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CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF LINSEED WITH DIFFERENT COLOUR OF BRAN LAYER | Linseed (Linum usitatissimum) as an oil crop in organic farming: abiotic impacts on seed ingredients and yield | No Detectable Broad-Scale Effect of Livestock Grazing on Soil Blue-Carbon Stock in Salt Marshes | yue_Hant | 9,400 |
Metal Tolerant Mycorrhizal Plants: A Review from the Perspective on Industrial Waste in Temperate Region | Heavy Metal-Induced Differential Responses to Oxidative Stress and Protection by Mycorrhization in Sunflowers Grown in Lab and Field Scales | Determination of thiosemicarbazide alone and in its metal complexes with arylhalosulfonamides | eng_Latn | 9,401 |
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY DEINKING PROCESS BY ENZYMES | Biotechnology for Pulp and Paper Processing | Denitrification enzyme activity is limited by soil aeration in a wastewater-irrigated forest soil | yue_Hant | 9,402 |
Experiments demonstrate that Uranium isotopes fractionate during adsorption to Mn-oxides | Isotope Ratio Triangulation: A Method for Determining Uranium Isotope Ratios and Application to the Search for Uranium Isotope Anomalies in the Mineral Titanite | Evidence that Northern Pioneering Pines with Tuberculate Mycorrhizae are Unaffected by Varying Soil Nitrogen Levels | eng_Latn | 9,403 |
IS PHOSPHINE A COMPONENT OF CONCERN IN RUMEN GAS IN CATTLE | Human genotoxicity in phosphine-exposed fumigant applicators. | High-frequency monitoring of nitrogen and phosphorus response in three rural catchments to the end of the 2011–2012 drought in England | yue_Hant | 9,404 |
Eco-efficiency assessment of farm-scaled biogas plants. | In-situ regeneration of activated carbon with electric potential swing desorption (EPSD) for the H2S removal from biogas | An instrumental variable approach finds no associated harm or benefit from early dialysis initiation in the United States | eng_Latn | 9,405 |
Conversion of peat and coal nitrogen through HCN and NH3 to nitrogen oxides at 800°C | ORGANIC NITROGEN CONVERSION DURING THE THERMAL DECOMPOSITION OF HUADIAN OIL SHALE OF CHINA | Evidence that Northern Pioneering Pines with Tuberculate Mycorrhizae are Unaffected by Varying Soil Nitrogen Levels | eng_Latn | 9,406 |
INTEGRATION OF HUMIC ACID WITH NITROGEN WIELDS AN AUXILIARY IMPACT ON PHYSIOLOGICAL TRAITS , GROWTH AND YIELD OF MAIZE ( Zea mays L . ) VARIETIES | Effect of Foliar-Applied Humic Acid to Dry Weight and Mineral Nutrient Uptake of Maize under Calcareous Soil Conditions | Evidence that Northern Pioneering Pines with Tuberculate Mycorrhizae are Unaffected by Varying Soil Nitrogen Levels | yue_Hant | 9,407 |
Constructed Wetlands: A Review on the Role of Radial Oxygen Loss in the Rhizosphere by Macrophytes | Seasonal characterization of municipal wastewater and performance evaluation of a constructed wetland system in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Rhizosphere research - 85 years of progress and frustration | eng_Latn | 9,408 |
Bread wheat production under drought stress conditions | Grain yield and its components study and their association with normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) under terminal water deficit and well-irrigated conditions in wheat (Triticum durum Desf. and Triticum aestivum L.) | Improved wheat grain yield by a new method of root selection | eng_Latn | 9,409 |
An Optimized Duplex Real-Time PCR Tool for Sensitive Detection of the Quarantine Oomycete Plasmopara halstedii in Sunflower Seeds | A Review of Conventional PCR Assays for the Detection of Selected Phytopathogens of Wheat | No Detectable Broad-Scale Effect of Livestock Grazing on Soil Blue-Carbon Stock in Salt Marshes | eng_Latn | 9,410 |
[Output characteristics of rainfall runoff phosphorus pollution from a typical small watershed in Yimeng mountainous area]. | Rainstorm pattern effects on the size distribution of soil aggregate in eroded sediment within contour ridge systems | High-affinity glucose uptake in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is not dependent on the presence of glucose-phosphorylating enzymes | eng_Latn | 9,411 |
Micronucleus Assay with Tetrad Cells of Tradescantia | Integrated monitoring for environmental health impact assessment related to the genotoxic effects of vehicular pollution in Uberlândia, Brazil | Evidence that Northern Pioneering Pines with Tuberculate Mycorrhizae are Unaffected by Varying Soil Nitrogen Levels | eng_Latn | 9,412 |
A model of solid-solution interactions in acid organic soils, based on the complexation properties of humic substances | Does elevated nitrogen deposition or ecosystem recovery from acidification drive increased dissolved organic carbon loss from upland soil? A review of evidence from field nitrogen addition experiments | Oral insulin does not alter gut microbiota composition of NOD mice | eng_Latn | 9,413 |
The natural revegetation of a vacuum-mined peatland: Eight years of monitoring. | Ecosystem services of peatlands: Implications for restoration | Ecosystem services of peatlands: Implications for restoration | eng_Latn | 9,414 |
Tidal variability in methane and nitrous oxide emissions along a subtropical estuarine gradient | Effects of Tidal Scenarios on the Methane Emission Dynamics in the Subtropical Tidal Marshes of the Min River Estuary in Southeast China | Evidence that Northern Pioneering Pines with Tuberculate Mycorrhizae are Unaffected by Varying Soil Nitrogen Levels | eng_Latn | 9,415 |
Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Throughfall Deposition of Nitrogen and Sulfur in the Mangrove Forests Associated to Terminos Lagoon | Air Pollution in the Gulf of Mexico | Evidence that Northern Pioneering Pines with Tuberculate Mycorrhizae are Unaffected by Varying Soil Nitrogen Levels | eng_Latn | 9,416 |
Short Live Afterglow in Pure Nitrogen and Nitrogen Containing Traces of Oxygen and Methane | Post-discharge in pure nitrogen containing vapours of zinc | Evidence that Northern Pioneering Pines with Tuberculate Mycorrhizae are Unaffected by Varying Soil Nitrogen Levels | eng_Latn | 9,417 |
Bloat in cattle. 22. Further experiments on treatment and prevention. | Nutritional effects of tannins in animal feeds. | No Detectable Broad-Scale Effect of Livestock Grazing on Soil Blue-Carbon Stock in Salt Marshes | eng_Latn | 9,418 |
Capacity of fatty acid profiles and substrate utilization patterns to describe differences in soil microbial communities associated with increased salinity or alkalinity at three locations in South Australia | The Influence of Tropical Plant Diversity and Composition on Soil Microbial Communities | Fatty acid and substrate utilization profiles in microbial community ecology | eng_Latn | 9,419 |
Furrow erosion and aggregate stability variation in a Portneuf silt loam | Whey utilization in furrow irrigation: Effects on aggregate stability and erosion | SNARE Function Is Not Involved in Early Endosome Docking | eng_Latn | 9,420 |
Effect of Environmental Setting on Sediment, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus Concentrations in Albemarle-Pamlico Drainage Basin, North Carolina and Virginia, USA | A Web-Based Tool to Interpolate Nitrogen Loading Using a Genetic Algorithm | Evidence that Northern Pioneering Pines with Tuberculate Mycorrhizae are Unaffected by Varying Soil Nitrogen Levels | eng_Latn | 9,421 |
This study presents a life cycle assessment of a crop sequence of cauliflower and tomato that is subjected to three different fertilization treatments; the crops were cultivated in a Mediterranean region. The main objective of this study is the assessment of organic and mineral fertilizers that are applied to a crop sequence of tomato and cauliflower. Two allocation procedures that are based on the crop cultivation time and the degree of nitrogen mineralization were implemented to allocate the compost burden to the crops. The results indicated that the crops fertilized with home compost achieved the best environmental performance in all impact categories, regardless of the allocation methods, with the exception of marine eutrophication and terrestrial acidification. The comparison of the impact (kg eq. of pollutant/day) on the entire horticultural cycle with the individual crops indicates that cycle yielded the least amount of impact among the assessed categories. The crops that were fertilized with the home compost using the allocation method, which is based on the degree of nitrogen in the soil, exhibited the least impact value among all categories. However, the allocation procedure based on the cultivation duration was considered to be the better attributional method given the high degree of uncertainty in the nitrogen degradation. This uncertainty is related to the complex interactions among the variables to metabolize the following nutrients (i.e., nitrogen) of fertilizers: variety of crops, crop management, soil type, weather conditions and fertilizer. | Vegetable waste usually contains high levels of organic matter, moisture and nutrients that make the waste unsuitable for disposal in municipal landfills. Composting of vegetable waste is in practice by many urban local bodies, and therefore, it was composted along with cow dung and sawdust in a 550-L batch scale rotary drum composter. Four different trials of varying waste combinations of vegetable waste, cow dung and sawdust, i.e., trial 1 (5:4:1), trial 2 (6:2:1), trial 3 (7:2:1) and trial 4 (8:1:1) were composted by adding 10 kg of dry leaves as bulking agent with a total mass of 100 kg. With proper combinations of organic waste mix, a maximum temperature of 66.5 °C was observed in trial 1 and 61.4 °C in trial 2, when compared to other two trials with prolonged thermophilic period. Due to such elevated temperature, higher degradation was observed in trials 1 and 2 with inactivation of pathogens to considerable amounts. Furthermore, final compost had total nitrogen of 2.31 and 3.01 %, total phosphorous of 4.30 and 3.27 % and final carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of 15 and 12, in trials 1 and 2, respectively. Carbon dioxide evolution and oxygen uptake rate of compost samples was analyzed for its stability and was observed to reduce completely at the end of 20 days with lower emission rates. | Berzelius failed to make use of Faraday's electrochemical laws in his laborious determination of equivalent weights. | eng_Latn | 9,422 |
Growth of a nonpathogenic E. coli strain (K12- MG1655, ATCC 700926) in aerated and nonaerated compost teas containing molasses, kelp and carrot juice was examined. Teas were prepared using four different compost types that had undetectable levels of indigenous E. coli. Three of the composts were produced by turn pile windrow composting method using dairy, swine and horse manure as feedstock, while the fourth, a vermicompost, was produced by feeding separated dairy solids to worms Eisenia feotida. Molasses and kelp enhanced the growth of E. coli in inoculated teas and the E. coli density was positively correlated with nutrient concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 8.0 g/L. Irrespective of the presence of molasses and kelp, E. coli was not detected in noninoculated teas. Even though E. coli is a facultative anaerobe, its growth was significantly higher in nonaerated teas than in aerated teas. Without aeration, dissolved oxygen in teas declined rapidly and fell below 0.1 mg/L within 20 h, whereas continuous aer... | Three composts were tested for their ability to suppress root and stem rot caused by the soil borne fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-cucumerinum (FORC) on cucumber. Two of the composts were prepared from separated dairy solids either by windrow (WDS) or vermicomposting (VMC) while the third, obtained from International Bio-Recovery (IBR), was prepared from vegetable refuse using aerobic digestion. Three sets of potting mixes were prepared by mixing the composts with sawdust at varying ratios, and seeded with cucumber cv. Corona. After 14 days of growth in the greenhouse, inoculum of FORC (20 mL of 5 × 106 micro-conidia per mL) was applied to each pot at three different times (14, 21, and 35 days). In unamended inoculated pots, the pathogen caused stunted growth and reduced flowers. Amendment of WDS in the potting mix suppressed these symptoms, while VMC and IBR had no effect. All three composts reduced the FORC colony forming units (cfu) at the end of the experiment (10 weeks). There was ... | this failure of Europanization in these countries is correlated with the preferences of the ruling elites in these countries. | eng_Latn | 9,423 |
Rice ( Oryza sativa L.) being the most important staple crop of Nepal its production and productivity is significantly reduced by old-aged seedling transplantation and imbalanced nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium application. A field experiment was conducted at Sundarbazar, Lamjung to evaluate the performance of 38 days old US-312 hybrid rice seedling under fully rain-fed condition with six precision nutrient management practices [Nutrient Expert® -Rice (NE) recommendation, Farmers Fertilizer Practices (FFP); Government Recommendation (GR); Leaf Color Chart (LCC) N and FFP (P & K); NE (N) and FFP (P & K); and LCC (N) and NE (P & K) replicated four times in RCBD design during July to December, 2017. The statistical results showed that there was a significant difference between the treatments in terms of plant height( 105.38cm),leaf area index(4.26), crop growth rate (3.55),effective tillers m-2(374.25), tiller panicle conversion index (94.93%), panicle length (25.31cm), panicle weight (4.25g), fertility (82.35%), yield at 14% moisture (5.79t/ha), straw yield (7.96t/ha), net and gross revenues (Rs122503.1 and Rs272337/ha), B:C ratio (1.81), partial factor productivity(0.958) and total factor productivity (0.091).The grain yield increased by 37.62% in NE-Rice recommendation over the FFP, more than the NE estimated attainable yields (5.5t/ha) that signified further validation of Nutrient Expert –Rice Model under the mid-hill agro-ecological region of central Nepal. Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 6(3): 232-237 | Fertilizer K and P requirements for rice (Oryza sativa L.) can be determined with site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) using estimated target yield, nutrient balances, and yield gains from added nutrient. We used the QUEFTS (QUantitative Evaluation of the Fertility of Tropical Soils) model with >8000 plot-level observations to estimate the relationship between grain yield and nutrient accumulation in above-ground dry matter of irrigated rice with harvest index ≥ 0.4. Predicted reciprocal internal efficiencies (RIEs) at 60–70% of yield potential corresponded to plant accumulation of 14.6 kg N, 2.7 kg P, and 15.9 kg K per tonne of grain yield. These RIEs enable determination of plant requirements for K and P and net output of K and P in harvested grain and removed crop residues at a target yield. Yield gains for nutrient applied to irrigated rice averaged 12% for K and 9% for P for 525 to 531 observations. For fields without certain yield gain, fertilizer K and P requirements can be determined by a partial maintenance approach (i.e., fertilizer input < output in nutrient balance), which considers nutrient supply mediated through soil processes and balances trade-offs between financial loss with full maintenance rates and risk of excessive nutrient depletion without nutrient application. When yield gains to an added nutrient are certain, partial maintenance plus yield gain can be used to determine fertilizer requirements. The SSNM-based approach and algorithms enable rapid development of field-specific K and P management. | This publication contains reprint articles for which IEEE does not hold copyright. Full text is not available on IEEE Xplore for these articles. | eng_Latn | 9,424 |
Spatial assessments of crop residue biomass and its power potential at village level in Sonitpur district of Assam, India is presented in this paper. Recent IRS P6 LISS-III remote sensing data of the study area is analyzed in GIS environment to map crop areas and subsequently residue biomass availability at village level. Altogether 16 different types of crop residues are identified in the district with rice crop as dominant residue. About 0.17 million tonnes of crop residue biomass, having about 17Â MW potential power, is spatially distributed in the rural areas of the district. Village level biomass power mapping is done assuming combustion route of decentralized power generation. Considering the acute shortage of grid connected power supply in the study area, the decentralized crop residue based power generation could be an attractive option. At individual level, thermal power plant up to 72Â kW could be possible to cater the essential power need of the villager. | This paper identified the factors influencing the rice crop residue burning decision of the farmers and the potential of the burnt residue to generate electricity. For this study, data were collected from 400 farmers in the rice-wheat cropping system. Effects of different variables on the burning decision of rice residue are investigated through logit model. A number of factors had significant effects on the burning decision of crop residue. These included farming experience of the farmer, Rajput caste, farm size, owner operated farm, owner-cum-tenants operated farm, silty loam soil type, livestock strength, total cost associated with the handling of residue and preparation of wheat field after rice, availability of farm machinery for incorporation, use of residue as feed for animals, use of residue as fuel, intention of the respondent to reduce turnaround time between harvesting of rice and sowing of wheat, convenience in use of farm machinery after burning of residue and the geographic location of farm. The overall quantity of rice straw burnt is estimated to be 1704.91 thousand tonnes in the rice-wheat cropping areas with a potential to generate electric power of 162.51 MW. This power generation from crop residues would be a source of income for the farmers along with generation of additional employment opportunities and economic activities on sustainable basis. In order to minimise the cost of haulage of rice straw, installation of decentralised power plants at village level would be a good option. Further, use of rice crop residue as an energy source can help in reducing foreign exchange requirements for import of furnace oil. | We prove that groups acting geometrically on delta-quasiconvex spaces contain no essential Baumslag-Solitar quotients as subgroups. This implies that they are translation discrete, meaning that the translation numbers of their nontorsion elements are bounded away from zero. | eng_Latn | 9,425 |
Nitrogen (N) exerts strong effects on litter decomposition through altering microbial abundance and community composition. However, the effect of N addition on plant–soil interactions such as home-field advantage (HFA: enhanced decomposition at a home environment compared to a guest environment) in relation to litter decomposition remains unclear. To fill this knowledge gap, we conducted a reciprocal litter transplant plus N addition experiment in Mytilaria laosensis and Cunninghamia lanceolata plantations for two years in subtropical China where anthropogenic N input is amongst the highest in the world. We found positive HFA effects (in which the calculation incorporates litter of both species) with litter mass loss 11.2% faster at home than in the guest environment in the N addition (50 kg N ha−1 yr−1) treatment, but no significant HFA effects were found in the control treatment. The magnitude of the HFA effect on carbon (C) release increased with N addition, while that on N release decreased. The HFA effects on phosphorus, potassium, calcium, sodium, and magnesium release were positive overall, but varied through time and the magnitude of the effects were different among elements. The greater HFA effects in the N addition treatment were associated with greater differences in microbial biomass and community composition between home and guest environments than in the control treatment. Our results indicate that anthropogenic N enrichment could lead to enhanced HFA effects, through modification of microbial communities, and thereby affect C sequestration and N cycling in subtropical forests. | The home-field advantage (HFA) of litter decomposition dynamics has been investigated intensively in different ecosystems with a wide variety of plant types. HFA mainly occurs due to the specialization of a soil organism. However, for the HFA, the linkages between litter mass loss, nutrient release, and soil faunal community are not fully understood. Thus, in this study, we performed a reciprocal litter transplant experiment using coarse and fine mesh litterbags in a Quercus mongolica Fisch. ex Ledeb. forest dominated by Q. mongolica (QM) and Acer pseudosieboldianum (Pax) Komarov (AP) and miscellaneous wood forests dominated by Juglans mandshurica Maxim. (JM) and Ulmus laciniata (Trautv.) Mayr. (UL). Results showed that the A. pseudosieboldianum litter displayed a significantly higher total abundance of Oribatida, Tomoceridae, and Entomobryidae at home than away from home after 7 months. However, all litters showed no significant difference in the HFA between the coarse mesh and fine mesh sizes during the 12-month experiment. A. pseudosieboldianum and J. mandshurica litters showed a significantly higher positive HFA for the C release in the coarse mesh than in the fine mesh litterbags after 7 months. Q. mongolica and J. mandshurica litters showed a significantly higher positive HFA for N release in the coarse mesh than in the fine mesh litterbags after 7 months. The A. pseudosieboldianum litter showed a significantly higher positive HFA for N release in the coarse mesh than in the fine mesh litterbags after 12 months. Q. mongolica and A. pseudosieboldianum litters showed a significantly higher positive HFA for S release in the coarse mesh than in the fine mesh litterbags after 7 and 12 months, respectively. However, A. pseudosieboldianum and Q. mongolica litters showed a significantly higher negative HFA for S release in the coarse mesh than in the fine mesh litterbags after 7 and 12 months, respectively. Our results illustrated that soil faunal specialization was found in the A. pseudosieboldianum litter only at home after 7 months. Soil fauna had a weak effect on the HFA of the litter mass losses during the 12-month experiment. Soil fauna drove the positive HFA for the N release of both the high- and low-quality litters. Soil fauna have a positive and negative HFA for S release in the low-quality litter. | In the article the effect of proton exchange waveguide lithium niobate on domain kinetics. It is shown that PE planar waveguide on the side z-results change in the character of the domain walls on the side of the z +. It was determined that the qualitative difference in the samples with varying concentration of protons in the modified layer is not. | eng_Latn | 9,426 |
Silage corn (Zea mays L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were grown (1987–1991) in trials that had been manured and fertilized since 1978 to evaluate the effects of annual N, P, K and Mg fertilizers and dairy cattle manure on yields and nutrient uptake. Manure as the main factor was applied at 0 and 20 Mg ha−1 on a wet-weight basis. The subplots consisted of six fertilizer treatments: NK, PK, NP, NPK, NPKMg and the unfertilized control. For silage corn, fertilizer rates were 150, 100, 150 and 40 kg ha−1 N, P2O5, K2O and Mg, respectively. Fertilizer rates for wheat were 80, 100, 120 and 40 kg ha−1 N, P2O5, K2O and Mg, respectively. In manured plots, reduced N rates were applied for silage corn (100 kg N ha−1) and wheat (50 kg N ha−1). Silage corn and wheat yields and nutrient uptake were significantly increased by manure, N and K fertilizers whereas P and Mg effects were limited. A N-K synergistic effect on yields and nutrient uptake was observed both for silage corn and wheat. Application of K fertilize... | Dairy manure or green manuring has been considered as popular organic amendment to cropland in many countries. However, whether dairy manure combined with green manuring can effectively amend mudflat saline soil remains unclear. This paper was one of first studies to fill this knowledge gap by investigating impact of dairy manure combined with green manuring on soil chemical properties of mudflat saline soil. Dairy manure was used by one-time input, with the rates of 0, 30, 75, 150, and 300 t ha−1, to amend mudflat saline soil. Ryegrass, Sesbania, and ryegrass were chosen as green manures for three consecutive seasons, successively planted, and tilled, and maize was chosen as a test crop. The results indicated that one-time application of dairy manure enhanced fertility of mudflat saline soil and supported growth of ryegrass as the first season green manure. By the cycles of the green manuring, it rapidly improved the chemical properties of mudflat saline soil by decreasing soil salinity and pH and increasing soil organic carbon and available N and P, which promoted growth of maize. Dairy manure combined with green manuring can be applied for mudflat saline soil amendment, which provides an innovative solution for mudflat saline soil reclamation, dairy manure disposal, and resource recycling. | By using a superluminescent diode as the light source and a depolariser inside the fibre coil, a constant scale factor is achieved without using polarisation control elements. For long-term behaviour an RMS-bias drift of 10 degrees/h is obtained. | eng_Latn | 9,427 |
Leaching and agitation experiments with soil organic horizons showed that nitrogen pollutant concentration, temperature, contact time and neutral soluble salts influence the fate of enhanced ammonium and nitrate inputs to the soil and the leaching of inorganic and organic nitrogen. Soils investigated included L, F and H horizons under Sitka spruce, the L and F horizons under Scots pine and Japanese larch and L and O horizons under Calluna. Effects attributable to species were also observed. The results are discussed in the light of their relevance to being incorporated into models of the effects of excess nitrogen inputs to forest soils, and in view of current concern that forest ecosystems in areas of high nitrogen deposition may become nitrogen saturated. | Surface and subsurface litter fulfil many functions in the biogeochemical cycling of C and N in terrestrial ecosystems. These were explored using a microcosm study by monitoring dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) (NH4 +–N + NO3 −–N), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and fluxes in drainage water under ambient outdoor temperatures. Subsurface litter remarkably reduced the DIN concentrations in winter, probably by microbial N uptake associated with higher C:N ratio of added litter compared with soil at 10–25 cm depth. Fluxes of DIN were generally dominated by NO3 −–N; but NH4 +–N strongly dominated DIN fluxes during freeze–thaw events. Appreciable concentrations of NH4 +–N were observed in the drainage from the acid grassland soils throughout the experiment, indicating NH4 +–N mobility and export in drainage water especially during freeze–thaw. Litter contributed substantially to DOC and DON production and they were correlated positively (p < 0.01) for all treatments. DOC and DON concentrations correlated with temperature for the control (p < 0.01) and surface litter (p < 0.001) treatments and they were higher in late summer. The subsurface litter treatment, however, moderated the effect of temperature on DOC and DON dynamics. Cumulative N species fluxes confirmed the dominance of litter as the source of DON and DOC in the drainage water. DON constituted 42, 46 and 62% of cumulative TDN flux for control, surface litter and subsurface litter treatments respectively. | We prove that groups acting geometrically on delta-quasiconvex spaces contain no essential Baumslag-Solitar quotients as subgroups. This implies that they are translation discrete, meaning that the translation numbers of their nontorsion elements are bounded away from zero. | eng_Latn | 9,428 |
A greenhouse trial was carried out at the International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), at Sadore (13°15′ N, 2°18′ E), Niger. Experiments were conducted in conjunction with a feeding trial. The feeding trial yielded eight types of compost made from faeces and leftovers with or without urine addition from sheep fed either bush straw or millet stover offered at 60 or 80 g dry matter (DM) kg−1 live weight (LW). In the second trial the agronomic value of composts to a millet crop was evaluated. The level of roughage on offer did not affect compost quality. Urine addition increased N content in composts (P<0.05), but had no effect on P. Millet stover based composts contained 24% more N and 42.5% more P than composts made with bush straw (P<0.05). Urine addition enhanced millet growth between 15 and 60 days after planting (DAP), increased millet aboveground mass by a factor 2.8, and increased the efficiency of N and P use by 100% and 50%, respectively. Millet response (growth, phytomass, N and P uptake, apparent efficiency of N and P use) to urine addition was higher with millet stover based composts than with bush straw based composts (P<0.05). It was concluded that addition of urine during composting of roughage leftovers and faeces from stall-fed animals could significantly improve nutrient recycling and consequently the productivity of mixed farming systems of semi-arid West Africa. | In outdoor pot trials near Nacogdoches, Texas in 1988, pearl millet was given 0, 1.15, 3.38 or 7.77 g P/m² with or without water stress conditions. Whole plant DM at final harvest, 84 d after emergence (DAE) increased from about 145 g/pot without P to 626 g with 7.77 g P without water stress and from 64 g without P to 220 g with 7.77 g P with water stress. There was a highly significant water treatment × P rate interaction in terms of plant DM at harvests 28-84 DAE. Grain DM at 84 DAE increased with increasing P rate but was negligible without P without water stress and with <3.38 g P under water stress conditions. Maximum whole plant production rates occurred between 42 and 58 DAE without water stress, increased from 5.0 g/d without P to 18.5 g with 7.77 g P, and between 28 and 42 DAE in water stressed plants, increasing from 1.3 g without P to 8.5 g with 7.77 g P. Growth rates of panicles and grain increased with increasing P rate and were greater without than with water stress. There were no clear effects of P rate or water stress on NAR or RGR. | We used the needle-trace method (NTM) to reveal the needle-retention patterns of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) over the past 100 years. The average annual needle retention (ANR) on main stems ha... | eng_Latn | 9,429 |
Potato is one of the key annual upland cash crops cultivated in the Jaffna District of Sri Lanka. However, potato farmers are challenged by climate extremes, increasing pest/disease loads and excessive use of agro-chemicals all of which are expected to increase in the future. To address these critical issues, a package of climate changeadaptive and eco-friendly agronomic practices that included mulching to conserve soil moisture, integrated pest management for crop protection and site-specific fertilizer management for efficient crop-soil nutrient management (adaptation package) was formulated and tested on potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.) crops in seven farmer fields in Jaffna. The experiment was conducted in the major rainy season (Maha) of 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 and consisted of two treatments as Adaptation package (T 1 ) and Existing practice (T 2 ), which is the current farmers’ practices characterized with heavy reliance on chemical control of pests and diseases and application of inorganic fertilizers subsequent to decisions of farmer. The results revealed significant (p<0.05) benefits of the above climate changeadaptive, eco-friendly agronomic package in terms of growth, yield, economic profit and environmental health of potato cultivation. Benefits of the adaptation package were greater in the drier and warmer 2014/15 Maha season, thus demonstrating its climate resilience. Therefore, the tested adaptation package can be recommended for adoption by the farmers to improve the yield of potato while promoting lower water and agro-chemical use thereby having increased resilience to climate change and improved environmental sustainability especially in the dry regions where potato is cultivated. | The urgency for adaptation actions in response to climate risks is rapidly growing and climate change mitigation efforts alone are insufficient to avoid further, and often negative, impacts. Although most agricultural producers respond rapidly to changes in their external environment, science needs to play an important, partial role in instigating adaptation actions that go beyond the ongoing, experience-based response process. This requires well-structured, conceptual frameworks that connect science with action. These frameworks must also ensure that the scientific input into the adaptation process remains salient, credible and legitimate. For the field of agriculture and environmental sciences we review the urgency and the theoretical basis for such engagement processes. On the basis of this we propose an adaptation cycle that first, provides a reflective analysis-action continuum; second, ensures broad-based scientific input and feedback; and third, helps to increase the adaptive capacity of everyone involved (including farmers, policy-makers and scientists). | Berzelius failed to make use of Faraday's electrochemical laws in his laborious determination of equivalent weights. | eng_Latn | 9,430 |
Choice of forage species and harvest management may influence protein degradability in cattle diets. We measured forage yield, undegradable intake protein (UIP), and forage quality at three maturities in two cuttings (spring, regrowth) of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), and birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) in the seeding and two subsequent years. At equivalent harvest stage, trefoil and clover were usually lower in neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) than alfalfa. Crude protein (CP) was lower in red clover than trefoil or alfalfa for three of six cuttings, but red dover was equal to or higher in UIP than alfalfa or trefoil in all cuttings, Trefoil never had higher UIP concentrations than alfalfa. Trefoil tannin concentrations increased with maturity and were positively correlated with UIP concentration. For all species, UIP was positively correlated with NDF and ADF and negatively correlated with in situ dry matter disappearance (ISDMD). In alfalfa and trefoil, UIP was negatively correlated with CP. In all legumes, dry matter yield (DMY), NDF, and ADF increased with maturity, while CP and ISDMD decreased. Changes in NDF, ADF, CP, and ISDMD with maturity were usually most rapid in trefoil. The proportion of UIP increased with maturity for all species in all cuttings, but it never comprised more than 240 g kg -1 CP. Small increases in UIP as legumes matured were gained at the expense of other forage quality measures. | Introduction Legumes are important components of pastures. Legumes not only fix atmospheric nitrogen (N2) for their own use when properly inoculated, they provide nitrogen (N) for associated grasses and forbs. A range from 150 to 240 lb N per acre is needed to equal the contribution of legume N in legume-grass mixtures (14). Using a legume reduces the purchase and application costs of N fertilizer and may reduce soil acidification and N losses to the environment. Many legumes are deep-rooted and therefore more drought-tolerant than grasses. Under grazing, legumes are more commonly used as a component of mixtures with grasses than as monocultures. This is because fibrous-rooted grasses are valuable sources of soil organic matter, they provide better protection from soil erosion, are more resistant to grazing and treading damage than legumes, and well-managed grass-legume mixtures provide more-thanadequate levels of crude protein (CP) for highly productive livestock. Legumes have higher nutritive value and voluntary intake than grasses (18), and steer gains are higher on legume-grass mixtures than on N-fertilized grass monocultures (14). However, most legumes can cause bloat. In a uniform stand, a maximum of 50% bloat-causing legume is considered bloat-safe, but bloat has been reported in mixtures with less than 15% bloat-causing legume where selective grazing could occur (30). The low digestibility of tropical legumes has been attributed to their high tannin content (53). Well-managed temperate grass-legume pastures, however, can have excessive CP and therefore animal performance can benefit from the presence of moderate concentrations of condensed tannins that control bloat and decrease ammonia and methane production in the rumen while increasing rumen undegradable protein (58). There are several species in the genus Lotus that produce condensed tannins in high enough concentrations to influence herbage digestibility and animal performance. Big trefoil (Lotus uliginosus Schkur.) produces concentrations of tannins at levels high enough to be considered an antiquality component (2). In contrast, birdsfoot trefoil (L. corniculatus L.; BFT) has lower herbage tannin concentration, but levels can be high enough to be beneficial. This review will discuss agronomic aspects of BFT and assess studies that have compared the livestock production value of BFT with forages that contain little or no condensed tannin. Many studies of tannins in BFT have been carried out in New Zealand with sheep, but studies with cattle are included where available. | This publication contains reprint articles for which IEEE does not hold copyright. Full text is not available on IEEE Xplore for these articles. | eng_Latn | 9,431 |
The effect of exogenous phosphate (P, 200 mg·kg-1 soil) on the lability and phyto-availability of arsenic (As) was studied using the diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) technique. Lettuce were grown on the As-amended soils following the stabilization of soil labile As after 90 day’s incubation. Phosphate (P) application generally facilitated plant growth except one grown on P-sufficient soil. Soil labile As concentration increased in all the soils after P application due to a competition effect. Plant As concentration increased in red soils collected from Hunan Province, while decreases were observed in the other soils. Even though, an overall trend of decrease was obtained in As phytoavailability along with the increase of DGT-measured soil labile P/As molar ratio. The functional equation between P/As and As phytoavailability provided a critical value of 1.7, which could be used as a guidance for rational P fertilization, thus avoiding overfertilization. | Monitoring nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) losses on farmland is essential for the prevention of agricultural non-point source pollution (NPS). This study was conducted on typical dry farmland in southern China to determine the effect of conservation tillage and conventional tillage (CT) on soil physical and chemical properties, nutrient movement, as well as on N and P losses. Four conservation tillage techniques (i.e., no-tillage direct seeding (NTDS), no-tillage transplanting (NTTS), minimum tillage direct seeding (MTDS), and minimum tillage transplanting (MTTS)), as well as one CT technique, were carried out in a randomized complete block design with three replicates each. The results suggest that MTDS and NTDS improved soil physical and chemical properties by ensuring adequate retention of these properties at the 0–20 cm soil depth. Low levels of N and P losses in runoff and drainage water were recorded under NTTS and NTDS compared to CT. Our results, therefore, suggest that conservation tillage approaches, such as MTDS and NTDS, are the most suitable tillage techniques for improving soil nutrients and reducing agricultural N and P losses while providing an eco-friendly and sustainable agricultural practice. | A range of soil-testing procedures was used in a factorial glasshouse study to assess the plant-available phosphate (P) status of soils which had been treated with lime and added P. A close 1:1 relationship (r = 0.90***) was obtained between plant P uptake and resin-extractable soil P. In contrast, Olsen-, Colwell-, Bray (I) and (II)-, and Mehlich-extractable P were only weakly correlated with P uptake. Inclusion of 4 different indices of P-buffer capacity did not improve the relationship between plant P uptake, and extractable P. The difficulty in relating plant P uptake data to extractable-soil P levels is attributed to the problems associated with extracting P from limed soils. There was no useful relationship between plant P uptake and isotopically-exchangeable P in the soils. | eng_Latn | 9,432 |
Two experiments were performed to determine the effects of sawdust waste as a constituent of growth media for crops. Mean yields data for 3 species showed that mixtures of sawdust at 30% of soil volume with NPK fertilizers added to soil produced the highest yield. The second experiment studied the interactions of soil support materials and organic amendments. It was concluded that sawdust is a good growth medium when incorporated with suitable amounts of clay, ammonium nitrate and organic amendments. | Background: ::: ::: The granting of Tobacco Blue Mould (TBM) area freedom for Tasmania in 1996 presented Tasmanian Greenhouse Tomato & Vegetable Growers with the opportunity to export to Japan a range of solanaceous vegetables. TGTVGA, Field Fresh Tasmania and DPIWE worked together to develop a joint industry/Horticulture Australia (formally HRDC) funded project to investigate this opportunity. Objectives: ::: ::: To investigate a range of cultivars and production techniques and commence a planned development of a greenhouse vegetable export industry. To demonstrate that controlling the greenhouse environment eliminates the need for fungicide applications to control Botrytis cinerea thus enhancing Tasmania's "Clean & Green" image. Work undertaken: ::: ::: 1997/98 - initial screening trials and test marketing of a range of greenhouse tomato, capsicum and eggplant cultivars. IPM control of Botrytis cinerea demonstrated. Most promising cultivars selected and second year trials agreed. 1998/99 - replicated trials of Tomatoes and Capsicums conducted. Capsicums grown in a dedicated greenhouse. 1999/2000 - Capsicums repeat trial in sawdust bag culture and NFT comparison investigated. 2000/2001 Growing and Investors Guides for Capsicums and project Final Report written. Results: ::: ::: Greenhouse capsicums were grown to world's best practice, yield and quality in a leased greenhouse with environmental controls. An average yield of 23.4 kg/m 2 over 2 seasons with a pack-out of 66% first grade fruit was achieved. IPM of Botrytis cinerea trialed confirmed NZ experience that controlling the greenhouse environment eliminates the disease. Feedback from potential Japanese buyers has been very positive. However, an influx of Korean capsicums has depressed the price for export capsicums. Market opportunities exist for greenhouse tomatoes and capsicums on mainland Australia. A hydroponic greenhouse capsicum production manual and an investors guide have been published. The Final Report for the project was submitted and formally accepted by Horticulture Australia Ltd. (HAL). | We prove that groups acting geometrically on delta-quasiconvex spaces contain no essential Baumslag-Solitar quotients as subgroups. This implies that they are translation discrete, meaning that the translation numbers of their nontorsion elements are bounded away from zero. | eng_Latn | 9,433 |
Strengthening of contaminated materials using inorganic cementitious agents is becoming more widely used in the UK. The method has particular advantages for bulk fill operations such as highway earthworks. Research has been done into the chemical characteristics of leachates and leached solid samples from a study into the long term durability of a lime strengthened silt / pfa mixture amended with sewage sludge. This involved determinations of chemical composition and mineralogy, and geochemical modelling using MINTEQA2. None of the heavy metals tested is present in the leachate at a concentration likely to pose a significant environmental threat, although some were presented to a higher degree than expected based on the inorganic chemistry. This is ascribed to complexation of the heavy metals with dissolved organic matter. (A) For the covering abstract see ITRD E105041. | Huge amounts of sewage sludge produced globally is a substantial environmental threat and require rational handling. Application in agriculture is an economical and relatively simple method of sludge management, however, it is associated with restrictions regarding metals content. According to EU regulations, the total amounts of Cd, Cu, Cr, Pb, Ni, and Zn have to be analyzed by the AAS technique requiring effective destruction of the organic matrix. Currently used methods of sewage sludge digestion may be biased when applied without optimization. The aim of the presented work was to evaluate the efficiency of the organic substances destruction in either raw or stabilized sludge. Three mineralization procedures were evaluated, namely: (A)—drying and microwave digestion; (B)—ignition and microwave digestion; (C)—drying and conventional digestion. For matrix destruction, a mixture of concentrated HNO3 and HCl (3:1 v/v) was used. Metals were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). No limits of metal concentration were overdrawn. Generally, the method (B) was the most effective. Results obtained for Cu, Cd, and Zn after digestion by method (A) and (B) were comparable. Methods (B) and (C) yield complete decomposition of the matrix. As result, the precision of measurement substantially increases. | Municipal solid wastes (MSW) are unavoidable sources of environmental pollution. Improper disposal of municipal waste results in the leaching of toxic metals and organic chemicals, which can contaminate the surface and ground water leading to serious health hazard. In this study, the toxic effects of the leachate prepared from municipal solid waste samples were examined in root meristem cells of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) at various stages of cell cycle, i.e., G1, S, and G2. Seeds of barley were exposed to 2.5, 5, and 10 % of leachates in soil and aqueous media in 48 h at different cell cycle stages. The physicochemical data of the present study revealed that municipal solid waste leachate contains high amount of heavy metals, which significantly affected growth and physiological activities of barley. Significant inhibition in hypocotyl length, germination, and mitotic index were observed at all concentration of leachate treatment. Induction of chromosomal aberrations (CA's) and micronuclei (MN) formation were also observed with different concentrations of leachate treatment at 7, 17, and 27 h of presoaking durations, which falls in G1, S, and G2 phase of the cell cycle, respectively. Also, exposure of leachate at S phase of the cell cycle had significant effects in barley through chromosomal aberration and micronuclei formation. | eng_Latn | 9,434 |
This paper discusses the results of sodium azide interference encountered during lab-scale studies in which sodium azide was used as a microbial growth inhibitor. In separate tests to evaluate the ... | The USACE-Norfolk District (NAO) and the City of Petersburg, VA are working toward restoring the former Appomattox River Federal Navigation Channel. In this effort, ~350,000 cubic yards of deposited sediment will be removed from -14 feet MLLW up to + 6 feet MLLW over a ~1 mile reach of the Appomattox River. Historical industrial uses have resulted in PAH contamination exceeding 500 mg/kg on average, with hotspots detected in excess of 5,000 mg/kg based on USACE 2004 analytical data. To support the NAO with its assessment of contaminant distribution, upland source control measures, dredge sequencing, sediment capping requirements to address residual contaminants and beneficial reuse options for the dredged material have been evaluated. In support of beneficial reuse as agricultural soil, a lab treatability study has been completed to assess biodegradation potential. Total PAH concentrations in three laboratory test pans after 46 weeks of treatment indicated an overall 80% contaminant reduction using an enhanced bioremediation process. The results of this bench-scale study were used as the basis for the design of a pilot field-scale landfarm study demonstration undertaken during July 2007. After five months of treatment, LMW PAHs in landfarm material appear to have degraded first while HMW PAHs are degrading more slowly, a process which generally mimics the results of the laboratory investigation. Conclusions based on the laboratory and landfarm activities as well as the technical and regulatory issues that must be resolved to allow eventual placement of the material at a mine reclamation site for revegetation purposes will be presented. | Seeds of rice cultivar M5 were presoaked in distilled water and treated for 2 or 3 hours with 0, 0.12, 0.50, 0.75, 1.0, 1.25, 1.50, and 1.75 mM sodium azide solutions prepared in 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 3). Criteria used to assess the biological effects of azide on rice were germination, seedling height, and seed sterility in the M/sub 1/ generation, and chlorophyll-deficient seedlings and viable mutations in the M/sub 2/ generation. In general, an increase in azide concentration, along with an increase in the post-treatment redrying period, resulted in a decrease in M/sub 1/ germination and seedling height. Azide treatment also induced sterility. The same treatment induced chlorophyll mutations in 98.5% of the M/sub 1/ panicle progenies and in 14% of the M/sub 2/ seedlings. The highest frequency of viable mutations scored in the adult plant stage was 4.64% on an M/sub 2/ plant basis. All azide concentrations were mutagenic. | eng_Latn | 9,435 |
Streams and drains in blanket-peatland forest in western Ireland were sampled weekly over 5 years, 1996–2000, using continuous, depth-proportional passive sampling. Analysis was for pH, alkalinity by Gran titration, anions by IC, metals by ICP, aluminium speciation by loaded-resin exchange, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) by absorbance at 320 nm. Effects of felling are identified graphically from two forest drains whose catchments (both about 1 ha) were clearfelled, and partial clearfelling of one larger catchment (somewhat over 1 km 2 ), in summer 1999. Calcium concentrations and alkalinity were increased in the drain- and streamwater from the felled areas. The pH was increased in drains, while in the larger stream, pH range decreased while the mean increased. Phosphorus increased markedly with clearfell, in the absence of recent fertilising, and also increased with fertilising; these results are reported in an accompanying paper. Ammonium-nitrogen concentrations were increased in the two drains with felling, and temporarily decreased in the larger stream. Nitrate increased in some cases. Potassium and manganese concentrations also increased. Concentrations of DOC and organic monomeric aluminium increased gradually, subject to a continuing strong annual cycle. There were no clearfelling effects on concentrations of solphate, suspended solids or inorganic monomeric aluminium. In the two drains (fully clearfelled), concentrations of sodium, chloride and magnesium, and conductivity, were all reduced after felling. Fertilising effects other than for phosphorus were indistinct. Effects of the combined clearfell–reforestation treatment were testable statistically, using randomised intervention analysis, between two larger streams (1 km 2 ) as a treatment–control comparison. There were statistically significant positive responses in streamwater concentrations of nitrate, potassium, calcium, DOC and aluminium fractions. The implications for management practice depend on whether the loss of nutrients is sustainable for future crop productivity, and whether critical limits and loads of receiving ecosystems are exceeded. | Calibration period and control area method were used to study the impact of forest tree harvesting on the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) export from drained peatland forests using data from 17 harvested and five control catchments. The results indicated highly increased DOC exports; during the first 3 years following harvesting, the average extra export ranged from over 200 kg ha−1 in nutrient-poor ombrotrophic to over 400 kg ha−1 in fertile minerotrophic peatland forest sites. The results indicated that a high iron (Fe) content in peat, as well as a high nitrogen (N) content and a low carbon (C)N ratio, are the site characteristics that contribute to large harvest-induced DOC exports. The effect of Fe is probably caused by the reduction of Fe in previously aerobic peat layers that have undergone harvest-induced water level rise and thus enhanced the DOC export, and the effects of the peat N and CN ratio indicate that the impacts of harvesting on DOC are the greatest from the sites with a high overall microbial activity. The calibration period/control area analysis revealed a high uncertainty in our data, the 95 % confidence intervals for average DOC exports overlapping between the groups with differing site characteristics. Given the uncertainties involved in our data, we conclude that significant changes in water colour and other water characteristics associated with large DOC inputs may be expected, where harvested forests on peatlands cover large proportions of catchments of small lakes and rivers. | For transformer cooling applications, magnetic particles need to be dispersed in carrier fluids with high colloidal stability for a long period without significant degradation. However, stability of the suspension, especially the long term colloidal stability is a crucial factor for the applications in power transformers because aggregation of particles could cause clogging of micro-channels in transformers. In this article, we have reported effect of hydrodynamic size on the colloidal stability of Mn1-xZnxFe2O4 (MZ) nanoparticles (NPs)–based magnetic fluids. Lifetime of fluids has been determined from the increase in hydrodynamic size of magnetic NPs due to aggregation. Colloidal stability of fluids decreases with increase in the polydispersity of fluids caused by the enhanced dipole interactions between NPs resulting in the aggregation of NPs in chain-like structures. | eng_Latn | 9,436 |
Agriculture soils may be a potential source of greenhouse gases, however it is not directly estimated yet in countries like Chile, which has special soil and climate conditions for a competitive agricultural activity and particular nutrient cycling patterns and processes in volcanic soils. The present work shows the first data of CO2 and N2O fluxes estimated from direct gas samples of passive chambers on volcanic soils in a crop system of Southern Chile. Gas samples were obtained from a oat-wheat rotation in a volcanic soil surface in Chile (36o S, 72o W) under two treatments of N fertilization (150 kg N/ha NH4 + -and NO3 - -N, respectively) and two lime dose treatments (0,5 and 1 Ton lime/ha, respectively), from closed non-fixed chambers and fluxes of CO2 and N2O were estimated from a gas chromatograph concentration in function of time during gas accumulation in the chambers headspace in a period of 1 year. Soil variables, including temperature, water content and mineral N content were registered in order to check correlations with gas fluxes. Results show low emissions of GHG from volcanic soils of Chile and no important influences of some agriculture management and environmental variables. | A review of the salient features of N2O emissions from agricultural soils was done to assess our current understanding and associated problems. Nitrous oxide is an important globe warming gas and a destructive agent of ozone in the stratosphere. A major concern is the increasing contribution of chemical fertilizers to atmospheric N2O buildup. There is only a limited understanding of the contributions from manures, biological N2 fixation and crop residues. A recent estimate suggests that agriculture's share of N2O emissions is 80% although such estimates are highly uncertain because of imprecise data and the physical and biological complexities of the production process. As a product of the nitrification and denitrification process in soils, a major problem is our understanding of the proportion of N2O produced, i.e. the product ratios, although there is a good general understanding of the processes involved. Measurements of N2O emissions from the soil surface fail to take into account N2O flux from the bo... | The superposition of nonzero time-averaged mole flux N on a thermoacoustic wave in a binary gas mixture in a tube produces continuous mixture separation, in which one or more partially purified product streams are created from a feedstock stream. Significant product and feedstock flows occur through capillaries that are small enough to experience negligible thermoacoustic phenomena of their own. Experiments with a 50–50 helium-argon mixture show diverse consequences of nonzero flow, involving the addition of only one simple term nHN to the equation for the heavy component’s time-averaged mole flux, where nH is the mole fraction of the heavy component. A boundary condition for nH must be imposed on the equation wherever products flow out of the separation tube, but not where feedstock flows in. | eng_Latn | 9,437 |
Counterelectrophoresis (CEP) and immunodiffusion (ID) were evaluated prospectively as methods for the early and rapid laboratory diagnosis of California encephalitis (CE). CEP and ID studies were done on paired sera from 127 patients with acute central nervous system infections. After the precipitin tests were completed, conventional hemagglutination-inhibition, neutralizing, and complement fixing antibody titers were measured. The CEP system detected antibodies in 7 (41%) of 17 CE patients during their acute illness and in all 17 patients during convalescence. The ID method was less sensitive; 3 of 17 acute sera and 16 of 17 convalescent sera were ID positive. Comparative precipitin studies indicated that La Crosse virus was the infecting California group subtype in all 17 CE patients. Because CEP can be performed in 1.5 h, is at least as sensitive as hemagglutination-inhibition, neutralizing, and complement fixing tests, and can detect prospectively 41% of CE patients during their acute illness, it is recommended as a rapid diagnostic test for CE. | Significant differences were observed in plaque size and antigenic relationships studied in plaque reduction neutralization tests and counterimmunoelectrophoresis between TAH virus strains isolated not only in two distant regions but also between strains isolated within one region in Czechoslovakia. | Understanding carbon (C) cycling and sequestration in vegetation and soils, and their responses to nitrogen (N) deposition, is important for quantifying ecosystem responses to global climate change. Here, we describe a 2-year study of the C balance in a temperate grassland in northern China. We measured net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE), net ecosystem production (NEP), and C sequestration rates in treatments with N addition ranging from 0 to 25 g N m−2 year−1. High N addition significantly increased ecosystem C sequestration, whose rates ranged from 122.06 g C m−2 year−1 (control) to 259.67 g C m−2 year−1 (25 g N). Cumulative NEE during the growing season decreased significantly at high and medium N addition, with values ranging from −95.86 g C m−2 (25 g N) to 0.15 g C m−2 (5 g N). Only the highest N rate increased significantly cumulative soil microbial respiration compared with the control in the dry 2014 growing season. High N addition significantly increased net primary production (NPP) and NEP in both years, and NEP ranged from −5.83 to 128.32 g C m−2. The C input from litter decomposition was significant and must be quantified to accurately estimate NPP. Measuring C sequestration and NEP together may allow tracking of the effects of N addition on grassland C budgets. Overall, adding 25 or 10 g N m−2 year−1 improved the CO2 sink of the grassland ecosystem, and increased grassland C sequestration. | eng_Latn | 9,438 |
Continuous cereal production in the summer-dominant rainfall region of north-eastern Australia has depleted native soil nitrogen fertility to a level where corrective strategies are required to sustain wheat grain yields and high protein levels for domestic and export markets. Annual medic pastures, along with other strategies, were evaluated from 1986 to 1998 on a Vertisol at Warra, southern Queensland, for their benefit to subsequent grain yield and protein content of wheat. Annual medic production and nitrogen yields were closely correlated with the growing season rainfall (March–September). Each 100 mm of growing season rainfall resulted in 1.39 t/ha of dry matter and 40 kg/ha of N yield. There were significant increases in soil mineralisable nitrogen following annual medic leys compared with continuous wheat in most years, but increases in total soil nitrogen were only observed in 1990, 1991 and 1992. However, pre-plant nitrate-nitrogen following an annual medic ley was always higher than that of continuous wheat without nitrogen fertiliser. This resulted in significant increases in wheat yield (6 of 9 seasons) and grain protein (in all seasons) compared with continuous wheat. The overall responses in yield and protein were similar to those of 50 kg/ha of fertiliser nitrogen applied to continuous wheat crops. A nitrogen harvest budget for the annual medic–wheat rotation over 11 years showed that it contributed 131 kg N/ha more than continuous wheat. Thus, using the seasonal conditions experienced from 1987 to 1998 as a reasonable representation of the rainfall range in the region, sustainable productivity can be maintained where annual medics are grown in short rotations with wheat. | Biomass production, soil water extraction, and water-use efficiency (WUE, kg dry matter (DM)/ha.mm growing-season water use) of tropical, summer-growing and temperate, winter-growing forage legumes suited to short-term rotations with crops were compared over several growing seasons in southern Queensland. Tropical legumes lablab (Lablab purpureus cvv. Highworth and Endurance), burgundy bean (Macroptillium bracteatum cvv. Cardarga/Juanita mix), and butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea cv. Milgara) were compared with forage sorghum (Sorghum spp. cv. Silk and cv. Sugargraze). Temperate legumes snail medic (Medicago scutellata cv. Sava), lucerne (Medicago sativa cv. UQL-1), sulla (Hedysarum coronarium cv. Wilpena), and purple vetch (Vicia benghalensis cv. Popany) were compared with forage oats (Avena sativa cv. Taipan/Genie). Production and WUE of winter legumes was highly variable, with oats producing more biomass than the legumes, except in 2009 where oat establishment was poor. In years with good establishment, WUE of oats (14–28 kg DM/ha.mm), snail medic (13–25 kg DM/ha.mm), and sulla (12–20 kg DM/ha.mm) were similar, but the production and WUE of vetch were generally lower (6–14 kg DM/ha.mm). Sulla dried the soil profile by 60–100 mm more than the annual species, but less than lucerne. Summer legumes, burgundy bean, and lablab performed similarly, although always produced less biomass and had lower WUE than forage sorghum. Lucerne extracted more water and maintained a drier profile by 70–150 mm and had lower WUE (<10 kg DM/ha.mm) than burgundy bean or lablab (9–30 kg DM/ha.mm). Of the legumes tested, burgundy bean and lablab seem the most likely to be profitably integrated into subtropical cropping systems. Further evidence of the rotational benefits provided by these legumes is required before they will be favoured over the perceived reliability and higher productivity of annual grass-type forages. | BackgroundDifferential diagnosis of patients with bilateral lung infiltrates remains a difficult problem for intensive care clinicians. Here we evaluate the diagnostic role of soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimens from patients with bilateral lung infiltrates.MethodsWe conducted a prospective observational study on 80 patients with bilateral lung infiltrates with clinical suspicion of infectious pneumonia. Patients were categorized into three groups: bacterial or fungal infection, intracellular or viral infection, and noninfectious inflammatory disease. sTREM-1 concentrations were measured, and BAL fluid and Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score (CPIS) were analyzed.ResultsThe sTREM-1 concentration was significantly increased in patients with bacterial or fungal pneumonia (n = 29, 521.2 ± 94.7 pg/ml), compared with that in patients with viral pneumonia, atypical pneumonia or tuberculosis (n = 14, 92.9 ± 20.0 pg/ml) or noninfectious inflammatory disease (n = 37, 92.8 ± 10.7 pg/ml). The concentration of sTREM-1 in BAL fluid, but not CPIS, was an independent predictor of bacterial or fungal pneumonia, and a cutoff value of more than 184 pg/ml yielded a diagnostic sensitivity of 86% and a specificity of 90%.ConclusionThe sTREM-1 level in BAL fluid from patients with bilateral lung infiltrates is a potential marker for the differential diagnosis of pneumonia due to extracellular bacteria. | eng_Latn | 9,439 |
The status of nitrate accumulation in vegetables under protected cultivation in Shaanxi Guanzhong area was investigated. The effect of nitrogenous fertilizer's quantity on nitrate contents in vegetables' edible parts was discussed. Results were as follows: nitrate contamination in fresh vegetables' edible parts was very serious in Baoji, Yangling, Xianyang and Xi'an. Nitrate accumulation in some sensitive vegetables as radish, celery and others exceeded the standard value of contamination-free vegetables. The quantity of nitrogenous fertilizer's effect was notably, with its adding, the nitrate contents in vegetables increasing. | Fan, J., Hao, M. and Malhi, S. S. 2010. Accumulation of nitrate-N in the soil profile and its implications for the environment under dryland agriculture in northern China: A review. Can J. Soil Sci. 90: 429-440. Nitrate (NO(3)(-)) leaching and water contamination have become a worldwide concern. In this review, some examples are presented to show the extent and magnitude of NO(3)(-)accumulation in the soil profiles and its potential effects on contamination of ground water and surface water under dryland farming in northern China. Climatic and management factors affecting NO(3)(-) leaching are also discussed. In northern China, rainfall is relatively sparse, but the high intensity of precipitation and porous soils play an important role in the accumulation of NO(3)-N in soil and its subsequent leaching in the soil profile. There is a risk of nitrate accumulation and leaching when high rates of fertilizer N are applied to improve crop yields, and it becomes even worse when conventional land use is changed from cereal crops to vegetable crops and fruit orchards. Under such conditions, shallow ground water might be polluted by NO(3)(-). This suggests that more attention should be paid to prevent this problem by using best management practices, especially by controlling the amount of N fertilizer input, balanced fertilization, split N application, inclusion of crops with deep taproots in the rotation and minimizing summer fallow (especially tilled) frequency. | Adjuvant chemotherapy is an integral component of the multidisciplinary curative treatment of primary breast cancers. The experience of the last 3 decades indicates that anthracycline-containing regimens provide the most effective cytotoxic treatment for this purpose. | eng_Latn | 9,440 |
Cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp.) were subjected to six irrigation treatments and two levels of soil nitrogen during two seasons under field conditions. Withholding irrigation during the vegetative stage in a rain-free environment following pre-irrigation resulted in lower water use (−11 to −20%) but negligible effects on seed yields (−2 to +3%) providing the irrigation interval during flowering and pod filling was not too great. Lengthening the irrigation interval resulted in less vine elongation and less shoot biomass production. Significant reductions in seed yield were observed only with the longest irrigation interval. The higher level of soil nitrogen resulted in small or negligible increases in shoot biomass production and seed yield. | An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of increasing soil phosphorus under water stress conditions on yield and plant development in bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) genotypes with contrasting drought susceptibility tolerances. A split-split plot design with genotypes (main plot), two water regimes (split plot) and three phosphorus rates (split-split plot) was used. Water regimes were imposed by irrigating at 50% ET (water stress) and 100% ET (no stress). Phosphorus (P2O5) was applied at planting at the following rates- 0, 40 and 70 kg P ha-1. The two bean lines used were Gadra (high drought susceptibility) and KE- 3 (low drought susceptibility). Water stress significantly reduced plant height, shoot biomass, pod length, seeds per pod, pods per plant, days to maturity and grain yield in both genotypes. Phosphorus significantly increased grain yields mainly through increased number of pods per plant and 100-seed weight. Higher increases were observed in Gadra where moderate P application increased yield from about 250 to 1,000 kg ha-1 and high P increased yield to 1,600 kg ha-1. The results suggested that high P foraging and utilisation efficiency were inversely related. ::: ::: Key words: Biomass, soil nutrients, phytotoxicity, yield, yield components. | Pedestrian-induced vibration comfort is an important factor affecting the serviceability of footbridges. This article proposes a smartphone-based evaluation system for pedestrian-induced footbridge... | eng_Latn | 9,441 |
1. The chrysomelid beetle, Gastrophysa viridula and the rust fungus, Uromyces rumicis both occur on leaves of Rumex obtusifolius growing in a wide range of soil nutrient conditions. We investigated the effect of fertilizing plants with eight nitrate and four ammonium concentrations on the components of this tripartite interaction in a controlled environment. ::: ::: 2. Leaf weight, area and total plant weight increased as both nitrate and ammonium concentrations increased up to 15mmol l–1. Between 15 and 50mmol l–1 added nitrate, leaf and total plant weight decreased. Total plant weight was unaffected by increasing ammonium fertilization from 15 to 25mmol l–1. ::: ::: 3. The density and percentage of U. rumicis pustules sporulating 8 days after infection decreased with increasing nitrate but were unaffected by increasing the concentration of ammonium fertilization. ::: ::: 4. Leaf area consumed and number of eggs laid by G. viridula decreased as the concentration of nitrate fertilization increased. Increasing the concentration of ammonium decreased leaf area eaten. ::: ::: 5. First instar mortality of G. viridula was increased and gregariousness and adult fecundity was decreased additively by the combination of U. rumicis infection and decreasing the nitrate concentration fed to plants from 10 to 1mmol l–1. | The effect of infection by the rust fungus Uromyces rumicis and fertilization by different concentrations of nitrate or ammonium solutions on the concentrations of alcohol-soluble carbohydrates, fructans and starch in Rumex obtusifolius leaves was investigated. In leaves from healthy plants there was an increase in concentration of alcohol-soluble carbohydrates and fructans as the concentration of nitrate given was decreased, with the exception of nitrogen-stressed plants (those fed less than 10 mM l-1 nitrate) which had a lower concentration of alcohol-soluble carbohydrates than plants fed 10 mM l-1 nitrate. There was an increase in fructan and starch concentration in leaves as the concentration of ammonium solution given was decreased. The concentration of alcohol-soluble carbohydrates was reduced in infected leaves and increased in healthy leaves on infected plants, while the fructan concentration increased in infected leaves, compared to healthy leaves. The effects of infection were consistent over the range of nitrogen concentrations used, and thus were additive to the effects of fertilization. These results confirm the known effects of fertilization or fungal infection, singly, and indicate that, when combined, nitrogen deficiency and fungal infection may produce an additive stress on the plant. | The effect of infection by the rust fungus Uromyces rumicis and fertilization by different concentrations of nitrate or ammonium solutions on the concentrations of alcohol-soluble carbohydrates, fructans and starch in Rumex obtusifolius leaves was investigated. In leaves from healthy plants there was an increase in concentration of alcohol-soluble carbohydrates and fructans as the concentration of nitrate given was decreased, with the exception of nitrogen-stressed plants (those fed less than 10 mM l-1 nitrate) which had a lower concentration of alcohol-soluble carbohydrates than plants fed 10 mM l-1 nitrate. There was an increase in fructan and starch concentration in leaves as the concentration of ammonium solution given was decreased. The concentration of alcohol-soluble carbohydrates was reduced in infected leaves and increased in healthy leaves on infected plants, while the fructan concentration increased in infected leaves, compared to healthy leaves. The effects of infection were consistent over the range of nitrogen concentrations used, and thus were additive to the effects of fertilization. These results confirm the known effects of fertilization or fungal infection, singly, and indicate that, when combined, nitrogen deficiency and fungal infection may produce an additive stress on the plant. | eng_Latn | 9,442 |
Altitude is one of the major topographical factors which influence the fertility status of soil. Population explosion has rooted deforestation at different altitudes to bring more area under cultivation leading to fallow lands. Objective of this study was to assess the impact of altitude on electro-chemical properties and enzymatic activities of forest and fallow land soils of Almora district of Central Himalaya. Seventy soil samples were collected from different altitudes of forest and fallow lands of Almora. Electro-chemical properties, soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC), β-glucosidase, dehydrogenase and phosphatase activities were determined following the standard procedures. Both forest and fallow land soils were acidic in nature. Content of organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium were high in range and increased with altitudes. Average content of total nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in forest lands was 2115.39, 111.89 and 2189.36 kg ha -1 , respectively. Similarly for the fallow lands the corresponding values were 1491.27, 80.26 and 2650.75 kg ha -1 , respectively. SMBC of forest soil was positively and significantly correlated with β-glucosidase, dehydrogenase and phosphatase activities but in fallow land soil, it was significantly correlated only with dehydrogenase activities (r=0.69). All enzymes of forest soil were positively and significantly correlated with organic carbon, total nitrogen and total potassium. For fallow lands dehydrogenase activity was positively and significantly correlated with nitrogen (r=0.65) and potassium (r=0.76) while phosphatase activity was negatively and significantly correlated with total phosphorous (r= -0.71). Concluded that altitude directly or indirectly has influenced fertility | An understanding of agroecosystems is key to determining effective farming systems. Here we report results from a 21-year study of agronomic and ecological performance of biodynamic, bioorganic, and conventional farming systems in Central Europe. We found crop yields to be 20% lower in the organic systems, although input of fertilizer and energy was reduced by 34 to 53% and pesticide input by 97%. Enhanced soil fertility and higher biodiversity found in organic plots may render these systems less dependent on external inputs. | We prove that groups acting geometrically on delta-quasiconvex spaces contain no essential Baumslag-Solitar quotients as subgroups. This implies that they are translation discrete, meaning that the translation numbers of their nontorsion elements are bounded away from zero. | eng_Latn | 9,443 |
A rotation experiment comparing the effects of length, type and management of leys on three test crops in six-course rotations during three cycles is described and the results discussed. Although the yields of the test crops varied from cycle to cycle there were no clear-out trends to suggest that the yield improves or deteriorates as time goes on with these particular rotations; the full benefit of the leys was obtained in the first cycle. The yield of potatoes immediately following the leys was no greater than the yield in an all-arable rotation receiving adequate nitrogen fertilizer, but the yields of two, barley crops following the potatoes were less in the all-arable rotation than in ley rotations even when 58 kg N/ha/year and 38t dung/ha/cycle had been applied and trefoil ploughed-in in the all-arable rotation. Rotations containing lucerne or lucernecocksfoot leys gave their greatest yields of potatoes and of barley following potatoes without any applied nitrogen fertilizer, but in the second barley crop showed the same sort of nitrogen responses as the all-arable rotation. Yield data were also obtained on the leys themselves in each cycle. These showed a decline from the first to third cycle in yield of broad red clover grown as 1-year leys and in that of 3-year leys which contained lucerne, both of which could be explained by the build-up of specific diseases. There were also changes in the effect of grazing compared with mowing on the yield of some leys but little change in the effects on leys of applying nitrogen to them. However there was no suggestion that these changes affected the arable crops that followed. | SUMMARY The possibilities for increasing total grain yield in organic cereal production through manipulation of crop rotation design were investigated in a field experiment on different soil types in Denmark from 1997 to 2000. Three experimental factors were included in the experiment in a factorial design: (1) proportion of grass-clover and pulses in the rotation, (2) catch crop (with and without) and (3) manure (with and without). Three four-course rotations were compared. Two of the rotations had 1 year of grass-clover as a green manure crop, either followed by spring wheat or by winter wheat. The grassclover was replaced by winter cereals in the third rotation. Animal manure was applied as slurry in rates corresponding to 40 % of the nitrogen (N) demand of the cereal crops. Rotational grain yields of the cereal and pulse crops were calculated by summing yields for each plot over the 4 years in the rotation. The rotational yields were affected by all experimental factors (rotation, manure and catch crop). However, the largest effects on both dry matter and N yields were caused by differences between sites caused by differences in soils, climate and cropping history. The rotation without a green manure crop produced the greatest total yield. Dry matter and N yields in this rotation were about 10 % higher than in the rotation with a grass-clover ley in 1 year in 4. Therefore, the yield benefits from the grass-clover ley could not adequately compensate for the yield reduction as a result of leaving 25 % of the rotation out of production. There were no differences in dry matter and N yields in grains between the rotations, where either spring or winter cereals followed the grass-clover ley. The N use efficiency for ammonium-N in the applied manure corresponded to that obtained from N in commercial fertilizer. There were only very small yield benefits from the use of catch crops. However, this may change over time as fertility builds up in the system with catch crops. | Berzelius failed to make use of Faraday's electrochemical laws in his laborious determination of equivalent weights. | eng_Latn | 9,444 |
Anaerobic ammonium oxidization (anammox) has been widely recognized for its importance in global nitrogen cycle. While, their distributions in the Eastern Indian Ocean (EIO) still remain unknown. This study investigated the diversity and abundance of anammox bacteria from water column (0–2000 m with seven depths) down to the surface sediments in the EIO targeting 16S rRNA gene by using clone library and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) analysis. Results showed a wide distribution of anammox bacteria in both water column and sediments in the EIO, with the Candidatus Scalindua sp. assemblage as the predominant group among the anammox communities. The diversity of anammox bacteria was higher in water column, but abundances (based on copy numbers of 16S rRNA gene) were lower than the corresponding sediment samples. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis demonstrated distinct spatial patterns (both horizontal and vertical): samples from the Bay of Bengal and the Equator showed strong stratification in different layers and were distinct from other two regions. Canonical correspondence analysis indicated that dissolved oxygen, temperature, and nitrate were the major environmental factors shaping the distribution of anammox bacteria. This is the first investigation on detailed community structure and distribution of anammox bacteria in the EIO, and the results are consistent with (i) potential contribution of sedimentary anammox bacteria towards nitrogen removal, and (ii) dispersal of anammox bacteria diversity via the ocean. | Heap biooxidation method was used to evaluate the availability of Paodaoling gold ore in Anhui province, China. 15,000 tons of gold ores (≤ 10 mm in diameter) were bioxidized under mesophilic conditions. Under the synergistic effect of microbial community, arsenic and sulfur were oxidized by 42% and 38% after 80 days. Relatively, leaching of gold was improved from 36 to 78% after heap biooxidation. The sequencing results showed there were 28 operational taxonomic units identified the microbial community in the heap. The main genera were Acidithiobacillus, Ferroplasma, Acidiferrobacter and Nitrospira. According to stoichiometry, the content of microorganisms with various functions tended to be balanced. The biomass production rate was 10 g/s, the CO2 fixation rate was 18 g/s, and the oxygen consumption rate was 60 g/s. This study provides a good basis for the further design and application of heap biooxidation technology. | Impaired gastric motility ascribable to a defective nitric oxide (NO) production has been reported in dystrophic (mdx) mice. Since relaxin upregulates NO biosynthesis, its effects on the motor resp... | eng_Latn | 9,445 |
1. Potato plants were grown in sand culture with varying levels of iron, potassium, phosphorus and calcium carbonate and an adequate supply of manganese. The concentration and distribution of manganese in various parts of the plant were examined at intervals throughout the growing season. | At present, organic fertilizers are not widely used in intensive arable agriculture, and not much is known about their effects on crop nutrition. In a field experiment at Rothamsted, UK, anaerobic digestate (AD), compost, farmyard manure (FYM), straw, and mixes of amendment + straw, were applied at: 1, 1.75, 2.5 or 3.5 t carbon ha−1, with all plots receiving the same input of mineral fertilizer. After five seasons of application, plots receiving non-straw amendments had greater straw and grain yield of 28% and 18% respectively, and plots receiving the highest amendment rate had a 37% higher straw and 23% higher grain yield, compared to control plots. Whereas, the straw-only amendment did not increase yield compared to the control. The concentrations of secondary and micro nutrients in the crop, particularly P, Ca, and S in the straw, and P and Fe in the grain, were significantly greater in the crop receiving non-straw amendment compared to the control. Interestingly K, Fe, and Zn were greater in the crop straw treated with the straw-only amendment. Therefore ‘biomass dilution’ of secondary and micro nutrients did not occur in the higher-yielding amended plots after five seasons, and organic fertilizers would improve the quality of high-yielding, intensively produced crops. The study also demonstrates that portable x-ray fluorescence (pXRF) could be a reliable, cost-effective tool for screening potential organic fertilizers. | Background ::: Serum calcium (Ca) and inorganic phosphate (Pi) concentrations and calcium-phosphate product (CPP) levels are positively associated with worse outcomes in patients with chronic kidney disease, but there are few data for Pi or Ca and none for CPP in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). | eng_Latn | 9,446 |
Farmers are increasingly concerned to maximise the fertiliser potential of slurry applied to pasture. The availability of the nitrogen in cow slurry for grass growth has been investigated by a number of workers and values from 14% to 84% have been reported for the season after application. Results are presented for 7 field experiments undertaken in southern England on four different farms in the harvest years 1977–1979. Spring and summer slurry applications were 25–30% as effective as ammonium nitrate in promoting dry matter yield of ryegrass swards and winter applications somewhat less at around 15%. When combined with applications of ammonium nitrate the average response was similar but there were appreciable differences in responses between sites. The apparent recovery of slurry nitrogen in herbage was 13% averaged over all treatments. | The European Community is producing annually about 300 × 106 tons of sewage sludges as well as about 150, 950,160 and 200 tons of domestic, agricultural, industrial and other wastes (street litter, dead leaves etc.). About 20–25% of the German sewage sludges, which contain in average about 3.8,1.6, 0.4, 0.6, 5.3% DM−1 N, P, K, Mg and Ca, 202, 5, 131, 349, 53, 3 and 1446 mg kg−1 DM Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Hg, Zn as well as ca. 37 and 5 mg kg−1 Dm polychlorinated hydrocarbons and biphenyls, are recycled annually as fertilizer. In addition environmental impacts on the arable land of Germany may derive from 76,19.2, 64.7, 33.6, 7.8 and 0.1 kg ha−1 a−1 of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and Cu added as animal manures. Besides heavy metals and hazardous organics pathogens are disseminated with organic wastes.Crop production and soil fertility generally profit from the considerable amounts of plant nutrients and carbon in sewage sludges, animal slurries and manures, but the physicochemical soil properties, the composition of microbial, faunal and plant communities as well as the metabolic processes in the soil-, rhizo- and phyllosphere are changed by organic manuring. Consequences for the soil carbon-, nitrogen-and phosphorus-cycle are discussed. Impacts of heavy metals and hazardous organics on the soil biomass and its habitat as well as on transport mechanisms and surival times of disseminated pathogens in soils are reviewed with emphasis on the German situation. A proposal for future strategies (landscape recycling) is made. | A stopped flow kinetic analysis has been performed with a homogeneous protein fraction of plant glutamate dehydrogenase. The enzyme exerts strong negative cooperativity with ammonium as variable substrate. The limiting initial rate constants for low substrate concentrations, as calculated from the kinetic data, indicate that the catalytic efficiency of the enzyme increases at low ammonium concentrations. From this it becomes evident that the reductive amination reaction is highly adaptive to the ammonium environment. | eng_Latn | 9,447 |
In this paper we propose a Libor model with a high-dimensional specially structured system of driving CIR volatility processes. A stable calibration procedure which takes into account a given local correlation structure is presented. The calibration algorithm is FFT based, so fast and easy to implement. | The validity of the classic Black-Scholes option pricing formula depends on the capability of investors to follow a dynamic portfolio strategy in the stock that replicates the payoff structure to the option. The critical assumption required for such a strategy to be feasible, is that the underlying stock return dynamics can be described by a stochastic process with a continuous sample path. In this paper, an option pricing formula is derived for the more-general case when the underlying stock returns are generated by a mixture of both continuous and jump processes. The derived formula has most of the attractive features of the original Black-Scholes formula in that it does not depend on investor preferences or knowledge of the expected return on the underlying stock. Moreover, the same analysis applied to the options can be extended to the pricing of corporate liabilities. | This paper is an extensive review of the research that has been undertaken on near-infrared (NIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy applied to soil particularly for determining carbon (C) content. The objective is to determine which acquisition method (NIR, MIR, in the field or in the laboratory) might be recommended for the purpose of C stock measurement with a particular interest in carbon credit trading. For this purpose, an optimal method has to satisfy the dual constraints of low-cost and high throughput analysis. The various methods proposed in the literature are compared. In order to make comparisons as reliable as possible, special attention has been paid to the conditions of data acquisition (sample preparation), and to calibration and validation procedures. In particular, whether the validation has been carried out on fully independent samples or on samples similar to the ones of the calibration set greatly influences the results. Also, for C stock measurement, it is absolutely necessary to measure the bias of the prediction in order to be conclusive about the feasibility of the method. However, only few researchers provide this parameter and we recommend including it as a matter of course in future reports. Finally, although MIR on dried and ground samples is the most accurate method, on-the-go and in-field sensors provide predictions accurate enough to show promise in being a valuable component of technologies that would be used for C-credit purposes. But in order to meet the cost/accuracy trade-off, the main issue using such field sensors is to be able to simultaneously measure the bulk density or, better, to directly measure the volumetric concentration of C in soil. This circumvents the costs of field extraction and laboratory analysis. This is the next great challenge to be met by soil scientists. | eng_Latn | 9,448 |
Repetitive extraction of DNAs from surface sediments of a coastal wetland in Mai Po Nature Reserve (MP) of Hong Kong and surface Baijiang soils from a rice paddy (RP) in Northeast China was conducted to compare the microbial diversity in this study. Community structures of ammonia/ammonium-oxidizing microorganisms in these samples were analyzed by PCR-DGGE technique. The diversity and abundance of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), and anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing (anammox) bacteria were also analyzed based on archaeal and bacterial ammonia monooxygenase subunit A encoding (amoA) and anammox bacterial 16S rRNA genes, respectively. DGGE profiles of archaeal and bacterial amoA and anammox bacterial 16S rRNA genes showed a similar pattern among all five repetitively extracted DNA fractions from both MP and RP, except the anammox bacteria in RP, indicating a more diverse anammox community retrieved in the second to the fifth fractions than the first one. Both soil and marine group AOA were detected while soil and coastal group AOB and Scalindua-anammox bacteria were dominant in MP. Soil group AOA and marine group AOB were dominant in RP, while both Scalindua and Kuenenia species were detected in RP. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the abundance of archaeal and bacterial amoA and anammox bacterial 16S rRNA genes was significantly correlated with the DNA concentrations of the five DNA fractions from MP, but not from RP (except the archaeal amoA gene). Results suggest that anammox bacteria diversity may be biased by insufficient DNA extraction of rice paddy soil samples. | The bacteria that mediate the anaerobic oxidation of ammonium (anammox) are detected worldwide in natural and man-made ecosystems, and contribute up to 50% to the loss of inorganic nitrogen in the oceans. Two different anammox species rarely live in a single habitat, suggesting that each species has a defined but yet unknown niche. Here we describe a new anaerobic ammonium oxidizing bacterium with a defined niche: the co-oxidation of propionate and ammonium. The new anammox species was enriched in a laboratory scale bioreactor in the presence of ammonium and propionate. Interestingly, this particular anammox species could out-compete other anammox bacteria and heterotrophic denitrifiers for the oxidation of propionate in the presence of ammonium, nitrite and nitrate. We provisionally named the new species Candidatus "Anammoxoglobus propionicus". | Until now, oxidation of ammonium has only been known to proceed under aerobic conditions. Recently, we observed that NH4+ was disappearing from a denitrifying fluidized bed reactor treating effluent from a methanogenic reactor. Both nitrate and ammonium consumption increased with concomitant gas production. A maximum ammonium removal rate of 0.4 kg N · m−3 · d−1 (1.2 mM/h) was observed. The evidence for this anaerobic ammonium oxidation was based on nitrogen and redox balances in continuous-flow experiments. It was shown that for the oxidation of 5 mol ammonium, 3 mol nitrate were required, resulting in the formation of 4 mol dinitrogen gas. Subsequent batch experiments confirmed that the NH4+ conversion was nitrate dependent. It was concluded that anaerobic ammonium oxidation is a new process in which ammonium is oxidized with nitrate serving as the electron acceptor under anaerobic conditions, producing dinitrogen gas. This biological process has been given the name ‘Anammox” (anaerobic ammonium oxidation), and has been patented. | eng_Latn | 9,449 |
A graphitization technique for making precise and accurate radiocarbon measurements on small samples containing less than 100 μg of carbon was developed. The development of a microscale radiocarbon analysis technique is very important for advanced research in various fields of study, especially organic geochemistry. A detailed examination of the sample preparation process for microscale radiocarbon analysis and data analysis using IAEA-C1, IAEA-C6 and NIST HOXII standards show encouraging results. Small amounts of CO 2 (10–50 μg C) from each standard were reduced to graphite over an iron catalyst (≈1 mg) at 670 °C. In this study, a newly developed ultralow-background graphite reactor was also used. Measured 14 C/ 12 C ratios of small samples were significantly decreased compared with those of samples with ≈1 mg C probably because small amount of carbon induced isotopic fractionation effect. This fractionation appears to be directly related to a decrease in the ion current generated by smaller sample sizes. We confirmed that this fractionation could be compensated for by measuring the samples relative to standards of identical size. We also achieved low-background measurement during the entire graphitization process with this newly established system. Detailed results of sample preparation and data analysis are discussed. | Vegetation types strongly affect soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation in the terrestrial ecosystem through multiple factors such as litter quality and soil biodiversity. However, the roles of soil fauna in SOC accumulation remain unclear. The objectives of this study were to (1) examine how changes in litter types and soil animal communities affect SOC accumulation in continuously forested or vegetation-switched forest areas; and (2) discuss the role of soil animals in SOC accumulation in forest ecosystems. We focused on soils that have accumulated on top of a volcanic ash layer in the 268 yr since a volcanic eruption in 1739. The radiocarbon "bomb spike" in the late 1950s and early 1960s provides a unique isotopic signature of soil carbon age. We investigated the combined effects of litter quality and soil invertebrate function on soil 14C accumulation patterns. To determine the effects of vegetation types on SOC accumulation, we selected 4 types of cool temperate forests, 2 of which had undergone a vegetation switch in about 1960 (conifer to broadleaved forest, CB; broadleaved forest to conifer, BC), and 2 that had continuous forests (conifer forest, CC; broadleaved forest, BB). The ∆14C values at depth intervals in CC were consistent with the expected bomb-14C profile. In contrast, ∆14C patterns in BB, BC, and CB differed from that of CC. Compared to CC, ∆14C values of the other sites showed relatively high 14C concentrations even in deeper soil layers, which suggests the bomb-induced 14C has been transported to a greater depth by soil animals. Current broadleaved forests (BB and CB) had higher biomass of litter-feeding invertebrates than in current coniferous forests (CC and BC). These results suggest that carbon from leaf litter was vertically translocated to deeper soil layers by the abundant soil invertebrates in broad-leaved forests. Disagreement with the expected soil profile in BC suggests that past vegetation (broadleaved forest) has affected the present SOC accumulation pattern. | Blunt trauma abdomen rarely leads to gastrointestinal injury in children and isolated gastric rupture is even rarer presentation. We are reporting a case of isolated gastric rupture after fall from height in a three year old male child. | eng_Latn | 9,450 |
Particulate matter (PM) accumulation on leaves of 22 trees and 25 shrubs was examined in test fields in Norway and Poland. Leaf PM in different particle size fractions (PM(10), PM(2.5), PM(0.2)) differed among the species, by 10- to 15-folds at both test sites. Pinus mugo and Pinus sylvestris, Taxus media and Taxus baccata, Stephanandra incisa and Betula pendula were efficient species in capturing PM. Less efficient species were Acer platanoides, Prunus avium and Tilia cordata. Differences among species within the same genus were also observed. Important traits for PM accumulation were leaf properties such as hair and wax cover. The ranking presented in terms of capturing PM can be used to select species for air pollution removal in urban areas. Efficient plant species and planting designs that can shield vulnerable areas in urban settings from polluting traffic etc. can be used to decrease human exposure to anthropogenic pollutants. | With the acceleration of urbanization and industrialization, the problem of airborne particulate pollution has become more and more serious. Green areas in urban spaces with different green coverage rates in Baoji City were selected to quantitatively compare the effects and differences of month, time, temperature, humidity, wind velocity, vegetation structure, and area of site on PM2.5 and PM10 concentration. The results showed that increasing the urban green coverage rate will help to improve the green area’s reduction of airborne particulate matter concentration and the selected factors affecting the green area’s reduction ability were discrepant in urban spaces with different green coverage rates. With the decrease of the green coverage rate, the purification effect of green area itself on air particles was weakened, and other factors, such as meteorological conditions and human activities, became the dominant influencing factors. Vegetation structure only had significant effects on the concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 in green areas of urban space with a green coverage rate greater than 75%. The concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 were lowest in the partly closed green area of one-layered coniferous trees and the closed green area of one-layered mixed trees. The research shows that green areas in urban spaces with different green coverage rates have different reduction effects on the concentration of airborne particles, which provides a theoretical basis and reference for the optimization of green area structures and to improve air quality effectively in the future. | Background ::: Pichia pastoris is one of the most important cell factories for production of industrial enzymes and heterogenous proteins. The genome-scale metabolic model of high quality is crucial for comprehensive understanding of the P. pastoris metabolism. | eng_Latn | 9,451 |
In this note I present a few thoughts on over-emphasis of energy terms in crop yield models, in light of recent discussions published in 1994 in Agric. For. Meteorol., 68: 213–242. It is the right time to look into and integrate the information available in the literature on the crop yield models in a holistic manner, rather than individual components in isolation, and come forward with more pragmatic and practical approach to be useful in real conditions. | Biomass based bioenergy is promoted as a major sustainable energy source which can simultaneously decrease net greenhouse gas emissions. Miscanthus×giganteus (M.×giganteus), a C4 perennial grass with high nitrogen, water, and light use efficiencies, is regarded as a promising energy crop for biomass production. Mathematical models which can accurately predict M.×giganteus biomass production potential under different conditions are critical to evaluate the feasibility of its production in different environments. Although previous models based on light-conversion efficiency have been shown to provide good predictions of yield, they cannot easily be used in assessing the value of physiological trait improvement or ecosystem processes. Here, we described in detail the physical and physiological processes of a previously published generic mechanistic eco-physiological model, WIMOVAC, adapted and parameterized for M.×giganteus. Parameterized for one location in England, the model was able to realistically predict daily field diurnal photosynthesis and seasonal biomass at a range of other sites from European studies. The model provides a framework that will allow incorporation of further mechanistic information as it is developed for this new crop. | Berzelius failed to make use of Faraday's electrochemical laws in his laborious determination of equivalent weights. | eng_Latn | 9,452 |
SUMMARY A study was conducted in South Georgia to assess the carbon footprint of poultry farms. The study included broiler grow-out farms, pullet farms, and breeder farms from one commercial broiler complex. Data collection included the fuel and electricity bills from each farm, house size and age, flock size and number of flocks per year, and manure management. Emissions were calculated using a greenhouse gas (GHG) calculation tool. The carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide,andmethane(CH4)emissionswerecomputedandacarbonfootprintdetermined.Carbon footprint comparisons were made based on house construction and age. Based on these results, an evaluation of the mechanical sources of emissions showed that approximately 96% of the emissions from the broiler and pullet farms were from propane use, while only 3.9% of the total mechanical emissions from breeder farms were from propane use. On breeder farms, 83% of mechanical GHG emissions were the result of electricity use, while the pullet and broiler grow-out farms accounted for 2.9 and 2.7%, respectively, of the total mechanical emissions from electricity use. The data collected from the farms and entered into the GHG calculation tool revealed that breeder houses had higher levels of CH4 emissions from manure management when compared to emissions from broiler and pullet houses. Even though the GHG emissions from poultry production farms were minimal compared to other animal production farms, the different sources of emissions were identified, thereby enabling the farmer to target specific areas for mitigation. | The environmental impacts associated with broiler production arise mainly from the production and consumption of feed. The aim was to develop a tool for formulating broiler diets designed to target and reduce individually specific environmental impact categories in two contrasting regions, the UK and USA. Using linear programming, least cost broiler diets were formulated for each region, using the most common genotype specific to each region. The environmental impact of the systems was defined using 6 categories calculated through a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method: global warming potential (GWP), fresh water eutrophication potential (FWEP), marine eutrophication potential (MEP), terrestrial acidification potential (TAP), non-renewable energy use (NREU) and agricultural land use (ALU). Diets were then formulated for each region to minimise each impact category, without compromising bird performance. The diets formulated for environmental impact objectives increased their cost in most cases by between 20 and 30% (the cost increase limit), with the exception of the least GWP (+16%) and the least NREU (+4%) diets in the UK, and the least TAP diet in the USA (+14%). The degree of flexibility to reduce simultaneously several environmental impact categories in the UK and the USA differed due to the different feed ingredients available to each region. The results suggested there was potential to minimise several impact categories simultaneously by reducing the impact of one impact category compared to least cost, through diet formulation in the UK; this was shown to a greater and lesser extent in the least FWEP and the least NREU diet formulations respectively. In the USA, there was no way to minimise one impact category through diet formulation without increasing other impact categories caused by the system. Employing a multi-criteria approach to diet formulation methodologies, where environmental impact as well as economic implications are considered, will form an important pillar in broader efforts to improve the sustainability of animal production. | Berzelius failed to make use of Faraday's electrochemical laws in his laborious determination of equivalent weights. | eng_Latn | 9,453 |
The growth rate monitoring of crops throughout their biological cycle is very important as it contributes to the ::: achievement of a uniformly optimum production, a proper harvest planning, and reliable yield estimation. Fertilizer ::: application often dramatically increases crop yields, but it is necessary to find out which is the ideal amount that has to ::: be applied in the field. Remote sensing collects spatially dense information that may contribute to, or provide feedback ::: about, fertilization management decisions. There is a potential goal to accurately predict the amount of fertilizer needed ::: so as to attain an ideal crop yield without excessive use of fertilizers cause financial loss and negative environmental ::: impacts. ::: The comparison of the reflectance values at different wavelengths, utilizing suitable vegetation indices, is commonly ::: used to determine plant vigor and growth. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have several advantages; because they can ::: be deployed quickly and repeatedly, they are flexible regarding flying height and timing of missions, and they can obtain ::: very high-resolution imagery. In an experimental crop field in Eleftherio Larissa, Greece, different dose of pre-plant and ::: in-season fertilization was applied in 27 plots. A total of 102 aerial photos in two flights were taken using an Unmanned ::: Aerial Vehicle based on the scheduled fertilization. ::: Α correlation of experimental fertilization with the change of vegetation indices values and with the increase of the ::: vegetation cover rate during those days was made. The results of the analysis provide useful information regarding the ::: vigor and crop growth rate performance of various doses of fertilization. | Precision agriculture or operational agriculture is a dynamically developing field of agricultural science, which is based on geoinformatics. Agrometeorological remote sensing contributes through processing and analysis of high resolution satellite images to decision support at field level. In this paper, in HYDROSENSE project, the classification of organic matter zones is presented aiming at the assessment of water and fertilizer operational needs per zone for cotton crops in Thessaly during the phenological cycle. Two pan-sharpened satellite images WorldView-2 (0.5 m) of the region are used, one before planting and the other at the maximum plant cover, as well as one pan-sharpened reference satellite image (2007) IKONOS-2 (1 m). The methodological processing approach includes image filtering and preprocessing, as well as processing, which involves principal component analysis and clustering leading to the production of thematic maps. These maps are combined with mapping through geostatistical analysis of weekly periodic field measurements in three selected cotton fields referring to NDVI, Red/Red edge, NIR/Red and the development of a mini GIS. The results of this combined analysis lead to organic matter zones of the whole region for decision support in precision agriculture. | Berzelius failed to make use of Faraday's electrochemical laws in his laborious determination of equivalent weights. | eng_Latn | 9,454 |
Refining our understanding of how soil structure develops is important because soil structure has a major influence on plant growth. Recent studies show positive correlations between soil organic matter and soil structure. However, the question remains: how are the relationships between soil organic matter (SOM) parameters and soil structure characteristics affected by the long-term fertilization of a sandy soil? In contrast to most other studies on SOM vs. soil structure, the present study is composed of long-term field experiments (a total of 3 experiments) with durations of 25, 41 and 94 years. In this paper, the impact of the long-term application of mineral fertilizers and manure on the SOM and soil structure of a sandy soil is quantified, and the relationships between the SOM and soil structure of a sandy soil with a dependence on the length of fertilizer application are determined. Soil samples were collected from all three long-term field experiments in central Poland, which were located at Skierniewice experimental station including a 94-year-old experiment with mineral fertilization, a 41-year-old experiment with mineral fertilization and a 25-year-old experiment with mineral fertilization + farmyard manure (FYM) in a 4-year cycle. In the spring of 2017, soil samples were collected (Co – no fertilizers, NPK – NPK fertilizers, CaNPK – CaNPK fertilizers). In the 94-year-old experiment, the content of soil organic carbon (SOC) in Co, NPK and CaNPK was 4.07, 5.89 and 5.99 g kg−1, respectively. An increase in the SOC content under fertilization was also found in the other two experiments. In the 25-year-old experiment, the SOC contents in FYM, FYM + NPK and FYM + CaNPK were 6.07, 8.36 and 7.63 g kg−1, respectively, and in the 41-year-old experiment, the SOC contents in Co, NPK and CaNPK were 6.38, 10.1 and 7.80 g kg−1, respectively. The content of labile carbon (CL) increased significantly in the fertilized treatments only in the 94-year-old experiment. The contents of humic substances significantly increased in the soil of fertilized treatments in the 25- and 41-year-old experiments. In all fertilized treatments, the humus quality significantly decreased. After 94 years of mineral fertilization, the content of water-stable macroaggregates (WSAma) in size fractions > 5 and 5–2 mm was significantly higher in the NPK than in the Co and CaNPK treatments. After 94 years of mineral fertilization, the mean weight diameter of aggregates for dry sieving (MWDd) differed between Co (0.41) and both treatments of mineral fertilization (NPK: 0.88; CaNPK: 1.70). The application of FYM with CaNPK resulted in a statistically significant decrease in aggregate stability (Sw) in the 25-year-old experiment. For Co and NPK treatments in the 41-year-old experiment, the contents of WSAma > 5 mm were 41% and 51% lower, respectively, whereas the content of WSAma 5–3 mm was lower by 40% and 50%, respectively, which was higher than that for the CaNPK treatment. The aggregate stability significantly decreased due to NPK application in the soil of the 41-year-old experiment. The number of correlations between SOM parameters and the soil structure decreased in the following order: 94-year-old experiment with mineral fertilization > 41-year-old experiment with mineral fertilization > 25-year-old experiment with mineral fertilization + FYM. | We investigated the role of Mn oxides on the soil structure (contents of dry and water-stable aggregates) of sandy soil under a controlled long-term fertilisation experiment. We examined two experiments: a 94-year-term experiment with: no fertilisers, NPK fertilisers, and CaNPK fertilisers; and a 25-year-term experiment that included: farmyard manure and no mineral fertilisation, farmyard manure + NPK fertilisers, and farmyard manure + CaNPK fertilisers. The results showed that in the 94-year-term trial, Mn oxides were increased in CaNPK treatment. In the 25-year-term experiment, the farmyard manure combined with NPK decreased total Mn and its oxides. In the 94-year-term experiment, the content of dry-sieved macro-aggregates (DSAma) and water-stable macro-aggregates increased due to fertilisation. The result of our study suggests that Mn oxides had positive effects mainly on higher size classes of DSAma and did not have any effect on water-stable aggregate contents. | Background ::: Serum calcium (Ca) and inorganic phosphate (Pi) concentrations and calcium-phosphate product (CPP) levels are positively associated with worse outcomes in patients with chronic kidney disease, but there are few data for Pi or Ca and none for CPP in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). | eng_Latn | 9,455 |
Frequent vs. infrequent irrigation are two common irrigation practices. This fi eld study was conducted on ‘Providence’ creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) grown on a sand-based rootzone and maintained as a putting green. The objectives of this study were to measure several creeping bentgrass performance and physiological factors as infl uenced by light and frequent (LF) vs. deep and infrequent (DI) irrigation. The LF plots were irrigated daily to moisten the upper 4 to 6 cm of soil, while DI plots were irrigated at leaf wilt to wet soil to a depth of ≥24 cm. The LF-irrigated creeping bentgrass exhibited very good color and quality throughout most of 2006 and 2007, whereas DI-irrigated bentgrass exhibited acceptable quality in 2007 but not in 2006. The DI-irrigated bentgrass had lower chlorophyll levels in leaf and sheath tissue in 2006, but developed better color and quality and had higher chlorophyll levels in late summer of 2007 vs. LF-irrigated bentgrass. Creeping bentgrass subjected to DI irrigation developed a less thick thatch–mat layer that contained less organic matter than that found in LF-irrigated plots. Twice the amount of water was applied to the LF- vs. the DI-irrigated plots. | Prudent water management on turfgrass is an important issue. There is a need to define best management practices (BMPs), including optimal irrigation frequency for tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) when irrigated at a level that would be less than a typical industry practice of ET crop /irrigation uniformity, where ET crop = crop evapotranspiration = reference evapotranspiration (ET o ) × crop coefficient (K c ). A 2-yr field study was conducted in Riverside, CA, to determine if the visual quality of tall fescue could be improved during the warm season by altering irrigation frequency (two, three, or four irrigation events per week), cultivar selection (a dwarf cultivar, 'Short-stop' or a turf-type cultivar, 'Jaguar III'), and mowing height (3.8 or 6.4 cm) when irrigated at 80% ET crop /irrigation uniformity. Volumetric soil water content at the 30-, 61-, and 91-cm depths was also measured on each Jaguar III sub-subplot. During the first year, visual quality was significantly higher for Jaguar III and the lower mowing height. During the second year, overall visual turfgrass quality was significantly highest for plots irrigated twice per week. Visual turfgrass quality was significantly correlated with soil water content. In summary, data from this study support recommendations for deeper, less frequent irrigation of established tall fescue grown on sandy loam soils in southern California interior valleys with an irrigation budget of 80% ET crop /irrigation uniformity. | Distillation at an infinite reflux ratio in combination with an infinite number of trays has been investigated. | eng_Latn | 9,456 |
Understanding how potential climate change will affect availability of water resources for citrus production globally is needed. The main goal of this study is to investigate impacts of potential future climate change on citrus irrigation requirements (IRR) in major global citrus producing regions, e.g., Africa, Asia, Australia, Mediterranean, Americas. The Irrigation Management System (IManSys) model was used to calculate optimum IRR for the baseline period (1986–2005) and two future periods (2055s and 2090s) subject to combination of five and seven temperature and precipitation levels, respectively. Predicted IRR show significant spatio-temporal variations across study regions. Future annual IRR are predicted to globally decrease; however, future monthly IRR showed mixed results. Future evapotranspiration and IRR are projected to decrease by up to 12 and 37%, respectively, in response to increases in CO 2 concentration. Future citrus canopy interception and drainage below citrus rootzones are expected to slightly increase. Annual rainfall changes are negatively correlated with changes in IRR. These projections should help citrus industry better understand potential climate change impacts on citrus IRR and and major components of the water budget. Further studies are needed to investigate how these potential changes in CO 2 concentration, temperature, evapotranspiration, rainfall, and IRR will affect citrus yield and its economic impact on the citrus industry. | Harris County is one of the most populated counties in the United States. About 30% of domestic water use in the U.S. is for outdoor activities, especially landscape irrigation and gardening. Optimum landscape and garden irrigation contributes to substantial water and energy savings and a substantial reduction of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. Thus, the objectives of this work are to (i) calculate site-specific turf grass irrigation water requirements across Harris County and (ii) calculate CO2 emission reductions and water and energy savings across the county if optimum turf grass irrigation is adopted. The Irrigation Management System was used with site-specific soil hydrological data, turf crop water uptake parameters (root distribution and crop coefficient), and long-term daily rainfall and reference evapotranspiration to calculate irrigation water demand across Harris County. The Irrigation Management System outputs include irrigation requirements, runoff, and drainage below the root system. Savings in turf irrigation requirements and energy and their corresponding reduction in CO2 emission were calculated. Irrigation water requirements decreased moving across the county from its north-west to its south-east corners. However, the opposite happened for the runoff and excess drainage below the rootzone. The main reason for this variability is the combined effect of rainfall, reference evapotranspiration, and soil types. Based on the result, if the average annual irrigation water use across the county is 25 mm higher than the optimum level, this will result in 10.45 million m3 of water losses (equivalent water use for 30,561 single families), 4413 MWh excess energy use, and the emission of 2599 metric tons of CO2. | Blunt trauma abdomen rarely leads to gastrointestinal injury in children and isolated gastric rupture is even rarer presentation. We are reporting a case of isolated gastric rupture after fall from height in a three year old male child. | eng_Latn | 9,457 |
The importance of competition between trees and annual weeds for nitrogen (N) and water was evaluated in a Pinus radiata D. Don (radiata pine) plantation between two and three years of age growing on a sandy podzol in the southeast of South Australia. Increasing the width of the weed-control strip spanning the tree row had little effect on tree water status, but increased the uptake of N by trees. Application of N fertilizer alleviated N deficiency and tree growth suppression induced by weeds, suggesting that when N supply is high (e.g., on fertile sites) intense weed control is unnecessary in plantations beyond two years of age. On the other hand, competition for N by weeds would seriously aggravate N deficiency in young pine trees grown on low-N soils. When N fertilizer was applied, weeds rapidly absorbed mineral N from the soil, and within three months, the N content of weeds was 10.2 g N m −2 greater than in the unfertilized control. This represents 68% of the amount of N applied in fertilizer. Weeds therefore increased the uptake of fertilizer N by plant biomass, and thereby improved N retention on site. Tree growth increased with N fertilizer at all levels of weed control and responses to weed control and N fertilizer were additive. The growth of weeds increased the soil organic carbon status and the rate of N mineralization. The presence of weeds reduced the incidence and severity of stem deformation, which was exacerbated by N fertilizer application and complete weed control. In general, strip weed control may be a better option than complete weed control in managing weeds in young P. radiata plantations. | Understory management in forest ecosystems has been applied to improve the wood production for hundreds of years worldwide. The carbon-physiological mechanisms underlying these positive effects of understory management on the growth of overstory trees have received less attention. We studied the non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) and total nitrogen (N) concentrations in tissues (needles, stem sapwood, and fine roots) of three tree species (two evergreen and one deciduous species) grown in the presence or absence (understory cut) of understory shrubs in plantations in southwestern China, to test whether understories affect the carbon and nitrogen status in the overstory trees. The concentrations of N, NSC (= soluble sugars + starch) in overstory trees varied significantly with understory treatments during the dry season rather than the wet season. Trees grown without understory shrubs had higher levels of N and NSC compared to trees grown with understories. The present study provides insight to explain the functional mechanisms for understory effects on growth of overstory trees, and indicates that the nitrogen and carbon status in overstory trees may be more strongly negatively affected by understory in stressful conditions rather than in optimal growth conditions. Moreover, the present study provides ecophysiology-based knowledge for dealing with understory vegetation management in forest ecosystems. | I used measures of 15N natural abundance and of nitrogenase activity (acetylene reduction) to examine whether the supply of non-N nutrients limits rates of N2 fixation on young volcanic substrates in Hawaii. Leaves of the dominant tree (Metrosideros polymorpha, a nonfixer) were strongly depleted in 15N in control plots (–10.8 to –11.10/00). More than 5 y of repeated fertilization with P increased δ15N to –8.9 to –9.90/00, and the addition of all other essential plant nutrients (except N) together with P further increased 15N to –8.1 to –9.30/00. This pattern is consistent with enhanced N2 fixation, because newly fixed N would have a δ15N near 00/00. Assays of nitrogenase activity in the experimental plots demonstrated that potential N fixation associated with nonvascular plants and with tree and fern litter were increased significantly by additions of P and by the combined nutrient treatment; when these were added together, the increase in nitrogenase activity was 6- to 11-fold over control plots. The supply of P and other weathering-derived nutrients constrains rates of N2 fixation in these young volcanic sites and thereby contributes to the maintenance of N limitation to primary production and other ecosystem processes. | eng_Latn | 9,458 |
Crop rotation research carried out at ‘De Schreef’ experimental farm for 24 years shows that ware potatoes (cv. Bintje) are poorly self-compatible on a clay loam soil. When potatoes were grown once every three years, every four years and every six years, the tuber yields were respectively 21, 16 and 7% lower than those of plots where potatoes were grown for the first time. Although the yield depression can partly be explained by differences in soil structure, it was mainly caused by pathogens: Verticillium dahliae, Streptomyces spp. (netted scab) and possibly by growth inhibiting bacteria. Potato cyst nematodes were not involved. | Larkin, R. P., Griffin, T. S., and Honeycutt, C. W. 2010. Rotation and cover crop effects on soilborne potato diseases, tuber yield, and soil microbial communities. Plant Dis. 94:1491-1502. Seven different 2-year rotations, consisting of barley/clover, canola, green bean, millet/rapeseed, soybean, sweet corn, and potato, all followed by potato, were assessed over 10 years (1997– 2006) in a long-term cropping system trial for their effects on the development of soilborne potato diseases, tuber yield, and soil microbial communities. These same rotations were also assessed with and without the addition of a fall cover crop of no-tilled winter rye (except for barley/clover, for which underseeded ryegrass was substituted for clover) over a 4-year period. Canola and rapeseed rotations consistently reduced the severity of Rhizoctonia canker, black scurf, and common scab (18 to 38% reduction), and canola rotations resulted in higher tuber yields than continuous potato or barley/clover (6.8 to 8.2% higher). Addition of the winter rye cover crop further reduced black scurf and common scab (average 12.5 and 7.2% reduction, respectively) across all rotations. The combined effect of a canola or rapeseed rotation and winter rye cover crop reduced disease severity by 35 to 41% for black scurf and 20 to 33% for common scab relative to continuous potato with no cover crop. Verticillium wilt became a prominent disease problem only after four full rotation cycles, with high disease levels in all plots; however, incidence was lowest in barley rotations. Barley/clover and rapeseed rotations resulted in the highest soil bacterial populations and microbial activity, and all rotations had distinct effects on soil microbial community characteristics. Addition of a cover crop also resulted in increases in bacterial populations and microbial activity and had significant effects on soil microbial characteristics, in addition to slightly improving tuber yield (4% increase). Thus, in addition to positive effects in reducing erosion and improving soil quality, effective crop rotations in conjunction with planting cover crops can provide improved control of soilborne diseases. However, this study also demonstrated limitations with 2-year rotations in general, because all rotations resulted in increasing levels of common scab and Verticillium wilt over time. | Every function of n inputs can be efficiently computed by a complete network of n processors in such a way that: If no faults occur, no set of size t n /2 of players gets any additional information (other than the function value), Even if Byzantine faults are allowed, no set of size t n /3 can either disrupt the computation or get additional information. Furthermore, the above bounds on t are tight! | eng_Latn | 9,459 |
Ecological stoichiometry is a useful tool for studying how the elemental composition of organisms and their food affects production, nutrient cycling, and food- web dynamics. Two analyses are presented here that show that the use of simple element ratios in stoichiometric calculations may in certain circumstances prove inadequate because of the influence in animal nutrition of biochemical aspects of diet. In the first, a stoichio- metric analysis of herbivores consuming food with varying carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratios is undertaken, in which the intake of C is segregated into easily assimilated compounds and fiber. Two herbivore strategies emerge from the analysis, both as a means of minimizing limitation by C, not N: fiber eaters that consume high C:N food and have efficient fiber digestion, and selective feeders that consume low C:N food but that do not possess fiber- digesting enzymes. In the second example, the stoichiometric axiom that a single substrate, the one in least supply relative to demand, limits growth is used to identify potentially limiting essential amino acids in the diets of a range of animals. Large consumer-prey imbalances in amino acids were found in several cases, indicating that, at least in theory, growth should be strongly limited by individual amino acids rather than bulk N. In practice such limitation may be offset in consumers by physiological and other factors such as symbiotic relationships. The two analyses emphasize the simplicity of element stoichi- ometry, highlighting the need to consider biochemical and physiological arguments when undertaking stoichiometric studies of carbon and nutrient transfers in ecosystems. | Most herbivorous rodents consume a variety of plants and, when available, select ones low in fiber content. In contrast, the fat sand rat (Psammomys obesus), a diurnal gerbillid rodent that is wholly herbivorous, is able to survive while consuming only the halophytic chenopod Anabasis articulata. We hypothesized that these gerbils are able to digest chenopods efficiently and that fiber digestion contributes substantially to their energy budget. Digestibility of total fibers (NDF), hemicellulose, and cellulose was 51.6%, 66.4%, and 44.0%, respectively. Energy derived from fiber digestion was 211.7 kJ kg−0.75 d−1 and resulted mostly from hemicellulose digestion. Average daily metabolic rate was 658.4 kJ kg−0.75 d−1, and basal metabolic rate (BMR) was determined to be close to 192.6 kJ kg−0.75 d−1. Therefore, fiber digestion provided 32% of maintenance requirements and 110% of BMR requirements, one of the highest values reported thus far for placental mammals. The efficiency of utilization of the ch... | Channel Hot Carrier (CHC) degradation on uniaxially strained pMOS and nMOS samples with different S/D materials has been analyzed. The results show that the CHC damage is larger in the strained samples in comparison with the unstrained devices, and increases with the temperature. | eng_Latn | 9,460 |
Wilding conifers are usually killed without herbicide by severing the stem below the lowest green needles. This is difficult, for example, when multistemmed trees are growing on unstable or rocky substrates. Under such circumstances a picloram gel formulation (Vigilant® herbicide gel) was applied to freshly cut surfaces of stumps of contorta pine (Pinus contorta) and Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). Stumps were pruned so that some green needles remained on the stump below the cut. Treatments were applied in May 2002. After 6 months, many herbicide-treated plants showed leaf distortion and yellowing. After 18 months, 97% of the 75 herbicide-treated contorta pine plants were dead compared with only 13% (n=30) of those receiving no herbicide. The herbicide killed 100% of the 15 treated Douglas fir plants compared with 3% death rate for the 15 receiving no herbicide. | INTRODUCTION This paper aims to outline some of the challenges I perceive to be facing plant protection researchers, industry and users of products and services; challenges that are increasingly a product of ongoing globalisation of trade, increasing concerns about environmental stewardship world-wide and a decreasing trust by society of environmental management, assurances by governments, their agencies, businesses and, in some cases, of the science itself. The origins of plant protection, as a science and an industry, lie with the protection of food and fibre crops. The focus has been on production protection with, initially, relatively little attention to the environmental impacts of most control technologies. As the science and the business of plant protection has matured over the last three or four decades, it has expanded to include recognition of the ongoing needs of production protection, its role in protecting conservation ecosystems, the environmental consequences of production protection products and the societal acceptance or rejection of the environmental impacts of these products. It is this maturing of the approach to plant protection that now presents the greatest opportunity for those working in all aspects of the field, as well as the greatest risks if the increasing complexities in the whole field of food production and protection are not fully recognised. A global context In global terms there is no question that one of the single biggest challenges facing humanity is going to be the maintenance of food supplies over the next 50 years as the global population rises to more than 8.5 billion. However, in a plant protection context, and particularly in terms of New Zealand’s position in the world as a premium food and fibre producer, it is simplistic to focus primarily on the maintenance of production capacity. It is also essential that there be a sharp focus on the maintenance and enhancement of the environmental qualities of foodand fibre-producing agricultural ecosystems, including “down stream”, on land and ocean systems that receive the wastes of our production systems. New Zealand, as a society and an economy, has some unique challenges. These are: • That our economic and social health is very closely tied to the maintenance of a healthy natural resource base, not just in terms of our traditional land uses for agriculture and forestry but also in terms of the expectations of an increasing number of international visitors and our predominantly urban population. • That this natural resource base is a relatively limited one in terms of high quality soils and, increasingly, in terms of high quality water because of competing demands particularly between urban and agricultural horticultural uses in the vicinity of our urban areas. • That while our trading future lies largely in the more affluent world of North America, Europe and Asia, there is limited evidence that these markets are prepared to pay the full ecological cost of production. If one of our keys to wealth generation rests with the ongoing sustainable management of ecological systems, it is essential that we ultimately obtain a return for our products that fully reflects the ecological cost of production, ie, the system must be ecologically sustainable. • For New Zealand it will increasingly be the demands of global consumers for higher | A combination of indomethacin and diflunisal, a new salicylic acid derivative, when given to rats, gave a greater reduction in the size of permanganate induced granulomas and less gastric irritation, than either drug given alone. | eng_Latn | 9,461 |
The principal interest in tobacco leaf injury from ozone has been the more obvious effects of weather fleck on leaf appearance and soundness. This paper reports results that indicate that some important chemical constituents of tobacco leaves were altered significantly by weather fleck. | Chemical defences represent a main trait of the plant innate immune system. Besides regulating the relationship between plants and their ecosystems, phytochemicals are involved both in resistance against pathogens and in tolerance towards abiotic stresses, such as atmospheric pollution. Plant defence metabolites arise from the main secondary metabolic routes, the phenylpropanoid, the isoprenoid and the alkaloid pathways. In plants, antibiotic compounds can be both preformed (phytoanticipins) and inducible (phytoalexins), the former including saponins, cyanogenic glycosides and glucosinolates. Chronic exposure to tropospheric ozone (O3) stimulates the carbon fluxes from the primary to the secondary metabolic pathways to a great extent, inducing a shift of the available resources in favour of the synthesis of secondary products. In some cases, the plant defence responses against pathogens and environmental pollutants may overlap, leading to the unspecific synthesis of similar molecules, such as phenylpropanoids. Exposure to ozone can also modify the pattern of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC), emitted from plant in response to herbivore feeding, thus altering the tritrophic interaction among plant, phytophagy and their natural enemies. Finally, the synthesis of ethylene and polyamines can be regulated by ozone at level of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), the biosynthetic precursor of both classes of hormones, which can, therefore, mutually inhibit their own biosynthesis with consequence on plant phenotype. | In this study, we examined the effect of five years of organic farming on soil parameters of a dryland Mediterranean agroecosystem. The study involved a four-course rotation: barley/common vetch/oats/bitter vetch, with incorporation of crop residues into the soil, no fertilization, shallow tillage, and variable sowing practice. The overall effect of the organic rotation was to significantly affect soil organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (N), and available phosphorus and potassium, even if these effects were inconsistent over the five years studied. Nevertheless, the overall effect of each crop in the rotation was to increase these soil quality parameters by comparison with the original values during the period of conventional cultivation. Given that SOM and total N content are key indexes of soil management sustainability, the principal finding was the positive effect of the rotation on them. Variable sowing had little influence on SOM, and had no effect on the other variables. | eng_Latn | 9,462 |
Quantifying plant carbon (C) allocation among different pools is critical for understanding and predicting how C turnover responds to global climate change in terrestrial ecosystems. A field experiment with increasing warming and nitrogen (N) was established to investigate interactive effects on plant C allocation in alpine meadows. Open-top chambers (OTCs) were used to simulate warming. In OTCs, daytime air and soil temperature at 5 cm depth increased by 2.0 and 1.6 °C, respectively, compared with ambient conditions, but soil moisture at 5 cm depth decreased by 4.95% (v/v) from 2012 to 2014. Warming reduced aboveground biomass by 38, 36, and 43% in 2012, 2013, and 2014, respectively, and increased belowground biomass by 64% and 29% in 2013 and 2014, respectively, and the root-to-shoot ratio was significantly increased. Specifically, warming increased the proportion of plant roots in the deep layers (10–20 cm). Both N addition and its combination with warming substantially enhanced belowground biomass. Pulse-labeling experiments for 13C revealed that warming reduced the translocation of assimilated C to shoots by 8.8% (38.7% in warming, and 47.5% in the control [CK]), and increased the allocation to root by 12.2% (55.5% in warming, and 43.3% in CK) after 28 days labeling. However, N addition increased the proportion of assimilated C allocated to shoots by 6.5% (54.0% in N addition, and 47.5% in CK), whereas warming combined with N addition reduced this proportion by 10.9%. A decline in soil water content in the surface layer may be the main cause of plants allocating more newly fixed photosynthate to roots. Therefore, plants promoted root growth to draw water from deeper soil layers (10–20 cm). We concluded that climate warming will change the allocation patterns of plant photosynthates by affecting soil water availability, whereas N addition will increase plant photosynthates aboveground in alpine meadows and thus will significantly affect C turnover under future climate change scenarios. | While climate warming can increase plant N availability over the growing season by increasing rates of N mineralization, increased N mineralization over winter at a time when plant roots are largely inactive, coupled with an increased frequency of soil freeze–thaw cycles, may increase soil N leaching losses. We examined changes in soil net N mineralization and N leaching in response to warming and N addition (6 g m−2 year−1) in a factorial experiment conducted in a temperate old field. We used two warming treatments, year-round and winter-only warming, to isolate the effects of winter warming on soil N dynamics from the year-round warming effects. We estimated net N mineralization using in situ soil cores with resin bags placed at the bottom to catch throughput, and we measured N leaching using lysimeters located below the plant rooting zone at a depth of 50 cm. There were minor effects of warming on changes in soil extractable N and resin N in the soil cores over winter. Nevertheless, the overall effects of both warming and N addition on net N mineralization (the sum of changes in soil extractable N and resin N) were not significant over this period. Likewise, there were no significant treatment effects on the concentration of N in leachate collected below the plant rooting zone. However, in response to winter warming, net N mineralization over summer was approximately double that of both the ambient and year-round warming treatments. This result demonstrates a potentially large and unexpected effect of winter warming on soil N availability in this old field system. | While climate warming can increase plant N availability over the growing season by increasing rates of N mineralization, increased N mineralization over winter at a time when plant roots are largely inactive, coupled with an increased frequency of soil freeze–thaw cycles, may increase soil N leaching losses. We examined changes in soil net N mineralization and N leaching in response to warming and N addition (6 g m−2 year−1) in a factorial experiment conducted in a temperate old field. We used two warming treatments, year-round and winter-only warming, to isolate the effects of winter warming on soil N dynamics from the year-round warming effects. We estimated net N mineralization using in situ soil cores with resin bags placed at the bottom to catch throughput, and we measured N leaching using lysimeters located below the plant rooting zone at a depth of 50 cm. There were minor effects of warming on changes in soil extractable N and resin N in the soil cores over winter. Nevertheless, the overall effects of both warming and N addition on net N mineralization (the sum of changes in soil extractable N and resin N) were not significant over this period. Likewise, there were no significant treatment effects on the concentration of N in leachate collected below the plant rooting zone. However, in response to winter warming, net N mineralization over summer was approximately double that of both the ambient and year-round warming treatments. This result demonstrates a potentially large and unexpected effect of winter warming on soil N availability in this old field system. | eng_Latn | 9,463 |
Problem statement: Hydrogen is a clean energy source. Bio-conversion of biomass to ::: generate hydrogen has been achieved using anaerobic fermentation of some well-defined materials, in ::: wastewater. No data available on hydrogen yielded from wastewater using inoculum extracted from ::: Iraqi municipal wastewater treatment plant. Approach: This study investigated the effects of substrate ::: concentration, initial pH and process temperature on biohydrogen production from surgery wastewater ::: using anaerobic batch reactor. Batch tests are carried out in a 2.0 L batch reactor under different ::: temperatures of 34, 36, 38and 40°C, various initial pH of 4.5, 5.5 and 6.5 and substrate concentrations ::: of 5, 10 and 15%. The raw seed was compost sludge obtained from municipal wastewater treatment ::: plant in Baghdad (Al-Restomia plant). The volume of evolved gas was measured at room temperature ::: by the water displacement method. Results: The maximum hydrogen production 160 mL L-1 is ::: obtained at an optimum temperature of 38 °C, optimum pH of 5.5 and substrate concentration 15%. ::: Conclusion: The results indicated that the use of compost of Al-Restomia plant as a seed in anaerobic ::: fermentation process has given excellent biogas production under applied conditions. | The objective of this article is to develop and apply a specific discounting cash flow (DCF) approach to evaluate investment in renovation to improve building quality, thus increasing energy efficiency. In this article, we develop and apply a specific net present value (NPV) and an internal rate of return (IRR) approach to quantify the value created for the owners of the building by the investment in renovation via energy-saving investments that produce positive externalities. The model has an applied interest because, in recent years, a lot of investments in real estate were made by owners in order to increase the green quality of the buildings, and several funds of public aid were provided by the government to stimulate these energy-saving investments. The model proposed here is applied to a case study of a 16-apartment building located in northern Italy considers the model attempts to quantify the initial investment value, the energy savings, the tax deduction of the initial investment and the terminal value of the investment as the increase in building value. The analysis shows that the model is consistent in evaluating investments to improve building quality, and investments within the context of the specific case study considered in the research have IRRs ranging from a minimum of 4.907% to a maximum of 12.980%. It could even be useful to consider a sample of cases to verify whether our results are representative of this specific case study. The model could represent a useful tool for consumers in evaluating their own investments in building renovation, from a stand-alone perspective and even by comparing them with other types of investment. The research could be developed in the future to quantify the social welfare generated by public spending via tax deductions to reduce the costs of investment in energy savings for buildings and could even be applied to new real estate projects in comparing different construction technologies and even comparing the return of renovation investment with other investments not even in the real estate sector. | The oxygen and carbon dioxide transporting properties of the haemolymph from an amphibious Australian crab,Holthuisana transversa were investigated. Within the temperature range 15 to 35°C increasing temperature markedly decreased oxygen affinity (ΔH=−54 kJ·mol−1). The Bohr effect was small at all temperatures with a mean value of −0.13. Over the temperature range 15–35°C there was a significant increase in the cooperativity of oxygen binding. Changing the concentration of Ca,l-lactate or haemocyanin in the haemolymph could elicit no significant change in either O2 affinity or cooperativity of O2 binding. There was no evidence in support of a specific effect of CO2 on oxygen affinity of either non-dialysed or dialysed haemolymph. | eng_Latn | 9,464 |
The effect of temperature on denitrification was compared in a temperate zone soil, a Paleudalf cropped to wheat in south-east England, and a sub-tropical soil, a Vertisol (Typic Pellustert) cropped to sorghum in Queensland. Australia. The 2 soils were incubated anaerobically in the presence of KNO 3 and glucose at 5, 10, 15, 20 or 25°C for either 2 d or 7 d. Immobilization of the added nitrate was measured in parallel incubations using K 15 NO 3 . After 2 d more nitrate was lost from the English soil than from the Australian at every temperature. After 7d at 10°C, all nitrate had been reduced in the English soil, 92% denitrified and 8% immobilized, whilst in the Australian soil 91% of the nitrate still remained. Only at 20°C or above was all of the nitrate reduced (89% denitrified, 11% immobilized) in the Australian soil. The results indicate that the denitrifying populations in each soil was adapted to its own environment. The denitrifiers in the temperate soil reduced nitrate at lower temperatures than did those in the sub-tropical soil. The occurrence of considerable denitrification at 10°C in the temperate soil, and a sharp increase between 5 and 10°C, shows that denitrification could be a major cause of N loss in temperate areas in spring, when much N fertilizer is applied. Even though soil temperatures can fall to similar values in the subtropics in winter, much less denitrification would be expected. | The results of a literature study examining quantitative estimates of N 2 O emission rates are presented for a range of land-uses across Europe. The analysis shows that the highest N 2 O emission rates are for agricultural lands compared to forests and grasslands. The main factors regulating these rates are available mineral nitrogen, soil temperature, soil water content and the available labile organic compounds. These controls operate across different time-scales, all must exceed a certain threshold for N 2 O emission to occur. The results support the need for an emission factor function of land-use and climate within models describing nitrogen dynamics in catchments. This would allow the assessment of the net N 2 O emission within catchments in terms of current levels and potential changes associated with climate variability, climate change and land use change. Keywords: nitrous oxide, soil water content, inorganic N, soil temperature, ecosystems, land-use management, soil type | The ecology of soils associated with dead mammals (i.e. cadavers) is poorly understood. Although temperature and soil type are well known to influence the decomposition of other organic resource patches, the effect of these variables on the degradation of cadavers in soil has received little experimental investigation. To address this, cadavers of juvenile rats (Rattus rattus) were buried in one of three contrasting soils (Sodosol, Rudosol, and Vertosol) from tropical savanna ecosystems in Queensland, Australia and incubated at 29 °C, 22 °C, or 15 °C in a laboratory setting. Cadavers and soils were destructively sampled at intervals of 7 days over an incubation period of 28 days. Measurements of decomposition included cadaver mass loss, carbon dioxide–carbon (CO2–C) evolution, microbial biomass carbon (MBC), protease activity, phosphodiesterase activity, and soil pH, which were all significantly positively affected by cadaver burial. A temperature effect was observed where peaks or differences in decomposition that at occurred at higher temperature would occur at later sample periods at lower temperature. Soil type also had an important effect on some measured parameters. These findings have important implications for a largely unexplored area of soil ecology and nutrient cycling, which are significant for forensic science, cemetery planning and livestock carcass disposal. | eng_Latn | 9,465 |
Field studies were conducted for 3 yr (2001 to 2003) at two irrigated sites in southern Alberta to determine if post-emergence N application (38 kg N ha-1) was warranted for durum (Triticum turgidum L.) and bread wheat (T. aestivum) in soils with relatively high N. Greater efficacy occurred with in-crop surface-applied granular ammonium nitrate (AN) compared with foliar-applied urea-ammonium-nitrate (UAN) solution. Early AN application usually improved grain yield compared with the fertilized control (38 k g N ha-1 applied at seeding), while late application reduced grain yield, but increased grain protein concentration and end-use quality. Key words: Triticum turgidum, Triticum aestivum, nitrogen fertilizer, foliar, timing, split N, grain protein concentration | Successful remediation of oil-contaminated agricultural land may include the goal of returning the land to prespill levels of agricultural productivity. This productivity may be measured by crop yield, quality, and safety, all of which are influenced by soil characteristics. This research was conducted to determine if these metrics are affected in hard red spring wheat ( L. cultivar Barlow) when grown in soils treated by ex situ thermal desorption (TD) compared with wheat grown in native topsoil (TS). Additionally, TD soils were mixed with TS at various ratios to assess the effectiveness of soil mixing as a procedure for enhancing productivity. In two greenhouse studies, TD soils alone produced similar amounts of grain and biomass as TS, although grain protein in TD soils was 22% (±7%) lower. After mixing TS into TD soils, the mean biomass and grain yield were reduced by up to 60%, but grain protein increased. These trends are likely the result of nutrient availability determined by soil organic matter and nutrient cycling performed by soil microorganisms. Thermal desorption soil had 84% (±2%) lower soil organic carbon than TS, and cumulative respiration was greatly reduced (66 ± 2%). From a food safety perspective, grain from TD soils did not show increased uptake of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Overall, this research suggests that TD soils are capable of producing safe, high-quality grain yields. | ABSTRACTUNC-45A is an ubiquitously expressed protein highly conserved throughout evolution. Most of what we currently know about UNC-45A pertains to its role as a regulator of the actomyosin system... | eng_Latn | 9,466 |
Half of global wheat production occurs in irrigated cropping regions that face increasing water shortages. In these regions, seasonal forecasts could provide information about in-season climate conditions that could improve resource management, helping to save water and other inputs. However, seasonal forecasts have not been tested in irrigated systems. In this study, we show that seasonal forecasts have the potential to guide crop management decisions in fully irrigated systems (FIS), reduced irrigation systems (supplementary irrigation; SIS), and systems without irrigation (rainfed; RFS) in an arid environment. We found that farmers could gain an additional 2USDha−1season−1 in net returns and save up to 26USDha−1season−1 in N fertilizer costs with a hypothetical always-correct-season-type-forecast (ACF) in a fully irrigated system compared to simulated optimized N fertilizer applications. In supplementary irrigated systems, an ACF had value when deciding on sowing a crop (plus supplementary irrigation) of up to 65USDha−1season−1. In rainfed systems, this value was up to 123USDha−1 when deciding whether or not to sow a crop. In supplementary irrigated and rainfed systems, such value depended on initial soil water conditions. Seasonal forecasts have the potential to assist farmers in irrigated, supplementary irrigated, and rainfed cropping systems to maximize crop profitability. However, forecasts currently available based on Global Circulation Models (GCM) and the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) need higher forecast skill before such benefits can be fully realized. | Crops are vulnerable to weather hazards throughout the growth season, with periods of heightened risk described as critical moments. Farmers have a number of ex-ante and in-season options for coping with these events, and ex-post adjustments to farm-household portfolios to further limit the impact on livelihoods if these options fail. Adaptation-related research has focussed mainly on ex-ante or ex-post coping strategies, because in-season approaches tend to be seen as a given, meaning their cost effectiveness is ignored. Based on detailed survey data collected from 287 households in four of the main cropping systems in Pakistan, this study evaluates the impact pathways of hazards and the cost effectiveness of in-season coping strategies. Yield losses varied by 10–30% for 43% of the cases and by 31–50% for another 39%, with the most severe losses caused by the compounding effect of two hazards in one crop season or if both crops in a multi-crop rotation were affected simultaneously. In-season coping options were mostly restricted to the early crop stages and constrained by a short window of time for the response. The application of in-season coping strategies resulted in a yield recovery of 40–95%, with an additional cost of 4–34% of the value of recovered yield. The major critical moments identified were the harvest season, with farming often affected by un-seasonal precipitation, and the germination stage, with an additional high risk for low temperatures at high altitude. A better understanding of the differentiated risks and effectiveness of in-season coping strategies could support the promotion of sustainable crop production in similar agro-ecologies. Moreover, the effectiveness of present-day coping strategies, rather than the use of coping approaches itself, could signal a potential ability to adjust to future climate change. | This memo specifies CPIM Presence Information Data Format (PIDF) as a ::: common presence data format for CPIM-compliant IM/Presence protocols. | eng_Latn | 9,467 |
Short-term N fluxes were measured during spring in perennial grasslands in S.W. England to examine processes controlling plant N availability. Three long-term management regimes were used, being grass plus white clover or grass receiving N fertilizer at 0 or 200 kg N ha−1 y−1. 15N-labelled NH4+ solution was injected into microplot cores in the field and after 1 and 3 d the cores were removed for analysis of total N and 15N in soil inorganic N fractions, microbial biomass and plant shoots and roots. Gross N mineralization, gross N immobilization and N2 fixation were estimated using 15N isotope dilution or pool enrichment calculations. Plant uptake was the dominant process of removal of inorganic N from soil, with short-term rates being similar for all three treatments. Rapid and large N fluxes through plant uptake and mineralization–immobilization reactions maintained a small soil inorganic N pool which turned over approximately daily. In the clover treatment, all fluxes of N (except N2 fixation at 2.4 kg N ha−1 d−1) were intermediate between the 0 and 200 N treatments. Thus, treatment differences in N fluxes reflected differences in their long-term N inputs. Measurements of net N mineralization using several techniques showed a 2-fold difference between the 0 and 200 N treatments, with the clover treatment being intermediate. However, isotope dilution calculations revealed that rates of gross N mineralization were 3–12 times larger than net N mineralization rates, and that treatments differed in gross N mineralization rate by only 35% (3.0–4.1 kg N ha−1 d−1). An important factor influencing net N fluxes was the marked differences in gross N immobilization rate, which varied between 1.0 and 0.1 kg N ha−1 d−1 in the 0 and 200 N treatments, respectively. | Nitrogen mineralization was measured in three permanent pastures – either fertilized or unfertilized grass, or a mixed grass-clover sward – which were further amended with either fertilizer or cattle dung over a summer growing season. Measurements were made at 4-weekly intervals from June to October. Rates of net mineralization were similar in each of the background treatments (overall mean 0.99±0.091 kg N ha–1 day–1) and did not change markedly during the experiment. From the second sampling (July) onwards, rates of mineralization in all the dung treatments were higher than in the control by a factor of up to 2. In the fertilizer-amended treatments, rates were also consistently (but not significantly) higher than in the control. However, the relatively small effect of fertilizer detected at each sampling had a significant cumulative effect by the end of the experiment. There was no interaction between the background and current treatments. Potential mineralization, measured by anaerobic incubation, increased in all the treatments over the period of the experiment, showing an accumulation of readily mineralizable residues. Total N mineralized and the N accumulated during the experiment were calculated and compared. This approach suggests that potential measurements could provide a good estimate of changes in soil N supply that would not be otherwise detectable in changes in soil total N in the short-term. | We prove that groups acting geometrically on delta-quasiconvex spaces contain no essential Baumslag-Solitar quotients as subgroups. This implies that they are translation discrete, meaning that the translation numbers of their nontorsion elements are bounded away from zero. | eng_Latn | 9,468 |
The effects of thinning (two-thirds of basal area removed) and N fertilization (448 kg N/ha as urea) on biomass and nutrition of a 24-year-old Douglas-fir (Pseudotsugamenziesii (Mirb.) Franco) stand at Shawnigan Lake were studied over 18 years. At years 0, 9, and 18 after treatments, the aboveground biomass and N, P, K, Ca, and Mg contents of stemwood, stem bark, foliage, and dead and live branches were determined (kg/ha), and increments in these properties (kg•ha−1•year−1) were calculated for the 0–9 and 9–18 year periods. Foliar biomass was increased by both treatments during the first period and also by thinning in the second period. Aboveground net primary production (ANPP) per unit of foliage biomass (foliage efficiency) was increased by treatments in the 0–9 year period. The combined effects of increased foliage mass and foliage efficiency resulted in increased total biomass production. Thinning and fertilization increased the uptake of all elements except for P with fertilization. This increase may... | The chemical composition of the boles of 14 Douglas-fir trees growing in the central Willamette Valley of western Oregon was examined to determine whether differences in various chemical component levels might help to explain arthropod or microbial colonization patterns. Levels of nearly all cations as well as N and P tended to be highest in the inner bark. Nitrogen levels were similar in sapwood and heartwood, but both were lower than those in the inner bark. Levels of N, P, Mg, Fe, and Zn tended to be significantly higher farther up the tree, suggesting that this zone might be a more suitable substrate of colonization. Water-soluble sugars tended to be present at higher levels closer to the live crown, a finding that implies that these compounds may be allocated to cells closer to the regions where active photosynthesis is occurring. Water-soluble sugars tended to be present at higher levels in the heartwood, an unexpected finding since these compounds are presumed to be consumed during heartwood formation. A broader sample of Douglas-fir boles is recommended to confirm these results. | ABSTRACT: Minute ventilation, arterial blood gases, arterial pH, cardiac output, and transdiaphragmatic force generation, both during spontaneous ventilation and in response to phrenic nerve stimulation during airway occlusion at end expiration, were measured in nine anesthetized, tracheostomized piglets before and 30 min after parenteral infusion of 20 mg/kg aminophylline. Serum theophylline levels averaged 109 ± 21 μmol/L (19.7 ± 3.7 μg/mL) at 30 min postinfusion. No significant changes were noted in pH, blood gases, blood pressure, or ventilatory measures after aminophylline. Aminophylline infusion also had no effect on transdiaphragmatic force generation at any frequency of phrenic nerve stimulation studied. It is concluded that aminophylline has no effect on diaphragmatic contractility in the quietly breathing, nonfatigued piglet. | eng_Latn | 9,469 |
In Urban areas of Burkina Faso, there are essentially on-site sanitation systems, constituted of latrines and septic tanks. Faecal sludge produced by these utilities are actually rarely treated and just spilt in the environment. So, there is a need to develop sustainable treatment solutions, to preserve local populations health, water resources and environment. In order to investigate rustic sludge treatment, 12 experimental sludge treatment reed bed systems, planted with two local species: Oryza longistaminata ( OL ) and Sporobolus pyramidalis ( SP ), were constructed and monitored in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The goal was to assess the potential of OL and SP planted beds to treat fecal sludge in Sahelian climate. A hydraulic load of 20–26 cm/week corresponding to 15.8–21.1 kg TSS/m 2 /year (62.6–83.5 kg DM/m 2 /year) was applied on all the beds for 120 days. The characterization of raw fecal sludge was assessed using physicochemical parameters (DM, TSS, NO 3 − -N, NO 2 − -N, NH 4 + -N, PO 4 3− -P, TP, and COD). Allometric parameters of plants on each bed were also monitored. The high contents of COD, nutrients and salinity could be particularly associated with the plants wilting and death, especially for OL . The threshold values of 1900 mg/L for COD, 174.5 mg/L for NH 4 + , 19.9 mg/L for PO 4 3− and 4400 mS/cm for conductivity induced sensitive variation of plant behaviors were highlighted for Oryza longistaminata . | Constructed wetland (CW), an ecological wastewater treatment technology, is low cost and easily to operate. Vertical flow constructed wetland (VF-CW) systems have been used to treat various wastewaters across the world. The present work exhibits the detail study of five type’s multi-layered vertically constructed wetlands operated at 24 h hydraulic retention time under semi-continuous vertical flow mode. Except N-NO3−, all the pollutants were sufficient removal in iron scraps constructed wetland (ISs-CW). The highest average pollutant removal efficiency achieved in ISs-CW was 85.04%, 77.57%, 85.99%, 62.01% and 88.91% for N-NH4+, N-NO2+, total nitrogen, total phosphate and sulphate respectively. The present CWs planted with Eichhornia crassipes is a promising system for municipal wastewater treatment. The first-order kinetic modelling was best suited for the removal rate since it presents higher R2, rate constant (k) and B values. | We prove that groups acting geometrically on delta-quasiconvex spaces contain no essential Baumslag-Solitar quotients as subgroups. This implies that they are translation discrete, meaning that the translation numbers of their nontorsion elements are bounded away from zero. | eng_Latn | 9,470 |
Mixing strategies of high solids anaerobic digesters using food waste (FW), codigested with sewage treatment plant sludge (STP) was evaluated for green and clean biogas production. Improper anaerobic digestion (AD) mixing leads to poor biogas yield at high organic loading rate (OLR). The present study evaluated the novel method of biogas recirculation using new ‘O’ shaped diffuser design for the AD mixing and compared the performance with the conventional mode of impeller driven mixing and unmixed mode for the optimum FW to STP ratio of 3:1 at high OLR The biogas recirculation frequency of 15 min/h produced maximum biogas (0.28–0.86 L/gVSr). An enhanced biogas yield was observed at intermittant biogas recirculation intensity of 2000 mL/min (0.25–0.92 L/gVSr). This was attributed to the synergistic effect of CO2 acidification and high VFA production at OLR of 6 gVS/Ld. Consequently, led to benefit of reduced digester pH (from 8.3 to 6.6), NH3 control (2380 mg/L), in-situ CH4 enrichment (88%) and sheath protected microbial morphology than the other mixing intensities. It is constructed that an optimum intermittent biogas recirculation could be used as an alternative mixing method for the large scale AD, for enhanced biogas yield, reduced impeller power consumption, and improved energy efficiency. | Anaerobic digestion has been widely employed in waste treatment for its ability to capture methane gas released as a product during the digestion. Certain wastes, however, cannot be easily digested due to their low nutrient level insufficient for anaerobic digestion, thus co-digestion is a viable option. Numerous studies have shown that using co-substrates in anaerobic digestion systems improve methane yields as positive synergisms are established in the digestion medium, and the supply of missing nutrients are introduced by the co-substrates. Nevertheless, large-scale implementation of co-digestion technology is limited by inherent process limitations and operational concerns. This review summarizes the results from numerous laboratory, pilot, and full-scale anaerobic co-digestion (ACD) studies of wastewater sludge with the co-substrates of organic fraction of municipal solid waste, food waste, crude glycerol, agricultural waste, and fat, oil and grease. The critical factors that influence the ACD operation are also discussed. The ultimate aim of this review is to identify the best potential co-substrate for wastewater sludge anaerobic co-digestion and provide a recommendation for future reference. By adding co-substrates, a gain ranging from 13 to 176% in the methane yield was accomplished compared to the mono-digestions. | By using a superluminescent diode as the light source and a depolariser inside the fibre coil, a constant scale factor is achieved without using polarisation control elements. For long-term behaviour an RMS-bias drift of 10 degrees/h is obtained. | eng_Latn | 9,471 |
Total loss under continuous grazing was 61% of that under the rotational system. Although the losses represent only 7.8, 5.6 and 3.7% of the inputs to 420N, 210N and GC treatments, there was a good relationship between inputs and total losses and also between the concentration of N in the herbage and losses per animal. The effects of the measured rates of loss on the input of NH 3 from grazed grassland to the atmosphere are discussed | Three approaches to nitrogen budgeting were developed and their ability to quantitatively describe nitrogen cycling in a fertilizer based and a grass–clover based beef system tested. Budgets ranged in complexity from the Economic Input:Output (EIO) budget, which accounted simply for purchases and sales of nitrogen over the farmgate, through the Biological Input:Output (BIO) budget, which included estimates of biological nitrogen fixation and attempted to partition losses into leaching and gaseous forms, to the Transfer:Recycle:Input:Output (TRIO) budget, which also accounted for key soil processes. Nitrogen unaccounted for in the fertilized system decreased with increasing budget complexity (285, 212 and 188 kg ha-1 yr-1 unaccounted for by the EIO, BIO and TRIO budgets, respectively). In the legume based grass–clover system, the EIO budget did not accurately describe total nitrogen inputs as it did not include 146 kg ha-1 yr-1 from symbiotic nitrogen fixation. In the grass–clover system, nitrogen unaccounted for was again greater using the BIO than the TRIO budget (103 and 79 kg ha-1 yr-1, respectively). In conclusion, the most complex budgeting approach (TRIO) was able to account for the fate of a greater proportion of nitrogen inputs than the simpler approaches. However, the perceived success of the different approaches was strongly dependent on the precise objective. | Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) is one of the most important industrial crops throughout world. With the availability of suitable genetic transformation technologies, the yield, quality, and stress tolerance of sugar beet could be improved significantly. However, low transformation efficiencies seriously limit the application of molecular technologies to the genetic improvement of sugar beet. With the aim of improving gene transfer techniques for sugar beet, the effect of different sucrose concentrations during cocultivation on the initial Agrobacterium-mediated transformation efficiencies in sugar beet was tested. To develop an efficient experimental system through which the effect of sucrose could be tested, first, a prolific regeneration system was optimized by testing the effect of different plant growth regulators on in vitro regeneration and rooting efficiencies from sugar beet cotyledonary node explants. The highest mean number of regenerated shoots per explant was obtained when the cotyledonary node explants excised from young seedlings were grown on MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine. Using this regeneration system, the effect of different concentrations of sucrose included in the cocultivation medium on the initial genetic transformation efficiencies observed in T0 plants was tested using an Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain carrying the pBin19/35S:GUS-INT construct. The inclusion of 4.5% sucrose in the cocultivation medium resulted in significantly higher transformation (34.09%) and expression efficiencies (22.72%), confirmed by polymerase chain reaction and β-glucuronidase assays, respectively, in regenerated T0 seedlings. If translated into stably inherited transformation efficiencies, these findings could contribute to the success of genetic transformation studies in sugar beet and other crops recalcitrant to Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. | eng_Latn | 9,472 |
Enhancing carbon sequestration in soil is an important means to reduce net emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere. The soil organic carbon (SOC) pool is the net result of carbon (C) input in the form of crop residue and biomass, and output including CO2 flux and other losses. The objectives of this study were to: (1) determine the influence of known additions of crop residue in a no till system on CO2 flux measured with the static chamber alkali-absorption method, and (2) calculate the C budget from the CO2 flux and C added in crop residue. The experiment was started on a Crosby silt loam (Stagnic Luvisol) in 1989. Annually 0, 2, 4, 8 and 16 Mg ha ˇ1 wheat straw (Triticum aestivum L.) was applied. Noon soil temperature and daily CO2 flux were determined in 1997. Residue application rate had a significant impact on soil temperature as measured at noon, especially early in the growing season. Noon soil temperature was up to 148C higher under unmulched compared with that of mulched treatments. Measured CO2 flux ranged from 0.4 to 4.2 g C m ˇ2 per day. Differences in CO2 flux between crop residue treatments were not significant on most sampling dates, probably due to the presence of undecomposed residue in the soil which did not contribute to the CO2 flux, and to variability in sampling. Average daily soil temperature at 5 cm depth determined on a nearby weather station explained 60% of the variation in CO2 flux from bare plots. The C budget calculated from CO2 flux measurements indicated a net depletion of SOC in all treatments. However, measured SOC contents indicated an increase of SOC over time in some treatments. It is likely that the annual CO2 flux measured with the static chamber alkali-absorption method is overestimated due to omission of CO2 measurements when soil water content is high, and perhaps other, as yet unknown factors. A comparison of the static chamber technique and improved dynamic chamber techniques and micrometeorological methods is recommended. # 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. | ABSTRACT The effects of hay, compost, plastic and paper mulches on soil temperature, soil moisture and yield of paste tomato were evaluated on five farms in Virginia. Organic mulches reduced afternoon soil temperature and maintained higher soil moisture levels than other treatments. Black plastic mulch increased soil temperatures by 1–2°C, but sometimes resulted in lower soil moisture levels in early summer, probably by hindering penetration of rainfall. Both undyed kraft paper and black paper mulches reduced afternoon soil temperature slightly. Oiled paper initially increased afternoon soil temperature by 4°C, but this effect diminished over time. Paper mulches decomposed before the end of the season, allowing increased evaporative losses of soil moisture. Mulch treatments apparently affected early tomato yield by influencing soil temperature regime, but affected later yields by modifying soil moisture levels. Early yields were generally highest with black plastic mulch and lowest in organic mulches, wit... | We prove that groups acting geometrically on delta-quasiconvex spaces contain no essential Baumslag-Solitar quotients as subgroups. This implies that they are translation discrete, meaning that the translation numbers of their nontorsion elements are bounded away from zero. | eng_Latn | 9,473 |
We examined the effects of temperature, ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation and watering regime on aerobic methane (CH(4)) emission from six crops-faba bean, sunflower, pea, canola, barley and wheat. Plants were grown in controlled-environment growth chambers under two temperature regimes (24/20 and 30/26 degrees C), three levels of UVB radiation [0 (zero), 5 (ambient) and 10 (enhanced) kJ m(-2) d(-1)] and two watering regimes (well watered and water stressed). A gas chromatograph with a flame ionization detector was used to measure CH(4) emission rates [ng g(-1) dry weight (DW) h(-1)] from detached fresh leaves of each species and attached leaves of pea plants. Plant growth [stem height, leaf area (LA) and aboveground dry matter (AG biomass)] and gas exchange [net CO(2) assimilation (A(N)), transpiration (E) and water use efficiency (WUE)] were also determined. We found that higher temperature, water stress and UVB radiation at the zero and enhanced levels significantly enhanced CH(4) emissions. Crop species varied in CH(4) emission, which was highest for pea and lowest for barley. Higher temperature and water stress reduced all growth parameters, whereas ambient and enhanced UVB decreased stem height but increased LA and AG biomass. Higher temperature decreased A(N) and WUE but increased E, whereas water stress decreased A(N) but increased E and WUE. Zero and enhanced UVB reduced A(N) and E. Growth and gas exchange varied with species. Overall, CH(4) emission was negatively correlated with stem height and AG biomass. We conclude that CH(4) emissions may increase under climatic stress conditions and this extra source might contribute to the 'greenhouse effect'. | Currently, the global annual flux of methane (CH4) to the atmosphere is fairly well constrained at ca. 645 Tg CH4 year−1. However, the relative magnitudes of the fluxes generated from different natural (e.g. wetlands, deep seepage, hydrates, ocean sediments) and anthropogenic sources remain poorly resolved. Of the identified natural sources, the contribution of vegetation to the global methane budget is arguably the least well understood. Historically, reviews of the contribution of vegetation to the global methane flux have focused on the role of plants as conduits for soil-borne methane emissions from wetlands, or the aerobic production of methane within plant tissues. Many recent global budgets only include the latter pathway (aerobic methane production) in estimating the importance of terrestrial vegetation to atmospheric CH4 flux. However, recent experimental evidence suggests several novel pathways through which vegetation can contribute to the flux of this globally important, trace greenhouse gas (GHG), such as plant cisterns that act as cryptic wetlands, heartwood rot in trees, the degradation of coarse woody debris and litter, or methane transport through herbaceous and woody plants. Herein, we synthesize the existing literature to provide a comprehensive estimate of the role of modern vegetation in the global methane budget. This first, albeit uncertain, estimate indicates that vegetation may represent up to 22 % of the annual flux of methane to the atmosphere, contributing ca. 32–143 Tg CH4 year−1 to the global flux of this important trace GHG. Overall, our findings emphasize the need to better resolve the role of vegetation in the biogeochemical cycling of methane as an important component of closing the gap in the global methane budget. | The oxygen and carbon dioxide transporting properties of the haemolymph from an amphibious Australian crab,Holthuisana transversa were investigated. Within the temperature range 15 to 35°C increasing temperature markedly decreased oxygen affinity (ΔH=−54 kJ·mol−1). The Bohr effect was small at all temperatures with a mean value of −0.13. Over the temperature range 15–35°C there was a significant increase in the cooperativity of oxygen binding. Changing the concentration of Ca,l-lactate or haemocyanin in the haemolymph could elicit no significant change in either O2 affinity or cooperativity of O2 binding. There was no evidence in support of a specific effect of CO2 on oxygen affinity of either non-dialysed or dialysed haemolymph. | eng_Latn | 9,474 |
On the background of effects of information technology on operations of University libraries, grasp the steps of library circulation management industry, timely take measures to manage the circulation comprehensively, rapidly and properly uses the individual advantages of intelligence, convenience and integration of network platform. Expand the ways to circulate. Stably improve the qualities and practical levels of staffs. Finally realize the harmonious win between improvement of management system and social benefits. | Restoration of ::: grassland such as exclusion of grazing has been considered to increase ::: aboveground plant diversity and soil fertility. However, knowledge on the ::: effect of long-term exclusion of grazing on soil bacterial community structure ::: and diversity is not well understood. The two sites were selected in the Inner ::: Mongolian grassland, i.e., one fenced ::: off since 1979 (UG79) and the other continually grazed by sheep (FG) all along. ::: Soil microbial biomass was measured using fumigation method and bacterial ::: community structure and diversity were assessed using methods of Denaturing ::: Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) and clone library. Results showed that the ::: UG79 soil had significantly higher microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen compared ::: with the FG soil. There was a clear separation in soil bacterial community ::: structure, but not in bacterial diversity between the two sites. Moreover, 55 ::: clones from the UG79 soil and 56 clones from the FG soil were selected and ::: sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis of all clone sequences indicated that ::: bacterial communities were dominated by the groups of Actinomycetes, Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, but there were no ::: significant differences in bacterial diversity between the two sites, ::: consistent with the results obtained from DGGE. The results highlighted that ::: although long-term exclusion of grazing increased soil microbial biomass, but ::: it did not harbor higher bacterial diversity compared with freely grazed site. | Berzelius failed to make use of Faraday's electrochemical laws in his laborious determination of equivalent weights. | eng_Latn | 9,475 |
The favorable natural condition is advantageous to various land use patterns in low mountains and hills of south Jiangsu province. And various ways of land uses have changed the properties of the soil. In general, the soil erosion and the nutrient loss of the cultivated soil that are disturbed by human are larger than that of the uncultivated soil in natural or halfnatural condition. In order to know the quantity of nutrient loss caused by soil erosion, the soil erosion intensity should be decided. The tracer method by cesium-137 can be used to resolve two problems. One is to determine the background content of137Cs. The other is to establish the model of soil erosion. After estimating the soil erosion rate of various ways of land uses, the quantity of soil nutrient loss is calculated. For the sake of indicating the potential risk of soil erosion, and comparing the danger of the loess with red soil area, the concept of the equal value soil erosion is put forward. It is preliminary found that cultivated soil, especially paddy, may be a primary agricultural source of nutrient elements of Taihu lake. | The management of nonpoint source pollution requires accurate information regarding soil phosphorus concentrations for different land use patterns. The use of remotely sensed information provides an important opportunity for such studies, and the previous studies showed that soil phosphorus shows no clear spectral response feature, while the phosphorus concentrations can be indirectly detected from the normalised difference vegetation indices (NDVI). Therefore, this study uses an optimised index in the RED and near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths to estimate total phosphorus and Olsen-P concentrations. The prediction accuracy is not entirely satisfactory with respect to a mixed land use dataset in which the determination coefficient was maintained at approximately 0.6, with particularly poor performance obtained for forest land group. However, the prediction accuracy increases markedly with the separation of samples into broad land use categories, even the R(2) was exceeded 0.8 for tea plantation group. The soil phosphorus prediction effect showed obvious variance for different land use patterns, which was related to vegetation growth conditions and critical soil properties including soil organic matter and mechanical composition. | Berzelius failed to make use of Faraday's electrochemical laws in his laborious determination of equivalent weights. | eng_Latn | 9,476 |
Reliable and affordable electricity is one of the biggest problems in Cambodia. Only 24% of the population has an access to electricity while the others suffer from insufficient electricity supply. This paper shows the current situation in Cambodian electricity facilities and offers rice husk gasification systems as an option for electricity generation. In this paper rice husk gasification system has been inspired by Batt Daeng Electrification Company in Kampoung Speu province in Cambodia. The idea of the study focuses on the extension of biomass gasification technology and calculates the potential of using all rice husk produced in a year in Cambodia. The rice husk produced in 2007 has a potential to generate about 1377 GWh electricity yearly in a gasification system similar to one Batt Daeng Electricity Company has. This amount of electricity is comparable with the total electricity consumption in the same year. | Residential bioenergy consumption and bioenergy resources based on by-products of residential agricultural production and animal husbandry have been analyzed statistically, based on a nationwide residential livelihood and energy survey conducted in Cambodia in 2009. Furthermore, the potential for biomethanation, residential biogas consumption and small-scale power generation for non-electrified rural areas has been assessed. Household potential of biogas substrates in Cambodia, based on nationally representative data has not been presented earlier. This paper proposes mixtures of substrates for biogas production for various livelihood zones of Cambodia. The occurrence of biomass suitable for biomethanation is most favorable in unelectrified rural areas, except for fishing villages. The theoretical daily biogas potential from animal dung and rice husk appears to be promising for households in unelectrified rural villages, both for household digesters and units designed for small-scale electricity generation. Theoretical CH 4 content of biogas was 63.9% and specific biogas yield 0.41 Nm 3 /kg for households in unelectrified villages. Based on the survey, the energy content of biogas potential is 25.5 PJ per year. This study shows that biogas has nationally significant technical potential in Cambodia. | Residential bioenergy consumption and bioenergy resources based on by-products of residential agricultural production and animal husbandry have been analyzed statistically, based on a nationwide residential livelihood and energy survey conducted in Cambodia in 2009. Furthermore, the potential for biomethanation, residential biogas consumption and small-scale power generation for non-electrified rural areas has been assessed. Household potential of biogas substrates in Cambodia, based on nationally representative data has not been presented earlier. This paper proposes mixtures of substrates for biogas production for various livelihood zones of Cambodia. The occurrence of biomass suitable for biomethanation is most favorable in unelectrified rural areas, except for fishing villages. The theoretical daily biogas potential from animal dung and rice husk appears to be promising for households in unelectrified rural villages, both for household digesters and units designed for small-scale electricity generation. Theoretical CH 4 content of biogas was 63.9% and specific biogas yield 0.41 Nm 3 /kg for households in unelectrified villages. Based on the survey, the energy content of biogas potential is 25.5 PJ per year. This study shows that biogas has nationally significant technical potential in Cambodia. | eng_Latn | 9,477 |
Greenhouse and field studies demonstrated that plants compete for soil-applied atrazine (2-chloro4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropyl- amino)-s-triazinel. Oats (Avena sativa L. 'Neal') and soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merr. 'Clark 63') were grown in greenhouse bioassay studies to study the effects of plant population on bioassay sensitivity. High plant populations were not as effective as low plant populations in detecting low levels of atrazine in soil. Conversely, by increasing plant populations or decreasing soil volumes quantitative measurement of higher atrazine concentrations can be determined. A lC-labeled atrazine study showed that by increasing soybean populations from one to six per pot, atrazine uptake per plant was decreased 50%. When soybeans were planted at a rate of six plants per 100 cm2 in a field treated with atrazine at 1.1 kg/ha, soybean dry weight production was 97% of the untreated control; when planted at a rate of one plant per 100 cm2, dry weight was only 26% of the comparable untreated check. Thus, herbicide rates for optimum weed control may have to be increased with increasing weed populations or increased crop seeding rates or both. 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, and 1.0 ppmw except where noted on specific experiments. The bioassay crops were grown in 10 cm tall polyethylene pots in a fiberglass greenhouse maintained between 22 and 31 C. Supplementary lighting provided a day length of 16 h in the range of 0.4 to 0.6 microeinsteins intensity. Pots were watered by alternate surface watering and subirrigation. The plant yields were determined after harvesting the above ground portion and oven drying 48 h at 80 C. The experimental designs, except where noted, were ran- domized complete block with four replications. The data were | The interaction between wheat and perennial ryegrass seed density and seedlings of different ages was studied under controlled conditions. Root length of perennial ryegrass, after sowing, was suppressed by wheat and was dependent on the density of wheat seeds. Shoot growth of perennial ryegrass, however, was unaffected by the presence of wheat. Perennial ryegrass density had no effect on the first 2 wk of wheat seedling growth. The age of wheat seedlings had no appreciable influence on either root or shoot growth of perennial ryegrass. The present study highlights the need for an unbiased two-way experimental design to identify the dominant competitor. Nomenclature: Perennial ryegrass, Lolium perenne L. #3 LOLPE; wheat, Triticum aestivum L. Additional index words: Allelopathy, competitive ability. Abbreviation: ANOVA, analysis of variance. | Growth in the presence of sucrose was shown to confer to Arabidopsis thaliana (thale cress or mustard weed) seedlings, under conditions of in vitro culture, a high level of tolerance to the herbicide atrazine and to other photosynthesis inhibitors. This tolerance was associated with root-to-shoot transfer and accumulation of atrazine in shoots, which resulted in significant decrease of herbicide levels in the growth medium. In soil microcosms, application of exogenous sucrose was found to confer tolerance and capacity to accumulate atrazine in Arabidopsis thaliana plants grown on atrazine-contaminated soil, and resulted in enhanced decontamination of the soil. Application of sucrose to plants grown on herbicide-polluted soil, which increases plant tolerance and xenobiotic absorption, thus appears to be potentially useful for phytoremediation. | eng_Latn | 9,478 |
Summary ::: ::: Three experiments were conducted to discover the causes of difference in yields of cabbage and lettuce when grown on two similar sandy loam soils. ::: ::: ::: ::: In a glasshouse experiment the growth of lettuce was the same on both soils provided the soil was moist and had sufficient thoroughly incorporated fertilizer. Sowing the seeds of cabbage in small pockets of compost in the seedbed increased growth on both sites by about 25%. Placement of a large amount of extra fertilizer about 10cm below the drill line imporved growth on the poor site only. ::: ::: ::: ::: A third experiment followed the development of the yield difference in a lettuce crop. An 86% difference in potassium concentration was recorded even before emergence. This was followed by a reduction in lateral root growth on the poor site and subsequently by a lower relative growth rate from emergence until about 40 days from sowing. ::: ::: ::: ::: In conclusion, the growth on the poor site was limited because the amount of native soil potassium was madequate for the needs of the developing seedlings and the fertilizer granules could supply potassium to only a small proportion of seedlings. | A model is described which compares the rate of phosphorus demand of a field grown lettuce crop with the rate at which the crop can obtain phosphorus from broadcast fertilizer. Early root growth of lettuce is so slow that on average it takes about 21 days for the first granule of fertilizer to be exploited by a plant, whereas seed reserves of phosphorus are depleted within about 8 days of sowing. This is likely to result in a reduction in yield which cannot be overcome by simply applying more broadcast fertilizer. Some placement of fertilizer near to each plant is required if phosphorus deficiency is to be avoided. The model can also be applied to other crops, and the delay before the first fertilizer granule is exploited is shown to be slightly shorter in cabbage and very short in wheat. | We prove that groups acting geometrically on delta-quasiconvex spaces contain no essential Baumslag-Solitar quotients as subgroups. This implies that they are translation discrete, meaning that the translation numbers of their nontorsion elements are bounded away from zero. | eng_Latn | 9,479 |
Spinal epidural abscess (SEA) as a cause of back pain, fever, and neurological deficits has been recognised. Reports of this entity have increased in recent years, possibly likely secondary to increasing intravenous drug abuse. Most patients recover without neurological sequelae. Recent reports in fact indicate that those with persistent deficit have a much poorer prognosis for survival. As a result, few patients with SEA are seen in spinal injury rehabilitation programmes. Our 5 years experience with SEA was reviewed. Thirteen patients were admitted with residual neurological deficits following a course of prolonged antibiotic therapy. Of these most had progressive neurological improvement with only 3 of 4 remaining Frankel class A and 3 of 7 Frankel class C. The only mortalities (2) were secondary to the underlying medical problems. Most patients were discharged home. | We report an unusual case of a devastating multilevel pyogenic spondylitis with paraplegia and soft tissue abscess formation in a previously healthy young man. Methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) was identified as causal pathogen. The infection could only be managed after surgical debridement of all spinal manifestations and a prolonged course of antibiotic therapy. It is possible that delayed surgical debridement of all infection sites fostered the course of the disease. | Extended statistical entropy analysis (eSEA) is used to evaluate the nitrogen (N) budgets of two Austrian catchments, the Wulka and the Ybbs, and of entire Austria. The eSEA quantifies the extent of N dispersion in the environment. The results from the eSEA are compared to the corresponding N use efficiencies (NUEs). Application of the eSEA reveals that the Ybbs catchment, compared to the Wulka catchment leads to a greater extent of N dispersion, primarily as a result of increased losses of N compounds to the atmosphere and in leachates to the groundwater. The NUE in the Wulka catchment, at 63 %, is substantially higher than that in the Ybbs catchment, at 43 %, and confirms a more efficient N use in Wulka. Furthermore, it is shown that the adoption of a healthy, balanced diet, as defined by the German Nutrition Society, changes the N budget of Austria in a way that significantly reduces the dispersion of N. Decreased N losses to the atmosphere and to the groundwater are primarily responsible for this result. The national NUE of Austria responds only moderately to the adoption of such a diet increasing from 48 to 53 % and leads to statistically insignificant results if the uncertainty of the input data is taken into account. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of eSEA for the evaluation of N budgets in agricultural regions and suggests that statistical entropy can serve as a reliable agri-environmental indicator to support decisions regarding nutrient management. | eng_Latn | 9,480 |
Development of the need for personal water treatment devices has evolved from consumer interest in improving and ensuring the quality of drinking water. The need also extends to the quality of untreated or partially treated waters such as that used by hikers, campers, recreational home and boat owners, and families or communities having individual home and small system water sources. It is essential that such devices be capable of removing all types of pathogenic microorganisms likely to be found in contaminated water. For this reason the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has suggested such units be capable of removing Klebsiella terriaena. Giardia cysts and enteric viruses. Three identical water purifiers were evaluated for the inactivation of rotavirus SA-11, hepatitis A virus, poliovirus type 1, the bacterial virus MS-2, Klebsiella terriaena and Giardia muris cysts. The units depend upon a thermal cycler combined with activated carbon for removal of the test organisms. The units were challenged with the organisms suspended in tapwater after 4, 76 and 240 cycles of operation. The units were also tested with a “worst case” water quality of 1500 mg/l dissolved solids, 10 mg/l organic matter and with a water turbidity of 30 NTU. In all cases, complete inactivation of the viruses, bacteria and cysts occurred after operation of the 35-minute cycle. This resulted in a greater than 3-log (99.9%) inactivation of cysts, a greater than 6 log (99.9999%) inactivation of K. terriaena and 4-log (99.99%) inactivation of viruses. In conclusion, these units would comply with CTiteria guidelines suggested by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the operation of microbial water purifiers. | Pima County, Ariz., is currently investigating the potential benefits of land application of sewage sludge. To assess risks associated with the presence of pathogenic enteric viruses present in the sludge, laboratory studies were conducted to measure the inactivation rate (k = log(10) reduction per day) of poliovirus type 1 and bacteriophages MS2 and PRD-1 in two sludge-amended desert agricultural soils (Brazito Sandy Loam and Pima Clay Loam). Under constant moisture (approximately -0.05 x 10 Pa for both soils) and temperatures of 15, 27, and 40 degrees C, the main factors controlling the inactivation of these viruses were soil temperature and texture. As the temperature increased from 15 to 40 degrees C, the inactivation rate increased significantly for poliovirus and MS2, whereas, for PRD-1, a significant increase in the inactivation rate was observed only at 40 degrees C. Clay loam soils afforded more protection to all three viruses than sandy soils. At 15 degrees C, the inactivation rate for MS2 ranged from 0.366 to 0.394 log(10) reduction per day in clay loam and sandy loam soils, respectively. At 27 degrees C, this rate increased to 0.629 log(10) reduction per day in clay loam soil and to 0.652 in sandy loam soil. A similar trend was observed for poliovirus at 15 degrees C (k = 0.064 log(10) reduction per day, clay loam; k = 0.095 log(10) reduction per day, sandy loam) and 27 degrees C (k = 0.133 log(10) reduction per day, clay loam; k = 0.154 log(10) reduction per day, sandy loam). Neither MS2 nor poliovirus was recovered after 24 h at 40 degrees C. No reduction of PRD-1 was observed after 28 days at 15 degrees C and after 16 days at 27 degrees C. At 40 degrees C, the inactivation rates were 0.208 log(10) reduction per day in amended clay loam soil and 0.282 log(10) reduction per day in sandy loam soil. Evaporation to less than 5% soil moisture completely inactivated all three viruses within 7 days at 15 degrees C, within 3 days at 27 degrees C, and within 2 days at 40 degrees C regardless of soil type. This suggests that a combination of high soil temperature and rapid loss of soil moisture will significantly reduce risks caused by viruses in sludge. | We prove that groups acting geometrically on delta-quasiconvex spaces contain no essential Baumslag-Solitar quotients as subgroups. This implies that they are translation discrete, meaning that the translation numbers of their nontorsion elements are bounded away from zero. | eng_Latn | 9,481 |
The Shorts and Opens Monitor (SOM) is a read-only addressable defect array that is widely and effectively used as a yield monitor in technology development and early stage of manufacturing. The SOM consists of scan-chain input/output, fully stackable DUTs, reference resistors for calibration, and a robust periphery design. The area efficiency and defect localization capabilities of the SOM greatly enable characterization of top yield detractors in 32nm process technology. | We have developed the world's first large-scale test element group (TEG) with large-scale elements that accurately evaluate SoC (system on chip)-level yield and variation. To enable quick feedback on processing, address decoders on all four sides of the chip and testing programs were also developed. The TEG has a simple structure to examine pure (i.e., not oriented to products) logic-processes, yield and variation for near-minimum DSM (deep sub-micron) design rules. We have successfully measured yield, failure mode and locations both before and after on-chip high-voltage stress. It was also demonstrated that intra-/inter-die variations in various process/device elements could be quickly diagnosed within a week. The new TEG consists of five chips designed using 130-nm CMOS technology with 100-nm physical gate lengths and five copper interconnect layers. The proposed TEG could provide a strategic standard test structure for diagnosis of SoC yield/variation, as well as a technology standard for measuring electrical dimensions and evaluating charge-up damage. | Soil organic material (SOM) is usually enriched in 15N in deeper soil layers. This has been explained by discrimination against the heavier isotope during decomposition or by the accumulation of 15N-enriched microbial biomass versus plant biomass in older SOM. In particular, ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi have been suggested to accumulate in old SOM since this group is among the most 15N-enriched components of the microbial community. In the present study we investigated the microbial community in soil samples along a chronosequence (7,800 years) of sites undergoing isostatic rebound in northern Sweden. The composition of the microbial community was analyzed and related to the δ15N and δ13C isotope values of the SOM in soil profiles. A significant change in the composition of the microbial community was found during the first 2,000 years, and this was positively related to an increase in the δ15N values of the E and B horizons in the mineral soil. The proportion of fungal phospholipid fatty acids increased with time in the chronosequence and was positively related to the 15N enrichment of the SOM. The increase in δ13C in the SOM was much less than the increase in δ15N, and δ13C values in the mineral soil were only weakly related to soil age. The C:N ratio and the pH of the soil were important factors determining the composition of the microbial community. We suggest that the N being transported from the soil to aboveground tissue by EM fungi is a driver for 15N enrichment of soil profiles. | eng_Latn | 9,482 |
The relationship between the nitrogen and the free amino acid content in Stratiotes aloides L. was investigated for 11 healthy stands in the Netherlands. In the shoots, the mean free asparagine and free arginine levels were strongly correlated with the mean total N concentrations and the ammonium concentrations in the water layer. The percentage of total N present as free amino acids varied from 5.4 % to 27.5 % between the stands. In the stands with the highest total N levels, up to 92 % of the nitrogen in the free-amino acid pool consisted of asparagine and arginine. The results reveal that the accumulation of these N-efficient free amino acids was caused by increased ammonium availability in the environment. The accumulation of specific free amino acids is regarded as an early indication for N-stress in still healthy S. aloides stands. | Background. The decline of submerged plant populations due to high heavy metal (e.g., Cu) levels in sediments and ammonia nitrogen (ammonia-N) accumulation in the freshwater column has become a significant global problem. Previous studies have evaluated the effect of ammonia-N on submerged macrophytes, but few have focused on the influence of sediment Cu on submerged macrophytes and their combined effects. ::: ::: Methods. In this paper, we selected three levels of ammonia-N (0, 3, and 6 mg L−1) and sediment Cu (25.75 ± 6.02 as the control, 125.75 ± 6.02, and 225.75 ± 6.02 mg kg−1), to investigate the influence of sediment Cu and ammonia-N on submerged Vallisneria natans. We measured the relative growth rate (RGR), above- and below- ground biomass, chlorophyll, non-protein thiol (NP-SH), and free proline. ::: ::: Results and Discussion. The below-ground biomass of V. natans decreased with increasing Cu sediment levels, suggesting that excessive sediment Cu can result in significant damage to the root of V. natans. Similarly, the above-ground biomass significantly decreased with increasing ammonia-N concentrations, indicating that excessive water ammonia-N can cause significant toxicity to the leaf of V. natans. In addition, high ammonia-N levels place a greater stress on submerged plants than sediment Cu, which is indicated by the decline of RGR and chlorophyll, and the increase of (NP-SH) and free proline. Furthermore, high sediment Cu causes ammonia-N to impose greater injury on submerged plants, and higher sediment Cu levels (Cu ≥ 125.75 mg kg−1) led to the tolerant values of ammonia-N for V. natans decreasing from 6 to 3 mg L−1. This study suggests that high sediment Cu restricts the growth of plants and intensifies ammonia-N damage to V. natans. | Post-mortem changes in farmed spotted Babylon snail stored in ice for 7 days were evaluated using nucleotide degradation products, K-value, total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N), trimethylamine nitrogen (TMA-N), organic acid, free amino acids and biogenic amines. During a 7-day ice storage, K-value, TVB-N, TMA-N and organic acids contents increased with increasing storage time (p < 0.05). Changes in free amino acid, such as aspartic acid, serine, glutamic acid, glycine, arginine and proline were observed throughout the ice storage (p < 0.05), while total free amino acids were found to decrease significantly (p < 0.05). Biogenic amines found in snail muscle during ice storage were tyramine, putrescine, cadaverine, agmatine and histamine. Bacteria counts of snail muscle exceeded 7 log CFU/g, which was considered as the limit for acceptability after 7 days of iced storage. This result initiates the use of ice storage as a preliminary treatment for snails transported from farms. | eng_Latn | 9,483 |
Competition for soil resources plays a key role in the outcome of intercropping systems. In cereal–legume intercrops, competition for soil nitrogen during the vegetative phase greatly influences the final performance of the intercropped species. However, there is a lack of knowledge on the main factors involved in interspecific soil N competitive interactions between species. The dominance of cereals over legumes is often attributed to their faster growing rooting system. Nevertheless, using only field experimental approaches makes it difficult to isolate the effect of one factor because of the strong interactions between processes and the environment. Given the complexity of intercropping systems, dynamic simulation models can be especially helpful for testing hypotheses about the key factors driving competition between species. The present work was designed to investigate, under non-limiting water conditions, through an experimental and modelling approach, whether differences in root depth penetration among pea and barley grown together determined competition for soil N and dry matter accumulation (DM) by each species during the vegetative phase. This hypothesis was tested through several simulated scenarios generated using the STICS crop model. The model was first used to compare competition for soil N according to differences in root depth penetration rates between species. This rooting depth penetration effect was then studied at three levels of soil N supply leading to different degrees of N demand and N stress. A field experiment carried out in 2003 including pea–barley intercrops grown either with 130 kg N ha � 1 or without any fertilizer was used to test the model. Experimental results of aboveground biomass, nitrogen accumulation, N2 fixation and rooting depth monitored regularly during the crop cycle were compared to simulated results. The simulated responses of the intercrops were in agreement with the observations from the experimental dataset. Using the model, it is clear that faster root growth in barley gives it access to more soil nitrogen than pea during the vegetative phase. However, this advantage, which is limited to the vegetative phase, only affects the outcome of the intercrop when soil N supply is low. With higher soil N supplies, soil N sharing is not affected by the differences in rooting depth penetration between species. It appears that with higher N supplies, the differences in N demand between species have more influence on species dominance than differences in rooting depth. # 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. | In Chapter 1, the theory showed that a curve relating critical plant N% to crop dry weight could be determined for each type of crop, and that the N status of a crop could be estimated by the nitrogen nutrition index, which relates the actual plant N% to the critical N%. The objective of this first section is to give some examples of the advantage of using such an indicator of crop N status for the analysis and interpretation of agronomical data, derived either from experiments or from onfarm surveys. | We report nearly complete preservation of “spin memory” between optical absorption and photoluminescence under excitation >0.2 eV above the band gap in nanometer GaSe slabs. | eng_Latn | 9,484 |
The earthworm, Lumbricus terrestris L., caches seeds of the agricultural weed Ambrosia trifida L. in its burrow, providing seeds with a protected overwintering site. Seedlings subsequently emerge from the burrows, resulting in an association of the two species (hereafter “LtAt association”). Although populations of these species frequently co-exist in no-till agricultural fields in the eastern U.S. Corn Belt, an association is not always evident. To identify environmental influences on the LtAt association, 30 no-till agricultural fields were surveyed across the eastern U.S. Corn Belt during spring 2007, 2008 and 2009. The LtAt association occurred across states and soil types, but the strength of the association varied with climate differences during the previous September through March. The strongest environmental driver of LtAt association was frequency of “moderate rain day” (MRD; day that received 12.8–25.3 mm of precipitation), with a 1-day increase in MRD frequency increasing the odds of LtAt association by a factor of 1.42. Thus, the potential for L. terrestris to cache seeds and facilitate seedling recruitment is increased by precipitation frequency and amount during September through March. These results highlight the importance of climate variation within a region in driving trophic interactions that regulate weed population dynamics. | Background: The interplay between diet, gut bacteria and health still remain enigmatic. Here, we addressed this issue through the investigation of the effect of crystalline cellulose on the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris gut microbiota composition and survival. Methods: Earthworm gut contents were analyzed after 14 days of feeding using a mixed 16S rRNA gene sequencing approach, in addition to direct measurements of cellulase activity. The survival of earthworms was followed each week for 17 weeks. Results: We found a tendency that the crystalline cellulose fed earthworms survived better than the high energy fed earthworms (p=0.08). Independent of feeding we found that the bacterial group related to Ferrimonadaceae was correlated to an increased lifespan (p=0.01). We also found a positive correlation between Ruminococcaceae related bacteria and cellulase activity in the earthworm gut (p=0.05). Surprisingly, however, the cellulase activity was not correlated to the feeding regime. Conclusion: Taken together, the interactions between diet, gut microbiota and lifespan seem complex. Keywords: earthworm; 16S rRNA gene; gut; cellulose (Published: 24 April 2012) Citation: Microbial Ecology in Health & Disease 2012, 23 : 17316 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/mehd.v23i0.17316 | Hydatid disease primarily affects the liver and typically demonstrates characteristic imaging findings. However, there are many potential local complications (eg, intrahepatic complications, exophytic growth, transdiaphragmatic thoracic involvement, perforation into hollow viscera, peritoneal seeding, biliary communication, portal vein involvement, abdominal wall invasion). Furthermore, secondary involvement due to hematogenous dissemination may be seen in almost any anatomic location (eg, lung, kidney, spleen, bone, brain). Ultrasonography (US) is particularly useful for the detection of cystic membranes, septa, and hydatid sand. Computed tomography (CT) best demonstrates cyst wall calcification and cyst infection. CT and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging may demonstrate cyst wall defects as well as the passage of contents through a defect. Chest radiography, US, CT, and MR imaging are all useful in depicting transdiaphragmatic migration of hydatid disease. CT is the modality of choice in peritoneal seeding. US and CT demonstrate rupture in most cases that involve wide communication. Indirect signs of biliary communication include increased echogenicity at US and fluid levels and signal intensity changes at MR imaging. CT allows precise assessment of osseous lesions, whereas MR imaging is superior in demonstrating neural involvement. Familiarity with atypical manifestations of hydatid disease may be helpful in making a prompt, accurate diagnosis. | eng_Latn | 9,485 |
Biofuel policy in the United States sets minimum use mandates for different biofuels, but the cellulosic mandate, introduced in 2010 has been waived and reduced to nearly zero since then. This waiver has shifted the burden of compliance to other biofuels, but other options exist. We examine some alternatives using a structural model of biofuel, agricultural, and mandate markets. Our estimates show that crop price levels, crop and livestock farm income, compliance costs, and greenhouse gas emissions are all sensitive to whether and how the cellulosic mandate is waived. Mandate analysis that does not consider Environmental Protection Agency implementation, or waiver analysis that disregards the hierarchical nature of the mandates could be misleading. Copyright 2012, Oxford University Press. | This paper evaluates the effect of agronomic uncertainty on bioenergy crop production as well as endogenous commodity and biomass prices on the feedstock composition of cellulosic biofuels under a binding mandate in the United States. The county-level simulation model focuses on both field crops (corn, soybean, and wheat) and biomass feedstocks (corn stover, wheat straw, switchgrass, and miscanthus). In addition, pasture serves as a potential area for bioenergy crop production. The economic model is calibrated to 2022 in terms of yield, crop demand, and baseline prices and allocates land optimally among the alternative crops given the binding cellulosic biofuel mandate. The simulation scenarios differ in terms of bioenergy crop type (switchgrass and miscanthus) and yield, biomass production inputs, and pasture availability. The cellulosic biofuel mandates range from 15 to 60 billion liters. The results indicate that the 15 and 30 billion liter mandates in the high production input scenarios for switchgrass and miscanthus are covered entirely by agricultural residues. With the exception of the low production input for miscanthus scenario, the share of agricultural residues is always over 50% for all other scenarios including the 60 billion liter mandate. The largest proportion of agricultural land dedicated to either switchgrass or miscanthus is found in the Southern Plains and the Southeast. Almost no bioenergy crops are grown in the Midwest across all scenarios. Changes in the prices for the three commodities are negligible for cellulosic ethanol mandates because most of the mandate is met with agricultural residues. The lessons learned are that (1) the share of agricultural residue in the feedstock mix is higher than previously estimated and (2) for a given mandate, the feedstock composition is relatively stable with the exception of one scenario. | We have analyzed the effect of cellular density of 5-Lipoxygenase (5-LO), 5-lipoxygenase-activating protein (FLAP) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) gene expression in neutrophils from healthy subjects under culture conditions of low and high cell density. By using RT-PCR techniques, we have found that 5-LO mRNA accumulation decreased in cells cultured at high density, while FLAP mRNA is not affected. De novo 5-LO synthesis, as well as steady-state levels, were reduced in cells maintained at high density. In contrast, the high density conditions lead to the induction of IL-1β gene at the RNA and protein levels as measured by RT-PCR and by immunoprecipitation. These results suggest that cellular density plays a role in gene modulation when neutrophils are accumulating at an inflammatory site since neutrophils obtained from the synovial fluid of patients with RA exhibit a protein synthesis profile similar to that observed in peripheral blood neutrophils cultured at high density. | eng_Latn | 9,486 |
Four types of water used for irrigation at Al al-Bayt university campus: untreated wastewater, treated wastewater, fresh groundwater and mixed fresh/ wastewater were tested and evaluated accordingly to its suitability for irrigation and the impact of using treated wastewater on heavy metal accumulation with time.Major ionic composition (${\mathbf{HC}}{{\mathbf{O}}_{{{\mathbf{3}}^ - }}}$, Cl-, ${\mathbf{N}}{{\mathbf{O}}_{{{\mathbf{3}}^ - }}}$, ${\mathbf{S}}{{\mathbf{O}}_{{{\mathbf{4}}^{ - {\mathbf{2}}}}}}$, Ca+2, Mg+2, Na+ and K+) of water samples were determined in addition to four heavy metals (Zn, Pb, Cu and Ni).Soil samples at different depths including the upper (0-20 cm) and lower (20-40 cm) were tested for heavy metals. The results showed that the treated wastewater and the fresh water were below the Jordanian standards and suitable for irrigation with no threat of using such water for irrigation in terms of major ionic composition as the wastewater is excellent to permissible in terms of sodium percentage, and S2-S3 with C3 in terms of SAR even before being mixed with fresh water.For heavy metals although their concentrations were low in the treated wastewater that only Ni and Zn were above the detection limits, such metals accumulated in the soil as its concentrations in soil increased with the longer period of irrigation where the highest concentrations found in the lower soil profile which was irrigated for 15 years and the lowest was for soil irrigated for 5 years after the minimum level of the obtained blank samples. | Wastewater reuse for irrigation increases the prevalence of health infections. Sixteen of the municipal wastewater treatment plants in Jordan, operated directly by the Government of Jordan, and others operated by the private sector are represented in this study which lasted for four years. Samples were collected from the effluents of these plants and were analysed for their content of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), total fecal coliform count (TFCC), and parasites (protozoa and helminthes). The study concluded that the effluents of these plants are classified as moderate in strength in terms of BOD, COD, and TSS. It was also concluded based on the BOD, COD, TFCC and TSS results that the effluents of the treatment plants included in the study can be reused for irrigation purposes ranging from unrestricted irrigation to irrigation for animal feed. The results of TFCC indicated that the treated effluents of the treatment plants can be reused for ir... | Yeast, as a very valuable microbial resource, has a good enzyme system in the body and can adapt to a variety of special environments. Therefore, it plays an important role in the biological treatment of wastewater. The classification and basic characteristics of yeast were introduced, and the application of yeast in the field of wastewater treatment such as high concentration organic wastewater, heavy metal ion wastewater and domestic sewage were summarized. With the mature of yeast technology and the development of science and technology, more techniques such as gene engineering and immobilization technology will be used to treat with yeast, so that it will have a wider application prospect in wastewater treatment. | eng_Latn | 9,487 |
The statistical entropy (SE) function has been applied to waste treatment systems to account for dilution or concentration effects on metals. We later extended it to account for carbon flows, especially in waste management systems involving thermal treatment. Now, a simple lifecycle “net energy” metric ‐ encompassing the “lost energy” that would have been gained when high-calorific materials are landfilled rather than combusted with energy recovery ‐ is introduced to account for additional influxes of carbon when using landfilling as the primary disposal method. When combining net energy calculations and long terms effects of landfilling, waste to energy (WTE) becomes a more attractive option for dealing with non-recycled municipal solid waste (MSW). A greenhouse gasforcing factor is also introduced to account for the entropy generating effects of methane. When incorporating forcing and lost energy, WTE performs notably better than landfills with respect to entropy generation and carbon. | Extended statistical entropy analysis (eSEA) is used to evaluate the nitrogen (N) budgets of two Austrian catchments, the Wulka and the Ybbs, and of entire Austria. The eSEA quantifies the extent of N dispersion in the environment. The results from the eSEA are compared to the corresponding N use efficiencies (NUEs). Application of the eSEA reveals that the Ybbs catchment, compared to the Wulka catchment leads to a greater extent of N dispersion, primarily as a result of increased losses of N compounds to the atmosphere and in leachates to the groundwater. The NUE in the Wulka catchment, at 63 %, is substantially higher than that in the Ybbs catchment, at 43 %, and confirms a more efficient N use in Wulka. Furthermore, it is shown that the adoption of a healthy, balanced diet, as defined by the German Nutrition Society, changes the N budget of Austria in a way that significantly reduces the dispersion of N. Decreased N losses to the atmosphere and to the groundwater are primarily responsible for this result. The national NUE of Austria responds only moderately to the adoption of such a diet increasing from 48 to 53 % and leads to statistically insignificant results if the uncertainty of the input data is taken into account. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of eSEA for the evaluation of N budgets in agricultural regions and suggests that statistical entropy can serve as a reliable agri-environmental indicator to support decisions regarding nutrient management. | Berzelius failed to make use of Faraday's electrochemical laws in his laborious determination of equivalent weights. | eng_Latn | 9,488 |
Nitrogen (N) is the limiting factor for current biofuel production. Enormous quantities of waste N from agricultural, industrial and domestic use have been lost to the environment resulting in serious negative consequences. In this study, we discuss biofuel production using waste N (BPWN) on untilled or marginal land. Taking China as an example, the total waste N lost to surface water was estimated at 11.3Tg N (1Tg=1012g) in 2008, accounting for 40% of total fertilizer N applied to China's cropland. The total potential biofuel produced by waste N was estimated at 16,436.3PJyear−1 (1PJ=1015J), accounting for ∼20% of China's total energy consumption, or five times China's total gasoline demand in 2008. | Technological innovation is one of the potential engines to mitigate environmental pollution. However, the implementation of new technologies sometimes fails owing to socioeconomic constraints from different stakeholders. Thus, it is essential to analyze constraints of environmental technologies in order to build a pathway for their implementation. In this study, taking three technologies on rural sewage treatment in Hangzhou, China as a case study, i.e., wastewater treatment plant (WTP), constructed wetland (CW), and biogas system, we analyzed how socioeconomic constraints affect the technological choices. Results showed that socioeconomic constraints play a key role through changing the relative opportunity cost of inputs from government as compared to that of residents to deliver the public good-sewage treatment-under different economic levels. Economic level determines the technological choice, and the preferred sewage treatment technologies change from biogas system to CW and further to WTP along with the increase of economic level. Mismatch of technological choice and economic level results in failures of rural sewage treatment, e.g., the CW only work well in moderately developed regions in Hangzhou. This finding expands the environmental Kuznets law by introducing the coproduction theory into analysis (i.e., inputs from both government and residents are essential for the delivery of public goods and services such as good environmental quality). A match between technology and socioeconomic conditions is essential to the environmental governance. | Nitro substituted picolinonitriles, in particular 3-nitro-picolinonitrile, have been found to be useful as anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agents. | eng_Latn | 9,489 |
This explorative study was aimed to assess the efficiency of lime alone and in combined with additives to immobilize Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn in soil and reduce their phytoavailability for plant. A greenhouse pot experiment was performed by using low and heavily contaminated top soils viz. Tongguan contaminated (TG-C); Fengxian heavily contaminated (FX-HC) and Fengxian low contaminated (FX-LC). The contaminated soils were treated with lime (L) alone and in combined with Ca-bentonite (CB), Tobacco biochar (TB) and Zeolite (Z) at 1% and cultivated by Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris L). Results revealed that all amendments (p< 0.05) significantly reduced the DTPA-extractable Pb 97.33, Cd 68.06 and Cu 91.11% with L+TB, L+CB, L+Z in FX-LC soil and Zn 87.12% respectively, with L+CB into TG-C soil. Consequently, the application of lime alone and in combined with additives were drastically decreased the dry biomass yield of Brassica campestris L. as compared with control. Thus, these feasible amendments potentially maximum reduced the uptake by plant shoots upto Pb 53.47 and Zn 67.93% with L+Z and L+TB in FX-LC soil, while Cd 68.58 and Cu 60.29% with L+TB, L+CB in TG-C soil but Cu uptake in plant shoot was observed 27.26% and 30.17% amended with L+TB and L+Z in FX-HC and FX-LC soils. On the other hand, these amendments were effectively reduced the potentially toxic metals (PTMs) in roots upto Pb77.77% L alone in FX-HC, Cd 96.76% with L+TB in TG-C, while, Cu 66.70 and Zn 60.18% with L+Z in FX-LC. Meanwhile, all amendments were responsible for increasing soil pH and CEC but decreased soils EC level. Based on this result, these feasible soil amendments were recommended for long term-study under field condition to see the response of another hyper accumulator crop. | Two smelters in the North of France emitted potentially toxic metals for more than a century and today, the resulting contamination represents a risk to human health and affects also the biodiversity. To limit health risks and to improve the soil quality, a study using calcium phosphates (monocalcium phosphate, dicalcium phosphate and a mixture of both salts) and Lolium perenne L was conducted. Through this preliminary investigation, we will try to shed some light about (i) the effects of a sustainable amount of calcium phosphates on the agronomic, biological (microbial and fungi communities) and physiological parameters (chlorophyll a and b, antocyanins, carotenoids) as well as the phytoavailability of potentially toxic metals and nutrients in time, and (ii) the potential use of contaminated biomass from ryegrass as a source of new valorisation ways instead of using it as contaminated compost by gardeners. Although slight variations in pH and significant increases of assimilable phosphorus after adding calcium phosphates were registered, the physiology of plants and the biological parameters were statistically unchanged. The germination of the ryegrass seeds was favoured with calcium phosphates regardless the contamination level of the studied soils. No clear effects of calcium phosphates on the microbial and fungi communities were detected. In contrast, results indicated relationships between the physicochemical parameters of soils, their contamination level and the composition of fungal communities. Indeed, for one of the soils studied, calcium could limit the transport of nutrients, causing an increase in fungi to promote again the transfer of nutrients. Surprisingly, the phytoavailability of Pb increased in the most contaminated soil after adding dicalcium phosphate and the mixture of phosphates whereas a slight decrease was highlighted for Cd and Mn. Although minor changes in the phytoavailability of potentially toxic metals were obtained using calcium phosphates, the ability of ryegrass to accumulate Zn and Ca (up to 600 and 20,000 mg kg−1, respectively) make possible to qualify this plant as a bio ‘ore’ resource. | We prove that groups acting geometrically on delta-quasiconvex spaces contain no essential Baumslag-Solitar quotients as subgroups. This implies that they are translation discrete, meaning that the translation numbers of their nontorsion elements are bounded away from zero. | eng_Latn | 9,490 |
The ever-increasing weight of agricultural machines exacerbates the risk of subsoil compaction, a condition believed to be persistent and difficult to alleviate by soil tillage and natural loosening processes. However, experimental data on the persistency of subsoil compaction effects on soil pore functioning are scarce. This study evaluated and quantified persistent effects of subsoil compaction on soil pore structure and gas transport processes using intact cores taken at 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 0.9 m depth from a loamy soil in a compaction experiment in southern Sweden (Brahmehem Farm). The treatments included four repeated wheelings with ∼10 Mg wheel loads. Water retention characteristics ( WRC ), air permeability ( k a ) and gas diffusivity ( D s / D o ) were measured. A dual-porosity model fitted the WRC well, and there was a reduction in the volume of macropores >30 μm in compacted compared with control soil for all soil depths. Averaged for all sampling depths and also for some individual depths, both k a and D s / D o were significantly reduced by compaction. Gas transport measurements showed that the experimental soil was poorly aerated, with local anoxic conditions at water regimes around field capacity in all plots and depths, but with significantly higher percentage anoxia in compacted soil. Our main findings were that: (1) commonly used agricultural machinery can compact the soil to 0.9 m depth, (2) the effect may persist for at least 14 years, and (3) important soil functions are affected. | Fertilization and soil tillage are important factors for crop production and N2O emissions. Nothing is known about fertilizer-induced N2O emissions (FIEs) in cereal production under cool-temperate conditions in Norway. Here, we report N2O emissions measured throughout two vegetation periods in a long-term cereal trail in SE Norway, comparing three nitrogen (N) fertilization rates (0, 60 and 120 kg N ha−1) under long-term autumn and spring-ploughing regimes. Emission rates were higher in undisturbed plots directly after spring thaw before ploughing (35–52 μg N2O-N m−2 h−1) than those in plots ploughed in previous autumn (18–26 μg N2O-N m−2 h−1), suggesting that ploughing date affected post-thaw availability of N from crop residues in the following year. In contrary, autumn-ploughed plots had higher N2O emissions during drying–rewetting events in summer, cancelling out any effect of ploughing date on growing season N2O emissions. Averaged FIE differed greatly between the years, with 0.37–0.40 and 0.72–0.96 % of fertilizer N lost as N2O in 2009 and 2010, respectively, reflecting different weather conditions in the 2 years. Growing season N2O emission response was not stable over the tested fertilization range but increased disproportionally above an optimum fertilization rate of 90–100 kg N ha−1, probably because of incomplete N uptake by the crop. This would suggest that decreasing the N fertilization rate by 25 % (from 120 to an optimum level of 90 kg N ha−1) could reduce N2O emission by 30 % with only minor reduction in grain yield (6–8 %). | We prove that groups acting geometrically on delta-quasiconvex spaces contain no essential Baumslag-Solitar quotients as subgroups. This implies that they are translation discrete, meaning that the translation numbers of their nontorsion elements are bounded away from zero. | eng_Latn | 9,491 |
In recent field trials nitrogen–phosphorus fertilizer increased the yield of wheat following summerfallow on a Chernozemic clay soil cropped previously for 50 years in a summerfallow, wheat, wheat rotation. But the fertilizer had no significant effect on wheat yield when the previous cropping system during the 50-year period was summerfallow, wheat, oats, brome–alfalfa for3 years, intertilled corn, wheat, and oats. The beneficial effect of brome–alfalfa in the rotation was reflected in a higher yield of wheat. The average yield of grain per year in the recent trials was 400 kg/ha higher when brome–alfalfa had been included in the rotation.The brome–alfalfa crops produced a better physical condition in the soil. Furthermore, soil samples from the rotation containing brome–alfalfa had higher contents of nitrogen, organic carbon, and total phosphorus than did the samples from the summerfallow, wheat, wheat rotation. | Maas, S. E., Glenn, A. J., Tenuta, M. and Amiro, B. D. 2013. Net CO2and N2O exchange during perennial forage establishment in an annual crop rotation in the Red River Valley, Manitoba. Can. J. Soil Sci. 93: 639-652. The long-term use of perennial forages in crop rotations can increase soil carbon (C) and lower nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions compared with continuous annual cropping. However, less is known of the short-term (within 2 yr) benefit of inclusion of perennial forages in an annual crop rotation on net carbon dioxide (CO2) and N2O fluxes. Perennial forage, primarily composed of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and a minor component of timothy grass (Phleum pretense L.) was sown in 2008 on two 4-ha plots previously in annual cropping in the Red River Valley, Manitoba. Spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and industrial rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) were grown on two adjacent plots in 2008 and 2009, respectively. Carbon dioxide and N2O fluxes were measured continuously using the flux-gradient micrometeorol... | Maas, S. E., Glenn, A. J., Tenuta, M. and Amiro, B. D. 2013. Net CO2and N2O exchange during perennial forage establishment in an annual crop rotation in the Red River Valley, Manitoba. Can. J. Soil Sci. 93: 639-652. The long-term use of perennial forages in crop rotations can increase soil carbon (C) and lower nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions compared with continuous annual cropping. However, less is known of the short-term (within 2 yr) benefit of inclusion of perennial forages in an annual crop rotation on net carbon dioxide (CO2) and N2O fluxes. Perennial forage, primarily composed of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and a minor component of timothy grass (Phleum pretense L.) was sown in 2008 on two 4-ha plots previously in annual cropping in the Red River Valley, Manitoba. Spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and industrial rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) were grown on two adjacent plots in 2008 and 2009, respectively. Carbon dioxide and N2O fluxes were measured continuously using the flux-gradient micrometeorol... | eng_Latn | 9,492 |
A single transistor memory structure with threshold voltage shift, Vth, exceeding ~1.5 V corresponding to interface charge trapping in nanocrystalline germanium (ncGe), operating at 0.96 MV/cm, is presented. The trapping effect is eliminated when nc-Ge is synthesized in forming gas thus excluding the possibility of quantum confinement and Coulomb blockade effects. Through discharging kinetics, the model of deep level trap charge storage is confirmed. The trap energy level is dependent on the matrix which confines the ncGe. | A single transistor memory structure, with changes in threshold voltage exceeding /spl ap/0.25 V corresponding to single electron storage in individual nano-crystals, operating in the sub-3 V range, and exhibiting long term to non-volatile charge storage is reported. As a consequence of Coulombic effects, operation at 77 K shows a saturation in threshold voltage in a range of gate voltages with steps in the threshold voltage corresponding to single and multiple electron storage. The plateauing of threshold shift, operation at ultra-low power, low voltages, and single element implementation utilizing current sensing makes this an alternative memory at speeds lower than those of DRAMs and higher than those of E/sup 2/PROMs, but with potential for significantly higher density, lower power, and faster read. | Increases in nitrogen (N) deposition can greatly stimulate ecosystem net carbon (C) sequestration through positive N-induced effects on plant productivity. However, how net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) and its components respond to different N addition rates remains unclear. Using an N addition gradient experiment (six levels: 0, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 gN m−2 yr−1) in an alpine meadow on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, we explored the responses of different ecosystem C fluxes to an N addition gradient and revealed mechanisms underlying the dynamic responses. Results showed that NEE, ecosystem respiration (ER), and gross ecosystem production (GEP) all increased linearly with N addition rates in the first year of treatment but shifted to N saturation responses in the second year with the highest NEE (−7.77 ± 0.48 µmol m−2 s−1) occurring under an N addition rate of 8 gN m−2 yr−1. The saturation responses of NEE and GEP were caused by N-induced accumulation of standing litter, which limited light availability for plant growth under high N addition. The saturation response of ER was mainly due to an N-induced saturation response of aboveground plant respiration and decreasing soil microbial respiration along the N addition gradient, while decreases in soil microbial respiration under high N addition were caused by N-induced reductions in soil pH. We also found that various components of ER, including aboveground plant respiration, soil respiration, root respiration, and microbial respiration, responded differentially to the N addition gradient. These results reveal temporal dynamics of N impacts and the rapid shift in ecosystem C fluxes from N limitation to N saturation. Our findings bring evidence of short-term initial shifts in responses of ecosystem C fluxes to increases in N deposition, which should be considered when predicting long-term changes in ecosystem net C sequestration. | eng_Latn | 9,493 |
This paper addressed the spatial distribution characteristics of organic matter, total nitrogen, extractable phos phorus and extractable potassium in agricultural soils of Northeast China. The related factors were explored using geostatistics and geographic information systems. The results showed that the log-transformed data of the four soil nutrients followed a normal distribution. Soil extractable phosphorus had a higher coefficient of variation. The ex perimental variogram of the log-transformed data of soil organic matter, total nitrogen and extractable phosphorus was fitted with an exponential model, while soil extractable potassium was fitted to a spherical model. Soil samples from smaller slope gradients had higher organic matter and total nitrogen. Soil type affected the four soil nutrients significantly. Soil samples from dry farming land had significantly higher total nitrogen and extractable potassium than soil from paddy fields, while the contrary was found for extractable phosphorus. Along the Yinma River, soil samples from the western part have statistically higher values for organic matter, total nitrogen and extractable potassium than those collected from the eastern part. | Spatial distributions of soil properties at the field and watershed scale may affect yield potential, hydrologic responses, and transport of herbicides and NO to surface or groundwater. Our research describes field-scale distributions and spatial trends for 28 different soil parameters at two sites within a watershed in central Iowa. Two of 27 parameters measured at one site and 10 of 14 parameters measured at the second site were normally distributed. Spatial variability was investigated using semivariograms and the ratio of nugget to total semivariance, expressed as a percentage, was used to classify spatial dependence. A ratio of 75% indicated weak spatial dependence. Twelve parameters at Site one, including organic C, total N, pH, and macroaggregation, and four parameters at Site two, including organic C and total N, were strongly spatially dependent. Six parameters at Site one, including biomass C and N, bulk density, and denitrification, and 9 parameters at Site two, including biomass C and N and bulk density, were moderately spatially dependent. Three parameters at Site one, including NO N and ergosterol, and one parameter at Site two, mineral-associated N, were weakly spatially dependent. Distributions of exchangeable Ca and Mg at Site one were not spatially dependent. Spatial distributions for some soil properties were similar for both field sites. We will be able to exploit these similarities to improve our ability to extrapolate information taken from one field to other fields within similar landscapes. | Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient required by plants for normal growth and development. The availability of P to plants for uptake and utilization is impaired in alkaline and calcareous soil due to the formation of poorly soluble calcium phosphate minerals. Adding fertilizer P at “normal” rates and with conventional methods may not result in optimal yield and crop quality in these soils common in arid and semi-arid regions. Several fertilizer P management strategies have been found to improve P nutrition for plants grown in alkaline and calcareous soil. Research results show that relatively high P fertilizer rates are required for crops grown in alkaline soil, with increasing rates needed as lime content in these soils increases. Concentrated P fertilizer bands improve P solubility with resulting yield increases, even when applied to crops grown in soil with relatively high soil test P concentrations. Applying organically complexed P in the form of biosolids or as a mixture of liquid P and humic substances can also enhance P nutrition and result in yield increases. Application of slow release and cation complexing specialty fertilizer P materials has also been shown to effectively increase yields in calcareous soil. In-season applied P through the irrigation water can deliver P to plant roots when deficiencies are observed, but the effectiveness and results are less than with P incorporated into the soil. Finally, it is important to maintain a proper balance of P with other nutrients for general plant health and to avoid excess nutrient induced deficiencies of other nutrients. In some cases, these methods are relatively new and need further refinement with regard to rates, timing, and technique; but all are potential methods for improving P supply to plants grown in alkaline and calcareous soil. PHOSPHORUS NUTRITION Phosphorus (P) is an essential macronutrient, being required by plants in relatively large quantities (~0.2 to 0.8%) (Mengel and Kirkby, 1987; Mills and Jones, 1996). Potassium and nitrogen are the only mineral nutrients required in larger quantities than P. Providing adequate P to plants can be difficult, especially in alkaline and calcareous soil. Alkaline soil is defined as soil with pH greater than neutral, typically 7.5 to 8.5. Calcareous soil is defined as having the presence of significant quantities of free excess lime (calcium or magnesium carbonate). Lime dissolves in neutral to acid pH soil, but does not readily dissolve in alkaline soil and, instead, serves as a sink for surface adsorbed calcium phosphate precipitation. The bioavailability of P is strongly tied to soil pH. The formation of iron and aluminum phosphate minerals results in the reduced solubility of P in strongly acidic soil, improving as pH approaches nearly neutral. This maximum solubility and plant availability of P at pH 6.5 declines again as the pH increases into the alkaline range. This effect of reduced P availability in alkaline soil is driven by the reaction of P with calcium, with the lowest solubility of these calcium phosphate minerals at about pH 8. The presence of lime in alkaline soil further | eng_Latn | 9,494 |
Carbon is sequestered by the plant photosynthesis and stored as biomass in different parts of the tree. Carbon sequestration rate has been measured for young species (6 years age) of Shorea robusta at Chadra forest in Paschim Medinipur district, Albizzia lebbek in Indian Botanic Garden in Howrah district, Tectona grandis at Chilapata forest in Coochbehar district and Artocarpus integrifolia at Banobitan within Kolkata of West Bengal in India by Automated Vaisala Made Instrument GMP343 and aboveground biomass carbon has been analyzed by CHN analyzer. The specific objective of this article is to measure carbon sequestration rate and aboveground biomass carbon potential of four young species of Shorea robusta, Albizzia lebbek, Tectona grandis and Artocarpus integrifolia. The carbon sequestration rate (mean) from the ambient air during winter season as obtained by Shorea robusta, Albizzia lebbek, Tectona grandis and Artocarpus integrifoliawere 11.13, 14.86 and 2.57 g/h in overcast skies and 4.22 g/h respectively. The annual carbon sequestration rate from ambient air were estimated at 8.97 t C ha-1by Shorea robusta, 11.97 t C ha-1 by Albizzia lebbek, 2.07 t C ha-1 by Tectona grandis and 3.33 t C ha-1 by Artocarpus integrifolia. The percentage of carbon content (except root) in the aboveground biomass of Shorea robusta, Albizzia lebbek, Tectona grandis and Artocarpus integrifolia were 47.45, 47.12, 45.45 and 43.33, respectively. The total aboveground biomass carbon stock per hectare as estimated for Shorea robusta, Albizzia lebbek, Tectona grandis and Artocarpus integrifolia were 5.22, 6.26, 7.97 and 7.28 t C ha-1, respectively in these forest stands. ::: ::: ::: ::: Key words: Shorea robusta, Albizzia lebbek, Tectona grandis, Artocarpus integrifolia, carbon sequestration rate, aboveground biomass carbon stock. | Source apportionment study at Madurai Kamaraj University was done to identify the possible sources of black carbon concentration (BC). It was found that the biomass burning resulted in the increase of BC mass concentration. As biomass was the primary source of fuel for most of the rural households around the educational site, a simple questionnaire-based bottom-up emission inventory was done to analyze the type of stove used, the number of combustion cycles performed and the type of biofuels used by them at two environments, namely indoor and outdoor. Emissions on an annual scale from the biofuels were estimated using the emission factors measured from real-time instruments such as Finch Mono-II for measuring carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2) meter for CO2 and an Aethalometer AE-31 for BC. Due to the influence of external meteorological parameters and other sources, the emission factors of pollutants in the outdoor environment vary from the those in the indoor environment. The average emission factors of the pollutants from the fuel woods and dung were (1) indoor BC mass: 0.24 (0.03–1.19) and 0.06 (0.02–0.08) g kg−1, respectively; (2) indoor CO2: 224.57 (134.25–343.82) and 140.05 (135.59–148.74) g kg−1, respectively; (3) indoor CO: 88.17 (46.30–115.94) and 89.45 (90.28–92.04) g kg−1, respectively; (4) outdoor BC mass: 0.58 (0.00–1.70) and 0.94 (0.84–1.1) g kg−1, respectively; (5) outdoor CO2: 482.44 (215.94–894.93) and 491.60 (475.65–528.37) g kg−1, respectively; (6) outdoor CO: 101.64 (50.48–281.33) and 214.55 (200.16–232.64) g kg−1, respectively. From emission factors measured, the total emission from the biomass burning was estimated and it was found that a total of 32.62 ± 11.74 (ton year−1), 174.62 ± 62.86 (ton year−1) and 0.019 ± 0.006 (ton year−1) of CO, CO2 and BC, respectively, was emitted from an average single household. This study thus quantifies emissions from different biomass sources and lays the framework for the creation of a regional emission database on rural households. | We prove that groups acting geometrically on delta-quasiconvex spaces contain no essential Baumslag-Solitar quotients as subgroups. This implies that they are translation discrete, meaning that the translation numbers of their nontorsion elements are bounded away from zero. | eng_Latn | 9,495 |
In the near future phosphorus (P) will be a limited resource in high demand. This will increase the incentives for recycling P in animal manure. In this study the dry-matter-rich fraction from slurry separation was incinerated and the P availability of the ash fraction examined. The aim was to adjust incineration temperature to support a high plant-availability of P in ash. The plant-availability of P was approximately halved when the incineration temperature was increased from 400 to 700 degrees C. This decrease in plant-availability was probably due to the formation of hydroxyapatite. Incineration temperatures should therefore be kept below 700 degrees C to ensure a high fertilizer efficiency of P in ash. This may conflict with the energy production, which is optimal at temperatures above 800 degrees C. An alternative to incineration may therefore be thermal gasification of the dry-matter-rich fraction, which can be carried out efficiently at lower temperatures. | The objectives of this article are to offer a comprehensive evaluation of the opportunities and barriers for swine manure conversion technologies and to shed light on the gaps that might require further investigation to improve the applicability of these technologies. The challenges of manure management have been propagated alongside the global growth of swine production. Various technologies that target the production of energy, fuels, and bioproducts from swine manure have been reported. These technologies include pretreatments, i.e., drying, and solid separation; biological techniques, i.e., composting, anaerobic digestion, and biodrying; and thermochemical techniques, i.e., combustion, gasification, pyrolysis, liquefaction, and carbonization. The review highlights the yields and qualities of products, i.e., energy, gaseous fuel, liquid fuel, and solid fuel, of each technology. It exhibits that the choice of a conversion technology predominantly depends on the feedstock properties, the specifics of the conversion technique, the market values of the end products as well as the local regulations. The challenges associated with the presented techniques are discussed to ameliorate research and development in these areas. The notable finding of this paper is that there is a need for full-scale research in the area of thermochemical conversion of solid-separated swine manure. | Ciliated protozoa may be preserved at very low temperatures. Tetrahymena pyriformis, suspended in 10 percent dimethylsulfoxide, survived when frozen in two steps, first to -20 ° C, then transferring immediately to a temperature of -196 ° C. Motility and ability to reproduce were recovered after freezing by this method and subsequent storage for 3 months in a liquid nitrogen refrigerator. | eng_Latn | 9,496 |
A technique for optimising reagent concentrations on the AutoAnalyzer has been applied to the estimation of ammonia by the Berthelot reaction in the determination of urea and organic nitrogen. Comparison of the use of phenol and salicylate revealed that the optimum concentration of the latter is about four times that of the former. The optimum concentration of hypochlorite is five times greater with salicylate than with phenol, and for the catalyst, sodium nitroprusside, the factor is two. The precision obtained with the different methods is similar. | The interactions between ammonium fertilization, cyanide (KCN) assimilation and proline accumulation in rice seedlings (Oryza sativa L. cv. XZX 45) were investigated during the current investigation. Results indicated that rice seedlings possess effective assimilation potential for exogenous CN− after 2-d exposure, where increases in the assimilation rates of CN− were negatively correlated with ammonium fertilization. During ammonium starvation, negligible change in proline content was detected in both rice tissue samples subjected to CN− exposure, suggesting that the degradation products of CN− by rice seedlings might not serve as nitrogen donors for proline synthesis. In the absence of exogenous CN−, proline accumulation in shoots was evident with enhancing ammonium fertilization, whereas marginal changes of proline content were observed in roots. Results also indicated that the addition of exogenous CN− significantly decreased proline content in shoots of rice seedlings fed with ammonium at the concentrations of 19.75–59.25 mg N/L. In conclusion, both the supplied ammonium and CN− were quickly assimilated into other nitrogen-containing compounds in rice seedlings through a nitrogen nutrient pathway; the contribution of nitrogen from ammonium assimilation into proline synthesis was evident in shoots after 2-d exposure, but it was repressed by exogenous CN−. | Long-term (1987-2012) water quality monitoring in 36 acid-sensitive Swedish lakes shows slow recovery from historic acidification. Overall, strong acid anion concentrations declined, primarily as a result of declines in sulfate. Chloride is now the dominant anion in many acid-sensitive lakes. Base cation concentrations have declined less rapidly than strong acid anion concentrations, leading to an increase in charge balance acid neutralizing capacity. In many lakes, modeled organic acidity is now approximately equal to inorganic acidity. The observed trends in water chemistry suggest lakes may not return to reference conditions. Despite declines in acid deposition, many of these lakes are still acidified. Base cation concentrations continue to decline and alkalinity shows only small increases. A changing climate may further delay recovery by increasing dissolved organic carbon concentrations and sea-salt episodes. More intensive forest harvesting may also hamper recovery by reducing the supply of soil base cations. | eng_Latn | 9,497 |
Industrialisation and urbanization leads to an increase in concentration of greenhouse gases, which eventually alters the radiation balance of the climate system. Urban regions are hotspots of greenhouse gas emissions which include CO 2 , CH 4 , N 2 O, etc. Methane emitting sources hosted by cities include fossil fuel combustion, municipal waste and sewage management, blocked drains and pools etc. Waste discharges from the residences, food wastes, market places etc., contribute to the methane production. Urban heat island causing warm nights in the city is also a suitable condition for the generation of methane. Ground level mixing ratio of methane in the tropical coastal city of Cochin in South India, during calm early morning periods was measured in this study. A mobile traverse method was employed from January 2011 to March 2013. Measurements were taken during both winter and summer seasons. It was observed that the ground level methane concentrations were significantly higher than the global average value. Intra-city variation in ground level mixing ratio was also significant. The maximum value of ground level methane in winter and summer were 3.85 ppm and 3.21 ppm respectively. The study reveals that the city acts as a source of atmospheric methane. | 1. Integrated Solid-Waste Management. Historical Background. Materials Flow. Legislation and Regulations. The Need for Integrated Solid-Waste Management. Life Cycle Assessment. Special Problems (white goods, construction rubble, tires, household hazardous waste, paint and batteries). The European Experience. 2. Solid-Waste Characteristics and Quantities. Definitions. Solid-Waste Generation. Solid-Waste Composition. Estimating Refuse. Quantities and Composition. Characteristics of Refuse. Potential for Reclamation of Useful Materials and Energy from Solid-Waste. Obstacles to Recovery of Materials and Energy from Refuse. 3. Collection of Municipal Solid-Waste. Solid-Waste Collection Systems. Effectiveness of Solid-Waste Collection. Collection of Source-Separated Materials. Alternative Collection Strategies. Transfer Stations. Litter and Street Cleanliness. 4. Landfills. Planning, Siting, and Permitting of Landfills. Design of Landfills. Processes within a Landfill. Controlling Leachate and Gas. Operation of Landfills. Monitoring of Landfills. Closure of Landfills. Use of Old Landfill Sites. Landfill Mining. Hazardous Substances. 5. Processing of Mixed and Partially Separated Solid-Waste. Refuse Physical Characteristics. Storing. Conveying. Compacting. Shredding. Pulping. Roll Crushing. Plastic Granulating. 6. Materials Separation. General Expressions for Materials Separation. Picking (hand sorting). Screens. Air Classifiers. Jigs. Stoners. Sink/Float Separators. Inclined Tables. Shaking Tables. Flotation. Color Sorting. Magnets. Eddy Current Separators. Electrostatic Separators. Materials Recovery Systems. 7. Combustion and Energy Recovery. Heat Value of Refuse. Energy Production from MSW. Materials and Thermal Balances. Combustion Hardware Used for MSW. Waste Heat Recovery. Pyrolysis. Undesirable Effects of Combustion. 8. Biochemical Processes. Methane Generation by Anaerobic Digestion. Methane Generation from Landfills. Composting. Other Biochemical Processes. 9. Current Solid-Waste Issues. Flow Control. Public or Private Ownership and Operation. Procurement Issues. Financing Solid-Waste Facilities. The Role of the Solid-Waste Engineer. | ABSTRACTUNC-45A is an ubiquitously expressed protein highly conserved throughout evolution. Most of what we currently know about UNC-45A pertains to its role as a regulator of the actomyosin system... | eng_Latn | 9,498 |
Publisher Summary No-till seeding is essential for soil erosion control, reducing seeding costs, and protecting or enhancing soil quality. The ability for specific residues to protect against soil erosion depends on quantity, their chemical composition, and management. These characteristics and properties determine the longevity of the residue and the types of metabolic by-products produced. However, no-till seeding has resulted in several microbiological related problems, which include predicting residue decomposition and resultant soil cover during critical periods, plant root health, weed control, and the interference of heavy-crop residues with no-till seeding and crop growth. Most of the studies reported deal with the establishment of no-till seeded winter wheat. Development of machinery that is economical for no-till seeding and that is optimal for plant-microbial relationships has been a major problem and should be addressed immediately. Low-input, on-farm composting could be a valuable asset for developing sustainable cropping systems. | SUMMARY Cultural practices such as tillage and crop rotation can be used as components of pest-management programs. The appropriate combination of tillage systems and crops may favor the development of beneficial microorganisms, preventing the spread of fungal pathogens. A long-term field study was carried out to analyze the effect of crop management on the abundance of actinomycetes, Trichoderma spp., and Gliocladium spp., as potential biocontrol agents (PBAs), and their relationship with the incidence of peanut root rot caused by Fusarium solani. Soil samples were taken at sowing and harvest, and root rot incidence was evaluated at harvest. There was an inverse relationship between root rot incidence peanut PBA populations under no-till suggesting a possible role of PBAs in the control of F. solani, the incidence of root rot being low under no-till and disc harrow, associated with a high concentration of potential antagonists. However, this correlation was not observed when soybean preceded peanut, when the incidence of root rot was low despite relatively lower populations of biocontrol agents present in the soil, in comparison with maize as previous crop. | Perfect Quantum Cloning Machines (QCM) would allow to use quantum nonlocality for arbitrary fast signaling. However perfect QCM cannot exist. We derive a bound on the fidelity of QCM compatible with the no-signaling constraint. This bound equals the fidelity of the Bu\v{z}ek-Hillery QCM. | eng_Latn | 9,499 |
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