Uptake Of Elements Research Articles

Chemical Insights into the Formation of Colloidal High Entropy Alloy Nanoparticles.

Nanoparticles of high entropy alloys (HEAs) have distinct properties that result from their high surface-to-volume ratios coupled with synergistic interactions among their five or more constituent elements, which are randomly distributed throughout a crystalline lattice. Methods to synthesize HEA nanoparticles are emerging, including solution approaches that yield colloidal products. However, the complex multielement compositions of HEA nanoparticles make it challenging to identify and understand their reaction chemistry and the pathways by which they form, which hinders their rational synthesis. Here, we demonstrate the synthesis and elucidate the reaction pathways of seven colloidal HEA nanoparticle systems that contain various combinations of noble metals (Pd, Pt, Rh, Ir), 3d transition metals (Ni, Fe, Co), and a p-block element (Sn). The nanoparticles were synthesized by slowly injecting a solution containing all five constituent metal salts into oleylamine and octadecene at 275 °C. Using NiPdPtRhIr as a lead system, we confirmed the homogeneous colocalization of all five elements and achieved tunable compositions by varying their ratios. We also observed heterogeneities, including Pd-rich regions, in a subpopulation of the NiPdPtRhIr sample. Halting the reaction at early time points and characterizing the isolated products revealed a time-dependent composition evolution from Pd-rich NiPd seeds to the final NiPdPtRhIr HEA. Similar reactions applied to FePdPtRhIr, CoPdPtRhIr, NiFePdPtIr, and NiFeCoPdPt, with modified conditions to most efficiently incorporate all five elements into each HEA, also revealed similar Pd-rich seeds with system-dependent differences in the rates and sequences of element uptake into the nanoparticles. When moving to SnPdPtRhIr and NiSnPdPtIr, the time-dependent formation pathway was more consistent with simultaneous coreduction rather than through formation of reactive seeds. These studies reveal important similarities and differences among the pathways by which different colloidal HEA nanoparticles form using the same synthetic method, as well as establish generality. The results provide guidelines for incorporating a range of different elements into HEA nanoparticles, ultimately providing fundamental knowledge about how to define and optimize synthetic protocols, expand into different HEA nanoparticle systems, and achieve high phase purity.

Characteristics and Causes of Ge Enrichment in Vegetable Growing Areas of Beixintun Town, Zhangjiakou City

The vegetable planting base in the Beixintun area of Zhangjiakou City was selected as the study area, divided into the focus area and regional range as well as the upstream area. A total of 132 surface soil samples, 16 vertical soil profiles, 3 groups of surface profiles, and 4 samples each of colored pepper fruit, purple kale fruit, and corn fruit were collected. From the soil, rock, and crop sample Sc, Cr, Mo, Cd, V, Zn, Sr, Pb, Co Ni, Cu, Ge, and REE on the basis of the referenced germanium (Ge) enrichment standards and enrichment factor levels, it was found that the regional Ge enrichment rate was not high (19.7%), whereas the key area had a high Ge enrichment rate (52%). The spatial distribution of Ge and rare earth elements in the soils of the regional scope and the focal area showed a more obvious consistency, and further comparison of the correlation characteristics of Ge and rare earth elements in soil and crops showed that the ranking of rare earth content was purple kale>colored pepper>maize, whereas the ranking of the Ge element uptake intensity was maize (weak uptake)>purple kale (very weak uptake)>colored pepper (very weak uptake), and there was no obvious synergy between the uptake of Ge and rare earth elements by crops. The PMF and RDA analysis of 28 elements and indicators of soil in the study area showed that the source of regional Ge was dominated by natural geological background factors (66.3%), supplemented by anthropogenic activity-influenced factors (27%) and river deposition factors (6.7%). The source of Ge in the focal area was dominated by natural geological background factors (33.8%) and anthropogenic activity-influenced factors (27.2%), with river sedimentation factors (18.5%) and atmospheric dry and wet deposition factors Ge (20.5%) being supplemented. Soil Ge was positively correlated with rare earth elements and trace elements such as Cd, Zn, Mn, Ni, V, Co, and Cr and negatively correlated with the main elements ČNa2[KG-*2/5]O, SiO2, and K2[KG-*2/5]O and pH. Finally, by combining the analysis of soil lateral profiles with vertical profiles, it was found that the Ge migrating from the source area to the area was primarily in the main river pathway, supplemented by the secondary river and flood flow pathways.

Enhancement of Morphological and Physiological Performance of Zea mays L. under Saline Stress Using ZnO Nanoparticles and 24-Epibrassinolide Seed Priming

Salinity is one of the most devastating environmental factors limiting crop productivity worldwide. Therefore, our study investigates the effect of seed priming with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs: 0, 50, and 100 mg L−1), 24-epibrassinolide (EBL: 0.0, 0.2, and 0.4 µM), and their combined treatments on maize (Zea mays L.) grown with different levels of saline stress (i.e., control, 5, 10 dS m−1) under semi-controlled conditions. Higher saline stress (10 dS m−1) negatively influenced the growth traits, physiological attributes, and elemental (i.e., Zn and K) uptake for both roots and shoots of maize, whereas it increased Na+ accumulation and Na+/K+ ratio in comparison to other treatments. However, seed priming with ZnO NPs and EBL as well as their combinations showed amelioration of the detrimental effects of saline stress on the growth and physiological and biochemical performance of maize. In general, seed priming with combined treatments of ZnO NPs and EBL were significantly more effective than either ZnO NPs or EBL as individual treatments. A combination of 100 mg L−1 ZnO NPS + 0.2 µM EBL resulted in the highest values of root length, root surface area, stem diameter, relative leaf water contents, total chlorophyll, net rate of photosynthesis, zinc accumulation, and K+ uptake, while it resulted in the lowest Na+ and Na+/K+ ratio, especially under the highest saline-stress treatment. Thus, we concluded that seed priming with combined ZnO NPs and EBL can effectively mitigate the saline-stress-mediated decline in the morphological, physiological, and biochemical traits of maize.

Bio-priming with a Novel Plant Growth-Promoting Acinetobacter indicus Strain Alleviates Arsenic-Fluoride Co-toxicity in Rice by Modulating the Physiome and Micronutrient Homeostasis.

Sustainable remediation of arsenic-fluoride from rice fields through efficient bio-extraction is the need of the hour, since these toxicants severely challenge safe cultivation of rice and food biosafety. In the present study, we screened an arsenic-fluoride tolerant strain AB-ARC of Acinetobacter indicus from the soil of a severely polluted region of West Bengal, India, which was capable of efficiently removing extremely high doses of arsenate and fluoride from the media. The strain also behaved as a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium, since it could produce indole-3-acetic acid and solubilize phosphate, zinc, and starch. Due to these properties of the identified strain, it was used for bio-priming the seeds of the arsenic-fluoride susceptible rice cultivar, Khitish for testing the efficacy of the AB-ARC strain to promote combined arsenic-fluoride tolerance in the rice genotype. Bio-priming with AB-ARC led to accelerated uptake of crucial elements like iron, copper, and nickel which behave as co-factors of physiological and antioxidative enzymes. Thus, the activation of superoxide dismutase, catalase, guaiacol peroxidase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione-S-transferase enabled detoxification of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reduction of the oxidative injuries like malondialdehyde and methylglyoxal generation. Overall, due to ameliorated molecular damages and low uptake of the toxic xenobiotics, the plants were able to maintain improved growth vigor and photosynthesis, as evident from the elevated levels of Hill activity and chlorophyll content. Hence, bio-priming with the A. indicus AB-ARC strain may be advocated for sustainable rice cultivation in arsenic-fluoride co-polluted fields.

Investigating the vegetative growth and mineral elements uptake by Damask rose irrigated with various levels of Sodium Chloride

Investigating the vegetative growth and mineral elements uptake by Damask rose irrigated with various levels of Sodium Chloride

Shell mineralogy and chemistry – Arctic bivalves in a global context

This study provided new data on shell mineralogy in 23 Arctic bivalve species. The majority of examined species had purely aragonitic shells. Furthermore, we measured concentrations of Al, Ba, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, S, Sr and Zn in 542 shells representing 25 Arctic bivalve species. Species-related differences in concentrations of specific elements were significant and occurred regardless of locations and water depths. This observation implies the dominance of biological processes regulating elemental uptake into the skeleton over factors related to the variability of abiotic environmental conditions. Analysis of the present study and literature data revealed that the highest concentrations of metals were observed in bivalves collected in the temperate zone, with intermediate levels in the tropics and the lowest levels in polar regions. This trend was ascribed mainly to the presence of higher anthropogenic pressure at temperate latitudes being a potential source of human-mediated metal pollution.

Stimulating algal growth through wood ash fertilization in the Åkerberg pit lake, northern Sweden

Fifteen microcosms were installed in the Åkerberg pit lake for 15 days in the summer season (July) 2021. To stimulate algal growth, the microcosms were fertilized with two P-rich wood ashes, and KNO3. Chlorophyll-a was used as an indicator of algal growth while filtered (<0.2 μm) and particulate suspended element concentrations (>0.2 μm) were used to estimate algal metal uptake. Water quality measurements and water sampling were conducted on three occasions (every five days) and at the start of the experiment to monitor algal growth. The chlorophyll-a concentration in the microcosms fertilized with wood ash increased from 0.3-0.8 μg/L at the start of the experiment to 53–77 μg/L after 15 days. Algal element uptake of filtered concentrations (<0.2 μm) was observed for many elements including, Ni (33–36%), Zn (22–65%) and Cd (22–54%). This suggests that wood ash could be used to stimulate algal growth in pit lakes by acting as a source for P and potentially also other nutrients. The highest chlorophyll-a concentrations were seen on day 10, indicating that a breakdown of chlorophyll-a impacted the measured concentrations, which otherwise could have been higher.

Experimental determination of concentration factors of Mn, Zn and I in the phytoplankton species Phaeodactylum Tricornutum

Anthropogenic radionuclides released into the environment cause a radiation dose to wildlife and humans which must be quantified, both to assess the effect of normal releases, and to predict the consequences of a larger, unplanned release. To estimate the spread of the radioactive elements, the ecosystem around release points is modelled, and element uptake is usually quantified by concentration factors (CF), which relates the concentration of an element in an organism to the concentration of the same element in a medium under equilibrium conditions. In this work, we experimentally determine some phytoplankton CF that are needed for improved modelling of the marine ecosystems around nuclear facilities and release points. CFs that require better determination have been identified through literature search. Sensitivity studies, using the currently used ecosystem modelling software PREDO, show that for most studied groups, the dose committed by the respective radionuclides is almost proportional to the corresponding phytoplankton CFs. In the present work, CFs are determined through laboratory experiments with cultured phytoplankton and radionuclides of the concerned elements, assessing the element uptake by the phytoplankton through detection of the emitted radiation. The three CF assessed in this work were those for manganese, zinc and iodine in phytoplankton. Conservative estimates of these CF based on the present data are 40 000 L/kg for manganese, 50 000 L/kg for zinc and 180 L/kg for iodine with the phytoplankton masses referring to their dry weight.

Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Combined Application Reveals Enhanced Soil Fertility and Rice Production

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is an important crop that is grown worldwide to supply the world’s expanding food demand. In the current study, the effects of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on soil fertility and rice growth were explored. Rice plants were inoculated to evaluate how AMF fungi and PGPR affect various aspects of soil and plants, implicating abiotic stress tolerances. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design with three replicates under the controlled conditions. Results depicted that the plants that were inoculated with a mixture of AMF and PGPR had better yields and nutritional concentrations, while both AMF and PGPR lowered soil pH and organic matter differently. Similarly, AMF and PGPR treatments significantly increased the amount of N, P, K, and B in the post-harvest soil. The PGPR-inoculated plants had a 10–40% higher buildup of N in their tissues. Similarly, when they were compared with non-infected plants, AMF-inoculated treatments demonstrated a greater N accumulation in the rice tissue. The maximum P content in plant tissues was 0.149% in PGPR5-infected plants, either alone or in combination with AMF. In T12, AMF + PGPR5 inoculated rice plants, the maximum K uptake was 1.98%, which was 54% higher than the control treatment. The sole application of AMF raised K buildup in rice tissues by 38% compared with the control treatment. The improved productivity of plants with AMF and PGPR (especially with PGPR5) was attributed to the increased availability of nutrients in the soil. As a result, rice plant growth, yield, and essential element uptakes were boosted significantly. The present study’s results suggested using the combined application of AMF + PGPR5 for improving the rice yield and for sustaining the soil health.

Корневое питание, фотосинтез и чистая первичная продукция у древостоев рода Picea на уровне организма в пределах российского ареала

A complex retrospective ecological and physiological analysis of the tabular data on the dry weight of stands of the genus Picea growing from the Northwest to the Russian Far East was carried out. Ecological and physiological indicators are calculated per an organism (conditional tree of average weight). Biological productivity (BP, times) was determined by the relative increase in the average dry weight of a tree in adjacent age periods. Quantitative data of mineral productivity (MP, mg/m2/per day) were found by the method of VM. Lebedev, and the net productivity of photosynthesis (NPPh, g/m2/per day) was calculated according to A.A. Nichiporovich at the organism level in stands of each age period in the range from 10–30 to 120–210 years. In all regions, there was a decrease in the element uptake by trees with age: nitrogen (N) by 14.9–93.7, phosphorus (P) by 18.7–119.9 and potassium (K) by 15.4–134.4 times. A sharp decrease in the element uptake continued until the age of 50–60 years, after which it stabilized at an extremely low level. The decline in the root uptake activity resulted in a 2.88–14.0 and 1.64–2.60-fold drop in NPPh and BP, respectively. The correlation between N, P and K uptake with NPPH and BP was highly positive in all zones. Within Russia in 30, 60, 90, and 120-year-old stands differences in the values of net primary production (NPP, g/m2 of nutrition area) reached 5.0, 4.7, 4.6, and 5.2 times, respectively, and net mineral productivity by nitrogen (NMP(N), g/m2 of nutrition area) reached 4.0, 4.3, 4.8, and 4.6 times, respectively. The correlation between these two indicators was described as highly positive. The correlation between the amount of nitrogen uptaken by spruce roots and the efficiency of its use in forming a unit of biomass was highly negative in all regions. The center of the Russian Plain and the Middle Volga region were the best regions for the growth of spruce plants, while the Krasnoyarsk and Khabarovsk (north) Krais were the worst.

Soil-Agrochemical Aspects of Remediation of Nickel-Contaminated Soil Using Growth-Promoting Rhizosphere Bacteria

In pot experiments, the effect of introducing rhizospheric bacteria promoting plant growth on the yield and chemical composition of spring wheat when grown in humus horizon of the Luvic Retic Greyzemic Phaeozems (Loamic) soil artificially contaminated with a water-soluble nickel compound was studied. Application of P. fluorescens 20, P. fluorescens 21, and P. putida 23 bacteria increased plant resistance to elevated nickel concentration and increased yields, significantly reducing or completely eliminating heavy metal phytotoxicity. The resistance of plants to impact of nickel stress when using bacteria is due to: a) stimulation of root growth and an increase in the accumulation of nickel in the root system, b) improvement in the mineral nutrition of plants – an increase in uptake of biophilic elements from contaminated soil due to an increase in yield, in general, without significant changes in the content of the most elements in plants, including grain. Application of bacteria increased uptake of nickel from the soil by above-ground organs of plants, thereby enhancing phytoextraction – purification from heavy metal and, consequently, soil remediation. The distribution of nickel in soil in fractions isolated by the method of consecutive selective extractions has been established. In the first half of the growing season, application of bacteria increased the content of nickel in the soil, mainly in the exchangeable and specifically sorbed fractions and, to a lesser extent, in fractions associated with organic matter and ferruginous minerals, and decreased content of the metal in the residual fraction. Increase of nickel accumulation in plants in application of bacteria corresponded to increased heavy metal content in soil, mainly in the composition of compounds associated with exchangeable and specifically bound fractions. At full maturity of plants, no significant changes were found in fractional composition of Ni in the soil. Application of bacteria can be recommended in the development of strategies for remediation of nickel-contaminated soils based on environmentally friendly technologies.

Influence of ionic cerium and cerium oxide nanoparticles on Zea mays seedlings grown with and without cadmium

Cerium (Ce4+) and cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2-NPs) have diversified reported effects on plants. Once dispersed in the environment their fate is not well understood, especially in co-existence with other pollutants like cadmium (Cd). The effect of co-application of Ce and Cd are reported in various studies, but the role of Ce source (ionic or bulk) and nanoparticle size is still unknown in cereal plants like maize (Zea mays). To better understand the synergistic effects of Ce and Cd, 500 mg kg−1 Ce coming from ionic (Ce4+ as CeSO4) and CeO2 nano sources (10 nm, 50 nm, and 100 nm) alone and in combination with 0.5 mg Cd kg−1 sand were applied to maize seedlings. Growth, physiology, root structure, anatomy, and ionic homeostasis in maize were measured. The results revealed that Ce4+ resulted in overall decrease in seedling growth, biomass and resulted in higher heavy metal (in control sets) and Cd (in Cd spiked sets) uptake in maize seedlings' root and shoot. The effects of CeO2-NPs were found to be dependent on particle size; in fact, under Cd-0 (non-Cd spiked sets) CeO2-100 nm showed beneficial effects compared to the control. While under co-application with Cd, CeO2-50 nm showed net beneficial effects on maize seedling growth parameters. The Ce alone, and in combination with Cd, altered the root suberin barrier formation. Both ionic and nano Ce sources alone and in co-existence with Cd behaved differently for tissue elemental concentrations (Ce, Cd, micronutrients like B, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, Fe and elements Co, Si) suggesting a strong influence of Cd–Ce coexistence on the element's uptake and translocation in maize.

Associations between Elemental Metabolic Dynamics and Default Mode Network Functional Connectivity Are Altered in Autism.

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition associated with atypical social communication, cognitive, and sensory faculties. Recent advances in exposure biology suggest that biomarkers of elemental uptake and metabolism measured in hair samples can yield an effective signal predictive of autism diagnosis. Here, we investigated if elemental biomarkers in hair were associated with functional connectivity in regions of the default mode network (DMN) previously linked to autism. In a study sample which included twin pairs with concordant and discordant diagnoses for autism, our analysis of hair samples and neuroimaging data supported two general findings. First, independent of autism diagnosis, we found a broad pattern of association between elemental biomarkers and functional connectivity in the DMN, which primarily involved dynamics in zinc metabolism. Second, we found that associations between the DMN and elemental biomarkers, particularly involving phosphorus, calcium, manganese, and magnesium, differed significantly in autistic participants from control participants. In sum, these findings suggest that functional dynamics in elemental metabolism relate broadly to persistent patterns of functional connectivity in the DMN, and that these associations are altered in the emergence of autism.

Soil Amendment with a Lignite-Derived Humic Substance Affects Soil Properties and Biomass Maize Yield

A two-year pot experiment was set up to determine the ability of Actosol (Act) to improve soil properties and maize yields. The Act effects were compared to those of manure, nitrogen/phosphorus/potassium (NPK) and an additive-free control (Ctr). After years 1 and 2, the pH, sorption properties, total carbon (TC), total N (TN), available P and K contents, dehydrogenase activity (DHA), residuum (Re) and humic acids (HAs) were measured in coarse- and medium-textured soils. Maize yield, N, P and K were also quantified. The plant element uptake and soil quality index (SQI) were calculated. In both soil types, the Act increased the DHA, cation exchange capacity, bioavailable K, P, TC, TN, C HAs and C Re in the soils compared to the Ctr. The maize yield, K and P contents and their uptake by the maize increased in both soil types after Act application. The SQI increased by &gt;50% with a single dose (Act1), almost doubling with a double dose (Act2) compared to the Ctr. With Act1 and Act2, the P and K uptake increased several-fold. The soil properties and maize yield after using Act demonstrated its utility in improving soil organic matter and maize growth and in disposing of waste.

Incorporation of ionic rare earth elements as a form of microbial environmental remediation

Modern society is heavily dependent on critical raw materials, such as rare earth elements (REEs), for use in electronic devices. The increasing demand for these materials has led to the need for environmentally friendly methods of processing non-recycled materials from e-waste and wastewater, as well as waste streams from cleaning and manufacturing facilities. Modern society’s dependence on such materials is growing by the day, and with it, the need for environmentally friendly processing of non-recycled materials from e-waste and wastewater in the form of “end-of-life” products, as well as waste streams from cleaning and manufacturing facilities, also increases. As these are problematic indications for modern isolation methods in the industry, these sources may be more suitable for new techniques as they have low concentration and high throughput for bioaccumulation. Chemical methods using nanomaterials are already being tested for their possibilities but still depend on acids and harsh chemicals. Microorganisms, on the other hand, can adsorb/absorb REEs in a more ecological way. Previous studies could already show that it is possible to accumulate REEs in the precipitates of bacterial cultures spiked with REEs to a value of over 50%. However, the question arose whether rare earths were spun into the pellets by centrifugation, adsorbed, or really incorporated in the cells. Therefore, we established a new easy-to-use experimental design in which the microorganisms were spiked with an REE standard and washed to minimize the falsification of measurements by peripheral binding of ions before being analyzed for REE contents by ICP-OES. The bioaccumulation of rare earths in microorganisms was monitored, yielding an uptake rate of up to 53.12% of the overall present ionic REE concentration. In this manuscript, we present the different concentration measurements that were taken during the process, before and after washing of the cells, to create a full picture of the localization, binding, incorporation, and occurrence of the ions of interest. The setup also showed a correlation between the introduction method of rare earths and the uptake of certain elements that might be correlated with the differentiation between light and heavy rare earth elements, while Y and Sc often seem to represent outliers.

Trace Element Uptake by Willows Used for the Phytoremediation of Biosolids.

The land application of biosolids can result in the unacceptable accumulation of Trace Elements (TEs) in agricultural soil and potentially introduce xenobiotics and pathogens into the food chain. Phytoremediation of biosolids aims to minimize this risk, while producing valuable biomass. Willows, well known to accumulate zinc (Zn), are used extensively in farming systems for soil conservation, shelter and as feed supplements with demonstrable health benefits. Potentially, biosolids phytoremediation could occur on marginal lands adjacent to farmlands where willows are grown for supplementary fodder. We aimed to determine the uptake and distribution of Zn and other TEs in willows grown on soils amended with biosolids and biosolids blended with biochar, with a view to their use as stock fodder. In the Canterbury Region, New Zealand, we grew Salix 'tangaio' (S. matsudana X S. alba) in a greenhouse trial and field study. The biomass production of the willows was unaffected by biosolids and increased by the biosolids+biochar mixture. The addition of 4% biosolids (w/w) to the soil resulted in a foliar Zn concentration of 600-1000 mg kg-1, some 25 times higher than the average New Zealand pasture. Zinc concentrations were highest in the bottom leaves and increased throughout the season. Biosolids addition doubled the copper (Cu) concentration to 10 mg kg-1. Adding biochar to the system reduced the plant uptake of Cu and to a lesser extent Zn, while cadmium (Cd) uptake was unaffected. For Cd, Cu, and Zn, plant uptake was a function of the Ca(NO3)2-extractable concentration, both in greenhouse experiments and the field trial. Future work should determine the changes in plant TE uptake over several growing seasons.

The characteristics of foliar potassium uptake in pistachio as affected by the fertilizer source and solution pH

Foliar spraying is one of the common methods to meet the nutritional needs of fruit trees, but the efficiency of this method largely depends on the characteristics of nutrient element uptake by the leaves. In this study, the characteristics of foliar potassium (K) uptake in pistachio (Pistachio vera L. cv. Owhadi) as affected by K fertilizer source and the solution pH was investigated in both intact and detached leaves. Potassium fertilizer solutions differing in pH (4.5, 5.5, 6.5, and 7.5) were provided by using K2SO4 and K-lysine and K-methionine amino acid complexes. Foliar sprays of K led to greater contribution of symplastic fraction to the apoplastic fraction; although this effect varied upon the K source and solution pH. The lowest distribution of apoplastic K was observed at the K-Met-treatment, while the leaves treated with K2SO4 retained the largest amount of K in the apoplastic spaces. The absorption of K by pistachio leaves from all K fertilizer sources declined as pH increased to 7.5. The decrease in the foliar uptake of K was significantly affected by the K source. At pH > 5.5, foliar uptake of K was greater from the K-Met-in comparison with K2SO4. This study suggests that foliar K uptake is affected by fertilizer source and solution pH. Higher symplastic distribution of foliar-applied K explains at least in part, higher nut K concentration in the pistachio trees treated with the K-amino acid complexes compared to those treated with K2SO4.

The uptake of key elements of sexual and reproductive health services and its predictors among rural adolescents in Southern Ethiopia, 2020: application of a Poisson regression analysis

BackgroundAlthough 25% of the Ethiopian population is young, Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Services have not been adequately researched and intervened, leaving adolescents with many reproductive health challenges. Assessment of the uptake of each element of SRH service and its determinants among those age groups is essential to improving service uptake and reducing the burden of illness and disability in adolescents. Thus, this study aimed at assessing the uptake of key elements of SRH services and its determinants among adolescents residing in rural districts of Guraghe zone, Southern Ethiopia.MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study was carried out from May 1 to 30, 2020, and a multi-stage sampling technique was employed to randomly select 1028 adolescents. The data were collected by using a pre-tested interviewer-administered questionnaire. The data were coded and entered into Epi-Data version 3.1 and exported into SPSS version 23 for analysis. Independent t-tests and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were run to determine whether there were statistically significant differences in the mean number of SRH services used across each categorical variable. A multivariable generalized linear regression (GLM) model with a Poisson link was used to determine the effect of each variable on the mean number of SRH services used. Adjusted odds ratios with their corresponding 95% confidence interval were used to declare the statistical significance of the independent variables.ResultsThe study included 1,009 adolescents, yielding a response rate of 98.1%. The use of the SRH service was assessed using eight elements, and the mean (± SD) score of service uptake was 4.05 (± 1.94), with only 6.8% of adolescents receiving all key elements. Comprehensive sexuality education (55.1%) and voluntary HIV/AIDS counseling and testing (51.0%) were the commonest service items used by adolescents, while the provision of contraceptives was the lowest service item received (25.9%). Educational level (AOR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.03–1.56), having a parental discussion (AOR: 1.31, 95% CI: 1.13–1.51), lack of youth clubs (AOR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.66–0.87), and knowledge on SRH issues (AOR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.73–0.85) were identified as significant predictors of the uptake of key elements of SRH services.ConclusionThe overall uptake of SRH services was found to be low in the study area. Schools should be an excellent means of educating adolescents to increase their knowledge of key elements of SRH services. Furthermore, stakeholders must work together to improve the culture of parental discussion with adolescents and establish and strengthen youth clubs, as measures for encouraging the use of SRH services.

Local features, local meanings: Language ideologies and place-linked vocalic variation among Jewish Chicagoans

AbstractResearch on Jewish English in the United States has drawn on a set of ideologies linking the Jewish ethnolinguistic repertoire to New York City English, but less is known about how these ideologies interface with the social meanings of regional features in the communities outside New York in which these speakers live. Through meta-linguistic commentary and acoustic analyses drawn from sociolinguistic interviews with white Jewish and Catholic Chicagoans, we find that meta-linguistic ideologies associate Jewish speakers with New York City English and white Catholic speakers with ‘local’ Chicago features. However, in actual production, these linguistic differences appear to be driven by neighborhood rather than ethnoreligious identity alone. We argue that while meta-linguistic commentary may re-circulate broader linguistic ideologies, the uptake of elements of the ethnolinguistic repertoire may depend on the social meanings of those features in the local community more broadly, including class- and place-linked variation. (Ethnolinguistic repertoire, place, Northern Cities Shift, Jewish English)*

Microsatellite markers-aided dissection of iron, zinc and cadmium accumulation potential in Triticum aestivum.

Wheat is a staple cereal food around the globe. It provides a significant source of proteins, carbohydrates, and other micronutrients to humans. When grown on cadmium (Cd) contaminated soils, the uptake of trace elements e.g., iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) has also been affected drastically that in turn affected the wheat grain. In this study, wheat accessions were used to investigate the impact of soil application of Zn (5 mg/kg, 20 mg/kg) and Cd (0 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg) on accumulation of these elements in wheat grains. A total of 45 Fe, Zn, and Cd transporter-related genes were used to design 101 gene-specific SSR (simple sequence repeat) markers. In response to Cd stress, application of 20 mg/Kg Zn improved Fe (64.6 ug/g) and Zn (48.3 ug/g) accumulation in wheat grains as well as agronomic traits. Marker trait association revealed that SSR markers based on NAM-B1 gene (PR01 and PR02) were associated with Zn accumulation. Similarly, SSR markers based on TaVTL5-2B_5 (PR19 PR20), TaVTL5-2B_2 (PR25, PR26), TaVTL5-2D_3 (PR30), TaVTL2-2A (PR31), TaVTL1-6A (PR32), and TaVTL2-2D_1 (PR37) were significantly associated with Fe accumulation, while HMA3-5B1 (PR62) and TaNRAMP3-7D (PR89) were linked to Cd accumulation in grains. The highly associated markers may be used in marker-assisted selection of suitable wheat genotypes for breeding bio-fortified varieties with low Cd accumulation.