Mass Transfer and Color Changes Kinetics of Infrared-Vacuum Drying of Grapefruit Slices

ABSTRACT

The effects of combined infrared-vacuum drying parameters, including infrared power (300–400 W), pressure (5–25 kPa) and time (0–140 min) on the drying kinetics of grapefruit slices were investigated. Both the infrared lamp power and vacuum pressure influenced the drying time of grapefruit slices. The regression results showed that the quadratic model satisfactorily described the drying behavior with highest R and lowest SE values. The effective moisture diffusivity increases as power increases and range between 5.83 × 10^–10 and 2.13 × 10^–9 m²/s. The color scale parameters, including redness (a*), yellowness (b*) and lightness (L*) values of dried grapefruit slices increased during drying. The rise in infrared power has a negative effect on the color change intensity (?E) and with increasing in infrared radiation power it was increased. Different kinetic models were used to fit the experimental data and the results revealed that the power model was the most suitable to describe the ?E.     

Growth characteristics of Artemisia sieberi influenced by super absorbent polymers in texturally different soils under water stress condition

The effects of super absorbent polymers (SAPs) on growth characteristics and seedlings survival of Artemisia sieberi (under two soil textures, three irrigation levels and seven hydrogel compositions with three replications) were investigated. The studied traits were shoot height, shoot dry weight, root dry weight, ratio of root/shoot, root length, root perimeter, root area and root volume. SAPs successfully enhanced growth capability of A. sieberi in two soil textures compared to the controls. Ideally, 5 g kg^?1 Aquasorb? (SNF Company, France) with 100% irrigation and 10 g kg^?1 Stockosorb® (Evonik Corporation, Germany) with 75% irrigation in a sandy loam texture and 10 g kg^?1 Boloorab A? (Boloorab Company, Iran) with 75% irrigation in a loamy texture significantly affected all traits, resulting in 100% survival for A. sieberi seedlings. Aquasorb? and Stockosorb® showed the best results in the sandy loam texture and preferable outputs were obtained by Boloorab A? application in the loamy texture. In other words, because of the basic differentiation among soils in terms of mineralogy, temperature and moisture content, different SAPs should be applied. Production of dense root network and root aggregation stimulated by SAPs increased root contact with moisture. Therefore, improving the growth and survival of the plants is accessible using SAPs under water stress condition.     

Nitric oxide level in seminal plasma and its relation with sperm DNA damages

BACKGROUND: Evidence supports the involvement of nitric oxide (NO) in a variety of male reproductive processes such as spermatogenesis, spermiogenesis, sperm motion, sperm metabolism and sperm capacitation. However, low concentration of NO is essential in biology and physiology of spermatozoa, but high amounts of NO is toxic and has negative effects on sperm functions. On the other hand, it is established that high amounts of NO have detrimental effects on DNA. The integrity of sperm DNA is an important factor in successful fertility and embryo development. It is hypothesized that supra physiological concentrations of NO in seminal plasma cause sperm DNA damage. The aim of this study was to determine sperm DNA damage by comet assay and its correlation with NO level in seminal plasma of fertile and infertile men. METHODS: Semen samples were collected from 45 patients and 70 healthy donors. The stable metabolites of NO (nitrite and nitrate) in seminal plasma were measured by Griess assay and DNA damage was determined using single cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay method. RESULTS: The NO concentration in the seminal plasma of infertile males was significantly higher than fertile males (5.74+/-1.01 microM/L vs. 3.88+/-0.53 microM/L). There was a significant positive correlation between the NO concentration and sperm DNA comet value in infertile males (P<0.01, R=0.598). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the overproduction of NO in genital tract of infertile males has a potential pathogenetic role in the reduction of sperm DNA integrity.     

Chemical fractions and bioavailability of nickel in a Ni-treated calcareous soil amended with plant residue biochars

ABSTRACT

Recently, the use of biochars for stabilization of soil heavy metals has been expanded due to their adsorption characteristics, low cost and carbon storage potential. A factorial experiment was performed to investigate the effects of two plant residue biochars (licorice root pulp and rice husk biochar each applied at 2.5% (w/w)) produced at two temperatures (350 and 550 °C), and three Ni application rates (0, 150 and 300 mg Ni kg^?1) on bioavailability and chemical fractions of Ni in a calcareous soil after spinach cultivation. Application of all the biochars significantly reduced Ni bioavailability factor (5–15%) and spinach Ni concentration (54–77%) in Ni-treated soil. The biochars produced at 550 °C were more effective at reducing Ni mobility and Ni uptake by spinach than those produced at 350 °C, attributed to higher CaCO₃ and lower acidic functional group content, which resulted in greater enhancement of soil pH. When comparing the biochars produced at the same temperature, the rice husk biochars were the most effective in reducing Ni bioavailability, likely due to their lower acidic functional group content and higher nano-silica content which resulted in higher soil pH values and potentially promoted the formation of Ni-silicates and hydroxides.

Abbreviations : Ni: Nickel; RHB: rice husk biochar; LRB: licorice root pulp biochar; WsEx: water soluble and exchangeable; CARB: carbonate form; RES: residual; MnOx; manganese oxides bound; AFeOx; amorphous iron oxides bound; CFeOx: crystalline iron oxides bound; OM: organic bound.     

Strip-tillage effect on seedbed soil temperature and other soil physical properties

The no-tillage system is perceived as having lower soil temperatures, wetter soil conditions, and greater surface penetration resistance compared with conventional and other conservation tillage systems. Concerns associated with the effect of the no-tillage system on certain soil physical properties (i.e. soil temperature, moisture, and compaction) prompted this study to evaluate the effect of an alternative tillage system, strip-tillage, on these physical properties, compared with chisel plow and no-tillage systems. The study was conducted on two Iowa State University research and demonstration farms in 2001 and 2002. One site was at the Marsden Farm near Ames, where the soils were Nicollet loam (Aquic Hapludolls) and Webster silty clay loam (Typic Haplaquolls). The second site was at the Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm near Nashua, where the soils were Kenyon loam (Typic Hapludolls) and Floyd loam (Aquic Hapludolls).Soil temperature increased in the top 5 cm under strip-tillage (1.2–1.4 °C) over no-tillage and it remained close to the chisel plow soil temperature. This increase in soil temperature contributed to an improvement in plant emergence rate index (ERI) under strip-tillage compared with no-tillage. The results show no significant differences in soil moisture status between the three tillage systems, although the strip-tillage soil profile has slightly greater moisture content than chisel plow. Moisture content through the soil profile particularly at the lower depths under all tillage treatments was greater than the plant available water (PAW). However, the changes in soil moisture storage were much greater with strip-tillage and chisel plow than no-tillage from post-emergence to preharvest at 0–30 and 0–120 cm. It was observed also that most change in soil moisture storage occurred between post-emergence and tasseling. Penetration resistance was similar for both strip-tillage and no-tillage, but commonly greater than chisel plow. In general, the findings show that strip-tillage can contribute effectively to improve plant emergence, similar to chisel plowing and conserve soil moisture effectively compared with no-tillage.     

Evaluation of inoculation with nitrogen and phosphorus biofertilizers on yield and radiation use efficiency of black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) under Mashhad climatic conditions

The purposes of this study were evaluate the effects of biofertilizers inoculation on growth indices, yield and radiation use efficiency (RUE) in black cumin under Mashhad climatic conditions. This field experiment was carried out based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. This experiment was performed at Agricultural Research Station, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, during two growing seasons 2007–2008 and 2008–2009. Treatments were (A) Azotobacter paspali, (B) Azospirillum brasilense, (C) Rhizophagus irregularis, A + C, B + C, A + B, A + B + C and control. In all treatments, except control, 100 g of seeds were inoculated with15 mg of each biofertilizer. Results indicated that leaf area index (LAI) and accumulative dry matter (DM) showed an increasing trend up to 1863°Cd and a short declining trend afterwards. The relation between accumulative DM and absorbed photosynthesis active radiation (PARa) was linear. Radiation use efficiency (RUE) fluctuated from 0.55 gMJ^?1 (control) to 0.89 gMJ^?1 (B+C). Inoculation with biofertilizers enhanced root development and hence availability of moisture and nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus. Since these ecological fertilizers produce many growth regulators for the plant which promote LAI and accumulative DM and therefore yield, PARa and RUE enhanced.     

Morphometric study of the testis in sheep embryos using unbiased design-based stereology

Sheep have been used as translational models of human postnatal testicular development. However, the morphometric features of the normal developing testis in sheep embryos have not been previously investigated using stereology. The objective of the present work was to establish normal quantitative parameters for fetal testicular tissue components in sheep, using unbiased design-based stereological methods. Twenty-four sheep embryos were divided into four gestational age groups (9–11, 12–14, 15–17 and 18–20 weeks of gestation) on the basis of the embryos’ crown-rump length. Isotropic, systematic uniform random sections of the left testes were obtained by employing the orientator method. Testicular total volume, the absolute and proportional volumes occupied by the seminiferous tubules and interstitial tissue, as well as the seminiferous tubule length, were estimated using the point-counting system and the unbiased counting frame principle. All the parameters, with the exception of the interstitial tissue's fractional volume, gradually increased along with gestational age, with the maximum increase especially seen in the late fetal stages. The proportional volume of the interstitial tissue, on the other hand, showed a decreasing trend along with increasing gestational age. The absolute volume of the testes, of the seminiferous tubules and of the interstitial tissue, and the length of the seminiferous tubules showed a significant (p< 0.05) positive linear correlation with gestational age. Several similarities were observed with human testicular embryogenesis. The stereological data emerging from the present study might prove useful as basic contribution to the fields of andrology and embryology and stimulate further research in these areas.