Thiophene extraction in PEG - hexan - water based systems

The effect of individual and multicomponent additives of sodium chloride, iron chloride, sodium nitrate and 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone on the interfacial distribution of thiophene in the systems polyethylene glycol 1500 (PEG-1500) - hexane - water and polyethylene glycol 8000 (PEG-8000) - hexane - water has been studied in this investigation. It was found that in most cases, the introduction of a small amount of individual and joint additives increases the extraction of thiophene from the organic phase to the aqueous.

Структурный переход и температурные зависимости коэффициентов теплового расширения NaNO-=SUB=-3-=/SUB=-, внедренного в нанопористое стекло

The temperature evolution of the crystal structure of a nanocomposite material obtained by introducing sodium nitrate NaNO3 from a melt under pressure into a nanoporous alkali borosilicate glass with an average pore diameter of 7 nm has been studied by the method of diffraction of synchrotron radiation in a wide temperature range upon heating. Analysis of the experimental diffraction patterns revealed a significant decrease in the temperature of the structural (orientational) transition by more than 50 K (up to 496 K) compared to bulk sodium nitrate. From the temperature dependence of the intensity of the superstructure peak (113), the dependence of the critical exponent β (T) for this transition was obtained and a significant difference from the critical exponent for a bulk material was found in the temperature range from 455 K to the transition temperature. Analysis of the broadening of Bragg reflections made it possible to estimate the average size (~ 40 nm) of sodium nitrate nanoparticles into the pores. An increase in the linear coefficient of thermal expansion in the [001] direction was found in NaNO3 nanoparticles in comparison with bulk material at temperatures above 450 K.

Biorational management of maize fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) using Bacillus thuringiensis (Berliner) enriched with chemical additives

An invasive pest, fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E.Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) attacks maize at every stage of development, from seedling emergence up to cob formation. Early instar larvae were seen mostly on leaves of maize with characteristics pin or shot hole symptoms. Later instar larvae were confined to deep whorls, leaving typically ragged like appearance and fed on the reproductive stage of the crop especially tassels and developing cobs resulting in quality and quantity loss of maize produce. The effect of commercially available Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki product, Dipel® against the second instar larvae of Fall Armyworm (FAW )was not promising under laboratory conditions. Hence, an effort was made to add an adjuvant along with B. thuringiensis to increase the virulence of commercially available B. thuringiensis.The Laboratory bioassays with B. thuringiensis and seven chemical additives ( T1- Bt + Boric acid, T2- Bt + Zinc oxide, T3- Bt + Sodium nitrate, T4- Bt + Peptone, T5- Bt + Urea, T6- Bt + EDTA, T7- Bt + Citric acid & T8- Bt alone T9- Control) were tested against second instar larvae of Spodoptera frugiperda larvae. The results showed that B. thuringiensis plus sodium nitrate (T3) promoted maximum mortality 82.2 per cent with a minimum LC50 value of 54.620 mg/l. Sodium nitrate boosted B. thuringiensis activity at a concentration of 0.05 per cent by 2.128-fold than B. thuringiensis alone. Overall, sodium nitrate improved the efficacy of B. thuringiensis spray at the maximum level followed by boric acid, urea, EDTA and peptone.

Metarhizium robertsii protease and conidia production, response to heat stress and virulence against Aedes aegypti larvae

Nutritional factors exert significant influence on the growth of entomopathogenic fungi, one of the main agents employed commercially in the biological control of arthropods. Thus, the objective of this work is to optimize the culture medium and solid fermentation time for production of proteases and conidia of Metarhizium robertsii ARSEF 2575 and to evaluate the interference of riboflavin and salts on virulence and resistance to abiotic stress factors. In the first step, nine groups were separated: negative control, positive control, and seven supplementation groups: ammonium nitrate, ammonium chloride, potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, ammonium phosphate, urea. Sodium nitrate showed significant difference in protease production at the time of 20 days of solid fermentation. Then, different concentrations of sodium nitrate and riboflavin as supplement were evaluated. Response surface methodology demonstrated that riboflavin and sodium nitrate influence proteolytic activity and conidia production, but without synergism. Supplementation of the medium with the optimal concentration of sodium nitrate and riboflavin did not interfere with the germination of conidia without exposure to abiotic stress, but did increase the thermotolerance of conidia. The presence of riboflavin and sodium nitrate at optimal concentrations in the culture medium did not alter fungal virulence with and without exposure to heat stress, varying according to the presence or absence of the supernatant during exposure, evidencing that resistance to heat exposure is multifactorial and dependent on intra- and extracellular factors. Moreover, the supplementation increased the larvicidal activity of the supernatant against Aedes aegypti.

Structures of additional crystal forms of Satellite tobacco mosaic virus grown from a variety of salts

The structures of new crystal forms of Satellite tobacco mosaic virus (STMV) are described. These belong to space groups I2, P21212 (a low-resolution form), R3 (H3) and P23. The R3 crystals are 50%/50% twinned, as are two instances of the P23 crystals. The I2 and P21212 crystals were grown from ammonium sulfate solutions, as was one crystal in space group P23, while the R3 and the other P23 crystals were grown from sodium chloride, sodium bromide and sodium nitrate. The monoclinic and orthorhombic crystals have half a virus particle as the asymmetric unit, while the rhombohedral and cubic crystals have one third of a virus particle. RNA segments organized about the icosahedral twofold axes were present in crystals grown from ammonium sulfate and sodium chloride, as in the canonical I222 crystals (PDB entry 4oq8), but were not observed in crystals grown from sodium bromide and sodium nitrate. Bromide and nitrate ions generally replaced the RNA phosphates present in the I222 crystals, including the phosphates seen on fivefold axes, and were also found at threefold vertices in both the rhombohedral and cubic forms. An additional anion was also found on the fivefold axis 5 Å from the first anion, and slightly outside the capsid in crystals grown from sodium chloride, sodium bromide and sodium nitrate, suggesting that the path along the symmetry axis might be an ion channel. The electron densities for RNA strands at individual icosahedral dyads, as well as at the amino-terminal peptides of protein subunits, exhibited a diversity of orientations, in particular the residues at the ends.

Anti-fertility effect of three inorganic salts against land snail, Massylaea vermiculata, (O.F. Müller1774) and their field efficiency

Background The ovotestis gland (the hermaphrodite gland) is a reproductive system organ that affects fertility of land snails. Thus, the present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of three inorganic salts (sodium carbonate, sodium benzoate, and sodium nitrate) against the land snail, Massylaea vermiculata under laboratory and field conditions. Snails were treated with serial concentrations of the tested salts for seven days using thin-layer film technique. The LC50 of each salt was determined, and the effect of ½ LC50 of each was tested on egg-laying. In addition, LPO enzyme was determined, and the histological effect of the ovotestis gland was inspected. The field efficiency of sodium carbonate and sodium nitrate were evaluated as a spray for 21 days on pomegranate nursery trees at Giza Governorate. The effects of inorganic salts were compared with methomyl (the compound recommended by the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture against land snails in the field). Results The laboratory results revealed that sodium carbonate and sodium nitrate were more toxic than sodium benzoate, whereas the LC50 were 2.4, 9.6, and 11.8% for the three inorganic salts, respectively. Sodium carbonate and sodium nitrate achieved complete inhibition for egg production, while sodium benzoate gave 37.7% compared to 96.8% for hatchability control. Sodium carbonate and sodium benzoate exhibited significant effect on LPO enzyme, while a non-significant effect was recorded by sodium nitrite compared with control. Regarding the histological effect, sodium carbonate and sodium nitrate had the same effect on ovotestis, as a necrobiotic change was observed in the ova, and diminishing in spermatozoal concentration, while sodium benzoate caused decreasing in spermatozoal concentration without any alteration in the ovarian compared with control. Regarding the field results, sodium carbonate and sodium nitrate achieved 78.4 and 79.0% reduction in land snail populations, respectively, compared with 75% for methomyl compound. Conclusions The tested inorganic salts have highly toxic effect against the land snail, M. vermiculata, and they can be used in field control programs, after conducting more studies on their effect on the soil and other environmental components.