Breeding of Persian melon: Purpose to increase volatile compounds in melon (Cucumis melo) intergroup F1 cross population

Understanding the volatile profile of melon is an ever increasingly important task for breeders for enhancing their flavour component. For this purpose, F1 progeny and parental lines were analysed using headspace-solid phase microextraction gas chromatography–mass spectrometry-based analysis. Diallel analysis showed that most of the investigated compounds were controlled via non-additive genetic effects with general combining ability to specific combining ability ratios of less than 0.4. High heterosis results were observed in alcohols such as ethanol and octanol in both rind and mesocarp samples and benzylalcohol in the rind. It was also noted that the ester-based compounds with high heterosis values in mesocarp samples differed from those with heterosis in rind samples. These observations further emphasize the non-additive control of these compounds. It can be concluded that non-additive genetic control is strongly governing the genetic profile within the studied progeny. This finding indicated that dudaim lines as a valuable genetic material enhanced the volatile profile of odourless commercial types of ameri and inodorus melon.     

Nanoparticulate Zeolitic Tuff for Immobilizing Heavy Metals in Soil: Preparation and Characterization

Nanoparticles derived from natural materials are promising compounds in the field of environmental remediation. The present study produces and characterizes Na-zeolitic tuff in the nanorange, stabilizes the nanotuff in suspension, and investigates the effect of Na-zeolitic nanotuff on sorption of Cd. Breakdown of raw zeolitic tuff with a mean particle size of 109 μm to the nanorange was achieved by attrition milling. In the first stage of grinding, a mixture of Al-oxide beads of 1 to 2.6 mm diameter was used. The milling process lasted 4 h. In the second stage, the dried powder was milled again using a mixture of a fine zirconia beads (0.1 mm) and Al-oxide beads (1.0 mm). The powder was treated with 1 M NaCl solution. Finally, the powder was sonicated in water. After this procedure, the mean and median particle diameters were 47.6 and 41.8 nm, respectively. The nanoparticulate zeolitic tuff had a surface area of 82 m² g^?1. The estimated zero charge point of the nanoparticle suspension was 3.2. The surface zeta potential was pH dependent. The Na-zeolitic nanotuff increased Cd sorption by a factor of up to 3 compared to the raw zeolitic tuff. Our results indicate that zeolitic nanoparticles can be produced by grinding using a mixture of fine beads in an attrition mill and that this procedure increases their metal immobilizing potential.     

Kennwerte und Eigenschaften der auf Braunkohlenbasis durch oxidative Ammonolyse hergestellten Humusdüngestoffe

Der auf Braunkohlenbasis durch oxidative Ammonolyse hergestellte Humusdüngestoff wird anhand seiner Standardparameter, Elementgehalte und chemischen Eigenschaften beschrieben. Hiernach ist die N-modifizierte Braunkohle ein schadstoffarmes, N-reiches, dauerhumusähnliches Bodenverbesserungsmittel, das als Granulat sehr lagerungsbeständig ist. Der neue Humusdüngestoff enthält stabil 5,78 ± 0,38% Gesamtstickstoff, der chemisch unterschiedlich gebunden ist. Aufgrund seiner vergleichsweise geringen N_min-Gehalte kann er in größeren Mengen zur nachhaltigen Verbesserung der KAK_pot und N_t-Bodenvorräte humusfreier und kolloidarmer Kippenböden eingesetzt werden.     

HIV-1 proviral DNA excision using an evolved recombinase

HIV-1 integrates into the host chromosome and persists as a provirus flanked by long terminal repeats (LTRs). To date, treatment regimens primarily target the virus enzymes or virus-cell fusion, but not the integrated provirus. We report here the substrate-linked protein evolution of a tailored recombinase that recognizes an asymmetric sequence within an HIV-1 LTR. This evolved recombinase efficiently excised integrated HIV proviral DNA from the genome of infected cells. Although a long way from use in the clinic, we speculate that this type of technology might be adapted in future antiretroviral therapies, among other possible uses.     

Prioritizing marine invasive alien species in the European Union through horizon scanning

1. The disproportionately low presence of marine species in the list of invasive alien species (IAS) of Union concern of the European Union (EU) Regulation 1143/2014 does not fully acknowledge the threat they pose to the EU marine environment.
2. In this study, the first EU‐scale Horizon Scanning (HS) focusing on marine alien species was performed, aiming to deliver a ranked list of species that should be of high priority for risk assessment (Article 5 of the EU IAS Regulation).
3. Species absent from or with a limited distribution in EU marine waters were targeted. In total, 363 alien species were initially screened for HS by a panel of experts, including a broad range of taxonomic groups. Species were scored for their likelihood of arrival, establishment, spread, and impact in EU waters.
4. A consensus workshop ranked 267 species, including a subset of 26 prioritized species. These species are considered to be mainly introduced by shipping (fouling and ballast water), via the Suez Canal, and aquaculture activities. The 26 priority species were also scrutinized in terms of feasibility of their management; 18 of them were suggested for performing risk assessments on the basis of the EU IAS Regulation.
5. Since biological invasions are dynamic and connected with accelerated globalization and diversified human activities, we recommend HS to be repeated periodically to review the species already listed and assess new ones.

     

Seasonal and diurnal variation of downstream fish movement at four small-scale hydropower plants

Hydropower structures hinder the movement and migration of fishes, impairing their life cycles. Additionally, downstream moving fish are often at risk of being injured during turbine passage. To improve hydropower production towards more fish-friendly techniques and management, knowledge on timing and extent of natural patterns of fish downstream movement is necessary. So far, migration behaviour of long-distance migrators such as eel or salmon has been well studied, but little is known about seasonal and diurnal movement patterns of nonmigratory species or medium-distance migrators. In this study, movement patterns of 39 fish species captured by stownets while transiting hydropower facilities in four impounded rivers were assessed and compared with the fish community composition directly upstream of the hydropower plants assessed by electrofishing. Strong differences between the fish community composition inhabiting the upstream sides of the dams and the fish detected in downstream passage were evident. In each study river, the downstream moving fish community composition differed significantly between spring and autumn. On average, significantly more fish were caught during the night (2.9 fish/hr) than during the day (1.3 fish/hr). Topmouth gudgeon, European grayling and pike-perch mostly moved downstream during the night, whereas roach, spirlin and bleak were the most frequent downstream moving fish during daytime. Downstream fish movement was positively related with turbidity, water temperature and discharge. The strong differences in seasonal and diurnal fish movement patterns suggest that fish damage can be strongly reduced by adaptive turbine and corridor management, for example by shutting down turbines at peak movements.     

Review of History and Recent Development of Organic Farming Worldwide

The history of the organic farming worldwide was reviewed in this paper. The development of the organic farming worldwide had gone through three stages, emergence, expansion, and growth. The contributors and their thoughts during the different development stages of the organic farming were briefly introduced. And the development status of the organic farming worldwide was reviewed from the aspects of land area under organic management, land area under organic management in percentage of total agricultural area, and world markets for organic products. Besides, the main existing problems for the further development of the world＇s organic farming, as well as the development status, problems and strategies of the Chinese organic farming were discussed.     

Estimating the mass of mango fruit (Mangifera indica, cv. Chok Anan) from its geometric dimensions by optical measurement

Uniform fruit mass and shapes of mangoes for export are required in order to ease handling and transportation, and to help satisfy consumer preferences. However, with its irregular shape, one which cannot be approximated by using standard geometrical figures, the mango is not as easy to model as round or oval-shaped fruits.In this study, more than 1000 mango ‘Chok Anan’ fruit were measured with respect to their length, maximum width and maximum thickness, to within an accuracy of 1.0  mm, and their weight was determined to within an accuracy of 0.1  g. Pictures were taken of 30 fruit, through the use of digital cameras, manually rectified and analyzed by use of “Measure 2.1” a computer code.An equation was proposed in order to calculate the mass of the mangoes based on three geometric dimensions, which then showed a high level of explanatory power of R² = 0.97. The root mean standard error of 12.22 was determined, and the mean relative deviation found was 0.05. Based on measurements taken from the digital photos, the equation was then used to determine the estimated mass based on three dimensions. Estimated and measured values were plotted against each other. A high correlation (R² = 0.96) was found between measured and calculated mass.It was shown that the mass can be estimated based on data obtained from two orthogonally taken photographs.     

Antigenic and genetic characterisation of lipoprotein lppC from Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides SC

Lipoprotein lppC, an immunodominant antigen, and its corresponding gene lppC were characterised in Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides small colony (SC) type, the etiological agent of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP). The lppC gene was found in the type strain of M. mycoides subsp. mycoides SC and in field strains isolated in Europe, Africa, and Australia, as well as in vaccine strains. Southern blot analysis indicated the presence of at least four copies of lppC in the genome of M. mycoides subsp. mycoides SC, of which only one seems to be functional. Genes homologous to lppC have also been detected in closely related mycoplasmas such as M. mycoides subsp. mycoides large colony (LC) type and in M. sp. bovine group 7. lppC is encoded as a precursor with a consensus sequence for a prokaryotic signal peptidase II. The amino acid sequence of lppC and its precursor showed similarity to both LppB (at the N-terminal domain) and LppQ (at the C-terminal domain), two lipoproteins described previously in M. mycoides subsp. mycoides SC. The N-terminal domain of the mature lppC seems to be surface exposed. The C-terminal domain presented an integral membrane structure made up of five repeated units, rich in hydrophobic and aromatic amino acids, which may have pore forming potential in the mycoplasmal membrane. A recombinant peptide representing the N-terminal half of lppC was obtained following cloning in vector pETHIS-1 and expression in Escherichia coli hosts. The recombinant protein was used on immunoblots for serological analysis of sera from cattle that were naturally or experimentally infected with M. mycoides subsp. mycoides SC.     

Revealing the angular symmetry of chemical bonds by atomic force microscopy

We have measured the angular dependence of chemical bonding forces between a carbon monoxide molecule that is adsorbed to a copper surface and the terminal atom of the metallic tip of a combined scanning tunneling microscope and atomic force microscope. We provide tomographic maps of force and current as a function of distance that revealed the emergence of strongly directional chemical bonds as tip and sample approach. The force maps show pronounced single, dual, or triple minima depending on the orientation of the tip atom, whereas tunneling current maps showed a single minimum for all three tip conditions. We introduce an angular dependent model for the bonding energy that maps the observed experimental data for all observed orientations and distances.