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.
This study was conducted in Baghdad, Iraq from December 2021 to May 2022. The goal was to determine the effect of Toxoplasma gondii on liver function by examining the relationship between Toxoplasma infection and hormones. One hundred and twenty male patients with Chronic liver disease (CLD) (age:14-75 years) and 120 control males (age: 24-70 years) participated in this study. Serum samples were taken from all individuals and were then analysed for anti-Toxoplasma antibodies. Hormonal tests were conducted for all participants which included (Cortisol, testosterone, prolactin, insulin, and thyroid-stimulating hormone TSH). Biochemical tests included (Prothrombin time PT, international normalized ratio INR and albumin); liver enzymes
... Show MoreIn this work various correlation methods were employed to investigate the annual cross-correlation patterns among three different ionospheric parameters: Optimum Working Frequency (OWF), Highest Probable Frequency (HPF), and Best Usable Frequency (BUF). The annual predicted dataset for these parameters were generated using VOCAP and ASASPS models based on the monthly Sunspot Numbers (SSN) during two years of solar cycle 24, minimum 2009 and maximum 2014. The investigation was conducted for Thirty-two different transmitter/receiver stations distributed over Middle East. The locations were selected based on the geodesic parameters which were calculated for different path lengths (500, 1000, 1500, and 2000) km and bearings (N, NE, E, S
... Show MoreEnvironmental exposures to lead remain a serious problem in the developing and industrializing countries. Children are the highest risk aged-group for lead poisoning. This study was designed to assess lead exposure in Al-Fallujah city by analyzing blood lead levels in children and adults and to explain the relationship between blood lead levels, hematological parameters and ferritin levels in the children. The study was performed on-(90) subjects, (65children and 25 adults).Venous blood samples were taken for estimation of hematological parameters, serum ferritin levels and blood lead levels. The children group was subdivided into four groups as: group (A) (low ferritin, low Hb), group (B) (low ferritin, normal Hb), group (C) (normal fer
... Show MoreAn efficient networks’ energy consumption and Quality of Services (QoS) are considered the most important issues, to evaluate the route quality of the designed routing protocol in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). This study is presented an evaluation performance technique to evaluate two routing protocols: Secure for Mobile Sink Node location using Dynamic Routing Protocol (SMSNDRP) and routing protocol that used K-means algorithm to form Data Gathered Path (KM-DGP), on small and large network with Group of Mobile Sinks (GMSs). The propose technique is based on QoS and sensor nodes’ energy consumption parameters to assess route quality and networks’ energy usage. The evaluation technique is conducted on two routing protocols i
... Show MoreThis study examines the vibrations produced by hydropower operations to improve embankment dam safety. This study consists of two parts: In the first part, ANSYS-CFX was used to generate a three-dimensional (3-D) finite volume (FV) model to simulate a vertical Francis turbine unit in the Mosul hydropower plant. The pressure pattern result of the turbine model was transformed into the dam body to show how the turbine unit's operation affects the dam's stability. The upstream reservoir conditions, various flow rates, and fully open inlet gates were considered. In the second part of this study, a 3-D FE Mosul dam model was simulated using an ANSYS program. The operational turbine model's water pressure pattern is conveyed t
... Show MoreA remarkable correlation between chaotic systems and cryptography has been established with sensitivity to initial states, unpredictability, and complex behaviors. In one development, stages of a chaotic stream cipher are applied to a discrete chaotic dynamic system for the generation of pseudorandom bits. Some of these generators are based on 1D chaotic map and others on 2D ones. In the current study, a pseudorandom bit generator (PRBG) based on a new 2D chaotic logistic map is proposed that runs side-by-side and commences from random independent initial states. The structure of the proposed model consists of the three components of a mouse input device, the proposed 2D chaotic system, and an initial permutation (IP) table. Statist
... Show MoreTo study the comparative use of some soil minerals (zeolite, bentonite, phosphate rock, and limestone) in the adsorption and release of lead and its removal rates from its aqueous solutions using adsorption equations. Two laboratory experiments were carried out for the adsorption and release of lead. The adsorption experiment took 0.5 g of some of the above soil minerals. Lead was added as Pb (NO3)2 at levels of 3.0, 2.0, 1.5, 1.0, 0.5, and 0.0 mmol L-1 containing a concentration of 0.01M of calcium chloride. The experimental unit’s number was 72, the concentration of dissolved lead in the equilibrium solution was estimated and the amount of lead adsorbed was calculated. As for the lead release experiment, samples fo
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