Installing strong ground motion measuring devices in existing structures is significant for earthquake engineering and building safety to monitor whether the structures can be damaged or not. This study determined with different spectral ratio methods the dominant vibration period and amplification characteristics of both the structure and the ground from earthquake and noise records and compared the results. For this purpose, online- monitored accelerometer devices were placed on the top floor of a 5-story public building that was improved in 2008, on the ground where it was built, and on the rock approximately 1 km away from this building. MASW measurement was taken to determine the ground class of the area where the accelerometer device was installed on the ground right next to the building. Many earthquake records of different distances and magnitudes were obtained by the fixed devices located in the building, on the ground, and the rock. Spectral ratio methods were applied to the recorded earthquakes according to the reference station method and horizontal/vertical ratio methods according to the single station method. In addition to the analyses applied to the earthquake records, noise measurements were taken at night on the building floors and ground, and these measurements were evaluated according to the horizontal/vertical spectral ratio method and floor spectral ratio methods. As a result of all the analyses, the amplifications, dominant frequencies, and damping ratio of the building and the ground were determined, and the interference status of the building and the ground was examined. As a result, it was observed that the dominant frequency of the building, the spectral ratio amplification, and the damping ratio values of the building were approximately the same by using different spectral ratio methods for earthquake and noise data. In addition, there was a slight increase in the building's dominant period as a result of earthquakes that occurred at different times.

BackgroundCadmium (Cd) is one of the most important stress factors in plants, with its high mobility in soils, ease of uptake by plants and toxicity at low concentrations. Aluminum (Al) is another phytotoxic metal, the accumulation of which is a crucial agricultural complication for plants, especially in acidic soils. Methods and resultsIn this study, Bryophyllum daigremontianum clone plantlets were obtained from bulbiferous spurs of a mother plant and separated into four different groups and watered with Hoagland solution and mixtures containing 0, 50, 100, and 200 mu M of AlCl3 and CdCl2 each for 75 days. Control groups were maintained under the same conditions without Al and Cd treatment. To simulate acidic soil conditions typical of environments where Al toxicity is prevalent, the soil pH was adjusted to 4.5 by spraying the sulphuric acid (0.2%) with 2-day intervals after each irrigation day. After harvesting, growth parameters such as shoot length and thickness, root, shoot and leaf fresh and dry weights were measured, along with physiological parameters like mineral nutrient status, total protein, and photosynthetic pigment concentrations (chlorophyll a, b, a/b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoid) in both control and experimental groups of B. daigremontianum clones. In response to Al and Cd applications, the plant height, shoot thickness and carotenoid levels were declined, whereas the increments were found in leaf/shoot/root fresh weight, root dry weight, and total protein content. Moreover, differences in genomic alterations were investigated using 21 ISSR and 19 RAPD markers, which both have been used extensively as genetic markers to specify phylogenetic relationships among different cultivars as well as stress-dependent genetic alterations. RAPD primers were used due to their arbitrary sequences and the unknown genome sequence of the plant material used. In contrast, ISSR primers were preferred for a genome-wide genotoxic effect scan via non-arbitrary and more common genetic markers. Distinct types of band polymorphisms detected via RAPD and ISSR markers include band loss, and new band formation under a combination of Al and Cd stress. 17 ISSR and 14 RAPD primers generated clear electrophoretic bands. ConclusionThe study revealed that combined application of Al and Cd affect B. daigremontianum clones in terms of growth, physiology and genotoxicity related to the increasing concentrations.

Soil surface roughness (SSR) is an important factor affecting soil erosion and soil nutrient transport. Human tillage leads to increased instability in SSR, and the characteristics of SSR caused by different tillage practices await further study. This research utilizes terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) to measure the SSR of six farmland plots (25 m x 25 m) and analyzes the characteristics of SSR under different tillage practices (plowing, harrowing, ridging, crusting, etc.). The study results show: 1) Different agricultural tillage practices lead to significant differences in SSR. The plowed and harrowed plot corresponds to the maximum (2.49 cm) and minimum (1.5 cm) root mean square height (RMSH), respectively. Correlation length (CL) is more affected by different tillage practices than RMSH. The difference in CL between the ridged and harrowed plot is 2.6 times. 2) Ridging and crusting caused significant directional variation in SSR. The SSR anisotropy of the harrowed plot can be disregarded. 3) Under the condition of measuring soil profile in 12 directions and randomly sampling 70 times in each direction, the profile length must be at least 3 m to ensure that the measurement error of SSR is better than 5% compared to the true value. TLS can measure two-dimensional SSR. Therefore, it is only necessary to ensure that the measurement range is at least 3 m x 3 m. The study results provide a reference for the high-precision measurement of SSR (RMSH and CL) under different agricultural tillage practices.