Gul B¹, M Islam², S Ahmad³, S Gul¹

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.83, pp. 415-421, 2014, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2014.83.415

Abstract The effect of fire on growth and nutritive value of Saccharum griffithii Munro ex Boiss-ravennae (Linn.) Murr. hybrid, a low palatable perennial grass in the semi-arid region of the highlands of Balochistan, Pakistan, was evaluated during 2008 and 2009. Prescribed fire treatments were applied in February 2008 and 2009 at the dormant stage of vegetation. Different growth parameters (tiller height, tiller number/plant), forage production (fresh, dry) and nutritive value (crude protein, ash) were compared with control (unburnt) plots. Fire increased the number of tillers, and the fresh and dry forage production in both years. Fire also More >

Li^1,2 YY, X-T Lü¹, Z-W Wang¹, C Zhou^3,4, X-G Han¹

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.83, pp. 283-289, 2014, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2014.83.283

Abstract Relative growth rate (RGR) of plants is a key component of fitness. Theoretically, the RGR of plants would be closely related with biomass allocation. Our mechanistic understanding of the relationship between RGR and biomass allocation under global change scenarios is still limited. We examined the responses of RGR and biomass allocation of Leymus chinensis, a dominant grass in the temperate steppe of northern China, to a wide range of N addition. We found that N addition increased RGR of L. chinensis up to a threshold of 10 g N/m². While leaf and stem weight ratios were positively correlated… More >

Wei TX¹, XJ Zhang^1,2, JZ Zhu¹

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.83, pp. 213-223, 2014, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2014.83.213

Abstract In order to examine the nutrient content, and the distribution and accumulation patterns of individual nutrients in the natural secondary forests (NSFs), sample NSF plots were selected in the Caijiachuan watershed on the Loess Plateau. On the basis of a comprehensive field inventory to the NSFs in Caijiachuan watershed, a 40 m × 40 m sample plot was selected as the representative plot. Each tree plant was then measured to select the standard tree in accordance with a diameter-scale. For measurement of the biomass in the above-ground part of the tree, it was divided into… More >

Díaz-López E¹, JM Loeza-Corte², I Brena-Hernández², JM Campos Pastelín², IJ Orlando-Guerrero², G Salgado-Benítez³

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.83, pp. 171-178, 2014, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2014.83.171

Abstract The Toluca´s México valley is considered a high valley because it is situated at 2560 m.a.s.l. In this region, maize is the most important crop; free pollination [Yellow, red, blue and flour maize (Cacahuacintle)] and hybrid materials are grown. Corn yield is negatively affected by an inadequate P fertilization. The aim of this study was to determine the agronomic effectiveness of phosphorus in terms of biomass and yield on three cultivars of maize as a function of six levels of phosphorus fertilization in the Toluca´s valley, Mexico. The materials Amarillo Almoloya, Cacahuacintle and Cóndor were More >

Ferrante D^1,2, A Cesa^1,2, S Lewis², G Jaurena³

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.83, pp. 127-131, 2014, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2014.83.127

Abstract In plants, compensatory growth takes place when the positive effects of defoliation compensate the negative ones, and defoliated plants show a similar or increased production in relation to non-defoliated plants. Our objective was to evaluate the ability to compensate defoliation of Poa spiciformis, a forage perennial tussock grass in southern Patagonia (Argentina). The experiment was performed in potted plants that grew under controlled conditions of watering and fertilization. Three defoliation frequencies were imposed (zero, three or five) using 20-25 day intervals among them. Harvest intensity was always equivalent to 50% of the aerial biomass. Fifteen plants… More >

Jiao Shi^∗, Kun Cai^∗, Qing H. Qin^†,‡

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.11, No.4, pp. 235-248, 2014, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2014.011.235

Abstract Simulation of the mass distribution in a human proximal femur is important to provide a reasonable therapy scheme for a patient with osteoporosis. An algorithm is developed for prediction of optimal mass distribution in a human proximal femur under a given loading environment. In this algorithm, the bone material is assumed to be bi-modulus, i.e., the tension modulus is not identical to the compression modulus in the same direction. With this bi-modulus bone material, a topology optimization method, i.e., modified SIMP approach, is employed to determine the optimal mass distribution in a proximal femur. The More >

Umadevi. B, Dinesh P.A., Indira R., Vinay. C.V

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.11, No.2, pp. 101-111, 2014, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2014.011.101

Abstract The mass transfer in an eccentric annular region through diffusion by taking blood as a Newtonian fluid with the investigation of oxygen transfer and drug transport to the tissue cells in an eccentric catheterized artery is studied. The region bounded by eccentric circles in x-y plane is mapped conformally to concentric circles in \(\xi -\eta\) plane using a conformal mapping \(z = \lambda /1 - \zeta\). The resulting governing equations are analytically solved by using transformation for the concentration. Numerical computations are carried out to understand the simultaneous~effects of absorption parameter and eccentricity on the More >

M. Toujani¹, R. Djebali², L. Hassini¹, S. Azzouz¹, A. Belghith¹

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.98, No.5, pp. 469-485, 2014, DOI:10.3970/cmes.2014.098.469

Abstract In the present work we aim to simulate unsteady two-dimensional evolution of the moisture content, temperature and mechanical stress in a parallelepiped apple sample during convective drying. The model is based on the heat and mass transfer equations and the mechanical equilibrium equation under the assumptions of plane deformation, viscoelasticity and isotropic hydric shrinkage. The Finite Elements COMSOL Multiphysics solver is used to solve the developed model. The hydro-thermal model was validated on experimental data drawn in our laboratory for moisture and temperature internal profiles of the product. Excellent agreement has been obtained between numerical More >

Shueei-Muh Lin¹, Min-Jun Teng²

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.103, No.3, pp. 189-213, 2014, DOI:10.3970/cmes.2014.103.189

Abstract The control and separation of a scanning device moving along an arbitrary trajectory on an elastic plate is investigated. The system is a moving mass problem and is difficult to analyze directly. A semi-analytical method for the movingmass model is presented here. Without vibration control, the separation of a vehicle from a plate is likely to happen. The mechanism of separation of a vehicle from a plate is studied. Moreover, the effects of several parameters on vibration separation and the critical speed of system are studied. An effective control methodology is proposed for suppressing vibration More >

Yidong Bao^1,2, Dongmei Wu^1,3

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.100, No.4, pp. 277-294, 2014, DOI:10.3970/cmes.2014.100.277

Abstract Aiming at the shortcomings of mass-spring model, this paper, on the basis of preliminary studies, established a new viscoelastic soft tissue model based on meshless structure. The model is consisted of a large quantity of filled spheres, with every three spheres being connected by a spring and a Kelvin structure, which can further enhance the real-time virtual simulation operability while ensure the viscoelasticity of basic model. The stress relaxation and creep equation of the model can be derived from formula derivation. Through setting different parameters to the filled spheres, this model, with certain universal property, More >