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 paper analyzes a piled-raft foundation on non-homogeneous soils with variable layer depth percentages. The present work aims to perform a three-dimensional finite element analysis of a piled-raft foundation subjected to vertical load using the PLAXIS 3D software. Parametric analysis was carried out to determine the effect of soil type and initial layer thickness. The parametric study showed that increasing the relative density from 30 % to 80 % of the upper sand layer and the thickness of the first layer has led to an increase in the ultimate load and a decrease in the settlement of piled raft foundations for the cases of sand over weak soil. In clay over weak soil, the ultimate load of the piled raft foundation w
... Show MorePhysical model tests were simulated non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) spill in two-dimensional
domain above the water table. Four laboratory experiments were carried out in the sand-filled
tank. The evolution of the plume was observed through the transparent side of this tank and the
contaminant front was traced at appropriate intervals. The materials used in these experiments
were Al-Najaf sand as a porous medium and kerosene as contaminant.
The results of the experiments showed that after kerosene spreading comes to a halt (ceased) in
the homogeneous sand, the bulk of this contaminant is contained within a pancake-shaped lens
situated on top of the capillary fringe.
The study aims at investigating the quality of internal auditing and its impact on nature, timing, and procedures of external audit, based on international auditing standards, in particular ISA (610). The standard ISA (610) requires the external auditors to assess independence, the scope of internal audit unit, competence, and due professional care of internal auditors as indicators that reflect the quality of internal audit performance before deciding to rely on internal auditors.
The sample of this study consisted of external auditors in Iraqi Solidary Companies for Auditing. A questionnaire was distributed to them via e-mail
... Show MoreIn this paper, a compact genetic algorithm (CGA) is enhanced by integrating its selection strategy with a steepest descent algorithm (SDA) as a local search method to give I-CGA-SDA. This system is an attempt to avoid the large CPU time and computational complexity of the standard genetic algorithm. Here, CGA dramatically reduces the number of bits required to store the population and has a faster convergence. Consequently, this integrated system is used to optimize the maximum likelihood function lnL(φ1, θ1) of the mixed model. Simulation results based on MSE were compared with those obtained from the SDA and showed that the hybrid genetic algorithm (HGA) and I-CGA-SDA can give a good estimator of (φ1, θ1) for the ARMA(1,1) model. Anot
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The topological parameters of the metal-metal and metal-ligand bonding interactions in a trinuclear tetrahydrido cluster [(Cp*Co) (CpRu)2 (μ3-H) (μ-H)3]1 (Cp* = η5 -C5Me4Et), (Cp = η5 -C5Me5), was explored by using the Quantum Theory of Atoms-in-Molecules (QTAIM). The properties of bond critical points such as the bond delocalization indices δ (A, B), the electron density ρ(r), the local kinetic energy density G(r), the Laplacian of the electron density ∇2ρ(r), the local energy density H(r), the local potential energy density V(r) and ellipticity ε(r) are compared with data from earlier organometallic system studies. A comparison of the topological processes of different atom-atom interactions has become possible than
... Show MoreThis study was done in Baghdad teaching Hospital by using developed instrument type GIOHO and included a number of patients with compressed breast thickness (7,8,9,10)cm .
The relationship between radiation dose and breast thickness was linear. All results were compared with the international standered values that measured by the International Nuctear Agency and Europeon sources ,it was found that it is in consistance or has a little difference .
The study showed that the mean absorbed dose may be determined by using TLD measurement below 10 mGy and the glandular dose was (1.45 mGy) and this can not b
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