Impacts of high temperature,relative air humidity,and vapor pressure deficit on the seed set of contrasting maize genotypes during flowering

Heat stress is a major constraint to current and future maize production at the global scale.Male and female reproductive organs both play major roles in increasing seed set under heat stress at flowering,but their relative contributions to seed set are unclear.In this study,a 2-year field experiment including three sowing dates in each year and 20 inbred lines was conducted.Seed set,kernel number per ear,and grain yield were all reduced by more than 80%in the third sowing dates compared to the first sowing dates.Pollen viability,silk emergence ratio,and anthesis-silking interval were the key determinants of seed set under heat stress;and their correlation coefficients were 0.89^(***),0.65^(***),and-0.72^(***),respectively.Vapor pressure deficit(VPD)and relative air humidity(RH)both had significant correlations with pollen viability and the silk emergence ratio.High RH can alleviate the impacts of heat on maize seed set by maintaining high pollen viability and a high silk emergence ratio.Under a warming climate from 2020 to 2050,VPD will decrease due to the increased RH.Based on their pollen viability and silk emergence ratios,the 20 genotypes fell into four different groups.The group with high pollen viability and a high silk emergence ratio performed better under heat stress,and their performance can be further improved by combining the improved flowering pattern traits.

Gypsum-based Silica Gel Humidity-controlling Composite Materials:Preparation,Characterization,and Performance

Gypsum was used as substrate,and silica gel was mixed into substrate at a certain mass ratio to prepare humidity-controlling composites;moreover,the moisture absorption and desorption properties of gypsum-based composites were compared with adding different silica gel particle size and proportion.The morphological characteristics,the isothermal equilibrium moisture content curve,moisture absorption and desorption rate,moisture absorption and desorption stability,and humidity-conditioning performance were tested and analyzed.The experimental results show that,compared with pure-gypsum,the surface structure of the gypsum-based composites is relatively loose,the quantity,density and aperture of the pores in the structure increase.The absorption and desorption capacity increase along with the increase of silica gel particle size and silica gel proportion.When 3 mm silica gel particle size is added with a mass ratio of 40%,the maximum equilibrium moisture content of humidity-controlling composites is 0.161 g/g at 98% relative humidity(RH),3.22 times that of pure-gypsum.The moisture absorption and desorption rates are increased,the equilibrium moisture absorption and desorption rates are 2.68 times and 1.61 times that of pure-gypsum at 58.5% RH,respectively.The gypsum-based composites have a good stability,which has better timely response to dynamic humidity changes and can effectively regulate indoor humidity under natural conditions.

Effects of temperature, particle size, and air humidity on sensibility of typical high-energetic explosives

The production and utilization of high-energetic explosives often pose a range of safety hazards,with sensitivity being a key factor in evaluating these risks.To investigate how temperature,particle size,and air humidity affect the responsiveness of commonly used high-energetic explosives,a series of BAM(Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und-prüfung)impact and friction sensitivity tests were carried out to determine the critical impact energy and critical load pressure of four representative high-energetic explosives(RDX,HMX,PETN and CL-20)under different temperatures,particle sizes,and air humidity conditions.The experimental findings facilitated an examination of temperature and particle size affecting the sensitivity of high-energetic explosives,along with an assessment of the influence of air humidity on sensitivity testing.The results clearly indicate that high-energetic explosives display a substantial decline in critical reaction energy when subjected to micrometre-sized particles and an air humidity level of 45%at a temperature of 90℃.Furthermore,it was noted that the critical reaction energy of high-energetic explosives diminishes with an increase in temperature within 25℃−90℃.In the same vein,as the particle sizes of high-energetic explosives increase,so does the critical reaction energy for micrometre-sized particles.High air humidity significantly affects the sensitivity testing of high-energetic explosives,emphasizing the importance of refraining from conducting sensitivity tests in such conditions.

Modelling of the variation of granular base materials resilient modulus with material characteristics and humidity conditions

This study aims to quantify the susceptibility of granular materials used in pavements to changes in moisture content and propose a correlation model to incorporate this susceptibility into seasonal analyses.The fines content and the percentage of fractured coarse aggregates were identified as direct indicators of the resilient modulus susceptibility to changes in water content.The results showed that the percentage of fractured coarse aggregates particles(FR)has a more significant impact on the resilient modulus(Er)of crushed granular materials used in pavement construction than the combined indicator of the fines content and sample volumetrics(nf).Crushed granular materials with a higher percentage of fractured coarse aggregates are relatively insensitive to changes in the degree of saturation,but become more sensitive as the fine fraction porosity decreases.An adjusted model was proposed based on the existing formulation,but considers a complex parameter to describe and adjust the sensitivity of base granular materials to variations in moisture content with respect to fabrication charac-teristics,fines content and volumetric properties.The model shows that the variation of Er values is below10%for fully crushed granular materials.However,it reaches approximately±12%for materials with 75%of crushed coarse aggregates andþ40%and-25%for materials with FR=50%.This model could help select good ag-gregates characteristics and adjust grain-size distribution for environments where significant moisture content variations can occur in the pavement system,such as in the Province of Quebec(Canada).As it is based on pa-rameters that can be easily determined or estimated,it also represents a valuable tool for detailed design and analysis that can consider material characteristics.

Prediction of Low Heating Value of Sugar Cane Bagasse as a Fuel for Industrial Boilers in the High Relative Humidity Region: Case of Cameroon

Many attempts have been made to estimate calorific value of bagasse using mathematical equations, which were created based on data from proximate, ultimate, physical and chemical analysis. Questions have been raised on the applicability of these equations in different parts of the globe. This study was initiated to tackle these problems and also check the most suited mathematical models for the Law Heating Value of Cameroonian bagasse. Data and bagasse samples were collected at the Cameroonian sugarcane factory. The effects of cane variety, age of harvesting, source, moisture content, and sucrose on the LHV of Cameroon bagasse have been tested. It was shown that humidity does not change within a variety, but changes from the dry season to the rainy season;the sugar in the rainy season is significantly different from that collected in the dry season. Samples of the same variety have identical LHV. LHV in the dry season is significantly different from LHV in the rainy season. According to the fact that this study was done for cane with different ages of harvesting, the maturity of Cameroonian sugarcane does not affect LHV of bagasse. Tree selected models are much superior tool for the prediction of the LHV for bagasse in Cameroon compared to others. The standard deviation of these validated models is around 200 kJ/kg compared to the experimental. Thus, the models determined in foreign countries, are not necessarily applicable in predicting the LHV of bagasse in other countries with the same accuracy as that in their native country. There was linear relationship between humidity, ash and sugar content in the bagasse. It is possible to build models based on data from physical composition of bagasse using regression analysis.

Laser direct writing of Ga_(2)O_(3)/liquid metal-based flexible humidity sensors

Flexible and wearable humidity sensors play a vital role in daily point-of-care diagnosis and noncontact human-machine interactions.However,achieving a facile and high-speed fabrication approach to realizing flexible humidity sensors remains a challenge.In this work,a wearable capacitive-type Ga_(2)O_(3)/liquid metal-based humidity sensor is demonstrated by a one-step laser direct writing technique.Owing to the photothermal effect of laser,the Ga_(2)O_(3)-wrapped liquid metal particles can be selectively sintered and converted from insulative to conductive traces with a resistivity of 0.19Ω·cm,while the untreated regions serve as active sensing layers in response to moisture changes.Under 95%relative humidity,the humidity sensor displays a highly stable performance along with rapid response and recover time.Utilizing these superior properties,the Ga_(2)O_(3)/liquid metal-based humidity sensor is able to monitor human respiration rate,as well as skin moisture of the palm under different physiological states for healthcare monitoring.

Outstanding Humidity Chemiresistors Based on Imine-Linked Covalent Organic Framework Films for Human Respiration Monitoring

Human metabolite moisture detection is important in health monitoring and non-invasive diagnosis.However,ultra-sensitive quantitative extraction of respiration information in real-time remains a great challenge.Herein,chemiresistors based on imine-linked covalent organic framework(COF)films with dual-active sites are fabricated to address this issue,which demonstrates an amplified humidity-sensing signal performance.By regulation of monomers and functional groups,these COF films can be pre-engineered to achieve high response,wide detection range,fast response,and recovery time.Under the condition of relative humidity ranging from 13 to 98%,the COFTAPB-DHTA film-based humidity sensor exhibits outstanding humidity sensing perfor-mance with an expanded response value of 390 times.Furthermore,the response values of the COF film-based sensor are highly linear to the relative humidity in the range below 60%,reflecting a quantitative sensing mechanism at the molecular level.Based on the dual-site adsorption of the(-C=N-)and(C-N)stretching vibrations,the revers-ible tautomerism induced by hydrogen bonding with water molecules is demonstrated to be the main intrinsic mechanism for this effective humidity detection.In addition,the synthesized COF films can be further exploited to effectively detect human nasal and oral breathing as well as fabric permeability,which will inspire novel designs for effective humidity-detection devices.

Functionalized Hydrogel-Based Wearable Gas and Humidity Sensors

Breathing is an inherent human activity;however,the composition of the air we inhale and gas exhale remains unknown to us.To address this,wearable vapor sensors can help people monitor air composition in real time to avoid underlying risks,and for the early detection and treatment of diseases for home healthcare.Hydrogels with three-dimensional polymer networks and large amounts of water molecules are naturally flexible and stretchable.Functionalized hydrogels are intrinsically conductive,self-healing,self-adhesive,biocompatible,and room-temperature sensitive.Compared with traditional rigid vapor sensors,hydrogel-based gas and humidity sensors can directly fit human skin or clothing,and are more suitable for real-time monitoring of personal health and safety.In this review,current studies on hydrogel-based vapor sensors are investigated.The required properties and optimization methods of wearable hydrogel-based sensors are introduced.Subsequently,existing reports on the response mechanisms of hydrogel-based gas and humidity sensors are summarized.Related works on hydrogel-based vapor sensors for their application in personal health and safety monitoring are presented.Moreover,the potential of hydrogels in the field of vapor sensing is elucidated.Finally,the current research status,challenges,and future trends of hydrogel gas/humidity sensing are discussed.

Experimental investigation on degradation mechanism of membrane electrode assembly at different humidity under automotive protocol

Humidity can affect the attenuation of MEA(membrane electrode assembly), however, the relationship between humidity and MEA decays is complex and ambiguous in realistic application. Herein, we design a simulating automotive protocol, performed on five single fuel cells under RH(relative humidity) 100%,RH 80%, RH 64%, and RH 40%, RH 10%, respectively, to study the relationship of MEA decays and humidity and suggest optimized humidity range to extend the durability. With the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the four degradation mechanisms about catalyst layer, including Pt dissolution, Pt coarsening, carbon corrosion and ionomer degradation, are observed. Pt coarsening and carbon corrosion are accelerated by higher water content at high humidity. Ionomer degradation and Pt dissolution are enhanced in low humidity. With the linear sweep voltammetry, ion chromatography,nuclear magnetic resonance, tensile test and scan electron microscope, chemical and mechanical degradation in proton exchange membrane are all observed in these five fuels. Chemical degradation, characterized by membrane thinning and more fluoride loss, occurred markedly in RH 10%. Mechanical degradation, characterized by the non-uniformity thickness and bad mechanical properties, is more pronounced in RH 100%, RH 80%, RH 64%. These two degradations are in a moderate level in RH 40%. The research suggests that the RH range from 64% to 40% is conductive to mitigate the degradation of MEAs operated in automotive applications.

Combined effects of temperature and humidity on the interaction between tomato and Botrytis cinerea revealed by integration of histological characteristics and transcriptome sequencing

The environment significantly impacts the interaction between plants and pathogens,thus remarkably affecting crop disease occurrence.However,the detailed combined mechanisms of temperature and humidity influencing this interaction remain unclear.In this study,the interaction between tomato and Botrytis cinerea in various temperature and humidity conditions was analyzed by histological observation and a dual RNA-seq approach.Results showed that low humidity was not favorable for mycelial growth,resulting in infection failure.Both high and low temperatures at high humidity successfully inhibited pathogenic infection and disease incidence in the tomato plants,thus enhancing their resistance to B.cinerea.The high temperature and high humidity(HH)treatment induced the upregulation of light reaction genes,increased the net photosynthetic rate,and expanded the chloroplast morphology of infected tomatoes.The HH treatment also inhibited the expression of cell cycle-related genes of B.cinerea,interfered with conidial germination andmycelial growth,and damagedmycelial cell structure.Lowtemperature and high humidity(LH)treatment induced the expression of cell wall modification genes and remodeled the cell wall morphology of tomatoes in response to B.cinerea.In addition,the downregulated fungal catabolic genes and the abnormal increase in electron density ofmycelial cells under LH treatment subsequently reduced the infection ability of B.cinerea.These results further explain the coupled effects of temperature and humidity on plant defenses and pathogen virulence,and provide a potential means to control gray mold.

Effects of Land Cover on Soil Temperature,Humidity and Moisture in Phoebe bournei Forest

Under the condition of high temperature, the effects of five cover patterns （clean tillage, film mulching, weed covering, branches and leaves covering and growing grass covering） on soil properties in young Phoebe boumei forest were in- vestigated. The results showed that the five cover patterns all showed significant ef- fects on soil properties in young Phoebe bournei forest under the condition of high temperature. Land cover increased land temperature in Phoebe boumei forest. Un- der the film mulching, the land temperature was increased most rapidly with the largest increment. However, weed covering, branches and leaves covering and growing grass covering decreased land temperature. Among them, growing grass covering showed the best cooling effect. The film mulching, weed covering, branch- es and leaves covering and growing grass covering all increased land humidity. The film mulching showed the best moisture-preserving effect in the early period, but in the late period, the humidity in the film mulching treatment group was lower than that in the clean tillage treatment group. Among the five mulching patterns, moisture loss in the film mulching treatment group was slowest and least, followed by those in the weed covering and branches and leaves covering treatment groups, and moisture loss in the growing grass covering treatment group was fastest and most.

Study on Temperature and Humidity of Plastic Greenhouse under Different Ventilation Modes in the Yangtze-Huai Region in Hot Season

In order to analyze the ventilation and cooling performance of single-tunnel plastic greenhouse in Yangtze-Huai region, the effects of two different ventilation modes （side window, side window＋roof window） on the temperature and humidity of plastic greenhouse were studied. The results showed that the ventilation mode of opening side window and roof window could effectively reduce the temperature and humidity at the plant canopy height, which was conducive to the growth of plant in greenhouse.

Analysis on the Climate Characteristics of Relative Humidity in Recent 40 Years in Urumqi City

By using the daily average relative humidity data in Urumqi during 1961-2000,the basic climate characteristics and the variation trend of relative humidity in Urumqi in recent 40 years were analyzed.The results showed that the yearly average relative humidity in Urumqi was 57.5%.The relative humidity in winter was 77.5% which was the biggest all the year round,and the relative humidity in summer was 41.2% which was the smallest.The relative humidity in spring,summer,autumn,winter and the yearly relative humidity all displayed the increase trend.The yearly mean relative humidity had the periods of mainly 2,3-4 and quasi-7 years.The periodic oscillation of quasi-7 years was the strongest.

Provenance and Paleoclimate of the Triassic to Middle Jurassic Adigrat Sandstone,Blue Nile Basin,Central Ethiopia

Mineralogical and geochemical studies have been undertaken on the Triassic to Lower Jurassic Adigrat Sandstone of the Blue Nile Basin of central Ethiopia to infer its source rock type,paleoweathering,and paleoclimatic history.The Adigrat Sandstone occurs at the basal section of the Mesozoic sedimentary formation and unconformably overlays the Neoproterozoic–Paleozoic crystalline rocks,or locally,the Karroo sediments in the northern Blue Nile Basin.A mineralogical study reveals that quartz(Q),feldspars(F),and lithic fragments(L)are the framework grains of the sandstone.On the QFL diagram,the plot of the modal composition of the sandstone mainly falls within the feldspathic arenite and quartzose arenite fields.The geochemical data of the lower section of the sandstone mainly falls within the arkose and subarkose fields,whereas the upper section data falls within the quartzose and sublithic arenite fields.Mineralogical and geochemical weathering indices indicate that the provenances of the Adigrat Sandstone were exposed to pronounced weathering intensity,where the lower part of the sandstone was controlled by arid to semi-arid conditions,whereas the upper section was linked to humid to semi-humid(tropical to subtropical)climatic conditions.Mineralogical and geochemical data also indicate that mafic to intermediate basement rocks were the primary source rocks of the sediment.Perhaps the sediment was assumed to have been reworked by multi-cyclic sedimentary processes.The discriminant function diagram,the REE pattern,La/Th vs.La/Yb,and the Th–Hf–Co plot are consistent.A comparison of provenance studies for the Adigrat Sandstone in the Blue Nile Basin and the Mekele outlier of northern Ethiopia indicates that the sediment of the former is highly sorted,experienced higher weathering intensity,and compositionally derived from mafic to intermediate crystalline rocks.On the other hand,the sediment of the latter is essentially a weathering product of felsic rocks.

Promising Results Predict Role for Artificial Intelligence in Weather Forecasting

Artificial intelligence(AI)has already demonstrated its proficiency at difficult scientific tasks like predicting how proteins will fold and identifying new astronomical objects in masses of observational data[1].Now,recent results suggest that AI also excels at weather forecasting.For global predictions,GraphCast,an AI system developed by Google subsidiary DeepMind(London,UK),outperforms the state-of-the-art model from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts(ECMWF),providing more accurate projections of variables such as temperature and humidity 90%of the time[2,3].Other AI systems,including Pangu-Weather from the Chinese tech company Huawei(Shenzhen,China)[4],can also match or beat traditional global forecasting models.

Highly divergent sympatric lineages of Leptotila verreauxi(Aves:Columbidae)suggest a secondary contact area in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec,Mexico

Due to a complex geological and biotic history,the Isthmus of Tehuantepec(IT),has been long recognized as a driver for the evolutionary divergence of numerous lowland and highland taxa.Widely distributed in the lowlands of the American continent,the White-Tipped Dove(Leptotila verreauxi)is a polytypic species with 13 recognized subspecies.Four of these have been recorded in Mexico,and the distribution of three abuts at the IT,suggesting a contact zone.To estimate phylogenetic patterns,divergence times and genetic differentiation,we examined two mt DNA(ND2 and COI)and one n DNA(β-fibint 7)markers.We also used correlative ecological niche models(ENM)to assess whether ecological differences across the IT may have acted as a biogeographical boundary.We estimated paleodistributions during the Middle Holocene,Last Glacial Maximum and Last Interglacial,to evaluate the influence of climate changes on the distribution and demographic changes.Our results showed genetically distinct lineages that diverged approximately 2.5 million years ago.Climatic and ecological factors may have played a dual role in promoting differentiation,but also in the formation of a secondary contact zone in the southern IT.Our ecological niche comparisons indicated that the ecological niche of sympatric lineages at the IT are not identical,suggesting niches divergence;in addition,environmental niche models across the region indicated no abrupt biogeographic barriers,but the presence of regions with low suitability.These results suggest that genetic differentiation originated by a vicariant event probably related to environmental factors,favored the evolution of different ecological niches.Also,the absence of a biogeographic barrier but the presence of less suitable areas in the contact regions,suggest that secondary contact zones may be also maintained by climatic factors for the eastern group,but also by biotic interactions for the western group.

Short Communication: Enhancing the Drying Process of Microbial-Based Products with a Dehumidifier

The development of microbial-based products requires certain criteria for them to be successfully commercialized. The product must meet the following desirable criteria: effectiveness, contamination free, stability, cost-effectiveness, and a prolonged shelf life. Controlling the drying process is crucial for ensuring the stability and durability of the product. The traditional approach, which involved mechanical and natural drying, led to decreased productivity and quality. The objective of this research endeavour was to achieve a dry process enhancement while preserving the microbial quality of Trichoderma asperellum (M103). The temperature and relative humidity during the drying period were monitored under two conditions: with and without a dehumidifier. The results demonstrate that the dehumidifier increases drying period efficiency by up to 63%.

Impact of Relative Humidity of Supply Gas on Temperature Distributions in Single Cell of Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell When Operated at High Temperature

For improving the performance of stationary PEFC （polymer electrolyte fuel cell） system, the cell operating temperature up to 90℃ will be preferred in Japan during the period from 2020 to 2030. To understand the operation of the PEFC system under relatively high temperature conditions, detail heat and mass transfer analysis is required. The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of relative humidity of supply gas on temperature distribution on the backside of separator in single ceil of PEFC using Nation membrane at higher temperature e.g. 90℃. The in-plane temperature distribution when power was being generated was measured using thermograph with various relative humidity of supply gases. It was found that the in-plane temperature distribution at the anode was more even than that at the cathode irrespective of the relative humidity of supply gas at the anode and the cathode. The temperature elevated along gas flow through the gas channel at the cathode irrespective of relative humidity of supply gas at the anode and the cathode. The in-plane temperature distribution at the cathode was narrower with the increase in Tini irrespective of relative humidity of supply gas at the cathode, while it was not observed when changing the relative humidity of supply gas at the anode. When the relative humidity of supply gas at cathode decreased, the in-plane temperature distribution at the anode was wider compared to decreasing the relative humidity of supply gas at the anode. The study concluded that the impact of relative humidity of supply gas at both anode and cathode had little impact on the in-plane temperature distribution at the cathode.

A Dancer’s Dedication--Chinese dancer Feng Mi has devoted decades to promoting cultural exchange through Myanmar dancing art

In 1993 at age 45,Feng Mi arrived at the University of Culture and Arts of Myanmar,which had been established a year earlier,as a dance studies scholar sent by the Chinese Ministry of Culture.As a dancer from northern China,Feng was not surprised by the heat and humidity of the Southeast Asian country upon arrival.

Clinical Observation of the Hot and Humid Compress Therapy of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Treatment of Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis Type of Lumbar Disc Herniation

Background: Although a number of studies have reported that the hot and humid compress from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is effective in treating lumbar disc herniation (LDH) with qi stagnation and blood stasis, clinical evidence is limited. Objective: The purpose of this study is to provide high-quality evidence to support the effectiveness of the traditional Chinese hot and humid compress in the treatment of LDH with qi stagnation and blood stasis. Methods: From October 2021 to November 2023, 86 patients with LDH of qi stagnation and blood stasis type were recruited in our hospital and divided into a control (n = 43) and an observation group (n = 43) according to the random number table method. The control group was given routine clinical treatment, and the observation group was treated with the hot and humid compress therapy for two weeks. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, TCM syndrome score, serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), serum interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were observed and compared between the two groups before and after treatment, and the clinical efficacy of the two groups was evaluated. Results: After treatment, the VAS score, TCM symptom score, and serum IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α levels decreased in both groups (P P P P P Conclusions: The hot and humid compress of traditional Chinese medicine can effectively relieve pain, restore lumbar function, improve TCM syndromes, reduce the level of inflammatory factors, and have a curative effect in treating LDH.