Comparison of biomass production, growth and solar energy utilization in specialty vs normal maize genotypes at different developmental stagesComparison of biomass production, growth and solar energy utilization in specialty vs normal maize genotypes at different developmental stagesComparison of biomass production, growth and solar energy utilization in specialty vs normal maize genotypes at different developmental stagesComparison of biomass production, growth and solar energy utilization in specialty vs normal maize genotypes at different developmental stagesComparison of biomass production, growth and solar energy utilization in specialty vs normal maize genotypes at different developmental stages

A great deal of research has been carried out to evaluate dry matter accumulation and solar radiation utiliza- tion in normal maize genotypes whereas limited information is available on special genotypes such as high oil and high protein maize. In this paper, we made a comparative analysis on biomass production, solar radiation utiliza- tion and growth at five different stages before and after flowering in normal (B73 and Mo17) and specialty maize (IHO and IHP) lines. Specialty maize genotypes were from 70th cycle of Illinois Long Term Selection. We used 12 directly-measured traits, 10 energy calculations and 6 time interval computations obtained from measurements in five developmental stages. A nested design was used to compare temporal changes in the observed traits. We found significant differences between specialty and normal maize genotypes for most variables throughout the developmental stages. Normal genotypes had higher plant height than special ones. IHP strain had higher ex- panded leaf area than others, especially around the flowering. IHO produced higher dry matter per leaf area faster in the early stages and stayed green for longer, resulting in high values for total dry matter production and calcu- lated energy equivalent. Radiation use efficiency (RUE) was higher in specialty maize compared to normal maize genotypes. The highest RUE was observed in IHP (1.36 g Mj plant-1) around flowering stage. Overall, specialty and normal genotypes showed significant differences for some agromorphological and physiological traits as well as energy utilization and conversion into dry biomass

The effect of autumn and spring planting time on seed yield and protein content of chickpea genotypes

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of autumn and spring plantings on seed yield and quality of chickpea genotypes. Fourteen chickpea genotypes were grown over the consecutive twogrowing seasons in northwest Turkey. The results showed that planting time had significant effects on the investigated traits (P < 0.05). Significant differences for yield were observed between autumn (2050kg ha-1) and spring (1588 kg ha-1) plantings. Line 99 - 59C was the highest yielding genotype both in autumn (2662 kg ha-1) and spring (2000 kg ha-1) plantings. Seed analysis revealed that crude proteincontent in spring planting (23.2%) was higher than in autumn planting (20.5%). The highest protein content (21.1%) was produced by genotype P-2 in autumn planting whereas line 97 - 73C had thehighest content (24.6%) in spring planting. In addition, yield was highly and positively correlated with C/N ratio (r = 0.20**) whereas it was negatively correlated with protein (r = -0.19**). As a result, plantingtime influenced yield, yield components and chemical composition of the genotypes. Autumn planting had advantages for higher seed yield and consequently higher amount of protein per harvested area

The effects of different growing media on flowering and corm formation of saffron (Crocus sativus L.)

The objective of this research was to determine the effects of different growing media on saffron growth and corm formation in greenhouse conditions. In the experiment four different treatments were used.These were (1) soil+sand (control), (2) soil+sand+manure, (3) soil+sand+manure applied as a double layer above and bottom of corm bed, and (4) soil+sand+manure+ nitfojips-K. The results revealed thateffects of the growing media on most of the characters were significant. Cow manure mixtures especially with double layers had a positive effect on the flower and stigma weight. Average flower weight per plant change between 0.157 - 0.240 g. The corm size did not change significantly intreatments 1, 2 and 3. However, in treatment 4, both corm weight and corm size were significantly lower than they were in the other treatments. The results suggested that the growing medium was one of the important factors for saffron flower and corm formation

Determination of Quality Parameters in Maize Grain by NIR Reflectance Spectroscopy

The objective of this study is to compare different calibration models that could be used in the analysis of protein, oil, carbohydrate and ash contents in maize flour by NIRS. A total of 138 samples were used from 115 hybrids and 23 inbreds in the study as material. Based on reference analysis results, different estimation models were developed using Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) and Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) methods. Validation procedure of these models (n=110) were accomplished using samples from different genotypes (n=28). In both of the developed models, the highest accuracy was attained for protein content (r=0.990 for MLR and r=0.987 for PLSR). For the other traits analyzed, although MLR model yielded better results based on mathematical evaluations (rMLR=0.801, rPLSR=0.755 for carbohydrate, rMLR=0.823, rPLSR=0.723 for oil, rMLR=0.926 and rPLSR=0.810 for ash), external validation suggested PLSR model provide a lower error rate than MLR. Results suggested that protein content could be successfully estimated, whereas, for some other traits, such as carbohydrate and oil ratios, it seems that there is still need for more studies before getting accurate measurements using NIR methods. Profile analysis regarding the wavelengths potent in the models showed that the estimation power declined when the regression coefficients of the wavelengths included in the model were low. Among the analyzed traits, ash and oil contents seemed to be related with more spectral regions within the scanned spectra than protein and carbohydrate

Towards Optimum Management of Total Suspended Solids in a Coastal Sea: The Case of Izmit Bay, Marmara Sea

The distribution and transport of total suspended solids (TSS) is considered in order to propose the strategy which, when implemented, would lead to compliance with the water quality criterion. Currently, most of the water in Izmit bay has a TSS concentration in excess of the legal maximum of 30 mg/L TSS. Modelling and simulation shows that the majority of the TSS does not originate from the known land based sources but probably represents phytoplankton. Since excessive quantities of N and P are discharged into the bay, sometimes the growth of phytoplankton is limited by the natural silicate content of the water. However, it is found that most of the phosphorus discharged from land based sources is in fact utilized by the phytoplankton. Hence, reduction of the TSS concentration to the legal limit can be achieved by decreasing phosphorus sources. If the majority of total organic carbon emanating from land based sources were removed, this would imply a considerable decrease in phosphorus inflow. It is suggested that waste waters from residential communities and the remaining industry should be treated and released to the layer below the halocline using one outfall in the eastern part and one or several outfalls in the central part of the bay

Trophic Characteristics of the Sapanca Lake (Turkey)

Systematic measurements of optical properties, concentrations of major and minor chemicals and primary production throughout 1989-1992 enabled us to identify the oligotrophic state of Sapanca lake, Marmara region, Turkey. Lake waters which have low concentrations of major anions and cations (total = 49 μM) overturn every February-March, ventilating the bottom waters and enriching the surface waters with nutrients. Surface waters cool down to 6.5 °C by late winter and then warm steadily to 26 °C by late summer, while temperatures in deep waters range between 6.5 and 10.0 °C throughout the year. When the seasonal thermocline develops, the dissolved oxygen profiles exhibit a subsurface maximum in the thermocline, while in the hypolimnion water, the content varies seasonally from 11.5-12.0 ppm (350-375 μM) in March to 0.5-1.7 ppm (16-56 μM) in late autumn. Surface nitrate concentrations vary markedly with season, from < 0.15 μM in summer to 5.7 μM in early March, whilst the bottom water concentrations range from 13.5-14.0 μM in late autumn to 5.7 μM after the winter overturn. Phosphate concentrations are always less than 0.1 μM throughout the entire water column. Subsurface chlorophyll-a maximum descends in late summer to 20-25 m depths, where the light intensity is less than 1% of the surface value. Below 10-15 m depths, corresponding to the upper thermocline, primary productivity is very low. The range was from 35 to 93 mg C/ m2 day-1 during 1989-1991, consistent with the values in other oligotrophic lakes

Recipient and donor thrombophilia and the risk of portal venous thrombosis and hepatic artery thrombosis in liver recipients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Vascular complications, such as HAT, are an important cause of graft loss and recipient mortality. We aimed to characterize post-transplant thrombotic events in a cohort of liver transplant recipients, and identify independent risk factors for these complications.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a thrombophilic study of 293 orthotopic liver transplants performed in the Digestive Surgery Department of the 12 de Octubre Hospital (Madrid, Spain) between January 2001 and December 2006.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The most frequent post-transplant thrombotic events were HAT (9%) and PVT (1.7%). The one variable associated with post-transplant thrombotic event was a high fibrinogen level in the global cohort of liver transplantation. But toxicity as event post-OLT has been associated with post-transplant thrombotic event in the retrospective group and high fibrinogen level and low protein C levels were associated post-transplant thrombotic event in the prospective group. Liver disease relapse (HR 6.609, p < 0.001), high levels of FVIII (HR 1.008, p = 0.019)) and low levels of antithrombin (HR 0.946, p < 0.001) were associated with poor overall survival (OS).</p> <p>In conclusion, high fibrinogen and decreased protein C levels were associated with allograft thrombosis. Further studies are required in order to assess the clinical relevance of these parameters in prospective studies and to study the effect of anticoagulation prophylaxis in this group of risk.</p