Changes in the content of free sulphydryl groups during postharvest wheat and flour maturation and their influence on technological quality

The main aim of this study was to determine the changes in free sulphydryl content during postharvest wheat and flour maturation. The content of free sulphydryl groups was determined from wet gluten over 50 days of wheat postharvest maturation and over 14 days of flour maturation by varying incubation temperatures (30 and 37 °C) and incubation times (0, 45, 90 and 135 min). The amount of free sulphydryl groups increased during postharvest wheat and flour maturation as well as with the increase in temperature and gluten incubation time. The additional aim of this study was to find the interrelation between the content of free sulphydryl groups and selected parameters of technological quality by means of Principal Component Analysis. During wheat/flour maturation, the strengthening of protein structure was observed manifested by the increase in gluten index and Mixolab protein network weakening (C2), and changes in dough resistance as well. The incubation temperature of 37 °C affected the weakening of protein structure manifested by the decrease in gluten index and resistance, and increase in extensibility. Strong differentiation of examined varieties in terms of selected quality indicators was observed upon pre-defined maturation period, probably due to the expression of their intrinsic properties.     

环丙沙星分子印迹聚合物自组装体系的分子模拟

以环丙沙星（CIP）为印迹分子,甲基丙烯酸（MAA）、4-乙烯基吡啶（4-Vpy）为功能单体,运用量子化学密度泛函理论（DFT）的LC—WPBE方法和6—31G（d,P）基组,模拟CIP印迹分子与MAA、4-Vpy两种功能单体分子印迹聚合物自组装体系的构型,讨论了其稳定复合物的成键作用位点及数目、NBO电荷的转移及反应的结合能,探讨了CIP与两种功能单体之间相互作用的原理及分子印迹中溶剂的影响。模拟计算结果表明,CIP印迹分子哌嗪环上的N、喹啉羧酸上的H和O与两种功能单体均通过氢键作用形成在化学基团及空间结构上相互匹配的有序复合物;两种功能单体中MAA与CIP印迹分子间的相互作用更强,且在印迹比例为1：6,以甲苯为溶剂时,合成的复合物能量最低,对CIP的吸附性和识别能力更强。该分子模拟试验可为CIP分子印迹聚合物的进一步研究提供理论参考。     

黑龙江地区断奶仔猪腹泻大肠杆菌种系类群、血清型和毒力基因分析

揭示黑龙江地区集约化猪场仔猪断奶腹泻(PWD)直肠棉拭子分离到的123株大肠埃希菌所属种系分类群、O血清型及其与毒力基因的特征.采用常规凝集试验进行测定,种系分类群标记的ch uA、yjaA基因和TSPE4.C2DNA片段及肠毒素基因STa、STb、LT、SL T-2e采用PCR方法检测.在123株分离菌株中,除21株未定型、10株自凝外,测定出92株分离的血清型,覆盖18个血清型,其中以O8、O 9、O 149 3种血清型为主,共57株,占定型菌株的61.96％.环境共生的种系进化A群113株占91.87％,肠外强致病D种系进化群2株占1.63％.肠毒素检出菌株74,占分离株的60.16％,其中以STa、STb为主,共占肠毒素检出株的94.59％.结果显示黑龙江省PWD病原性大肠埃希菌优势血清型为O 8、O9、O149,大肠埃希菌肠毒素主要毒力因子为STa、STb,种系进化群为A.     

A methodology for characterization and analysis of plant functional composition in grassland‐based farms

Understanding the relationships between farmers' land‐use and management decisions, and plant diversity is a challenge. It requires characterization of plant diversity within and between fields and investigation of land‐use allocation to fields. To analyse how grassland functional composition [mean plant trait and functional diversity index (FD)] varies according to scale (field, land‐use type: cutting, grazing, farm), grasslands were characterized according to leaf dry‐matter content (leaf DM) and FD computed from leaf DM values. A leaf DM‐αFD framework was used to analyse how leaf DM‐based plant strategies were distributed at land‐use type and farm scales (βFD). The study was conducted on eight dairy and beef farms (169 grasslands) differing in their stocking rate. At field and land‐use type scales, leaf DM was significantly decreased and increased with N fertilizer rate and field elevation respectively. It was significantly higher for grazing than for cutting. At the farm scale, the main differences between farms resulted from differences in plant strategy distribution between land‐use types within a farm and among farms for a given land‐use type in relation to management intensity. Farms that contributed the most to αFD had the highest stocking rate, and those which had the most contrasting grasslands for management intensity had the highest βFD. Management practices need to be examined at a land‐use type scale for evaluating the within‐ and between‐field plant functional compositions. By contrast, the value of the analysis was reduced if data were collected and averaged at the farm scale.     

Influence of high solid concentrations on enzymatic wheat gluten hydrolysis and resulting functional properties

Enzymatic hydrolysis at increased solid concentrations is beneficial with regard to energy and water consumption. This study examines the influence of the solid concentration on the enzymatic hydrolysis of wheat gluten and the resulting functional properties of the hydrolysate. Wheat gluten was mildly hydrolyzed at a solid concentration varying from 10% to 60% to degrees of hydrolysis (DH%) ranging from 3.2% to 10.2%. The gluten was susceptible to hydrolysis at all solid concentrations but the hydrolysis rate was influenced by increasing solid concentrations. Size-exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography revealed an increase in the ratio of peptides with a molecular mass >25 kDa for solid concentrations of 40% and 60%. The water solubility increased on hydrolysis and was independent of the solid concentration during proteolysis. The foam stability was not influenced by the solid concentration at low DH%. At DH% higher than 8%, high solid concentrations increased the foam stability, which might be related to the presence of more peptides with a molecular mass >25 kDa. In addition, we found increased reactor productivity. The results show the potential of hydrolyzing wheat gluten at high solid concentrations, which could lead to large savings for water and energy when applied industrially.     

Scientific Breakthroughs and Plant Breeding

SUMMARY

This article highlights the historical developments in genetics since the rediscovery of Mendelian laws of heredity, decade-by-decade, that have contributed to increases in food production. Two phases of plant breeding-evolutionary and evaluation-are briefly discussed. Scientific breakthroughs will continue to advance plant breeding in the coming decades. Genes identified through functional genomics should be useful in crop improvement. Plant breeding has a bright future. More plant breeders need to be equipped with the knowledge and training to utilize new advances in molecular biology.     

改性秸秆-Fe3O4复合材料对染料废水中亚甲基蓝的去除研究

利用柠檬酸(CA)对秸秆(RS)进行改性制备改性秸秆(CA-RS),并通过化学沉淀法负载Fe_3O_4以制得柠檬酸改性秸秆-Fe_3O_4(CA-RS-Fe)复合材料,利用FTIR和XPS对CA-RS、CA-RS-Fe进行表征,研究在不同固液比、温度、溶液初始pH和浓度条件下,其对溶液中亚甲基蓝(MB)的吸附去除效果。结果表明:固液比为1.0 g·L~(-1)、pH在3.0～11.0范围内时,CA-RS对MB去除率达95%以上。拟二级动力学模型能较好地拟合CA-RS和CA-RS-Fe对MB的去除过程。Langmuir模型可以描述MB在CA-RS和CA-RS-Fe表面的吸附。FTIR和XPS分析表明CA-RS表面官能团中的羧基在MB吸附过程中发挥重要作用。CA-RS对MB的吸附机理包括静电作用、氢键和π-π作用。Fe_3O_4的引入减少了CA-RS表面羧基的数量,降低了其对MB的吸附能力,但能实现快速固液分离。研究表明,CA-RS可作为去除染料废水中MB的良好吸附剂,CA-RS负铁之后会降低对MB的吸附量,但有利于提升固液分离效果。     

玉米秸秆生物质炭基肥的结构与性质表征

为了解玉米秸秆生物质炭基肥的结构与性质,通过实验室自制玉米秸秆生物质炭基化肥,研究生物质炭添加量对炭基肥的形貌特征、pH、表面官能团种类和元素组分的影响。结果表明:玉米秸秆生物质炭具有丰富的孔隙结构,化学肥料添加量越大,结构表面无序化程度越高;总孔容和平均孔径的变异范围分别为2.1～3.3 cm3/kg和2.7～3.2 nm,平均为2.8 cm3/kg和2.9 nm。生物质炭化后,C-O-C、-COOH、-CH3、-CH2消失,化学肥料并不影响生物质炭缓释载体原有的分子结构,只是影响其元素含量。与未加化肥的生物质炭对照相比,炭基肥中C、H元素含量降低,而N、O元素含量升高,变幅分别为47.7%～68.4%、20.2%～28.2%、59.5%～82.6%和164.0%～228.8%,平均为59.4%、24.1%、71.9%和196.5%;而元素组分的H/C、O/C和(N+O)/C都有所增大。总之,化学肥料存在于生物质炭表面和孔隙之中,其添加并未改变生物质炭的骨架结构和官能团种类,而元素组分含量和原子比(H/C、O/C和(N+O)/C)的改变将可能更有利于增强生物质炭基肥的保水与吸附性能。     

Long‐term effects of mulching,traditional cutting and no management on plant species composition of improved upland grassland in the Czech Republic

A shortage of available livestock for utilizing grassland biomass in Central Europe is challenging for the management of both semi‐natural grasslands and previously intensified (limed, fertilized and reseeded) upland grasslands. An alternative method of grassland management is mulching, in which aboveground biomass is cut, crushed and subsequently spread on the surface. This paper reports on an experiment to compare three different mulching frequencies (one, two and three times per year) with an unmanaged treatment and traditional management of two cuts per year (control) on a previously improved upland meadow. Plant species composition was monitored over 13 years. Traditional management of two cuts with biomass removal was the most suitable method for maintaining plant species richness and diversity, and both were reduced significantly in the once‐mulched and especially in the unmanaged treatment. Tall dicotyledonous weeds such as Urtica dioica, Cirsium arvense and Aegopodium podagraria were promoted by the unmanaged treatment and by mulching once a year. Higher frequency of defoliation had positive effects on the spread of short forbs such as Taraxacum spp., Plantago lanceolata and Trifolium repens. After eight years, there were changes in sward structure in the unmanaged and mulched‐once‐a‐year treatments, with increase in the tall/short species ratio. In conclusion, repeated mulching cannot substitute fully for traditional two‐cut management in improved upland meadows without decreasing plant species richness and diversity, and changing the sward structure. Although mulching once a year may prevent invasion by shrubs and trees, it also supports the spread of weedy species similar to no management.     

Relative effects of fragment size and connectivity on bird community in the Atlantic Rain Forest: Implications for conservation

It is known that large fragment sizes and high connectivity levels are key components for maintaining species in fragments; however, their relative effects are poorly understood, especially in tropical areas. In order to test these effects, we built models for explaining understory birds occurrence in a fragmented Atlantic Rain Forest landscape with intermediate habitat cover (3%). Data from over 9000 mist-net hours from 17 fragments differing in size (2-175 ha) and connectivity (considering corridor linkages and distance to nearby fragments) were ranked under a model selection approach. A total 1293 individuals of 62 species were recorded. Species richness, abundance and compositional variation were mainly affected by connectivity indices that consider the capacity of species to use corridors and/or to cross short distances up to 30 m through the matrix. Bird functional groups were differently affected by area and connectivity: while terrestrial insectivores, omnivores and frugivores were affected by both area and connectivity, the other groups (understory insectivores, nectarivores, and others) were affected only by connectivity. In the studied landscape, well connected fragments can sustain an elevated number of species and individuals. Connectivity gives the opportunity for individuals to use multiple fragments, reducing the influence of fragment size. While preserving large fragments is a conservation target worldwide and should continue to be, our results indicated that connectivity between fragments can enhance the area functionally connected and is beneficial to all functional groups and therefore should be a conservation priority.