Intrinsic influence of various plasticizers on functional properties and reactivity of wheat gluten thermoplastic materials

Various compounds, differing in their chemical functions, number of functional group and degree of hydrophobicity, were tested as wheat gluten plasticizers in a thermoplastic process. A low melting point and a moderate hydrophobicity were found to be critical characteristics of a good wheat gluten plasticizer. The influence of five selected plasticizers (water, glycerol, 1,4-butanediol, lactic and octanoic acids) on functional properties of the wheat gluten network was investigated. Dried gluten was used to avoid any plasticization due to hydration water (usually around 10% for commercial gluten). The influence of plasticizer properties and content was studied by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, size exclusion-high performance liquid chromatography, tensile and water swelling tests. The plasticizing effect, at the same molar content, was found to be identical for water, glycerol and 1,4-butanediol. Lactic and octanoic acids were found to have higher and lower plasticizing effects, respectively. Mechanical properties were mainly related to the thermoplastic state of the materials. Water and lactic acid were found to confer smaller and larger extensibilities, respectively, to gluten materials. Thermo-mechanical reactivity also depended on plasticizer properties. Gluten aggregation, normally induced by heating, was prevented by the acidic environment produced by lactic acid. Water swelling behaviour was found to depend on the hydrophobicity of the plasticizer used, on the degree of gluten crosslinking and on the pH of the gluten-plasticizer blend.     

Mid-storage and pre-sowing seed treatments for lettuce and carrot

Mid-storage hydration-dehydration treatments with medium-vigour lettuce seed very effectively reduced physiological deterioration in storage and ultimately showed better field emergence and final yield. Soaking-drying treatment of high-vigour lettuce seed was not effective. Pre-sowing treatment of medium-vigour lettuce seed, though less effective than mid-storage treatment, gave better field performance, but high-vigour seed did not benefit from the treatment. For carrot, both mid-storage and pre-sowing seed treatments proved beneficial, with the former showing better performance than the latter. Unlike lettuce, well-preserved carrot seed responded positively to the pre-sowing treatment.     

Preharvest applications of growth regulators and their effect on postharvest quality of table grapes during cold storage

Over 54,600 ha of table grapes (Vitis vinifera), mainly cvs. ‘Thompson Seedless’, ‘Flame Seedless’ and ‘Redglobe’, are planted in Chile. Almost the entire production is exported to the USA, Europe, Asia, or one of several Latin American countries, which typically requires 15–40 d of maritime transportation. During this period, several physical, physiological, and pathological factors cause table grape deterioration. Because berry size is the main quality factor in international markets, farmers often overuse the growth regulators, gibberellic acid (GA₃) and forchlorfenuron (CPPU), in an effort to increase berry size. We examined the effect of preharvest growth regulators on seedless (‘Thompson Seedless’, and ‘Ruby Seedless’) and seeded (‘Redglobe’) table grape cultivars during cold (0 °C) storage plus a shelf life period of 3 d at 20 °C. The overuse of GA₃, eight instead of two GA₃ applications on Thompson Seedless, and the use of one GA₃ application on Redglobe and ‘Ruby Seedless’, increased berry pedicel thickness and lowered cuticle content but induced shatter and predisposed grapes to gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea. In contrast, CPPU increased berry pedicel thickness and cuticle content but did not increase shatter or gray mold incidence. Clusters that were subjected to overuse of combined GA₃ and CPPU were highly sensitive to shatter, had the thickest pedicel, and developed a high gray mold incidence during cold storage. Hairline, a fine cracking developed during cold storage, was induced on ‘Thompson Seedless’ and ‘Ruby Seedless’ by growth regulators, but no hairline occurred on ‘Redglobe’ table grapes. Therefore, berry quality during cold storage is greatly influenced by growth regulator management in the vineyard.     

Expression of an extended HMW subunit in transgenic wheat and the effect on dough mixing properties

Wheat line L88-31 was transformed with a gene encoding an extended form of subunit 1Dx5 to study the relationship between subunit size and the effect on dough mixing properties. Four transgenic lines were recovered, one of which expressed a truncated form of the protein with mobility between those of the wild type and extended subunits. Comparison of the Mixograph profiles and gluten protein compositions with those of the control lines and a line expressing the wild type subunit 1Dx5 transgene showed that two of the transgenic lines had poor mixing properties and that this was associated with co-suppression of HMW subunit gene expression. The other two transgenic lines had improved mixing properties (measured as increased mixing time) and this was associated with increased proportions of large glutenin polymers. None of the transgenic lines expressing the extended form of the 1Dx5 subunit showed the ‘overstrong’ mixing properties exhibited by transgenic lines expressing the wild type 1Dx5 transgene.     

狗舌草提取物诱导淋巴细胞性白血病L1210细胞分化的研究

以单猪屎豆碱（MO）、槲皮素（QU）和环磷酰胺（CY）为参照，观察了狗舌草600mL／L乙醇提取物（EX）对淋巴细胞性白血病L1210细胞体外试验的形态变化；利用流式细胞术，从DNA分子水平上检查了EX对L1210细胞各周期相的影响，探讨EX对L1210细胞的分化机理。结果发现，EX能够使L1210细胞向淋巴细胞方向发展；经EX作用24h后，L1210细胞G0＋G1期的百分比较对照组明显升高。提示EX对L1210细胞增殖的抑制作用可能是由于G1期的阻滞所致。     

Histochemical studies on the dependence of secretory function of the major vestibular gland (Bartholin's gland) on ovarian steroid hormones in the cat.

The dependency of the secretory function of the feline major vestibular gland (Bartholin's gland) on the ovarian steroid hormones was studied histochemically. After estrogen (estradiol-17 beta or diethylstilbestrol), progesterone or a combination of these was administered to cats which were previously ovariohysterectomized, the major vestibular glands were removed, embedded in paraffin, sectioned, and stained by alcian blue, periodic acid-Schiff or peroxidase-labeled lectin (peanut agglutinin and wheat germ agglutinin). The vividly positive reactions to the stainings applied were observed in the secretory epithelial cells of the major vestibular glands in the estrogen treated animals. The dependency of the secretory function of the major vestibular glands on the estrogen was demonstrated in this study.     

奶牛冷冻胚胎规模化移植效果研究

为了提高奶牛良种化程度,对奶牛冷冻胚胎的规模化移植效果进行了研究。结果表明:PG二次肌注法的发情率显著高于(P<0.05)PG一次肌注法,两种方法的发情同期率均超过85%,受体牛发情时间多集中在肌注PG后48～72h;胚胎解冻后的复苏率达到82.58%,且早期囊胚与囊胚的复苏率要高于桑椹胚(P>0.05);共移植受体牛218头,受胎97头,受胎率为44.5%,且春、秋季的移植效果差异不显著(P>0.05)。为奶牛冻胚的规模化移植研究提供了参考依据。     

Prevention of estrus in the queen with chlormadinone acetate administered orally.

The possibility of estrus prevention in the queen by the oral administration of chlormadinone acetate was examined. The animals used were 29 mature and 15 immature queens. For 16 mature females, 4-12.5 mg was given daily by mouth for 7 days every 3 months. Ten of the 16 queens given this treatment came into estrus within 4 months of the first treatment. For 28 females including the immature, 2-12.5 mg was given once a week throughout the experiment. This treatment prevented estrous activity for at least 1 year. In the queens in this study, the side effects were not observed excepting an increase in body weight during treatment. Our results showed that oral administration of this drug weekly is safe and reliable for long-range prevention of estrus in queens.     

Physiological Analysis of Yield Variation in Mungbean (Vigna radiata [Roxb.] Wilczek)

Two mungbean varieties, Guj-1 and PIMS-1 differing in their productivity potential, were examined to investigate their photosynthetic system at various stages of growth in relation to yield with two different dates of sowing. Vertical leaves were found to be beneficial. On the other hand, excessive leaf area during the later stages of growth may be detrimental to yield. Lower LAD at seedling stage and overall high NAR values may be reflected in higher grain yield. NAR declined as season progressed and this, in turn, may be related with increase in LAI. The grain yield was considerably more at the first date of sowing as compared to second date of sowing, the effect was being more pronounced in var. PIMS-1 . Various environmental factors recorded at two different dates of sowing and at various stages of growth indicated that these factors may have influenced the yield potential at two different dates of sowing.