Short-term growth experiments – a tool for quantifying lichen fitness across different mineral settings

Short-term K+ (86Rb) influx and its regulation by root K+ concentration was studied in barley varieties, using plants grown in complete nutrient solution at constant concentrations. The varieties employed in this study exhibited substantial differences not only in K+ influx but also in the intensity and the pattern of regulation of K+ influx. In the high-potential growth-rate varieties these K+ uptake characteristics were found to correlate well with their growth responses to K+ supply reported earlier by Siddiqi and Glass. Predictions of K+ influx, based upon kinetic constants and internal K+ concentrations derived from steady-state growth experiments, were found to correspond well with the observed fluxes for plants grown under these conditions over a wide range of root K+ concentrations. These predictions also provided good estimates of influx in CaSO4-grown plants for intermediate levels of root K+ concentration. However, at low root K+ concentration, predictions greatly overestimated observed fluxes, while at high root K+, influx was underestimated. Similarly, when kinetic constants derived from CaSO4-grown plants (whose root K+ concentrations were increased by rapid loading) were applied to steady-state plants, predicted influx values were close to observed in the intermediate range of root K+ concentration. However, at high root K+, influx was overestimated. These adjustments serve, in the steady state, to maintain tissue K+ concentration within rather narrow limits.

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Repeatability of Epitaxial Growth of n-Type 4H-SiC Films by High Speed Wafer Rotation Vertical CVD Tool

Materials Science Forum ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/msf.963.101 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 963 ◽

pp. 101-104 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Yoshiaki Daigo ◽

Akio Ishiguro ◽

Shigeaki Ishii ◽

Yoshikazu Moriyama ◽

Kunihiko Suzuki ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Epitaxial Growth ◽

Carrier Concentration ◽

High Speed ◽

Epitaxial Films ◽

Short Term ◽

Gas Nozzle ◽

Sic Films ◽

Growth Experiments ◽

Nozzle Structure

N-type 4H-SiC homo-epitaxial films were grown by high speed wafer rotation vertical CVD tool, and both short term repeatability and long term repeatability of epitaxial growth were investigated. In the short term repeatability investigated by 6 epitaxial wafers chosen from successively grown 12 epitaxial wafers using same recipe, it was found that total variation of thickness and carrier concentration for all measurement points of 6 wafers is 1.44 and 4.64 % respectively, which indicates excellent repeatability as well as high uniform thickness and carrier concentration. In the long term repeatability investigated by a very large number of growth experiments, probability achieving target uniformity of thickness and carrier concentration of the SiC films was increased up to 1.32 times by optimizing gas nozzle structure in gas inlet compared with in the case of conventional gas nozzles. Moreover, adjustment range of C/Si ratio necessary to achieve target uniformity of thickness and carrier concentration of the films was considerably reduced to 22 % by optimized gas nozzles.

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Physical processes affecting microbial habitats and activity in unsaturated agricultural soils

10.32747/2002.7587239.bard ◽

2002 ◽

Author(s):

Dani Or ◽

Shmulik Friedman ◽

Jeanette Norton

Keyword(s):

Porous Media ◽

Water Content ◽

Bacterial Growth ◽

Unsaturated Soils ◽

Microbial Growth ◽

Agricultural Soils ◽

Short Term ◽

Modeling Tools ◽

Substrate Diffusion ◽

Growth Experiments

experimental methods for quantifying effects of water content and other dynamic environmental factors on bacterial growth in partially-saturated soils. Towards this end we reviewed critically the relevant scientific literature and performed theoretical and experimental studies of bacterial growth and activity in modeled, idealized and real unsaturated soils. The natural wetting-drying cycles common to agricultural soils affect water content and liquid organization resulting in fragmentation of aquatic habitats and limit hydraulic connections. Consequently, substrate diffusion pathways to soil microbial communities become limiting and reduce nutrient fluxes, microbial growth, and mobility. Key elements that govern the extent and manifestation of such ubiquitous interactions include characteristics of diffusion pathways and pore space, the timing, duration, and extent of environmental perturbations, the nature of microbiological adjustments (short-term and longterm), and spatial distribution and properties of EPS clusters (microcolonies). Of these key elements we have chosen to focus on a manageable subset namely on modeling microbial growth and coexistence on simple rough surfaces, and experiments on bacterial growth in variably saturated sand samples and columns. Our extensive review paper providing a definitive “snap-shot” of present scientific understanding of microbial behavior in unsaturated soils revealed a lack of modeling tools that are essential for enhanced predictability of microbial processes in soils. We therefore embarked on two pronged approach of development of simple microbial growth models based on diffusion-reaction principles to incorporate key controls for microbial activity in soils such as diffusion coefficients and temporal variations in soil water content (and related substrate diffusion rates), and development of new methodologies in support of experiments on microbial growth in simple and observable porous media under controlled water status conditions. Experimental efforts led to a series of microbial growth experiments in granular media under variable saturation and ambient conditions, and introduction of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM) to study cell size, morphology and multi-cell arrangement at a high resolution from growth experiments in various porous media. The modeling efforts elucidated important links between unsaturated conditions and microbial coexistence which is believed to support the unparallel diversity found in soils. We examined the role of spatial and temporal variation in hydration conditions (such as exist in agricultural soils) on local growth rates and on interactions between two competing microbial species. Interestingly, the complexity of soil spaces and aquatic niches are necessary for supporting a rich microbial diversity and the wide array of microbial functions in unsaturated soils. This project supported collaboration between soil physicists and soil microbiologist that is absolutely essential for making progress in both disciplines. It provided a few basic tools (models, parameterization) for guiding future experiments and for gathering key information necessary for prediction of biological processes in agricultural soils. The project sparked a series of ongoing studies (at DTU and EPFL and in the ARO) into effects of soil hydration dynamics on microbial survival strategy under short term and prolonged desiccation (important for general scientific and agricultural applications).

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A Geochemical and Agronomic Evaluation of Technosols Made from Construction and Demolition Fines Mixed with Green Waste Compost

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11040649 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 649

Author(s):

Malcolm Coull ◽

Benjamin Butler ◽

Rupert Hough ◽

Luke Beesley

Keyword(s):

Plant Growth ◽

Water Solution ◽

Pore Waters ◽

Short Term ◽

Gypsum Dissolution ◽

X Ray ◽

Green Waste ◽

High Concentrations ◽

Term Performance ◽

Growth Experiments

Construction and demolition fines (C&D-fines) and green waste compost (GWC) are two commonly generated urban waste materials that represent repositories of geochemical value. Here technosols were produced from volumetric mixtures of these materials ranging from 0–100% C&D-fines, with the remaining proportion comprised of GWC. Agronomic assessment was carried out by way of pot and rhizobox plant growth experiments with ryegrass, barley and pea to determine germination, plant mass and rooting behaviours. Geochemical and mineralogical evaluation was achieved by soil pore water solution measurements combined with X-ray powder diffraction analyses respectively, to characterise the technosols and their distinct deviations from a reference agricultural geogenic soil (soil). The results demonstrated that germination, growth and root mass/surface area of vegetation were up to 80-fold greater after 30-days in the technosol composed of equal volumes of the two materials (50% C&D-fines: 50% GWC) compared to the soil. High concentrations of Ca and Mg in pore waters (550–800 mg·L−1) were dominant features of the technosols, in contrast to the soil (<50 mg·L−1), resulting from gypsum and calcite enrichment of the C&D-fines. In contrast, the GWC represented a source of soluble K (450–1000·mg·L−1). Highly elevated Ca concentrations in extended leaching tests of the C&D-fines reflected ongoing gypsum dissolution, whereas soluble Mg and K were rapidly depleted from the GWC. In summary, short-term performance of the technosols as plant growth substrates was strong despite their geochemical and mineralogical distinction from soil. Gleaning additional geochemical value from combining urban wastes in this way is potentially suited to myriad scenarios where geogenic soils are contaminated, sealed or otherwise absent. Further assessment will now be needed to determine the geochemical longevity of the technosols before wider scale applications can be recommended.

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Conceptual short-term memory (CSTM) supports core claims of Christiansen and Chater

Behavioral and Brain Sciences ◽

10.1017/s0140525x15000928 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 39 ◽

Author(s):

Mary C. Potter

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Rapid Serial Visual Presentation ◽

Language Comprehension ◽

Short Term Memory ◽

Visual Presentation ◽

Long Term Memory ◽

Short Term ◽

Term Memory ◽

Use Of Knowledge

AbstractRapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) of words or pictured scenes provides evidence for a large-capacity conceptual short-term memory (CSTM) that momentarily provides rich associated material from long-term memory, permitting rapid chunking (Potter 1993; 2009; 2012). In perception of scenes as well as language comprehension, we make use of knowledge that briefly exceeds the supposed limits of working memory.

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Ultrastructural Changes of Canine Kidneys During 24-Hour Perfusion on a LI-400 Preservation System

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100065626 ◽

1971 ◽

Vol 29 ◽

pp. 316-317

Author(s):

M. O. Magnusson ◽

D. G. Osborne ◽

T. Shimoji ◽

W. S. Kiser ◽

W. A. Hawk

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Electrolyte Solution ◽

Ultrastructural Changes ◽

Midline Incision ◽

Short Term ◽

Pentobarbital Anesthesia ◽

Pulsatile Perfusion

Short term experimental and clinical preservation of kidneys is presently best accomplished by hypothermic continuous pulsatile perfusion with cryoprecipitated and millipore filtered plasma. This study was undertaken to observe ultrastructural changes occurring during 24-hour preservation using the above mentioned method.A kidney was removed through a midline incision from healthy mongrel dogs under pentobarbital anesthesia. The kidneys were flushed immediately after removal with chilled electrolyte solution and placed on a LI-400 preservation system and perfused at 8-10°C. Serial kidney biopsies were obtained at 0-½-1-2-4-8-16 and 24 hours of preservation. All biopsies were prepared for electron microscopy. At the end of the preservation period the kidneys were autografted.

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The effect of back-melting on the continuity of crystallographic orientation and composition in HgZnTe

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100133114 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 50 (2) ◽

pp. 1696-1697

Author(s):

H.J. Zuo ◽

M.W. Price ◽

R.D. Griffin ◽

R.A. Andrews ◽

G.M. Janowski

Keyword(s):

Directional Solidification ◽

Space Shuttle ◽

Solidification Process ◽

Space Experiment ◽

Infrared Detection ◽

Directionally Solidified ◽

Crystallographic Defects ◽

Semiconducting Alloys ◽

Uniform Composition ◽

Growth Experiments

The II-VI semiconducting alloys, such as mercury zinc telluride (MZT), have become the materials of choice for numerous infrared detection applications. However, compositional inhomogeneities and crystallographic imperfections adversly affect the performance of MZT infrared detectors. One source of imperfections in MZT is gravity-induced convection during directional solidification. Crystal growth experiments conducted in space should minimize gravity-induced convection and thereby the density of related crystallographic defects. The limited amount of time available during Space Shuttle experiments and the need for a sample of uniform composition requires the elimination of the initial composition transient which occurs in directionally solidified alloys. One method of eluding this initial transient involves directionally solidifying a portion of the sample and then quenching the remainder prior to the space experiment. During the space experiment, the MZT sample is back-melted to exactly the point at which directional solidification was stopped on earth. The directional solidification process then continues.

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Polychlorinated biphenyl induced hepatocyte alterations

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s042482010012789x ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 45 ◽

pp. 716-717

Author(s):

D.N. Collins ◽

J.N. Turner ◽

K.O. Brosch ◽

R.F. Seegal

Keyword(s):

Lipid Droplets ◽

Wistar Rats ◽

Homovanillic Acid ◽

Polychlorinated Biphenyl ◽

Corn Oil ◽

Environmental Pollutants ◽

Short Term ◽

Pcb Congeners ◽

Urinary Levels ◽

The Brain

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a ubiquitous class of environmental pollutants with toxic and hepatocellular effects, including accumulation of fat, proliferated smooth endoplasmic recticulum (SER), and concentric membrane arrays (CMAs) (1-3). The CMAs appear to be a membrane storage and degeneration organelle composed of a large number of concentric membrane layers usually surrounding one or more lipid droplets often with internalized membrane fragments (3). The present study documents liver alteration after a short term single dose exposure to PCBs with high chlorine content, and correlates them with reported animal weights and central nervous system (CNS) measures. In the brain PCB congeners were concentrated in particular regions (4) while catecholamine concentrations were decreased (4-6). Urinary levels of homovanillic acid a dopamine metabolite were evaluated (7).Wistar rats were gavaged with corn oil (6 controls), or with a 1:1 mixture of Aroclor 1254 and 1260 in corn oil at 500 or 1000 mg total PCB/kg (6 at each level).

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Acetaminophen: Macula densa hypersecretory activity by induced hepatotoxicity

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s042482010012895x ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 45 ◽

pp. 934-935

Author(s):

S.S. Poolsawat ◽

C.A. Huerta ◽

S.TY. Lae ◽

G.A. Miranda

Keyword(s):

Cell Proliferation ◽

Liver Function ◽

Chronic Inflammation ◽

Foam Cell ◽

Term Effect ◽

Short Term ◽

Drug Induced ◽

Experimental Induction ◽

Tissue Alterations ◽

Toxic Responses

Introduction. Experimental induction of altered histology by chemical toxins is of particular importance if its outcome resembles histopathological phenomena. Hepatotoxic drugs and chemicals are agents that can be converted by the liver into various metabolites which consequently evoke toxic responses. Very often, these drugs are intentionally administered to resolve an illness unrelated to liver function. Because of hepatic detoxification, the resulting metabolites are suggested to be integrated into the macromolecular processes of liver function and cause an array of cellular and tissue alterations, such as increased cytoplasmic lysis, centrilobular and localized necroses, chronic inflammation and “foam cell” proliferation of the hepatic sinusoids (1-4).Most experimentally drug-induced toxicity studies have concentrated primarily on the hepatic response, frequently overlooking other physiological phenomena which are directly related to liver function. Categorically, many studies have been short-term effect investigations which seldom have followed up the complications to other tissues and organs when the liver has failed to function normally.

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Ultrastructural investigations of MDL 19,660-induced effects on the canine platelet and megakaryocyte

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100159412 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 48 (3) ◽

pp. 374-375

Author(s):

D.E. Loudy ◽

J. Sprinkle-Cavallo ◽

J.T. Yarrington ◽

F.Y. Thompson ◽

J.P. Gibson

Keyword(s):

Antidepressant Drug ◽

Beagle Dogs ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Short Term ◽

Platelet Counts ◽

Toxicological Studies ◽

Induced Aggregation ◽

Internal Architecture

Previous short term toxicological studies of one to two weeks duration have demonstrated that MDL 19,660 (5-(4-chlorophenyl)-2,4-dihydro-2,4-dimethyl-3Hl, 2,4-triazole-3-thione), an antidepressant drug, causes a dose-related thrombocytopenia in dogs. Platelet counts started to decline after two days of dosing with 30 mg/kg/day and continued to decrease to their lowest levels by 5-7 days. The loss in platelets was primarily of the small discoid subpopulation. In vitro studies have also indicated that MDL 19,660: does not spontaneously aggregate canine platelets and has moderate antiaggregating properties by inhibiting ADP-induced aggregation. The objectives of the present investigation of MDL 19,660 were to evaluate ultrastructurally long term effects on platelet internal architecture and changes in subpopulations of platelets and megakaryocytes.Nine male and nine female beagle dogs were divided equally into three groups and were administered orally 0, 15, or 30 mg/kg/day of MDL 19,660 for three months. Compared to a control platelet range of 353,000- 452,000/μl, a doserelated thrombocytopenia reached a maximum severity of an average of 135,000/μl for the 15 mg/kg/day dogs after two weeks and 81,000/μl for the 30 mg/kg/day dogs after one week.

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