Food production requires application of fertilizers containing phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium on agricultural fields in order to sustain crop yields. However modern agriculture is dependent on phosphorus derived from phosphate rock, which is a non-renewable resource and current global reserves may be depleted in 50–100 years. While phosphorus demand is projected to increase, the expected gl...

Phosphorus (P) is one of the most vital elements for all living organisms which acts as aconstituent of essential biomolecules such as nucleic acids, phospholipids, and phosphosugars,and as a major contributor to almost all metabolic reactions including photosynthesis,respiration, and energy delivery. It is one of the most needed nutrients for plant growth anddevelopment. Despite high levels of...

The deposits of phosphate rock in the vicinity of Charleston, S. C., were among the first discovered in the United States, and until about 20 years ago the field was one of the largest producers in the world. The workable deposits are confined to the region lying in general between Charleston and Beaufort and extending about 25 miles back from the coast. The phosphate rock occurs in a thin bed ...

In order to prepare the multi-functional biofertilizer, thermo-tolerant phosphate-solubilizing microbes including bacteria, actinomycetes, and fungi were isolated from different compost plants and biofertilizers. Except Streptomycesthermophilus J57 which lacked pectinase, all isolates possessed amylase, CMCase, chitinase, pectinase, protease, lipase, and nitrogenase activities. All isolates cou...

BACKGROUND Rho kinase (ROCK) and myosin-light chain kinase (MLCK) are key enzymes in smooth muscle contraction. Previous data have suggested that ROCK contribution to human detrusor contraction is increasing with age. Here, we have analyzed the transcriptional expression of Rho kinase isoforms (ROCK1 and ROCK2) as well as MLCK in the aging human detrusor smooth muscle obtained from resected tis...

Lead contamination is of great concern because of its adverse effects on human health, especially children. This research evaluated the effects of phosphate rock on chemical associations of Pb in eight Pb-contaminated soils using a sequential extraction procedure. The chemical fractions are operationally defined by an extraction sequence in the order of increasing ability to dissolve Pb of lowe...