The effect of salinity on morphological characteristics of seven rice (Oryza sativa) genotypes differing in salt tolerance.

The effect of salinity on morphological characters of salt tolerant genotypes PVSB9, PVSB19, PNR381, PNR519, Iratom24 and salt sensitive genotype NS15 along with one standard check salt tolerant rice cultivar Pokkali were assessed in two factors Completely Randomized Design with four replications. Seven rice genotypes in combination with six levels of salinity (0, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 dS m(-1)) were randomly assigned in 168 experimental plastic pots. The different morphological characters studied include plant height, total number of tillers, Root Dry Weight (RDW), Shoot Dry Weight (SDW) and Total Dry Matter (TDM) content of the selected rice genotypes in view to evaluate their response at different salinity levels. The results on the effect of morphological characters indicated that plant height, total tillers, root, shoot and total dry matter were significantly decreased by the application of salinity. The genotypes Pokkali, PVSB9, PVSB19 showed significantly higher values and the lowest value of all these characters were recorded in NS15. A sharp decrease in percent relative-plant height, RDW, SDW, TDM, total tillers were found in susceptible genotype NS 15 after 3 dS m(-1) level of salinity, but these characters were found to decrease slowly in tolerant genotypes.

Primary tumours of the synovium. A report of four cases of malignant tumour.

Four patients who developed malignant synovial tumours are described; one with chondromatosis developed a synovial chondrosarcoma and three with pigmented villonodular synovitis developed malignant change. The relevant literature is discussed.

Primary atypical sacral meningioma--not always benign.

We present a case of an atypical recurrent meningioma of the sacrum with pulmonary metastasis in a 31-year-old man. He presented with deep-seated buttock pain and urinary hesitancy for 3 months. MRI revealed a lesion occupying the central and left side of the sacral canal at the S1-S2 level. Surgical excision of the lesion via a posterior approach was undertaken, and the patient became symptom-free post-operatively. Histology confirmed atypical meningioma. Eight months later he re-presented with similar symptoms, and MRI confirmed local recurrence. The patient underwent left hemisacrectomy. Six months later he again presented with low back pain and MRI confirmed a second local recurrence. A CT scan of the chest showed multiple lung metastases. The patient died of a severe chest infection 18 months later.

Familial chordoma. A report of two cases.

We have treated 175 patients with a chordoma over a ten-year period. Only two had a family history of the condition and we describe these in this paper. In one patient the tumour was at the craniocervical junction and in the other the lesion affected the sacrum. We have undertaken a literature review of familial chordoma and have identified chromosomal abnormalities associated with the condition.

Extractive spectrophotometry of the molybdenum (III) 1,10-phenanthroline thiocyanate and 2,2'-bipyridyl thiocyanate complexes.

New extraction spectrophotometric methods for the determination of small amounts of molybdenum have been developed, using thiocyanate and 1,10-phenanthroline or 2,2'-bipyridyl as reagents in the presence of chlorostannous acid. Extracts of the ternary complexes of tervalent molybdenum in 1,2-dichloroethane obey Beer's law in the range 1-10 mug/ml at 525 nm. A 10-fold excess of iron and vanadium and 100-fold excess of tungsten, phosphorus and silicate do not interfere.

Spectrophotometric determination of vanadium with 1,10-phenanthroline.

A simple and sensitive spectrophotometric method for the determination of vanadium based upon the reaction of vanadate with 1,10-phenanthroline in the presence of sodium dithionite in ammoniacal solution is described. The absorbance of the complex measured at 645 nm follows Beer's law for solutions containing 30-400 microg of vanadium in 100 ml of solution. A 10-fold excess of molybdenum, tungsten, phosphorus or chromium does not interfere. The molar absorptivity is 8.0 x 10(3) 1 mole(-1) cm(-1). The complex is shown to be tris-1,10-phenanthroline vanadium(II). The method has been applied successfully to the determination of vanadium in bauxite.