Characterization of tree-to-tree variation in morphological, nutritional and medicinal properties of Canarium indicum nuts

As part of a feasibility study of the commercialization potential of C. indicum nuts as Agroforestry Tree Products in Papua New Guinea, preliminary characterization studies have examined the tree-to-tree variation in morphological traits (nut and kernel mass and kernel:nut ratio), as well as nutritional (carbohydrate, fat, protein, sodium, vitamin E) and medicinal traits (anti-oxidant activity, anti-inflammatory activity and phenolic content) of kernels from 18 to 72 trees in a small number of different villages of Papua New Guinea (East New Britain Province). There was continuous variation in these traits indicating opportunities for multiple trait cultivar development targeted at food and pharmaceutical markets. Certain traits, for example anti-inflammatory activity, in which tree-to-tree variation was highly significant, present greater opportunities than others, such as saturated:unsaturated fatty acid ratio. This intraspecific variation was greater within populations than between populations. The data presented has allowed the development of a strategy to domesticate C. indicum for cultivation in homegardens and cocoa-coconut agroforests, using a participatory approach aimed at the production of agroforestry tree products (AFTPs) to empower small-holders and enhance their livelihoods and income.

Amelioration of soil compaction can take 5 years on a Vertisol under no till in the semi-arid subtropics

Heavy wheel traffic causes soil compaction, which adversely affects crop production and may persist for several years. We applied known compaction forces to entire plots annually for 5 years, and then determined the duration of the adverse effects on the properties of a Vertisol and the performance of crops under no-till dryland cropping with residue retention. For up to 5 years after a final treatment with a 10 Mg axle load on wet soil, soil shear strength at 70-100 mm and cone index at 180-360 mm were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than in a control treatment, and soil water storage and grain yield were lower. We conclude that compaction effects persisted because (1) there were insufficient wet-dry cycles to swell and shrink the entire compacted layer, (2) soil loosening by tillage was absent and (3) there were fewer earthworms in the compacted soil. Compaction of dry soil with 6 Mg had little effect at any time, indicating that by using wheel traffic only when the soil is dry, problems can be avoided. Unfortunately such a restriction is not always possible because sowing, tillage and harvest operations often need to be done when the soil is wet. A more generally applicable solution, which also ensures timely operations, is the permanent separation of wheel zones and crop zones in the field--the practice known as controlled traffic farming. Where a compacted layer already exists, even on a clay soil, management options to hasten repair should be considered, e.g. tillage, deep ripping, sowing a ley pasture or sowing crop species more effective at repairing compacted soil.

Evaluation of three storage systems used for chilling and holding swordfish

Swordfish are kept chilled, not frozen, for up to 15 days before being unloaded at Australian ports. Swordfish landed alive, and to a lesser extent prerigor, have better quality when unloaded. Warmer fishing waters did not lead to poorer quality at unloading. There was a serious loss of quality during long fishing trips. Sex had no influence on swordfish quality. Three methods of chilling were evaluated: refrigerated seawater (RSW) chilling for up to 2 days followed by storage under ice, refrigerated brine (seawater with extra salt added) for up to 2 days followed by storage in a freshwater ice slurry, and ice slurry (freshwater ice mixed with seawater) for up to 2 days followed by storage under ice only. Two fishing trips were monitored for each method. The freshness indicator K value was used to determine which method produced the best quality swordfish when unloaded at the factory. Storage method played a larger role in quality loss than capture conditions. Refrigerated brine produced the best quality swordfish when the machinery functioned properly closely followed by RSW. Ice slurry chilling of large fish such as swordfish exhibited initial delays in the reduction of core temperature which led to lower quality. This method could be improved with the addition of mechanical circulation. Mechanical problems, which resulted in minor increases of temperature during brine storage, led to a much larger loss of quality than would be expected.

Clonal propagation and storage of subtropical pines in Queensland, Australia

Clonal forestry is the approach used for deployment of Pinus elliottii x P. caribaea hybrids in Queensland, Australia. Clonal forestry relies on the ability to maintain juvenility of stock plants while selections are made in field tests, so that genetic gains are not eroded by the effects of stock plant maturation. Two parallel approaches are employed in Queensland to maintain juvenility of clonal material. Firstly, the ortet and several ramets of each clone are maintained as archive hedges <20-cm height for the duration of field tests. Secondly, shoots from archive hedges are stored in tissue culture at low temperature and low irradiance to slow growth and slow maturation. Once the best clones have been identified, production hedges are derived from both archive hedges and tissue culture shoots. About 6 million rooted cuttings are produced annually, representing almost the entire planting program of Pinus in subtropical Queensland.

Representations and properties of para-Bose oscillator operators. I. Energy position and momentum eigenstates

Para-Bose commutation relations are related to the SL(2,R) Lie algebra. The irreducible representation [script D]alpha of the para-Bose system is obtained as the direct sum Dbeta[direct-sum]Dbeta+1/2 of the representations of the SL(2,R) Lie algebra. The position and momentum eigenstates are then obtained in this representation [script D]alpha, using the matrix mechanical method. The orthogonality, completeness, and the overlap of these eigenstates are derived. The momentum eigenstates are also derived using the wave mechanical method by specifying the domain of the definition of the momentum operator in addition to giving it a formal differential expression. By a careful consideration in this manner we find that the two apparently different solutions obtained by Ohnuki and Kamefuchi in this context are actually unitarily equivalent. Journal of Mathematical Physics is copyrighted by The American Institute of Physics.

An investigation of structural, magnetic and dielectric properties of R2NiMnO6 (R = rare earth, Y)

We have investigated the structure, magnetic and dielectric properties of the double perovskite oxides, R2NiMnO6 (R = Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho and Y). We could refine powder X-ray diffraction patterns of all the phases on the basis of monoclinic (P2(1)/n) double perovskite structure where Ni and Mn atoms are ordered at 2c and 2d sites, respectively. All the phases are ferromagnetic insulators exhibiting relatively low dielectric loss and dielectric constants in the range 15-25. The ferromagnetic ordering temperature of the R2NiMnO6 series seems to correlate better with the radius of R3+ atoms than with the average Ni-O-Mn angle (phi) in the double perovskite structure. These results are consistent with all samples having Mn4+ and Ni2+ With minimal antisite disorder.

Phase relations in the system Ta-Rh-O and thermodynamic properties of TaRhO4

Phase relations in the system Ta-Rh-O were determined by analysis of quenched samples corresponding to thirteen compositions inside the ternary triangle after equilibration at 1273 K. All the Ta-Rh alloys were found to be in equilibrium with Ta2O5. Only one ternary oxide TaRhO4 was detected. Based on phase relations in the ternary system, a solid-state electrochemical cell, incorporating calcia-stabilized zirconia as the electrolyte, was designed to measure the standard Gibbs energy of formation (Delta G degrees, J mol(-1)) of TaRhO4 in the temperature range from 900 to 1300 K. For the reaction, 1/2 beta-Ta2O5 + 1/2 Rh2O3(ortho) -> TaRhO4 Delta G degrees = -42993 + 5.676T (+/- 85) The calculated decomposition temperatures of TaRhO4 are 1644 +/- 5K in pure O-2 and 1543 +/- 5K in air at a total pressure p(o) = 0.1 MPa. Thermodynamic properties of TaRhO4 at 298.15K have been evaluated from the results. The limited experimental thermodynamic data for Rh-rich alloys available in the literature are in fair accord with Miedema's model. The Gibbs energies of formation of the different phases in the binary system Ta-Rh were estimated based on these inputs, consistent with the binary phase diagram. Based on the thermodynamic information on the stability of various phases, an oxygen potential diagram for the system Ta-Rh-O at 1273K was constructed. Also presented are temperature-composition diagrams for the ternary system at constant oxygen partial pressures (po(2)/p(o) = 0.212 and 10(-6)) calculated form the basic data.

Structure and properties of two component hydrogels comprising lithocholic acid and organic amines

We demonstrate the aptitude of supramolecular hydrogel formation using simple bile acid such as lithocholic acid in aqueous solution in the presence of various dimeric or oligomeric amines. By variation of the choice of the amines in such mixtures the gelation properties could be modulated. However, the replacement of lithocholic acid (LCA) by cholic acid or deoxycholic acid resulted in no hydrogel formation. FT-IR studies confirm that the carboxylate and ammonium residues of the two components are involved in the salt (ion-pair) formation. This promotes further assembly of the components reinforced by a continuous hydrogen bonded network leading to gelation. Electron microscopy shows the morphology of the internal organization of gels of two component systems which also depends significantly on the amine part. Variation of the amine component from the simple 1,2-ethanediamine (EDA) to oligomeric amines in such gels of lithocholic acid changes the morphology of the assembly from long one-dimensional nanotubes to three-dimensional complex structures. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis with one of the amine-LCA complexes suggested the motif of fiber formation where the amines interact with the carboxylate and hydroxyl moieties through electrostatic forces and hydrogen bonding. From small angle neutron scattering study, it becomes clear that the weak gel from LCA-EDA shows scattering oscillation due to the presence of non-interacting nanotubules while for gels of LCA with oligomeric amines the individual fibers come together to form complex three-dimensional organizations of higher length scale. The rheological properties of this class of two component system provide clear evidence that the flow behavior can be modulated varying the acid-amine ratio.

Effect of substrate temperature on the physical properties of dc magnetron sputtered CuAlO2 films

Copper aluminum oxide films were prepared by direct current (dc) reactive magnetron sputtering under various substrate temperatures in the range of 303–648 K and systematically studied their physical properties. The physical properties of the films were strongly affected by the substrate temperature. The films formed at substrate temperatures <373 K were amorphous while those deposited at higher substrate temperatures (≥373 K) were polycrystalline in nature. The electrical properties of the films enhanced with substrate temperature due to the improved crystallinity. The Hall mobility of 9.4 cm2/V s and carrier concentration of 3.5 × 1017 cm−3 were obtained at the substrate temperature of 573 K. The optical band gap of the films decreased from 3.87 to 3.46 eV with the increase of substrate temperature from 373 to 573 K.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Photocatalytic Properties of ZrMo2O8

ZrMo2O8 was synthesized via two routes, namely, the traditional solid-state method and the solution combustion method. The compounds were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, UV−visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The crystals belong to a trigonal crystal system, space group P 1c (No. 163) with a = 10.1391(6) Å, c = 11.7084(8) Å, and Z = 6. The band gap of the compounds was around 2.7 eV, and DFT calculations suggest the indirect nature of the band gap. The irregular MoO4 tetrahedra create a dipole and inhibit the process of electron−hole recombination, thereby making the material photoactive. The photocatalytic activity of the compounds prepared by both routes has been investigated for the degradation of various dyes under UV irradiation, and this showed the specificity of the compounds towards the degradation of non-anthraquinonic dyes.

Side Chain Structure Determines Unique Physiologic and Therapeutic Properties of norUrsodeoxycholic Acid in Mdr2(-/-) Mice

24-norursodeoxycholic acid (norUDCA), a side chain-modified ursodeoxycholic acid derivative, has dramatic therapeutic effects in experimental cholestasis and may be a promising agent for the treatment of cholestatic liver diseases. We aimed to better understand the physiologic and therapeutic properties of norUDCA and to test if they are related to its side chain length and/or relative resistance to amidation. For this purpose, Mdr2-/- mice, a model for sclerosing cholangitis, received either a standard diet or a norUDCA-, tauro norursodeoxycholic acid (tauro- norUDCA)-, or di norursodeoxycholic acid (di norUDCA)-enriched diet. Bile composition, serum biochemistry, liver histology, fibrosis, and expression of key detoxification and transport systems were investigated. Direct choleretic effects were addressed in isolated bile duct units. The role of Cftr for norUDCA-induced choleresis was explored in Cftr-/- mice. norUDCA had pharmacologic features that were not shared by its derivatives, including the increase in hepatic and serum bile acid levels and a strong stimulation of biliary HCO3- -output. norUDCA directly stimulated fluid secretion in isolated bile duct units in a HCO3- -dependent fashion to a higher extent than the other bile acids. Notably, the norUDCA significantly stimulated HCO 3- -output also in Cftr-/- mice. In Mdr2-/- mice, cholangitis and fibrosis strongly improved with norUDCA, remained unchanged with tauro- norUDCA, and worsened with di norUDCA. Expression of Mrp4, Cyp2b10, and Sult2a1 was increased by norUDCA and di norUDCA, but was unaffected by tauro- norUDCA. Conclusion:The relative resistance of norUDCA to amidation may explain its unique physiologic and pharmacologic properties. These include the ability to undergo cholehepatic shunting and to directly stimulate cholangiocyte secretion, both resulting in a HCO3- -rich hypercholeresis that protects the liver from cholestatic injury.

Fluorite and Mixed-Metal Kagome-Related Topologies in Metal-Organic Framework Compounds: Synthesis, Structure, and Properties

Two new three-dimensional metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) [Mn-2(mu(3)-OH)(H2O)(2)(BTC)]-2 H2O, I, and [NaMn(BTC)], II (BTC=1,2,4-benzenetricarboxylate = trimellitate) were synthesized and their structures determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD). In I, the Mn-4 cluster, [Mn-4(mu(5)-OH)(2)(H2O)(4)O-12], is connected with eight trimellitate anions and each trimellitate anion connects to four different Mn-4 clusters, resulting in a fluorite-like structure. In II, the Mn2O8 dimer is connected with two Na+ ions through carboxylate oxygen to form mixed-metal distorted Kagome-related two-dimensional -M-O-M- layers, which are pillared by the trimellitate anions forming the three-dimensional structure. The extra-framework water molecules in I are reversibly adsorbed and are also corroborated by powder XRD studies. The formation of octameric water clusters involving free and coordinated water molecules appears to be new. Interesting magnetic behavior has been observed for both compounds. Electron spin resonance (ESR) studies indicate a broadening of the signal below the ordering temperature and appear to support the findings of the magnetic studies.

Ways and Means for Disposal of Surplus Water in Storage Reservoirs and other Irrigation and Flood Protective Works

In the paper new way of classifying spillways have been suggested. The various types, merits and demerits or existing spillway devices have been discussed. The considerations governing the choice of a design of a spillway have been mention. A criteria for working out the economics of spillway design has been suggested. An efficient surplus sing device has next been described and compared with other devices. In conclusion it has been suggested that the most efficient and at the same time economical arrangement will be a combination of devices. In conclusion it has been suggested will be a combination of crest gate, volute siphons and high head gates. The appendix gives a list of devices used in dams in various parts of the world.

Optical properties of reduced LiNbO,

Optical characteristics of H2-reduced LiNbO3 have been studied. The optical transmission in the spectral range 0.3 to 5 mu m is progressively narrowed as the sample is reduced. An absorption band centred at about 2.48 eV is assigned to small polarons. This interpretation is consistent with the published defect structure, transport and spectroscopic reports on reduced LiNbO3. A semi-quantitative analysis of the 2.48 eV absorption band is carried out by employing the Reik and Heese theory (1967) for optical properties of small polarons.

Purification and properties of synephrinase from Arthrobacter synephrinum

Synephrinase, an enzyme catalyzing the conversion of (−)-synephrine into p-hydroxyphenylacetaldehyde and methylamine, was purified to apparent homogeneity from the cell-free extracts of Arthrobacter synephrinum grown on (±)-synephrine as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen. A 40-fold purification was sufficient to produce synephrinase that is apparently homogeneous as judged by native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and has a specific activity of 1.8 μmol product formed /min/mg protein. Thus, the enzyme is a relatively abundant enzyme, perhaps comprising as much as 2.5% of the total protein. The enzyme essentially required a sulfhydryl compound for its activity. Metal ions like Mg2+, Ca2+, and Mn2+ stimulated the enzyme activity. Metal chelating agents, thiol reagents, denaturing agents, and metal ions like Zn2+, Hg2+, Ag1+, and Cu2+ inhibited synephrinase activity. Apart from (−)-synephrine, the enzyme acted upon (±)-octopamine and β-methoxysynephrine. Molecular oxygen was not utilized during the course of the reaction. The molecular mass of the enzyme as determined by Sephadex G-200 chromatography, was around 156,000. The enzyme was made up of four identical subunits with a molecular mass of 42,000.