The effect of glufosinate ammonium in three different textured soil types under Malaysian tropical environment

Glufosinate ammonium is a broad spectrum, non-selective, contact and organophosphate herbicide which is commonly used in Malaysian oil palm plantations. Research area was one of the oil palm growing areas of Malaysia is located adjacent to the Tasik Chini, Pahang. Farmers use this herbicide to control several types of unwanted plants which could compete with the oil palm for nutrients. Rain water and the sprayed solution are easily adsorbed by soil particles. The glufosinate ammonium sorption was determined by the batch equilibrium technique. The collected soil samples (0-50 cm depth) divided into five groups at 10 cm depth intervals. Glufosinate ammonium adsorption coefficients were correlated with the soil pH, organic matter (OM), clay content, and cation exchange capacity (CEC). Series of glufosinate ammonium standard were as 0.01, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 3, 5, and 10 μm/mL. The Linear and Freundlich equations were fitted for obtaining the adsorption and desorption isotherms. The result of the analyses showed that adsorption of glufosinate ammonium was correlated to the clay content. The clay fraction of the soil is the main absorbent of the glufosinate ammonium. Desorption from the soil was indicated by the high binding strength of the adsorbed glufosinate ammonium

Fistule carotido-caverneuse post-traumatique

Introduction : La fistule carotido-caverneuse (FCC) est une complication rare, mais grave des traumatismes craniofaciaux pouvant engager le pronostic fonctionnel oculaire et le pronostic vital. elle réalise une communication anormale entre le système artériel carotidien et le sinus caverneux.Buts : Rapporter un cas de FCC directe post-traumatique et étudier les aspects cliniques, diagnostiques et thérapeutiques de cette pathologie.Observation : Nous rapportons un cas de FCC apparue dans les suites d’un traumatisme craniofacial et survenue chez un homme de 25 ans ayant été victime d’un accident de la voie publique. Le diagnostic a été suspecté devant l’apparition, au 19ème jour d’hospitalisation, d’une exophtalmie unilatérale gauche pulsatile associée à un important chémosis et à une pupille aréflectique. Une artériographie cérébrale pratiquée 9 jours après la constatation de l’exophtalmie a objectivé une large FCC gauche. Une embolisation au moyen de deux ballonnets intravasculaires largables et de l’injection de colle biologique a été réalisée au même temps sans incidents permettant d’obtenir l’occlusion complète de la fistule. L’évolution a été marquée par la régression de l’exophtalmie et du chémosis et par l’amélioration partielle de l’acuité visuelle.Conclusion : Le traitement des FCC est urgent et est principalement basé sur la neuroradiologie interventionnelle. en effet, l’angiographie cérébrale constitue l’examen clé et possède un double intérêt diagnostique et thérapeutique.Mots clés : fistule carotido-caverneuse, traumatisme craniofacial, artériographie cérébrale, embolisation

Triclopyr 3, 5, 6-trichloro-2-pyridinyl clean-up procedure from soil, sediment and water samples using SPE-HPLC-VWD

Triclopyr is a post emergence herbicide used to control woody plants. After application, the excess amount will enter the soil and water bodies and it is present in ppb level thus making extraction very difficult. The extraction of triclopyr 3, 5, 6-trichloro-2-pyridinyl residue from soil, sediment and water samples under different solid phase extraction (SPE) sorbent efficiency was studied for better recovery. Four different SPE sorbents i.e.: Oasis HLB, Water Sep-Pak, Cromabond (cation/anion PS-H+ /OH-), Isolute ENV+ and a series of solvent i.e. potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH2PO4 0.1M), sodium hydroxide (NaOH 0.2M), potassium hydroxide (KOH 0.5 & 0.6M), ammonium acetate, methanol and water were used as extraction solution. Sample clean-up performance was evaluated using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC, Agilent 1220 infinity LC) with variable wavelength detector (VWD) 290 nm. Cromabond®H+/OHcolumn with 0.6 M KOH was the most suitable for the clean-up in view of the overall feasibility of the analysis. The highest recovery was 89.32%

A modal model for diffraction gratings

A description of an algorithm for a rather general modal grating calculation is presented. Arbitrary profiles, depth, and permittivity are allowed. Gratings built up from sub-gratings are allowed, as are coatings on the sidewalls of lines, and arbitrary complex structure. Conical angles and good conductors are supported

Effect of Partial Replacements of Coarse Aggregate by Polycarbonate Plastic Waste on the First Crack Impact Resistance of Concrete Beam

This paper examines impact strength properties of concrete in which different amounts 2.5%, 5% and 10% of polycarbonate plastic waste particles were used as coarse aggregate replacement. For each amount, six beams of 100 mm ×100 mm × 500mm were subjected to 4.5 kg hammer from 457 mm height. The number of blows of the hammer required to induce the first visible crack of the beams were recorded. The results are presented in terms of impact energy required for the first visible crack. The concrete mixtures exhibited ability to absorb a large amount of impact energy. The polycarbonate plastic waste increased the first crack impact energy of concrete. Keywords: Polycarbonate plastic waste; Cement concrete; Compressive strength; First crack impact energy. DOI: 10.7176/JEES/10-2-06 Publication date: February 29th 202

Nondestructive Evaluation of Mechanically Stabilized Earth Walls with Frequency-Modulated Continuous Wave (FM-CW) Radar

Effective techniques for a nondestructive evaluation of mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls during normal operation or immediately after an earthquake event are yet to be developed. MSE walls often have a rough surface finishing for the purpose of decoration and are reinforced with both horizontal and vertical steel bars. Two wide-band microwave inspection approaches were investigated for detecting and evaluating characteristics of materials behind an MSE wall section. The first approach used spot measurements with a wide-band frequency-modulated continuous wave (FM-CW) radar system. While effective to penetrate through mortar blocks in the laboratory, the radar system was found to have limited applications in MSE walls due to its thick layer, material heterogeneity, surface roughness, and the presence of steel bars. The second approach took wide-band measurements on a two-dimensional (2D) grid and produced three-dimensional (3D) images using a synthetic aperture radar algorithm. Imaging allows for signal averaging and relatively easy distinction of localized features such as steel bars from undesired flaws. Two-dimensional slice images at the location of the anomalies were produced. Several different anomalies placed behind the wall can be detected, demonstrating the effectiveness of the imaging technique as a potential approach for back-fill soil inspection (e.g., moisture, void) behind an MSE wall

Dietary olive oil effect on antioxidant status and fatty acid profile in the erythrocyte of 2,4-D- exposed rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Oxidative stress produced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been linked to the development of several diseases such as cardiovascular, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. This study investigates the possible protective effect of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), lipophilic fraction (OOLF) and hydrophilic fraction (OOHF) on oxidative stress and fatty acid profile of erythrocytes in 2,4-D treated rats.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Male Wistar rats were divided randomly into eight groups: control (C), (2,4-D) at a dose of 5 mg/kg b.w., (2,4-D/EVOO) was given 2,4-D plus EVOO, (2,4-D/OOHF) that received 2,4-D plus hydrophilic fraction, (2,4-D/OOLF) treated with 2,4-D plus lipophilic fraction, (EVOO) that received only EVOO, (OOHF) was given hydrophilic fraction and (OOLF) treated with lipophilic fraction. These components were daily administered by gavages for 4 weeks.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>2,4-D treatment lead to decrease of antioxidant enzyme activities, namely, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR) associated with a higher amount of MDA level. Erythrocyte membranes' fatty acid composition was also significantly modified with 2,4-D exposure. EVOO and hydrophilic fraction supplemented to rats with or not 2,4-D treatment enhanced the antioxidant enzyme activities and reduced the MDA level. However, lipophilic fraction did not show any improvement in oxidative damage induced by 2,4-D in spite its richness in MUFA and vitamins.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>EVOO administered to 2,4-D-treated rats protected erythrocyte membranes against oxidative damage by means of preventing excessive lipid peroxidation to increase the MUFA composition and increase maintaining antioxidants enzymes at normal concentrations.</p

Renal cell carcinoma in children: Case report and literature review

Renal cell carcinoma is infrequent in children; consequently it is important to communicate its diagnosis and follow up. The behaviour of this type of tumor is better characterized in adults and in this setting the treatment of choice is surgical resection. However, the place of chemo- and radiotherapy has not been well defined. Here, we present a 9-year-old boy with renal cell carcinoma demonstrating only hematuria without any pathological physical examination findings. The mass was described by abdominal ultrasonography and computed tomography in the left kidney. After the left nephroureterectomy, the patient was given no adjuvant therapy

Generation of human induced pluripotent stem cells by simple transient transfection of plasmid DNA encoding reprogramming factors

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The use of lentiviruses to reprogram human somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells could limit their therapeutic usefulness due to the integration of viral DNA sequences into the genome of the recipient cell. Recent work has demonstrated that human iPS cells can be generated using episomal plasmids, excisable transposons, adeno or sendai viruses, mRNA, or recombinant proteins. While these approaches offer an advance, the protocols have some drawbacks. Commonly the procedures require either subcloning to identify human iPS cells that are free of exogenous DNA, a knowledge of virology and safe handling procedures, or a detailed understanding of protein biochemistry.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here we report a simple approach that facilitates the reprogramming of human somatic cells using standard techniques to transfect expression plasmids that encode OCT4, NANOG, SOX2, and LIN28 without the need for episomal stability or selection. The resulting human iPS cells are free of DNA integration, express pluripotent markers, and form teratomas in immunodeficient animals. These iPS cells were also able to undergo directed differentiation into hepatocyte-like and cardiac myocyte-like cells in culture.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Simple transient transfection of plasmid DNA encoding reprogramming factors is sufficient to generate human iPS cells from primary fibroblasts that are free of exogenous DNA integrations. This approach is highly accessible and could expand the use of iPS cells in the study of human disease and development.</p