Ozonation as an alternative to chlorination for soft wheat flours

High ratio cakes made from ozonated flour attained volumes and other quality characteristics comparable to those from chlorinated flours at 36 min ozonation time. Ozone thus appears to be a viable and more environmentally acceptable alternative to chlorine. Extraction of lipids from flour caused deterioration of cake quality which was not restored by ozonation, indicating that lipids were involved in the improving effects of ozonation. Oxidation by ozone led to higher molecular weights of polymeric proteins.     

Improvement of Fertility in Artificially Inseminated Ewes Following Vaginal Treatment with Misoprostol Plus Terbutaline Sulphate

The effect of vaginal administration of misoprostol plus terbutaline sulphate 6 h prior to artificial insemination (AI) upon the site of AI (vaginal or cervical) and fertility was studied using a total of 87 estrous synchronized Serra da Estrela ewes (control n = 42 and treated n = 45). Artificial insemination was performed using refrigerated semen at 54–55 h after sponge removal. Lambing rate (fertility) and prolificacy were compared between control and treated ewes. The effect of the site of semen deposition on fertility was also evaluated. Prolificacy rate was not different between control (1.5) and treated (1.59) ewes. The proportion of cervical AI achieved in control (45.2%) and treated (37.8%) ewes was not significantly different. Overall, fertility was significantly lower in control than in treated ewes (42.9% vs 64.4%; p < 0.04). Fertility following vaginal AI was significantly lower for control for than treated ewes (30.4% vs 60.7%; p < 0.03) but the difference was smaller and not significant for cervical AI (control 57.9% vs 70.6%). It was concluded that vaginal administration of misoprostol plus terbutaline sulphate 6 h prior to artificial insemination did not affect the proportion of cervical inseminations but significantly improved the fertility of treated ewes. Although needing confirmation, it was hypothesized that drugs might have induced local secretory modifications leading to an increase of cervical ability to retain more viable spermatozoa for fertilization.     

Effects of genotype,environment, and postharvest storage on the total ascorbate content of potato (Solanum tuberosum) tubers

The total ascorbate content of potato tubers from 33 Solanum tuberosum genotypes grown at three geographically diverse sites in Europe in each of two years was determined immediately postharvest and after approximately 4 months of storage at 4 degrees C. Statistically significant differences in total ascorbate concentration were observed between genotypes both at harvest and after storage. In all genotypes, the levels of ascorbate decreased during storage. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for diet and health as well as in terms of breeding for improved vitamin C content in potatoes.     

Pierce's Disease Bacterium: Mechanism of Transmission by Leafhopper Vectors

The bacterium that causes Pierce's disease of grapevines is isolated most consistently from the foregut of its leafhopper vector Graphocephala atropunctata. As seen in light and scanning electron microscopy of infective leafhoppers, the bacteria are attached to the cibarial pump and the lining of the esophagus in the foregut where they appear to multiply. These findings suggest that the bacterium is transmitted from the foregut by egestion during feeding by infective leafloppers.     

Properties of field-sprouted sorghum and its performance in ethanol production

The objective of this research was to investigate physicochemical and biochemical characteristics of field-sprouted grain sorghum and its fermentation performance in ethanol production. Five field-sprouted grain sorghum varieties, which received abnormally high rainfall during harvest, were used in this study. Enzyme activities, microstructure, flour pasting properties, kernel hardness, kernel weight, kernel size, flour size and particle distribution of field-sprouted grain sorghum were analyzed. The effect of germination (i.e., sprouting) on conversion of grain sorghum to ethanol was determined by using a laboratory dry-grind ethanol fermentation procedure. Sprouted sorghum had increased α-amylase activity; degraded starch granules and endosperm cell walls; decreased kernel hardness, kernel weight, kernel size, and particle size; and decreased pasting temperature and peak and final viscosities compared with non-sprouted grain sorghum. The major finding is that the time required for sprouted sorghum to complete fermentation was only about half that of non-sprouted sorghum. Also, ethanol yield from sprouted sorghum was higher (416–423 L/ton) than that from non-sprouted sorghum (409 L/ton) on a 14% moisture basis.     

Epithelial cell surfaces induce Salmonella proteins required for bacterial adherence and invasion

Salmonella bacteria are capable of entering (invading) and multiplying within eukaryotic cells. Stable adherence to and invasion of epithelial cells by S. choleraesuis and S. typhimurium were found to require de novo synthesis of several new bacterial proteins. This inducible event appears to be a coordinately regulated system dependent on trypsin- and neuraminidase-sensitive structures present on the epithelial cell surface. Mutants of S. choleraesuis and S. typhimurium were unable to synthesize these proteins and did not stably adhere to nor invade eukaryotic cells. Two such S. typhimurium mutants were avirulent in mice, an indication that these proteins are required for Salmonella virulence.     

Equatorially dominated magnetic field change at the surface of Earth's core

Slow temporal variations in Earth's magnetic field originate in the liquid outer core. We analyzed the evolution of nonaxisymmetric magnetic flux at the core surface over the past 400 years. We found that the most robust feature is westward motion at 17 kilometers per year, in a belt concentrated around the equator beneath the Atlantic hemisphere. Surprisingly, this motion is dominated by a single wavenumber and persists throughout the observation period. This phenomenon could be produced by an equatorial jet of core fluid, by hydromagnetic wave propagation, or by a combination of both. Discrimination between these mechanisms would provide useful constraints on the dynamics of Earth's core.     

Effect of genetic variation on phenolic acid and policosanol contents of Pegaso wheat lines

Total phenolic acid and policosanol contents and compositions of bran from an Italian bread wheat variety Pegaso and its 11 near-isogenic lines were measured. The near-isogenic wheat lines differed at one or more loci coding for storage proteins. The genetic variation included deletions, additions and/or combinations of variations. Almost 95% or more of phenolic acids were in the bound form. Ferulic acid was the predominant bound phenolic acid present in wheat bran samples. Other phenolic acids were p-coumaric, vanillic and syringic acids. Tetracosanol, docosanol, hexacosanol, octacosanol, tricosanol and heneicosanol were found as major policosanol compounds in their decreasing order. Highly significant genotypic differences were observed in total phenolic acid and policosanol concentrations. None of the genetic lines had higher phenolic acid contents than the parent line Pegaso, whereas some of the lines had more policosanol levels. In general, both total phenolic acid composition and contents were higher with genetic lines that varied at Glu-1 loci with 2+Dy high molecular weight glutenin subunit (HMW-GS) (Pegaso 184), variation at Gli-D2 loci (Pegaso 219) and single null A1 (variation at Gli-1/Glu-3 loci; Pegaso 30). Highest total policosanol content was observed with the double null at Glu-A1/Glu-D1 loci (Pegaso 236). These findings may lead to new opportunities for wheat breeders and eventually commercial wheat growers to promote the production of wheat with enhanced levels of health beneficial compounds.