Search

This review summarizes the literature on efficacy of techniques to sterilize soil. Soil may need to be sterilized if contaminated with pathogens such as Bacillus anthracis. Sterilizing soil in-situ minimizes spread of the bio-contaminant. Soil is difficult to sterilize, with efficacy generally diminishing with depth. Methyl bromide, formaldehyde, and glutaraldehyde are the only soil treatment options that have been demonstrated at full-scale to effectively inactivate Bacillus spores. Soil sterilization modalities with high efficacy at bench-scale include wet and dry heat, metam sodium, chlorine dioxide gas, and activated sodium persulfate. Simple oxidants such as chlorine bleach are ineffective in sterilizing soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To elucidate the effect and mechanism of a novel polyethylene nanopackaging combined with ozone fumigation (O 3 +NA) on delaying browning and softening of Agaricus bisporus during postharvest storage, quality changes under different treatments at low temperature over 18 d in storage were analyzed at the sensory, physiological and biochemical levels. It showed that, compared with ozone fumigation (O 3), commercial polyethylene packaging (PE) and no packaging, O 3 +NA improved the storage quality of mushrooms mainly by reducing the browning index, while maintaining firmness and whiteness. In comparison to the control group, O 3 +NA increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes and reduced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), thus maintaining the better antioxidant activity of A. bisporus. This combined treatment not only inhibited the activity of enzymes related to browning but also maintained low levels of cell wall degrading enzymes activity, which restricted the softening of A. bisporus during storage. Therefore, O 3 +NA improved the storage quality of mushrooms. Compared with conventional commercial PE film packaging, O 3 +NA prolonged the shelf-life of mushroom at low temperature by 6–9 d, providing an effective composite preservation technology. [Display omitted] • O 3 combined with nanopackaging (O 3 +NA) can inhibit mushroom browning and softening. • O 3 +NA extended the shelf-life of mushrooms at 4 ℃ by 6–9 d compared with PE. • O 3 +NA reduced the accumulation of ROS and maintained a high antioxidant capacity. • The degradation of cell wall components of mushrooms is delayed by O 3 +NA treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two commercial formulations, abamectin·fluopyram 10 % suspension concentrate (SC) and alpha-cypermethrin·chlorantraniliprole 10 % SC are under registration for application on gingers in China. In 2022, open field trials were conducted based on good agricultural practice (GAP) in four regions. Alpha-cypermethrin·chlorantraniliprole 10 % SC for controlling beet armyworm was used at the recommended registration label (dosage of 67.5 g a.i./ha, a pre-harvest interval (PHI) of 14d), and the abamectin·fluopyram 10 % SC for controlling root-knot nematodes was applied once by root irrigation (dosage of 600 g a.i./ha). The results indicated that the residues of abamectin B1a and fluopyram in gingers during harvest and cypermethrin and chlorantraniliprole in gingers on the recommended PHI were all lower than 10 µg/kg, which were also lower than their corresponding maximum residue limits (MRLs) in China (except for fluopyram with no MRL set in China). The chronic dietary risk quotients of abamectin, fluopyram, chlorantraniliprole, and alpha-cypermethrin for Chinese consumers were no higher than 51.39 %, and the acute dietary risk quotients of abamectin, fluopyram, and alpha-cypermethrin in ginger for the Chinese general population were no higher than 4.06 %. Therefore, the two formulations used on gingers according to the recommended GAP information have no dietary risk on Chinese consumers. • Open field trials using two commercial formulations were conducted on gingers. • Pesticide residues were lower than 0.01 mg/kg in ginger samples. • Chronic and acute dietary risk were acceptable for Chinese consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Telepharmacy services are expected to have an important role in increasing access of patients to pharmaceutical care and reducing potential dispensing errors in community pharmacies. Objective: To assess the predictors for effective telepharmacy services on increasing access of patients to care and reducing dispensing errors in community pharmacies. Method: This is a prospective study carried out for 4 months in 52 community pharmacies across the United Arab Emirates (UAE) using disguised direct observation. Multivariable logistic regression was used as a tool to predict factors associated with effective telepharmacy services in improving dispensing safety and increasing access of patients to pharmaceutical care. Data were entered and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software version 26. Results: Pharmacist recommendations related to COVID-19 at pharmacies with telepharmacy (n = 63,714) versus those without remote services (n = 15,539) were significantly more likely to be (1) contact the nearest testing center (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 7.93), (2) maintain home quarantine (AOR = 5.64), and (3) take paracetamol for fever (AOR = 3.53), all were significant results (p < 0.05). Rates of medication dispensing errors (MDEs) and its subcategories, prescription-related errors, and pharmacist counseling errors across pharmacies with telepharmacy versus those without remote services were (15.81% vs. 19.43%, p < 0.05), (5.38% vs. 10.08%, p < 0.05), and (10.42% vs. 9.35%, p > 0.05), respectively. However, pharmacies with telepharmacy were more likely to include wrong patient errors (AOR = 5.38, p < 0.05). Conclusions: Telepharmacy can be used as a tool to reduce the burden on the health care system and improve drug dispensing safety in community pharmacies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cowpea weevil, Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) is one of most common species pest that attack various types of beans in the storage. Plant-based insecticides are considered as good candidates as alternatives to methyl bromide and phosphine for controlling pest in storage. Plenty of reports about plant powder as grain protectant, conversely a little information on plant powder as fumigant had been reported. This study was designed to observe the effects of plant powders of clove, holy basil, lemongrass and turmeric as fumigant on the biological parameters of C. maculatus under laboratory conditions. Methods: Experiments were conducted on plant powders against biological parameters of cowpea weevil. No choice test method was followed to assess the bioefficacy of the four natural fumigants on adult longevity, fecundity, F1 progeny, bean damage and weight loss of bean under completely randomized design (CRD). Result: Fumigant toxicity of four plant powders (clove, holy basil, lemongrass and turmeric) varied amongst doses. Clove powder showed significantly lower adult longevity, fecundity of female, number of F1 progeny, bean damage and weight loss of bean at 1 g and 3 g dose per container. Major volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in clove powder were eugenol (48.64%) and caryophyllene (43.09%) identified by solid phase microextraction followed with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (SPME-GC/MS). These two major constituents might explain the fumigant toxic activities of clove powder towards C. maculatus biological parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of chemical compounds to prevent corruption and increase the shelf life of agricultural products, including grapes, has many applications. Due to the harmful effects of these compounds on human health and also the tendency of people to use organic products, today the use of low-risk and alternative methods has increased. The use of antimicrobial, antibacterial and antifungal compounds, such as natural essential oils, can be a good way to increase the shelf life of crops. In this study, the effect of thyme essential oil on increasing the shelf life of Fakhri cultivar grapes by two methods of immersion (direct contact) and fumigant (indirect contact) in concentrations (0, 150, 300 and 450 μl / l) In the cold storage with a temperature of 1±2° C and a relative humidity of 90% was tested for 60 days. Traits such as percentage of changes in fruit weight, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, sensory evaluation including fruit texture firmness, Smell and flavor, antioxidant capacity and browning of cluster wood were evaluated. The least percentage of changes in fruit weight and titratable acidity were observed at a concentration of 450 μl /l of thyme essential oil. The control treatment had the highest amount of total soluble solids in fruits (25.2 degrees Brix). Also, the results of sensory evaluation of fruit texture firmness showed that the fumigant method was better than the immersion method with gradual release of essential oil to maintain the firmness of fruit texture better. Sensory evaluation of grape fruit Smell and flavor and taste showed that at high concentrations of essential oil, the sensory evaluation index was lower. Antioxidant capacity was declining in the whole process and fumigant and immersion methods were not significantly different from each other. The results of evaluation of browning of cluster wood showed that the two methods of fumigant and immersion were not significantly different from each other in maintaining the green color of cluster wood, but showed better performance than the control treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of crude oil reserve shortage and air quality decline currently have led researches on renewable fuel such as bioethanol and biohydrogen. The attempt to provide such biofuel involves the utilization of enormously available wasted materials, lignocellulose. Coconut husk is one of such materials available in Indonesia. The previous work had reported the quantity of total reducing sugar produced after the enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated coconut husk. The pretreatment methods used were dilute sodium hydroxide solution (1 and 4% w/v), 1,3- methylmethylimidazolium dimethyl phosphate ionic liquid and the combination of both methods. This work focused on constructing the mathematical model which describes the kinetic of those enzymatic hydrolysis reactions. Mathematical model expressions help describing as well as predicting the process behavior, which is commonly needed in the process design and control. The development of mathematical model in this work was done based on the total reducing sugar concentration resulted in batch hydrolysis reaction. The kinetic parameters including initial available substrate (S0), maximum reaction rate (rmax), and half-maximum rate constant (KM). According to the values of half-maximum rate constant (KM), the enzymatic hydrolysis performance of coconut husk treated using ionic liquid is better than that treated using dilute alkaline solution as the former had shown lower KM value and hence higher enzyme affinity to the substrate. The best hydrolysis result was performed using combination of 1% dilute sodium hydroxide solution and ionic liquid with kinetic model parameter of 0.5524 g/L.h of rmax, 0.0409 g/L of KM, and 4.1919 g/L of S0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Donepezil is a centrally acting acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor with therapeutic potential in inflammatory diseases; however, the underlying autonomic and cholinergic mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we assessed effects of donepezil on mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), HR variability, and body temperature in conscious adult male C57BL/6 mice to investigate the autonomic pathways involved. Central versus peripheral cholinergic effects of donepezil were assessed using pharmacological approaches including comparison with the peripherally acting AChE inhibitor, neostigmine. Drug treatments included donepezil (2.5 or 5 mg/kg sc), neostigmine methyl sulfate (80 or 240 µg/kg ip), atropine sulfate (5 mg/kg ip), atropine methyl bromide (5 mg/kg ip), or saline. Donepezil, at 2.5 and 5 mg/kg, decreased HR by 36 ± 4% and 44 ± 3% compared with saline (n = 10, P < 0.001). Donepezil, at 2.5 and 5 mg/kg, decreased temperature by 13 ± 2% and 22 ± 2% compared with saline (n = 6, P < 0.001). Modest (P < 0.001) increases in MAP were observed with donepezil after peak bradycardia occurred. Atropine sulfate and atropine methyl bromide blocked bradycardic responses to donepezil, but only atropine sulfate attenuated hypothermia. The pressor response to donepezil was similar in mice coadministered atropine sulfate; however, coadministration of atropine methyl bromide potentiated the increase in MAP. Neostigmine did not alter HR or temperature, but did result in early increases in MAP. Despite the marked bradycardia, donepezil did not increase normalized high-frequency HR variability. We conclude that donepezil causes marked bradycardia and hypothermia in conscious mice via the activation of muscarinic receptors while concurrently increasing MAP via autonomic and cholinergic pathways that remain to be elucidated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trogoderma granarium Everts (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) is one of the most important quarantine pests of stored grains. Control of this insect species can be achieved through a gaseous insecticide, phosphine. Many studies focus on the effect of phosphine on different developmental stages of insects, with most of them highlighting eggs as the most tolerant stage. Our data showed that 2-d-old eggs of T. granarium are more susceptible than 1-d-old eggs. Faster hatching was observed in eggs exposed to phosphine for 2 d compared to controls and the result was more pronounced for 1-d-old than 2-d-old eggs. In contrast to the 2-d exposure, hatching rates of eggs exposed to 4 and 6 d were notably reduced, while there was a delay in egg hatching compared to controls. Moreover, larval development from untreated eggs was faster than the larvae from treated eggs, regardless of the exposure time. These dissimilar patters in larval growth may suggest certain delayed effects of phosphine fumigation. The results of the present work can be further utilized for the development of phosphine-based quarantine and pre-shipment treatments for the control of T. granarium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Longan fruit is a rich source of bioactive compounds; however, enzymatic browning of pericarp and microbial decay have limited its postharvest life. SO2 has widely been used to overcome these limitations; however, due to safety and regulatory concerns, alternative means should be identified. In this study, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of thymol (TH) essential oil were investigated against the enzymatic browning and decay of longan fruit. Methods. Fruits were coated with TH (4%) for 5 min, sealed in polyethylene (PE) packages and stored at 4 °C for 42 d. Fruits immersed in distilled water (DW) and stored in PE were used as control. Results. TH extended the postharvest life of longan to 42 d than 28 d in DW. TH residues decreased from 142 to 11.17 mg kg-1, while no residues were found at day 42. TH significantly (P = 0.05) reduced the respiration rate, inhibited polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) enzyme activities, sustained high phenols/flavonoids and prevented pericarp browning (BI) than DW. TH also effectively (P = 0.05) maintained the color values, firmness of peel and aril, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), inhibited decay incidence (DI) and resulted in lower ethanol content than DW. BI as a function of pericarp pH was highly correlated; pH and BI (r=0. 97), with PPO (r=0.93) and with water loss (r=0.99). A high coefficient of correlation of BI was found with the pericarp pH, enzymes, phenolic, water loss and decay incidence with ethanol. TH could be the best alternative to SO2 and other synthetic preservatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With less emphasis on fumigation after harvest, due to the phase‐out of methyl bromide and increasing phosphine resistance, diversified postharvest integrated pest management (IPM) programs are needed. Here, we synthesize knowledge on semiochemical‐mediated, behaviorally‐based tactics, wherein semiochemicals are deployed to manipulate pest behavior to protect commodities. We note that beyond monitoring, commercial use is limited to mating disruption targeting mostly moths. In total, behaviorally‐based tactics have been attempted for eight species of stored product insects from two orders and six families. Eighteen challenges were identified that may have prevented robust implementation of semiochemicals for behaviorally‐based management in stored products, including direct competition with ubiquitous food cues, and the diverse insect assemblages that colonize food facilities. Further, we discuss the scientific data and methods required to support stakeholder acceptance of semiochemicals at food facilities, including demonstrating that pests are not attracted from the landscape and minimal spillover around pheromones. We sketch a robust areawide behaviorally‐based IPM program after harvest, and clarify properties for improving semiochemicals, including incorporating those that are broad spectrum, competitive with food cues, potent at low concentration, and exhibit dose‐dependent attraction. The research gaps and testable hypotheses described here will speed developing behaviorally‐based tactics at food facilities. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood medulloblastoma (MB) is a threatening malignant tumor affecting children all over the globe. It is believed to be the foremost common pediatric brain tumor causing death. Early and accurate classification of childhood MB and its classes are of great importance to help doctors choose the suitable treatment and observation plan, avoid tumor progression, and lower death rates. The current gold standard for diagnosing MB is the histopathology of biopsy samples. However, manual analysis of such images is complicated, costly, time-consuming, and highly dependent on the expertise and skills of pathologists, which might cause inaccurate results. This study aims to introduce a reliable computer-assisted pipeline called CoMB-Deep to automatically classify MB and its classes with high accuracy from histopathological images. This key challenge of the study is the lack of childhood MB datasets, especially its four categories (defined by the WHO) and the inadequate related studies. All relevant works were based on either deep learning (DL) or textural analysis feature extractions. Also, such studies employed distinct features to accomplish the classification procedure. Besides, most of them only extracted spatial features. Nevertheless, CoMB-Deep blends the advantages of textural analysis feature extraction techniques and DL approaches. The CoMB-Deep consists of a composite of DL techniques. Initially, it extracts deep spatial features from 10 convolutional neural networks (CNNs). It then performs a feature fusion step using discrete wavelet transform (DWT), a texture analysis method capable of reducing the dimension of fused features. Next, the CoMB-Deep explores the best combination of fused features, enhancing the performance of the classification process using two search strategies. Afterward, it employs two feature selection techniques on the fused feature sets selected in the previous step. A bi-directional long-short term memory (Bi-LSTM) network; a DL-based approach that is utilized for the classification phase. CoMB-Deep maintains two classification categories: binary category for distinguishing between the abnormal and normal cases and multi-class category to identify the subclasses of MB. The results of the CoMB-Deep for both classification categories prove that it is reliable. The results also indicate that the feature sets selected using both search strategies have enhanced the performance of Bi-LSTM compared to individual spatial deep features. CoMB-Deep is compared to related studies to verify its competitiveness, and this comparison confirmed its robustness and outperformance. Hence, CoMB-Deep can help pathologists perform accurate diagnoses, reduce misdiagnosis risks that could occur with manual diagnosis, accelerate the classification procedure, and decrease diagnosis costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Betula alnoides was used as a test material to study the effect of ammonia fumigation treatment on wood color and chemical composition. The effects of concentration, temperature, and duration of ammonia fumigation on wood color were studied. The properties of the material were studied using contact angle measurements, X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and dynamic thermomechanical analysis. In general, the color difference of the wood increased with the concentration of ammonia used in the fumigation process, treatment temperature, and treatment duration. After ammonia fumigation treatment, the chemical composition of hydroxyl and carboxyl groups in the wood was reduced. We concluded that ammonia fumigation treatment decreased material wettability and dynamic mechanical rigidity and increased the degree of crystallinity in wood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, oxygenated graphene nanosheets (OGNs) were successfully synthesized using a simple electrochemical exfoliation approach and applied to remove methylene blue (MB) in an aqueous solution. The surface morphology and structure of the OGNs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Raman, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The adsorption performance of OGNs towards aqueous MB was tested by batch experiments. Results showed that a large number of functional groups in OGNs enhanced the removal of MB from the aqueous solution due to the electrostatic interactions between the electrochemically oxygenated groups (e.g. C–OH, C–O, and C=O) and dye molecules. Using Langmuir adsorption isotherm, the maximum MB adsorption capacity (qmax) was determined as high as 476.19 mg g−1. These results suggested that the as-prepared OGNs is an effective and promising adsorbent for removing MB, which could be studied extensively for color removal in wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies suggest that air pollutant exposure may increase the incidence of mental health conditions, however research is limited. We examined the association between ozone (O3) and fine particles (PM2.5) and emergency department (ED) visits related to mental health outcomes, including psychosis, neurosis, neurotic/stress, substance use, mood/affective, depression, bipolar, schizotypal/delusional, schizophrenia, self-harm/suicide, and homicide/inflicted injury, from 2005 through 2013 in California. Air monitoring data were provided by the U.S. EPA's Air Quality System Data Mart and ED data were provided by the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. We used the time-series method with a quasi-Poisson regression, controlling for apparent temperature, day of the week, holidays, and seasonal/long-term trends. Per 10 parts per billion increase, we observed significant cumulative 7-day associations between O3 and all mental health [0.64%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.21, 1.07], depression [1.87%, 95% CI: 0.62, 3.15], self-harm/suicide [1.43%, 95% CI: 0.35, 2.51], and bipolar [2.83%, 95% CI: 1.53, 4.15]. We observed 30-day lag associations between O3 and neurotic disorder [1.22%, 95% CI: 0.48, 1.97] and homicide/inflicted injury [2.01%, 95% CI: 1.00, 3.02]. Same-day mean PM2.5 was associated with a 0.42% [95% CI: 0.14, 0.70] increase in all mental health, 1.15% [95% CI: 0.62, 1.69] increase in homicide/inflicted injury, and a 0.57% [95% CI: 0.22, 0.92] increase in neurotic disorders per 10 μg/m3 increase. Other outcomes not listed here were not statistically significant for O3 or PM2.5. Risk varied by age group and was generally greater for females, Asians, and Hispanics. We also observed seasonal variation for outcomes including but not limited to depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, self-harm/suicide, and homicide/inflicted injury. Ambient O3 or PM2.5 may increase the risk of mental health illness, though underlying biological mechanisms remain poorly understood. Findings warrant further investigation to better understand the impacts of air pollutant exposure among vulnerable groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil disinfestation with steam has potential to partially replace fumigants such as methyl bromide, chloropicrin, and 1,3-dichloropropene because it is effective, safer to apply, and has less negative impact on the environment. Here, we compared the efficacy of steam and steam + mustard seed meal (MSM) to chloropicrin on soil disinfection, plant growth, and fruit yield in a strawberry (Fragaria 3ananassa) fruiting field. The MSM was applied at 3368 kg·haL1 before the steam application. Steam was injected into a 3-mwide reverse tiller that was set to till 30 to 40 cm deep. Soil temperatures at depths of 10, 20, 25, and 35 cm were monitored. Steam and steam + MSM treatments reduced the viability of purslane seeds and nutsedge tubers, microsclerotia density of Verticillium dahliae, propagule density of Pythium ultimum, cumulative weed densities, and biomass compared with the nontreated control. Moreover, the steam application was as efficacious as chloropicrin on these pests. The growth and fruit yield of strawberries grown on soils previously treated with the steam and steam + MSM treatments were similar to those in the chloropicrin treatment and were higher than those in the nontreated control. Our study indicated that steam, steam + MSM, and chloropicrin are equally effective at suppressing weeds and soilborne pathogens. These results suggest that the steam and steam + MSM treatment can be a practical alternative for soil disinfestation in conventional and organic strawberry fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apple replant disease (ARD) has been reported in all major fruit-growing regions of the world and is often caused by biotic factors (pathogen fungi) and abiotic factors (phenolic compounds). Soil chemical fumigation can kill soil pathogenic fungi; however, the traditionally used fumigant methyl bromide has been banned because of its ozone-depleting effects. There is thus a need to identify greener fumigant candidates. We characterized the effects of different fumigants on the replanted soil environment and the growth characteristics of Malus hupehensis Rehd. seedlings. All five experimental treatments [treatment 1 (T1), metham-sodium; treatment 2 (T2), dazomet; treatment 3 (T3), calcium cyanamide; treatment 4 (T4), 1,3-dichloropropene; and treatment 5 (T5), methyl bromide] promoted significantly the biomass, root growth, and root respiration rate of M. hupehensis seedlings and the ammonium nitrogen (NH4 +-N) and nitrate nitrogen (NO3--N) contents of replanted soil. Metham sodium (T1) and dazomet (T2) had stronger effects compared with 1,3-dichloropropene (T4) and calcium cyanamide (T3). At 172 days after T1, the height, root length, and root respiration rate of Malus hupehensis Rehd. seedlings, and the NH4 +-N and NO3 --N contents of replanted soil increased by 91.64%, 97.67%, 69.78%, 81.98%, and 27.44%, respectively, compared with the control. Thus, dazomet and metham sodium were determined to be the optimal fumigants for use in practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhizome rot and quality deterioration of tender ginger after harvest were the restricting factors of tender ginger storage quality. In this research, cold storage with SO2 fumigation function was designed and the effects of 0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 ml L−1 SO2 fumigation every 15 d on the storage quality of tender ginger was investigated. The improved cold storage and supporting equipment can automatically fill and remove SO2 gas into the storage room, and keep the humidity stable at 92%–95% during storage. Experimental results showed that automatic periodical SO2 fumigation of tender ginger with 0.5 ml L−1 SO2 every 15 d can effectively maintain firmness (~56%), retard weight loss (~22%), reduce decay rate (~20%), and inhibit the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) content (~26%). Meanwhile, the 0.5 ml L−1 SO2 treatment enhanced the disease resistance of tender ginger by enhancing phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activity (~8%) and inhibiting polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity (~25%), and the integrity of tissue structure was also well maintained. More importantly, the SO2 residue in the tender ginger treated with the 0.5 ml L−1 SO2 completely met the FDA food safety standard on the 50 d. Therefore, the combination of cold storage structure innovation and 0.5 ml L−1 SO2 periodical fumigation is more effective at improving the storage quality of tender ginger. Practical applications: Automatic periodical SO2 fumigation showed great potential application in maintaining the storage quality of ginger after harvest. The activity levels of defense enzymes were significantly increased and the storage quality of tender ginger was well maintained. Automatic periodical fumigation of tender ginger with 0.5 ml L−1 SO2 is a simple, safe, low cost, and convenient method to improve the storage quality of tender ginger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Broadleaf and grass weeds can adversely affect growth and productivity of plastic-mulched tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Two, four-year research trials were conducted in Florida to evaluate the effect of repeated fumigation and chemical fallow versus a sorghum [Sorghum bicolor S. bicolor var. sudanense (Piper) Stapf.] cover crop on broadleaf and grass weeds in tomato plasticulture. RESULTS: 1,3-Dichloropropene (1,3-D) + chloropicrin (Pic), dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) + Pic, and DMDS + metam potassium effectively controlled broadleaf weeds in-crop and reduced densities by 79–98% compared to the non-fumigated control but provided inconsistent control of grass weeds. DMDS + metam potassium was generally the most effective fumigant. During the fallow period, a sorghum cover crop effectively reduced broadleaf weed density than the chemical fallow, while chemical fallow effectively reduced grass weed density than the cover crop. The fallow program did not affect in-crop densities of broadleaf and grass weeds. In some measurements, the evaluated fumigants resulted in taller tomato plants and higher yield compared to the non-fumigated control. CONCLUSION:We conclude that the evaluated soil fumigants effectively control broadleaf and grass weeds. Planting a sorghum cover crop effectively suppresses broadleaf weeds but not grasses during the fallow period. However, this suppression does not result in reduced weed density in-crop despite the fact that similar weed species were observed in both time periods. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We address the influence of clustering on the ultra-fast dissociation of bromomethane. Valence and core photo-electron spectroscopy, partial electron yield absorption, and resonant Auger spectroscopy have been used together with ab initio calculations to investigate the properties of the ultra-fast dissociation. The ratio of ultra-fast dissociation of molecules in clusters as compared to free molecules is determined to be significantly reduced. We propose partial delocalization of the excited electronic state as being responsible for this behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manufacture of diatomite-supported composite catalyst with enhanced photocatalytic activity is of great interest for wastewater treatment. In this study, the pretreated diatomite (PD) with 5 wt.% NaOH solution possessed better pore structure and large specific surface area. A facile hydrothermal-photoreduction method was adopted to prepare Bi/BiVO4/PD composite. The chemical composition, microstructure morphology and pore structure of samples were investigated by means of XRF, XRD, SEM, TEM, EDS, XPS and BET methods. The results showed that the metallic Bi was uniformly deposited on the BiVO4. After loaded on PD, both surface area and total pore volume had a significant increase. In addition, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra presented that the absorption capacity of Bi/BiVO4/PD-25% composite in the visible light range was remarkably high due to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) caused by metallic Bi. From photoluminescence (PL) spectra and transient photocurrents, the heterojunction formed between Bi/BiVO4 and PD helped promoting the separation and migration of photo-generated carriers, which in turn led to higher photocatalytic activity. Compared with Bi/BiVO4, Bi/BiVO4/PD loaded with 25 wt.% PD showed highest decolorization rate for rhodamine B (RhB), malachite green (MG), methylene blue (MB), methyl orange (MO) and lemon yellow (LY) under visible light irradiation. According to trapping experiments on free radicals, the active species that played a decisive role in RhB degradation were h + and • O 2 − . Findings from this study suggest that Bi/BiVO4/PD-25% composite holds great promise for dye degradation and wastewater treatment. The Bi/BiVO4 catalyst supported by alkali-modified diatomite (PD) was synthesized by a hydrothermal-photoreduction method. Bi/BiVO4/PD loaded with 25 wt% PD showed the best photocatalytic degradation performance for rhodamine B (RhB), malachite green (MG), methylene blue (MB), methyl orange (MO) and lemon yellow (LY) under visible light irradiation, which holds great promise for dye degradation and wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphine fumigation is one of the most effective way control insect pests in stored agricultural products. However, continuous use and highly dependent on phosphine fumigation has led to resistance development of major storage insect pests, including psocid. Fifty adult psocid were exposed for 20 h testing protocol to classify the susceptible to resistant strains. A full assay was composed of eight concentrations ranging from 0.003 to 1.000 g/m− 3. The most resistant strain was subjected for the extended exposure period of 72 and 144 h. Result revealed that, two out of eleven strain were still susceptible to phosphine fumigation, while nine were classified as the following: 2 strain (very low resistance), 3 strain (moderate resistance, 1 strain (high resistance) and 3 strain (very high resistance). Most susceptible was collected from La Union (lr1lug strain); LC50 and LC99 were 0.004 and 0.024 g/m− 3 concentration. Moreover, the highest resistance level was recorded in Tarlac (lr3tr strain); the LC50 and LC99 were 0.917 and 2.081 g/m− 3 concentration respectively. Based on the response of the most resistant strain and developmental stage, the projected minimum effective concentration or MEC of phosphine gas to provide a complete control of all stages of L. bostrychophila were 0.100–0.500 g/m− 3 for 72 and 144 h exposure period. The gathered data allow us to assess the importance of impending new resistance to the Philippine agricultural industry and to make an effective phosphine fumigation approaches plus resistant management strategy to fight a new strong resistance before they arise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Currently a renaissance in chemical nematicides is taking place with novel products like Nimitz® (a.s. fluensulfone), Velum Prime® (a.s. fluopyram) and Salibro™ (a.s. fluazaindolizine – Reklemel™ active) entering the marketplace. Although a considerable amount of published data is already available on their laboratory and field impact on plant-parasitic nematodes, little is understood of their compatibility with the beneficial or free-living nematodes that are part of the soil health network. In a range of laboratory studies, the effects of these nematicides on the vitality and reproduction of several species was tested, including both cosmopolitan free-living nematodes (Acrobeloides , Cruznema , Panagrobelus) as well as commercially applied entomopathogenic nematodes (Steinernema , Heterorhabditis). Within aqueous exposure and agar plate in vitro assays, species sensitivity to those nematicides differed significantly but their fitness (vitality and reproduction; infectivity to insect hosts) was generally not adversely impacted by concentrations of 5-50 ppm (a.s.) of Salibro. Even at 250 ppm (a.s.) of Salibro only some species of the bacterial-feeding species showed some negative impact. By contrast, both Nimitz at 50 ppm (a.s.) and Velum at 5 ppm (a.s.) consistently demonstrated stronger adverse impacts. In second level soil drenching assays, either no, or occasionally slight, adverse effects on the natural community of free-living nematodes were observed if soils were drenched with different volumes of Salibro at 5-50 ppm (a.s.), while relatively stronger reductions were measured within the plant-parasitic species (especially root-knot nematodes). Both Nimitz and Vydate (a.s. oxamyl) showed some degree of compatibility at 5 and 25 ppm (a.s.), respectively, which was generally higher than for Velum Prime at 5 ppm (a.s.). Overall, these data indicate that, when used at common field rates, Salibro will be one of the best options as part of integrated nematode management programmes where the use of chemical nematicides is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Charcoal rot caused by Macrophomina phaseolinais an increasing economic problem in annualized strawberry production systems around the world. Currently there are no effective postfumigation chemical controls for managing charcoal rot, and no information is available on the genetic architecture of resistance to M. phaseolina in strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa). In this study, three multiparental discovery populations and two validation populations were inoculated at planting and evaluated for mortality in three consecutive growing seasons. Genome-wide SNP genotyping and pedigree-based analysis with FlexQTLTM software were performed. Two large-effect quantitative trait loci (QTL) increasing charcoal rot resistance were discovered and validated in cultivated germplasm. FaRMp1 was located on linkage group 2A in the interval 20.4to 24.9 cM, while FaRMp2 was located on linkage group 4B in the interval 41.1to 61.2 cM. Together these QTLs explained 27% and 17% of the phenotypic variance in two discovery populations consisting of elite breeding germplasm. For both QTLs, the resistant allele showed some evidence of partial dominance, but no significant interaction was detected between the two loci. As the dosage of resistant alleles increased from 0 to 4 across the two QTLs, mortality decreased regardless of the combination of alleles.A third locus, FaRMp3 on 4D, was discovered in FVC 11–58, a reconstituted F.)ananassa originating from diverse F. virginiana and F. chiloensis accessions. This locus accounted for 44% of phenotypic variation in four segregating crosses. These findings will form the basis for DNA-informed breeding for resistance to charcoal rot in cultivated strawberry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Agro-Environment Science is the property of Journal of Agro-Environment Science Editorial Board and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Many Chemistry‐Climate Models (CCMs) include a simplified treatment of brominated very short‐lived (VSLBr) species by assuming CH3Br as a surrogate for VSLBr. However, neglecting a comprehensive treatment of VSLBr in CCMs may yield an unrealistic representation of the associated impacts. Here, we use the Community Atmospheric Model with Chemistry (CAM‐Chem) CCM to quantify the tropospheric and stratospheric changes between various VSLBr chemical approaches with increasing degrees of complexity (i.e., surrogate, explicit, and full). Our CAM‐Chem results highlight the improved accuracy achieved by considering a detailed treatment of VSLBr photochemistry, including sea‐salt aerosol dehalogenation and heterogeneous recycling on ice‐crystals. Differences between the full and surrogate schemes maximize in the lowermost stratosphere and midlatitude free troposphere, resulting in a latitudinally dependent reduction of ∼1–7 DU in total ozone column and a ∼5%–15% decrease of the OH/HO2 ratio. We encourage all CCMs to include a complete chemical treatment of VSLBr in the troposphere and stratosphere. Plain Language Summary: The atmospheric bromine burden is dominated by anthropogenic long‐lived bromocarbons, such as methyl bromide (CH3Br) and halons (i.e., CBr2F2). Due to their small reactivity, these species do not influence tropospheric chemistry and are transported unaltered to the stratosphere, where they contribute to ozone layer depletion. The Montreal Protocol has banned the industrial production of halons and phased out the production of CH3Br, and consequently their atmospheric abundances are declining. Accordingly, the relative contribution of natural very short‐lived bromine (VSLBr) species, such as bromoform (CHBr3) and dibromomethane (CH2Br2), has increased. Given that VSLBr decompose more rapidly than long‐lived species, their impact on upper tropospheric chemistry and lowermost stratospheric ozone cannot be neglected. In addition, heterogeneous recycling of inorganic bromine on sea‐salt aerosol and ice‐crystals enhances the tropospheric bromine burden. However, many Chemistry‐Climate Models include a simplified approach by assuming CH3Br as a surrogate for VSLBr; while those that include an explicit VSLBr approach only consider a simplified tropospheric chemical processing. Here, we compare a surrogate, an explicit and the full chemical treatment of VSLBr source and product gases, and quantify the global impacts of these natural bromocarbons on tropospheric and stratospheric ozone, as well as on other oxidizing agents. Key Points: Using CH3Br as surrogate for brominated very short‐lived (VSLBr) species reproduces upper stratosphere bromine, but the impact on lowermost stratospheric ozone is underestimatedAn explicit approach for CHBr3 and CH2Br2 captures the expected bromine stratospheric injection but underestimates tropospheric impactsOnly the full chemical treatment of VSLBr sources results in a coherent bromine representation in the troposphere and lowermost stratosphere [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum) are known to be among the most common easy mountable indoor plants capable of purifying indoor air by absorbing carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, xylene, and many other hazardous gases. In addition, these plants are non-toxic and safe for pets and children. This project is focused on the investigation of the spider plants' capability of the formaldehyde purification under laboratory-controlled parameters of the indoor air environment. Two scenarios including employment of fresh plants as well as recovered ones damaged by 7-day exposure of formaldehyde were considered. A special attention was made to the investigation of physiological indexes of the plant leaves after damage, and whether the spider plant could be reused after its recovery. The physiological characteristics of the recovery period of potted Chlorophytum comosum immediately after 7 days of fumigation with formaldehyde were studied. Eight physiological indexes of leaves including chlorophyll, free protein, relative conductivity, MDA (malondialdehyde, lipid peroxidation), SOD (superoxide dismutase), POD (peroxidase), T-AOC (total antioxidant capacity), and stomata were selected to monitor plants' recovery processes. The results of 30-day experimental runs showed that three species of spider plants were mostly recovered within 15 days. Repeated 7-day fumigation of plants, conducted to study their ability to effectively clean the air after regeneration, confirmed such ability; the efficiency at the first day was similar to the performance of the fresh plant. However, from the second day, the efficiency was dropped by 35–50% and remained at these levels for the rest of the exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil fumigation using 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) and chloropicrin (CP) is an important strategy for agriculture production; however, excessive emissions can cause air pollution and possible human exposure. In this study, solar light-driven CuInS2/ZnS:Al-TiO2 photocatalytic film was prepared through spin-coating on the flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate of 0.1 mm. Using the photocatalytic film, degradation of 1,3-D was inhibited in the Pci-clor 60 formulation of 1,3-D and CP. However, the degradation of CP was accelerated in this formulation, and the half-life was shortened from 0.66 to 0.40 h. Emissions of 1,3-D from soil to the air were reduced by 97.30%, 97.17%, 47.10%, and 7.88%, for treatments of D + Film, D + C + Film, D + PET, and D, respectively. The efficiencies for reducing 1,3-D emission were significantly improved by about 1.1 and 11.3 times using the film, compared with using the PET alone and no film, respectively. Furthermore, fumigation effects on nematodes could still achieve higher than 90%. The findings provided a basis for the practical application of quantum dot films to reduce soil fumigants emissions by photocatalytic degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To find new sulfonylurea inhibitors with high efficacy and fast hydrolysis degradation rate, a few compounds were first designed based on the commercial product Chlorimuron-Ethyl (CE) by estimating the binding interaction between the inhibitor and the Acetohydroxyacid Synthase (AHAS) using the quantum mechanical approach. Meanwhile, the activation energy barriers of hydrolysis for the sulfonylurea inhibitors with the amino and nitro groups onto para position of the benzene ring were calculated. Based on the calculated binding interaction energy and hydrolysis energy barrier, six new sulfonylurea inhibitors I1–I6 were designed and synthesized. By measuring the half-lives through hydrolysis degradation assay, it was indicated that the compounds I1–I3 with the introduction of an amino group at the fourth position of benzene ring show much faster degradation rate than those compounds with nitro groups, which is in a good agreement with the calculated results for hydrolysis barrier. The herbicide activity tests show that the compounds I1 and I2 remained excellent herbicidal activity on both broadleaf weeds with soil treatment at a concentration about 150 mg/l. Due to their short half-lives of chemical hydrolysis and high herbicidal activities, compounds I1 and I2 could be potential herbicidal candidates in the future, which are helpful for the sustainable development of the environment and ecology. The quantum binding interaction between inhibitor and Acetohydroxyacid Synthase (AHAS) can be evaluated by the quantum receptor model. High activity sulfonylurea inhibitors were designed by using density functional theory (DFT) and the mechanism of chemical hydrolysis were theoretically investigated. The designed compounds with amino group on the 4th position of the benzene ring show high herbicidal activities and fast degradation rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acetochlor, a commonly used herbicide, and Pb are two important soil contaminants often found to co-occur. The cytotoxic effects of heavy metals like Pb considerably reduce the efficacy of microbial bioremediation steps undertaken to remove chemical contaminants from soil. This necessitates the identification of heavy metal-tolerant microbial strains that can degrade chemical pollutants. In the present study, a Pb-resistant acetochlor-degrading bacterial strain belonging to the Serratia genus was isolated. We found that Serratia sp. QSxin4 could use acetochlor as the sole carbon source and grow well when incubated in a minimal medium containing 500 mg/L acetochlor and 200 mg/L Pb. QSxin4 could degrade acetochlor from 500 to about 4.5 mg/L within 48 h, with the maximum degradation rate of 12 ± 0.1 mg mL−1 h−1. GC-MS analysis showed that the bacterial strain could deoxyalkylate acetochlor to produce 2-ethyl-6-methyl-N-methyl-α-chloroacetanilide. Germination studies carried out with Eragrostis pilosa seeds, using soil containing 25 mg/kg acetochlor and 400 mg/kg Pb, revealed that QSxin4 could markedly reduce the toxic effects of acetochlor on seed germination by degrading acetochlor to a less toxic compound. Our findings indicate that QSxin4 can be used for bioremediation of acetochlor-contaminated soil contaminated with high concentrations of Pb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 has spread out its wings across the globe and is taking away many lives. Millions of people are (self) quarantined to prevent the spread of this viral disease. World Health Organization (WHO) has affirmed that there is not any medicine for COVID-19. Besides, there is also no single drug that is approved by any regulatory agency for usage against this dangerous disease. Researchers across the globe are working tirelessly to fix an end to this virus and to save precious lives. While the research is in full swing, one is not sure whether they would come up with a chemical/herbal drug or a vaccine. Irrespective of the type of active ingredient for COVID-19, one needs to have a proper system to deliver the identified active ingredient to subjects/patients across the globe. Orodispersible films (ODFs) are excellent and attractive drug delivery carriers that have the potential to deliver drugs, herbal extracts, and vaccines. They are apt for patients who have a problem consuming traditional drug products such as tablets or capsules. The beauty of this dosage form is that it does not need water to consume by the subjects and can be readily administered to the tongue. The present review highlights the true potential of ODFs to act as a carrier for the delivery of various antiviral drugs/herbs/vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Chloropicrin (PIC) mixtures of 1,3‐dichloropropene and chloropicrin (DD:PIC), dazomet, and metam sodium (MS) have been applied as chemical alternatives to methyl bromide (MB) in Spanish strawberry nurseries since MB was banned as a soil fumigant in 2005. These chemical alternatives were applied to soil in two Spanish strawberry nurseries between 2003 and 2017 to test their efficacy against the main crown and root disease and soil fungal populations in comparison with the use of MB and PIC (MB:PIC). These chemicals were applied at several doses with different application methods under plastic films. Crown and root disease incidence was calculated as the percentage of plants with symptoms caused by soil‐borne pathogens. Soil fungal populations were estimated as colony forming units per gram of dry soil. RESULTS: All chemicals significantly reduced soil‐borne fungal disease incidence and fungal population in both nurseries over the years. Phytophthora cactorum and Fusarium spp. were the main pathogens causing soil‐borne diseases, followed by Verticillium spp. MB:PIC remained the treatment that best controlled P. cactorum. MS and DD:PIC controlled Fusarium disease to a lesser extent than MB:PIC and dazomet in both nurseries. MB:PIC and PIC were the two treatments that most reduced Verticillium spp. The population of Verticillium spp. declined and the presence of other species such as Colletotrichum spp. and Rhizoctonia spp. was minimal during the study. CONCLUSION: Chemicals are necessary to obtain healthy strawberry plants. The use of chemical alternatives to MB has resulted in changes in the incidence of soil‐borne diseases and soil fungal populations in strawberry nurseries. Dazomet was an effective alternative to MB as a soil‐borne disease control, except against Verticillium spp. MB alternatives in strawberry nursery soils have caused Fusarium spp. to displace Verticillium spp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green synthesis of silver nano-particles (AgNPs) from silver nitrate was carried out using purple-colored rice leaves' extracts containing higher phenols, anthocyanins, and flavonoids. The efficacy of synthesized AgNPs was tested against rice diseases and investigation was carried out to check negative effect of AgNPs on soil microbes. Substantial reduction of total anthocyanins, total phenols, and total flavonoids was observed in reaction mixture during AgNP formation indicating the role of secondary metabolites on AgNP formation and stabilization. Scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopic images and FTIR spectral analysis of AgNPs confirmed the presence of elemental silver encapped by biomolecules. The optimized reaction parameters for synthesis of AgNPs from silver nitrate were (a) 48 h of incubation, (b) 9:1 (v/v) 1 mM AgNO3:plant extract, and (c) room temperature at 20–30 °C. Zeta potential and hydrodynamic particle sizes of synthesized AgNPs were ranged between − 16.61 to − 29.45 mV and 36–107 nm, respectively, at different time of incubation. AgNPs could control effectively Rhizoctonia solani and Xanthomonas oryzae pv. Oryzae and Helminthosporium oryzae. AgNPs at higher concentration could cause negative effect on microbial biomass carbon and soil enzymes for distant future. But the negative effects of AgNP solution (10% of 1 mM AgNPs) were comparable to commercial fungicide, carbendazim. The synthesized AgNPs with desirable characters were effective against a number of disease-causing pathogens in rice, and it can be recommended as broad-spectrum pesticide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conversion of propane or butanes from natural/shale gas into propene or butenes, which are indispensable for the synthesis of commodity chemicals, is an important environmentally friendly alternative to oil-based cracking processes. Herein, we critically analyse recent developments in the non-oxidative, oxidative, and CO2-mediated dehydrogenation of propane and isobutane to the corresponding olefins over metal oxide catalysts. Particular attention is paid to (i) comparing the developed catalysts in terms of their application potential, (ii) structure–activity–selectivity relationships for tailored catalyst design, and (iii) reaction-engineering aspects for improving product selectivity and overall process efficiency. On this basis, possible directions for further research aimed at the development of inexpensive and environmentally friendly catalysts with industrially relevant performance were identified. In addition, we provide general information regarding catalyst preparation and characterization as well as some recommendations for carrying out non-oxidative and CO2-mediated dehydrogenation reactions to ensure unambiguous comparison of catalysts developed in different studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of various disinfectants on hatchability, egg weight loss and embryonic mortality of chickens. Eggs were incubated in medium hatchery Bios midi at standard hatching conditions. All eggs were incubated for 21 days. Five treatments, with 300 hatching eggs each, were evaluated: eggs not submitted to disinfection (negative control), formalin gas fumigation by mixing 40 ml formaldehyde of 40 % concentration and 20 g potassium permanganate on 1m3 room capacity (positive control), ozone concentration of 0.45 ppm for 12 hours, Aldekol DES 03 air aerosol dosing by 0.5 l of Aldekol DES 03 to 3 l of water and Virkon S in 1% solution. Hatchability of fertile eggs and embryonic mortality were significant not affected (P>0.05) by disinfectants, but there were significant lower (P<0.05) values in eggs without disinfection. None of the treatments affected (P>0.05) egg weight loss throughout the first 18-days of incubation. The results obtained for hatching traits indicated that alternative disinfectants may be used as an alternative to formaldehyde fumigation for the disinfection of hatching eggs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biofumigation involves the release of volatile biocidal compounds in the soil through the incorporation of certain plants and their residues. Species of the Brassicaceae family are the most widely used plants for biofumigation. These plants contain glucosinolates, which produce compounds, such as isothiocyanates, following enzymatic hydrolysis, with scientifically proven fungicidal effects. The most commonly used brassica species belong to the genera Brassica, Raphanus, Sinapis, and Eruca. In addition to the release of compounds in the soil, complementary mechanisms, such as the supply of organic matter and nutrients, and improvement of the soil structure, also play a role in biofumigation. In the past two decades, several studies on the use of brassica residues in biofumigation have been published, showing promising results in the management of soil pathogens (fungi and oomycetes, nematodes, bacteria, and protozoa), weed seeds, and insects. Usage of new biofumigation compounds has also been validated in recent years, including the development of patented technological products such as liquid formulations and pellets. The objective of this article was to review these new developments, beginning with concepts related to biofumigation, and to discuss the mechanisms of action of compounds involving brassica species and the recommendations on usage. Promising examples of the use of this technique are also presented, further detailing the advances in basic and applied knowledge on the subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gasotransmitter hydrogen sulphide (H 2 S), an endogenous ubiquitous signalling molecule, is known for its beneficial effects on different mammalian systems. H 2 S exhibits cardioprotective activity against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) or hypoxic injury. A library of forty-five isothiocyanates, selected for their different chemical properties, has been evaluated for its hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) releasing capacity. The obtained results allowed to correlate several factors such as steric hindrance, electronic effects and position of the substituents to the observed H 2 S production. Moreover, the chemical-physical profiles of the selected compounds have been studied by an in silico approach and from a combination of the obtained results, 3-pyridyl-isothiocyanate (25) has been selected as the most promising one. A detailed pharmacological characterization of its cardioprotective action has been performed. The results herein obtained strongly indicate 3-pyridyl-isothiocyanate (25) as a suitable pharmacological option in anti-ischemic therapy. The cardioprotective effects of compound 25 were tested in vivo and found to exhibit a positive effect. Results strongly suggest that isothiocyanate-based H 2 S-releasing drugs, such as compound 25, can trigger a "pharmacological pre-conditioning" and could represent a suitable pharmacological option in antiischemic therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extraction of bovine serum albumin (BSA) was carried out by using reverse micelles formed by cationic surfactant dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB), N-dodecyl-N-2-hydroxyethyl-N,N-dimethyl-ammonium bromide (HDAB) and N-dodecyl-N,N-2-dihydroxyethyl-N-methyl ammonium bromide (DHAB). The factors like pH, surfactant concentration, salt concentration, and co-solvent concentration were investigated. The good maintenance of the secondary structure of BSA after extraction was confirmed by UV spectra. A wider aqueous phase pH range was achieved and less amount of surfactant was needed on efficient forward extraction when hydroxyethyl group was presented in the surfactants' head group, suggesting an important role of H-bonding effect. At lower pH or high salt concentration, reasonable backward extraction efficiencies were observed in all systems. The little difference of the head group of these surfactants resulted in quite different performance in the extraction process, which provided deeper insight on the effect of fine adjustment of surfactant structure on protein extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glutathione reductase (GR), an essential antioxidant enzyme against oxidative stress, has become an attractive drug target for the development of anticancer and antimalarial drugs. In this regard, we evaluated the naturally occurring isothiocyanates as promising GR inhibitors and elucidated the mechanism of action. It was found that benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) and phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) inhibited yeast GR (yGR) and human GR (hGR) in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. The Ki and kinact of BITC against yGR were determined to be 259.87 µM and 0.0266 min−1, respectively. The GR inhibition occurred only in the presence of NADPH and persisted after extensive dialysis. The tandem mass spectrometric analysis revealed that Cys61 rather than Cys66 at the active site of yGR was mono-benzyl thiocarbamoylated by BITC. Inhibition of intracellular GR by BITC and PEITC in cultured cancer cells was also observed. BITC and PEITC were evaluated as competitive and irreversible inhibitors of GR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel methyl bromide alternative, ethanedinitrile (EDN), has been reported to be efficacious against soil-borne pathogens, weeds, and plant-parasitic nematodes. Degradation products of EDN include NH4+ and NH3, but it is currently unknown at what quantities these degradation products are being released into the soil at a given use rate of EDN. To address this issue, field studies were performed using the raised-bed plasticulture system. Deposition of NH4+ and NO3- in top 0-15-, 15-30-, and 30-45-cm soils were evaluated 3 weeks after fumigation with EDN applied at 336, 448, and 560 kg·ha-1. Change of pH and transformation of NH4+ to NO3- in top 0-15- and 15-30-cm soils were tracked weekly after fumigation with EDN at 448 kg·ha-1 for 10 weeks. This study found that fumigation with EDN significantly increased soil pH of the top 0-15-cm soil and soil NH4+ in top 0-15- and 15-30-cm soils, but soil NO3- was unaffected. Nitrification process in top 0-15-cm soil was inhibited by fumigation with EDN for at least 7 weeks. These results indicate that N deposited by fumigation with EDN could be an important preplant N source for crop production, and the inhibition of nitrification could help mitigate nitrate leaching. This study provides helpful information for quantification of N deposited from fumigation with EDN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Commission submitted to the EFSA Panel on Plant Health a Dossier by USDA proposing a systems approach to mitigate the risk of entry of Bretziella fagacearum to the EU when trading oak logs with bark from the USA. Due to the forthcoming ban of methyl bromide (MB), the Dossier indicates sulfuryl fluoride (SF) as the substitute fumigant for this commodity. After collecting additional evidence from USDA,EU NPPOs, external experts and the published literature, the Panel performed a quantitative assessment on the likelihood of pest freedom for B. fagacearum at the point of entry in the EU, comparing the proposed systems approach with those already implemented by Commission Decision 2005/359/EC. The Panel provided also a non‐quantitative assessment for all risk reduction options (RROs) proposed to be undertaken in the EU, from the point of entry to processing at the sawmill. The quantitative assessment until the EU point of entry, based on experts' judgement, indicated that: i) the most effective import option remains the current one with MB (95% certainty that between 9,573 and 10,000 containers per 10,000 would be free of B. fagacearum), followed by that with SF (95% certainty that between 8,639 and 10,000 containers per 10,000 would be free of B. fagacearum) and, last, by the other existing option based on delivering white oak logs in certain periods of the year to certain regions of the EU without fumigation (95% certainty, between 7,803 and 10,000 containers per 10,000). RROs proposed to be undertaken in the EU are expected to further reduce the risk of establishment of B. fagacearum, should these RROs be regulated, correctly implemented and checked by NPPOs. A wood pathway analysis is needed to quantitatively assess the importance of each measure and to optimise regulatory actions and risk management efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Arab Journal of Plant Protection is the property of Arab Society for Plant Protection and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

There is a common perception that stored-product pests cause high losses only in developing countries. This may not be true because of the import of infested commodities in freight containers, especially after the ban of the broad-spectrum fumigant methyl bromide. However, infestation quantification of such infested imports has been rare in Europe because, in addition to other factors, stored-product pests have lost their quarantine status. This work documented that heavily infested commodities may be transported to Europe from a different continent (i.e., East Africa). In particular, we present the first study to quantify the entire legume-infesting pest population that may be transported in a single freight container. The quantification of the extent of adult pest infestation was performed not by taking a limited number of samples but by sieving the content of the entire container. From the analysed freight container loaded with 24 tons of infested pinto beans, 1,101,060 adult individuals of the Mexican bean weevil, Zabrotes subfasciatus (Bohemann) (Coleoptera Chrysomelidae), were extracted. This represents a density of 45.9 adults per 1 kg of imported beans. Such a huge amount of beetles per freight container holding bean commodity is 40x more than that predicted by the theoretical estimates. The visible damage to the commodity (i.e., bean kernels with physical injury and loaded with eggs) was also profound, reaching 10%; it represents 901 440 damaged kernels per container loaded with 24 t of beans. Our findings indicate that even a single freight container transporting commodities from different continents to Europe may host pest populations exceeding one million invasive pest specimens. This may have significant importance not only in terms of the hidden contamination of human food by internally feeding and allergenic pests but also in regard to the risk of spread of entire populations and different biotypes (e.g., the transfer of genes for insecticide resistance). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Urban monitors of Methyl bromide (MBr), not typically near application sites, are used to investigate the impact of ambient concentrations on asthma Emergency Department (ED) visits. Methods: 4262 ED visits from August to February of 2005 to 2011 in Central and Southern California were selected from California's Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD). A bidirectional-symmetric case-crossover study design using conditional logistic regression model was used to obtain the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval associated with a 0.01 ppb (interquartile range) increase in MBr. Results: The population sample was comprised of 46.0% male and 53.9% females. Ethnic groups included 32.0% Non-Hispanic White, 23.5% Non-Hispanic Black, and 44.4% Hispanic. Age distribution was between 2 and 5 years old (11.6%), 6 and 18 years old (23.5%), 19 and 40 years old (29.3%), 41 and 64 years old (24.1%), and 65 or older (6.9%). There was a positive association between MBr and asthma ED visits among Non-Hispanic Blacks [OR: 1.065 (95% confidence intervals: 1.019, 1.108)] and Hispanics [OR: 1.107 (95% confidence intervals: 1.043, 1.173)], while Non-Hispanic Whites did not have an association with asthma ED visits. Positive association between MBr and asthma ED visits was found only among 6 to 18 [OR: 1.071 (95% confidence intervals: 1.016, 1.125)] years old. Conclusion: An increase in MBr concentration was found to be associated with an increase of the odds of having asthma ED visits in California among 6 to 18 years old and disproportionately affects Non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics over Non-Hispanic Whites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1,3-Dichloropropene (1,3-D; CAS #542-75-6) is a fumigant used for preplant treatment of soil to control parasitic nematodes and manage soil borne diseases for numerous fruit, vegetable, field and tree and vine crops across diverse global agricultural areas. In the USA, 1,3-D has historically been classified by the U.S. EPA as likely to be carcinogenic to humans via both oral and inhalation routes. This classification for the oral route was primarily based upon increases in multiple tumor types observed in National Toxicology Program (NTP) cancer bioassays in rats and mice, while the classification for the inhalation route was based upon increased benign bronchioloalveolar adenomas in a mouse study conducted by The Dow Chemical Company. Based on U.S. EPA standard risk assessment methodologies, a low-dose linear extrapolation approach has been used to estimate risks to humans. Furthermore, genotoxicity associated with 1,3-D was historically considered a potential mode of action (MOA) for its tumorigenicity. New information is available and additional studies have been conducted that reveal a different picture of the tumorigenic potential of 1,3-D. These data and information include: (1) initial cancer studies by the NTP were conducted on an antiquated form of 1,3-D which contained a known mutagen/carcinogen, epichlorohydrin, as a stabilizer while current 1,3-D fumigants use epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) as the stabilizer; (2) results from two additional oral rodent cancer bioassays conducted on the modern form of 1,3-D became available and these two studies reveal a lack of carcinogenicity; (3) a newly conducted Big Blue study in F344 rats via the oral route further confirms that 1,3-D is not an in vivo genotoxicant; and (4) a newly conducted repeat dose inhalation toxicokinetic (TK) study shows that linear dose proportionality is observed below 30 ppm, which demonstrates the non-relevance of 60 ppm 1,3-D-induced benign lung tumors in mice for human health assessment. This weight of evidence review is organized as follows: (a) the TK of 1,3-D are presented because of relevant considerations when evaluating test doses/concentrations and reported findings of tumorigenicity; (b) the genotoxicity profile of 1,3-D is presented, including a contemporary study in order to put a possible genotoxicity MOA into perspective; (c) the six available bioassays are reviewed followed by (d) scientifically supported points of departure (PODs) and evaluation of human exposure for use in risk assessment. Through this assessment, all available data support the conclusion that 1,3-D is not a tumorigen at doses below 12.5 mg/kg bw/day via the oral route or at doses below 30 ppm via the inhalation route. These findings and clearly identified PODs show that a linear low dose extrapolation approach is not appropriate and a threshold-based risk assessment for 1,3-D is human health protective. Finally, in 2019, the Cancer Assessment Review Committee (CARC) reevaluated the carcinogenic potential of 1,3-D. In accordance with the EPA's Final Guidelines for Carcinogen Risk Assessment, the CARC classified 1,3-D (Telone) as "Suggestive Evidence of Carcinogenic Potential based on the presence of liver tumors by the oral route in male rats only." Given this finding, EPA stated that "quantification of human cancer risk is not required. The CARC recommends using a non-linear approach (i.e. reference dose (RfD)) that will adequately account for all chronic toxicity including carcinogenicity, that could result from exposure to 1,3-dichloropropene." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attenuated viruses of the same or related viral species provide cross protection, or protection of plants from infection from the wild-type virus isolate, also known as the severe strain (McKinney [18]). Previously developed attenuated isolates from PMMoV with pathotype P SB 0 sb were successfully used in Japan as a control measure for a strong wild-type PMMoV infection in pepper plants carrying no resistance gene (Goto et al. [6], [7]). 2006; 90: 67-72. 10.1094/PD-90-0067 15 Kubota K, Tsuda S, Tamai A, Meshi T. Tomato mosaic virus replication protein suppresses virus-targeted posttranscriptional gene silencing. [Extracted from the article]