scholarly journals Manipulation of Seedling Traits with Pulsed Light in Closed Controlled Environments

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiwei Song ◽  
Paul Kusuma ◽  
Sofia D. Carvalho ◽  
Yan Li ◽  
Kevin M. Folta

AbstractThere is substantial interest in growing crops in closed controlled environments, yet the energy requirements are high. Energy is required to produce light, but also to remove the heat generated when producing light. The goal of the current work examines a possible approach to decrease the energy requirement. The effect of pulsed light treatments was examined by monitoring seedling traits during early photomorphogenic development. Daily light integral remained unchanged between treatments, but the frequency of the pulses was varied. Developmental traits (such as inhibition of hypocotyl elongation rate) were most conspicuous during a normal photoperiod, as in twelve hours light, twelve hours darkness. Consistent with historical reports, when treatments were delivered in shorter durations (e.g. 1 hour on/off) photomorphogenic development was hindered, with the same daily light integral. However, at even shorter light intervals (e.g. seconds) seedlings developed as if they were provided full 12 h treatments. Extension of the dark period following a 5 s pulse was tested to determine the effect on seedling traits. The results showed that the dark period could be extended to at least 10 s without affecting seedling development, and extension to 20 s only had slight effects on seedling traits. The mechanism of the phenomenon was examined in Arabidopsis photosensory mutants, with substantial contributions from the phyA and cry1 pathways. The results suggest that pulsed light with extended dark periods can decrease energy input by at least 30% to >50% without affecting visible seedling traits. These pilot experiments in seedlings demonstrate that implementation of short-interval, pulsed-light strategies may lower energy requirements for growing crops in artificially illuminated environments.

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 817
Author(s):  
El-Sayed Khater ◽  
Taha Ashour ◽  
Samir Ali ◽  
Manar Saad ◽  
Jasna Todic ◽  
...  

The need for heating and cooling in traditional housing is becoming increasingly disadvantageous regarding high energy costs. But what is more concerning is the impact on our environment. The main goal of this paper is studying the prospects of using renewable energy for heating and cooling houses through an integrated bio-solar system in order to solve the energy scarcity problem. For this purpose, a simulation model for a bio-solar house made from different materials (walls made of bricks with straw bales and a roof made of concrete with straw bales) was developed successively in accordance with the energy balance and renewable energies such as biogas and solar energy were applied. This approach enabled an enhancement of the main factors affecting the performance of a building in terms of saving energy. The model was able to predict the energy requirements for heating and cooling of houses, the energy gained by a solar collector and by a biogas digester as well as the energy requirement for heating the biogas digester. Also, the purpose of this paper is to validate this developed simulation model by measuring energy requirements for heating of houses and solar radiation for solar collectors. The model is a simulation model for the bio-solar house with its three main parts—a straw house, a solar collector and a biogas digester. This paper demonstrates the values of the performed measurements and compares them to the theoretical, predicted values. The comparison indicates that the predicted energy requirements for the heating of buildings were a close approximation to the measured values. Another relevant deduction of the validation was the fact that the solar collector delivered the highest heat gain on 21st of June.


2019 ◽  
Vol 166 ◽  
pp. 103803 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiwei Song ◽  
Paul Kusuma ◽  
Sofia D. Carvalho ◽  
Yan Li ◽  
Kevin M. Folta

1919 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
James R. (James Renfrew) Dice

Text from introduction: "There are at least two reasons why more definite knowledge of the energy requirements of growing cattle are desirable. First, the energy requirement of the animal is known to be high and because of the increased cost of feeds with high energy value there is a greater economic demand to know the actual energy requirement of a young animal. Second, if an intelligent study is to be made of the requirement of a growing animal for any other constituent of the ration, it is quite essential that the energy requirement be known."


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 386-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahmood S. Jameel ◽  
Azlan Abdul Aziz ◽  
Mohammed Ali Dheyab

AbstractPlatinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) have attracted interest in catalysis and biomedical applications due to their unique structural, optical, and catalytic properties. However, the conventional synthesis of Pt NPs using the chemical and physical methods is constrained by the use of harmful and costly chemicals, intricate preparation requirement, and high energy utilization. Hence, this review emphasizes on the green synthesis of Pt NPs using plant extracts as an alternative approach due to its simplicity, convenience, inexpensiveness, easy scalability, low energy requirement, environmental friendliness, and minimum usage of hazardous materials and maximized efficiency of the synthesis process. The underlying complex processes that cover the green synthesis (biosynthesis) of Pt NPs were reviewed. This review affirms the effects of different critical parameters (pH, reaction temperature, reaction time, and biomass dosage) on the size and shape of the synthesized Pt NPs. For instance, the average particle size of Pt NPs was reported to decrease with increasing pH, reaction temperature, and concentration of plant extract.


Author(s):  
Katherine E. Black ◽  
Paula M.L. Skidmore ◽  
Rachel C. Brown

Endurance events >10 hr are becoming increasingly popular but provide numerous physiological challenges, several of which can be attenuated with optimal nutritional intakes. Previous studies in ultraendurance races have reported large energy deficits during events. The authors therefore aimed to assess nutritional intakes in relation to performance among ultraendurance cyclists. This observational study included 18 cyclists in a 384-km cycle race. At race registration each cyclist’s support crew was provided with a food diary for their cyclist. On completion of the race, cyclists were asked to recall their race food and drink intakes. All food and fluids were analyzed using a computer software package. Mean (SD) time to complete the race was 16 hr 21 min (2 hr 2 min). Mean (SD) energy intake was 18.7 (8.6) MJ, compared with an estimated energy requirement for the race of 25.5 (7.4) MJ. There was a significant negative relationship between energy intake and time taken to complete the race (p = .023, r2 = −.283). Mean (SD) carbohydrate, fat, and protein intakes were 52 (27), 15.84 (56.43), and 2.94 (7.25) g/hr, respectively. Only carbohydrate (p = .015, r2 = −.563) and fat intake (p = .037, r2 = −.494) were associated with time taken to complete the race. This study demonstrates the difficulties in meeting the high energy demands of ultraendurance cycling. The relationship between energy intake and performance suggests that reducing the energy deficit may be advantageous. Given the high carbohydrate intakes of these athletes, increasing energy intake from fat should be investigated as a means of decreasing energy deficits.


1972 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. A. Zulberti ◽  
J. T. Reid

SUMMARYBased on the Agricultural Research Council's feeding system, equations were developed that allow the calculation of the metabolizable energy requirements for maintenance and weight gain by cattle, separately or combined. A general equation was developed for the straight-forward calculation of the total metabolizable energy requirements of growing and fattening cattle for any combination of body weight, rate of weight gain, age, level of muscular work, and metabolizable energy concentration of the diet. The estimates of energy requirement made by the use of this equation are in excellent agreement with those made by the Agricultural Research Council using an iterative method.In addition to avoiding the awkward iterative process, the equations proposed are readily adaptable to computer use.


2018 ◽  
Vol 78 (10) ◽  
pp. 2204-2213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liang Cheng ◽  
Raphael Marie-Guillaume Flavigny ◽  
Md Iqbal Hossain ◽  
Wipa Charles ◽  
Ralf Cord-Ruwisch

Abstract The current paper describes a novel passive aeration simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (PASND) zeolite amended biofilm reactor that removes organic carbon and nitrogen from wastewater with low-energy consumption. Next to the ammonium oxidizing bacteria (AOB), this reactor contained naturally enriched glycogen accumulating organisms (GAOs) and zeolite powder to initially adsorb BOD (acetate) and ammonium (NH4+-N) from synthetic wastewater under anaerobic conditions. Draining of the treated wastewater exposed the biofilm directly to air enabling low-energy oxygen supply by passive aeration. This allowed the adsorbed ammonium to be oxidized by the AOB and the produced nitrite and nitrate to be reduced simultaneously by the GAOs using the adsorbed BOD (stored as PHAs) as carbon source. Overall, with an operation mode of 1 h anaerobic and 4 h aerobic phase, the nutrient removal efficiency after single treatment was about 94.3% for BOD and 72.2% for nitrogen (NH4+-N). As high-energy aeration of the bulk solution for oxygen supply is completely avoided, the energy requirement of the proposed PASND biofilm reactor can be theoretically cut down to more than 50% compared to the traditional activated sludge process.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brigitta Wichert ◽  
Julia Trossen ◽  
Daniel Uebelhart ◽  
Marcel Wanner ◽  
Sonja Hartnack

Obesity is a common problem in cats. In the experimental cat family of the institute of animal nutrition besides a “normal” lean phenotype, cats with predisposition to an overweight phenotype are present. To investigate energy requirements and food intake behaviour of intact male cats of different phenotypes, six “normal” lean cats (GL) and six cats disposed to overweight (GO) were used. At the beginning of the experiment, all cats had an ideal body condition score of 5. To reach this the GO cats had to pass a weight-loss program. Energy requirements of the cats were determined using respiration chambers, whereas the amount and frequency of food intake was measured with a feeding station recording the data automatically. Energy requirement at weight constancy of the GO cats was even on fat-free mass (FFM) significantly (P=0.02) lower (162.6 kJ/kg FFM/d) than that of the “normal” lean cats (246 kJ/kg FFM/d). The GO cats also showed a higher food intake34.5±1.5 g dry matter/kg body weight0.67compared to the GL cats (24.0±2.1 g dry matter/kg body weight0.67)(P=0.001). In conclusion quantifiable differences in food intake and behaviour in cats predisposed to overweight compared to “normal” lean cats were found.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehnaza Manzoor ◽  
Jagmohan Singh

Abstract The study examined the physical, morphological, thermal, techno-functional, and rheological properties of two apple seed cultivars viz: red delicious (RD) and golden delicious (GD). Physical properties showed that red delicious seeds were significantly (p≤0.05) different in width, geometric mean diameter, arithmetic mean diameter, volume, and surface area than golden delicious seeds. The proximate composition of RD seed flour showed a higher amount of crude protein and fat content than GD seed flour. RD seed flour was significantly different in L*, a*, b* values, bulk density, water/oil absorption capacity and the emulsifying ability than GD seed flour. From particle size analysis it was possible to found that GD was significantly (p≤0.05) lower than RD flour macromolecules. Scanning electron micrographs showed oval/spherical starch granules of small size embedded in a continuous protein matrix. Thermograph revealed exothermic transition enthalpy for both RD and GD seed flour, which indicates a high energy requirement for crystallite melting. The rheological assays revealed high elastic modulus (G′), of seed flours that will help in modifying the texture of foods. This study suggests the potential of apple seeds in the formulation of protein-enriched foods to combat malnutrition while contributing to the reduction in industrial wastage.


1968 ◽  
Vol 46 (9) ◽  
pp. 1151-1160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Misako Nakatani ◽  
W. C. McMurray

Rat liver mitochondria undergo reversible swelling in the presence of a fatty acyl CoA generating system. Contraction of the swollen mitochondria was observed on the addition of either carnitine or cytochrome c. At low concentrations the two agents acted synergistically. At high concentrations cytochrome c completely replaced the requirement for carnitine.Cytochrome c also promoted the contraction of mitochondria swollen in the presence of fatty acid alone, provided that either ATP or ADP was added to initiate the contraction. The stimulation by cytochrome c was greater in the presence of ADP, and the contraction was more sensitive to respiratory inhibitors or dinitrophenol but was less sensitive to oligomycin than in the presence of ATP. Studies of the metabolism of 14C-labelled palmitate during cytochrome c induced contraction showed that decreases in mitochondrial-bound fatty acid and corresponding increases in water-soluble metabolites coincided with the reversal of swelling. The results indicated that the energy requirement for mitochondrial contraction in the presence of cytochrome c was provided by generation of high-energy intermediates coupled to oxidation of the fatty acid swelling agent.


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