pH triggered switching dye sensor based on furan and pyrone units

pH triggered dye sensor based on pyrone unit as a donor group and furan unit as an acceptor grouphave resulted in very promising optical switches, when dye was applied by alkali-induced nucleophilic additionreaction. The dye displayedclear UV-Visible absorption changes and new fluorescence emission behaviors, which are based on intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) system of the dye molecular structure. The levels of energy potential and the electron density distributions of this dye chemosensor were also simulated and discussed using computational modelcalculation.     

Benzothiazole and indole based dye sensor: Optical switching functions with pH stimuli

A new designed dye sensor based on indole as a donor unit and benzothiazole as an acceptor unit have provided very clear optical switching functions when monitored with a pH triggered molecular chemosensor effects in the presence of alkali/acid addition. The prepared dye sensor shows cleared fluorescence quenching effect with alkali addition. The level of energy potential and the electron distribution of this compound were calculated by computational simulation approaches.     

pH sensitive and controlled release system based on cellulose nanofibers-poly vinyl alcohol hydrogels for cisplatin delivery

Delivery of chemotherapy drugs, such as cisplatin, with controlled manner is a significant area of research in cancer treatment. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the in-vitro release of cisplatin from pH sensitive and controlled release hydrogels based on cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA). Various hydrogels with different amounts of CNFs were prepared. This novel drug delivery system was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses. By in-vitro experiments the influence of CNFs contents and pH of the release media on the release rate of the drug were investigated. According to the results, the hydrogel containing 1 wt% CNFs in the release media with the pH of 7.4, efficiently sustained the drug release and so can cause to the reduction of side effects of drug. By fitting the experimental data with various kinetic models it was concluded that the release mechanism is best fitted by Korsmeyer-Peppas kinetic model suggesting the diffusion controlled release mechanism. The prepared hydrogel system is suitable for delivery of cisplatin in the small intestine with a controlled manner.     

基于固相萃取的粮油产品前处理技术研究进展

粮油是人类生存的必需品,提供了人体不可缺少的三大基本营养素。粮油质量安全是国家重视、消费者关心的热点问题,检测是保证粮油产品消费安全的重要抓手。固相萃取是从粮油样品中提取待测物的重要手段,萃取材料是决定提取分离效率的关键因素。本文主要综述了基于固相萃取的粮油产品前处理技术研究进展,讨论了不同材料的优势及不足,并对粮油产品检测中新型萃取材料发展趋势进行了展望。     

Dyeing and fastness properties of a reactive disperse dye on PET, nylon, silk and N/P fabrics

Dyeing and color fastness properties of a reactive disperse dye containing an acetoxyethylsulphone group on PET, Nylon, silk and N/P fabrics were examined. The reactive disperse dye exhibited almost the same dyeing properties on PET fabric as a conventional disperse dye except the level of dye uptake. The most appropriate pH and dyeing temperature for the dyeing of Nylon fabric were 7 and 100°C respectively. The build-up on Nylon fabric was good and various color fastnesses were good to excellent due to the formation of the covalent bond. Application of the reactive disperse dye on silk fabric at pH 9 and 80°C yielded optimum color strength. The rate of dyeing on Nylon fabric was faster than that on PET fabric when both fabrics were dyed simultaneously in a dye bath, accordingly color strength of the dyed Nylon was higher. The reactive disperse dye can be applied for one-step and one-bath dyeing of N/P mixture fabric with good color fastness.     

Dual-mode adsorption of cochineal natural dye on wool fibers: Kinetic,equilibrium, and thermodynamic studies

The dual-mode adsorption model was used to investigate the adsorption behavior of cochineal natural dye on wool fibers. Kinetic, thermodynamic, and equilibrium characteristics were investigated in terms of the adsorption isotherm, affinity, enthalpy and entropy changes, dyeing rate, diffusion coefficient, and activation energy of dye diffusion. The results revealed the prominent role of dyeing pH in determination of dyeing mechanism and dye adsorption isotherm type. At pH 4, dual Langmuir-Nernst model with the highest correlation coefficient was found as the most appropriate isotherm model to describe the adsorption behavior of cochineal onto wool fibers while at pH 6, the adsorption isotherm was the Nernst type. Cochineal adsorption onto wool was exothermic which resulted in progressive fall in affinity and equilibrium dye up-take values with increasing temperature. Moreover, dyeing rate steadily increased with temperature. At pH 4, affinity, dyeing rate, and diffusion coefficient demonstrated higher values compared to pH 6 whereas enthalpy and entropy changes, and activation energy showed lower values. Additionally, negative value for activation energy was obtained at pH 6. The results are deliberated based on the different possible interactions between cochineal dye and wool fiber.     

Extraction, identification and dyeing studies of Isosalipurposide, a natural chalcone dye from Acacia cyanophylla flowers on wool

A chalcone compound Isosalipurposide 1 was qualitatively isolated from Acacia cyanophylla yellow flowers. The dyeing of wool fabrics with this chalcone compound as a natural dye has been studied. The effect of dye bath pH and dyeing temperature were investigated. The obtained shades were bright with generally a good fastness. A post-mordanting method was used in the dyeing of wool with this chalcone dye. It was found that, generally, mordanting improved light fastness especially in the case of zinc sulphate.     

Towards Well-aligned electrospun PAN/MWCNTs composite nanofibers: Design,fabrication, and development

A proper collector is designed and examined in electrospinning process to produce electrospun nanofibers with favored mechanical propertied. The quality of product was controlled by changing and optimizing the process variables, namely electrospinning time, gap distance, and collector rotating speed in a manner that well-aligned yarns were fabricated from polyacrylonitrile (PAN) dilute solutions. It was found that the tensile characteristics of fabricated yarns are greatly dependent on the process variables. Incorporation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) into the polymer solution revealed improvement to the yarn strength because of enhancement in alignment of the filaments. The state of fiber alignment and dispersion of MWCNTs were detected by means of scanning electron microscopy. It was illustrated that combination of nanofibers and microfibers gives PAN/MWCNTs composite nanofibers with high surface area and high porosity to satisfy sophisticated users.     

Caesalpinia spinosa and Castanea sativa tannins: A new source of biopolymers with adsorbent capacity. Preliminary assessment on cationic dye removal

Tannins from Caesalpinia spinosa (Tara) and Castanea sativa (Chestnut) have been tested for gelification. Adsorbent are produced by formaldehyde-induced polymerization (TTG for Tara, CTG for Chestnut). These new biopolymers were tested for cationic dye removal and promising results were achieved: gelified tannins from both natural vegetal sources were effective in removing Victoria Blue R, Methylene Blue (MB) and Fuchsine, while Auramine O and Rhodamine B were refractory to this treatment. The particular case of CTG-MB is ruled by Langmuir adsorption hypothesis. k_l1 and k_l2 parameters are obtained for four different temperatures according to linear, non linear and multiparametric adjustment. Good r² correlation coefficients are obtained in every case.     

The implications of land preparation, crop establishment method and weed management on rice yield variation in the rice-wheat system in the Indo-Gangetic plains

The implications of adopting alternative seeding methods for rice and wheat establishment were examined at three geographically separate sites in the rice-wheat system of the Indo-Gangetic plains, across northern India. Rice yields in cultivated plots, established by either wet or dry seeding methods, were evaluated in comparison to yields from zero-tillage plots and under conventional transplanting methods. In the same trials, the effects of crop establishment methods in wheat were assessed both on wheat yields and rice yields. Rice crop establishment methods markedly influenced the emerging weed flora and attainable yields were measured in relation to intensity of weed management. Over four years, average rice grain yields in the absence of weed competition were greatest (6.56 t ha⁻¹) under wet seeding (sowing pre-germinated rice seed on puddled soil), and similar to those from transplanted rice (6.17 t ha⁻¹) into puddled soil, and dry seeded rice after dry soil tillage (6.15 t ha⁻¹). Lowest yields were observed from dry seeded rice sown without tillage (5.44 t ha⁻¹). Rice yield losses due to uncontrolled weed growth were least in transplanted rice (12%) but otherwise large (c. 85%) where rice had been sown to dry cultivated fields or to puddled soil, rising to 98% in dry seeded rice sown without soil tillage. Weed competition reduced multiple rice yield components, and weed biomass in wet seeded rice was six-fold greater that in rice transplanted into puddled soil and twice as much again in dry seeded rice sown either after dry tillage or without tillage. Wheat grain yields were significantly higher from crops sown into tilled soil (3.89 t ha⁻¹) than those sown without tillage (3.51 t ha⁻¹), and also were elevated (5% on average) where the soil had been dry cultivated in preparation for the previous rice crops rather than puddled. The method of wheat cultivation did not influence rice yield. Soil infiltration rates in the wheat season were least where the land had been puddled for rice (1.52 mm h⁻¹), and greater where the soil had been dry-tilled (2.63 mm h⁻¹) and greatest after zero-tillage (3.54 mm h⁻¹).These studies demonstrated at research managed sites across a wide geographic area, and on farmers’ fields, that yields of dry seeded rice sown after dry cultivation of soil were broadly comparable with those of transplanted rice, providing weed competition was absent. These results support the proposition that direct seeding of rice could provide an alternative to the conventional practice of transplanting, and help address rising costs and threats to sustainability in the rice-wheat rotation. Further, analysis of patterns of long-term rainfall data indicated that farmers reliant on monsoon rainfall could prepare fields for dry direct seeded rice some 30 days before they could prepare fields for either transplanting or seeding with pre-germinated seed. Dry, direct seeding of rice contributes a valuable component of an adaptive strategy to address monsoonal variability that also may advance the time of wheat establishment and yield. Whilst the results illustrate the robustness, feasibility and significant potential of direct seeded rice, they also highlight the critical nature of effective weed control in successful implementation of direct seeding systems for rice.     

Growth,competition, yield advantage and economics in soybean/pigeonpea intercropping system in semi-arid tropics of India: I. Effect of subsoiling

Opinions differ on the necessity of deep tillage for sustaining crop productivity in the rainfed Vertisols of the semi-arid tropics of central India. We conducted a field experiment for 3 years (2000–2002) with a factorial combination of three cropping systems (sole soybean, sole pigeonpea and soybean/pigeonpea intercropping in 2:1 row ratio) and three tillage practices (conventional, conventional + subsoiling in alternate years and conventional + subsoiling every year). Objectives were (i) to examine the effect of subsoiling Vertisols on sustaining yield of soybean/pigeon pea intercropping, and (ii) to assess the frequency of subsoiling for realizing maximum yield and profit. Though there was a reduction in growth and yield of intercrops, higher soybean equivalent yield (SEY) and area-time equivalent ratio (ATER) value in soybean/pigeonpea intercropping system as compared to sole soybean had a yield advantage. The average yield advantage in intercropping system was 60% higher than that from sole soybean. The yield advantage of intercropping system in terms of ATER was 7% greater with subsoiling than conventional tillage. The yield response to subsoiling was consistent over the period and on an average, subsoiling increased yield by 20%. The effect was associated with improved water storage and root length density. However, with respect to energy use efficiency and profit, the effect of subsoiling was comparable to conventional tillage. The variation in net return and benefit:cost ratio in subsoiling every year and subsoiling in alternate years in sole soybean and soybean/pigeonpea intercropping was not significant. However, in sole pigeon pea subsoiling every year out-yielded subsoiling in alternate years. The interactive effect of subsoiling and intercropping increased the yield by 21–25%. Thus, under rainfed cropping where drought of unpredictable intensity and duration is a prevailing feature, soybean/pigeon pea intercropping could be a promising option, especially when combined with subsoiling in alternate years.     

Growth,competition, yields advantage and economics in soybean/pigeonpea intercropping system in semi-arid tropics of India: II. Effect of nutrient management

Low native nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) coupled with imbalanced nutrient application is a major constraint limiting productivity of intercropping systems on Vertisols of the semi-arid tropical India. In a 3-year field experiment competition behaviour of component crops for nutrients use in soybean/pigeonpea intercropping system was assessed based on relative yield (RY), relative nitrogen yield (RNY) and relative phosphorus yield (RPY) under three nutrient levels (0 NPK, 100% NPK (N:P:K = 30:26:25 kg ha⁻¹) and 100% NPK + 4 t FYM ha⁻¹). The result showed that before soybean harvest, the RY and RNY of soybean were greater (1.0) than the corresponding values of RY and RNY of pigeon pea (0.6). This implied that competition exists for soil N between the component crops during the first half of the cropping system. It was observed that soybean harvest did not coincide with peak flowering of pigeonpea, the stage when biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) was maximum. Thus, BNF dependency of pigeonpea was low before soybean harvest and the plants suffered from N deficiency more when no fertilizer-N was applied and diminished at a high-N level. Pigeon pea attained its peak flowering after the harvest of soybean and increased its dependency on BNF when soil N was exhausted by soybean. Thus, after the harvest of soybean, RY and RNY of pigeon pea gradually increased and approached 1.0 at maturity at all nutrient levels. The RPY values showed that phosphorus was not the limiting factor to any of the crop in the system even if it was not applied. The study thus suggests that in the soybean/pigeonpea intercropping system, N is a limiting factor for growth of pigeonpea intercrop during the first half of its growth and application of 100% NPK (30 kg N) + 4 t FYM could meet N demand of pigeonpea in N deficient soils as this nutrient management option gave higher yield, root length density and profit under soybean/pigeonpea intercropping system than 100% NPK and control.     

玉米株型对大豆氮素积累、转运和籽粒蛋白质产量的影响

以“玉/豆”套作模式为背景,三个不同株型的玉米和三个不同熟期的大豆材料,采用两因素裂区设计,研究了大豆地上部氮素积累和转运,以及籽粒蛋白质的差异。结果表明,各大豆品种中,以晚熟大豆在不同时期、不同器官的氮素积累量为最高,分别高出中、早熟品种 121.09%和165.33%,其氮素积累速率、有效荚数、籽粒产量和蛋白质含量平均分别为3.78kg/hm2/d、60.27荚、3 840.22kg/hm2和48.71 %,均显著高于中、早熟品种;大豆地上部氮素积累总量、积累速率、转运量和单株有效荚数均随着玉米株型的变化（从紧凑型到平展型）而减少,紧凑型玉米下的大豆籽粒产量和蛋白质产量分别为2 609.10kg/hm2和1 203.83kg/hm2,显著高于其他玉米株型处理;交互作用分析表明,玉米株型与大豆熟性在单株荚数、单荚粒数、籽粒产量和蛋白质产量上互作显著;相关性分析表明蛋白质产量与籽粒产量极显著相关。因此,选择紧凑型玉米与晚熟大豆品种搭配有利于提高套作大豆的产量,从而提高籽粒蛋白质产量。     

Polylactic acid/carbon fiber composites: Effects of functionalized elastomers on mechanical properties,thermal behavior,surface compatibility,and electrical characteristics

In this study, the maleic anhydride grafted styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer (SEBS-g-MA) is used as the compatilizer for polylactic acid (PLA)/carbon fiber (CF) composites. The effects of SEBS-g-MA on the mechanical properties, thermal behavior, interfacial compatibility, and electrical characteristics of composites are then evaluated. The mechanical property tests indicate that when the amount of compatilizer increases, the tensile properties and flexural property of the composites decrease while their impact strength increases. The SEM results show that the compatilizer can decrease the interstices between PLA and CF, and thereby augments their interfacial compatibility. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results confirm that the compatilizer results in a greater crystallization temperature and a greater crystallinity of the composites. The electrical characteristic results indicate that neither PLA nor SEBS-g-MA is not interfered with the conductive network that is constructed by CF, which is exemplified by an average electromagnetic shielding effect of above ?30 dB. This study confirms that SEBS-g-MA can improve interfacial compatibility and toughness, as well as attain good electrical characteristics of PLA/CF composites.     

Panicle-3D: A low-cost 3D-modeling method for rice panicles based on deep learning,shape from silhouette,and supervoxel clustering

Self-occlusions are common in rice canopy images and strongly influence the calculation accuracies of panicle traits. Such interference can be largely eliminated if panicles are phenotyped at the 3 D level.Research on 3 D panicle phenotyping has been limited. Given that existing 3 D modeling techniques do not focus on specified parts of a target object, an efficient method for panicle modeling of large numbers of rice plants is lacking. This paper presents an automatic and nondestructive method ...     

Methyl ester of Sal oil (Shorea robusta) as a substitute to diesel fuel—A study on its preparation, performance and emissions in direct injection diesel engine

Many research reported vegetable oil as a potential substitute for diesel engines with its ester form known as biodiesel. The biodiesel can be prepared by different process using vegetable oil and alcohol. The common process used for biodiesel preparation is known as transesterification. This paper presents the transesterification of Sal oil (Shorea robusta) into Sal oil methyl ester (SOME) and its performance in direct injection diesel engine. Several process parameters such as catalyst quantity, molar ratio of alcohol, reaction temperature and reaction time were studied and the optimized process conditions are amount of catalyst (NaOH) - 0.25 wt%, alcohol (methanol) - 150% excess, reaction temperature - 65 °C and reaction time - 1.5 h. The studies with SOME as fuel in the direct injection diesel engine shows that the exhaust emissions such as CO, HC and NO_x are reduced by 25%, 45% and 12%, respectively compared to diesel without significant difference in thermal efficiency. Based on this study it is concluded that the SOME can be used as fuel without any modifications in the engine and hence this biodiesel can be a potential substitute to standard diesel fuel.     

Use of bovine somatotropin for milk production: the effect of time of treatment initiation on milk production of Holstein/Friesian dairy cows placed on a high-forage, low-concentrate feeding system

Sixty multiparous Holstein/Friesian cows were used in a 2 × 2 factorial design trial to determine the effect of the administration of bovine somatotropin (BST), at either 60 or 120 ± 3 d post partum, on milk production. All cows were offered ad libitum a forage mixture containing, on a dry-mailer (DM) basis, grass and maize silage in a 1:1 ratio and 4 kg d⁻¹ fresh weight of concentrate, which contained 115 and 495 g kg⁻¹ DM of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and crude protein (CP), respectively, and 13–5 MJ kg⁻¹ DM metabolizable energy (ME). BST-treated cows received subcutaneous injections of a prolonged-release formulation of BST (sometribove). Injections were administered into the ischiorectal fossa at 14-d intervals for the remainder of the lactation. This schedule resulted in sixteen and twelve injections cow⁻¹ when treatment w as in it rate d at 60 and 120 + 3 d post partum respectively. This corresponded to treatment periods of 32 and 24 weeks, in which the production responses were measured. When compared with control cows, the administration of BST from 60 and 120 ± 3 d post partum increased mean milk yield by 1–2 and 3.3 kg day⁻¹ respectively, although only the latter milk-yield response was significant ( P <0.001). The administration of BST produced a small nonsignificant increase in DM intake, no effect on milk composition and a small but significant reduction in body condition In conclusion a significant milk-yield response can be obtained from the use of BST in high-forage, low-concentrate feeding systems if forage quality is high and treatment initiation is delayed until mid-lactation. This is illustrated by the fact that the lactation yield increased from 6054 to 6842 kg. and was obtained when using only 1.2 t of concentrate.     

Seasonal abundance of the mirids, Lygus lucorum and Adelphocoris spp. (Hemiptera: Miridae) on Bt cotton in northern China

Lygus lucorum Meyer-Dür, Adelphocoris fasciaticollis Reuter and Adelphocoris lineolatus (Goeze) (Hemiptera: Miridae) are important secondary insect pests in cotton fields in northern China. The seasonal dynamics of their mixed populations on a transgenic variety expressing the insecticidal Bt protein Cry1A, and a cotton line expressing proteins of Cry1A and CpTI (cowpea trypsin inhibitor gene) were compared to seasonal dynamics on similar but non-transgenic varieties from 1998 to 2001. No significant differences were detected between population densities of these bugs on unsprayed normal cotton and unsprayed transgenic cotton. However, mirid damage on unsprayed transgenic cotton was significantly higher due to a reduced number of insecticide sprays against Helicoverpa armigera compared with the number of sprays in the normal cotton. This suggests that the mirids have become key insect pests in transgenic cotton fields, and that their damage to cotton could increase further with the expansion of the area planted to transgenic cotton if no additional control measures are adopted.     

Effects of piperonyl butoxide on Bemisia tabaci Genn. (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae): mortality, development, parasitism and predation in Israeli cotton fields

In field trials in Israel, piperonyl butoxide (PB) alone, at concentrations of 2000 and 5000 ppm exerted good control over nymphal Bemisia tabaci populations on cotton. Weekly doses of these concentrations exerted greater control than a recommended oil and were as effective as the standard single application of buprofezin. Cypermethrin caused marked resurgence within the plots, probably as a consequence of its detrimental effects on natural enemies. Neither PB, buprofezin nor the oil reduced the incidence of natural enemies. Treatment with 2000 or 5000 ppm PB resulted in a shift in age structure toward a greater proportion of young instars than in other treatments. There was some evidence that these effects facilitated a greater level of parasitism in PB-treated plots.