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Cadmium (Cd) pollution poses a serious threat to various ecosystems, and phytoremediation is an alternate method for developing the soil health. To better utilize phytoremediation for Cd‐contaminated soil remediation, the ginkgo leaves, pine needles, and Eucommia bark were mixed and naturally fermented to obtain Ginkgo biloba–Pinus massoniana–Eucommia ulmoides (GPE) Jiaosu and Jiaosu residue, whose effects on Broussonetia papyrifera planted in Cd‐contaminated soil were evaluated. The results showed that the contents of the protein, phenolic, vitamin E, and alcohol of GPE Jiaosu were 4400 ± 0.46, 0.22 ± 0.01, 0.88 ± 0.24, and 4.63 ± 0.25 μL/mL, accordingly, with fine antioxidant activity. The soil pH, electrical conductivity content, organic carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, alkali‐hydrolyzable nitrogen, available phosphorus, and Cd concentration were all significantly (p < 0.05) modified. The chlorophyll content of B. papyrifera was increased by using Jiaosu residue in 12 hours, while the promotion effect of Jiaosu appeared in the later stage (60 days). The Cd tolerance physiological indexes such as malondialdehyde content and antioxidant enzymes' activity were all regulated. Applying the Jiaosu residue, the Cd in stems was decreased by 72.61% under 1000 mg/kg Cd treatment. These results suggested that GPE Jiaosu and Jiaosu residue can improve the properties of Cd‐contaminated soil, promote the Cd tolerance of B. papyrifera, and affect the Cd migration. The current study provides a new bioremediation method using the Jiaosu and Jiaosu residue as Cd environmental remediation materials in a recyclable pathway, which is a circular and healthy development concept that integrates economic, ecological, and social significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exact information of mechanical properties of straw are necessary to be executed for designing the equipment's and machineries being used for harvesting, threshing and other post-harvest practices. This study in this importance was carried out to assess the mechanical properties of rice straw as effected by different moisture, variety and loading rates, which have never been accounted before. Three different rice varieties i.e. Yue76, Qianjindao and Yue61 when harvested were collected for experimentation. Mechanical properties of rice straw were evaluated at three internodes (IN1, IN2 and IN3) down from ear, and were subject to two different moisture contents (11 and 18%) and loading rates (10 and 20 mm min·1 ). The experimental design was subject to randomized complete block design, replicated thrice. The results revealed that the rice straw parameters and their interactions were significantly affected (p:S0.05) by different moisture content, variety and loading rate. The average values obtained were significantly different from each other, the average values for shear strength were observed to be 14.18, 9.95 and 11.99 MPA, for specific shearing energy the average values were observed to be 17.30, 13.34 and 15.93 mJ mm-2, for bending strength the averages values were observed to be 11.33, 7.40 and 9.54 MPa, and for young's modulus the average values were observed to be 1.06, 0.73 and 0.99 GPa for Yue76, Qianjindao and Yue61 varieties respectively. The study revealed that shear strength and specific shearing energy increased with increasing moisture content and loading rate, where the bending strength and young's modulus decreased. The outcomes of current study revealed a wide variation between the parameters observed, which makes it necessary to assess the mechanical properties of rice straw before designing and judging the equipments and machineries being used for post-harvest operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

E. coli infection in commercial broiler farms cause huge economic losses with relatively high mortality and production losses. This study was conducted to observe prevalence and identify pathological lesions in E. coli infection in commercial broiler farms, along with determination of antibiotic resistance pattern. The samples total of 600 swabs from affected birds cloacal discharges and tissue samples along with their data were collected from broiler farms and were then sent to Sindh Institute of Animal Health Karachi for analysis. The data was then recorded into a proforma regarding the location of farm and number of birds and age. A total number of 60 farms were examined out of which 31 farms were found to be positive, of which the high prevalence were from Shahdadkot (90%), Larkana (90%) Thatta (80%), moderate were from Rohri (20%), Mirpurkhas (20%) whereas low prevalence were from Sukkur (10%). Among different forms of disease, complex-form of infection had the highest prevalence (60%), followed by pericarditis (45%), omphalitis (40%), perihepatitis (36.6%), airsacculitis (33.3%), enteritis (31.6%) and coliseptecemia (21.6%). Prevalence of Colibacillosis was found to be higher in medium sized farms as compared to both small and large farms, whereas for age it was found to be highest up to two weeks age. Histopathological lesions of these conditions included thick fibrous layer in the pericardium due to pericarditis, leukocyte infiltration and myocardial degeneration, dilation of blood vessels due to congestion of liver and vacuolation in hepatocytes due to fatty degeneration in liver, fatty blunting and sloughing off villus in duodenum, infiltration of lamina propria due to inflammatory cells duodenum of broiler chick. For antibiotic sensitivity of E. coli eleven antibiotics were applied to check their sensitivity pattern. The isolates were highly sensitive to enrofloxacin (20%) and gemifloxacin (12.5%), moderately sensitive to doxycycline (32%), chloramphenicol (17.5%) and colistin (12.5%), and less sensitive to neomycin (42%), streptomycin (12.5%), gentamicin (12.5%) and penicillin (7.5%), while isolates were found to be resistant to tylosin (95%) and oxytetracycline (95%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of indicators (temperature and time duration) on physic-engineering properties of Wuyunjiang paddy rice variety using response surface methodology (RSM). A mathematical model was used to predict length, width, thickness, thousand kernel weight (TKW), bulk density, true density, porosity and hardness as affected by temperature (40.86, 45, 55, 65 and 69.14 °C) and time (39.29, 60, 110, 160, 180.71) each with five levels. Higher values of R2 and Adj. R,sup>2-3, 1475.21 kg m-3, 52.76 % and 51.74 N. The results revealed that the responses were significantly affected by the indicators and can be predicted by temperature and time duration. Central composite design of the response surface methodology was successfully used to study dependence of physic-engineering properties of paddy rice. This useful information can be implemented and utilized by the rice processing industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There sponse surface methodology (RSM) was used to multivariable optimization of two stage drying process with intervening rest time during parboiling of Indica rice variety (Rong Youhua Zhan). The effect of first stage temperature (FST), second stage temperature (SST), air velocity and rest time upto five levels on drying rate, energy consumption, head rice yield (HRY) and color of parboiled rice were studied. It was perceived, increasing FST, SST and air velocity negatively affected rice quality (HRY and color) whereas rest time influenced positively. The predicted optimal FST, SST, air velocity, and rest time were 83. 61°C, 60'C, 2.50m/s, and 90 min respectively, predicted drying rate, energy consumption, HRY, and color under this condition were 8.09%/h, 12966kJ/kg H2O, 71.02%, and 14.75 respectively. The above optimal condition was predicted to enhance the rice quality under faster drying rate at minimum energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A laboratory experiment was conducted in the Department of Farm Structures, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, Pakistan during 2015 to examine the effect of grain moisture on the physical and engineering properties on two wheat varieties (TD-1 and TJ-83). The properties evaluated were axial dimensions, arithmetic mean diameter, geometric mean diameter, equivalent diameter, seed weight, seed volume, true density, bulk density, porosity and surface area. The moisture was kept constant (±0.5) at 10, 15 and 20 percent for both varieties. The results revealed that axial dimensions, diameters, seed mass, seed volume, true density, porosity and surface area in both varieties increased with increase in moisture while bulk density decreased with increase in moisture. The change in wheat grain with increasing moisture has the practical application of processing, threshing and storage which must be considered while designing equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimum drying conditions with regard to minimum color changes, high rehydration ratio and drying rate for chanterelle mushrooms is inadequately known. To address this problem, drying kinetics for chanterelle mushroom samples with sizes of 20 mmÃ--20 mmÃ--20 mm cube, 20 mmÃ--20 mmÃ--30 mm cuboid, and Ø40 mmÃ--20 mm cylindrical shape were experimented. Drying air temperatures of 40°C, 48°C, and 56°C at superfluous humidity and velocity of 2.2 m/s were used. Initial color pixels for each sample were determined using Note 8 Pro Xiaomi smartphone camera and image processing tool in Matlab R2019a. Triplicate experimentation was done based on L9 Taguchi orthogonal arrays with drying rate, specific moisture extraction rate, color change, and rehydration ratio being the response parameters. The drying rate increased from 1.1174 g/gâ?™min to 1.3478 g/g.min as the temperature rose from 40°C to 56°C. The mushroom cube had the highest drying rate of 1.2860 g/gâ?™min while the cylindrical shape had the lowest rate of 1.1764 g/gâ?™min. Similarly, SMER increased from 0.006 326to 0.013 27 g/kWh with the temperature rise. Contrary, SMER decreased from 0.006 92 to 0.013 63 g/kWh in cylinder to cube respectively. Color change was highest at 40°C (13.49) and lowest at 56°C (11.94). The mushroom cube had the lowest color change of 9.28 on average when compared to other shapes. Rehydration ratio was highest at 56°C (3.824) as compared to 48°C and 40°C. Additionally, the mushroom cube had the highest rehydration ratio of 4.55 on average as compared to other shapes. Temperature variation significantly influenced the drying rate and SMER. However, temperature variation had insignificant differences in color change and rehydration ratio. Mushroom shape variation had a significant difference in all the response variables tested. Conclusively, mushroom cubes at the drying temperature of 56°C gave optimized drying conditions for chanterelle mushrooms with minimal quality deviations. Thus, chanterelle mushrooms can be sliced into cubes to allow quick drying rate, better SMER, rehydration ratio, and have minimal color change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]