Effect of silicon compounds on microbial transformations in soil.

A study was made of the effects of adding a range of silicon compounds (of potential use as fertilizers) to a variety of different soils. In addition the solubilization of insoluble silicon compounds by bacteria and a species of Penicillium isolated from ferns growing in walls (as a likely silicon-rich environment) was determined. The results of the present study show that: 1) Bacteria solubilize rock potash, releasing free silicon into the medium. 2) Growth of a Penicillium Sp. in vitro increases the solubilization of sodium silicate, but concentrations of free silicon decrease when the fungus is grown in the presence of silicic acid and rock potash presumably duet o Si-immobilization by the fungus. 3) Water-extractable silicon increased when either silicic acid or rock potash was added to all soils, under both aerobic and anaerobic (waterlogged) conditions. 4) Liming increased the release of soluble silicon from sodium silicate, silicic acid and rock potash the effect being seen in all soil types. 5) Silicic acid generally decreased bacterial numbers in all soils, at least over the first 14 days of the incubation period. 6) Silicic acid and rock potash had no effect on nitrification, while the addition of sodium silicate stimulated nitrate production, this effect is assumed to be largely due to the resultant marked increase in soil pH. 7) Addition of silicic acid and rock potash led to increased sulphur oxidation. 8) The addition of silicic acid to the agricultural loam soil led to a decrease in arylsulphatase and ehydrogenase activity, as well as respiration and soil biomass

Sensor Network Proposal for Greenhouse Automation placed at the South of Algeria

[EN] The south of Algeria has a very hard climate. In summer, it is very hot and dry with a very violent sand wind and in winter very cold and dry, from where several plants cannot be cultivated in an open field. With rapid population growth, the production of fruits and vegetables cannot be sufficient. To solve these two major problems, we propose in this paper a new mechanism for the control of the climate inside a greenhouse. The objective of this work is to propose a new design for the greenhouse that can be managed and controlled automatically. The management and the control of this greenhouse are done because of our new proposed algorithms, and the use of new technologies such as sensors, actuators, microcontrollers, and the Internet of things to facilitate the tasks of farmers in the south of Algeria, and to improve the productiveness of the agriculture. We present the results of applying our proposal in a greenhouse during a short period of time and the changes on the environmental parameters inside the greenhouse.This work has also been partially supported by the European Union through the ERANETMED (Euromediterranean Cooperation through ERANET joint activities and beyond) project ERANETMED3-227 SMARTWATIR.Achouak, T.; Khelifa, B.; García-García, L.; Parra-Boronat, L.; Lloret, J.; Fateh, B. (2018). Sensor Network Proposal for Greenhouse Automation placed at the South of Algeria. Network Protocols and Algorithms. 10(4):53-69. https://doi.org/10.5296/npa.v10i4.14155S536910

Risk Factors for operated carpal tunnel syndrome: a multicenter population-based case-control study

This article is available from: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/9/34

Portable, Battery-Operated, Low-Cost, Bright Field and Fluorescence Microscope

This study describes the design and evaluation of a portable bright-field and fluorescence microscope that can be manufactured for $240 USD. The microscope uses a battery-operated LED-based flashlight as the light source and achieves a resolution of 0.8 µm at 1000× magnification in fluorescence mode. We tested the diagnostic capability of this new instrument to identify infections caused by the human pathogen, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Sixty-four direct, decontaminated, and serially diluted smears were prepared from sputa obtained from 19 patients suspected to have M. tuberculosis infection. Slides were stained with auramine orange and evaluated as being positive or negative for M. tuberculosis with both the new portable fluorescence microscope and a laboratory grade fluorescence microscope. Concordant results were obtained in 98.4% of cases. This highly portable, low cost, fluorescence microscope may be a useful diagnostic tool to expand the availability of M. tuberculosis testing at the point-of-care in low resource settings

The state of the Martian climate

60°N was +2.0°C, relative to the 1981–2010 average value (Fig. 5.1). This marks a new high for the record. The average annual surface air temperature (SAT) anomaly for 2016 for land stations north of starting in 1900, and is a significant increase over the previous highest value of +1.2°C, which was observed in 2007, 2011, and 2015. Average global annual temperatures also showed record values in 2015 and 2016. Currently, the Arctic is warming at more than twice the rate of lower latitudes

Cone beam computed tomography study of apical root resorption induced by Herbst appliance

Objective This study evaluated the frequency of root resorption during the orthodontic treatment with Herbst appliance by Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT).Material and Methods The sample comprised 23 patients (11 men, 12 women; mean ages 15.76±1.75 years) with Class II division 1 malocclusion, treated with Herbst appliance. CBCT was obtained before treatment (T0) and after Herbst treatment (T1). All the dental roots, except third molars, were evaluated, and apical root resorption was determined using the axial guided navigation method. Paired t-tests and Wilcoxon T Test were used to compare the dependent samples in parametric and nonparametric cases, respectively. Chi-Square Test with Yates’ correction was used to evaluate the relationship between apical root resorption and gender. Results were considered at a significance level of 5%.Results Apical resorption was detected by CBCT in 57.96% of 980 roots that underwent Herbst appliance treatment. All patients had minimal resorption and there was no statistical significance between the genders.Conclusion CBCT three-dimensional evaluation showed association between Herbst appliance and minimal apical root resorption, mostly in the anchoring teeth, without clinical significance