Identification of Pakistani Isolates of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae by Insertion Sequence based polymerase chain reaction (IS-PCR)

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae is the causal agent of bacterial blight disease in rice. The pathogen was isolated from infected samples collected after extensive survey of rice growing areas of Pakistan. Afterwards, Insertion sequence based Polymerase chain reaction was applied using the high copy insertion sequence IS1113 based primer for molecular identification of the isolates as well as to differentiate them from Xanthomonas oryzae pv. Oryzicol

Synthons for supramolecular assemblies: Synthesis of new triazine-core polyhydroxylated and multi-N-donor compounds

The synthesis of new triazine-core polyhydroxylated and multi-N-donor compounds are being reported. The reaction of 2,4,6-tris(4-n-butylaminophenyl)triazine (1) with cyanuric chloride provided star-shaped fragment (2) with six reactive chloro-substituents. Upon treatment of this fragment with bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amine (3a) and bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (3b), functionalized polyhydroxylated (4a) and multi-N-donor compounds (4b) were obtained in high yields through nucleophilic aromatic substitution. These functionalized compounds are expected to have unique applications in supramolecular self-assembly and material chemistry

Local gouging detection and tool size determination for 3-axis finish machining of sculptured surface parts

Today compound sculptured surfaces have been widely used to design complicated shapes and details of mechanical parts in the automotive, aeronautical, die and mold industries. The technology of machining these surfaces with high quality and efficiency is badly needed in the manufacturing industry. In Computer numerical control (CNC) finish machining of compound sculptured surface parts, local gouging is a major concern due to the geometric mismatch between the engaged regions of the cutting surface and the part surfaces. Specifically, local gouging will occur at a cutter contact point along the tangent direction, in which the normal curvature of the cutting surface is less than that of the part surface. In the past years, some researchers have applied curvature analysis techniques to local gouging detection for a single surface patch; however, a practicable, reliable approach to evaluating the geometric mis/match between the cutting and part surfaces has not yet been available. My research originally proposes an improved approach to detecting potential local gouging for compound surface patches and to determine an optimum tool size for local gouge free machining. This approach applies comprehensive curvature analysis to the engaged regions between the cutting and part surfaces in 3-axis finish machining by using different standard cutters. This research contributes to the research on sculptured surface machining with in-depth understanding about the geometric mis/match between the cutting and part surfaces and has great potential impact to advance CNC machining technique in the manufacturing industry

Yield and water productivity of rice as influenced by responsive drip irrigation, alternate wetting and drying versus conventional flooding under silty loam soil texture

Rice is a semi-aquatic crop, thus demands waterlogged condition in root zone, hence farmers generally puddle the land before transplanting to control deep drainage losses, which is destructive to the soil physical, chemical and biological health. Addressing these issues, this research study evaluated the yield and water productivity (WP) benefits of rice (PK 1121) for the un-puddled alternate wetting and drying (AWD) and responsive drip irrigation (RDI) against the conventional flooding (CF) with puddling, as control during 2021, using randomized complete block design with three replicates. The results indicated significantly less (p ≤ 0.05) irrigation application (76% < CF) but with larger (18%) yield trade-off for the RDI treatment. Although, the AWD treatment showed comparatively less water saving (32% < CF) but resulted relatively higher yield (4% > CF). Nevertheless, the WP of RDI was significantly higher (249% > CF) but reduction in irrigation application was the main contributor. In contrast, both higher yield and reduced irrigation contributed to the higher WP (52% > CF) of AWD treatment. The study shows the prospects of increased WP by AWD at convenience and less cost, than the RDI system for PK 1121 rice variety. However, increasing the water release capacity of RDI or using drought tolerant variety may increase the WP of rice under RDI system at no yield trade-off, which may be instrumental for growing rice without puddling in the water scarce areas of the country

2-(4-Bromo­phen­oxy)propanohydrazide

The title compound, C9H11BrN2O2, is an important inter­mediate for the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds such as azoles, 2,5-disubstituted-1,3,4-oxadiazo­les and 5-substituted 2-mercapto-1,3,4-oxadiazo­les. The bromo­phen­oxy group subtends a dihedral angle of 82.81 (7)° with the plane passing through the propanohydrazide moiety. The crystal structure is stabilized by inter­molecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds that form columns extending along the b axis

Avian influenza virus (H5N1); effects of physico-chemical factors on its survival

Present study was performed to determine the effects of physical and chemical agents on infective potential of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 (local strain) virus recently isolated in Pakistan during 2006 outbreak. H5N1 virus having titer 108.3 ELD50/ml was mixed with sterilized peptone water to get final dilution of 4HA units and then exposed to physical (temperature, pH and ultraviolet light) and chemical (formalin, phenol crystals, iodine crystals, CID 20, virkon®-S, zeptin 10%, KEPCIDE 300, KEPCIDE 400, lifebuoy, surf excel and caustic soda) agents. Harvested amnio-allantoic fluid (AAF) from embryonated chicken eggs inoculated with H5N1 treated virus (0.2 ml/egg) was subjected to haemagglutination (HA) and haemagglutination inhibition (HI) tests. H5N1 virus lost infectivity after 30 min at 56°C, after 1 day at 28°C but remained viable for more than 100 days at 4°C. Acidic pH (1, 3) and basic pH (11, 13) were virucidal after 6 h contact time; however virus retained infectivity at pH 5 (18 h), 7 and 9 (more than 24 h). UV light was proved ineffectual in inactivating virus completely even after 60 min. Soap (lifebuoy®), detergent (surf excel®) and alkali (caustic soda) destroyed infectivity after 5 min at 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3% dilution. All commercially available disinfectants inactivated virus at recommended concentrations. Results of present study would be helpful in implementing bio-security measures at farms/hatcheries levels in the wake of avian influenza virus (AIV) outbreak

5-[1-(3,4-Dichloro­phen­oxy)eth­yl]-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2(3H)-thione hemihydrate

In the title compound, C10H8Cl2N2O2S·0.5H2O, the atoms in the oxadiazole ring are essentially coplanar (r.m.s. deviation 0.010 Å). The crystal structure is stabilized by inter­molecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds involving the water mol­ecule, which is situated on an a twofold rotation axis, and two organic mol­ecules, leading to a thione tautomer in the solid state. The C atom attached to the oxadiazole ring adopts a typical sp3 hybridization. The dihedral angle between the mean plane of the benzene ring of the dichloro­phenyl group and the mean plane of the oxadiazole ring is 74.18 (4)°. The crystal structure is stabilized by intermolecular N—H⋯O and O—H⋯S hydrogen bonds

4-(4-Propoxybenzo­yloxy)benzoic acid

The title compound, C17H16O5, is an important inter­mediate for the synthesis of side-chain ligands for polymeric liquid crystals. The prop­oxy and benzoic acid groups subtend dihedral angles of 4.36 (6) and 55.35 (6)°, respectively, with the central benzo­yloxy unit. The crystal structure is stabilized by an inter­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bond

Avian influenza virus (H5N1); effects of physico-chemical factors on its survival

Present study was performed to determine the effects of physical and chemical agents on infective potential of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 (local strain) virus recently isolated in Pakistan during 2006 outbreak. H5N1 virus having titer 108.3 ELD50/ml was mixed with sterilized peptone water to get final dilution of 4HA units and then exposed to physical (temperature, pH and ultraviolet light) and chemical (formalin, phenol crystals, iodine crystals, CID 20, virkon®-S, zeptin 10%, KEPCIDE 300, KEPCIDE 400, lifebuoy, surf excel and caustic soda) agents. Harvested amnio-allantoic fluid (AAF) from embryonated chicken eggs inoculated with H5N1 treated virus (0.2 ml/egg) was subjected to haemagglutination (HA) and haemagglutination inhibition (HI) tests. H5N1 virus lost infectivity after 30 min at 56°C, after 1 day at 28°C but remained viable for more than 100 days at 4°C. Acidic pH (1, 3) and basic pH (11, 13) were virucidal after 6 h contact time; however virus retained infectivity at pH 5 (18 h), 7 and 9 (more than 24 h). UV light was proved ineffectual in inactivating virus completely even after 60 min. Soap (lifebuoy®), detergent (surf excel®) and alkali (caustic soda) destroyed infectivity after 5 min at 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3% dilution. All commercially available disinfectants inactivated virus at recommended concentrations. Results of present study would be helpful in implementing bio-security measures at farms/hatcheries levels in the wake of avian influenza virus (AIV) outbreak

(2S)-Methyl 2-(p-toluenesulfonamido)propanoate

The enanti­omerically pure title compound, C11H15NO4S, contains a pyramidal N atom with an S—N bond length of 1.6262 (8) Å. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked to form chains parallel to the a axis by the hydrogen bond from NH to the carbonyl oxygen. C—H⋯O inter­actions are also present