The high-resolution map of Oxia Planum, Mars; the landing site of the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover mission

This 1:30,000 scale geological map describes Oxia Planum, Mars, the landing site for the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover mission. The map represents our current understanding of bedrock units and their relationships prior to Rosalind Franklin’s exploration of this location. The map details 15 bedrock units organised into 6 groups and 7 textural and surficial units. The bedrock units were identified using visible and near-infrared remote sensing datasets. The objectives of this map are (i) to identify where the most astrobiologically relevant rocks are likely to be found, (ii) to show where hypotheses about their geological context (within Oxia Planum and in the wider geological history of Mars) can be tested, (iii) to inform both the long-term (hundreds of metres to ∼1 km) and the short-term (tens of metres) activity planning for rover exploration, and (iv) to allow the samples analysed by the rover to be interpreted within their regional geological context

Effect of wheat (

Our purpose was to quantify the effect of rhizosphere processes on the fractions of Copper (Cu) in 10 soils amended with sewage sludge under greenhouse conditions by using a rhizobox. For amended soils, 1% (w/w) of sewage sludge was added to soil samples and then amended soils were incubated at field capacity, for 1 month. After incubation, soils were put in rhizobox and seeds of wheat were planted. Plants were harvested after 8 weeks and rhizosphere and bulk soils were separated. Fractions of Cu in the rhizosphere and bulk soils were determined. The results showed that Cu extracted using several extractants in rhizospheric soils were significantly (P<0.01) lower than in bulk soils. In the rhizosphere of amended soils the average of residual Cu, Cu associated with iron-manganese oxides, Cu associated with organic matter, Cu associated with carbonates and exchangeable Cu were 18.8, 2.10, 1.00, 0.37 and 0.24 mg kg−1 respectively, whereas above fractions in the bulk soils were 18.1, 2.43, 0.80, 0.42 and 0.30 mg kg−1 respectively. This study illustrated that Cu-fractions in the wheat rhizosphere were different compare to bulk soils in sewage sludge amended soils

Zinc fractionation in the rhizosphere of wheat (

Rhizosphere is a microbiosphere and has quite different chemical, physical and biological properties from bulk soils. A greenhouse experiment was performed to compare fractionation of Zinc (Zn) between rhizosphere and bulk soils amended with sewage sludge (1% w/w of sewage sludge to soil). Fractions of Zn were determined in two subsamples (rhizosphere and bulk soils). The results indicated concentration of Zn-fractions (except carbonates-associated) in the rhizosphere soils were significantly (p<0.05) different from concentrations of Zn-fractions in the bulk soils. Also, results revealed that significant correlation (p<0.05) between Zn associated with iron-manganese and yield and uptake indices in the rhizosphere and bulk soils were found. The results of this research illustrated that rhizosphere is a small zone but important environmental zone in soils with quite different properties

Thinness, overweight and obesity in a national sample of Iranian children and adolescents: CASPIAN Study.

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to assess the national prevalence of different grades of nutritional status (underweight, normal weight, overweight and obesity) among Iranian school-students and to compare the prevalence of overweight and obesity using three different sets of criteria. METHODS: This cross-sectional national survey was conducted on a representative sample of 21 111 school students including 10 253 boys (48.6%) and 10 858 girls (51.4%) aged 6-18 years, selected by multistage random cluster sampling from urban (84.6%) and rural (15.4%) areas of 23 provinces in Iran The percentage of subjects in the corresponding body mass index (BMI) categories of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) and the obtained national percentiles were assessed and compared. RESULTS: There was no gender differences in BMI, but was higher in boys living in urban than in rural areas (18.4 +/- 3.88 vs. 17.86 +/- 3.66 kg/m(2) respectively, P < 0.05). The prevalence of underweight was 13.9% (8.1% of boys and 5.7% of girls) according to the CDC percentiles, and 5% (2.6% of boys and 2.4% of girls) according to the obtained percentiles. According to the CDC, IOTF and national cut-offs, the prevalence of overweight was 8.82%, 11.3% and 10.1% respectively; and the prevalence of obesity was 4.5%, 2.9% and 4.79% respectively. The prevalence of overweight was highest (10.98%) in the 12-year-old group and that of obesity (7.81%) in the 6-year-old group. The kappa correlation coefficient was 0.71 between the CDC and IOTF criteria, 0.64 between IOTF and national cut-offs, and 0.77 between CDC and national cut-offs. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study warrant the necessity of paying special attention to monitoring of the time trends in child obesity based on uniform definitions, as well as to design programmes to prevent and control associated factors