Implications of the Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation in Common Bean under Seasonal Water Stress

The objective of this research was to study the performance of 10 common bean genotypes under water deficit stress and how it affects to their symbiotic relationship with 10 Rhizobium strains in both greenhouse and field conditions. PHA-0471, a small seeded genotype had the best yield under irrigation and under water stress. Other genotypes with tolerance to drought were the large-seeded PHA-0432 and PHA-0683. In the Rhizobium inoculation tests it was observed that the increase of dry nodular weight produced less seed yield in beans. PHA-0683 genotype presented a great uniformity on nodule size and an association with yield when it displays the big nodule phenotype. Further research about this would be interesting because this fact could be due to the existence of a plant blocking mechanism for inefficient strain nodules. The inoculated plants were productive in irrigated fields and in drought ones and their productivity was the same or even better than the N supplemented plant control. The genotype-strain relationship was very specific and the local strains achieved the greatest productivity with some genotypes in irrigated and drought conditions that make possible their use as inoculating strains, with relevance for the environmental impact of agriculture.

A Review on Mouth Dissolving Film

Mouth dissolving film is the most advanced oral solid dosage form due to its flexibility and comfort in use. Mouth dissolving films are oral solid dosage form that disintegrate and dissolve within a minute when placed in mouth without taking water or chewing. This dosage form allows the medication to bypass the first pass metabolism so bioavailability of medication may be improved .Mouth dissolving film has potential to improve onset of action lower the dosing and eliminate the fear of chocking. Formulation of mouth dissolving films involves both the visual and performance characteristics as plasticized hydrocolloids, API taste masking agents are being laminated by solvent casting and semisolid casting method. Solvent casting method being the most preferred method over other methods because it offers great uniformity of thickness and films prepared having fine glossy look and better physical properties. Mouth dissolving films are evaluated for its various parameters like thickness, physical property like folding endurance, disintegration and dissolution time. This review gives an idea about formulation techniques, evaluation parameters, overview on packaging and some available marketed products of mouth dissolving films. Keywords: Mouth dissolving film, solvent casting, fast disintegration

Sub-Wavelength Scale Si Inverted Pyramid Fabrication with Enhanced Size Control by Using Silica Sphere Lithography Technique

In this paper, we present a novel silicon (Si) subwavelength-scale surface structure (SWSS) fabrication process using the silica sphere (SS) lithography technique, which allows controllable geometries. The process involves a new cost-effective solvent-controlled spin-coating method that deposits SS on large Si surface areas with enhanced SS monolayer coverage and uniformity compared to conventional methods. The larger areas and rapid, low cost processing allow colloidal sphere lithography to be realistically used for solar cells. We successfully demonstrate 1.57 μm diameter SS on a 2-inch round Si wafer with more than 95% SS monolayer coverage and great uniformity. Using these deposited SS, a SWSS fabrication process was designed and successfully demonstrated Si inverted pyramid structures with dimension on the order of 1.1 μm, thus potentially providing a new technique for effective light-management of thin crystalline Si solar cells.

Cannibalism, growth performance, and body composition of giant trahira juveniles under different photoperiods

The objective of this work was to determine the effect of photoperiod on the cannibalism, growth, and body composition of giant trahira (Hoplias intermedius) juveniles. A completely randomized design was employed, with four photoperiods - 0L:24D, 6L:18D, 12L:12D, and 18L:6D, hours of light (L): dark (D) - and four replicates, for a period of 90 days. The analyzed parameters were: cannibalism, growth in weight and length, food consumption, feed conversion, protein efficiency rate, muscle growth, and body composition (moisture, lipid, ash, and crude protein). Fish from the 12L:12D photoperiod showed the highest survival rate and no cannibalism, as well as a great uniformity for length and mass values at the end of the experiment. The best photoperiod for giant trahira juveniles is 12L:12D, as these fish showed growth uniformity and no cannibalism, while fish from the 6L:18D and 18L:6D groups had a greater diameter of white muscle fibers and a higher frequency of greater diameter fibers. Giant trahira showed the lowest value for lipids at 6L:18D and the highest value at 12L:12D. Photoperiod affects survival and cannibalism; regarding body composition, only lipids are influenced by photoperiod.

Ultrastructural organization of the tomato embryo sac at the time of fertilization

In tomato embryo sac at the time of fertilization noticeable multiplication of the endosperm cytoplasm is observed. The cytoplasm of the egg cell, next to the nucleus, appears loose with distinct mitochondria and plastids. At a distance from the nucleus ribosomes become grouped into a cytoplasmic mass of great uniformity. Nucleolar structure of the egg cell nucleus displaces to its periphery. Its new position seems to he related to the process of fertilization. In the area of the endosperm two nuclei in close contact to each other are found which suggests the beginning of secondary fertilization.

Safe Test System for the Turning Vehicles ESP Control Performances on the Lateral Restricted Vehicle System

Project the lateral restricted vehicle system to establish a safe and efficient vehicle driving stability control test system. Aimed at Chery A3 car, based on Matlab/Simulink, establish the lateral restricted vehicle dynamic simulation system. Used the braking and driving integrated ESP control strategy, separately analyze the ESP control performances of the independent vehicle system and the lateral restricted vehicle system on three test conditions including neutral steering, under steering, over steering. The research results indicate that the ESP control performances of the lateral restricted vehicle system and the independent vehicle system have great uniformity on the three test conditions, provide a basis for the vehicle driving stability control test research.

Conodont alteration and tectonothermal evolution of a diagenetic unit in the Iberian Variscan belt (Ponga-Cuera unit, NW Spain)

Tectonothermal analysis of a mainly carbonate unit located in the external part of the Variscan orogen in NW Spain is dealt with using the conodont colour alteration index (CAI) and the study of textures of these microfossils. The Kübler index of the illite (KI) is used as a complementary method. The area is characterized by a great uniformity in the CAI values, which in most cases are <2, indicating diagenetic conditions. In spite of the low CAI values, textures show great variety and were mainly originated by diagenetic processes of apatite dissolution and precipitation. The conodonts underwent a long period of heating (probably from the Pennsylvanian to the Cenozoic) to low temperatures (<100°C) to reach the low CAI values measured. Assuming a normal geothermal gradient, these temperatures required an overburden <3 km that in part was due to burial and in part to tectonic superimposition. Minor local anomalies in the CAI values and some textural alterations, related to dissolution and precipitation of authigenic minerals, could be due to epithermal activity that gave rise to various ore deposits in the studied area mainly during Permian times.

(244) Genetic Breeding of Gladiolus hybridus in Romania

Gladiolus is one of the most popular flower crops grown in Romania. The breeding program at the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca of this species has been especially focused on the improvement of main characteristics, such as color, number and form of florets, plant height, multiplication capacity, diseases resistance, etc. A program for genetic breeding of gladiolus varieties using different genitors (Romanian and foreign cultivars) was initiated. An intraspecific crossing between cultivars has been made followed by clonal selection and vegetative multiplication of the selections. In this paper, we show 15 new gladiolus selections, which were observed and analyzed in 2004–05. The selections obtained have a great uniformity of their morphological characteristics. These selections are more vigorous, producing greater number of florets with superior quality, have new colors of flower, and are distinguished by a long blooming time. The intraspecific variability of the above-mentioned characteristics was more than low, and rarely medium, high, or very high. These data suggest fair possibilities to choose the best selections that will be proposed for testing and homologation as new cultivars. The hybrids represent a step forward in combining high qualities in gladiolus. They will contribute to improving the assortment of gladiolus for cut flowers, landscape, or as genetic material, which can be used for new crossing in order to obtain new cultivars. Scientifically, a series of findings appeared considering the combining capacity of genitors, transmission of some useful qualities, and other aspects that contribute to improve of the new varieties.

Quality Control of Factor VIII Concentrates Using an Automated Device. A Long-Term Study

A F VIII quality control system must allow accurate and uniformly precised measurements. Accuracy depend both on assay method and on reagents. The “right answer” to a F VIII:c is undefined, so we can only control internal accuracy of the assay system by demonstrating that the result is uneffected by changes from one batch of reagent to another. Precision is affected by several sources of error,(e.g. pipetting, measurement of end point etc.) Automation allows great uniformity of these. Accuracy and precision also depend on the reference plasma. It is well established that assays of concentrate against concentrate are less variable than assays of concentrate against plasma. In this study we collected data from quality control assays of 437 batches of concentrate against frozen normal plasma (–150°C). Each assay also contained a single batch of cryoprecipitate stored under equal conditions. The assays were performed over 60 weeks during which time 6 batches of substrate plasma 2 batches of Cephotest and 7 normal plasma pools were used. The lamp used for optical determination of the end point was also changed once. Statistical analysis showed that the only major change of the results occured when the normal plasmapools were changed. Otherwise the uniformity of the measurement was very good. The results strongly suggests the use of large batches of reference standards which may be calibrated against the international standard, and is preferable to the use of frozen normal plasma pools.