Abiotic and Biotic Factors Controlling Grain Aroma along Value Chain of Fragrant Rice:A Review

The aroma of fragrant rice is one of the grain quality attributes that significantly influenceconsumer preferences and prices in world markets. The volatile compound 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2AP) isrecognized as a key component of the aroma in fragrant rice. The variation in grain 2AP content amongvarious fragrant rice varieties is associated with the expression of the badh2 gene, with 19 alleles havingbeen identified so far. The grain 2AP content is strongly influenced by environmental and managementfactors during cultivation as well as post-harvest conditions. This review pinpointed the major abiotic andbiotic factors that control grain 2AP content. Abiotic factors refer to water, temperature, light quality,fertilizer application (both macro- and micro-nutrients), and soil properties, including salinity, while bioticfactors include microorganisms that produce aromatic compounds, thus influencing the grain aroma infragrant rice. Post-harvest management, including storage and drying conditions, can significantly impactthe grain 2AP content, and proper post-harvest conditions can intensify the grain aroma. This reviewsuggests that there are rice varieties that can serve as potential sources of genetic material for breedingrice varieties with high grain aroma content. It offers an overview of recent research on the major factorsaffecting the aroma content in fragrant rice. This knowledge will facilitate further research on theproduction of high-quality rice to meet the demands of farmers and consumers.

Characterization and Selection of Microcrystalline Cellulose from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches for Strengthening Hydrogel Films

Microcrystalline cellulose(MCC)is one of the cellulose derivatives produced as a result of the depolymerization of a part of cellulose to achieve high crystallinity.When implemented in other polymers,high crystallinity correlates with greater strength and stiffnes,but it can reduce the water-holding capacity.The acid concentration and hydrolysis time will affect the acquisition of crystallinity and water absorption capacity,both of which have significance as properties of hydrogel filler.The study aimed to evaluate the properties and select the MCC generated from varying the proportion of hydrochloric acid(HCl)and the appropriate hydrolysis time as a filler for film hydrogel.MCC was produced by hydrolyzing cellulose of oil palm empty fruit bunches(OPEFB)with the HCl solution at varied concentrations and periods.The results show that the longer hydrolysis times and higher HCl concentrations increase crystallinity and density while lowering yield and water absorption.The extensive acid hydrolysis reduces the amorphous area significantly,allowing the depolymerization to occur and extend the crystalline area.The morphological properties of the MCC,which are smaller but compact,indicate the presence of disintegrating and diminishing structures.A 2.5 N HCl concentration and a 45-min hydrolysis time succeed in sufficient crystallinity as well as maintaining good water absorption capacity.The treatment produced MCC with absorption capacity of 4.03±0.26 g/g,swelling capacity of 5.03±0.26 g/g,loss on drying of 1.44%±0.36,bulk and tapped density of 0.27±0.031 g/cm^(3) and 0.3±0.006 g/cm^(3),respectively,with a crystallinity index of 88.89%±4.76 and a crystallite size of 4.23±0.70 nm.The MCC generated could potentially be utilized as a hydrogel film filler,since a given proportion will be able to maintain the strength of the hydrogel,not readily dissolve but absorb water significantly.

Distribution of antioxidants and phenolic compounds in flour milling fractions from hard red winter wheat

Mature wheat kernels contain three main parts:endosperm,bran,and germ.Flour milling results in multiple streams that are chemically different;however,the distribution of antioxidants and phenolic compounds has not been well documented in terms of conventional milling by-product streams.In this study,multiple analytical methods were used to investigate antioxidant activity and phenolic compound compositions of hard red winter wheat(whole ground wheat),the parts of a wheat kernel(bran,flour,germ),and wheat by-product streams(mill feed,red dog,shorts)for the first time.For each mill stream,phenolic compounds(total,flavonoid,and anthocyanin contents)were determined and antioxidant activities were evaluated with 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH)radical-scavenging activity,ferric reducing/antioxidant power(FRAP),and total antioxidant capacity assays.Significant differences(P<0.05)were observed in phenolic concentrations among fractions of bran,flour,and germ milled from the same kernels and noted that germ accounts for the majority of antioxidant properties,whereas bran contains a substantial portion of phenolic compounds and anthocyanins.Mill feed was high in phenolic content(5.29 mg FAE/g),total antioxidant capacity(866 mg/g),and antioxidant activity(up to 75% DPPH inhibition and 20.26μmol FeSO_(4)/g).The comprehensive information on distribution of antioxidants and phenolic compounds provides insights for future human consumption of commonly produced co-products from flour milling,and for selecting and using different milling fractions to make foods with improved nutritional properties.

The adsorptive properties of UiO-66 towards organic dyes: A record adsorption capacity for the anionic dye Alizarin Red S.

In order to decisively determine the adsorption selectivity of zirconium MOF(UiO-66) towards anionic versus cationic species, the adsorptive removal of the anionic dyes(Alizarin Red S.(ARS), Eosin(E), Fuchsin Acid(FA)and Methyl Orange(MO)) and the cationic dyes(Neutral Red(NR), Fuchsin Basic(FB), Methylene Blue(MB),and Safranine T(ST)) has been evaluated. The results clearly reveal a significant selectivity towards anionic dyes. Such an observation agrees with a plethora of reports of UiO-66 superior affinity towards other anionic species(Floride, PO_4^(3-), Diclofenac sodium, Methylchlorophenoxy-propionic acid, Phenols, CrO_4^(2-), SeO_3^(2-), and AsO_4^-). The adsorption process of ARS as an example has been optimized using the central composite design(CCD). The resultant statistical model indicates a crucial effect of both pH and sorbent mass. The optimum conditions were determined to be initial dye concentration 11.82 mg.L^(-1), adsorbent amount 0.0248 g, shaking time of 36 min and pH 2. The adsorption process proceeds via pseudo-second order kinetics(R^2= 0.999). The equilibrium data were fit to Langmuir and Tempkin models(R^2= 0.999 and 0.997 respectively). The results reveal an exceptional removal for the anionic dye(Alizarin Red S.) with a record adsorption capacity of400 mg·g^(-1). The significantly high adsorption capacity of UiO-66 towards ARS adds further evidence to the recently reported exceptional performance of MOFs in pollutants removal from water.

Toxicity of several botanical essential oils and their combinations against females of Aedes albopictus(Skuse) and Anopheles minimus(Theobald): Oviposition deterrent, ovicidal and adulticidal efficacies

Objective: To investigate the efficacies of 12 essential oil(EO) formulations from three Zingiberaceae plants(Alpinia galanga, Curcuma zedoaria, and Zingiber cassumunar) individually and in combination with an augmenting Eucalyptus globulus(E. globulus) EO against females of Aedes albopictus(Ae. albopictus) and Anopheles minimus(An. minimus). Methods: These formulations were evaluated for their ovicidal, oviposition deterrent and adulticidal activities against Ae. albopictus and An. minimus by a topical method, a double-choice method and a WHO susceptibility test, respectively. Results: It was found that all formulations of Zingiberaceae plants EOs augmented with E. globulus EO were more effective in oviposition deterrent, ovicidal, and adulticidal activities against the two mosquito species than all of the formulations used without E. globulus EO. Their oviposition deterrent, ovicidal and adulticidal activities were equivalent to those of 10% w/v cypermethrin. In contrast, 70% v/v ethyl alcohol as a control alone was not effective at all. The highest synergistic effect in effective repellency against Ae. albopictus was achieved by 5% Alpinia galanga EO + 5% E. globulus EO and against An. minimus was 5% Zingiber cassumunar EO + 5% E. globulus EO. Moreover, the highest synergistic effects in ovicidal activities against Ae. albopictus and An. minimus were achieved by 10% Zingiber cassumunar EO + 10% E. globulus EO and 5% Curcuma zedoaria EO + 5% E. globulus EO, respectively. For the adulticidal activities, the highest synergistic effect against two mosquitoes was achieved by 5% Curcuma zedoaria EO + 5% E. globulus EO. Conclusions: These results suggest that Zingiberaceae plant EOs augmented with E. globulus EO have a high potential to be developed into oviposition deterrent, ovicidal, and adulticidal agents for controlling populations of Ae. albopictus and An. minimus.

Epidemiology of pediculosis capitis among schoolchildren in the eastern area of Bangkok,Thailand

Objective:To determine the prevalence of infestation with head lice in primary schoolchildren in the eastern area of Bangkok,Thailand.Methods:The present study was to determine the head lice infestation(Pediculosis) levels in primary schoolchildren,during May,2011 to July, 2011,A total of 3747 schoolchildren aged 5-12 years old from 12 selected primary school of Ladkrabang district,the eastern area of Bangkok were examined for head lice.Pediculosis was defined as the presence of at least on living adult,nymph and viable egg.Results:The overall head lice infestation rate was 23.32%and infestation rate was higher in girls(47.12%) than in boys(0%).The infestation rate among schoolchildren varied from 12.62%to 29.76%.The infestation rate among girls varied from 26.07%(12 years old group) to 55.89%(8 years old group).Conclusions: Pediculosis is a common public healtli problem affecting primary schoolchildren in eastern area of Bangkok and those levels are epidemic importance.

Effect of probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum Dad-13 powder consumption on the gut microbiota and intestinal health of overweight adults

BACKGROUND Shifting on lifestyle,diet,and physical activity contributed on increasing number of obese people around the world.Multiple factors influence the development of obesity.Some research suggested that gut microbiota(GM)plays an important role in nutrient absorption and energy regulation of individuals,thus affecting their nutritional status.Report of Indonesia Basic Health Research showed that the prevalence of obesity in every province tended to increase.Although the root cause of obesity is excessive calorie intake compared with expenditure,the differences in gut microbial ecology between healthy and obese humans may affect energy homeostasis.GM affect body weight,especially obesity.Probiotics that are consumed while alive and able to colonize in the intestine are expected to increase the population of good bacteria,especially Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli,and suppress pathogens such as Enterobacteriaceae and Staphylococcus.The strain of L.plantarum Dad-13 has been demonstrated to survive and colonize in the gastrointestinal tract of healthy Indonesian adults who consume fermented milk containing L.plantarum Dad-13.The consumption of probiotic L.plantarum Dad-13 powder decreased E.coli and non-E.coli coliform bacteria in school-aged children in Indonesia.L.plantarum is a dominant bacterium in the average Indonesian’s GM.For this reason,this bacterium is probably a more suitable probiotic for Indonesians.AIM To determine the effect of the consumption of indigenous probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum Dad-13 powder in overweight adults in Yogyakarta(Indonesia).METHODS Sixty overweight volunteers with a body mass index(BMI)equal to or greater than 25 consume indigenous probiotic powder L.plantarum Dad-13(2×109 CFU/gram/sachet)for 90 d.The study was a randomized,double-blind,placebocontrolled study.The volunteers filled in a diary on a daily basis,which consisted of questions on study product intake(only during ingestion period),other food intake,number of bowel movements,fecal quality(consistency and color),any medications received,and any symptom of discomfort,such as diarrhea,constipation,vomiting,gassing,sensation of illness,etc.Fecal samples and the subjects’diaries were collected on the morning of day 10+1,which was marked as the end of the baseline period and the start of the ingestion period.During the ingestion period(from day 11 to day 101),several parameters to measure and analyze the results included body weight and height(once a month),the lipid profile,GM analysis using MiSeq,short-chain fatty acid(SCFA)analysis using gas chromatography,and the measurement of fecal pH using a pH meter.RESULTS The consumption of indigenous probiotic powder L.plantarum Dad-13 caused the average body weight and BMI of the probiotic group to decrease from 84.54±17.64 kg to 83.14±14.71 kg and 33.10±6.15 kg/m2 to 32.57±5.01 kg/m2,respectively.No significant reduction of body weight and BMI in the placebo group was observed.An analysis of the microbiota showed that the number of Bacteroidetes,specifically Prevotella,increased significantly,while that of Firmicutes significantly decreased.No significant change in lipid profile in both groups was found.Also,no significant change in SCFAs(e.g.,butyrate,propionate,acetic acid)and pH level was found after the consumption of the probiotic.CONCLUSION No significant differences in pH before and after ingestion were observed in both the probiotic and placebo groups as well as in the lipid profile of both cholesterol and triglyceride,high-density lipoprotein(HDL),low-density lipoprotein(LDL),and the LDL/HDL ratio.In addition,no significant changes in the concentration of SCFAs(e.g.,acetic acid,propionate,and butyrate)were found after consumption.Interestingly,a significant decrease in body weight and BMI(P<0.05)was determined in the treatment group.An analysis of GM shows that L.plantarum Dad-13 caused the Firmicutes population to decrease and the Bacteroidetes population(especially Prevotella)to increase.

Adulticidal, larvicidal, pupicidal and oviposition deterrent activities of essential oil from Zanthoxylum limonella Alston(Rutaceae) against Aedes aegypti(L.) and Culex quinquefasciatus(Say)

Objective: To evaluate adulticidal, larvicidal and oviposition deterrent response of the essential oil from dried Zanthoxylum limonella(Z. limonella) fruit against Aedes aegypti(Ae. aegypti) and Culex quinquefasciatus(Cx. quinquefasciatus).Methods: Z. limonella oil was tested by biological assays at 1%, 5% and 10% concentrations in ethanol. Adulticidal efficacy was tested against the 2–3 day old adult females. Larvicidal activity was tested against immature stage of mosquitoes. Oviposition deterrence of the oil was evaluated on gravid females.Results: The adult mortality was observed after 24 h with the LC50 of 6.0% for Ae.aegypti, and 5.7% for Cx. quinquefasciatus. Larvicidal bioassay was carried out with the 10% Z. limonella oil against immature stages of Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus,which caused 100% mortality after 12 h and 24 h. In the larvicidal experiment,Z. limonella showed effective result at 1%, 5% and 10% concentrations with the values of LT50 Ae. aegypti = 9.78, 5.61, 0.24 h for larvae and LT50= 64.08, 21.23 h for pupae;Cx. quinquefasciatus had LT50= 28.46, 20.25, 1.01 h for larvae and LT50= 67.52, 27.96,4.11 h for pupae, respectively. Oviposition deterrence of the oil was evaluated on gravid females. In the study, 10% Z. limonella showed 100% repellency for Ae. aegypti and99.53% for Cx. quinquefasciatus. Likewise, oviposition activity indexes of these oil concentrations were all negative values ranging from–0.89 to-1.00 for Ae. aegypti and–0.64 to–0.99 for Cx. quinquefasciatus. The oviposition activity indexes values revealed that Z. limonella oil has deterrent effect, and it caused a remarkable negative response resulting in very few eggs.Conclusions: This result indicates that Z. limonella oil can be used as an effective adulticide, larvicide and oviposition deterrent against Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus.

Efficacies of four plant essential oils as larvicide, pupicide and oviposition deterrent agents against dengue fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti Linn.(Diptera: Culicidae)

Objective:To evaluate larvicidal,pupicidal and oviposition deterrent activities of four plant essential oils from Alpinia galanga(L.)Willd rhizome,Anethum graveolens L.(An.graveolens)fruit,Foeniculum vulgare Mill.fruit,and Pimpinella anisum L.fruit against Aedes aegypti(Ae.aegypti).Methods:Four essential oils at 1%,5%and 10%concentrations were assessed for insecticidal activity against larvae and pupae of Ae.aegypti,following the procedure of a dipping method assay.Oviposition deterrent activity of four essential oils was evaluated on gravid female of Ae.aegypti by a dual-choice oviposition bioassay.Results:The results revealed that An.graveolens oil provided the strongest larvicidal activity against Ae.aegypti among four tested plant essential oils with the highest mortality rate of 100%and LC_(50)value of-0.3%.From the pupicidal experiment,An.graveolens also showed the highest toxicity against Ae.aegypti pupae with the highest mortality rate of 100%at 72 h and LC_(50)value of2.9%.In addition,10%An.graveolens had an oviposition deterrent effect against Ae.aegypti with effective repellency of 100%and an oviposition activity index of-1.0.Conclusions:An.graveolens oil has a good potential as a larvicidal,pupicidal and oviposition deterrent agent for controlling Ae.aegypti.

The impact of land afforestation on carbon stocks surrounding Tehran,Iran

The city of Tehran, like many polluted metropolises of the world, has higher emissions of greenhouse gases than other cities in Iran, due to heavy consumption of fossil fuel and landuse changes. To estimate carbon sequestration in two 40 year-old stands of plantedCupressus arizonica andFraxinus rotundifolia in degraded lands surrounding Tehran , sampling of above- and below- ground biomass, soil （at two depths of 0-15 and 15-30 cm）, and leaf litter was done by systematic random sampling. The total carbon stocks ofC. arizonica and F. rotundifolia stands were respectively 328.20 and 150.69 Mg·ha-1. The aboveground biomass with 233.16（71%） Mg·ha-1 inC. arizonica and 88.16 （58.50%） Mg·ha-1 inF. rotundifolia contributed the most shares to carbon sequestration. The diameter at breast height, total height, basal area, total volume, and biomass ofC. arizonica were significantly （p 〈0.01） higher than those ofF. rotundifolia. Also the depth of 0-30 cm of soil contributed between 18.29 % and 32.15 % of total ecosystem carbon, respectively. The economic value of carbon sequestration in the two stands in 2011 was calculated at 3.5 and 2.5 million dollars, respectively. Our results indicate that afforestation of the degraded land surrounding Tehran would sequester more carbon than would continuously degraded land, the current status quo. These stands can absorb atmospheric CO2at different rates, thus tree species selection and stand development should be considered in planning future afforestation projects.

Effects of Co-Existing Ions on the Phosphorus Potassium Ratio of the Precipitate Formed in the Potassium Phosphate Crystallization Process

Livestock wastewater is mainly treated with activated sludge, but ions such as phosphorus, potassium, ammonium, nitrate and sulfate remain in the effluent. In this study, the effects of residual ions on phosphorus recovery using the magnesium potassium phosphate crystallization method were investigated when magnesium was added to increase the pH. If co-existing ions affect the products, the phosphorus to potassium molar ratio (K/P ratio) of the precipitate will deviate from being equimolar. Artificial wastewater test solutions containing 5.6 - 20.3 mM ammonium, 25.6 mM potassium, 6.5 mM phosphorus, 0 - 7.35 mM nitrate, and 0 - 3.06 mM sulfate were used. First, the optimum operating pH and amount of magnesium added to give a high phosphorus removal rate and recovery rate were determined. The experimental setup was a 10 L aerated and stirred reactor, and a 5 L settling tank. The K/P ratio in precipitate was approximately 1 using the optimum conditions. Continuous 2 h treatment allowed a white precipitate containing about 30 g of needle-like crystals to be obtained. Next, the effects of varying the ammonium, nitrate, and sulfate ion concentrations in the artificial effluent were investigated. Ammonium and sulfate ion concentrations of 8 mM or more and 3 mM or more, respectively, caused the K/P ratio to decrease to about 0.7 and 0.5, respectively. Varying the nitrate concentration did not affect the K/P ratio, even at a nitrate concentration of 7.35 mM.

Advances in the phylogenesis of Agaricales and its higher ranks and strategies for establishing phylogenetic hypotheses

We present an overview of previous research results on the molecular phylogenetic analyses in Agaricales and its higher ranks (Agaricomycetes/Agaricomycotina/Basidiomycota) along with the most recent treatments of taxonomic systems in these taxa. Establishing phylogenetic hypotheses using DNA sequences, from which an understanding of the natural evolutionary relationships amongst clades may be derived, requires a robust dataset. It has been recognized that single-gene phylogenies may not truly represent organismal phylogenies, but the concordant phylogenetic genealogies from multiple-gene datasets can resolve this problem. The genes commonly used in mushroom phylogenetic research are summarized.

Studies on Composting Spent Coffee Grounds by <i>Aspergillus sp</i>and <i>Aspergillus sp</i>in Aerobic Static Batch Temperature Control

Spent Coffee Ground (SCG) is characterized by high organic content, in the form of insoluble polysaccharides bound and phenol compounds. Phenol compounds are toxic to nature and are a cause of environmental pollution. Composting method of this study is aerobic static batch composting with temperature control with adding activators of some fungi such as Aspergillus sp, and Penicillium sp. The purpose of the research is to fill the research gap from previous studies of spent coffee grounds compost, which requires a long time in composting, so that if it is used directly on the soil and plants, the positive effect also requires a long time. The result of composting for 28 days with this method is that mature compost has black crumb and normal pH, with characteristics of C/N ratio below 10: C1 (7.06), C2 (6.99). This value is far from the control with a C/N ratio of 8.33. Decompose rate of macromolecule are above 40% for lignin and 70% for cellulose. Implementation of compost in radish plants, resulting Germination Index above 80% which indicates that the compost is ripe: control (92.39%), C1 (183.88%), C2 (191.86%). The results of the analysis with FTIR also showed that the compost was mature and stable, and rich in minerals. So, it can be concluded that this composting method can speed up composting time and optimize the results of compost produced.

Larvicidal, pupicidal and oviposition deterrent activities of essential oils from Umbelliferae plants against house fly Musca domestica

To evaluate the toxicity against house fly Musca domestica L.(M. domestica)-larvicidal, pupicidal, and oviposition deterrent activities of essential oils(EOs) from five plants: Anethum graveolens L.(A. graveolens), Centratherum anthelminticum L.(C. anthelminticum), Foeniculum vulgare Mill.(F. vulgare), Pimpinella anisum L.(P. anisum), and Trachyspermum ammi L.(T. ammi) Sprague. Methods: Dipping, topical and dual-choice assays were performed by using each EO at three concentrations(1%, 5% and 10%) as well as cypermethrin(positive control) and ethyl alcohol(negative control) in order to determine their larvicidal, pupicidal and oviposition deterrent activities against M. domestica mortality rate and morphogenic abnormality of larvae and pupae were recorded after 3 and 10 days of incubation. Oviposition deterrent activity was recorded for 5 consecutive days from the beginning of the assay. Results: All EOs at the highest concentration(10%) were highly effective in oviposition deterrent with 100% effective repellency and an oviposition activity index of-1.00. Ten percent of F. vulgare oil exhibited the highest efficacy against the larvae with 89.6% mortality rate at 3 days and an LC50 value of 5.4%. Ten percent of A. graveolens and T. ammi oils showed the highest efficacy against the pupae with 100% mortality and an LC50 value ranging from 1.81%-2.24%. Conclusions: These results indicate that F. vulgare, A. graveolens and T. ammi EOs are effective larvicidal, pupicidal and oviposition deterrent agents against house fly M. domestica.