Decomposition of nitrogen-15 labeled hoop pine harvest residues in subtropical Australia

Information on decomposition of harvest residues may assist in the maintenance of soil fertility in second rotation (2R) hoop pine plantations (Araucaria cunninghamii Aiton ex A. Cunn.) of subtropical Australia. The experiment was undertaken to determine the dynamics of residue decomposition and fate of residue-derived N. We used N-15-labeled hoop pine foliage, branch, and stem material in microplots, over a 30-mo period following harvesting. We examined the decomposition of each component both singly and combined, and used C-13 cross-polarization and magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (C-13 CPMAS NMR) to chart C transformations in decomposing foliage. Residue-derived N-15 was immobilized in the 0- to 5-cm soil layer, with approximately 40% N-15 recovery in the soil from the combined residues by the end of the 30-mo period. Total recovery of N-15 in residues and soil varied between 60 and 80% for the combined-residue microplots, with 20 to 40% of the residue N-15 apparently lost. When residues were combined within microplots the rate of foliage decomposition decreased by 30% while the rate of branch and stem decomposition increased by 50 and 40% compared with rates for these components when decomposed separately. Residue decomposition studies should include a combined-residue treatment. Based on C-15 CPMAS NMR spectra for decomposing foliage, we obtained good correlations for methoxyl C, aryl C, carbohydrate C and phenolic C with residue mass, N-15 enrichment, and total N. The ratio of carbohydrate C to methoxyl C may be useful as an indicator of harvest residue decomposition in hoop pine plantations.

Synthesis of gadolinium-labeled shell-crosslinked nanoparticles for magnetic resonance imaging applications

Shell-crosslinked knedel-like nanoparticles (SCKs; knedel is a Polish term for dumplings) were derivatized with gadolinium Shell chelates and studied as robust magnetic-resonance-imaging-active structures with hydrodynamic diameters of 40 +/- 3 nm. SCKs possessing an amphiphilic core-shell morphology were produced from the aqueous assembly of diblock copolymers of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA), PAA(52)-b-PMA(128), and subsequent covalent crosslinking by amidation upon reaction with 2,2'-(ethylenedioxy)bis(ethylamine) throughout the shell layer. The properties of these materials, including non-toxicity towards mammalian cells, non-immunogenicity within mice, and capability for polyvalent targeting, make them ideal candidates for utilization within biological systems. The synthesis of SCKs derivatized with Gd-III and designed for potential use as a unique nanometer-scale contrast agent for MRI applications is described herein. Utilization of an amino-functionalized diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid-Gd analogue allowed for direct covalent conjugation throughout the hydrophilic shell layer of the SCKs and served to increase the rotational correlation lifetime of the Gd. In addition, the highly hydrated nature of the shell layer in which the Gd was located allowed for rapid water exchange; thus, the resulting material demonstrated large ionic relaxivities (39 s(-1) mM(-1)) in an applied magnetic field of 0.47 T at 40 degrees C and, as a result of the large loading capacity of the material, also demonstrated high molecular relaxivities (20 000 s(-1) mM(-1)).

A laboratory study of water ice erosion by low-energy ions

Water ice covers the surface of various objects in the outer Solar system.Within the heliopause, surface ice is constantly bombarded and sputtered by energetic particles from the solar wind and magnetospheres. We report a laboratory investigation of the sputtering yield of water ice when irradiated at 10 K by 4 keV singly (13C+, N+, O+, Ar+) and doubly charged ions (13C2+, N2+, O2+). The experimental values for the sputtering yields are in good agreement with the prediction of a theoretical model. There is no significant difference in the yield for singly and doubly charged ions. Using these yields, we estimate the rate of water ice erosion in the outer Solar system objects due to solar wind sputtering. Temperature-programmed desorption of the ice after irradiation with 13C+ and 13C2+ demonstrated the formation of 13CO and 13CO2, with 13CO being the dominant formed species.