Cover crops (CC) improve soil quality, including soil microbial enzymatic activities and soil chemical parameters. Scientific studies conducted in research centers have shown positive effects of CC on soil enzymatic activities; however, studies conducted in farmer fields are lacking in the literature. The objective of this study was to quantify CC effects on soil microbial enzymatic activities (β-glucosidase, β-glucosaminidase, fluorescein diacetate hydrolase, and dehydrogenase) under a corn (Zea mays L.)–soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) rotation. The study was conducted in 2016 and 2018 in Chariton County, Missouri, where CC were first established in 2012. All tested soil enzyme levels were significantly different between 2016 and 2018, irrespective of CC and no cover crop (NCC) treatments. In CC treatment, β-glucosaminidase activity was significantly greater at 0–10 cm depth in 2016 and at 10–20 and 20–30 cm in 2018. In contrast, dehydrogenase activity was significantly greater in NCC in 2018. Soil pH and organic matter (OM) content were found to be significantly greater in CC. Overall, CC have mixed effects on soil enzyme activities and positive effects on soil OM compared to NCC. This study highlights the short-term influence of CC and illustrates the high spatial and temporal variability of soil enzymes under farmer-managed fields.
The production of polyhydroxyalkanoates PHAs from biopolymer degrading bacteria was examined
Background: Maxillary first premolar with wide MOD cavity more susceptible to fracture. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of cavity design for cusp coverage on the fracture resistance of weakened maxillary first premolar restored with CAD/CAM hybrid ceramic versus nanohybide composite. Materials and Methods: Fifty six intact maxillary first premolars of approximately comparable sizes were divided into seven groups eight for each: Group A: Intact teeth (control group); Group B: teeth prepared for MOD inlay; Group C: teeth prepared for MOD onlay covering the lingual cusp; Group D: teeth prepared for MOD covering buccal and lingual cusps ,the previous three groups indirectly restored with nanohybrid composite (3M ESPE Z 250 X
... Show MoreThe present study analyzes the violation of the strategies of conversation in two English plays namely Richard II and King Lear. The present study tries to achieve the following goals: 1. showing how the strategies of real conversation can be applied to conversation in plays. 2. analyzing how the characters communicate with each other to discover how Shakespeare violates the strategies of conversation in depicting his characters. The study has been conducted on the bases of the following hypotheses:
- The strategies of conversation which are derived from the study of natural conversation can be applied to conversation in drama with some modification for dramatic purposes.
Chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs) are toxic chemical entities emitted invariably from stationary thermal operations when a trace of chlorine is present. Replacing the high-temperature destruction operations of these compounds with catalytic oxidation has led to the formulation of various potent metal oxides catalysts; among them are ceria-based materials. Guided by recent experimental measurements, this study theoretically investigates the initial steps operating in the interactions of ceria surface CeO2(111) with three CVOC model compounds, namely chloroethene (CE), chloroethane (CA) and chlorobenzene (CB). We find that, the CeO2(111) surface mediates fission of the carbon–chlorine bonds in the CE, CA and CB molecules via mo
... Show MoreThe planning, designing, construction of excavations and foundations in soft to very soft clay soils are always difficult. They are problematic soil that caused trouble for the structures built on them because of the low shear strength, high water content, and high compressibility. This work investigates the geotechnical behavior of soft clay by using tyre ash material burnt in air. The investigation contains the following tests: physical tests, chemical tests, consolidation test, Compaction tests, shear test, California Bearing Ratio test CBR, and model tests. These tests were done on soil samples prepared from soft clay soil; tyre ash was used in four percentages (2, 4, 6, and 8%). The results of the tests were; The soil samples which
... Show MoreGypseous soils are widely distributed and especially in Iraq where arid area of hot climatic is present. These soils are considered as problematic soils; therefore this work attends to improve the geotechnical properties of such soil and reduce the dangers of collapse due to wetting process. In this research, undisturbed soil sample of 30 % gypsum content from Karbala city is used. The Single Oedometer collapse test is used in order to investigate the collapse characteristics of natural soil and after treatment with 3%, 6%, 9%, 12% and 15% of Cutback Asphalt. Moreover, two selected additive percentages (9% and 12%) are used to evaluate the suitability of using the Cutback Asphalt for improvement of the bearing capacity o
... Show MoreShallow foundations have been commonly used to transfer load to soil layer within the permissible limits of settlement based on the bearing capacity of the soil. For most practical cases, the shape of the shallow foundation is of slight significance. Also, friction resistance forces in the first layers of soils are negligible due to non-sufficient surrounding surface area and compaction conditions. However, the bearing capacity of a shallow foundation can be increased by several techniques. Geocell is one of the geosynthetic tool applied mainly to reinforce soil. This study presents a numerical approach of honeycombed geocell steel panels reinforcing the sandy soil under shallow foundation, and several parameters are investigated such as th
... Show MoreThe Boltzmann transport equation is solved by using two- terms approximation for pure gases . This method of solution is used to calculate the electron energy distribution function and electric transport parameters were evaluated in the range of E/N varying from . 172152110./510.VcmENVcm
From the results we can conclude that the electron energy distribution function of CF4 gas is nearly Maxwellian at (1,2)Td, and when E/N increase the distribution function is non Maxwellian. Behavior of electrons transport parameters is nearly from the experimental results in references. The drift velocity of electron in carbon tetraflouride is large compared with other gases