Diversity of chemical composition, dry matter intake, in vivo digestibility and in situ dry matter degradability of oat hay (Avena sativa)

Diversity of chemical composition, in vivo digestibility and in situ dry matter degradability of oat hay (Avena sativa) were studied. Oat hay samples obtained from 22 batches imported were analyzed for chemical composition. The result showed a wide range of variations in crude protein (3.9–8.8%, on a dry matter basis), crude fiber (22.1–35.2%), nitrogen free extract (50.0–66.0%), organic cellular contents (23.4–40.0%), organic cell wall (53.1–70.8%), organic a (4.1–9.8%), organic b (49.0–63.8%) fractions and the estimated total digestible nutrients (50.3–63.8%) from the organic components. Of these, four oat hay samples were used for the measurement of dry matter intake, in vivo digestibility and in situ dry matter degradability in sheep. Significant differences were observed for the dry matter intake, in vivo digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, crude fiber and nitrogen free extract, dry matter disappearance at 48 h and effective degradability at k = 0.05 h^?1 of the samples (P < 0.05). The results revealed a wide range of diversity of nutritional quality of the imported oat hay that could have an affect on production potential in animals.     

Newly synthesized palm esters for cosmetics industry

Palm esters were synthesized through enzymatic transesterification of various palm oil fractions with oleyl alcohol using Lipozyme RM IM as the catalyst. At the optimized alcoholysis reaction condition, after 5 h reaction time all palm oil fractions exhibited a high percentage yields of esters (>80%). Simultaneous differential scanning calorimeter-thermal gravity analysis showed a high thermal stability profile of palm esters. Other physicochemical properties of palm esters such as refractive index, density, surface tension, slip melting point, saponification value, iodine value and acid value were analyzed following standard test methods modified from the American Oil Chemists’ Society standards. The dermal irritation assay of palm oil esters shows the non-irritancy of the esters with a Human Irritancy Equivalent (HIE) score below 0.9. Furthermore, an increase in skin hydration of 40.7% after 90 min after application in an acute moisturizing test, has proven the suitably of palm oil esters to be used in the cosmetics formulation.     

Changes in luteinizing hormone-containing gonadotrophs after moulting induced by fasting and zinc in laying hens (Gallus domesticus)

The purpose of the present study was to investigate egg production performance, immunohistochemical (IHC) identification, localization and morphological characterization of moulted hen’s pars distalis luteinizing hormone (LH) gonadotrophs. This system has been validated for chicken LH by immunodetection of purified hormones on dot blots, western blotting and by specific labelling of cells on sagittal sections of chicken pituitaries. This study showed that egg production and egg weight increased significantly after zinc-induced moult when compared with fasting-induced moult. Luteinizing hormone-gonadotrophs are of numerous shapes and distributed throughout the adenohypophysis, with densely populated regions on the margins of pars distalis. Moulting of laying hens was associated with a significant increase in immunoreactive LH gonadotroph cell count and cell size, which peaked at the subsequent production stages. Zinc-induced moulting also caused a significant increase in LH gonadotroph cell size as compared with fasting-induced moulting. The nuclear size of LH-positive cells was distinct during decreased egg production. Our results validate the use of ovine LHβ antibodies for the IHC localization of chicken LH gonadotrophs. This technology was further applied to the characterization of the shape and morphological changes of gonadotrophs as a function of the egg production status of the birds.     

Synthesis,analysis and simulation of carbonized electrospun nanofibers infused carbon prepreg composites for improved mechanical and thermal properties

This paper reports the fabrication, characterization and simulation of electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers into pre-impregnated (prepreg) carbon fiber composites for different industrial applications. The electrospun PAN nanofibers were stabilized in air at 270 °C for one hour and then carbonized at 950 °C in an inert atmosphere (argon) for another hour before placing on the prepreg composites as top layers. The prepreg carbon fibers and carbonized PAN nanofibers were cured together following the prepreg composite curing cycles. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) was carried out to investigate the chemical compositions and elemental distribution of the carbonized PAN nanofibers. The EDX results revealed that the carbon weight % of approximately 66 (atomic % 72) was achieved in the PAN-derived carbon nanofibers along with nitrogen and lower amounts of nickel, oxygen and other impurities. Thermomechanical analysis (TMA) exhibited the glass transition regions in the prepreg nanocomposites and the significant dependence of coefficient of thermal expansion on the fiber directions. The highest value of coefficient of thermal expansion was observed in the temperature range of 118-139 °C (7.5×10^-8 1/°C) for 0 degree nanocomposite scheme. The highest value of coefficient of thermal expansion was observed in the temperature range of 50-80 °C (37.5×10^-6 1/°C) for 90 degree nanocomposite scheme. The test results were simulated using ANSYS software. The test results may be useful for the development of structural health monitoring of various composite materials for aircraft and wind turbine applications.     

New sources of resistance to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cucumber mosaic virus</Emphasis> in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Capsicum annuum</Emphasis>

Background

Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) is the most serious virus disease affecting chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) worldwide and the absence of natural resistance makes management of CMV outbreaks difficult. The characterization of improved sources of resistance to CMV in chilli would facilitate the development of commercially acceptable chilli varieties with adequate levels of CMV resistance. A total of 30 chilli genotypes were evaluated for their reaction to CMV in field and artificial inoculated conditions during 2010-2011 and 2011-2012. Large differences were observed among genotypes for disease incidence, severity indexes, and yield losses. Based on observed data, genotype CA23 (Noakhali) was identified as resistant, while CA12 (Comilla-2) was categorized as moderately resistant to CMV both in natural and inoculated conditions. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay absorbance values of samples taken from CMV-infected leaves corresponded well with visible viral symptoms for these genotypes. The identified C. annuum CA23 and CA12 genotypes represent previously undescribed and potentially useful sources of CMV resistance.

     

Interspecific cross of Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra and B. napus : effects of growth condition and silique age on the efficiency of hybrid production, and inheritance of erucic acid in the self-pollinated backcross generation

Interspecific hybrids were produced from reciprocal crosses between Brassica napus (2n = 38, AACC) and B. oleracea var. alboglabra (2n = 18, CC) to introgress the zero-erucic acid alleles from B. napus into B. oleracea. The ovule culture embryo rescue technique was applied for production of F₁ plants. The effects of silique age, as measured by days after pollination (DAP), and growth condition (temperature) on the efficiency of this technique was investigated. The greatest numbers of hybrids per pollination were produced under 20°/15°C (day/night) at 16 DAP for B. oleracea (♀) × B. napus crosses, while under 15°/10°C at 14 DAP for B. napus (♀) × B. oleracea crosses. Application of the ovule culture technique also increased the efficiency of BC₁ (F₁ × B. oleracea) hybrid production by 10-fold over in vivo seed set. The segregation of erucic acid alleles in the self-pollinated backcross generation, i.e. in BC₁S₁ seeds, revealed that the gametes of the F₁ and BC₁ plants carrying a greater number of A-genome chromosomes were more viable. This resulted in a significantly greater number of intermediate and a smaller number of high-erucic acid BC₁S₁ seeds.     

Antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of Laportea crenulata

Crude extracts and 2alpha,3beta,21beta,24beta,28-pentahydroxy-olean-12-ene (1) obtained from the root of Laportea crenulata exhibited remarkable antibacterial activities against both Gram (+) and Gram (-) bacteria. The antifungal activities of crude extracts and compound (1) were also determined. The cytotoxic activities of crude extracts and compound (1) were observed by brine shrimp bioassay and LC(50) value of the compound (1) was found to be 27.54 microg/ml.     

Mass propagation of Rauwolfia serpentina L. Benth

A protocol for mass propagation through axillary bud proliferation was established for Rauwolfia serpentina L. Benth. (Apocynaceae). MS medium supplemented with 1.5 mg L(-1) BA and 0.2 mg L(-1) NAA elicited the maximum number of shoots (4 multiple shoots) from nodal explants. These adventitious shoots were best rooted on half strength MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mg L(-1) each of IBA and IAA. The in vitro raised plants were acclimatized in glass house and successfully transplanted to field condition with almost 95% survival.     

Nested PCR for the rapid detection of TB from pleural fluid at HUKM Malaysia

The aim of the present study is rapid detection of tuberculosis from pleural effusion of suspected patients. Molecular technique Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was used for the purpose. A total of 67 pleural fluid collected at Hospital University Kebangsaan Malaysia during May 2005 to October 2006 were sent to Microbiology Laboratory enrolled in the study. Detection rate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in pleural effusion was 0% by acid-fast bacilli (AFB) staining and 1.5% by culture on Lowenstein-Jensen medium. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was detected by PCR in 9% of the cases. PCR of pleural fluid had 19% sensitivity and 96% specificity, compared to AFB staining (0% sensitivity and 100% specificity) and culture (4% sensitivity and 100% specificity). PCR also has 67% Positive Predictive Value (PPV) and 72% Negative Predictive Value (NPV) in detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Culture ofpleural fluid has 100% PPV and 71% NPV while AFB staining has 0% PPV and 31% NPV. This preliminary study showed that PCR is a rapid method for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in pleural fluid but its sensitivity is not up the marked.     

Estimation of fruit load in mango orchards: tree sampling considerations and use of machine vision and satellite imagery

Precision Agriculture - In current best commercial practice, pre-harvest fruit load predictions of mango orchards are provided based on a manual count of fruit number on up to 5% of trees within...