Weathering and accumulation of trace elements in the soils of the Porali Plain, Balochistan: repercussions in agriculture

This study is thefirst attempt to assess the nature of the soil,especially on the western side of the Porali Plain in Balochistan;a new emerging agriculture hub,using weathering and pollution indices supplemented by multi-variate analysis based on geochemical data.The outcomes of this study are expected to help farmers in soil manage-ment and selecting suitable crops for the region.Twenty-five soil samples were collected,mainly from the arable land of the Porali Plain.After drying and coning-quarter-ing,soil samples were analyzed for major and trace ele-ments using the XRF technique;sieving and hydrometric methods were employed for granulometric analysis.Esti-mated data were analyzed using Excel,SPSS,and Surfer software to calculate various indices,correlation matrix,and spatial distribution.The granulometric analysis showed that 76%of the samples belonged to loam types of soil,12%to sand type,and 8%to silt type.Weathering indices:CIA,CIW,PIA,PWI,WIP,CIX,and ICV were calculated to infer the level of alteration.These indices reflect mod-erate to intense weathering;supported by K_(2)O/AI_(2)O_(3),Rb/K_(2)O,Rb/Ti,and Rb/Sr ratios.Assessment of the geo-ac-cumulation and Nemerow Pollution indices pinpoint rela-tively high concentrations of Pb,Ni,and Cr concentration in the soils.The correlation matrix and Principal Compo-nent Analysis show that the soil in this study area is mainly derived from the weathering of igneous rocks of Bela Ophiolite(Cretaceous age)and Jurassic sedimentary rocks of Mor Range having SEDEX/MVT type mineralization.Weathering may result in the undesirable accumulation of certain trace elements which adversely affects crops.

菲律宾蛤仔过敏原可视化抗体微阵列玻片的检测方法

采用辣根过氧化物酶(HRP)与3,3′,5,5′—四甲基联苯胺(TMB)—H2O2作为信号示踪系统,建立了一种可视化抗体微阵列检测菲律宾蛤仔过敏原的方法。对孵育时间、抗体浓度等免疫条件进行了优化。采用改良双抗体夹心法,将菲律宾蛤仔过敏原的兔多克隆抗体固定于琼脂糖三维芯片上,依次加入待检样品、菲律宾蛤仔鼠多克隆抗体和HRP-羊抗鼠IgG,孵育后加TMB显色,肉眼观察后,用平板扫描仪获取扫描图象,采用GenePixPro6.0软件分析灰度值。试验结果表明,该方法最低可检出10ng/mL的菲律宾蛤仔过敏原,片内平均变异系数(CV)为5.99%,片间为10.3%;香肠及蟹棒中3个不同浓度的加标回收率为73.54%～95.44%;4℃存放4个月内抗体微阵列玻片活性保持稳定。该方法不需要大型精密仪器,结果直观可见,可以发展为对多种过敏原进行同时检测,具有良好的实用和推广价值。

Biosorption characteristics of unicellular green alga Chlorella sorokiniana immobilized in loofa sponge for removal of Cr(Ⅲ)

Loofa sponge （LS） immobilized biomass of Chlorella sorokiniana （LSIBCS）, isolated from industrial wastewater, was investigated as a new biosorbent for the removal of Cr（Ⅲ） from aqueous solution. A comparison of the biosorption of Cr（Ⅲ） by LSIBCS and free biomass of C. sorokiniana （FBCS） from 10-300 mg Cr（Ⅲ）/L aqueous solutions showed an increase in uptake of 17.79% when the microalgal biomass was immobilized onto loofa sponge. Maximum biosorption capacity for LSIBCS and FBCS was found to be 69.26 and 58.80 mg Cr（Ⅲ）/g biosorbent, respectively, whereas the amount of Cr（Ⅲ） ions adsorbed onto naked LS was 4.97 mg/g. The kinetics of Cr（Ⅲ） biosorption was extremely rapid and equilibrium was established in about 15 and 20 min by LSIBCS and FBCS, respectively. The biosorption equilibrium was well defined by Langmuir adsorption isotherm model. The biosorption kinetics followed the pseudo-second order kinetic model. The biosorption was found to be pH dependent and the maximum sorption occurred at the solution pH 4.0. Desorption studies showed that 98% of the adsorbed Cr（Ⅲ） could be desorbed with 0.1 mol/L HNO3, while other desorbing agents were less effective in the order： EDTA 〉 H2SO4 〉 CH3COOH 〉 HCl. The regenerated LSIBCS retained 92.68% of the initial Cr（Ⅲ） binding capacity up to five cycles of reuse in continuous flow-fixed bed columns. The study revealed that LSIBCS could be used as an effective biosorbent for the removal of Cr（Ⅲ） from wastewater.

Optimization of Preparative Separation and Purification of Total Polyphenols from Sargassum tenerrimum by Column Chromatography

Polyphenols from the ethanol extracts of Sargassum tenerrimum (ST) with potent antiallergic effects were studied to optimize separation process through column chromatography. The adsorption and desorption characteristics of three widely used adsorbents: macroporous resin, silica gel, and polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP), were critically evaluated respectively and studied for the optimization of preparative separation of polyphenols. Static operations on these adsorbents showed that macroporous resin had the best adsorption and desorption capability among the three adsorbents. Dynamic adsorption and desorption with macroporous resin packed column were also conducted to optimize the parameters such as: with the optimal values shown in brackets, the concentration of extract solution (4 times diluted), pH value (6?7), adsorption speed (3 BV h-1, bed volumes/per hour), concentration of ethanol (80%), elution speed (3 BV h-1) and elution volume (7 BV). The chromatographic process so optimized gave a purity of 62.43% from the crude polyphenols, providing a promising basis for large scale preparation of bioactive polyphenols upon further scaling up tests.

Dengue fever treatment with Carica papaya leaves extracts

The main objective of the current study is to investigate the potential of Carica papaya leaves extracts against Dengue fever in 45 year old patient bitten by carrier mosquitoes.For the treatment of Dengue fever the extract was prepared in water.25 mL of aqueous extract of C.papaya leaves was administered to patient infected with Dengue fever twice daily i.e.morning and evening for five consecutive days.Before the extract administration the blood samples from patient were analyzed.Platelets count(PLT),White Blood Cells(WBC) and Neutrophils(NEUT) decreased from 176×10~3/μ L,8.10×10~3/μ L,84.0%to 55×10~3/μ L,3.7×10~3/μL and 46.0%.Subsequently,the blood samples were rechecked after the administration of leaves extract.It was observed that the PLT count increased from 55×10~3/μ L to 168×10~3/μ L,WBC from 3.7×10~3/μ L to 7.7×10~3/μ L and NEUT from 46.0%to 78.3%.From the patient feelings and blood reports it showed that Carica papaya leaves aqueous extract exhibited potential activity against Dengue fever.Furthermore,the different parts of this valuable specie can be further used as a strong natural candidate against viral diseases.

In vitro larvicidal potential against Anopheles stephensi and antioxidative enzyme activities of Ginkgo biloba,Stevia rebaudiana and Parthenium hysterophorous

Objective:To investigate in vitro larvicidal and antioxidant enzymes potential of the medicinal plants Ginkgo biloba（G.biloba）,Stevia rebaudiana（S.rebaudiana） and Parthenium hysterophorous（P.hysterophorous） against Anopheles stephensi（An.stephensi） 4th instars larvae. Methods:For evaluation of larvicidal potential,the ethanolic,methanolic and dichloromethane leaves extracts of three different plants were used in dose-dependent experiments in two media, while the antioxidant enzymes activities were investigated using four different methods viz., superoxide dismutase,peroxidase,ascorbate and catalase.Results:An.stephensi has developed resistance to various synthetic insecticides,making its control increasingly difficult.The comparative performance of ethanolic extracts（65%-90%） was found better than the methanolic extract（70%-87%） and dichloromethane extract（60%-70%）.Among the three plants extracts tested in two media,S.rebaudiana exhibited higher larvicidal activity with LC50（24 h） in methanolic extract than P.hysterophorous and G.biloba.G.biloba and P.hysterophorous exhibited the strongest antioxidative enzymes activity and S.rebaudiana were less active and no significant difference was observed.Conclusions:These three plants exhibit larvicidal potential and can be further used for vector control alternative to synthetic insecticide due to eco-friendly and diseases control,furthermore these plant species have potent antioxidative enzyme activities, therefore,making them strong natural candidate particularly for diseases which are caused due to free radicals.

Biogeochemical evaluation of Nannorrhops ritchiana: A Mg-flora from Khuzdar, Balochistan, Pakistan

Nannorrhops ritchiana (Mazari Palm) is a distinctive flora growing in the Saharo-Sindian region. It is well distributed on the ultramafic soil, derived from the Bela Ophiolite in the Khuzdar District, Balochistan, Pakistan. Quantitative estimation of Ca, Mg, Fe and Ni in soil and plant ash has been carried out. The constituents of plant ash have been discussed in relation to soil chemistry, pH, climate, mobility, average abundance in plant ash and exclusion mechanism of the flora. Relationship among Ca, Mg, Fe and Ni has been established using scattergrams to evaluate the biogeochemistry of the plant. High contents of Mg and high coefficient of biological absorption allow it to be classed as Mg-flora. Both Ca and Fe appeared to be antagonistic to Mg. The metal assemblage of N. ritchiana nicely reflected the nature of the bed rock as being serpentinized ultramafic, and its corresponding soils. Good exclusion mechanism of N. ritchiana did not allow it to absorb high Ni from the soil. Relatively high concentrations of Ni in N. ritchiana from the Baran Lak area can be used to localize Ni-mineralization in the study area.; Statistical analyses, such as minimum, maximum, mean, mode, median, standard deviations, and coefficient of correlation, were also made to improve raw geochemical data and interpretations.

Textile Environmental Conditioning: Effect of Relative Humidity Variation on the Tensile Properties of Different Fabrics

With the aim that to confirm the need for humidity control in the environment in which textile sample are visually and instrumentally analyzed, three different pre-conditioned fabrics sample of cotton, polyester and silk were treated at a fix temperature of 21?C. The relative humidity adjusted to four levels: 55%, 65%, 75% and 85% RH for a conditioning time of 24 hours as specified in ASTM D-1776-98. It has been observed that as the relative humidity increase from 55% to 85% cotton increase its tensile strength, silk losses its strength and there was no significant change observed in the tensile strength of polyester fabric.

Synthesis, X-ray Crystallographic Analysis and Bioactivities of α-Aminophosphonates Featuring Pyrazole and Fluorine Moieties

A series of novel -aminophosphonates containing pyrazole and fluorine moieties was designed and synthesized through ultrasonic-assisted condensation and solvent-free addition reactions. Their structures were verified by IR, ^1H NMR, ^13C NMR and elemental analysis. The crystal structure of diethyl[（4-cyano-1H-pyrazol-3-ylamino）（3,5-difluorophenyl）methyl]phosphonate（4a, C15H17F2N4O3P） was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compound 4a crystallizes in the triclinic system, space group P1 with a = 8.381（3）, b = 10.103（5）, c = 11.268（3） A, α= 83.772（19）, β= 74.726（19）, γ= 70.964（18）, V = 869.9（6） 3, Mr = 370.30, Dc = 1.414 g/cm^3, Z = 2, F（000） = 384, = 0.200 mm^-1, MoKa radiation（ = 0.71073 ）, the final R = 0.0487 and w R = 0.0823 for 1582 observed reflections with I 〉 2（I）. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that there are two planes in 4a, and the dihedral angle is 71.51°. Two intermolecular hydrogen bonds and a face-to-face … stacking interaction are observed in the crystal structure. The compounds were evaluated for their antifungal, antiviral and antitumor activities, respectively. Among them, 4b, 4c, 4g and 4h exhibit good activities on Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc at 200 μg/m L, while 4b, 4c, 4f and 4g possess good anti-TMV activities at 500 μg/m L. Unfortunately, all of the compounds showed weak antitumor activities.

Comparison between Pigment Printing Systems with Acrylate and Butadiene Based Binders

Pigment printing was carried out on lab scale by simple screen-printing techniques. By the application of acrylate and butadiene based binder, the crocking fastness, formaldehyde release and PVC migration of fabric printed with Imparon red KB pigment was evaluated. The effect of curing time on K/S values was also investigated. It has been found that butadiene based binder shows good performance in terms of crocking fastness, formaldehyde release and PVC migra-tion. It has also been observed that by increasing the binder concentration, the release of formaldehyde decreased and by increasing the curing time, the K/S values of printed fabric were decreased.

Synthesis,Crystal Structure and Spectroscopic Properties of 1,2-Benzothiazine Derivatives:An Experimental and DFT Study

1,2-Benzothiazine derivatives methyl 3-methoxy-4-oxo-3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[e] [1,2]thiazine-3-carboxylate 1,1-dioxide（1） and methyl 2-ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-oxo-3,4-dihydro-2Hbenzo[e][1,2]thiazine-3-carboxylate 1,1-dioxide（2） were synthesized, and characterized by spectroscopic techniques; 1H-NMR and infrared（IR） spectroscopy. Crystals of 1 and 2 were grown by slow evaporation of methanol and ethyl acetate, respectively and their crystal structures were investigated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Geometric properties were calculated by the B3 LYP method of density functional theory（DFT） at the 6-31G＋（d） basis set to compare with the experimental data. Simulated properties were found in strong agreement with the experimental ones. Intermolecular forces have also been modeled in order to investigate the strength of packing and strong hydrogen bonding was observed in both compounds 1 and 2. Electronic properties such as Ionization Potential（IP）, Electron Affinities（EA） and coefficients of the highest occupied molecular orbital（HOMO） and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital（LUMO） of com- pounds 1 and 2 were simulated for the first time.

Corrosion by a Heavy Metal Oxide Glass

Melts of lead bismuth gallate compositions are highly corrosive and attack on crucibles of different materials. In the present study, corrosion by a base glass (50PbO-30Bi2O3-20Ga2O3 in mole fraction) melted using different crucibles and the effect on UV-VIS and IR edges were studied. By melting the base glass in platinum/2% rhodium, gold zirconia and alumina crucibles showed less effect on the IR edge and therefore shifted the infrared edge to longer wavelength, whereas silica crucible contaminated the glass, causing a severe deterioration in the infrared and hence shifted infrared edge to much shorter wavelength. In the UV-VIS region, base glass melted in platinum/2% rhodium crucible shifted the edge to the longest wavelength whereas silica crucible shifted the edge to shorter wavelength. The contaminants from gold, zirconia and alumina crucibles caused the UV-VIS edge of the base glass to lie between the two extremes of Pt/2% Rh and SiO2 crucibles. The glasses melted in above mentioned crucibles were also characterized with inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy (ICP) analysis to measure the level of contamination from the crucibles. Depending upon crucible used, the colors of glasses obtained ranged from red to yellow.

Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of certain Morus species

In the present work,the fruits of four Morus species,namely Morus alba (white mulberry),Morus nigra (black mulberry),Morus laevigata (large white fruit),and Morus laevigata (large black fruit),were analyzed for proximate composition,essential minerals,and antioxidant potentials.For this purpose,the ripe fruits were collected from the northern regions of Pakistan.The major nutritional components moisture,ash,lipids,proteins,fibres,carbohydrates,and total sugar) were found to be in the suitable range along with good computed energy.Total dry weight,pH,and titratable acidity (percent citric acid) were (17.60±1.94)–(21.97±2.34) mg/100 g,(3.20±0.07)–(4.78±0.15),and (0.84±0.40)%–(2.00±0.08)%,respectively.Low riboflavin (vitamin B2) and niacin (vitamin B3) contents were recorded in all the fruits,while ascorbic acid (vitamin C) was in the range from (15.20±1.25) to (17.03±1.71) mg/100 g fresh weight (FW).The mulberry fruits were rich with regard to the total phenol and alkaloid contents,having values of (880±7.20)–(1650±12.25) mg/100 g FW and (390±3.22)–(660±5.25) mg/100 g FW,respectively.Sufficient quantities of essential macro-(K,Ca,Mg,and Na) and micro-(Fe,Zn,and Ni) elements were found in all the fruits.K was the predominant element with concentration ranging from (1270±9.36) to (1731±11.50) mg/100 g,while Ca,Na,and Mg contents were (440±3.21)–(576±7.37),(260±3.86)–(280±3.50),and (240±3.51)–(360±4.20) mg/100 g,respectivly.The decreasing order of micro-minerals was Fe>Zn>Ni.The radical scavenging activity of methanolic extract of fruits was concentration-dependent and showed a correlation with total phenolic constituents of the respective fruits.Based on the results obtained,mulberry fruits were found to serve as a potential source of food diet and natural antioxidants.

Assessment of sunflower germplasm for phytoremediation of lead-polluted soil and production of seed oil and seed meal for human and animal consumption

Phytoremediation is a valuable technology for mitigating soil contamination in agricultural lands,but phytoremediation without economic revenue is unfeasible for land owners and farmers.The use of crops with high biomass and bioenergy for phytoremediation is a unique strategy to derive supplementary benefits along with remediation activities.Sunflower(Helianthus annuus L.)is a high-biomass crop that can be used for the phytoremediation of polluted lands with additional advantages(biomass and oil).In this study,40 germplasms of sunflower were screened in field conditions for phytoremediation with the possibility for oil and meal production.The study was carried out to the physiological maturity stage.All studied germplasms mopped up substantial concentrations of Pb,with maximum amounts in shoot>root>seed respectively.The phytoextraction efficiency of the germplasm was assessed in terms of the Transfer factor(TF),Metal removal efficiency(MRE)and Metal extraction ratio(MER).Among all assessed criteria,GP.8585 was found to be most appropriate for restoring moderately Pb-contaminated soil accompanied with providing high biomass and high yield production.The Pb content in the oil of GP.8585 was below the Food safety standard of China,with 59.5% oleic acid and 32.1% linoleic acid.Moreover,amino acid analysis in meal illustrated significant differences among essential and nonessential amino acids.Glutamic acid was found in the highest percentage(22.4%),whereas cysteine in the lowest percentage(1.3%).Therefore,its efficient phytoextraction ability and good quality edible oil and meal production makes GP.8585 the most convenient sunflower germplasm for phytoremediation of moderately Pb-contaminated soil,with fringe benefits to farmers and landowners.

Anti-allergic effects of ethanol extracts from brown seaweeds

Ethanol extracts of brown seaweeds from Pakistan and China were isolated and compared for their antiallergenic activities. They included Sargassum tennerimum (ST) and Sargassum cervicorne (SC) from Pakistan, and Sargassum gramini- folium turn (SG), Sargassum thunbergii (STH), and Laminaria japonica (LJ) from China. The ethanol extracts of these brown seaweeds were optimized at 85% (v/v) ethanol for the maximum yield of phlorotannin, an inhibitor against hyaluronidase. Total phlorotannins contained in the crude extracts were measured as 1.71% (SG), 0.74% (STH), 0.97% (LJ), 3.30% (SC), and 5.06% (ST). The 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of Pakistani SC and ST were 109.5 and 21 μg/ml, respectively, lower than those of Chinese SG, STH, and LJ (134, 269, and 148 μg/ml, respectively). An antiallergic drug, disodium cromoglycate (DSCG), had an IC50=39 μg/ml, and a natural inhibitor of hyaluronidase, catechin, had an IC50=20 μg/ml. The IC50 of ST extract was found similar to that of catechin (21 vs 20 μg/ml) and lower than that of DSCG (21 vs 39 μg/ml). This suggests that ST is a potent inhibitor of hyaluronidase, indicating a promising future development of natural antiallergic medicines or functional foods.

Estimation and inter-comparison of dust aerosols based on MODIS, MISR and AERONET retrievals over Asian desert regions

This study presents detailed analysis of spatiotemporal variations and trend of dust optical properties i.e., Aerosol Optical Depth(AOD) and Angstrom component over Asian desert regions using thirteen years of data(i.e., 2001–2013) retrieved from Aerosol Robotic Network(AERONET), Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer(MODIS) and Multi-angle Imaging Spectroradiometer(MISR). These regions include Solar Village, Dunhuang and Dalangzadgad and are considered as origin of desert aerosols in Asia. Mann–Kendall trend test was used to show the trend of AOD. The relationship of AOD with weather parameters and general AOD trend over different wavelengths has also been shown. AOD's trend has been observed significant throughout the year in Solar Village, while in Dunhuang and Dalanzadgad the significant trend has been found only in peak period(March–June).Analysis show high values of AOD and low values of angstrom in Solar Village during peak period. In Chinese desert regions, high values of AOD have been found during peak period and low values in pre-peak period. Significant relationship has been observed between AOD and average temperature in Solar Village and Dalanzadgad whereas rainfall and wind speed showed no significant impact on AOD in all desert regions.

Evaluation of antioxidant activities of Hippophae rhamnoides Linn leaves extracts

Objective:To investigate the antioxidant activity of aqueous,methanol,ethanol,acetone,ethyl acetate,chloroform and n-hexane extracts of Hippophae rhamnoides(H.rhamnoides)leaves.Methods:Antioxidant activity was evaluated by using in-vitro antioxidant assays model 1,1’-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging activity.The antioxidant activities were compared with standard antioxidant agents such as ascorbic acid.Results:The antioxidant activities(%inhibition)of all the tested extracts were increased in the order i.e.menthol>ethanol>aqueous>acetone>chloroform>ethyl acetate>n-hexane.The methanol extract EC_(50)(μg/mL)value was compatible with vitamin C(standard).The antioxidant activity of H.rhamnoides leaves extracts increased in a dose dependent manner.Conclusions:It was observed that H.rhamnoides was a potential resource of antioxidants and thus could put off numerous radical linked diseases.

Microwaves spark emission spectroscopy for the analysis of cations:A simple form of atomic emission spectroscopy

为阳离子分析的一个新奇方法被调查。分析基于在在一个石墨房间放以后在微波炉发出火花金属的盐。石墨房间吸收微波并且生产把盐变换成射出种类的光的高温度。然而，光的颜色在阳离子的性质上被发现到依赖者射出的光的紧张被发现除了盐的集中正在取决于石墨集会的形式和形状。这通讯为所有这些观察并且为介绍解释系统并且定量分析使用微波火花排放技术。

Antibacterial activities of some selected plant extracts of local herbal medicines in Lahore-Pakistan

The antibacterial activity of methanol and acetone extracts of five plant extracts being utilized for the cure of different ailments in Pakistan was studied.The extracts of Curcuma zedoaria,Ipomea turpethum,Sphaeranthus indicus,Terminalia chebula and Tricholepis glaberrima were tested against seven different bacterial strains by well diffusion method and microdilution methods.The pattern of zone of inhibition varied with the plant extracts,the solvent used for extraction and organisms tested.Plant extracts(20 mg/mL) were used to evaluate antibacterial activities.The zone of inhibition exhibited by methanol extracts varied between 11 mm and 32 mm while those of acetone extracts varied between 9 mm and 25 mm respectively.The minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC) exhibited by methanol extracts ranged between(18.4-51.1) mg/mL.Overall methanolic extracts showed more activity than the acetone extracts against tested organisms except for S.indicus.The plants were also analyzed for their elemental composition using atomic absorption spectrophotometer to explore natural sources of essential elements that can be utilized for medicinal purposes.