The influence of poultry litter biochar on early season cotton growth

Cotton is known for being sensitive to cool, wet soils, especially in the early stages of growth. Amendments to soil can aid cotton seedlings in development and nutrient uptake. However, soil amendments can be costly and detrimental to the environment, and alternatives such as the addition of biochar have been considered. Biochar is produced from biomass that has gone through pyrolysis and has been shown to improve plant yield, microbial response, soil structure, soil cation–exchange capacity, and water use efficiency. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of biochar on early season cotton growth. The aim of this study was to determine whether biochar aids nutrient uptake and seedling development during the seedling’s life cycle. The study was established in October 2013 in the greenhouse at the University of Arkansas using a randomized complete block design with three replications. Treatments included a control with no fertilizer or biochar, a control with fertilizer (56 kg N/ ha) and no biochar, and two fertilizer treatments (0 or 56 kg N/ ha) each with 1500 or 3000 kg/ha biochar. Plants were grown for eight weeks then harvested to collect plant height, plant fresh weight, plant dry weight, and leaf area. Data showed that the highest level of biochar with additional fertilizer provided the best growth response in plant height, fresh weight dry weight, and leaf area at 27.52 cm, 14.7g, 1.87 g, and 419.48 cm2 , respectively

Evaluation of the drug solubility and rush ageing on drug release performance of various model drugs from the modified release polyethylene oxide matrix tablets

Hydrophilic matrix systems are currently some of the most widely used drug delivery systems for controlled-release oral dosage forms. Amongst a variety of polymers, polyethylene oxide (PEO) is considered an important material used in pharmaceutical formulations. As PEO is sensitive to thermal oxidation, it is susceptible to free radical oxidative attack. The aim of this study was to investigate the stability of PEO based formulations containing different model drugs with different water solubility, namely propranolol HCl, theophylline and zonisamide. Both polyox matrices 750 and 303 grade were used as model carriers for the manufacture of tablets stored at 40 °C. The results of the present study suggest that the drug release from the matrix was affected by the length of storage conditions, solubility of drugs and the molecular weight of the polymers. Generally, increased drug release rates were prevalent in soluble drug formulations (propranolol) when stored at the elevated temperature (40 °C). In contrast, it was not observed with semi soluble (theophylline) and poorly soluble (zonisamide) drugs especially when formulated with PEO 303 polymer. This indicates that the main parameters controlling the drug release from fresh polyox matrices are the solubility of the drug in the dissolution medium and the molecular weight of the polymer. DSC traces indicated that that there was a big difference in the enthalpy and melting points of fresh and aged PEO samples containing propranolol, whereas the melting point of the aged polyox samples containing theophylline and zonisamide was unaffected

The Effect of Biochar Source on Cotton Seedling Growth and Development and Association with Conventional Fertilizers

Aims: Growth chamber experiments were performed in order to determine the influence that biochars originating from two separate sources (mixed-hardwoods and poultry litter) have on the growth and development of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) seedlings used alone or in combination with conventional fertilizers. Study Design: The treatments consisted of a 3 by 3 full-factorial arrangement of biochar and fertilizer rates organized in a complete randomized design. Place and Duration of Study: The trials were conducted in the fall of 2010 and 2012 at the Altheimer Laboratory located at the University of Arkansas Research and Extension Station, Fayetteville, Arkansas (USA). Methodology: In both experiments, 54 1.5 liter pots were each filled with 1.8 kilograms of a Captina silt loam soil (Typic fragiudult). Both biochar types were added to pots at three equivalent rates: (1) no biochar (control); (2) 5,000 kg/ha; and (3) 10,000 kg/ha while fertilizer was also added to pots at three equivalent rates: (1) no fertilizer (control); (2) 31-23-49 kg/ha (N-P-K); and (3) 62-46-98 kg/ha (N-P-K). The plants were grown for eight weeks and then harvested. Data collected at harvest included plant height, chlorophyll content, leaf area, number of main-stem nodes and number of fruits along with plant dry matter. Results: Both biochar types contributed to increases in numerous plant developmental characteristics. Statistical analysis showed that the hardwood chip based biochar had a more pronounced influence on most plant developmental measurements compared to the poultry litter based biochar. The main effect of biochar in 2010 demonstrated significant increases regarding response variables such as leaf area; control (654.41 cm2), highest rate of biochar (748.63 cm2) (P < .0001), stem dry matter; control (5.08 g), highest rate of biochar (6.08 g) (P < .0001) and fruit dry matter; control (0.20 g), highest rate of biochar (0.52 g) (P < .0001). The main effect of biochar in 2010 also significantly decreased chlorophyll content; control (53.80 SPAD units), highest rate of biochar (50.03 SPAD units) (P < .0001) and average node length; control (4.08 cm), highest rate of biochar (3.89 cm) (P = .001). The main effect of biochar in 2012 resulted in significant increases in the response variables of stem dry matter; control (2.87 g), highest rate of biochar (3.25 g) (P = .040), leaf dry matter; control (3.66 g), highest rate of biochar (4.21 g) (P = .010) and total plant dry matter; control (6.71 g), highest rate of biochar (7.55 g) (P = .032). Statistical analysis showed that the main effect of biochar in 2010 slightly surpassed the effects of the fertilizer main effect while generating more significant responses than the interaction of biochar and fertilizer. Further statistical analysis demonstrated that the main effect of fertilizer in 2012 exceeded the biochar main effect and an interaction between biochar and fertilizer was not observed. Conclusion: Analyses of individual biochar rates for both experiments, along with the interaction of biochar and fertilizer treatments in 2010, demonstrated that the mixed-hardwoods based biochar had a more positive effect on cotton plant development than the poultry litter based biochar. Additional research is needed concerning the nature and ability of biochars of different origins to slowly release plant available nutrients over time that can contribute to cotton production

Quantitation of Immunoglobulin to Hepatitis E Virus by Enzyme Immunoassay

We developed a quantitative enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for antibody to hepatitis E virus (HEV) by using truncated HEV capsid protein expressed in the baculovirus system to improve seroepidemiology, to contribute to hepatitis E diagnosis, and to enable vaccine evaluations. Five antigen lots were characterized; we used a reference antiserum to standardize antigen potency. We defined Walter Reed antibody units (WR U) with a reference antiserum by using the four-parameter logistic model, established other reference pools as assay standards, and determined the conversion factor: 1 WR U/ml = 0.125 World Health Organization unit (WHO U) per ml. The EIA performed consistently; median intra- and intertest coefficients of variation were 9 and 12%, respectively. The accurate minimum detection limit with serum diluted 1:1,000 was 5.6 WR U/ml; the test could detect reliably a fourfold antibody change. In six people followed from health to onset of hepatitis E, the geometric mean antibody level rose from 7.1 WR U/ml to 1,924.6 WR U/ml. We used the presence of 56- and 180-kDa bands by Western blotting as a confirmatory test and to define true-negative and -positive serum specimens. A receiver-operating characteristics plot identified 30 WR U/ml as an optimum cut-point (sensitivity, 86%; specificity, 89%). The EIA detected antibody more sensitively than a commercially available test. The EIA was transferred to another laboratory, where four operators matched reference laboratory results for a panel of unknowns. Quantitation of antibody to HEV and confirmation of its specificity by Western blotting make HEV serology more meaningful