Effect of chitosan addition on the surface properties of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) paper

The present paper studies the effect of chitosan, cationic starch and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as sizing agents to enhance surface properties of kenaf paper. The polymers were incorporated into the sheets by spray application. The results clearly showed that the addition of chitosan to a sheet formed from beaten fibers had excellent improvement in surface properties, compared to the effect of other additives. Sizing quality of cationic starch fairly matched with the sizing quality of chitosan, however, it was able to reduce the water absorption potential of paper more than chitosan at a same concentration. In most other properties, particularly the most important property for printing papers, surface smoothness, chitosan-sized papers are superior to the paper sized with cationic starch or PVA.     

Chicken Faeces Garden Fertilizer: Possible Source of Human Avian Influenza H5N1 Infection

Avian influenza H5N1 infection in humans is typically associated with close contact with infected poultry or other infected avian species. We report on human cases of H5N1 infection in Indonesia where exposure to H5N1‐infected animals could not be established, but where the investigation found chicken faeces contaminated with viable H5N1 virus in the garden fertilizer. Human cases of avian influenza H5N1 warrant extensive investigations to determine likely sources of illness and to minimize risk to others. Authorities should regulate the sale and transportation of chicken faeces as fertilizer from areas where H5N1 outbreaks are reported.     

The sexually dimorphic adipose fin is an androgen target tissue in the brown trout (Salmo trutta fario)

An investigation has been described on the relationship of body length, age and sex with adipose fin length and the number of androgen receptor (AR)-containing cells in the adipose fin as a secondary sexual characteristic for brown trout (Salmo trutta fario). Firstly, body and adipose fin lengths of 2- to 5-year-old brown trout were measured. Thereafter, these fish were killed by decapitation, then their sexes were determined, and adipose fins were excised. The cellular bases of AR binding activities in the adipose fins were analyzed with an antibody against human/rat AR peptide. Immunocytochemistry and western blotting techniques were performed with this antibody. Analysis of morphological measurements indicated that body length and age had a linear relationship with adipose fin length. The coefficients of determination for the body length and age were 0.92 and 0.85 in the male fish and 0.76 and 0.73 in the female fish against the adipose fin length, respectively. At 2 years of age, cells in the adipose fin did not exhibit AR immunoreactivity. However, AR-immunopositive cells were abundant in the adipose fin of 3- to 5-year-old fish. Moreover, the number of AR-immunopositive cells was significantly (P < 0.05) high in males and increased with age. These observations indicate that the adipose fin in the brown trout is a probable target for androgen action and that tissue function or development may to some extent be androgen dependent. In addition, it is likely that such an effect will be mediated by specific androgen receptors.     

Breeding of high yielding and dwarf oil palm planting materials using Deli <Emphasis Type="Italic">dura</Emphasis> × Nigerian <Emphasis Type="Italic">pisifera</Emphasis> population

In practice, progeny and individual palm selection are believed to be the most suitable breeding approach for improvement of quantitative traits in oil palm because their phenotypic expressions are strongly influenced by abiotic factors. Therefore progeny selection approach was applied in this study for the selection of high fresh fruit bunch (FFB) and dwarf oil palm planting materials. Cross between Deli dura and Nigerian pisifera resulted into 34 D × P full sib progenies with 1036 seedlings. For six consecutive years, data were collected on yield and yield component traits, while vegetative traits were recorded once. Bi-parental analysis was carried out using analysis of variance, followed by progenies mean comparison, variance components, heritabilities and cluster analysis. Highly significant (P ≤ 0.01) progeny effect was recorded in this study and this had a pronounced effect on the expression of all the quantitative traits. Progenies performance of FFB varied significantly and it ranged from 166.49 to 220.06 kg/palm/year (kg/p/yr) with trial mean of 192.93 kg/p/yr. Palm height after 8 years of field planting ranged from 1.67 to 2.78 m (control cross) with trial mean of 2.12 m. Broad sense heritability (\({\text{h}}_{\text{B}}^{2}\)) was found to be very low (<17.60%) for all the yield traits, however this parameter was high for vegetative traits with palm height having \({\text{h}}_{\text{B}}^{2}\) of 90%. Cluster analysis based on all the quantitative traits grouped all the 34 DP progenies into nine distinct clusters. From this study, five progenies (DP3, DP4, DP5, DP8 and DP24) were identified to be high yielding and dwarf palms compare to trial mean. At density of 140 palm/ha, they will produce FFB of 28.63–30.81 t/ha and average of 29.69 t/ha which is about 27.15% higher in FFB when compared to the current planting material with FFB of 23.35 t/ha. In addition, the selected progenies possessed average annual palm increment of 29.82 cm/yr with range of 26 and 32.5 cm/yr which was 57.33% shorter than the current planting material with palm height increment of 45–75 cm/yr.     

Directed assembly of block copolymer blends into nonregular device-oriented structures

Self-assembly is an effective strategy for the creation of periodic structures at the nanoscale. However, because microelectronic devices use free-form design principles, the insertion point of self-assembling materials into existing nanomanufacturing processes is unclear. We directed ternary blends of diblock copolymers and homopolymers that naturally form periodic arrays to assemble into nonregular device-oriented structures on chemically nanopatterned substrates. Redistribution of homopolymer facilitates the defect-free assembly in locations where the domain dimensions deviate substantially from those formed in the bulk. The ability to pattern nonregular structures using self-assembling materials creates new opportunities for nanoscale manufacturing.     

Agronomic assessment of phosphorus efficacy for potato (Solanum tuberosum L) under legume intercrops

Abstract

Phosphorus (P) is an essential element and its efficient use is of global importance. This study evaluated the effect of growing potato under legume intercrops on P uptake and use efficiency indices: P harvest index (PHI), P uptake efficiency (PuPE), P partial factor productivity (PPFP) and P partial balance (PPB). The experiment was carried out for four consecutive seasons with treatments comprising potato cultivated under legume intercrops: none (T1), dolichos (Lablab purpureus L) (T2), peas (Pisum sativum L) (T3) and beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L) (T4). Across the seasons, the mean haulm P uptake for T2 (6.7?kg P ha^?1), T4 (5.5) and T3 (4.5) were 6%, 23% and 36% lower than that observed in T1 (7.1?kg P ha^?1), respectively. On the other hand, tuber P uptake was highest in T1 (21.8?kg P ha^?1) and T2 (21.3?kg P ha^?1) and were significantly higher than 13.2?kg P ha^?1 in T3 and 15.1?kg P ha^?1 in T4. This had a profound effect on PuPE, which was equally highest in T1 (0.26?kg total P uptake kg^?1 P supply) and T2 (0.25) and lowest in T3 (0.16) and T4 (0.18). Similarly, PPFP, PHI and PPB followed a similar trend, with highest values in T1 (57?kg tuber dry matter yield kg^?1 P supply, 76.4?kg tuber P uptake kg^?1 total plant’s P uptake and 0.20?kg tuber P uptake kg^?1 P supply, respectively). Among the tested legume intercrops, dolichos competed least for P with the main crop (potato) hence it can be integrated into potato-based cropping systems without compromising potato tuber yield.     

Enantioselective determination of chiral toxaphene congeners in laying hens and eggs using multidimensional high-resolution gas chromatography

A total of 22 chiral toxaphene congeners were analyzed in organ tissues and eggs of laying hens after they had been fed with food spiked with technical toxaphene. For the analysis, multidimensional high-resolution gas chromatography using a chiral column coated with randomly silylated heptakis(O-tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-beta-cyclodextrin, electron capture detection, and valveless "live column switching" technique was applied. The analytical results were additionally confirmed with mass spectral data, recorded in electron-capture negative ionization mode with selected-ion monitoring mass spectrometry. During both the feeding period of the laying hens with toxaphene-contaminated food (38 weeks, accumulation phase) and the following subsiding period without toxaphenes (another 14 weeks, decontamination phase), organs (liver, kidney, skin/fat), blood, meat, and eggs of the hens served as model matrices for toxaphene uptake. The enantiomeric ratios (ERs) of congeners 26, 31, 32, 40, 41, 42(a+b), 44, 50, and 62--known as the most important components of technical toxaphene occurring in the environment--could be analytically determined. Significant differences were observed with respect to their initial racemic ratios. On the basis of their chemical structures, the metabolic pathways of some congeners could be explained. Astonishingly, some of the toxaphenes applied as racemates could merely be found as single enantiomers at the end of the feeding program, for example, congener 32 in blood and meat samples or congener 44, especially in organ tissues, which showed ERs of zero or infinity. The findings of this study impressively emphasize that it is essential to isolate and analyze individual toxaphene enantiomers in food and biota tissues to be capable of evaluating their toxicity and metabolization more specifically.     

Effects of processing methods on the proximate composition and momordicosides K and L content of bitter melon vegetable

Bitter melon (Mormodica charantia L.) has been associated with health benefits such as hypoglycemic, antiatherogenic, and anti-HIV activities. The vegetable, however, has an unpleasant bitter taste. The purpose of this research was to establish the effect of various processing methods on the moisture, lipid, and protein content of the Sri Lanka variety of bitter melon and to determine the effect of the processing methods on momordicosides K and L contents. The processing methods used were frying, blanching, sun drying, oven drying, freeze drying, and bitter masking with five different commercial bitter masking agents. Moisture, lipid, and protein analyses were done using standard AACC methods. Drying decreased moisture content from 92% to 9.5-10.2%. Frying lowered moisture content to 0.8% while increasing lipid content from 3.6 to 67%. Protein content remained unaffected by treatments. A liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (LC/ESI/MS) method was used to identify momordicosides K and L in methanolic extracts of fresh and processed samples. Only extracted ion chromatographs for blanched bitter melon and bitter melon with MY 68 agent showed the absence of momordicosides K and L.     

稻曲病菌离体培养体系的构建与优化

稻曲病是水稻穗期的一种重要病害,严重影响稻米的产量和品质。稻曲病菌Ustilaginoidea virens 在离体培养条件下生长缓慢,严重制约了杀菌剂室内生测试验的观察和高效筛选。本研究以稻曲病菌培养基为研究对象,通过筛选、组合和优化固体培养体系的氮源、碳源、凝固剂以及阳离子浓度,以期构建适合稻曲病菌生长的室内培养体系。结果发现:在5种常见的商品化培养基中,稻曲病菌的生长速率仅为0.7~2.3 mm/d;而在18种配制培养基中,有77%的培养基对稻曲病菌表现出不同程度的生长促进效应,其中蛋白胨蔗糖结冷胶 (PSGG) 培养基的促进效果最显著 (P < 0.05),生长速率达3.4 mm/d,且其对不同地理分布的稻曲病菌菌株均有生长促进效应。此外,在以结冷胶作为凝固剂的培养基中添加质量分数为0.02%的硫酸镁 (Mg2+),可有效提高培养基的凝固程度,且对菌丝体的生长速率无影响。在适合稻曲病菌生长的PSGG培养基中,蛋白胨和蔗糖是合适的氮源和碳源组合,结冷胶是合适的凝固剂。此研究结果可提高室内培养稻曲病菌的生长速率,为进一步理解稻曲病菌在离体条件下的生长机制及提高室内杀菌剂生测试验的效率提供了重要参考。     

Root and shoot traits in parental,early and late generation Green Revolution wheats (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Triticum</Emphasis> spp.) under glasshouse conditions

Introduction of stem-dwarfing genes had a major impact on wheat breeding and production. It is estimated that 70–90% of modern wheats carry one or more such genes. These genes were the cornerstone of the Green Revolution. They solved the lodging problem by reducing stem height, thus allowing a marked increase in mineral fertilizer use. These genes also changed biomass allocation and allowed more carbon assimilates to be stored as grain. With heavy fertilization and irrigation, plants had little use for an extensive and expensive root system for uptake of water and nutrients. However, with climate change and limited water and nutrient sources, there is a need to remodel crops with novel genetic variation available in landraces and old varieties. In this study, we evaluated nine accessions of wheat representing gene pools of parental, early-tall and late-semi-dwarf Green Revolution wheats for root and shoot biomass and grain yield under well-watered conditions in a glasshouse. Significant genotypic variation was found for total root biomass and root distribution in the soil profile as well as for plant height and days to anthesis. Modern wheats have reduced root-system size relative to their predecessors. This may be the effect of the dwarfing genes or an indirect effect of negative selection pressure, but the wheat root system became smaller within the last century.