Quick Fiber Process: Effect of Mash Temperature,Dry Solids,and Residual Germ on Fiber Yield and Purity

Preliminary calculations showed that recovery of fiber before fermentation in the dry grind ethanol facilities known as the Quick Fiber process increases fermenter capacity and reduces ethanol production cost by as much as 4 ¢/gal. The objective of the current research was to evaluate the effect of mash temperature, dry solids, and residual germ on fiber yield and purity when using the quick fiber process. Fiber was recovered by flotation and skimming, while maintaining a specified temperature, dry solids, and residual germ in the mash. Varying temperature and dry solids in the mash resulted in a statistically significant effect on the fiber yield, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content, and weight of NDF/100 g of dry corn. Varying residual germ in the mash resulted in statistically significant differences for NDF through dilution and the weight of NDF/100 g of dry corn. The highest fiber yield was 10.9% at 45°C, 23% dry solids, and 15% residual germ; the highest NDF was 50.9% at 30°C, 21% dry solids, and 0% residual germ. The highest weight of NDF/100 g of dry corn was observed at 45°C, 23% dry solids, and 0% residual germ.     

Effects of late planting on fiber quality and within-boll yield components as mediated by sucrose metabolism in cotton bolls

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of late planting on sucrose metabolism in cotton bolls and the relationship to fiber properties and within-boll yield components. Two cotton lines A201 and A705 were employed in a sowing date experiment where two temperature regimes during boll maturation period were created at mean daily temperature of 26.8°C, 28.3°C for early planting and 25.2°C, 23.1°C for late planting in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Boll size, seed mass per boll, seed index and fiber length were increased, and lint percentage was decreased by late planting. Greater cell wall invertase activity and the resultant hexose concentration in fibers were observed in late planting, and thus led to decreased osmotic potential accounting for the enhanced fiber length. Similarly, late planting increased the maximum of vacuolar invertase activity in ovules occurring at 5 days post anthesis (DPA) and hexose concentrations in embryos from 10 DPA afterwards which may favor embryo cell division, and thus increase final seed size. Our data indicate that acid invertase and hexose are implicated in the formation of within-boll yield components and fiber properties as affected by the lower temperature regime due to late planting.     

Factors Affecting Brain Cholinesterase Activity in Bluegill (Lepomis Macrochirus)

Organophosphorus insecticides (OPs) are widely used to control crop pests, and can enter aquatic systems draining agriculturalwatersheds. Because OPs are highly toxic to aquatic organisms,monitoring is important, yet difficult due to the low persistenceof many OPs. Cholinesterase (ChE) inhibition can be used to monitor organisms' exposure to OPs and carbamates; however, highvariability in ChE activity may interfere with the ability of theassay to detect OP exposure. Several potential sources of variation in ChE activity, including water temperature, storage of samples, euthanasia method, and fish sex and size, were investigated in bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus). ChE activity did not vary significantly with water temperature in the range 20–31 °C, or following short-term storage ofeuthanized bluegill up to 8 h at 4 and 19 °C or long-term storage of brain homogenates up to 389 d at –198 °C. There was no difference in ChE activity by euthanasia method (spinal cord severing or anesthesia with Finquel®), nor by sex of fish. Mean ChE activity variedinversely with fish total length. Of the variables investigated in this study, only size needs to be restricted in fish collectedfor monitoring of OPs.     

Chemical fractions and bioavailability of nickel in a Ni-treated calcareous soil amended with plant residue biochars

ABSTRACT

Recently, the use of biochars for stabilization of soil heavy metals has been expanded due to their adsorption characteristics, low cost and carbon storage potential. A factorial experiment was performed to investigate the effects of two plant residue biochars (licorice root pulp and rice husk biochar each applied at 2.5% (w/w)) produced at two temperatures (350 and 550 °C), and three Ni application rates (0, 150 and 300 mg Ni kg^?1) on bioavailability and chemical fractions of Ni in a calcareous soil after spinach cultivation. Application of all the biochars significantly reduced Ni bioavailability factor (5–15%) and spinach Ni concentration (54–77%) in Ni-treated soil. The biochars produced at 550 °C were more effective at reducing Ni mobility and Ni uptake by spinach than those produced at 350 °C, attributed to higher CaCO₃ and lower acidic functional group content, which resulted in greater enhancement of soil pH. When comparing the biochars produced at the same temperature, the rice husk biochars were the most effective in reducing Ni bioavailability, likely due to their lower acidic functional group content and higher nano-silica content which resulted in higher soil pH values and potentially promoted the formation of Ni-silicates and hydroxides.

Abbreviations : Ni: Nickel; RHB: rice husk biochar; LRB: licorice root pulp biochar; WsEx: water soluble and exchangeable; CARB: carbonate form; RES: residual; MnOx; manganese oxides bound; AFeOx; amorphous iron oxides bound; CFeOx: crystalline iron oxides bound; OM: organic bound.     

Salinity and Temperature Effects on Seed Germination of Milk Thistle

Abstract

Milk thistle [Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn] is an annual plant belonging to the Asteraceae family whose ripe seeds contain flavonoid substances, which are important in the modern pharmaceutical industry. Seed germination is a major factor limiting the establishment of plants under saline conditions. The effect of salinity and temperatures on germination and seedling establishment was studied in two genotypes of milk thistle, an Iranian wild type and German (Royston) type in the laboratory and in the field. Experiments were done with seven salt concentrations [0.1 (control), 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 dS/m] and three temperatures (15, 25, and 35°C). There were three replications for each treatment, and the experiment was run three times. The results showed that the percentage of germination and the number of normal seedlings at different salt treatment at 15°C were higher than at 25 or 35°C. The mean time to 50% germination was least at this temperature for both genotypes. Results suggested all germination indices and seedling emergence (50%) were achieved at levels up to 9 dS/m salinity at 15°C. Also, seeds at a salinity of 9–15 dS/m will germinate and up to 25% of the control nonstress treatment could emerge at the low temperature of 15°C.     

Response to the Views and Opinions of Maningat,Seib, and Bassi Regarding McCleary et al (2013)

Phosphate cross‐linked starch, referred to as resistant starch 4 (RS₄) is hydrolyzed much more rapidly under physiological conditions (i.e., pH 6, 37°C, pancreatic α‐amylase) than under the conditions used in AOAC dietary fiber method 985.29/AACC International Approved Method 32‐45.01 (the Prosky method), in which samples are incubated with thermostable bacterial α‐amylase at 95–100°C. For this reason, the author concludes that the Prosky method overestimates the dietary fiber content of these materials. A more accurate estimate of dietary fiber content is obtained with AOAC Method 2009.01/AACCI Approved Method 32‐45.01.     

Influence of temperature on the growth of bermudagrass selections from the Appalachian region

Abstract

The hilly terrain of the Appalachian region creates an environment in which large differences in soil temperature occur over a very short distance on the landscape. The ability of a grass to display adequate growth over a range of temperatures would greatly enhance its adaptability and use as a forage or for soil conservation. A growth chamber experiment was conducted to evaluate the influence of temperature on the growth of six bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] selections from the Appalachian region. Midland, a cold tolerant bermudagrass, was included in the study for comparison purposes. The grasses were grown under a 14 hour day length with three day/night temperature regimes: 18°C/13°C, 27°C/21°C, and 35^OC/29°C. Two of the selections had significantly higher dry matter production than Midland over the range of temperatures.

This effect was especially pronounced at 35°C where the top growth of Quicksand common and Selection 13 exceeded that of Midland by 206% and 158%, respectively. The higher yielding selections were comparable to the other bermudagrasses when mineral concentrations, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber and acid detergent lignin levels were considered. Both Quicksand common and Selection 13 seem to have the potential to be particularily useful on south facing slopes where elevated soil temperatures are encountered.     

Reduction in tolerance to progressive hypoxia in the central stoneroller minnow following sublethal exposure to phenol

Acute exposure of the central stoneroller minnow to sublethal levels of phenol was found to decrease the ability of this species to tolerate hypoxic conditions as indicated by the dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration at which loss of equilibrium occurred. For fishes acclimated at 7.5 °C, loss of equilibrium occurred at progressively higher DO levels as the phenol exposure concentration was increased from 0 to 12 mg phenol L^?1. Mean DO concentrations at which loss of equilibrium occurred ranged from 2.33 ± 0.10 mg O₂ L^?1. for the control group (0 mg phenol L^?1. to 2.76 ± 0.14 mg O₂ L^?1. (at 12 mg phenol L^?1. Loss of equilibrium also occurred at progressively higher DO levels in fish acclimated at 23 °C, but only after an initial decrease among the 6 mg phenol L^?1. test fish in the loss of equilibrium DO concentration. At 23 °C, loss of equilibrium occurred at DO levels ranging from 1.3 ± 0.09 mg O₂ L^?1. (6 mg phenol L^?1. to 2.33 ± 0.16 mg O₂ L^?1. (12 mg phenol L^?1. These data indicate that acute exposures to sublethal levels of phenol can have significant effects on the ability of the stoneroller minnow to tolerate conditions of low DO, and the results agree with the previously reported relationship between phenol toxicity and DO levels.     

Effect of temperature on the fragmentation of humic acids in alkaline solutions

The fragmentation of one synthetic and four soil humic acids was studied in solutions of sodium hydroxide (pH 13) at different temperature between 0 and 90°C. The dissolved parts of the initial amounts of humic acids decreased to a minimum with the increase in temperature from 0 to 10°C. The fragmentation in this region was a function of both; temperature and concentration. At 15–20°C all of the initial amounts of humic acids were dissolved. The rate of fragmentation increased rapidly between 15 and 20°C and later slowed down between 20 and 40°C. This was due to the reaggregation of the particles of the produced hymatomelanic acids into particles of similar solubilities as those of the residual nonfragmented parts of the humic acids. This reaggregation took place probably through the formation of hydrophobic bonds. The fragmentation increased at temperatures above 40°C, and reached a maximum between 50 and 70°C depending on the type of the humic acid. The decline in fragmentation at temperatures higher than those corresponding to the maxima is most probably due to chemical reactions, in which the fragmentation products especially fulvic acids recombine together at about 60°C. Importance of these results in analytical methods of extraction and characterisation of humic acids is discussed.     

Effects of Bran Prehydration on Functional Characteristics and Bread‐Baking Quality of Bran and Flour Blends

The effect of bran prehydration on the composition and bread‐baking quality was determined using bran and flour of two wheat varieties. Bran was hydrated in sodium acetate buffer (50mM, pH 5.3) to 50% moisture at 25 or 55°C for 1.5 or 12 h. The soluble sugar content in bran increased with prehydration. Decreases in phytate and soluble fiber were observed in prehydrated bran, but insoluble fiber was not affected by prehydration. Likewise, free phenolic content decreased, and there was little change in the content of bound phenolics in prehydrated bran. The compositional changes were greater in the bran prehydrated at 55 than at 25°C, and for 12 than for 1.5 h. Addition of prehydrated bran delayed dough development of bran and flour blends and slightly increased water absorption of dough. A higher loaf volume of fresh bread and lower crumb firmness of bread stored for 10 days were observed in bread containing bran prehydrated at 25°C than in bread containing nonhydrated bran or bran prehydrated at 55°C. The prehydration of bran at 25°C before being incorporated into refined flour for dough mixing improved bread quality by altering bran compositional properties, allowing enough water to be absorbed by fibrous materials in the bran and preventing water competition among dough constituents.     

Mineralization and microbial biomass formation in upland soil amended with some tropical plant residues at different temperatures

A model experiment was carried out at 15, 25, and 35°C to investigate the changes in microbial biomass and the pattern of mineralization in upland soil during 8 weeks following the addition of 8 organic materials including 6 tropical plant residues, ipil ipil (Leucaena leucocephala), azolla (Azolla pinnata), water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), dhaincha (Sesbania rostrata), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), and sunhemp (Crotalaria juncea). The amounts of CO₂-C evolved and inorganic N produced at 35°C were about 2 times larger than those at 15°C. At any temperature, the flush decomposition of C was observed within the first week and thereafter the rate of mineralization became relatively slow. A negative correlation was observed between inorganic N and C/N ratios of the added organic materials. The relationships between the amounts of cellulose or cellulose plus hemicellulose and the amount of mineralized N of the added organic materials were also negative.

The changes in the microbial biomass were affected by temperatures. The amount of biomass C and N was maximum after 42 d of incubation at 15°C, and after 7 d at 25 and 35°C, and thereafter decreased. The rate of biomass decline was slower at 15°C and faster at 35°C than at 25°C. Regardless of the temperatures, the addition of organic materials enhanced microbial biomass formation throughout the incubation periods.     

Structural Modification of Gluten Proteins in Strong and Weak Wheat Dough as Affected by Mixing Temperature

The effects of temperature (≥25°C) on dough rheological properties and gluten functionality have been investigated for decades, but no study has addressed the effect of low temperature (<30°C) on gluten network attributes in flours with strong and weak dough characteristics. This study monitored changes in protein extractability in the presence and absence of reducing agents, the contents of readily accessible and SDS‐accessible thiols, and the secondary structural features of proteins in doughs from commercial hard wheat flour (HWF) and soft wheat flour (SWF) mixed at 4, 15, and 30°C. SWF mixed at 4 and 15°C showed similar mixing properties as HWF mixed at 30°C (which is the standard temperature). The effect of mixing temperature is different at the molecular level between the two flours studied. Protein features of HWF did not change as mixing temperature decreased, with the only exception being an increase in SDS‐accessible thiols. Decreasing mixing temperature for SWF caused an increase in SDS protein solubility and SDS‐accessible thiols as well as an increase in β‐turn structures at the expense of β‐sheet structures. Thus, noncovalent interactions appear to drive protein network at low temperatures (4 and 15°C), whereas covalent interactions dominate at standard mixing temperature (30°C) in doughs from both flours.     

Cadmium induced alterations in the intestinal absorption of glucose and fructose in a freshwater cat fish,Heteropneustes fossilis

The effect of four concentrations (1.0, 0.1, 0.01, and 0.001 mM) of Cd on the rate of absorption of two sugars, glucose and fructose by the intestine of the fresh water cat fish, Heteropneustes fossilis has been studied after 1 h at 23 °C. Intestinal glucose and fructose transport was also assessed in fish exposed to a sublettral concentration (0.0023 mM) of Cd in the ambient water for 15 and 30 days. Control fish showed no marked difference in the rates of absorption of glucose and fructose. All four concentrations of Cd decreased the rate of transport of glucose and fructose significantly. Among the two sugars, decrease in the rate of transport of fructose was more marked than glucose. In fish exposed to Cd in the ambient water, reduction of glucose and fructose absorption was greater after 30 days of exposure than after 15 days.     

Composition and Quality of Wheat Grown Under Different Shoot and Root Temperatures During Maturation

Diminished quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) from high temperature during maturation is usually attributed to direct effects of the stress on the shoots or grain. However, the upper soil temperature approaches the air temperature, and roots are highly sensitive and interact profoundly with other plant parts. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of differential shoot and root temperatures on quality of hard red spring wheat (cv. Len). Plants were grown in hydroponic containers at 15/10°C day/night until 10 days after anthesis, when shoot/root treatments of 15/15°C, 15/30°C, 30/15°C, and 30/30°C were imposed until the grain ripened. Both high shoot and high root temperature affected quality of the grain. Kernel size and weight were diminished more by high root than by high shoot temperature, but flour yield was decreased significantly only by the 30/30°C treatment. The percentage of starch in B granules was reduced by high shoot temperature, and the diameter of A granules was decreased by all heat treatments. Amylose concentration was increased by high temperatures of both shoot and root, resulting in decreased pasting characteristics. Flour protein increased after all heat treatments, but high shoot temperature decreased the polymer‐to‐monomer ratio and unextractable polymeric protein and it affected dough mixing. We concluded that stress on roots directly affects properties of the grain that are important for milling and baking.     

Effect of External Carbon Source on Municipal Wastewater at Low Temperatures

Nitrogen removal from wastewater is usually severely inhibited under low temperatures. The wastewater enrichment using an external carbon source has the influence on the stability and efficiency of the nitrification and denitrification processes during the biological wastewater treatment. This paper reports the results of the study where the effect of temperature and addition of an external carbon source on the efficiency of wastewater treatment process were investigated. Nitrification and denitrification rates were determined in the laboratory-scale treatment system, operating under low-temperature conditions, ranging from 6 up to 15 °C. Ethanol was used as an external carbon source. The addition of ethanol resulted in the increase during the nitrification rate at lower temperature (up to 71% at 6 °C and up to 11% at 15 °C). Similar tendency was observed during the denitrification process. Denitrification rate increased up to 81% at 6 °C and up to 10% at 15 °C, respectively. Nitrification rate was slightly higher compared to the denitrification rate. Two-variable model equations for calculation of an external carbon amount required were based on the experimental data and in order to reach desirable process rate at particular wastewater temperature were developed. The independency from wastewater temperature and the amount of loaded carbon explicit interdependence between nitrification and denitrification rates were observed.     

Effects of Temperature during Seedling Stage on Growth and Nutrient Absorbance of Gerbera jamesonii Growing in Organic Substrate

The effects of different temperature treatments during the seedling stage on growth and nutrient absorbance of Gerbera jamesonii cv ‘Sunshine Coast’ growing in the organic substrate were investigated. The temperature treatments were conducted in growth chamber where the day/night temperature were set to 15/10, 20/15, 25/20, and 30/25°C individually. The results showed that the fresh and dry weight of aboveground part and that of roots, average number of leaves and lateral roots were greater at 30/25°C than other treatments. The highest level of macro elements nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) in the leaf samples were also detected at 25/20°C and 30/25°C. However, there was no significant influence of different temperatures on zinc (Zn) levels in leaves. In general, the day temperature 25～30°C and night temperature 20～25°C are thought to be the better temperature condition for gerbera growth as well as the nutrient uptake and accumulation in the plants during the seedling stage.     

Persistence of the inhibitory effects of phosphoroamides on urea hydrolysis in soils

Abstract

The persistence of the inhibitory effects of three phosphoroamides [N‐(n‐butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT), phenylphosphorodiamidate (PPD), and thiophosphoryl triamide (TPT)] on urea hydrolysis in soils was assessed by measuring the ability of four soils to hydrolyze urea after they had been treated with 5 μg phosphoroamide/g soil and incubated at 15°C or 30°C for 0, 3, 7, 14, or 28 days. The soils used differed markedly in pH, texture, and organic‐matter content. The data obtained showed that the persistence of the effects of the phosphoroamides studied decreased with increase in soil temperature from 15°C to 30°C and that whereas the effect of PPD decreased with increase in the time of incubation, the effects of NBPT and TPT sometimes increased before decreasing with increased time of incubation. These observations are in harmony with the recent findings that PPD is a potent inhibitor of urease activity, but decomposes in soils with formation of phenol, which is a relatively weak inhibitor of urease activity, whereas NBPT and TPT do not inhibit urease activity but decompose in soil with formation of their oxon analogs, which are potent inhibitors of urease activity. The inhibitory effect of NBPT on urea hydrolysis was considerably more persistent than that of PPD or TPT and was significant even after incubation of NBPT‐treated soil at 15°C or 30°C for 28 days.     

Influence of temperature on solvent-pesticide interaction effects towards fungi

The effect of temperature on interactions between combinations of the solvent acetone and the fungicide captan was determined using the fungi Pythium uhimum, Sclerotinia homeocarpa, and Pestalotia sp. Seven concentrations of acetone, ranging from 0.1 to 3.0% (v/v), were interacted with four concentrations of captan, ranging from 1.0 to 10.0 ppm (mg L^?1 ). This procedure was repeated at 15, 20, 25, and 30 °C using potato dextrose agar at pH 5.5. Acetone and captan interacted synergistically towards P. ultimum and S. homeocarpa, and antagonistically towards Pestalotia sp., regardless of the temperature. The exact temperature response was dependent upon both the captan level and culture used. As the temperature increased from 15 to 30 °C, the toxicity of captan decreased by up to 40% with P. ultimum, and from < 10 to 20 with S. homeocarpa and Pestalotia sp. With only a few exceptions, the magnitude of interactions observed generally decreased as the temperature was increased from 15 to 30 °C. This was most pronounced with P. ultimum. Generally, the lowest interaction magnitudes were recorded at 20 °C for P. ultimum, 20 to 25 °C for S. homeocarpa, and 30 °C for Pestalotia sp. The greatest interaction magnitudes were usually obtained at 15 or 30 °C with P. ultimum, 15 °C with S. homeocarpa, and 25 °C with Pestalotia sp.     

Manatee metabolism and its influence on distribution in Florida

The metabolic rate of three captive manatees was measured at different water and air temperatures. The animals responded metabolically to cold water (15–20°C), but not to cold air (10–20°C). Average metabolic rates in the thermal neutral zone ($\text{T}{}_1\text{? 24°}$) were 15–22% of predicted weight-specific values, and thermal conductances were 117–229% of predicted levels. Body temperatures averaged 36·4°C. The low heat production and high thermal conductance suggest that manatees are poorly adapted energetically to winter water temperatures in much of Florida. These results support behavioural observations of captive and free-living manatees which suggest that 20°C is the minimum suitable water temperature for manatees. Manatees wintering in colder waters are probably in marginal habitat and are most susceptible to cold-related mortality. Warm water refuges reduce energetic maintenance costs and probably temper the effects of occasional periods of severely cold weather, particularly in northern Florida.     

The influence of temperature on the growth and sulfur uptake of oats (Avena sativa L.)

Abstract

Oats were grown in perlite and nutrient solution at temperatures varying from 10/5°C (day/night) to 36/31°C. The optimum temperature for growth of tops was found to be 27°C day/22°C night over an eight week period. Plant S content showed an inverse relationship with yield.

Uptake of S was low at low temperature (10/5, 15/10°C), but was balanced by retarded growth at this temperature. Hence, uptake did not restrict growth at low temperature.