Refinement of fertilizer recommendation based on Soil Test Crop Response technology for rice under System of Rice Intensification

A study on Soil Test Crop Response based Integrated Plant Nutrition System (STCR - IPNS) were conducted adopting an Inductive cum Targeted yield model in non-calcareous sandy loam soils of Lithic Haplusteptat Regional Research Station, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Paiyur, Tamil Nadu during Kharif 2013 in orderto develop fertilizer prescriptions equation (FPEs) through IPNS for the desired yield targets of rice under SRI technique. A ready reckoner of fertilizer doses at varying soil test value, for attaining 6 to 9 t ha-1 target grain yield of rice has been worked out. Using these equations a validation trial was conducted on Kharif 2014 at this station. The grain yield of rice ranged from 2.54 t ha-1 in absolute control to 8.65 t ha-1 in STCR-IPNS-9 t ha-1. The STCR-IPNS @ 8 t ha-1 was effective and economical as compare with any other treatments. The deviation recorded in the achievement of targets aimed was within the range of ± 10 per cent (90 – 110 %) proving the validity of the FPEs. The STCR treatments recorded relatively higher response ratio (RR) and benefit-cost ratio (BCR) over blanket and farmer's practice and STCR-IPNS treatments recorded relatively higher RR and BCR over STCR-NPK alone treatments. Post-harvest soil tests for NPK revealed that there was maintenance of soil fertility. The STCR-IPNS @ 8 t ha-1 was effective and economical as compare with any other treatments. Thus, the Inductive cum Targeted yield model used to develop fertilizer prescription equations provides a strong basis for soil fertility maintenance consistent with high productivity and efficient nutrient management for sustainable and enduring Agriculture

PENGARUH ASAM NITRAT (HNO3) SEBAGAI PELARUT PADA EKSTRAKSI PEKTIN DARI OKRA (ABELMOSCHUS ESCULENTUS)

Pektin merupakan kelompok polisakarida yang larut dalam air (PLA) dan juga merupakan asam-asam pektinat yang mengandung gugus-gugus metoksil. Pektin dimanfaatkan sebagai bahan pengental dan pembentuk gel pada industri pangan fungsional. Pektin telah digunakan selama bertahun-tahun dalam industri farmasi, makanan dan minuman. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh asam nitrat sebagai pelarut pada ekstraksi pektin dari okra (abelmoschus esculentus). Okra adalah sayuran yang lunak dan berlendir, salah satu jenis sayuran yang memiliki banyak serat dan glutation. Okra memiliki kandungan serat yang larut air dalam bentuk gum 31,53% dan pektin 3,40%. Penelitian dilakukan dengan metode ekstraksi menggunakan pelarut HNO3, lalu dilakukan pengendapan pektin dengan menambahkan alkohol 96% kedalam filtrat hasil ekstraksi, kemudian endapan dicuci dengan menggunakan etanol dan dikeringkan dalam oven pada suhu 50  selama 9 jam untuk mendapatkan pektin kering. Variabel tetap dalam penilitian ini adalah berat okra 100 gram, volume pelarut 500 ml, suhu ekstraksi 75 , dan ukuran sampel 50 mesh. Sedangkan variabel berubahnya adalah perlakuan konsentrasi pelarut (0,1 N, 0,15 N, 0,2 N) dan waktu ekstraksi (60 menit, 90 menit dan 120 menit). Karakteristik yang dianalisa adalah rendemen pektin, kadar air, kadar metoksil, dan kadar galakturonat. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa konsentrasi pelarut dan waktu ekstraksi sangat berpengaruh terhadap hasil ekstraksi pektin yang didapatkan. Semakin tinggi konsentrasi pelarut dan waktu ekstraksi maka hasil rendemen pektin, kadar metoksil dan kadar galakturonat juga meningkat. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian diperoleh hasil pektin dengan hasil rendemen tertinggi 67,45% pada konsentrasi asam nitrat 0,2 N dan waktu 120 menit, kadar air terendah 2,75% pada konsentrasi asam nitrat 0,2 N dan waktu 120 menit, kadar metoksil tertinggi 6,55% pada konsentrasi asam nitrat 0,2 N dan waktu 120 menit dan kadar galakturonat tertinggi 36,16% pada konsentrasi asam nitrat 0,2 N dan waktu 120 menit.

The Pic Protease of Enteroaggregative \u3cem\u3eEscherichia coli\u3c/em\u3e Promotes Intestinal Colonization and Growth in the Presence of Mucin

Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) is increasingly being recognized as a cause of diarrheal disease in diverse populations. No small animal model is currently available to study this pathogen. We report here that conventional mice orally inoculated with prototype EAEC strain 042 generally became colonized, though the abundance of organisms cultured from their stool varied substantially among individual animals. In contrast, mice whose water contained 5 g/liter streptomycin consistently became colonized at high levels (ca. 108 CFU/g of stool). Neither conventional nor streptomycin-treated mice developed clinical signs or histopathologic abnormalities. Using specific mutants in competition with the wild-type strain, we evaluated the contribution of several putative EAEC virulence factors to colonization of streptomycin-treated mice. Our data suggest that the dispersin surface protein and Pic, a serine protease autotransporter secreted by EAEC and Shigella flexneri, promote colonization of the mouse. In contrast, we found no role for the aggregative adherence fimbriae, the transcriptional activator AggR, or the surface factor termed Air (enteroaggregative immunoglobulin repeat protein). To study Pic further, we constructed a single nucleotide mutation in strain 042 which altered only the Pic catalytic serine (strain 042PicS258A). Fractionation of the tissue at 24 h and 3 days demonstrated an approximate 3-log10 difference between 042 and 042PicS258A in the lumen and mucus layer and adherent to tissue. Strains 042 and 042PicS258A adhered similarly to mouse tissue ex vivo. While no growth differences were observed in a continuous-flow anaerobic intestinal simulator system, the wild-type strain exhibited a growth advantage over 042PicS258A in a culture of cecal mucus and in cecal contents in vitro; this difference was manifest only after 6 h of growth. Moreover, enhanced growth of the wild type was observed in comparison with that of the mutant in minimal medium containing mucin but not in the absence of mucin. The data suggest a novel metabolic role for the Pic mucinase in EAEC colonization

The Role of Healthy Social Life, Food Security, and Nutrition in Shaping a Healthy Island: An Analysis Using Structural Equation Modeling

Several important factors are associated with establishing a healthy island including a healthy social life, food security, and nutrition but in-depth information related to these dimensions is limited. The relationship dimensions include addressing poverty, managing natural and social disasters, handling disabilities, food availability, and food security. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the best model for establishing a healthy island in South Sulawesi. The experiment was carried out on five islands located in three municipalities/regencies in South Sulawesi, namely Tanakeke Island in Takalar Regency, Barrang Caddi Island and Lummu-Lumu Island in Makassar Municipality, as well as Saugi Island and Sapuli Island in Pangkep Regency. The sample consisted of 196 households, while data were analyzed using multivariate analysis through structural equation model tests. The results showed that addressing poverty (t value = 13.77; R2 = 0.75), managing natural and social disasters (t value = 12.15; R2 = 0.61), as well as handling disabilities (t value = 12,53; R2 = 0.64) significantly affected healthy social life. Additionally, food availability (t value = 6.25; R2 = 0.66), and security (t value = 2.72; R2 = 0.85) played key roles in the relationship between food security and nutrition affecting a healthy island. The best indicator of a healthy social life variable was addressing poverty (t value = 13.77; R2 = 0.75). Meanwhile, the best indicator of food security and nutrition variables was food availability (t value = 6.25; R2 = 0.66)

Simultaneous visualization of flow fields and oxygen concentrations to unravel transport and metabolic processes in biological systems

From individual cells to whole organisms, O2 transport unfolds across micrometer- tomillimeter-length scales and can change within milliseconds in response to fluid flows and organismal behavior. The spatiotemporal complexity of these processes makes the accurate assessment ofO2 dynamics via currently availablemethods difficult or unreliable. Here, we present ‘‘sensPIV,’’ a method to simultaneously measure O2 concentrations and flow fields. By tracking O2-sensitive microparticles in flow using imaging technologies that allow for instantaneous referencing,we measuredO2 transport within (1) microfluidic devices, (2) sinking model aggregates, and (3) complex colony-forming corals. Through the use of sensPIV, we find that corals use ciliary movement to link zones of photosynthetic O2 production to zones of O2 consumption. SensPIV can potentially be extendable to study flow-organism interactions across many life-science and engineering applications

Mechanical and physical properties of particleboard made from 4-year Old RRIM 2000 series clone rubberwood.

Rubber trees are normally felled after 25 years. With the drastic depletion of rubberwood supply, the Malaysian Rubber Board has identified new clones of rubberwood from RRIM 2000 series that are expected to be suitable for timber and latex production. In this study, particleboards were made from 4-year-old RRIM 2000 series rubberwood clones. The clones—RRIM 2002, RRIM 2020 and RRIM 2025 were compared with the currently available clone, PB 260, that is used by most rubberwood processing plants in Malaysia. The board was fabricated using E1 grade urea formaldehyde resin to a density of 700 kg m-3 and board performance was determined according to JIS A 5908-2003. The study revealed that it was technically feasible to use 4-year-old rubberwood from the RRIM 2000 series clones, especially RRIM 2002, for making particleboard which is comparable to that made from the mature (25-year-old) PB 260 clone

Determination of leg injury criteria subjected to frontal impacts

The leg injury criteria subjected to frontal impact is presented and discussed. The aim is to analyze the effect of steel material of bumper shell on pedestrian leg injury criteria of front bumper system. The front bumper beam is made of mild steel and characterized by impact modeling using LS-DYNA V971, according to United States New Car Assessment Program (US-NCAP) frontal impact velocity and based on European Enhanced Vehicle-safety Committee. The most important variable of this structure are mass, material, internal energy, and Leg Injury Criterion (LIC). In order to evaluate the protective performance of the baseline hood, the Finite Element Models (FEM) of legform of an adult pedestrian is used. The result shows that the acceleration of 91.5 g, shear displacement of 4.2 mm and bending angle of 12.0˚ graphs are performing below the danger limit. The reason found to be there were no contact between the front bumper beam and the legform, so that the injury is less. This is shows that the clearance between the bumper shell and front bumper beam are sufficient

Awareness of islamic banking products among muslims: The case of Australia

© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and the Author(s) 2016. The concept of interest-free financing was practiced by Arabs prior to the advent of Islam, and was later adopted by Muslims as an acceptable form of trade financing. While the system had been used on a small scale for centuries, its commercial application began in the 1970s.1 Since then Islamic financing has experienced worldwide acceptance, and by early 2003 there were at least 176 Islamic banks around the world, with deposits in excess of $147bn