Magnetically treated water for removal of surface contamination by Malathion on Chinese Kale (Brassica oleracea L.).

Malathion® is a persistent organophosphate pesticide used against biting and chewing insects on vegetables. It is a difficult-to-remove surface contaminant of vegetables and contaminates surface and ground water and soils. Malathion® is only partially water soluble, but use of detergent carriers makes adhering Malathion® residues difficult to subsequently remove.

Using dielectrophoretic spectra to identify and separate viable yeast cells.

Immotile yeast cells were transiently moved in nonuniform sinusoidal electric fields using multiple pairs of micro-parallel cylindrical electrodes equipped with a sequential signal generator (SSG) to analyze cell viability at a clinical scale for the brewery/fermentation industry. Living yeast cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae during the exponential-stationary phase, with a cell density of 1.15 × 10 cells mL were suspended in sucrose medium.

Influence of Na+ disorder on cytoplasmic conductivity and cellular electromagnetic (EM) energy absorption of human erythrocytes (PONE-D-21-36089).

Cytoplasmic conductivity of human erythrocytes may be significantly disturbed by the composition of the external suspending media. Effects of external NaCl on cytoplasmic conductivity of human erythrocyte (Human Red Blood Cells, HRBC) were investigated in a simple NaCl system. Using thermodynamic theory cytoplasmic conductivities could be calculated from internal [K+], [Na+], [Cl-] and [HCO3-].

Photosynthetic electron transport in pitcher plants (Nepenthes mirabilis).

Pitcher plants (Nepenthes sp.) are insectivorous angiosperm plants with modified leaves known as pitchers best known as acting as traps for insects. Pitcher plants are typically found under boggy conditions under both forest cover and open areas with very poor nutrient status, particularly N-status.

Griess-doped polyvinyl alcohol thin film for on-site simultaneous sample preparation and nitrite determination of processed meat products.

To facilitate on-site nitrite determination for processed meat products, Griess-doped polyvinyl alcohol film was synthesized in the bottom of a plastic tube for in-tube determination. The tube's aperture was used to control the sample dimensions. Each sample, cut into eight sectors, was subjected to nitrite extraction by water.

Energy absorption of human red blood cells and conductivity of the cytoplasm influenced by temperature.

The energy absorbed into tissues is known as the specific energy absorption (SAR) which is dependent on conductivity of the tissue. We calculated cytoplasmic conductivity of human red blood cell (HRBC) using the intracellular ionic concentrations and the Debye-Hückel-Onsager relation. The overall concentration is determined by cell volume and cell water content.

Spectrofluorometric Insights into the Application of PAM Fluorometry in Photosynthetic Research.

Although pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) fluorometry has revolutionized photosynthetic studies, Photosynthetic Electron Transport Rate (ETR) cannot be measured using PAM technology in some organisms. We compare in vivo absorbance information on a selection of photosynthetic organisms using an integrating sphere spectrophotometry on a variety of oxygenic and nonoxygenic photo-organisms and provide fluorescence data to help in understanding why PAM technology is unsuccessful on some organisms, particularly cyanobacteria. The study includes anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria: Afifella marina, Rhodopseudomonas palustris and Thermochromatium which are all RC-2 type photosynthetic bacteria (Bacteriochlorophyll a or BChl a) which are known to have measureable delayed fluorescence, Yield and hence measureable ETR.

Photosynthetic electron transport rate (ETR) in the littoral herb Launaea sarmentosa known as mole crab in Thailand.

Launaea sarmentosa (Willd.) Sch. Bip ex Kunze (Asteracaeae) is a littoral sand dune herb found in the Indian Ocean region, used as a folk medicine and as a savory vegetable in Thailand.

A tribute to Robert John Porra (august 7, 1931-may 16, 2019).

Robert John Porra (7.8.1931-16.

Photosynthesis in a Vanda sp orchid with Photosynthetic Roots.

PAM fluorometry showed that the orchid Vanda sp (Gaud ex Pfitzers, Vandeae) had photosynthetic electron transport yields in leaves reaching ≈ 0.617 ± 0.262 at midday.

Masking Phosphate with Rare-Earth Elements Enables Selective Detection of Arsenate by Dipycolylamine-Zn Chemosensor.

Functional reassessment of the phosphate-specific chemosensors revealed their potential as arsenate detectors. A series of dipicolylamine (Dpa)-Zn chemosensors were screened, among which acridine Dpa-Zn chemosensor showed the highest capability in sensing arsenate. The presence of excess Zn improved sensitivity and strengthened the binding between acridine Dpa-Zn complex to arsenate as well as phosphate.

Bioaccumulation and physiological responses of the Coontail, Ceratophyllum demersum exposed to copper, zinc and in combination.

Ceratophyllum demersum is a submerged aquatic angiosperm which is fast growing in contaminated water. This plant has no roots and so takes up nutrients from the water column without the complicating factor of differential shoot/root uptake of nutrients. This study aimed to compare the bioaccumulative capacities of Cu, Zn and their combination by C.

Arsenic toxicity in the water weed Wolffia arrhiza measured using Pulse Amplitude Modulation Fluorometry (PAM) measurements of photosynthesis.

Accumulation of arsenic in plants is a serious South-east Asian environmental problem. Photosynthesis in the small aquatic angiosperm Wolffia arrhiza is very sensitive to arsenic toxicity, particularly in water below pH 7 where arsenite (As (OH)3) (AsIII) is the dominant form; at pH >7 AsO4(2-) (As(V) predominates). A blue-diode PAM (Pulse Amplitude Fluorometer) machine was used to monitor photosynthesis in Wolffia.

Anaerobic digestion of food waste using yeast.

Fermentative breakdown of food waste seems a plausible alternative to feeding food waste to pigs, incineration or garbage disposal in tourist areas. We determined the optimal conditions for the fermentative breakdown of food waste using yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) in incubations up to 30days. Yeast efficiently broke down food waste with food waste loadings as high as 700g FW/l.

Measurement of photosynthesis using PAM technology in a purple sulfur bacterium Thermochromatium tepidum (Chromatiaceae).

We demonstrate that Blue-diode-based pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) technology can be used to measure the photosynthetic electron transport rate (ETR) of purple sulfur bacteria (Thermochromatium tepidum, Chromatiaceae). Previous studies showed that PAM technology could be used to estimate photosynthesis in purple nonsulfur bacteria and so PAM technology can be used to estimate photosynthesis of both kinds of purple photosynthetic bacteria. The absorptance of Thermochromatium films on glass fiber disks was measured and used to calculate actual ETR.

Characterization of exopolymeric substances from selected Rhodopseudomonas palustris strains and their ability to adsorb sodium ions.

Removal of Na(+) by binding with exopolymeric substances (EPS) from Rhodopseudomonas palustris TN114 and PP803 was investigated. The moderate negative correlation pairs (rp) between remaining Alcian blue and amount of Na(+) adsorbed on EPS from strains TN114 and PP803 were -0.652 and -0.

Probabilistic risk assessment of diuron and prometryn in the Gwydir River catchment, Australia, with the input of a novel bioassay based on algal growth.

A probabilistic risk assessment of the selected herbicides (diuron and prometryn) in the Gwydir River catchment was conducted, with the input of the EC₅₀ values derived from both literature and a novel bioassay. Laboratory test based on growth of algae exposed to herbicides assayed with a microplate reader was used to examine the toxicity of diuron and prometryn on the growth of Chlorella vulgaris. Both herbicides showed concentration dependent toxicity in inhibiting the growth of Chlorella during the exposure period of 18-72 h.

The use of solar radiation by the photosynthetic bacterium, Rhodopseudomonas palustris: model simulation of conditions found in a shallow pond or a flatbed reactor.

Photosynthetic bacteria are attractive for biotechnology because they produce no oxygen and so H2 -production is not inhibited by oxygen as occurs in oxygenic photoorganisms. Rhodopseudomonas palustris and Afifella marina containing BChl a can use irradiances from violet near-UV (VNUV) to orange (350-650 nm) light and near-infrared (NIR) light (762-870 nm). Blue diode-based pulse amplitude modulation technology was used to measure their photosynthetic electron transport rate (ETR).

Photosynthetic electron transport in an anoxygenic photosynthetic bacterium Afifella (Rhodopseudomonas) marina measured using PAM fluorometry.

Blue diode-based pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) technology can be used to measure the photosynthetic electron transport rate (ETR) in a purple nonsulfur anoxygenic photobacterium, Afifella (Rhodopseudomonas) marina. Rhodopseudomonads have a reaction center light harvesting antenna complex containing an RC-2 type bacteriochlorophyll a protein (BChl a RC-2-LH1) which has a blue absorption peak and variable fluorescence similar to PSII. Absorptance of cells filtered onto glass fiber disks was measured using a blue-diode-based absorptance meter (Blue-RAT) so that absolute ETR could be calculated from PAM experiments.

The ammonia transport, retention and futile cycling problem in cyanobacteria.

Ammonia is the preferred nitrogen source for many algae including the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatis (Synechococcus R-2; PCC 7942). Modelling ammonia uptake by cells is not straightforward because it exists in solution as NH(3) and NH (4) (+) . NH(3) is readily diffusible not only via the lipid bilayer but also through aquaporins and other more specific porins.

Chromatic photoacclimation extends utilisable photosynthetically active radiation in the chlorophyll d-containing cyanobacterium, Acaryochloris marina.

Chromatic photoacclimation and photosynthesis were examined in two strains of Acaryochloris marina (MBIC11017 and CCMEE5410) and in Synechococcus PCC7942. Acaryochloris contains Chl d, which has an absorption peak at ca 710 nm in vivo. Cultures were grown in one of the three wavelengths (525 nm, 625 nm and 720 nm) of light from narrow-band photodiodes to determine the effects on pigment composition, growth rate and photosynthesis: no growth occurred in 525 nm light.

Fitting light saturation curves measured using modulated fluorometry.

A blue diode PAM (Pulse Amplitude Modulation) fluorometer was used to measure rapid Photosynthesis (P) versus Irradiance (E) curves (P vs. E curves) in Synechococcus (classical cyanobacteria), Prochlorothrix (prochlorophyta), Chlorella (chlorophyta), Rhodomonas (cryptophyta), Phaeodactylum (bacillariophyta) Acaryochloris (Chl d/a cyanobacteria) and Subterranean Clover (Trifolium subterraneum, Papilionaceae, Angiospermae). Effective quantum yield (Phi(PSII)) versus irradiance curves could be described by a simple exponential decay function (Phi(PSII) = Phi(PSII, maxe(-kE)) although Log/Log transformation was sometimes found to be necessary to obtain the best fits.

Al-toxicity studies in yeast using gallium as an aluminum analogue.

Aluminum (Al) is normally present in soils as the insoluble, harmless Al2O3. The highly toxic Al3+ and AlOH2+ monomeric cations are formed in acid soils but there is little consensus on the physiological basis of Al toxicity in plants. A major factor that has retarded progress in understanding aluminum toxicity in vascular plants is the lack of a convenient radioisotope for Al.

Chromatic photoacclimation, photosynthetic electron transport and oxygen evolution in the chlorophyll d-containing oxyphotobacterium Acaryochloris marina.

Changes in photosynthetic pigment ratios showed that the Chlorophyll d-dominated oxyphotobacterium Acaryochloris marina was able to photoacclimate to different light regimes. Chl d per cell were higher in cultures grown under low irradiance and red or green light compared to those found when grown under high white light, but phycocyanin/Chl d and carotenoid/Chl d indices under the corresponding conditions were lower. Chl a, considered an accessory pigment in this organism, decreased respective to Chl d in low irradiance and low intensity non-white light sources.

Estimation of cytoplasmic nitrate and its electrochemical potential in barley roots using 13NO3 and compartmental analysis.

13NO3 was used to determine the intracellular compartmentation of NO3 in barley roots (Hordeum vulgare cv. Klondike), followed by a thermodynamic analysis of nitrate transport. Plants were grown in one-tenth Johnson's medium with 1 mol m3 NO3 (NO3-grown plants) or 1 mol m3 NH4NO3 (NH4NO3-grown plants).