Development and characterization of 3D-printed electroconductive pHEMA-co-MAA NP-laden hydrogels for tissue engineering

Tissue engineering(TE)continues to be widely explored as a potential solution to meet critical clinical needs for diseased tissue replacement and tissue regeneration.In this study,we developed a poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid)(pHEMA-co-MAA)based hydrogel loaded with newly synthesized conductive poly(3,4-ethylene-dioxythiophene)(PEDOT)and polypyrrole(PPy)nanoparticles(NPs),and subsequently processed these hydrogels into tissue engineered constructs via three-dimensional(3D)printing.The presence of the NPs was critical as they altered the rheological properties during printing.However,all samples exhibited suitable shear thinning properties,allowing for the development of an optimized processing window for 3D printing.Samples were 3D printed into pre-determined disk-shaped configurations of 2 and 10 mm in height and diameter,respectively.We observed that the NPs disrupted the gel crosslinking efficiencies,leading to shorter degradation times and compressive mechanical properties ranging between 450 and 550 kPa.The conductivity of the printed hydrogels increased along with the NP concentration to(5.10±0.37)×10^(−7)S/cm.In vitro studies with cortical astrocyte cell cultures demonstrated that exposure to the pHEMA-co-MAA NP hydrogels yielded high cellular viability and proliferation rates.Finally,hydrogel antimicrobial studies with staphylococcus epidermidis bacteria revealed that the developed hydrogels affected bacterial growth.Taken together,these materials show promise for various TE strategies.

Towards a new avenue for rapid synthesis of electrocatalytic electrodes via laser-induced hydrothermal reaction for water splitting

Electrochemical production of hydrogen from water requires the development ofelectrocatalysts that are active,stable,and low-cost for water splitting.To address these challenges,researchers are increasingly exploring binder-free electrocatalytic integratedelectrodes (IEs) as an alternative to conventional powder-based electrode preparation methods,for the former is highly desirable to improve the catalytic activity and long-term stability for large-scale applications of electrocatalysts.Herein,we demonstrate a laser-inducedhydrothermal reaction (LIHR) technique to grow NiMoO4nanosheets on nickel foam,which is then calcined under H2/Ar mixed gases to prepare the IE IE-NiMo-LR.This electrode exhibits superior hydrogen evolution reaction performance,requiring overpotentials of 59,116 and143 mV to achieve current densities of 100,500 and 1000 mA·cm-2.During the 350 h chronopotentiometry test at current densities of 100 and 500 m A·cm-2,the overpotentialremains essentially unchanged.In addition,NiFe-layered double hydroxide grown on Ni foam is also fabricated with the same LIHR method and coupled with IE-NiMo-IR to achieve water splitting.This combination exhibits excellent durability under industrial current density.The energy consumption and production efficiency of the LIHR method are systematicallycompared with the conventional hydrothermal method.The LIHR method significantly improves the production rate by over 19 times,while consuming only 27.78%of the total energy required by conventional hydrothermal methods to achieve the same production.

Aboveground carbon sequestration of Cunninghamia lanceolata forests:Magnitude and drivers

Understanding the spatial variation,temporal changes,and their underlying driving forces of carbon sequestration in various forests is of great importance for understanding the carbon cycle and carbon management options.How carbon density and sequestration in various Cunninghamia lanceolata forests,extensively cultivated for timber production in subtropical China,vary with biodiversity,forest structure,environment,and cultural factors remain poorly explored,presenting a critical knowledge gap for realizing carbon sequestration supply potential through management.Based on a large-scale database of 449 permanent forest inventory plots,we quantified the spatial-temporal heterogeneity of aboveground carbon densities and carbon accumulation rates in Cunninghamia lanceolate forests in Hunan Province,China,and attributed the contributions of stand structure,environmental,and management factors to the heterogeneity using quantile age-sequence analysis,partial least squares path modeling(PLS-PM),and hot-spot analysis.The results showed lower values of carbon density and sequestration on average,in comparison with other forests in the same climate zone(i.e.,subtropics),with pronounced spatial and temporal variability.Specifically,quantile regression analysis using carbon accumulation rates along an age sequence showed large differences in carbon sequestration rates among underperformed and outperformed forests(0.50 and 1.80 Mg·ha^(-1)·yr^(-1)).PLS-PM demonstrated that maximum DBH and stand density were the main crucial drivers of aboveground carbon density from young to mature forests.Furthermore,species diversity and geotopographic factors were the significant factors causing the large discrepancy in aboveground carbon density change between low-and high-carbon-bearing forests.Hotspot analysis revealed the importance of culture attributes in shaping the geospatial patterns of carbon sequestration.Our work highlighted that retaining largesized DBH trees and increasing shade-tolerant tree species were important to enhance carbon sequestration in C.lanceolate forests.

Nanomaterial-assisted wearable glucose biosensors for noninvasive real-time monitoring:Pioneering point-of-care and beyond

This review explores glucose monitoring and management strategies,emphasizing the need for reliable and userfriendly wearable sensors that are the next generation of sensors for continuous glucose detection.In addition,examines key strategies for designing glucose sensors that are multi-functional,reliable,and cost-effective in a variety of contexts.The unique features of effective diabetes management technology are highlighted,with a focus on using nano/biosensor devices that can quickly and accurately detect glucose levels in the blood,improving patient treatment and control of potential diabetes-related infections.The potential of next-generation wearable and touch-sensitive nano biomedical sensor engineering designs for providing full control in assessing implantable,continuous glucose monitoring is also explored.The challenges of standardizing drug or insulin delivery doses,low-cost,real-time detection of increased blood sugar levels in diabetics,and early digital health awareness controls for the adverse effects of injectable medication are identified as unmet needs.Also,the market for biosensors is expected to expand significantly due to the rising need for portable diagnostic equipment and an ever-increasing diabetic population.The paper concludes by emphasizing the need for further research and development of glucose biosensors to meet the stringent requirements for sensitivity and specificity imposed by clinical diagnostics while being cost-effective,stable,and durable.

Fate and Behavior of Tetracycline Resistance Genes in Activated Carbon Adsorption

The accessibility of tetracycline resistance gene (tetG) into the pores of activated carbon (AC), as well as the impact of the pore size distribution (PSD) of AC on the uptake capacity of tetG, were investigated using eight types of AC (four coal-based and four wood-based). AC showed the capability to admit tetG and the average reduction of tetG for coal-based and wood-based ACs at the AC dose of 1 g·L-1 was 3.12 log and 3.65 log, respectively. The uptake kinetic analysis showed that the uptake of the gene followed the pseudo-second-order kinetics reaction, and the uptake rate constant for the coal-based and wood-based ACs was in the range of 5.97 × 10-12 - 4.64 × 10-9 and 7.02 × 10-11 - 1.59 × 10-8 copies·mg-1·min-1, respectively. The uptake capacity analysis by fitting the obtained experiment data with the Freundlich isotherm model indicated that the uptake constant (KF) values were 1.71 × 103 - 8.00 × 109 (copies·g-1)1-1/n for coal-based ACs and 7.00 × 108 - 3.00 × 1010 (copies·g-1)1-1/n for wood-based ones. In addition, the correlation analysis between KF values and pore volume as well as pore surface at different pore size regions of ACs showed that relatively higher positive correlation was found for pores of 50 - 100 Å, suggesting ACs with more pores in this size region can uptake more tetG. The findings of this study are valuable as reference for optimizing the adsorption process regarding antibiotic resistance-related concerns in drinking water treatment.

A Relationship between Solar Activity and Frequency of Natural Disasters in China

The relationship between the length of the solar cycle, a good indicator of long-term change in solar activity, and natural disasters (drought, flood, and strong earthquakes) in China during the last 108 yearsis analyzed. The results suggest that the length of solar cycle may be a useful indicator for drought/flood and strong earthquakes. When the solar activity strengthens, we see the length of the solar cycle shorten and more floods occur in South China and frequent strong earthquakes happen in the Tibetan Plateau, but the droughts in East China as well as the strong earthquakes in Taiwan and at the western boundary of China are very few. The opposite frequencies occur when the solar activity weakens. The current study indicates that the solar activity may play an important role in the climate extremes and behavior in the lithosphere.

Application of dense plasma focus devices and lasers in the radiation material sciences for the goals of inertial fusion beyond ignition

Specimens of materials for prospective use in chambers of nuclear fusion reactors with inertial plasma confinement,namely,W,ODS steels,Eurofer 97 steel,a number of ceramics,etc.,have been irradiated by dense plasma focus devices and a laser in the Q-switchedmode of operation with a wide range of parameters,including some that noticeably exceeded those expected in reactors.By means of 1-ns laser interferometry and neutron measurements,the characteristics of plasma streams and fast ion beams,as well as the dynamics of their interaction with solid-state targets,have been investigated.3D profilometry,optical and scanning electron microscopy,atomic emission spectroscopy,X-ray elemental and structural analyses,and precise weighing of specimens before and after irradiation have provided data on the roughening threshold and the susceptibility to damage of the materials under investigation.Analysis of the results,together with numerical modeling,has revealed the important role of shock waves in the damage processes.It has been shown that a so-called integral damage factor may be used only within restricted ranges of the irradiation parameters.It has also been found that in the irradiation regime with well-developed gasdynamic motion of secondary plasma,the overall amount of radiation energy is spent preferentially either on removing large masses of cool matter from the material surface or on heating a small amount of plasma to high temperature(and,consequently,imparting to it a high velocity),depending on the power flux density and characteristics of the pulsed irradiation.

Synthesis of crystal-phase and color tunable mixed anion co-doped titanium oxides and their controllable photocatalytic activity

B and N mixed anions co-doped titania with various crystal phases such as anatase,brookite,and rutile were successfully synthesized by a hydrothermal synthesis followed by heat treatment in an ammonia gas atmosphere at 550-650℃(denoted as BN-Ana_x,BN-Bro_x,and BN-Rut_x,x is the treatment temperature).The colors of as-prepared BN-Ana,BN-Bro,and BN-Rut are red,yellow-green,and cyangreen,respectively.The color changing mechanism of titania was related to their various band gap structure and the existence of B-N bonding.The nitridation temperature exhibits effective color changing compared to that of nitridation time.The different phases of the mixed anion codoped titania possess different photocatalytic deNO_(x) activity.The BN-Ana and BN-Rut show poor photocatalytic deNO_(x) activity,while the BN-Bro shows excellent photocatalytic deNO_(x) activity,better than that of standard titania photocatalyst Degussa P25.The colorful titania with low-photocatalytic activity is heavy metal elements free,indicating their possible applications as nontoxic color pigments or novel cosmetic raw materials.

Bio-inspired tetracarbene compounds as a new family of energy saving catalysts

Efficient use of energy is a pressing issue.Improvement of chemical processes is currently an important target for energy efficiency.Although chemical processes are independent of pathways with respect to the final energy output or consumption,the application of catalysts can reduce involved activation energies considerably and therefore save large amounts of energy.

Finned Zn-MFI zeolite encapsulated noble metal nanoparticle catalysts for the oxidative dehydrogenation of propane with carbon dioxide

Oxidative dehydrogenation of propane with carbon dioxide(CO_(2)-ODP)characterizes the tandem dehydrogenation of propane to propylene with the reduction of the greenhouse gas of CO_(2)to valuable CO.However,the existing catalyst is limited due to the poor activity and stability,which hinders its industrialization.Herein,we design the finned Zn-MFI zeolite encapsulated noble metal nanoparticles(NPs)as bifunctional catalysts(NPs@Zn-MFI)for CO_(2)-ODP.Characterization results reveal that the Zn2+species are coordinated with the MFI zeolite matrix as isolated cations and the NPs of Pt,Rh,or Rh Pt are highly dispersed in the zeolite crystals.The isolated Zn2+cations are very effective for activating the propane and the small NPs are favorable for activating the CO_(2),which synergistically promote the selective transformation of propane and CO_(2)to propylene and CO.As a result,the optimal 0.25%Rh0.50%Pt@Zn-MFI catalyst shows the best propylene yield,satisfactory CO_(2)conversion,and long-term stability.Moreover,considering the tunable synergetic effects between the isolated cations and NPs,the developed approach offers a general guideline to design more efficient CO_(2)-ODP catalysts,which is validated by the improved performance of the bifunctional catalysts via simply substituting Sn4+cations for Zn2+cations in the MFI zeolite matrix.

Quantifyingα-diversity as a continuous function of location——a case study of a temperate forest

α-diversity describes species diversity at local scales.The Simpson’s and Shannon-Wiener indices are widely used to characterizeα-diversity based on species abundances within a fixed study site(e.g.,a quadrat or plot).Although such indices provide overall diversity estimates that can be analyzed,their values are not spatially continuous nor applicable in theory to any point within the study region,and thus they cannot be treated as spatial covariates for analyses of other variables.Herein,we extended the Simpson’s and Shannon-Wiener indices to create point estimates ofα-diversity for any location based on spatially explicit species occurrences within different bandwidths(i.e.,radii,with the location of interest as the center).For an arbitrary point in the study region,species occurrences within the circle plotting the bandwidth were weighted according to their distance from the center using a tri-cube kernel function,with occurrences closer to the center having greater weight than more distant ones.These novel kernel-basedα-diversity indices were tested using a tree dataset from a 400 m×400 m study region comprising a 200 m×200 m core region surrounded by a 100-m width buffer zone.Our newly extendedα-diversity indices did not disagree qualitatively with the traditional indices,and the former were slightly lower than the latter by<2%at medium and large band widths.The present work demonstrates the feasibility of using kernel-basedα-diversity indices to estimate diversity at any location in the study region and allows them to be used as quantifiable spatial covariates or predictors for other dependent variables of interest in future ecological studies.Spatially continuousα-diversity indices are useful to compare and monitor species trends in space and time,which is valuable for conservation practitioners.

Spatial-temporal variations and driving factors of soil organic carbon in forest ecosystems of Northeast China

Forest soil carbon is a major carbon pool of terrestrial ecosystems,and accurate estimation of soil organic carbon(SOC)stocks in forest ecosystems is rather challenging.This study compared the prediction performance of three empirical model approaches namely,regression kriging(RK),multiple stepwise regression(MSR),random forest(RF),and boosted regression trees(BRT)to predict SOC stocks in Northeast China for 1990 and 2015.Furthermore,the spatial variation of SOC stocks and the main controlling environmental factors during the past 25 years were identified.A total of 82(in 1990)and 157(in 2015)topsoil(0–20 cm)samples with 12 environmental factors(soil property,climate,topography and biology)were selected for model construction.Randomly selected80%of the soil sample data were used to train the models and the other 20%data for model verification using mean absolute error,root mean square error,coefficient of determination and Lin's consistency correlation coefficient indices.We found BRT model as the best prediction model and it could explain 67%and 60%spatial variation of SOC stocks,in 1990,and 2015,respectively.Predicted maps of all models in both periods showed similar spatial distribution characteristics,with the lower SOC in northeast and higher SOC in southwest.Mean annual temperature and elevation were the key environmental factors influencing the spatial variation of SOC stock in both periods.SOC stocks were mainly stored under Cambosols,Gleyosols and Isohumosols,accounting for 95.6%(1990)and 95.9%(2015).Overall,SOC stocks increased by 471 Tg C during the past 25 years.Our study found that the BRT model employing common environmental factors was the most robust method for forest topsoil SOC stocks inventories.The spatial resolution of BRT model enabled us to pinpoint in which areas of Northeast China that new forest tree planting would be most effective for enhancing forest C stocks.Overall,our approach is likely to be useful in forestry management and ecological restoration at and beyond the regional scale.

Analyzing the Prebiotic Potential of Glucosamine for Targeting the Gut Microbiome Health

Recognizing the composition and modulation of the microbiome, a viable therapeutic tool for multi-targeted therapy is a new strategy that has recently been explored. Glucosamine (GS) is being studied for its prebiotic potential in addition to being the most abundant and naturally occurring amino monosaccharide. The current study focuses on glucosamine’s prebiotic potential by assessing the stability of various GS concentrations (1% - 5%) in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and its ability to be fermented by the gut microbiota. The results showed that GS stimulated the most growth in L. acidophilus even after a longer incubation time than B. bifidum and L. acidophilus growth was concentration-dependent, with maximum growth at 3% with a simultaneous decrease in pH (5.6 - 1.7). The decrease in GS concentration with time also represented the growth of bacterial species, demonstrating the species’ utilization of GS. Furthermore, at 3%, GS also represented the prebiotic index of 1.9. In addition, the concentration of GS in various simulated GIT fluids was estimated in both fast and fed conditions to examine GS stability at various levels in the gut. The results showed that GS remained unaffected and non-digestible in all of the simulated GIT fluids (salivary, gastric, intestinal, and colonic), but there was a slight decrease in GS concentration (2.8%) in the fasted state of gastric fluid due to low pH levels (1.6). As a result, the findings are conclusive and suggest that GS possesses prebiotic properties.

Asymptotic Consistency of the James-Stein Shrinkage Estimator

The study explores the asymptotic consistency of the James-Stein shrinkage estimator obtained by shrinking a maximum likelihood estimator. We use Hansen’s approach to show that the James-Stein shrinkage estimator converges asymptotically to some multivariate normal distribution with shrinkage effect values. We establish that the rate of convergence is of order and rate , hence the James-Stein shrinkage estimator is -consistent. Then visualise its consistency by studying the asymptotic behaviour using simulating plots in R for the mean squared error of the maximum likelihood estimator and the shrinkage estimator. The latter graphically shows lower mean squared error as compared to that of the maximum likelihood estimator.

Use of Agent Purple, Agent Orange and Agent Blue on Royal Thai Air Force Base Perimeters in Thailand during the Vietnam War

Seven Royal Thai Air Force bases in Thailand were used by the United States Air Force (USAF) during the Vietnam War as staging hubs for operations in Laos and Cambodia. Five bases in Thailand, including Nakhon Phanom (NKP), Ubon, Korat, U-Tapao and Udorn endured sniper fire interdiction, perimeter penetration, and sapper (combat engineer) attacks. Nam Phong, an eighth Royal Thai Air Force base was used by the United States Marine Corps air operations starting in 1972. US Military personnel stationed throughout Thailand were also attacked by Communists insurgents. Two herbicides, Agent Purple and Agent Orange containing 2, 4, 5-T contaminated with dioxin (TCDD—2, 3, 7, 8 tetrachlorodibenzodioxin) and a third herbicide, the arsenic-based Agent Blue, were routinely received at these Thailand airbases in support of air missions and to keep airbases and perimeter fences clear of vegetation. Udorn Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) base, established in the 1950s was consistently a target of enemy attacks during this period. The Thai government allowed the United States to use five bases, covertly, and two other Thai bases, openly, due to concerns that the civil war inside Laos might spread into Thailand. The US Air Force began, in 1961, to provide the air defense of Thailand and to fly reconnaissance flights over Laos. Under the United States and Thailand’s “gentleman’s agreement”, the bases used by the USAF were considered RTAF bases under the command of Thai officers. The USAF at Udorn was under the command of the United States Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) Thirteenth Air Force and was used to temporarily store and distribute Agent Purple, Agent Orange and Agent Blue to Laos’s airfields for spraying of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Thai air police controlled access to the bases using sentry dogs, observation towers, and machine gun emplacements. The USAF Security police assisted the Thai air police in base defense. In this study, we document the use of Agent Orange, Agent Purple and Agent Blue on Royal Thai Air Force base perimeters and grounds during the Vietnam War, potential active-duty service personnel exposure to these toxic herbicides and health impacts of the contaminant dioxin TCDD and arsenic on U.S. Vietnam Era Veterans and Vietnam Veterans. This documentation is important evidence in the “assumption of exposure” for health claims to the US Veterans Administration (VA) by veterans that served in Thailand between 1962 and 1976.

Constructing long-cycling crystalline C_(3)N_(4)-based carbonaceous anodes for sodium-ion battery via N configuration control

Carbon nitrides with two-dimensional layered structures and high theoretical capacities are attractive as anode materials for sodium-ion batteries while their low crystallinity and insufficient structural stability strongly restrict their practical applications.Coupling carbon nitrides with conductive carbon may relieve these issues.However,little is known about the influence of nitrogen(N)configurations on the interactions between carbon and C_(3)N_(4),which is fundamentally critical for guiding the precise design of advanced C_(3)N_(4)-related electrodes.Herein,highly crystalline C_(3)N_(4)(poly(triazine imide),PTI)based all-carbon composites were developed by molten salt strategy.More importantly,the vital role of pyrrolic-N for enhancing charge transfer and boosting Na+storage of C_(3)N_(4)-based composites,which was confirmed by both theoretical and experimental evidence,was spot-highlighted for the first time.By elaborately controlling the salt composition,the composite with high pyrrolic-N and minimized graphitic-N content was obtained.Profiting from the formation of highly crystalline PTI and electrochemically favorable pyrrolic-N configurations,the composite delivered an unusual reverse growth and record-level cycling stability even after 5000 cycles along with high reversible capacity and outstanding full-cell capacity retention.This work broadens the energy storage applications of C_(3)N_(4) and provides new prospects for the design of advanced all-carbon electrodes.

Moderate Fields, Maximum Potential: Achieving High Records with Temperature‑Stable Energy Storage in Lead‑Free BNT‑Based Ceramics

The increasing awareness of environmental concerns has prompted a surge in the exploration of leadfree,high-power ceramic capacitors.Ongoing efforts to develop leadfree dielectric ceramics with exceptional energystorage performance(ESP)have predominantly relied on multicomponent composite strategies,often accomplished under ultrahigh electric fields.However,this approach poses challenges in insulation and system downsizing due to the necessary working voltage under such conditions.Despite extensive study,bulk ceramics of(Bi_(0.5)Na_(0.5))TiO_(3)(BNT),a prominent lead-free dielectric ceramic family,have seldom achieved a recoverable energy-storage(ES)density(Wrec)exceeding 7 J cm^(−3).This study introduces a novel approach to attain ceramic capacitors with high ESP under moderate electric fields by regulating permittivity based on a linear dielectric model,enhancing insulation quality,and engineering domain structures through chemical formula optimization.The incorporation of SrTiO_(3)(ST)into the BNT matrix is revealed to reduce the dielectric constant,while the addition of Bi(Mg_(2/3)Nb_(1/3))O_(3)(BMN)aids in maintaining polarization.Additionally,the study elucidates the methodology to achieve high ESP at moderate electric fields ranging from 300 to 500 kV cm^(−1).In our optimized composition,0.5(Bi_(0.5)Na_(0.4)K_(0.1))TiO_(3)–0.5(2/3ST-1/3BMN)(B-0.5SB)ceramics,we achieved a Wrec of 7.19 J cm^(−3) with an efficiency of 93.8%at 460 kV cm^(−1).Impressively,the B-0.5SB ceramics exhibit remarkable thermal stability between 30 and 140℃ under 365 kV cm^(−1),maintaining a Wrec exceeding 5 J cm^(−3).This study not only establishes the B-0.5SB ceramics as promising candidates for ES materials but also demonstrates the feasibility of optimizing ESP by modifying the dielectric constant under specific electric field conditions.Simultaneously,it provides valuable insights for the future design of ceramic capacitors with high ESP under constraints of limited electric field.

Rice-wheat comparative genomics:Gains and gaps

Rice and wheat provide nearly 40%of human calorie and protein requirements.They share a common ancestor and belong to the Poaceae(grass)family.Characterizing their genetic homology is crucial for developing new cultivars with enhanced traits.Several wheat genes and gene families have been characterized based on their rice orthologs.Rice–wheat orthology can identify genetic regions that regulate similar traits in both crops.Rice–wheat comparative genomics can identify candidate wheat genes in a genomic region identified by association or QTL mapping,deduce their putative functions and biochemical pathways,and develop molecular markers for marker-assisted breeding.A knowledge of gene homology facilitates the transfer between crops of genes or genomic regions associated with desirable traits by genetic engineering,gene editing,or wide crossing.

Antioxidant Defense Mechanisms of Salinity Tolerance in Rice Genotypes

In order to elucidate the role of antioxidant responses in salinity tolerance in rice genotypes under salt stress, experiments were conducted using four rice varieties, including salt-sensitive BRRI dhan 28 and three salt-tolerant varieties BRRI dhan 47, BINA dhan 8 and BINA dhan 10. Thirty-day-old rice seedlings were transplanted into pots. At the active tillering stage(35 d after transplanting), plants were exposed to different salinity levels(0, 20, 40 and 60 mmol/L NaCl). Salt stress caused a significant reduction in growth for all the rice genotypes. Growth reduction was higher in the salt-sensitive genotype than in the salt-tolerant ones, and BINA dhan 10 showed higher salt tolerance in all measured physiological parameters. The reduction in shoot and root biomass was found to be minimal in BINA dhan 10. Chlorophyll content significantly decreased under salt stress except for BINA dhan 10. Proline content significantly increased in salt-tolerant rice genotypes with increased salt concentration, and the highest proline content was obtained from BINA dhan 10 under salt stress. Catalase and ascorbate peroxidase activities significantly decreased in salt-sensitive genotype whereas significantly increased in salt-tolerant ones with increasing salt concentration. However, salt stress significantly decreased guaiacol peroxidase activity in all the rice genotypes irrespective of salt tolerance. K^+/Na^+ ratio also significantly decreased in shoots and roots of all the rice genotypes. The salt-tolerant genotype BINA dhan 10 maintained higher levels of chlorophyll and proline contents as well as catalase and ascorbate peroxidase activities under salt stress, thus, this might be the underlying mechanism for salt tolerance.

The enhanced element enrichment in the supercritical states of granite–pegmatite systems

In this paper, we show that supercritical fluids have a greater significance in the generation of pegmatites,and for ore-forming processes related to granites than is usually assumed. We show that the supercritical melt or fluid is a silicate phase in which volatiles; principally H_2O are completely miscible in all proportions at magmatic temperatures and pressures. This phase evolves from felsic melts and changes into hydrothermal fluids, and its unique properties are particularly important in sequestering and concentrating low abundance elements, such as metals. In our past research, we have focused on processes observed at upper crustal levels, however extensive work by us and other researchers have demonstrated that supercritical melt/fluids should be abundant in melting zones at deep-crustal levels too. We propose that these fluids may provide a connecting link between lower and upper crustal magmas,and a highly efficient transport mechanism for usually melt incompatible elements. In this paper, we explore the unique features of this fluid which allow the partitioning of variouselements and compounds, potentially up to extreme levels,and may explain various features both of mineralization and the magmas that produced them.