Molecular characterization of the wild relatives of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) in Turkey as revealed by ISSRs

In the present study, we used 39 plant samples representing six Carthamus taxa collected from different regions of Turkey: 11 of C. dentatus, 5 of C. glaucus, 18 of C. lanatus, 3 of C. persicus, 1 of C. tenuis subsp. tenuis and 1 of C. tenuis subsp. gracillimus. On these samples, we screened nine ISSR markers for polymorphic products. We generated 151 polymorphic bands. In a dendrogram based on these ISSR bands, the first branch was C. tenuis subsp. gracillimus, then C. persicus formed the second group. The rest of the taxa were grouped in two clusters: the first included C. lanatus, C. tenuis subsp. tenuis and C. glaucus, and the second included C. dentatus. Within the first cluster, C. tenuis subsp. tenuis and C. glaucus grouped together and then united to C. lanatus. Representatives of the same taxa consistently clustered together. Also within species, the groupings were generally concordant with their geographical distributions.     

Concentration and size distribution of airborne particles in a broiler house

Airborne dust particles were sampled in a broiler house using the quartz crystal microbalance cascade impactor designed for the measurement of mass concentration and size distribution from 0.05 to 25 gm. No significant difference was noticed in the dust concentration from morning to evening or at different sampling sites in the broiler house. The concentration of airborne dust particles decreased as the age of the chickens increased. Ratio of dust particles smaller than 0.8 pm to the total dust ranged from 10 to 50%. The highest concentration of dust was in the particle size range of 3.2 μm. The fogging system in use reduced the concentration of larger particles but not that of the smaller particles.     

Remediation of lead-, arsenic-, and cesium-contaminated soil using consecutive washing enhanced with electro-kinetic field

Purpose

Extensive deposition of Pb, As, and Cs in soils may damage ecosystems and human’s health. Soil washing is the most conventional remediation method, and its efficiency depends on metal solubility in soil. This study aims to optimize operating variables of electro-kinetic field (EKF)-enhanced soil washing procedures.

Materials and methods

Soil samples from a Mississippi River Delta rice field were homogeneously spiked with Pb, As, and Cs, and contaminated soil was aged for 3 months. The remediation involved a first stage electro-kinetic process, followed by a soil washing procedure. Soil pH changes under EKF were studied. Effects of citric acid and reversed EKF were investigated for alleviating possible alkaline precipitation. In the washing procedure, soil washing time and cycles with different extractants were examined. The overall EKF-enhanced soil washing efficiencies were discussed as well.

Results and discussion

The implement of EKF offered an acidic soil environment around the anode areas for solubilizing metal(loid)s. Combined with EKF, citric acid was more conductive to desorb metal(loid)s. In addition, the reversed EKF effectively alleviated metal(loid) precipitation caused by alkalization in the first stage cathode areas. The EKF significantly enhanced metal(loid) extractions in the anode area of soils using Na₂EDTA, CaCl₂, and citric acid at pH of 2. The most preferable removal of Pb (80–98 %), As (48–63 %), and Cs (10–13 %) was achieved with three extractants. CaCl₂ and citric acid were proved to be suitable alternatives to Na₂EDTA for Pb extraction. A washing process of 2 h extraction with double washing cycles was optimized.

Conclusions

Soil washing time and cycles were major factors governing the metal(loid) removal from soil. Washing process of 2 h extraction with double cycles was optimized for further extraction based on higher washing efficiency. The EKF effectively improved washing efficiency while some electrical parameters need further studies for cost performance consideration.

     

Binding,fractionation, and distribution of Cs,Co, and Sr in a US coastal soil under saturated and field capacity moisture regimes

Purpose

The concerns of the public on safe handling of nuclear energy power facilities have increased due to the recent nuclear plant accidents in Japan and others. Cesium, cobalt, and strontium are a few of the major radionuclides released from nuclear power plant accidents. The objectives of this study are to investigate binding, distribution, fractionation, and transformation of cesium (Cs), cobalt (Co), and strontium (Sr) in a US coastal soil under saturated paste (SP) and field capacity (FC) moisture regimes.

Materials and methods

There are four major nuclear power plants in the coast region around the northern Gulf of Mexico where coastal soil often undergoes soil moisture change. A coastal soil was taken from the middle region of these major nuclear power plants and spiked with different concentrations of cesium, cobalt, and strontium salts. The sequential selective dissolution technique was used to investigate the transformation and fractionations of these metals in the coastal soils affected by moisture regime, a key factor in the coastal environment.

Results and discussion

The adsorption kinetics showed that both Co and Sr reached the adsorption plateau even after 5 h of adsorption, indicating a fast initial adsorption process in the coastal soil. Cesium, cobalt, and strontium were dominantly presented in the soluble and exchangeable form (EXC) (Cs?>?Co and Sr), which linearly increased with the addition levels, possessing the high bioavailability, mobility, and ecotoxicity. Saturated regime significantly reduced the soluble and exchangeable form compared to field capacity moisture regime.

Conclusions

The current study provides the fundamental understanding for designing the cost-effective remediation technology to remediate these metals in coastal soil by targeting on the soluble and exchangeable forms and better prepare the USA for future potentially nuclear power plant accidents.

     

稻麦秸秆旋耕作业中受力与位移分析

常见稻麦秸秆在实际作业过程中与刀具作用发生2种变形:挤压秸秆发生弯曲变形和剪切秸秆发生剪切变形,根据2种变形设置弯曲试验和剪切试验,分别测试15~30 mm/min加载速率下弯曲强度和剪切强度。试验结果表明,小麦秸秆抗弯强度随着加载速率增加而减小;水稻秸秆抗弯强度随着转速增加,表现为先增加后减小。小麦秸秆剪切强度随着加载速率增加,表现为先增加后减小;水稻秸秆剪切强度随着加载速率增加而增加。其次在田间试验中,根据2种变形设置横纵向秸秆以及180~280 r/min的刀轴转速,并对其反旋作业。采用同位素示踪法,即根据标记秸秆前后坐标变化值来代替机具在幅宽范围内纵横向秸秆的位移变化,将得到的标记点坐标在三维坐标系中用Matlab绘制成曲线,该曲线形状与旋耕刀片在刀轴上排列相似。耕作后位移和坐标结果表明:水稻秸秆位移大于小麦秸秆位移,水稻秸秆标记点位移变化较小麦秸秆标记点位移变化均匀;2种秸秆排列方式对应2种分布情况:纵向标记秸秆坐标在X轴上以零点对称分布,横向标记秸秆坐标在X、Z轴上两侧对称分布。基于以上因素考虑,实际作业中,选择刀轴转速230 r/min以及改变秸秆在田间排列方式,以使秸秆还田效果达到更佳。     

Effect of thiamine injection on growth performance,hematology and germinal vesicle migration in sterlet sturgeon Acipenser ruthenus L.

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of thiamine on growth, hematological, egg thiamine content and oocyte nucleus migration indices in sterlet sturgeon (Acipenser ruthenus). A total of 45 female fish (698.6 ± 8.9 g) were distributed in nine fiberglass tanks with three treatments (each in three replicates). Experimental fish were fed once a day with practical diet supplemented with 1 g kg^?1 amprolium hydrochloride (as the antithiamine) for 5 months before spawning. Thiamine hydrochloride was injected to fish with one of three doses at 0, 5 and 50 mg kg^?1 body weight (BW) at three different stages. At the end of each month, fish were weighed and growth parameters such as weight gain, specific growth rate, feed efficiency and final weight were determined. At the end of the 5-month period, hematological parameters and egg thiamine content were measured. The results showed no significant differences in terms of growth performance. Hemoglobin, number of red blood cells and white blood cells were not significantly different among the treatments, but hematocrit was significantly higher in fish injected with 5 mg kg^?1 BW thiamine. The mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin were not significantly different, but lower value of mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration was observed in fish injected with 5 mg thiamine. Percentage of lymphocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils and monocytes were not significantly different among treatments. The results of the germinal vesicle migration index at different stages showed no significant differences in different groups. Results showed that free thiamine, thiamine pyrophosphate and total thiamine in eggs significantly increased at 50 mg kg^?1 injection dose compared with the control, but no significant different was found in thiamine monophosphate. The results revealed that thiamine injection to sterlet broodstocks has positive accumulation in egg thiamine content and some hematological parameters but have no effect on growth and ovarian maturation. We conclude that thiamine can affect some physiological features of broodstock, which needs to be specified in further studies.     

反相高效液相色谱法测定有机氯及含氮杀虫剂在水体·土壤沉积物及鱼体中的残留

[目的]测定水体、土壤沉积物以及鱼体内有机氯及含氮杀虫剂残留物,为科学评估杀虫剂残留对巴基斯坦地区公共卫生、农业和环境的影响提供依据。[方法]以食用鱼南亚野鲮为材料,设计2组体重,采用高效液相色谱法分别测定水体、土壤沉积物以及南亚野鲮体内α-硫丹、DDE、甲基对硫磷、异丙隆、呋喃丹、阿特拉津等含量。[结果]土壤沉积物中DDE的含量达（2．340±0．025）μg／g,在250～750g的南亚野鲮体内的含量分别为（0．270±0．0006）μg／g,但在水体中未发现DDE残留;不同饲料中农药残留物90％为有机磷、呋喃丹以及有机氯杀虫剂,6％为杀菌剂,仅4％为除草剂,在250～750g以及800～1300g的南亚野鲮体内硫丹的含量分别达到（0．491±0．0006）μg／g和（3．050±0．0608）μg/g,异丙隆的含量分别达到（0．010±0．0003）μg／g和（0．014±0．0006）μg／g,且随体重上升,其脂肪含量增加,积累的农药残留物则越多;硫丹、甲基对硫磷、阿特拉津和呋喃丹的含量在水体达到最大残留限量水平0．001μg／g。[结论]通过生物积累和在自然界中的运输以及再沉积作用,有机氯及其他杀虫剂的使用给全球的环境造成了严重污染,因此,在巴基斯坦已经禁止使用DDT等有机氯农药。     

Prospective study of avian influenza H9 infection in commercial poultry farms of Punjab Province and Islamabad Capital Territory,Pakistan

Tropical Animal Health and Production - A prospective study was conducted from November 2013 to February 2014 to estimate the spatial clustering; cumulative incidence and risk factors associated...     

Assessment of spatial and seasonal changes in groundwater nitrate pollution of agricultural lands through ordinary and indicator kriging techniques

Geostatistical approaches (ordinary kriging (OK) and indicator kriging (IK)) were used in this study to investigate the spatial and temporal variations in groundwater nitrate concentrations in Çar?amba plain of Turkey. Groundwater samples were taken in April 2012, July 2012, September 2012 and March 2013 from 78 groundwater wells. The experimental semivariograms were often fitted well by a Gauss model for April 2012 and September 2012, whereas a spherical model was fitted to experimental semivariograms for July 2012 and March 2013. Spatial distribution maps revealed that groundwater nitrate concentrations were above the threshold value of 50 mg L^?1 specified for drinking water in 4.3% of the study area in April 2012, 40.8% in July 2012, 32.8% in September 2012 and 19.1% in March 2013. Probability maps created with IK showed that 3.1% and 3.2% of the total area had very strong probability (0.8–1.0) of exceeding the threshold nitrate concentration in July 2012 and September 2012, respectively. Current findings revealed that groundwater nitrate concentrations changed seasonally and increased much more in summer. It was concluded that OK and IK may yield significant outcomes for groundwater management, identification of risky sites for potential pollution and identification of the sites with excessive fertilizer uses.