Experimental Determination of Excitation Function Curves through the Measurement of Thick Target Yields in Liquid Targets: The Examples of the 68Zn(p,n)68Ga and 64Zn(p,α)61Cu Nuclear Reactions

The present work describes a method to determine excitation function curves and, therefore, cross-sections, making use of the irradiation of liquid targets at distinct energies in a biomedical cyclotron. The method relies on the derivative of experimentally measured thick target yield curves to determine the corresponding excitation function curves. The technique is presented as a valid and practical alternative to the commonly used activation method combined with the stack monitor technique, whose implementation in liquid targets offers practical difficulties. The working principle is exemplified by presenting the results obtained for the clinically relevant 68Zn(p,n)68Ga and the 64Zn(p,α)61Cu nuclear reactions, obtained though the irradiation of liquid targets containing dissolved natural zinc.

Increasing Rice Yield through Targeting Genetic Potentials by Rice Types

Bangladesh needs an average rough rice yield of 9.11 t ha-1 by 2050 which can not be achieved equally across all the geographic regions since the country has various ‘rice types’ with varying yield potentials. This paper focuses on strategic innovations for reaching the yield target by refining rice types. Based on rice ecosystems and the pressing needs, we divided rice areas of Bangladesh in 17 different types. We estimated year-wise land areas and allocated achievable yield targets for each of the rice types. Finally, we compared the target yields and the yields of top-yielding rice varieties in Bangladesh by 2020 across the rice types to understand the current status of our varietal improvement programmes. We sorted out how much improvement is needed in each rice types. Among the rice types, cold-tolerant (Northern and Western) was sorted out as the most potential area of rice yield improvement where rice varieties will be released having a yield advantage of 4.04 t ha-1 by 2050. The chronology of next priority areas for high yielding variety development and their target yield advantages in t ha-1 are saline Boro (4.03), Favourable Boro (long duration) (4), cold-tolerant (Haor) (3.83), tidal submergence (3.8), Healthier rice (Boro) (3.58), Favourable Boro (short duration) (3.33), Healthier rice (Aman) (3.3), Favourable Aman (3.23), Flash flood (3.09), upland rice (2.89), Saline Aman (2.8), Healthier rice (Aus) (2.53), Premium quality rice (2.53), drought (2.38), T. Aus (2.05) and deepwater. Combined genetic interventions like population improvement through cyclic breeding, genomic selection, marker-assisted selection, genome editing, genetic transformation, germplasm utilization through genome-wide association study and phenomics, and development of super hybrid rice are being used in the country to attain yield target for different rice types. Bangladesh Rice J. 24 (2): 67-82, 2021

Production Cross-Section Measurements for Terbium Radionuclides of Medical Interest Produced in Tantalum Targets Irradiated by 0.3 to 1.7 GeV Protons and Corresponding Thick Target Yield Calculations

This work presents the production cross-sections of Ce, Tb and Dy radionuclides produced by 300 MeV to 1.7 GeV proton-induced spallation reactions in thin tantalum targets as well as the related Thick Target production Yield (TTY) values and ratios. The motivation is to optimise the production of terbium radionuclides for medical applications and to find out at which energy the purity of the collection by mass separation would be highest. For that purpose, activation experiments were performed using the COSY synchrotron at FZ Jülich utilising the stacked-foils technique and γ spectrometry with high-purity germanium detectors. The Al-27(p,x)Na-24 reaction has been used as monitor reaction. All experimental data have been systematically compared with the existing literature.

The Productivity and Nutrient Use Efficiency of Rice–Rice–Black Gram Cropping Sequence Are Influenced by Location Specific Nutrient Management

Nutrient management is critical for rice farming because the crop is grown under diverse conditions, and in most cases, the existing nutrient management practices fail to achieve an attainable yield target. During recent years site specific nutrient management gained importance for a target yield with maximum nutrient use efficiency. Sufficient research work has not been carried out in this direction so far in the rice–rice–pulse (black gram) sequential cropping system under the red and lateritic belt of West Bengal, India. A multi-locational field experiment was conducted from July 2013 to June 2015 at three different locations, namely, Guskara (Burdwan district) and Benuriya (Birbhum district) villages in farmers’ fields and at the university farm of Visva-Bharati, Sriniketan, West Bengal, India. The performance of nutrients was tested by providing ample doses of N, P, K, S, and Zn compared to the omission of these nutrients. The growth parameters, such as crop biomass production, leaf area index, and number of tillers, and yield attributes and yield were influenced by nutrient management treatments. Application of 100% of N, P, K, S, and Zn resulted in its superiority to other nutrient management options studied, and a similar trend was also noted with the treatment in the expression of nutrient use efficiency (NUE) and nutrient response (NR). The available N, P, K, S, and Zn contents in soil increased steadily due to the increase in fertilizer application. The study concluded that optimization of NPK in the rice–rice–pulse cropping system on target yield along with need-based S and Zn application was beneficial for higher productivity.

Rapidly Establishing a Hospital-Based Convalescent Plasma Collection Center With the Alyx Apheresis Collection Device

The effort to collect convalescent plasma from individuals who recovered from COVID-19 began in earnest during the spring of 2020. Either whole blood or apheresis donations were obtained, the latter yielding higher numbers of units per donor per collection and more frequent collections. The NorthShore University HealthSystem blood donor center purchased 2 Alyx (Fresenius Kabi) apheresis plasma collection devices and quickly implemented them in order to collect COVID-19 convalescent plasma. Apheresis-experienced and inexperienced phlebotomists operated the instruments. Donors were collected >14 days from symptom resolution and all donors were negative by SARS-CoV-2 nasopharyngeal swab. Both internal metrics of performance as well as a post donation survey were used to evaluate the feasibility implementing this collection program. During the first 100 days of the collection program, 650 plasma units were collected. In particular, during the first week of the program, 38 units were collected and distributed to hospitals under the emergency investigational new drug and expanded access program. Fifty-one donors (15%) were deferred due to vital signs out of range or donor screening questions. Thirty-one donors (10%) were deferred due to positive nasopharyngeal swab. Lower than target yield occurred in 16.6% of collections due to donor reactions or flow errors. Donors rated the overall program lower, but not the staff, when they reported symptoms related to collection. In conclusion, a hospital-based apheresis convalescent plasma collection program can be rapidly implemented. Donor reaction rates and vein infiltration rates should be carefully monitored for each phlebotomist.

A novel approach to medical radioisotope production using inverse kinematics

The inverse kinematics methodology using a gas target has been applied to produce medically important radionuclides at the Cyclotron Institute at Texas A&M University. The production of the theranostic radionuclide 67Cu (T1/2 = 62 h) through the reaction of a 70Zn beam at 15 MeV/nucleon with a hydrogen gas target was performed. The activities at end of irradiation and the thick target yield were obtained for 67Cu. A test using the forward-focused neutrons from the primary reaction to irradiate natZn to produce 67Cu is also presented.

On-farm Fertility Management through Target Yield Approach for Sustenance of Tribal Farmers

The demonstrations on on-farm fertility management through desired yield target were conducted with castor and maize crops at 15 farmers’ fields during rabi 2016-17 at Peddatanda and Sainapally tanda of Nagarkurnool District, Telangana to improve sustenance of tribal farmers and to verify the fertilizer prescription models & to analyze the economics of these models to enhance the productivity and profitability. The results revealed that the targeted yield prescription models ensured higher seed yield, response yard-stick and nutrient ratio to the applied fertilizers, and additional benefits from higher produce, a good benefit-cost ratio obtained over the farmers’ practice. The seed yield from the pre-fixed targets of 25 and 60 q ha-1 of castor and maize were achieved within ± 10 % yield deviation at almost all the locations, which ensure for further nourishment of tribal farmers. The targeted yield prescription models for fertilizer recommendations were more precise to achieve the targeted yield, additionally led to higher profits and soil health.