The availability of nitrogen from sugarcane trash on contrasting soils in the wet tropics of North Queensland

Sugarcane crop residues (‘trash’) have the potential to supply nitrogen (N) to crops when they are retained on the soil surface after harvest. Farmers should account for the contribution of this N to crop requirements in order to avoid over-fertilisation. In very wet tropical locations, the climate may increase the rate of trash decomposition as well as the amount of N lost from the soil–plant system due to leaching or denitrification. A field experiment was conducted on Hydrosol and Ferrosol soils in the wet tropics of northern Australia using ¹⁵N-labelled trash either applied to the soil surface or incorporated. Labelled urea fertiliser was also applied with unlabelled surface trash. The objective of the experiment was to investigate the contribution of trash to crop N nutrition in wet tropical climates, the timing of N mineralisation from trash, and the retention of trash N in contrasting soils. Less than 6% of the N in trash was recovered in the first crop and the recovery was not affected by trash incorporation. Around 6% of the N in fertiliser was also recovered in the first crop, which was less than previously measured in temperate areas (20–40%). Leaf samples taken at the end of the second crop contined 2–3% of N from trash and fertilizer applied at the beginning of the experiment. Although most N was recovered in the 0–1.5 m soil layer there was some evidence of movement of N below this depth. The results showed that trash supplies N slowly and in small amounts to the succeeding crop in wet tropics sugarcane growing areas regardless of trash placement (on the soil surface or incorporated) or soil type, and so N mineralisation from a single trash blanket is not important for sugarcane production in the wet tropics.     

Schrifttumsberichte

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Source entitativity and the elaboration of persuasive messages: The roles of perceived efficacy and message discrepancy.

Compared with nonentitative groups, entitative targets are considered to elicit more elaborative processing because of the singularity or unity they represent. However, when groups serve as sources of persuasive messages, other dynamics may operate. The current research suggests that entitativity is intrinsically linked to perceptions of a group’s efficacy related to the advocacy, and this efficacy combines with the position of the appeal to determine message elaboration. When messages are counterattitudinal, entitative (efficacious) sources should elicit greater processing than nonentitative groups because of concern that the entitative sources may be more likely to bring about the negative outcomes proposed. However, when appeals are proattitudinal, sources low in entitativity (nonefficacious) should initiate more elaboration due to concern that they may be unlikely to facilitate the positive outcomes proposed. These hypotheses were supported in a series of studies. Preliminary studies established the entitativity–efficacy relation (Studies 1A and 1B). Primary persuasion studies showed that manipulations of source entitativity (Studies 2 and 3) and source efficacy (Studies 4A and 4B) have opposite effects on processing as a function of message discrepancy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Beer Fermentation Control Using Ion Mobility Spectrometry — Results of a Pilot Study

Beer fermentation — a time consuming part of the production process — is typically terminated based on the degradation of diacetyl and 2,3‐pentanedione below the odour threshold. Presently no on‐line control of both analytes is available. As a consequence, fermentation is often carried out longer than necessary, thus decreasing productivity. In this pilot study, an ion mobility spectrometer using a UV‐lamp as an ionisation source and a GC column (30°C constant) for pre‐separation were used for the rapid determination of both analytes from the headspace of beer wort, during and after fermentation. Samples were heated to 60°C. Results from such analyses were available after a few minutes without further sample treatment or pre‐concentration. Detection limits were below the odour threshold (ng/L range in the gas phase corresponding to the μg/L range in the liquid phase). Results were validated by comparison with the brewery's standard GC‐MS method. When applied on‐line and in‐situ, as a routine test in a brewery, it will help to ensure low levels of diacetyl and 2,3‐pentanedione in the product on the one hand and will increase productivity by saving time during fermentation on the other (up to one day in large breweries and even more than one day in smaller ones) by obtaining on‐line data of the relevant analytes. After optimisation of the method, further odour or taste relevant analytes could be determined simultaneously.     

Slurry deposition by airbrush for selective laser sintering of ceramic components

To obtain ceramic components of high density by means of laser sintering, a high density of the green-compact is necessary. This is a problematic aspect when using ceramic granulates. We present a new procedure based on an airbrush spraying technique using slurries of high solid content. Alumina as well as zirconia slurries were developed and optimized for the process. After the layer-wise airbrush deposition of slurry, the microstructure of green, sintered and laser sintered samples were analyzed using SEM. On the basis of the high density of the green-compact achieved the described technique could be used for individual production of laser sintered structural ceramic components.     

Studieren mit Sicherheit in Bochum

Gleich mehrere Studienabschlüsse zur IT-Sicherheit bietet die Ruhr-Universit?t Bochum — mit fünf interdisziplin?ren Lehrstühlen zur IT-Sicherheit.     

Report of the FEAC Inertial Fusion Energy Review Panel: July 1996

This report presents the results and recommendations of the U. S. Department of Energy Fusion Energy Advisory Committee (FEAC) review of its Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE) program. The subpanel charged with the review was chaired by John Sheffield of Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The FEAC, to which the subpanel reported, was chaired by Robert Conn of the University of California at San Diego.     

Non-Discriminatory Automatic Registration of Knock-On Train Delays

Incidents and waiting for train connections are registered by dispatchers as sources of train delays, but route and headway conflicts are not always clearly recognized. Moreover, traffic management and route setting are the primary task of dispatchers and signallers, whilst monitoring and incident registration is not allowed to take up too much of their time. This paper describes a tool that automatically and without discrimination identifies route conflicts and the train numbers involved. It is based on standard train describer and infrastructure messages recorded on the Dutch railway network. The logic of these messages is captured in a coloured Petri net (CPN) model on which a prototype tool for route conflict identification and estimation of knock-on delay has been developed.