Effect of soil clay mineralogy on the efficiency of ammonium sulfate in flooded rice

The effect of soil clay mineralogy on the efficiency of (NH₄)₂SO₄ in flooded rice was investigated in a greenhouse pot trial with four clayey soils of diverse clay mineralogies (x-ray amorphous, montmorillonite, vermiculite, beidellite). KCl (75 kg K ha^–1) and triple superphosphate (25 kg P ha^–1) were incorporated in the soil with and without (NH₄)₂SO₄ (100 kg N ha^–1) before transplanting 1-week-old IR-36 rice seedlings which were then grown to maturity under flooded conditions. Efficiency of (NH₄)₂SO₄ was inferred from the response of agronomic characteristics such as tiller number, height, grain and straw yields to NH₄ fertilization.The results showed greatest efficiency of (NH₄)₂SO₄ on the x-ray amorphous soil, followed by montmorillonitic soil; efficiency was much lower on the vermiculitic and negligible on the beidellitic soil.Soil clay mineralogy may be an important factor in the reduced efficiency of NH₄ (or NH₄-forming) fertilizers in certain rice soils.     

Rheological and baking properties of cowpea and wheat flour blends

Effect of blending 50 to 250 g kg⁻¹ cowpea flour in wheat flour on rheological, baking and sensory characteristics of bread, chapati, cookies and muffins was studied. Farinograph water absorption, dough development time, mixing tolerance index and dough stability increased significantly with increased amount of cowpea flour. Incorporation of cowpea flour lowered gelatinisation time and peak viscosity. Loaf volume and overall acceptability scores of bread were reduced significantly beyond 150 g kg⁻¹ incorporation of cowpea flour. There were significant changes in specific volume and overall acceptability scores of muffins, registering an initial improvement up to 50 g kg⁻¹ and a significant decline thereafter. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry     

Removal of lead and cobalt using lignocellulosic fiber derived from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Citrus reticulata</Emphasis> waste biomass

The present investigation explored the use of Citrus reticulata waste biomass (CWB) for the removal of Pb(II) and Co(II) from the aqueous solutions. The Pb(II) and Co(II) biosorption was found to be dependent on pH of the solution, biosorbent dose, biosorbent particle size, temperature, shaking speed, contact time and initial concentration of metal ions. A metal uptake capacity of 41.16 and 52.64 mg/g was observed at pH 5 and 7 for Pb(II) and Co(II), respectively. The biosorption data followed the Freundlich model for both metals. The overall biosorption process was best described by pseudo-second order kinetics. The effect of several pretreatments on the biosorption efficiency of CWB was also investigated. The results demonstrated that pretreatments influenced the biosorption capacity of the biomass for the both metals significantly. Maximum biosorption capacity of 83.77 and 95.55 mg/g was observed for Pb(II) and Co(II) with sodium hydroxide treated and simply heated biomass, respectively. FTIR spectrum indicated the presence of -OH, -NH, -COOH groups in the biomass. The surface structure of CWB was analyzed by JEOL JMT 300 scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the existence of metal ions on the surface of biosorbent was determined by energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy.     

Mitochondrial Role in Oncogenesis and Potential Chemotherapeutic Strategy of Mitochondrial Infusion in Breast Cancer

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the most aggressive cancers diagnosed amongst women with a high rate of treatment failure and a poor prognosis. Mitochondria have been found to be key players in oncogenesis and tumor progression by mechanisms such as altered metabolism, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and evasion of apoptosis. Therefore, mitochondrial infusion is an area of interest for cancer treatment. Studies in vitro and in vivo demonstrate mitochondrial-mediated reduction in glycolysis, enhancement of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), reduction in proliferation, and an enhancement of apoptosis as effective anti-tumor therapies. This review focuses on mitochondrial dysregulation and infusion in malignancies, such as TNBC.     

Molecular Markers in Maternal Blood Exosomes Allow Early Detection of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Prenatal alcohol exposure can cause developmental abnormalities (fetal alcohol spectrum disorders; FASD), including small eyes, face and brain, and neurobehavioral deficits. These cannot be detected early in pregnancy with available imaging techniques. Early diagnosis could facilitate development of therapeutic interventions. Banked human fetal brains and eyes at 9–22 weeks’ gestation were paired with maternal blood samples, analyzed for morphometry, protein, and RNA expression, and apoptotic signaling. Alcohol (EtOH)-exposed (maternal self-report) fetuses were compared with unexposed controls matched for fetal age, sex, and maternal race. Fetal brain-derived exosomes (FB-E) were isolated from maternal blood and analyzed for protein, RNA, and apoptotic markers. EtOH use by mothers, assessed by self-report, was associated with reduced fetal eye diameter, brain size, and markers of synaptogenesis. Brain caspase-3 activity was increased. The reduction in eye and brain sizes were highly correlated with amount of EtOH intake and caspase-3 activity. Levels of several biomarkers in FB-E, most strikingly myelin basic protein (MBP; r > 0.9), correlated highly with morphological abnormalities. Reduction in FB-E MBP levels was highly correlated with EtOH exposure (p < 1.0 × 10⁻¹⁰). Although the morphological features of FAS appear long before they can be detected by live imaging, FB-E in the mother’s blood may contain markers, particularly MBP, that predict FASD.     

How much is research in the top journals of industrial/organizational psychology dominated by authors from the U.S.?

Industrial/organizational (I/O) psychology, the subfield of psychology applied to the context of work, has been criticized for being dominated by U.S. authors because this dominance could prevent the generalizability of results and the enrichment of theories, paradigms, and approaches by researchers from other parts of the world. Previous estimates on the extent of the U.S. dominance are, however, likely restricted in scope, outdated, and likely biased by non-U.S. researchers who were socialized in the U.S. or received help by U.S. co-authors. As such, we measured the level of U.S. dominance by analyzing 5626 papers published from the top ten journals of the field of I/O psychology in the last eleven years and their authors. The results show that the U.S. dominance continues, although the internationalization of I/O psychology has steadily increased. An additional analysis of the gender distribution across our sample revealed that female first authorship is slightly more common among authors with no U.S. affiliation. We suggest several steps to further increase the level of internationalization.

     

Advancements in traditional and nanosized flame retardants for polymers—A review

Synthetic polymers are ubiquitous materials widely used in construction, automotive, electronics, and countless commercial products. With the growing trend of polymer applications in everyday life, upholding the rigorous fire safety regulations has become a matter of concern. In this regard, numerous studies have been conducted for improving the fire retardancy of polymers, mainly through incorporating a diverse group of fire-retardant compounds into polymer-based composites. This review article aims to present a comprehensive overview of recent advances in the fire-retardant categories for polymeric materials especially emphasizing the nanosized fire retardants. Along with an attempt to focus attention on the consumption of conventional and possibly harmful fire retardants, potential eco-friendly alternatives are represented. A detailed discussion on the flame retardation mechanisms and conventional fire characterization techniques are also discussed.     

Indoor inhalation dose estimates due to radon and thoron in some areas of South-Western Punjab, India

LR-115 (type II)-based radon-thoron discriminating twin-chamber dosemeters have been used for estimating radon ((222)Rn) and thoron ((220)Rn) concentrations in dwellings of south-western Punjab, India. The present study region has shown pronounced cases of cancer incidents in the public [Thakur, Rao, Rajwanshi, Parwana and Kumar (Epidemiological study of high cancer among rural agricultural community of Punjab in Northern India. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2008; 5(5):399-407) and Kumar et al. (Risk assessment for natural uranium in subsurface water of Punjab state, India. Hum Ecol Risk Assess 2011;17:381-93)]. Radon being a carcinogen has been monitored in some dwellings selected randomly in the study area. Results show that the values of radon ((222)Rn) varied from 21 to 79 Bq m(-3), with a geometric mean of 45 Bq m(-3) [geometric standard deviation (GSD 1.39)], and those of thoron ((220)Rn) from minimum detection level to 58 Bq m(-3) with a geometric mean of 19 Bq m(-3) (GSD 1.88). Bare card data are used for computing the progeny concentration by deriving the equilibrium factor (F) using a root finding method [Mayya, Eappen and Nambi (Methodology for mixed field inhalation dosimetry in monazite areas using a twin-cup dosemeter with three track detectors. Radiat Prot Dosim 1998;77(3):177-84)]. Inhalation doses have been calculated and compared using UNSCEAR equilibrium factors and by using the calculated F-values. The results show satisfactory comparison between the values.     

What might get published in management and applied psychology? Experimentally manipulating implicit expectations of reviewers regarding hedges

Scientometrics - Researchers’ careers depend on publishing papers. There are explicit expectations (e.g., paper structure) that affect editors’ and reviewers’ perceptions of...