Salt‐Induced Regulation of Some Key Antioxidant Enzymes and Physio‐Biochemical Phenomena in Five Diverse Cultivars of Turnip (Brassica rapa L.)

A greenhouse experiment was carried out to examine the differential morpho‐physiological responses of five cultivars of turnip (Brassica rapa L.) to salt stress. Five diverse cultivars of turnip (shaljum desi surakh, shaljum purple top, shaljum golden bal, neela shaljum, and peela shaljum) were subjected for 6 weeks to varying levels of NaCl, i.e. 0, 80 and 160 mm in Hoagland’s nutrient solution in sand culture. Imposition of varying levels of salt substantially decreased shoot and root fresh and dry weights, chlorophyll contents, leaf osmotic potential, relative water contents, different gas exchange attributes, total phenolics, malondialdehyde, activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase catalase, and leaf and root K⁺ levels while enhanced the proline contents, membrane permeability, level of H₂O₂, leaf and root Na⁺ and Cl^? and leaf Ca²⁺ in all turnip cultivars under study. Of all cultivars, peela shaljum and neela shaljum were consistently higher in their growth than the other turnip cultivars at all salt concentrations of the growth medium. Photosynthetic capacity (A) and stomatal conductance (g_s) were higher in high biomass‐producing cultivars, i.e. peela shaljum and neela shaljum, which provide to be potential selection criteria of salt tolerance in turnip. However, the regulation of antioxidant system was cultivar‐specific under saline conditions.     

Ultrahigh-density nanowire lattices and circuits

We describe a general method for producing ultrahigh-density arrays of aligned metal and semiconductor nanowires and nanowire circuits. The technique is based on translating thin film growth thickness control into planar wire arrays. Nanowires were fabricated with diameters and pitches (center-to-center distances) as small as 8 nanometers and 16 nanometers, respectively. The nanowires have high aspect ratios (up to 10(6)), and the process can be carried out multiple times to produce simple circuits of crossed nanowires with a nanowire junction density in excess of 10(11) per square centimeter. The nanowires can also be used in nanomechanical devices; a high-frequency nanomechanical resonator is demonstrated.     

Efficiency and Flow Regime of a Highway Stormwater Detention Pond in Washington, USA

Wet detention ponds are a preferable alternative in treating stormwater runoff. Literature suggests that a detention pond’s efficiency in removing principal pollutants of concern, TSS and metals, is highly variable and is affected by a complex array of factors including its geographic location. The objective of this paper was to investigate the TSS and metal removal efficiency of a highway stormwater detention pond in Spokane, Washington along with its flow regime. Pond influent and effluent data for TSS and metal were collected for approximately two years. TSS removal by the pond was found to be 68.1–99.4% with an average of 83.9%. Average metal removal efficiency was 54.7–64.6% which is 72.5–86.9% of the TSS removal. The pond’s flow regime was found to vary with its changing surface topography, a result of sedimentation of suspended solids.     

Drilling to gabbro in intact ocean crust

Sampling an intact sequence of oceanic crust through lavas, dikes, and gabbros is necessary to advance the understanding of the formation and evolution of crust formed at mid-ocean ridges, but it has been an elusive goal of scientific ocean drilling for decades. Recent drilling in the eastern Pacific Ocean in Hole 1256D reached gabbro within seismic layer 2, 1157 meters into crust formed at a superfast spreading rate. The gabbros are the crystallized melt lenses that formed beneath a mid-ocean ridge. The depth at which gabbro was reached confirms predictions extrapolated from seismic experiments at modern mid-ocean ridges: Melt lenses occur at shallower depths at faster spreading rates. The gabbros intrude metamorphosed sheeted dikes and have compositions similar to the overlying lavas, precluding formation of the cumulate lower oceanic crust from melt lenses so far penetrated by Hole 1256D.     

Evaluation of in vitro and in vivo inhibitory effects of fusidic acid on Babesia and Theileria parasites

Fusidic acid known to has antibacterial, antifungal, and antimalarial activities. Fusidic acid blocks translation elongation factor G gene in Plasmodium falciparum. In the present study, the inhibitory effects of fusidic acid on the in vitro growth of bovine and equine Babesia parasites were evaluated. The inhibitory effect of fusidic acid on the in vivo growth of Babesia microti was also assessed. The in vitro growth of four Babesia species that were tested was significantly inhibited (P < 0.05) by micromolar concentrations of fusidic acid (IC₅₀ values = 144.8, 17.3, 33.3, and 56.25 μM for Babesia bovis, Babesia bigemina, Babesia caballi, and Theileria equi, respectively). Combinations of fusidic acid with diminazene aceturate synergistically potentiated its inhibitory effects in vitro on B. bovis and B. caballi. In B. microti-infected mice, fusidic acid caused significant (P < 0.05) inhibition of the growth of B. microti at the dose of 500 mg/kg BW relative to control group. These results indicate that fusidic acid might be incorporated in treatment of babesiosis.     

Challenges in organic component selection and biochar as an opportunity in potting substrates: a review

Plant production in potting substrates provides maximum profit on the applied inputs, and hence, directly improving the socio-economic condition of the grower/nurserymen. The main challenge in this industry is sourcing of materials for their potting substrates. Peat and perlite have been widely preferred materials. However, recently higher prices, more restrictive legislation of many countries and wetland ecosystem destruction through its extraction has limited peat use. Nowadays, producers focus towards peat alternatives that provide good performance, are readily available, inexpensive and environment friendly to attain sustainability in potted plant production. In an effort to grasp sustainability during the last few decades, many industrial and agricultural waste materials were reviewed for their use in potting substrates. In these studies, the major focus remained on material characterization, neglecting their economics, technical aspects and environmental impacts. Thus, switching from peat and perlite to alternatives requires material exploration. In the present review, we summarize a clearer and practical approach for substituting different materials especially biochar to fulfill the need of modern potting substrate industry. Biochar has the potential to sustain the substrate production on a long-term basis.     

Performance Behavior of Chitosan Based Water Dispersible Polyurethanes: Physicochemical Properties

The research work was carried out to synthesize a series of novel chitosan based water dispersible polyurethanes (CS-WDPUs). The three step synthesis involves the formation of end capped PU-prepolymer was formed through the reaction between polyethylene glycol (PEG) (Mn=600 g/mole, dimethylolpropionic acid (DMPA) and isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) followed by the preparation of neutralized NCO terminated PU-prepolymer, which lead to the chain extension by using the chitosan. The dispersion of the obtained product was carried out by adding proper proportion of water. The synthesized CS-WDPUs were applied onto the different qualities of plain weave poly-cotton printed and dyed textile swatches by employing pad-dry-cure procedures. The textile assets of the treated and untreated textile swatches were assessed, as color fastness, pilling resistance, tear and tensile strength. The results showed that the chitosan incorporation into PU backbone has significant effect on the assets of treated textiles. These synthesized CS-WDPUs are eco-friendly bio-based finishes with potential applications for polyester/cotton textiles.     

Study of Photo and Thermoluminescence Properties to Identify Irradiated Dried-Fishery Products

ABSTRACT

Radiation-specific luminescence properties in irradiated dried-fishery products (pollack, little pollack, clams, and shrimp) were investigated at different dose levels (0–10 kGy). Photostimulated luminescence (PSL) analysis of whole samples was effective for dried clams and shrimp, while low PSL sensitivity was observed in dried pollack and little pollack. Thermoluminescence (TL) analysis was conducted after isolation of silicate minerals, in which the two methods of mineral isolation—density separation and acid hydrolysis—were compared. Irradiated samples were easily distinguishable through the strong TL glow curves, with maximum peaks in temperature range of 150–250°C. TL ratios (TL₁/TL₂) were < 0.1 for nonirradiated samples, while > 0.1 for irradiated. There was a clear effect of applied irradiation dose, with a negligible effect of the method used for mineral separation. The mineral composition showed that feldspar and quartz minerals were mainly responsible for the well-characterized luminescence behavior upon irradiation.     

Root zone selenium reduces cadmium toxicity by modulating tissue-specific growth and metabolism in maize (Zea mays L.)

The effects of selenium (Se) cadmium (Cd) interactions on plant growth and metabolism are not fully clear. In the present study, we assessed whether Se could alleviate the toxic effects of Cd on growth and metabolism of maize. Seeds of maize variety FH-985 were sown in pots filled with sand treated with CdCl₂ (0, 50 and 100 µM) and Se (0, 2 and 4 mg L^?1) through Hoagland’s nutrient solution. Low Se (2 mg L^?1) increased germination percentage and rate, while high Se (4 mg L^?1) increased fresh and dry biomass under Cd stress. Interestingly, all Se concentrations were effective in alleviating the toxic effects of Cd on photosynthetic pigments, whereas higher Se mitigated the Cd-induced oxidative stress and increased flavonoids both in the shoots and roots while phenolics in the roots. The results demonstrated that root zone Se altered tissue-specific primary metabolism in maize. Furthermore, low Se mitigated the Cd-induced decrease in total proteins in the root. Overall, Se-mediated decrease in the oxidative stress in the shoots while increase of secondary metabolites in the roots helped the plants to grow faster at early growth stage and caused increase in the biomass under different Cd regimes.