Pin nematodes of the genus Paratylenchus are widely distributed across the world and associated with many plant species. Morphological identification of Paratylenchus species is a difficult task because it relies on many characters with a wide range of intraspecific variation. In this study we provide morphological and molecular characterisation of several pin nematodes: Paratylenchus aquaticus, P. dianthus, P. hamatus, P. nanus and P. straeleni, collected in different states of the USA and South Africa. Paratylenchus aquaticus is reported from South Africa and Hawaii and P. nanus is found from South Africa for the first time. Morphological descriptions, morphometrics, hght and scanning electron microscopic photos and drawings are given for these species. Molecular characterisation of nematodes using the D2-D3 of 28S rRNA and ITS rRNA gene sequence revealed that samples morphologically identified as P. aquaticus, P. hamatus and P. nanus indeed represent species complexes containing several species. Sequences of the rRNA genes are also provided for several unidentified Paratylenchus. Phylogenetic relationships within the genus Paratylenchus are given as inferred from the analyses of the D2-D3 of 28S rRNA and ITS rRNA gene sequences. We present here the most complete phylogenetic analysis of the genus.The pin nematodes of the genus Paratylenchus Micoletzky, 1922 are characterised by their small body size with length varying from 0.2 to 0.6 mm. They are widely distributed across the world and associated with many plant species. Paratylenchus contains more than 120 nominal species (Siddiqi, 2000). Morphological identification of some species of Paratylenchus is rather difficult and relies on many characters. Most species share very similar diagnostic characters, which are very difficult to separate. Some characters have broad, overlapping ranges and show high levels of intra-specific variability. Many environmental and other factors (such as temperature, host, population size, etc.) might also have an influence on the variations in characters (Fisher, 1965).Phylogenetic and sequence analysis of rRNA and other genes provides attractive solutions to resolve some of the difficulties in species identification and understanding of relationships between species. Subbotin et al. (2005), Chen et al. (2008, 2009) and van Megen et al. (2009 gave molecular characterisation of Paratylenchus species using the D2-D3 expansion segments of 28S rRNA, ITS rRNA and 18S rRNA gene sequences, respectively. However, because only a few species were analysed in those studies.

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Based on reports that tuberculosis is on the increase, this investigation into the physicochemical properties of rifampicin when recrystallized from various solvent systems was undertaken. Rifampicin is an essential component of the currently recommended regimen for treating tuberculosis, although relatively little is known about its solubility and dissolution behavior in relation to its solid-state properties. A rifampicin monohydrate, a rifampicin dihydrate, two amorphous forms, a 1:1 rifampicin:acetone solvate, and a 1:2 rifampicin:2-pyrrolidone solvate were isolated and characterized using spectral, thermal, and solubility measurements. The crystal forms were relatively unstable because except for the 2-pyrrolidone solvate, all the hydrated or solvated materials changed to amorphous forms after desolvation. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis confirmed the favorable three-dimensional organization of the pharmacophore to ensure antibacterial activity in all the crystal forms except the 2-pyrrolidone solvate. In the 2-pyrrolidone solvate, the strong IR signals of 2-pyrrolidone interfered with the vibrations of the ansa group. The 2-pyrrolidone solvate was the most soluble in phosphate buffer at pH 7.4. This solvate also had the highest solubility (1.58 mg/ml) and the fastest dissolution in water. In 0.1 M HCl, the dihydrate dissolved the quickest. A X-ray amorphous form (amorph II) was the least soluble and had the slowest dissolution rate because the powder was poorly wettable and very electrostatic.

Scutellonema spp. are widely distributed across tropical and subtropical regions of the world and are associated with numerous agricultural and horticultural crops. Identification of many Scutellonema species is not always reliable, in part because many species share very similar diagnostic characters. In this study, we provide morphological and molecular characterisation of S. brachyurus from the USA and South Africa, S. bradys from Nigeria and three unidentified species from California, USA, New Zealand and Burkina Faso. Morphological descriptions, measurements, light and scanning electron microscopic photos and drawings are given for S. brachyurus. Females of S. brachyurus from the USA (type A) and South Africa (type B) showed a significant variation in the number of sectors and blocks on the lip annuli, ranging from about 4-12 and from 8-20, respectively. Molecular analysis using the D2-D3 of 28S rRNA, ITS rRNA and the COI mtDNA gene sequences revealed two distinct genotypes within S. brachyurus samples: type A (samples from USA, Italy, Korea, Taiwan) and type B (South Africa). Multivariate analyses determined that S. brachyurus from the USA and Taiwan (type A) differed from that from South Africa (type B) mainly in body, tail and DGO lengths, and ratios b′, c′, c and V. Phylogenetic relationships within Scutellonema are given as inferred from the analyses of the D2-D3 of 28S rRNA, ITS rRNA and the COI mtDNA gene sequences. PCR-RFLP diagnostic profiles and PCR with species-specific primers are developed for the studied Scutellonema species.

Palabora represents an interstratified vermiculite-biotite containing less than 50% vermiculite. The sodium-exchanged form was prepared by immersion in saturated brine at ambient conditions. The sodium content reached the equilibrium level within the first month of exposure. However, XRD spectra continued to evolve and sharpen over a six month period. The thermal-activated exfoliation was studied using thermo-mechanical analysis. The expansion of the neat "vermiculite" commenced at temperatures above 420 C. In some applications a lower exfoliation temperature is desirable, i.e. in the range 200 to 350°C. This study revealed that simple sodium exchange is effective towards this goal as it lowered the onset temperature by about 120 C. The linear expansion reached a maximum of about eight-fold at temperatures around 700 C and decreased again at higher temperatures.