[Objective] This study aimed to investigate the variation dynamics of total nitrogen and nicotine of burtey tobacco at various growing stages under different ni- trogen nutrition levels to provide reference for optimi...[Objective] This study aimed to investigate the variation dynamics of total nitrogen and nicotine of burtey tobacco at various growing stages under different ni- trogen nutrition levels to provide reference for optimizing fertilization technologies for burley tobacco. [Method] Fresh burley tobacco leaves were collected at various growing stages and dried to measure the content of total nitrogen, protein and nico- tine by using INTEGRAL automated chemical analyzer and analyze the correlation with nitrogen application level. [Result] Regardless of the nitrogen application level, the content of total nitrogen and protein showed a downward trend since root ex- tending stage and reached the minimum at mature stage; the content of nicotine showed an upward trend since early vigorous growing stage and increased to the maximum at mature stage; the content of total nitrogen, protein and nicotine all in- creased after air curing; the content of total nitrogen, protein and nicotine showed positive correlation with nitrogen application level, while total nitrogen/nicotine was negatively correlated. The results indicate that nitrogen level is closely related to the total nitrogen and nicotine of burley tobacco at growing period and post-air curing, rational application of nitrogen is an important measure to regulate the content of total nitrogen and nicotine of tobacco. [Conclusion] This study provides scientific ba- sis for rational fertilization of burley tobacco.展开更多
Plants can be exposed to mercury either by direct administration as antifungal agents, mainly to crop plants through seed treatment or foliar spray, or by accident. Mercury poisoning has become a problem of interest o...Plants can be exposed to mercury either by direct administration as antifungal agents, mainly to crop plants through seed treatment or foliar spray, or by accident. Mercury poisoning has become a problem of interest on a global scale. Natural emissions of mercury form two-thirds of the input; man-made releases form about one-third. Significant amounts of mercury may be added to agricultural land with sludge, fertilizers, lime and manures. Total mercury levels were determined in six breeds of quality protein maize using cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS). The breeds analyzed were Aziga, Abeleehi, Akposoe, Golden Jubilee, Etubi and Obaatanpa. Proximate composition of these breeds was also determined. The objective of this study was therefore to assess the effect of mercury on the proximate composition of quality protein maize. The proximate composition of the maize varieties analyzed showed that the moisture content ranged from 11.57% ± 0.205% to 12.76%± 0.042%, ash from 1.11% ±0.064% to 1.58% ±0.021%, protein, 6.51%± 0.307% to 10.39% ±0.306%, fiber 1.44% ±0.071% to 1.87% ± 0.057%, fat 1.84% ± 0.078% to 2.75% ± 0.092% and carbohydrate 71.77% ± 0.035% to 76.54% ± 0.216%. The total mercury levels in the maize breeds analyzed ranged from 0.0010 + 1.17E-05μg/g to 0.0079 + 1.00E-05μg/g. The mercury levels detected were lower than the WHO limit for mercury in food of 0.5 μg/g in all the maize breeds. The low levels of mercury in the maize samples show they are safe for consumption.展开更多
Maize research at Institute for Agricultural Research, Samaru, Nigeria resulted in sustained growth in yields in the last two decades. Maize is grown throughout the country with guinea savanna as the most important ma...Maize research at Institute for Agricultural Research, Samaru, Nigeria resulted in sustained growth in yields in the last two decades. Maize is grown throughout the country with guinea savanna as the most important maize growing zone. In the last five years, four new open pollinating varieties developed in collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA, Ibadan) had been released for production. Hybrid varieties are also marketed by seed companies. The research was focused on variety improvement, improved management practices, integrated pests and disease control, soil fertility management, on-farm testing of improved production packages and socio-economics of production as well as adoption studies. The recently released quality protein maize has improved the nutritional status of vulnerable groups. Drought tolerant maize for Africa research project has contributed to sustainable maize production, poverty reduction and food security in the continent.展开更多
Bengal gram on germination has high nutritive value in terms of protein, fibre and minerals yet it has very low shelf life at room temperature, hence to enhance the shelf life of germinated Bengal gram, a value added ...Bengal gram on germination has high nutritive value in terms of protein, fibre and minerals yet it has very low shelf life at room temperature, hence to enhance the shelf life of germinated Bengal gram, a value added product can be developed in the form of Pickle with vinegar, oil and salt as preservatives. To optimize the quantity of ingredients to be added, Response Surface Methodology was used. Statistical software Stat-Ease was used for statistical and graphical analysis of the experimental data. It was found that the sensory scores were 7.2, 8.4, 7.8 & 7.7 for color, flavor, texture and overall acceptability corresponding to optimum conditions.展开更多
The process to obtain a protein-containing ingredient from the remaining whey of Argentinean "Cuatriolo" cheese production was studied. In order to optimize the protein recovery, physical and chemical treatments wer...The process to obtain a protein-containing ingredient from the remaining whey of Argentinean "Cuatriolo" cheese production was studied. In order to optimize the protein recovery, physical and chemical treatments were investigated. Two protocols with different sequences of application of heating step and acid addition were assayed in the presence and absence of fat and CaCl2. The results were evaluated by the yield, water retention and particle size. The results showed that the highest yield of the process (76.6%) and an increase in water retention (39.8 w/w) were achieved when the acid was added after boiled and incubated for 30 min at 90 ℃. In these working conditions, the presence of calcium shows a lower yield of recovery (72.8 %) and this behaviour correlates with a smaller particle size. Additionally, the presence of fat reduces the particle size and decreases the performance of the process (69.4%). Thus, the yield of protein recovery is related to the particle size of the aggregates, i.e., the recovery of proteins increases when increase the particle size. The simultaneous presence of fat and CaCI2 increases the amount of water retained in the aggregated protein (47.62 w/w). In conclusion, the process of aggregation in whey protein should take into account both the design of suitable protocol and the presence of fat and additives.展开更多
Complex perianal fistulas have a negative impact on the quality of life of sufferers and should be treated.Correct diagnosis,characterization and classification of the fistulas are essential to optimize treatment.Neve...Complex perianal fistulas have a negative impact on the quality of life of sufferers and should be treated.Correct diagnosis,characterization and classification of the fistulas are essential to optimize treatment.Nevertheless, in the case of patients whose fistulas are associated with Crohn's disease,complete closure is particularly difficult to achieve.Systemic medical treatments(antibiotics, thiopurines and other immunomodulatory agents,and, more recently,anti-tumor necrosis factor-αagents such as infliximab)have been tried with varying degrees of success.Combined medical(including infliximab)and less aggressive surgical therapy(drainage and seton placement)offer the best outcomes in complex Crohn's fistulas while more aggressive surgical procedures such as fistulotomy or fistulectomy may increase the risk of incontinence.This review will focus on emerging novel treatments for perianal disease in Crohn's patients. These include locally applied infliximab or tacrolimus, fistula plugs,instillation of fibrin glue and the use of adult expanded adipose-derived stem cell injection.More welldesigned controlled studies are required to confirm the effectiveness of these emerging treatments.展开更多
This study aimed to optimize the purification of recombinant growth hormone from Paralichthys olivaceus. Recombinant flounder growth hormone (r-fGH) was expressed by Escherichia coli in form of inclusion body or as ...This study aimed to optimize the purification of recombinant growth hormone from Paralichthys olivaceus. Recombinant flounder growth hormone (r-fGH) was expressed by Escherichia coli in form of inclusion body or as soluble protein under different inducing conditions. The inclusion body was renatured using two recovery methods, i.e., dilution and dialysis. Thereafter, the refolded protein was purified by Glutathione Sepharase 4B affinity chromatography and r-fGH was obtained by cleavage of thrombin. For soluble products, r-fGH was directly purified from the lysates by Glutathione Sepharase 4B affinity chromatography. ELISA-receptor assay demonstrated that despite its low receptor binding activity, the r-fGH purified from refolded inclusion body had a higher yield (2.605 mg L^-1) than that from soluble protein (1.964 mg L^-l). Of the tested recovery methods, addition of renaturing buffer (pH 8.5) into denatured inclusion body yielded the best recovery rate (17.9%). This work provided an optimized purification method for high recovery of r-fGH, thus contributing to the application of r-fGH to aquaculture.展开更多
The response surface methodology (Box-behnken design) was acknowledged for the production of optimized protein enriched pasta. Studied responses (protein, overall acceptability, hue angle and hardness) resulted to...The response surface methodology (Box-behnken design) was acknowledged for the production of optimized protein enriched pasta. Studied responses (protein, overall acceptability, hue angle and hardness) resulted to high protein pasta. The optima were at 12.5%,5 mung bean, 10% whey protein concentrate and 6% egg albumen in combination. Best combination of protein source and their respective level for high protein pasta on the quality evaluation basis were mung bean (15%) + whey protein concentrate (10%); mung bean (15%) + egg albumen (6%); mung bean (15%) + whey protein concentrate (10%) + egg albumen (6%). Hue angle and Hardness remained within acceptable range. Model adequacy was supported with lack of fit test. Enriched protein pasta had excellent cooking and sensory quality during storage period of 4 months. ERH value ranged from 34-36 per cent had supported the results. Rheological properties and good storage behaviour (4 months) had also enhanced the quality of optimized protein enriched pasta. Enriched pasta was rated excellent by 70 per cent of the consumers in mass acceptability trials.展开更多
A deep understanding of the spectral gain characteristics of optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) and optical parametric amplifiers (OPAs) is important for a highly efficient optical parametric conversion. We numeric...A deep understanding of the spectral gain characteristics of optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) and optical parametric amplifiers (OPAs) is important for a highly efficient optical parametric conversion. We numerically calculated the spectral gain characteristics of a quasi-phase-matching (QPM) parametric conversion process using the periodically poled 6% (mol/mol) MgO doped LiNbO3 (PPMgLN) as the nonlinear crystal. In the simulation we utilized the approach of a transformative matrix of the periodically poled nonlinear medium, which results from the small-signal approximation of three-wave mixed nonlinear equations. Numerical simulation results show that: (1) The full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the spectral gain of the parametric process becomes wider with the increase of parametric wavelength and reaches the maximum at degeneration; (2) The gain coefficient decreases gradually with the increase of parametric wavelength; (3) The spectral gain bandwidth decreases correspondingly with the increase of the nonlinear material length; (4) There exists an optimal parametric wavelength band, which is most suitable for the high gain parametric conversion when pumped by a laser source with a wide wavelength band, such as the high power fiber laser.展开更多
NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography are two premium methods for determining the atomic structures of macro-biomolecular complexes.Each method has unique strengths and weaknesses.While the two techniques are hig...NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography are two premium methods for determining the atomic structures of macro-biomolecular complexes.Each method has unique strengths and weaknesses.While the two techniques are highly complementary,they have generally been used separately to address the structure and functions of biomolecular complexes.In this review,we emphasize that the combination of NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography offers unique power for elucidating the structures of complicated protein assemblies.We demonstrate,using several recent examples from our own laboratory,that the exquisite sensitivity of NMR spectroscopy in detecting the conformational properties of individual atoms in proteins and their complexes,without any prior knowledge of conformation,is highly valuable for obtaining the high quality crystals necessary for structure determination by X-ray crystallography.Thus NMR spectroscopy,in addition to answering many unique structural biology questions that can be addressed specifically by that technique,can be exceedingly powerful in modern structural biology when combined with other techniques including X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy.展开更多
Epigenetic processes are important mechanisms for phenotypic changes that occur in response to the environment. As such, it is expected that the alteration of cytoplasmic composition (the immediate environment of nuc...Epigenetic processes are important mechanisms for phenotypic changes that occur in response to the environment. As such, it is expected that the alteration of cytoplasmic composition (the immediate environment of nuclei) results in the modifica- tion of the methylome and the expression of the nuclear genome. Cytoplasmic hybrids (or cybrids) are an ideal model to study the influence of mitochondria on gene expression. In this study, we take advantage of the natural of two biotypes that have a similar nuclear genome type Chrosomus eos, but harbor mitochondria from different species (C. eos in wild type or C. neogaeus in cybrids) to assess the effects of mitochondria on DNA methylation profiles and protein expression of the nuclear ge- nome. Comparison between these biotypes is particularly relevant given their recent divergence and their low level of genetic dif- ferentiation. Variations of DNA methylation assessed on tissues from different embryonic origins revealed the distinct profiles of cybrid and wild type populations. Differences are more pronounced between wild type and cybrids than between populations of a given biotype. The proteome is also more different between biotypes than within a given biotype. These results indicate a strong influence of mitochondria on the nuclear genome, which remains detectable in different genetic and environmental contexts. These changes in the methylome and proteome of cybrids are expected to reflect the adjustments imposed by the coexistence of nuclear and mitochondrial genomes from different species [Current Zoology 58 (1): 138-145, 2012].展开更多
基金Supported by Scientific and Research Project of Yunnan Tobacco Monopoly Bureau(Company)(07A06)~~
文摘[Objective] This study aimed to investigate the variation dynamics of total nitrogen and nicotine of burtey tobacco at various growing stages under different ni- trogen nutrition levels to provide reference for optimizing fertilization technologies for burley tobacco. [Method] Fresh burley tobacco leaves were collected at various growing stages and dried to measure the content of total nitrogen, protein and nico- tine by using INTEGRAL automated chemical analyzer and analyze the correlation with nitrogen application level. [Result] Regardless of the nitrogen application level, the content of total nitrogen and protein showed a downward trend since root ex- tending stage and reached the minimum at mature stage; the content of nicotine showed an upward trend since early vigorous growing stage and increased to the maximum at mature stage; the content of total nitrogen, protein and nicotine all in- creased after air curing; the content of total nitrogen, protein and nicotine showed positive correlation with nitrogen application level, while total nitrogen/nicotine was negatively correlated. The results indicate that nitrogen level is closely related to the total nitrogen and nicotine of burley tobacco at growing period and post-air curing, rational application of nitrogen is an important measure to regulate the content of total nitrogen and nicotine of tobacco. [Conclusion] This study provides scientific ba- sis for rational fertilization of burley tobacco.
文摘Plants can be exposed to mercury either by direct administration as antifungal agents, mainly to crop plants through seed treatment or foliar spray, or by accident. Mercury poisoning has become a problem of interest on a global scale. Natural emissions of mercury form two-thirds of the input; man-made releases form about one-third. Significant amounts of mercury may be added to agricultural land with sludge, fertilizers, lime and manures. Total mercury levels were determined in six breeds of quality protein maize using cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS). The breeds analyzed were Aziga, Abeleehi, Akposoe, Golden Jubilee, Etubi and Obaatanpa. Proximate composition of these breeds was also determined. The objective of this study was therefore to assess the effect of mercury on the proximate composition of quality protein maize. The proximate composition of the maize varieties analyzed showed that the moisture content ranged from 11.57% ± 0.205% to 12.76%± 0.042%, ash from 1.11% ±0.064% to 1.58% ±0.021%, protein, 6.51%± 0.307% to 10.39% ±0.306%, fiber 1.44% ±0.071% to 1.87% ± 0.057%, fat 1.84% ± 0.078% to 2.75% ± 0.092% and carbohydrate 71.77% ± 0.035% to 76.54% ± 0.216%. The total mercury levels in the maize breeds analyzed ranged from 0.0010 + 1.17E-05μg/g to 0.0079 + 1.00E-05μg/g. The mercury levels detected were lower than the WHO limit for mercury in food of 0.5 μg/g in all the maize breeds. The low levels of mercury in the maize samples show they are safe for consumption.
文摘Maize research at Institute for Agricultural Research, Samaru, Nigeria resulted in sustained growth in yields in the last two decades. Maize is grown throughout the country with guinea savanna as the most important maize growing zone. In the last five years, four new open pollinating varieties developed in collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA, Ibadan) had been released for production. Hybrid varieties are also marketed by seed companies. The research was focused on variety improvement, improved management practices, integrated pests and disease control, soil fertility management, on-farm testing of improved production packages and socio-economics of production as well as adoption studies. The recently released quality protein maize has improved the nutritional status of vulnerable groups. Drought tolerant maize for Africa research project has contributed to sustainable maize production, poverty reduction and food security in the continent.
文摘Bengal gram on germination has high nutritive value in terms of protein, fibre and minerals yet it has very low shelf life at room temperature, hence to enhance the shelf life of germinated Bengal gram, a value added product can be developed in the form of Pickle with vinegar, oil and salt as preservatives. To optimize the quantity of ingredients to be added, Response Surface Methodology was used. Statistical software Stat-Ease was used for statistical and graphical analysis of the experimental data. It was found that the sensory scores were 7.2, 8.4, 7.8 & 7.7 for color, flavor, texture and overall acceptability corresponding to optimum conditions.
文摘The process to obtain a protein-containing ingredient from the remaining whey of Argentinean "Cuatriolo" cheese production was studied. In order to optimize the protein recovery, physical and chemical treatments were investigated. Two protocols with different sequences of application of heating step and acid addition were assayed in the presence and absence of fat and CaCl2. The results were evaluated by the yield, water retention and particle size. The results showed that the highest yield of the process (76.6%) and an increase in water retention (39.8 w/w) were achieved when the acid was added after boiled and incubated for 30 min at 90 ℃. In these working conditions, the presence of calcium shows a lower yield of recovery (72.8 %) and this behaviour correlates with a smaller particle size. Additionally, the presence of fat reduces the particle size and decreases the performance of the process (69.4%). Thus, the yield of protein recovery is related to the particle size of the aggregates, i.e., the recovery of proteins increases when increase the particle size. The simultaneous presence of fat and CaCI2 increases the amount of water retained in the aggregated protein (47.62 w/w). In conclusion, the process of aggregation in whey protein should take into account both the design of suitable protocol and the presence of fat and additives.
文摘Complex perianal fistulas have a negative impact on the quality of life of sufferers and should be treated.Correct diagnosis,characterization and classification of the fistulas are essential to optimize treatment.Nevertheless, in the case of patients whose fistulas are associated with Crohn's disease,complete closure is particularly difficult to achieve.Systemic medical treatments(antibiotics, thiopurines and other immunomodulatory agents,and, more recently,anti-tumor necrosis factor-αagents such as infliximab)have been tried with varying degrees of success.Combined medical(including infliximab)and less aggressive surgical therapy(drainage and seton placement)offer the best outcomes in complex Crohn's fistulas while more aggressive surgical procedures such as fistulotomy or fistulectomy may increase the risk of incontinence.This review will focus on emerging novel treatments for perianal disease in Crohn's patients. These include locally applied infliximab or tacrolimus, fistula plugs,instillation of fibrin glue and the use of adult expanded adipose-derived stem cell injection.More welldesigned controlled studies are required to confirm the effectiveness of these emerging treatments.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.30901111)the China Agriculture Research System (CARS-50)the key Project of Chinese Ministry of Education (No.108083)
文摘This study aimed to optimize the purification of recombinant growth hormone from Paralichthys olivaceus. Recombinant flounder growth hormone (r-fGH) was expressed by Escherichia coli in form of inclusion body or as soluble protein under different inducing conditions. The inclusion body was renatured using two recovery methods, i.e., dilution and dialysis. Thereafter, the refolded protein was purified by Glutathione Sepharase 4B affinity chromatography and r-fGH was obtained by cleavage of thrombin. For soluble products, r-fGH was directly purified from the lysates by Glutathione Sepharase 4B affinity chromatography. ELISA-receptor assay demonstrated that despite its low receptor binding activity, the r-fGH purified from refolded inclusion body had a higher yield (2.605 mg L^-1) than that from soluble protein (1.964 mg L^-l). Of the tested recovery methods, addition of renaturing buffer (pH 8.5) into denatured inclusion body yielded the best recovery rate (17.9%). This work provided an optimized purification method for high recovery of r-fGH, thus contributing to the application of r-fGH to aquaculture.
文摘The response surface methodology (Box-behnken design) was acknowledged for the production of optimized protein enriched pasta. Studied responses (protein, overall acceptability, hue angle and hardness) resulted to high protein pasta. The optima were at 12.5%,5 mung bean, 10% whey protein concentrate and 6% egg albumen in combination. Best combination of protein source and their respective level for high protein pasta on the quality evaluation basis were mung bean (15%) + whey protein concentrate (10%); mung bean (15%) + egg albumen (6%); mung bean (15%) + whey protein concentrate (10%) + egg albumen (6%). Hue angle and Hardness remained within acceptable range. Model adequacy was supported with lack of fit test. Enriched protein pasta had excellent cooking and sensory quality during storage period of 4 months. ERH value ranged from 34-36 per cent had supported the results. Rheological properties and good storage behaviour (4 months) had also enhanced the quality of optimized protein enriched pasta. Enriched pasta was rated excellent by 70 per cent of the consumers in mass acceptability trials.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 60778001)the National Basic Research Program (973) of China (No. 2007CB307003)
文摘A deep understanding of the spectral gain characteristics of optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) and optical parametric amplifiers (OPAs) is important for a highly efficient optical parametric conversion. We numerically calculated the spectral gain characteristics of a quasi-phase-matching (QPM) parametric conversion process using the periodically poled 6% (mol/mol) MgO doped LiNbO3 (PPMgLN) as the nonlinear crystal. In the simulation we utilized the approach of a transformative matrix of the periodically poled nonlinear medium, which results from the small-signal approximation of three-wave mixed nonlinear equations. Numerical simulation results show that: (1) The full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the spectral gain of the parametric process becomes wider with the increase of parametric wavelength and reaches the maximum at degeneration; (2) The gain coefficient decreases gradually with the increase of parametric wavelength; (3) The spectral gain bandwidth decreases correspondingly with the increase of the nonlinear material length; (4) There exists an optimal parametric wavelength band, which is most suitable for the high gain parametric conversion when pumped by a laser source with a wide wavelength band, such as the high power fiber laser.
基金supported by grants from the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong to M.Z.supported by the National Major Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2011CB910500)+3 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31070657)the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. KSCX2-YW-R-154)The NMR spectrometers used in our studies were funded by donations from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charity Foundationthe Special Equipment Grant from RGC of Hong Kong (Grant No. SEG_HKUST06)
文摘NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography are two premium methods for determining the atomic structures of macro-biomolecular complexes.Each method has unique strengths and weaknesses.While the two techniques are highly complementary,they have generally been used separately to address the structure and functions of biomolecular complexes.In this review,we emphasize that the combination of NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography offers unique power for elucidating the structures of complicated protein assemblies.We demonstrate,using several recent examples from our own laboratory,that the exquisite sensitivity of NMR spectroscopy in detecting the conformational properties of individual atoms in proteins and their complexes,without any prior knowledge of conformation,is highly valuable for obtaining the high quality crystals necessary for structure determination by X-ray crystallography.Thus NMR spectroscopy,in addition to answering many unique structural biology questions that can be addressed specifically by that technique,can be exceedingly powerful in modern structural biology when combined with other techniques including X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy.
文摘Epigenetic processes are important mechanisms for phenotypic changes that occur in response to the environment. As such, it is expected that the alteration of cytoplasmic composition (the immediate environment of nuclei) results in the modifica- tion of the methylome and the expression of the nuclear genome. Cytoplasmic hybrids (or cybrids) are an ideal model to study the influence of mitochondria on gene expression. In this study, we take advantage of the natural of two biotypes that have a similar nuclear genome type Chrosomus eos, but harbor mitochondria from different species (C. eos in wild type or C. neogaeus in cybrids) to assess the effects of mitochondria on DNA methylation profiles and protein expression of the nuclear ge- nome. Comparison between these biotypes is particularly relevant given their recent divergence and their low level of genetic dif- ferentiation. Variations of DNA methylation assessed on tissues from different embryonic origins revealed the distinct profiles of cybrid and wild type populations. Differences are more pronounced between wild type and cybrids than between populations of a given biotype. The proteome is also more different between biotypes than within a given biotype. These results indicate a strong influence of mitochondria on the nuclear genome, which remains detectable in different genetic and environmental contexts. These changes in the methylome and proteome of cybrids are expected to reflect the adjustments imposed by the coexistence of nuclear and mitochondrial genomes from different species [Current Zoology 58 (1): 138-145, 2012].