Interaction analysis between slenderness ratio and resin content on mechanical properties of particleboard

The interaction between particle size and resin content is one of the most important structural parameters that can influence the accuracy of predictions about wood-composite properties. We developed three kinds of equation (linear, quadratic, and exponential) for each mechanical property of particleboard based on slenderness ratio and resin content at a constant density (0.7g cm -3 ). Results from SHAZAM software (version 9) suggested that the quadratic function was not significant, but the linear and exponential functions were significant. The interaction between particle size and resin content was analyzed by Maple 9 software. The results indicated that an exponential function can better describe the simultaneous effect of slenderness and resin content than a linear equation. Under constant resin content, particles with higher slenderness ratios increased more in modulus of rupture (MOR) and modulus of elasticity (MOE) than did particles with lower slenderness ratios. Edge withdrawal resistance (SWRe) values did not increase with increasing slenderness ratio.     

Effects of NaCl salinity on some leaf nutrient concentrations,non-photochemical quenching and the efficiency of the PSII photochemistry of two Iranian pomegranate varieties under greenhouse and field conditions: Preliminary results

The present research was conducted to study the responses of ‘Malas–e–Saveh’ (M) and ‘Shishe–Kab’ (Sh) Iranian pomegranates to sodium chloride (NaCl) stress under greenhouse and field conditions. Treatments included waters electrical conductivity (EC = 1.5, 3, 6, 9 and 12 dS m^?1 for greenhouse) and (EC = 1.05 as control, 4.61 and 7.46 dS m^?1 for field studies). Interactive effects of salinity × variety indicated the highest chlorophyll and leaf potassium concentration, and the lowest leaf chloride and sodium in control under greenhouse study. Non-photochemical quenching, effective quantum yield of photochemical energy conversion in PSII reduced under the highest salinity level in field, however, basal quantum yield of non-photochemical processes in PSII increased in the highest salinity. Sodium and chloride increased with increased in salinity. Calcium, magnesium and iron significantly decreased with increased in salinity. It seems that there are differences between pomegranate cultivars and Malas-e-Saveh is more tolerant compared with Shishe Kab.     

Comparison of genetic variation among accessions of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aegilops tauschii</Emphasis> using AFLP and SSR markers

Genetic diversity of 54 accessions of Aegilops tauschii from five countries was assessed using sequence-tagged microsatellites (or simple sequence repeats, SSRs) and amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs). In the case of AFLP analysis, a total of 256 amplification products obtained, 234 of them were polymorphic across all the 54 accessions. A total of 224 fragments were obtained from the 24 SSR primers and 219 of fragments were polymorphic across all the genotypes screened. Based on both AFLP and SSR markers, the highest percentage of polymorphisms were obtained in Iranian and accessions of unknown origin. The highest polymorphic information content (PIC) value was observed for SSRs (0.82) while the highest marker index (MI) value was for AFLPs (8.5) reflecting the hyper-variability of the first and the distinctive nature of the second system. Principal co-ordinate analysis (PCO) revealed congruent patterns of genetic relationships for both data sets, but did not group accessions strictly according to their geographical origins. Poor correlation was found between AFLP and SSR marker loci. This low association may be due to low number of AFLP and SSR markers. These results show that molecular markers can help to organize the genetic variability and expose useful diversity for breeding purposes.     

Evaluation of surface irrigation system performance using System Dynamics (SD) approach

Various methods and criteria have been proposed and utilized for the evaluation of irrigation systems performance, which can be used for comparison of design conditions and irrigation systems performance. Surface irrigation systems should be paid more attention among all other irrigation systems due to their operation simplicity and high losses. In the present study, while describing main relationships of irrigation evaluation criteria of application efficiency, water requirement efficiency, Deep Percolation Ratio and Tail Water Ratio, a method based on SD will be introduced. Modeling of this approach has been done using VENSIM-DSS software. Model has been tested in a case study that included the modeling of a furrow in four irrigation status: current situation, full irrigation, deficit irrigation and finally deficit irrigation with optimized irrigation cutoff time and inflow into furrow. The results reveal the high capabilities of SD approach in modeling water resources and irrigation systems. Its user friendly and ability in transferring data to the data bank can introduce this approach and software as an applicable decision support system.     

Axle-less F1-ATPase rotates in the correct direction

F1-adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) is an ATP-driven rotary molecular motor in which the central gamma subunit rotates inside a cylinder made of three alpha and three beta subunits alternately arranged. The rotor shaft, an antiparallel alpha-helical coiled coil of the amino and carboxyl termini of the gamma subunit, deeply penetrates the central cavity of the stator cylinder. We truncated the shaft step by step until the remaining rotor head would be outside the cavity and simply sat on the concave entrance of the stator orifice. All truncation mutants rotated in the correct direction, implying torque generation, although the average rotary speeds were low and short mutants exhibited moments of irregular motion. Neither a fixed pivot nor a rigid axle was needed for rotation of F1-ATPase.     

High-luminosity blue and blue-green gallium nitride light-emitting diodes

Compact and efficient sources of blue light for full color display applications and lighting eluded and tantalized researchers for many years. Semiconductor light sources are attractive owing to their reliability and amenability to mass manufacture. However, large band gaps are required to achieve blue color. A class of compound semiconductors formed by metal nitrides, GaN and its allied compounds AIGaN and InGaN, exhibits properties well suited for not only blue and blue-green emitters, but also for ultraviolet emitters and detectors. What thwarted engineers and scientists from fabricating useful devices from these materials in the past was the poor quality of material and lack of p-type doping. Both of these obstacles have recently been overcome to the point where highluminosity blue and blue-green light-emitting diodes are now available in the marketplace.     

Biscrolling nanotube sheets and functional guests into yarns

Multifunctional applications of textiles have been limited by the inability to spin important materials into yarns. Generically applicable methods are demonstrated for producing weavable yarns comprising up to 95 weight percent of otherwise unspinnable particulate or nanofiber powders that remain highly functional. Scrolled 50-nanometer-thick carbon nanotube sheets confine these powders in the galleries of irregular scroll sacks whose observed complex structures are related to twist-dependent extension of Archimedean spirals, Fermat spirals, or spiral pairs into scrolls. The strength and electronic connectivity of a small weight fraction of scrolled carbon nanotube sheet enables yarn weaving, sewing, knotting, braiding, and charge collection. This technology is used to make yarns of superconductors, lithium-ion battery materials, graphene ribbons, catalytic nanofibers for fuel cells, and titanium dioxide for photocatalysis.     

Effect of tebuconazole-tolerant and plant growth promoting Rhizobium isolate MRP1 on pea–Rhizobium symbiosis

Seed dressing with fungicides adversely affects the structure and function of beneficial soil microbial communities and consequently crop yield. This study was aimed to evaluate the impact of technical-grade fungicide tebuconazole on plant growth promoting potentials of tebuconazole-tolerant Rhizobium isolate MRP1. The performance of the isolate MRP1-inoculated pea plants grown in tebuconazole treated soils was also assessed. Generally, the three concentrations [100 (recommended dose), 200 and 300 μg kg⁻¹ soil] of tebuconazole when used alone, adversely affected the growth, symbiosis, grain yield and nutrient uptake by pea plants. Concentration dependent phytotoxicity of tebuconazole was observed for all the measured parameters. On the contrary, fungicide tolerant Rhizobium sp. MRP1 in the presence of fungicide increased the measured parameters at all tested concentrations. As an example, when inoculant MRP1 was also used with 300 μg tebuconazole kg⁻¹ soil, it substantially increased the root nitrogen, shoot nitrogen, root P, shoot P, seed yield and grain protein by 20, 19, 50, 31, 15 and 7%, respectively, when compared with uninoculated plants grown in fungicide-treated soils. The study suggests that the plant growth promoting Rhizobium sp. MRP1 can be used as bacterial inoculant to increase the production of pea in soils polluted with fungicides.