displayed the active/passive transition of the anodic behavior of the tin electrode. The electrochemical impedance measurements demonstrated the effect of increasing BORE concentration on the inhibition efficiency (η %) (to a ηmax = 94% at 300 mg/L of BORE). The inhibition mechanism is attributed to the formation of adsorbed protective layers, on the metal surface, that fit the Langmuir adsorption isotherm model. Increasing the temperature hindered the η values

Chemical composition of essential oil and antioxidant and anti-corrosion activity of extract and essential oil of Pennyroyal Mint (Mentha pulegium, MP)

View the growing success of natural products as an alternative to synthetic chemicals. The purpose of this study was to contribute to the valorization of leaves of Mentha pulegium by determining the chemical composition of its essential oil and evaluate in vitro the antioxidant and the anticorrosive activities of its aqueous extract and essential oil. The essential oil revealed 1,8-Cineole (31.9%) followed by piperitone (15.6%), Limonene (14.6%) and β-Pinene (4.8%) as the main constituents. The antioxidant activity of aqueous extract was evaluated by the method of DPPH radical scavenging. The extract and the essential oil of M. pulegium were tested as corrosion inhibitors of mild steel in 0.5 M H2SO4 using weight loss measurements and electrochemical methods. The aqueous extract exhibited a moderate antioxidant activity compared to acid ascorbic and the IC50 value was 36,62 µg/mL. The obtained  results  have showed that the inhibition efficiency increases with increasing  inhibitor  concentration  to  attain  90.3 % at  2 g/L of  MPE and 87.3 %  at 4g.L-1 of MPO at 303 K. Finally, extracts and essential oil of M. pulegium from Mediterranean origin have numerous potential as a substitute to chemical additives for the food industry

Takotsubo syndrome outcomes predicted by thyroid hormone signature: insights from cluster analysis of a multicentre registry

Background: Recently, abnormal thyroid function was shown to be common in patients with Takotsubo syndrome (TTS), being classified into “endocrine-type” and “stress-type” responses. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between thyroid homeostasis and TTS in a larger international registry. Methods: In total 288 patients with TTS were enrolled through the GEIST multicentre registry from Germany, Italy and Spain. Thyrotropin (TSH), free T4 (FT4) and free T3 (FT3) concentrations were analysed at admission. Data were collected both retrospectively and prospectively from 2017 onwards. Primary endpoints included in-hospital and all-cause fatality, determined by cluster analysis using an unsupervised machine learning algorithm (k-medoids). Findings: Three clusters were identified, classifying TTS with low (TSLT), high (TSHT) and normal (TSNT) thyroid output, based on TSH and FT4 levels in relation to the median thyroid's secretory capacity (SPINA-GT). Although TSH and FT4 concentrations were similar among survivors and non-survivors, these clusters were significantly associated with patient outcomes. In the longitudinal Kaplan–Meier analysis including in- and out-of-hospital survival, the prognosis related to concentrations of TSH, FT4, and FT3 as well as SPINA-GT, deiodinase activity (SPINA-GD) and clusters. Patients in the TSHT cluster and with cardiogenic shock had a lower initial left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Interpretation: This study suggests that thyroid hormones may impact the evolution and prognosis of TTS. The findings indicate that thyroid-derived biomarkers may help identify high-risk patients and pave the way for novel personalized and preventive therapeutic options. Funding: This research was not funded by any public, commercial, or not-for-profit agencies

Complement C3 Inhibitor Pegcetacoplan for Geographic Atrophy Secondary to Age-Related Macular Degeneration : A Randomized Phase 2 Trial

Copyright © 2019 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Reversible Disruption of Pre-Pulse Inhibition in Hypomorphic-Inducible and Reversible CB1-/- Mice

Although several genes are implicated in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, in animal models for such a severe mental illness only some aspects of the pathology can be represented (endophenotypes). Genetically modified mice are currently being used to obtain or characterize such endophenotypes. Since its cloning and characterization CB1 receptor has increasingly become of significant physiological, pharmacological and clinical interest. Recently, its involvement in schizophrenia has been reported. Among the different approaches employed, gene targeting permits to study the multiple roles of the endocannabinoid system using knockout (-/-) mice represent a powerful model but with some limitations due to compensation. To overcome such a limitation, we have generated an inducible and reversible tet-off dependent tissue-specific CB1-/- mice where the CB1R is re-expressed exclusively in the forebrain at a hypomorphic level due to a mutation (IRh-CB1-/-) only in absence of doxycycline (Dox). In such mice, under Dox+ or vehicle, as well as in wild-type (WT) and CB1-/-, two endophenotypes motor activity (increased in animal models of schizophrenia) and pre-pulse inhibition (PPI) of startle reflex (disrupted in schizophrenia) were analyzed. Both CB1-/- and IRh-CB1-/- showed increased motor activity when compared to WT animals. The PPI response, unaltered in WT and CB1-/- animals, was on the contrary highly and significantly disrupted only in Dox+ IRh-CB1-/- mice. Such a response was easily reverted after either withdrawal from Dox or haloperidol treatment. This is the first Inducible and Reversible CB1-/- mice model to be described in the literature. It is noteworthy that the PPI disruption is not present either in classical full CB1-/- mice or following acute administration of rimonabant. Such a hypomorphic model may provide a new tool for additional in vivo and in vitro studies of the physiological and pathological roles of cannabinoid system in schizophrenia and in other psychiatric disorders

Cardiac myosin binding protein C phosphorylation in cardiac disease

Perturbations in sarcomeric function may in part underlie systolic and diastolic dysfunction of the failing heart. Sarcomeric dysfunction has been ascribed to changes in phosphorylation status of sarcomeric proteins caused by an altered balance between intracellular kinases and phosphatases during the development of cardiac disease. In the present review we discuss changes in phosphorylation of the thick filament protein myosin binding protein C (cMyBP-C) reported in failing myocardium, with emphasis on phosphorylation changes observed in familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy caused by mutations in MYBPC3. Moreover, we will discuss assays which allow to distinguish between functional consequences of mutant sarcomeric proteins and (mal)adaptive changes in sarcomeric protein phosphorylation

Chemical Additives for Corrosion Control in Desalination Plants

The addition of chemical additives has been considered as a standard operation in water treatment systems. This chapter discusses the chemical additives used for the control of corrosion in desalination systems. Specifically, corrosion inhibitors for various metallurgies, biocides, and oxygen scavengers are covered. The pros and cons of the additive chemicals have been highlighted. The need to utilize green corrosion inhibitors based on plants and ionic liquids materials have been emphasized. This class of materials are environmentally friendly, cheap, and readily available