Simulation of nitrate-N movement in southern Ontario,Canada with DRAINMOD-N

DRAINMOD-N, a mathematical model to predict nitrate-N concentrations in surface runoff and drain outflows from subsurface-drained farmlands, has been tested against field data collected in southern Ontario. The data was collected in a corn field from 16 conventional drainage and subirrigation plots in Woodslee, Ontario, from 1992 to 1994. The model performance was evaluated by comparing the observed and simulated nitrate-N concentrations in surface runoff and drain outflows. A precise calculation of water-table depth is an essential prerequisite for a model to obtain a proper prediction of nitrate-N movement. For the simulation of water-table depth, the lowest root mean square error and the highest correlation coefficient of linear regression were 173 mm and 0.51 for the subirrigation plots; and 178 mm and 0.84 for the subsurface drainage plots. Therefore, the performance of DRAINMOD-N for soil hydrologic simulations was satisfactory and it could be used for assessing nitrogen fate and transport. For the simulation of nitrate-N losses in the subirrigation plots, the lowest root mean square error and the highest correlation coefficient of linear regression were 0.74 kg/ha and 0.98 for surface runoff; and 6.53 kg/ha and 0.91 for drain outflow. For the simulation in the subsurface drainage plots, the lowest root mean square error and the highest correlation coefficient of linear regression were 0.70 kg/ha and 0.96 for surface runoff; and 6.91 kg/ha and 0.92 for drain outflow. The results show that DRAINMOD-N can perform satisfactory simulation of soil hydrology and nitrate-N losses in surface runoff under various water-table management practices. The model can, therefore, be used to evaluate different water pollution scenarios and help in the development and testing of various pollution control strategies for fields in cold weather such as that in southern Canada.     

Stratospheric Nitric Oxide: Measurements during Daytime and Sunset

Measurements of the temporal variation in the stratospheric nitric oxide concentration covering a time period from 11:00 to 20:30 local time show the effect of solar ultraviolet sunset. The experimental results strongly support the theorized role of nitric oxide as a catalyst in the destruction of ozone and its importance in the stratospheric ozone balance.     

Polymeric dyes based on thiadiazole derivatives

A series of polymeric dyes were synthesized by free radical addition polymerization of monomeric dyes. The 2-amino-5-mercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole was diazotized and coupled with various N-arylmaleimides to give monomeric dyes. All the polymeric dyes were characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, visible absorption spectroscopy, viscometry, and thermogravimetric analysis. Color and dyeing properties of the polymeric dyes were discussed by comparing them with those of the corresponding monomeric dyes. The dyeing performance of these dyes was assessed on nylon fiber. These dyes were found to give various color shades with good to very good depth and levelness on the fiber. The dyeing of the monomeric dyes showed moderate fastness to light and good to excellent fastness to washing, perspiration and sublimation and their corresponding polymeric dyes showed excellent fastness properties. The dyebath exhaustion and fixation on nylon fiber has been found to be good.     

Synthesis and Cytotoxicity Evaluation of Spirocyclic Bromotyrosine Clavatadine C Analogs

Marine-originated spirocyclic bromotyrosines are considered as promising scaffolds for new anticancer drugs. In a continuation of our research to develop potent and more selective anticancer compounds, we synthesized a library of 32 spirocyclic clavatadine analogs by replacing the agmatine, i.e., 4-(aminobutyl)guanidine, side chain with different substituents. These compounds were tested for cytotoxicity against skin cancer using the human melanoma cell line (A-375) and normal human skin fibroblast cell line (Hs27). The highest cytotoxicity against the A-375 cell line was observed for dichloro compound 18 (CC₅₀ 0.4 ± 0.3 µM, selectivity index (SI) 2). The variation of selectivity ranged from SI 0.4 to reach 2.4 for the pyridin-2-yl derivative 29 and hydrazide analog of 2-picoline 37. The structure–activity relationships of the compounds in respect to cytotoxicity and selectivity toward cancer cell lines are discussed.     

Effects of fungal α-amylase on chemically leavened wheat flour doughs

Chemical leaveners are used in doughs to generate carbon dioxide, as an alternative to yeast, in making a range of bakery products. In this study, the effects of fungal α-amylase and ascorbic acid on chemically leavened doughs were followed by measuring dough extensibility, true rheological properties, the amount of free liquid in doughs following ultracentrifugation and the quality of baked products. As with yeasted doughs, the bake qualities of chemically leavened doughs also improved in the presence of fungal α-amylases. The bake qualities were not affected when the equivalent amount of ascorbic acid was added. The differences in dough formulations were detected from measurements of true rheological properties, not from extensibilities of doughs. The amount of free liquid was larger and of lower viscosity in doughs containing α-amylases. The properties of the continuous liquid phase were found to be important in defining the rheological and baking qualities of doughs.     

Interaction of root colonizing biocontrol agents demonstrates the antagonistic effect against <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium oxysporum</Emphasis> f. sp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">lycopersici</Emphasis> on tomato

Plant growth promoting Bacillus subtilis MSS9 and Bacillus licheniformis MSS14 were isolated from the tomato rhizosphere. These isolates were capable of inhibiting the fungal pathogen, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici causing fusarium wilt in tomato, tested by dual culture method and by mycolytic enzyme production. The isolates have the capacity to form biofilm on the microtitre plate. Scanning electron microscopy revealed good colonization capacity of Bacillus licheniformis MSS14 on tomato plant root as compared to Bacillus subtilis MSS9, pot experiments were also analyzed to study the effects of both rhizobacterial cultures on pathogen development and plant growth. It was observed that MSS14 reduces the incidence of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici in tomato and there was significant increase in vegetative parameters like root length, shoot length, plant wet weight, dry weight and chlorophyll content after which indicates that the root colonization property of the culture MSS14 helps in enhancing the biocontrol capacity against pathogen than that of MSS9.     

Wireworm damage reduction in potatoes with an attract-and-kill strategy using <Emphasis Type="Italic">Metarhizium brunneum</Emphasis>

Innovative wireworm control strategies are required to implement integrated pest management on the basis of the (EC) No regulation 1107/2009 and Directive 2009/128/EC. Entomopathogenic fungi, such as Metarhizium brunneum (Metschnikoff) Sorokin, are potential biological control agents for wireworm control but do not achieve high control efficacies in the field when applied as a conidia suspension. In a 2-year study, wireworm control with a novel attract-and-kill strategy aimed at enhancing M. brunneum efficacies in organic potato production systems in Lower Saxony, Germany. The approach is based on the attraction of wireworms (Agriotes spp. Eschscholtz) towards an artificial carbon dioxide-emitting source, using baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae Meyen ex Hansen) in combination with M. brunneum conidia for wireworm infection. Both components were encapsulated in alginate as a carrier material and applied in a mixture with two types of beads (one for encapsulated yeast and one for M.brunneum conidia). An application of these beads within the potato rows during potato planting reduced wireworm tuber damage by 37–75% relative to the untreated control and was able to enhance the efficacy of M. brunneum by up to 35% through an attract-and-kill approach compared to beads without a carbon dioxide source only. This strategy offers a high potential to promote biological wireworm control as an alternative to insecticide use by potentially reducing the inoculum compared to an inundate M. brunneum conidia release strategy.     

印度西部5种热带干落叶林中凋落物中生物元素和返回到绿叶中的季节性变化(英文)

本文对印度西部5种热带干落叶林中凋落物里生物元素的季节性变化和它们返回到新鲜叶中季节性变化进行研究。对5个树种:阿拉伯金合欢(Acacia nilotica L.)、金合欢(Acacia leucophloea Roxb.)、柚木(Tectonagrandis L.f.)、绒毛野独活(Miliusa tomentosa Roxb.)和紫矿(Butea mono-sperma Lain.)中凋落物的成熟叶、枝和再生部分的N、P、Ca、Mg、K和Na的浓度,以及老叶和幼叶中浓度间的关系进行调查。对这些树种的总干物质进行记录,并分析它们所含的N、P、Ca、Mg、K和Na的含量。其中阿拉伯金合欢叶子中N的含量最高,而金合欢的叶子里Ca和Mg含量最高。叶中含P最多的是阿托伯金合欢、金合欢和紫矿,而含P最少的是柚木和绒毛野独活。K和Na含量在这些树种中没有明显的区别。观察发现,N、P和K的浓度随季节变化大,但Ca和Mg则不然。唯有钾在所有树种中都是最稳定的,吸收N和P可以用于来年新叶的生长。从老叶和凋落物中吸收的营养会支持新叶的生长,并增加土壤的肥力。图1表4参30。     

Initial observations of the nightside ionosphere of venus from pioneer venus orbiter radio occultations

Pioneer Venus orbiter dual-frequency radio occultation measurements have produced many electron density profiles of the nightside ionosphere of Venus. Thirty-six of these profiles, measured at solar zenith angles (chi) from 90.60 degrees to 163.5 degrees , are discussed here. In the "deep" nightside ionosphere (chi > 110 degrees ), the structure and magnitude of the ionization peak are highly variable; the mean peak electron density is 16,700 +/- 7,200 (standard deviation) per cubic centimeter. In contrast, the altitude of the peak remains fairly constant with a mean of 142.2 +/- 4.1 kilometers, virtually identical to the altitude of the main peak of the dayside terminator ionosphere. The variations in the peak ionization are not directly related to contemporal variations in the solar wind speed. It is shown that electron density distributions similar to those observed in both magnitude and structure can be produced by the precipitation on the nightside of Venus of electron fluxes of about 108 per square centimeter per second with energies less than 100 electron volts. This mechanism could very likely be responsible for the maintenance of the persistent nightside ionosphere of Venus, although transport processes may also be important.