The effect of depth of planting of soybeans and leaching of herbicides by irrigation to weed control and soybean injury

Weeds have presented one of the greatest hazards to good soybean yields. The control of weeds or the lack of it, is one of the most expensive items in the production of soybeans on American farms. Weeds compete with soybeans for water, light and nutrients. They increase the cost of labor, and equipment, reduce the quantity and quality of beans, harbor insects and diseases and reduce the efficiency of mechanical production and harvest. Weed research in the past has conservatively estimated the loss due to weeds to about 17 percent of the annual value of the soybean crop or approximately 136 million dollars each year (10, 29). The science of weed control has advanced considerably during the past two decades. A number of herbicides are now available for weed control in soybeans. However, none of them will control all of the weeds without the risk of injury to the bean crop. According to environmental conditions, they have also showed either a variable response in weed control activity or injury to the beans. This is primarily due to the fact, that soybeans do not possess sufficient tolerance to the herbicides at currently recommended rates under soil moisture and tempera-ture variations that exist. Burnside and Lipke observed reduced weed control when applications of water were delayed as little as four days following pre-emergence application of 3-amino-2,5- dichlorobenzoic acid (amiben), (7). The importance of rain in the use of pre-emergence herbicides is undisputed, but its importance varies with each herbicide due to differences in such factors as water solubility and ionic charge of the herbicide. The objective of this study was to determine the re-lationship between depth of planting of soybeans and leaching on the effectiveness of the herbicides

The narcotising impulse threshold values of certain fresh water fishes

The effect of impulse current on the fish at a particular impulse rate and voltage depends on the size and kind of the fish. It is directly proportional to the temperature and inversely proportional to the conductivity of the medium

Varicella meningitis in pregnancy: a clinical conundrum

Authors present this experience of managing a case of Varicella meningitis in pregnancy in a patient presenting with headache in the third trimester. There was no history of dermatomal pain or rash. After intracranial hemorrhage and thrombosis were ruled out by imaging, a decision to perform a lumbar puncture was taken. The diagnosis was made following a PCR analysis on the cerebro-spinal fluid. Retrospective testing revealed immunity to varicella at booking, thus confirming reactivation of the infection. Treatment was done using intravenous acyclovir with complete recovery. It also created a clinical dilemma for the best possible monitoring plan for the fetus to rule out affection. A fetal medicine scan revealed no structural defects in the fetus. The subsequent pregnancy period was uneventful. A well grown normal baby was born at term. This case highlights the significance of considering a lumbar puncture in cases of intractable headache and also highlights the dilemma for fetal monitoring in such rare presentations

CONCORDANCE BETWEEN FREE T4 AND T4 IN THYROID FUNCTION TESTS

Background: Thyroid hormones regulate the metabolism of virtually all cells in the body. The frequency of thyroid dysfunction in our population compels every physician to be skilled in the diagnosis of thyroid disease. Direct measurement of serum concentration of TSH, T4 and T3 is used to establish the diagnosis of primary hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. The free unbound fraction of T4 (FT4) and T3 (FT3) which is less than 0.03% is the active form of the hormone. Free T4 (the biologically active T4) is less sensitive to changes in serum binding proteins and hence FT4 levels could best represent the thyroid functional status Aim: To evaluate the concordance between total T4, T3 levels and free T4 levels in patients with abnormal thyroid function test reports where the full panel of TFT has been ordered. Materials & Methods: Consecutive TFT reports of patients in whom the full panel of TFT have been ordered over a two month period were included in the analysis. The results obtained were statistically analyzed by the help of Microsoft Excel and SPSS software. Results: In the hypothyroid group, the median TSH was 6.89 microIU/ml (Mean=21.25) with a mean T4 of 6.75 microgm/dl and mean FT4 of 1.03 ng/ml .In this group, the mean T3 was 0.91 ng/ml a range 0.195-1.95. In the hyperthyroid group, the mean TSH was 0.049 microIU/ml with a mean T4 and FT4 of 11.01 microgm/dl and 2.07 ng/ml and the mean T3 was 1.3 ng/ml with a range of 0.62 to 4.33. Statistical analysis using Karl Pearson's method showed a significant correlation (r = 0.8) between T4 and FT4 values. It was also found that T3 also had a significant positive correlation with FT4 and T4. No significant influence of age and gender on TFT was found. 14% of the T4 values in the hypothyroid group and 40 % of T4 values in the hyperthyroid group were in the normal range while Free T4 alone showed changes consistent with the corresponding thyroid dysfunction. Conclusion: FT4 correlates highly with T4 in both primary hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, and in conjugation with TSH its measurement serves as a better tool than total T4 in the diagnosis of thyroid disorders. KEYWORDS: Thyroid function test correlation; Free T4 concordance

CONCORDANCE BETWEEN FREE T4 AND T4 IN THYROID FUNCTION TESTS

Background: Thyroid hormones regulate the metabolism of virtually all cells in the body. The frequency of thyroid dysfunction in our population compels every physician to be skilled in the diagnosis of thyroid disease. Direct measurement of serum concentration of TSH, T4 and T3 is used to establish the diagnosis of primary hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. The free unbound fraction of T4 (FT4) and T3 (FT3) which is less than 0.03% is the active form of the hormone. Free T4 (the biologically active T4) is less sensitive to changes in serum binding proteins and hence FT4 levels could best represent the thyroid functional status Aim: To evaluate the concordance between total T4, T3 levels and free T4 levels in patients with abnormal thyroid function test reports where the full panel of TFT has been ordered. Materials & Methods: Consecutive TFT reports of patients in whom the full panel of TFT have been ordered over a two month period were included in the analysis. The results obtained were statistically analyzed by the help of Microsoft Excel and SPSS software. Results: In the hypothyroid group, the median TSH was 6.89 microIU/ml (Mean=21.25) with a mean T4 of 6.75 microgm/dl and mean FT4 of 1.03 ng/ml .In this group, the mean T3 was 0.91 ng/ml a range 0.195-1.95. In the hyperthyroid group, the mean TSH was 0.049 microIU/ml with a mean T4 and FT4 of 11.01 microgm/dl and 2.07 ng/ml and the mean T3 was 1.3 ng/ml with a range of 0.62 to 4.33. Statistical analysis using Karl Pearson\u27s method showed a significant correlation (r = 0.8) between T4 and FT4 values. It was also found that T3 also had a significant positive correlation with FT4 and T4. No significant influence of age and gender on TFT was found. 14% of the T4 values in the hypothyroid group and 40 % of T4 values in the hyperthyroid group were in the normal range while Free T4 alone showed changes consistent with the corresponding thyroid dysfunction. Conclusion: FT4 correlates highly with T4 in both primary hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, and in conjugation with TSH its measurement serves as a better tool than total T4 in the diagnosis of thyroid disorders. KEYWORDS: Thyroid function test correlation; Free T4 concordance

Food waste opportunities within the food wholesale and retail sectors

The aim of this research project is to provide the NSW Environment Protection Authority (NSW EPA) with a better understanding of the opportunities and barriers to reduce the amount of food waste going to landfill from the wholesale, logistics and retail sector. This report presents the research findings and provides a series of recommendations as to how NSW EPA can most effectively engage with these sectors within the food supply chain to maximise performance while minimising disruption and costs

Adaptive evolution after duplication of penaeidin antimicrobial peptides

Penaeidin antimicrobial peptides in penaeid shrimps are an important component of their innate immune system that provides immunity against infection caused by several gram-positive bacteria and filamentous fungal species. Despite the knowledge on the identification and characterization of these peptides in penaeid shrimps, little is known about the evolutionary pattern of these peptides and the underlying genetic mechanisms that maintain high sequence diversities in the penaeidin gene family. Based on the phylogenetic analyses and maximum likelihood-based codon substitution analyses, here we present the convincing evidence that multiple copies of penaeidins have evolved by gene duplication, and positive Darwinian selection (adaptive evolution) is the likely cause of accelerated rate of amino acid substitutions among these duplicated genes.fisheries of the country has led to a remarkable increase in fish landings, the problem of by-catch and targeted juvenile fishing is ever increasing. The present analysis shows that the contribution in the form of annual average profit by various craft–gear combinations is often not sufficient to compensate the overall loss generated by the same to the fishery through the harvest of juvenile fishes. Even though the fishermen gain some transient economic incentives from the juveniles landed, the estimated economic loss calculated was at about US$ 19,445 million year−1 from the mechanised as well as motorised sector. Both intergenerational and conventional discounting was applied to show the net present value (NPV) of future loss due to juvenile fishing. Some of the less capital intensive gears also substantially contribute towards the economic deficit caused by juvenile fishing. We suggest that, while considering the ecosystem impacts of accidental by-catch and intentional juvenile fishing, the economic impacts also should be taken into account prior to formulating any management measures. The study provides an insight to the cost of juvenile fishing in a multi-species multi-gear fishery, where a homogeneous management system is ineffective. The possible causes of increased growth overfishing in the country and subsequent economic loss to the industry are also discussed

Chemopreventive Potential of Synergy1 and Soybean in Reducing Azoxymethane-Induced Aberrant Crypt Foci in Fisher 344 Male Rats

Synergy1, a prebiotic composed of Inulin and Oligofructose (1 : 1). Soybean meal is a natural source of isoflavones. The objective was to investigate the effects of feeding Synergy1 and SM on the incidence of azoxymethane- (AOM-) induced aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in Fisher 344 male rats. Rats (54) were randomly assigned to 9 groups (n = 6). Control group (C) was fed AIN-93G and treatment groups Syn1 and SM at 5% and 10% singly and in combinations. Rats were injected with two s/c injections of AOM at 7 and 8 weeks of age at 16 mg/kg body weight and killed at 17 weeks by CO2 asphyxiation. Colonic ACF enumeration and hepatic enzyme activities were measured. Reductions (%) in total ACF among treatment groups fed combinations were higher (67–77) compared to groups fed singly (52–64). Synergistic mechanisms among phytochemicals may be responsible suggesting protective role in colon carcinogenesis with implications in food product development