Foam-stabilizing effects and cling formation patterns of iso-alpha-acids and reduced iso-alpha-acids in lager beer

Foam-stabilizing properties and cling formation patterns of iso-alpha-acids and reduced iso-alpha-acids were investigated using an unhopped lager beer. Unhopped beer was dosed with iso-alpha-acid (Iso), rho-iso-alpha-acid (Rho), tetrahydro-iso-alpha-acid (Tetra), and hexahydro-iso-alpha-acid (Hexa), separately, over a range of concentrations from 2 to 10 ppm. A uniform foam was created by Inpack 2000 Flasher Head and was measured by a NIBEM Foam Stability Tester (NIBEM-TPH) followed by a NIBEM Cling Meter (NIBEM-CLM) to determine the relationship between the concentration and NIBEM-30 and the cling formation ability of each compound. The foam-stabilizing power was determined to be Tetra, Hexa, Iso, and Rho from the strongest to weakest. Linear regression models were created using the NIBEM-TPH data set, and on the basis of 95% confidence intervals, the foam stability of Tetra or Hexa became significantly larger than that of Iso when 2.4 or 4.2 ppm of Tetra or Hexa was used as a replacement for Iso, respectively. Cling formation patterns could be categorized into three groups: "ring", "mesh", and "powdery". The control beer had the lowest foam stability and did not yield any foam cling.     

High-level expression of recombinant beta-galactosidases in Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus sakei using a Sakacin P-based expression system

This work presents the cloning and expression of the genes encoding heterodimeric beta-galactosidases from Lactobacillus reuteri L103, Lactobacillus acidophilus R22, Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1, and Lactobacillus sakei Lb790. These enzymes consist of two subunits of approximately 73 and 35 kDa, which are encoded by two overlapping genes, lacL and lacM, respectively. We have cloned these genes into the lactobacillal expression vectors pSIP403 and pSIP409, which are based on the sakacin P operon of L. sakei ( S?rvig et al. Microbiology 2005, 151, 2439- 2449 ), and expressed them in the host strains L. plantarum WCFS1 and L. sakei Lb790. Results varied considerably, ranging from 2.23 to 61.1 U/mg of beta-galactosidase activity, depending on the origin of the lacLM genes, the host strain, and the expression vector used. Highest expression levels were obtained in a laboratory cultivation of L. plantarum WCFS1 harboring the plasmid pEH3R containing the lacLM gene from L. reuteri L103. These cultivations yielded approximately 23 000 U of beta-galactosidase activity per liter, corresponding to the formation of roughly 100 mg of recombinant protein per liter of fermentation medium, and beta-galactosidase levels amounted to 55% of the total intracellular protein of the host organism. To further verify the suitability of this expression system, recombinant beta-galactosidase from L. reuteri was purified to apparent homogeneity. The properties of the purified enzyme were essentially identical with the properties of purified native beta-galactosidase from L. reuteri L103. The presented results lead the way to efficient overproduction of beta-galactosidase in a food-grade expression system, which is of high interest for applications in food industry.     

Soil and Atmospheric Inputs to PAH Concentrations in Salt Marsh Plants

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured in two wetland plant species grown outdoors in pots of sediment contaminated with up to 730,000 μg/kg total PAHs. After approximately 3 months, the plants were harvested, cleaned, and analyzed for an expanded suite of PAHs which included both the 16 priority PAHs and 22 alkyl PAH homologs. Sediment and air samples were also collected and analyzed. PAH compounds were detected in all of the samples, with the highest concentrations in the contaminated sediment. The root sample concentrations were generally about one order of magnitude lower than that of the sediment, and were strongly correlated with the concentration in the sediment in which they were grown. The concentrations in foliage were much lower and did not correlate with sediment concentration. Concentrations of low molecular weight PAH compounds detected in the foliage were not significantly lower in plants grown in control sediments, suggesting that the sediment is not the primary source of these PAHs. Several high molecular weight PAHs were detected only in plants grown in contaminated sediment. Plants of both species grown in control sediment were larger than plants grown in contaminated sediment.     

Estimating daytime subcanopy respiration from conditional sampling methods applied to multi-scalar high frequency turbulence time series

This study presents a new method to estimate daytime respiration from the subcanopy of forests directly from conventional eddy covariance (EC) measurements. The method primarily considers the respiration signal from root, litter and microbial respiration, which are known to be the main components of ecosystem respiration, R_e, as well as decomposition of coarse and fine woody detritus, and respiration from low understory vegetation (forbs, herbs and grasses). The conceptual framework is based on the premise that upward moving air parcels carry a specific and unambiguous signal in their CO₂ and water vapour composition, which can be separated and distinguished into respiration and photosynthesis. The model employed a combination of conditional sampling methods, quadrant analysis and relaxed eddy accumulation with hyperbolic deadbands to identify respiration events and to quantify their flux contribution. Datasets from five sites, most of which had multiple sampling heights, were selected to test this technique among contrasting ecosystems and canopy structures.Respiration signals were successfully identified in daytime data of all sites. A hyperbolic deadband of size H = 0.25 applied to the plane constructed from perturbations of carbon dioxide c and water vapour q densities effectively separated the signals of respiration from photosynthesis. The time fraction of respiration events was ≤10% during daytime. The global correlation coefficient r_c,q was found to be a universal predictor of this time fraction and was therefore used as a filter to identify periods of a meaningful and extractable respiration signal. Coherent structures, defined as ramp-shaped flow pattern observed in time series in and above forest canopies, are likely to be the underlying transport mechanism for these respiration events.Daytime subcanopy R_e estimates derived from the new method agreed with those derived from: (i) the intercept of light-response curves and (ii) soil CO₂ efflux chambers for three of the five sites. Limitations were posed by the dense, multi-layered deciduous canopy and the intense vertical turbulent mixing at one coniferous site. In addition, refixation of respired CO₂ by the understorey (CO₂ recycling) may cause an underestimation of daytime R_e or pose a limitation to the method proposed here. An indicator relating the canopy shear length scale, L_s, to the adjustment length scale, L_d, was proposed to predict the skill of the new method, and found to be useful in four of the five sites. Analysis of vertical coupling in the plant canopy using exchange regimes could explain the failure of the new method for the remaining site.     

Comparative analysis of Andiodrilus pachoensis casts in forests and pastures of South-Eastern Amazon (Brazil)

Soil ecosystem engineers produce biogenic structures (casts, mounds, galleries) that strongly affect soil processes. A comparative analysis of the physical characteristics of the casts produced by the earthworm Andiodrilus pachoensis was carried out in four pastures sowed with Brachiaria brizantha and four primary forests on the deforestation front of the Amazonian forest. In both systems, we recorded surface cast density and spatial patterns as well as surface cast physical properties. Cast and vegetation distributions were mapped within plots of sizes ranging from 25 to 50 m², and cast production was monitored during 2 months. Cast spatial distribution varied greatly among plots and across spatial scales ranging from regular at small spatial scales (0–20 cm) to clumped for larger distance ranges (>80 cm). Cast density was not significantly correlated with grass tuft density and their production was independent from the presence of grass tufts in pastures or litter quantity in forests. Although bulk soil properties (pH, C content, structural stability, etc) differed between pastures and forests, cast physical properties did not differ significantly among the studied ecosystem.     

Nucleotide sequence of UK and Australian isolates of feline calicivirus (FCV) and phylogenetic analysis of FCVs.

We have determined the first complete genome sequence and capsid gene sequences of feline calicivirus (FCV) isolates from the UK and Australia. These were compared with other previously published sequences. The viruses used in the comparisons were isolated between 1957 and 1995 from various geographical locations and obtained from cats showing a range of clinical signs. Despite these diverse origins, comparisons between all strains showed a similar degree of sequence variation within both ORF1 (non-structural polyprotein) and ORF2 (major capsid protein) (amino acid distances of 7.7-13.0% and 8.8-18.6%, respectively). In contrast, ORF3 (putative minor structural protein) sequences indicated a more heterogenous distribution of FCV relatedness (amino acid distances of 1.9-17.9%). Phylogenetic analysis suggested that, unlike some other caliciviruses, FCV isolates within the current data set fall into one diverse genogroup. Within this group, there was an overall lack of geographic or temporal clustering which may be related to the epidemiology of FCV infection in cats. Analysis of regions of variability in the genome has shown that, as well as the previously identified variable regions in ORF2, similar domains exist within ORFs 1 and 3 also, although to a lesser extent. In ORF1, these variable domains largely fall between the putative non-structural protein functional domains.     

Breeding against mycorrhizal symbiosis: Modern cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) varieties perform more poorly than older varieties except at very high phosphorus supply levels

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is an important fiber cash crop, but its root traits related to phosphorus (P) acquisition, including mycorrhizal root traits, are poorly understood.  Eight cotton varieties bred in northwestern China that were released between 1950 and 2013 were grown in pots with or without one arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) species (Funneliformis mosseae) at three P supply levels (0, 50 and 300 mg P as KH₂PO₄ kg^–1).  Eleven root traits were measured and calculated after 7 wk of growth.  The more recent accessions had smaller root diameters, acquired less P and produced less biomass, indicating an (inadvertent) varietal selection for thinner roots that provided less cortical space for AMF, which then increased the need for a high P fertilizer level.  At the two lower P levels, the mycorrhizal plants acquired more P and produced more biomass than non-mycorrhizal plants (3.2 vs. 0.9 mg P per plant; 1.8 vs. 0.9 g biomass per plant at P₀; 14.5 vs. 1.7 mg P per plant; and 4.7 vs. 1.6 g biomass per plant at P₅₀).  At the highest P level, the mycorrhizal plants acquired more P than non-mycorrhizal plants (18.8 vs. 13.4 mg per P plant), but there was no difference in biomass (6.2 vs. 6.3 g per plant).  At the intermediate P level, root diameter was significantly positively correlated with shoot biomass, P concentration and the P content of mycorrhizal plants.  The results of our study support the importance of the outsourcing model of P acquisition in the root economics space framework.  Inadvertent varietal selection in the last decades, resulting in thinner roots and a lower benefit from AMF, has led to a lower productivity of cotton varieties at moderate P supply (i.e., when mycorrhizal, the average biomass of older varieties 5.0 g per plant vs. biomass of newer varieties 4.4 g per plant), indicating the need to rethink cotton breeding efforts in order to achieve high yields without very high P input.  One feasible way to solve the problem of inadvertent varietal selection for cotton is to be aware of the trade-offs between the root do-it-yourself strategy and the outsourcing towards AMF strategy, and to consider both morphological and mycorrhizal root traits when breeding cotton varieties.     

Survival and Growth of Isolated Polyps of Galaxea fascicularis (Linnaeus 1767) on Six Kinds of Culture Substrates: Implications for Mariculture,Aquarium Culture,and Conservation

Coral aquaculture is viewed as a sustainable method of providing colonies for use in the aquarium trade, pharmacological studies, and coral reef rehabilitation. The production of large, healthy specimens depends on providing conditions that mimic or surpass natural reef environments. Materials with a high degree of variability in physical and chemical properties are utilized as substrates in coral aquaculture, but until fragment–substrate interactions are isolated and independently studied, the possible inhibitory and facilitative effects of each material will remain unclear. To understand potential key roles that substrates can play in coral culture, a comparison was made about the role of various materials on fragment survival and growth. The experiment examined the interactions between isolates of a common scleractinian coral, Galaxea fascicularis, and six commonly used substrates (coral rock, terracotta, polyvinyl chloride, steel, rubber tire, and concrete) and how these affected survival and growth. No differences were observed in the survival, colony size, and polyp production of the resulting microcolonies. The results show that, for G. fascicularis, growth is not affected by substrate type. The results demonstrate the use of a wide variety of materials for the successful aquaculture of scleractinian corals.     

Random-effects linear model application to herd-level assessment of bovine hepatic trace mineral concentrations

To evaluate the utility of random-effects linear modeling for herd-level evaluation of trace mineral status, we performed a retrospective analysis of the results for trace mineral testing of bovine liver samples submitted to the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory between 2011 and 2017. Our aim was to examine random-effects models for their potential utility in improving interpretation with minimal sample numbers. The database consisted of 1,658 animals distributed among 121 herds. Minerals were assayed by inductively coupled plasma–mass spectroscopy, and included cobalt, copper, iron, molybdenum, manganese, selenium, and zinc. Intraclass correlation coefficients for each mineral were significantly different (p < 0.001) from zero and ranged from 0.38 for manganese to 0.82 for selenium, indicating that the strength of herd effects, which are presumably related to diet, vary greatly by mineral. Analysis of the distribution and standard errors of best linear unbiased predictor (BLUP) values suggested that testing 5–10 animals per herd could place herds within 10 percentile units across the population of herds with 70–95% confidence, the confidence level varying among minerals. Herd means were generally similar to BLUPs, suggesting that means could be reasonably compared to BLUPs with respect to the distributions reported here. However, caution in interpreting means relative to BLUPs should be exercised when animal numbers are small, the standard errors of the means are large, and/or the values are near the extremes of the distribution.