Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tomato peel powder as fat replacement in low-fat sausages: Formulations with mechanically crushed powder exhibit higher stability than those with airflow ultra-micro crushed powder

This study investigated the effect of addition of tomato peel powder, with different particle sizes as fat replacement, on the fatty acid composition and textural properties in low-fat sausage for 48 days. Results indicated that the hardness of low-fat sausages with no tomato powder (LFN) was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that of the other groups, and springiness decreased slightly at a higher powder level. During storage, the polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratio of high-fat samples with no powder (HFN) and low-fat samples with no powder (LFN) decreased significantly relative to that of the other sausage samples (P < 0.05). Furthermore, a slight increase in yellowness was detected in most samples. Low-fat sausage with powder prepared by airflow ultra-micro crushing had lightness and redness values of 54.26 and 11.36, respectively. Thus, these values can be increased effectively by adding a small amount of tomato peel powder treated by the airflow ultra-microcrushing method. 1 Practical applications Tomato peel, an undervalued agro-industrial waste of the tomato juice industry, contains non-digestible fiber content that offers several physiological effects and therapeutic applications. To the best of our knowledge no studies have reported on the application of tomato powder as a fat analog in sausage and its contribution to the fatty acid and textural quality of sausage. The study reported here investigates the interactions between particles of tomato powder and fat levels on the overall quality of sausages. Comparison of two different crushing systems show that TBARS of sausage containing airflow ultra-micro crushing-prepared tomato peel powder is higher than that of the sausages with conventional mechanical crushing-prepared powder. Low-fat sausage with powder prepared by airflow ultra-micro crushing had lightness and redness. Overall, incorporation of tomato peel powder in the formulation successfully reduced the animal fat and improved the color and TBARS values of the final product.
Coconut Inflorescence Sap and its Value Addition as Sugar - Collection Techniques, Yield, Properties and Market Perspective

Fresh coconut sap (neera), if kept at room temperature for a couple of hours, undergoes fermentation. Fresh sap is golden in colour, with pH > 7 and has no foul odour. The traditional way of tapping, i.e. collecting the sap in a mud pot kept at the top of the palm under atmospheric temperature for 8-12 h, ferments the sap before collection itself. The colour turns whitish, pH drops to below 6 and odour of toddy (fermented smell) slowly develops. Hence the only way to avoid fermentation of sap is either keeping collection boxes at low temperature or to collect the sap every hour and store chilled. Central Plantation Crops Research Institute has developed 'coco-sap chiller' with ice cubes inside, which maintains the temperature at 2-3°C for 10-12 h, and also keeps the sap fresh and unfermented. The sap collected is sweet, non-alcoholic and also free from contaminants like ants, other insects, pollen, dust, etc. The fresh, hygienic and unfermented sap is called Kalparasa. It can be sold as a ready-to-serve health drink under refrigerated condition or can be processed into value-added natural products like sugar, jaggery, honey, syrup, etc. without the addition of chemicals.
Genetic diversity of red and black upland rice accessions from East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia as revealed by agro-morphological characters

Abstract. Mau YS, Markus JER, Shirly, Oematan S, Ndiwa ASS, Handoko DD, Nasution A, Makbul K. 2017. Genetic diversity of red and black upland rice accessions from East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia as revealed by agro-morphological characters. Biodiversitas 18: 197-211. A number of upland red and black rice accessions were collected from various locations of East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia. This germplasm collection is invaluable genetic resource that can be utilized to generate new improved varieties. The objective of the present study was to elucidate genetic diversity of the rice germplasm based on agro-morphological characters. The study was carried out in the Glasshouse involving 40 upland red and black rice accessions. Observed variables included qualitative and quantitative agro-morphological characters. A total of 26 qualitative and 16 quantitative characters were observed. Qualitative characters were descriptively analyzed while quantitative characters were subjected to analysis of variance. Both data were also subjected to cluster analysis. Research results revealed a significant difference among rice accessions in both qualitative and quantitative characters. The tested rice accessions exhibited substantial differences in most of the observed qualitative and quantitative variables. Cluster analysis employing qualitative variables classified the rice accessions into 4 clusters and 15 sub-clusters. The same analysis using quantitative characters placed the 40 rice accessions into 5 clusters and 8 sub-clusters. Evaluation of agro-morphological characters demonstrated that the rice germplasm under the present study possessed a high genetic diversity.Keywords: upland rice, agro-morphology, characters, diversity
Application of semi-quantitative and quantitative methods for the selection of cellulolytic filamentous fungi isolated from pulp mill materials

A semi-quantitative method (the enzymatic activity index, EI) and a quantitative method (the amount of reducing sugars, RS) have been used for selecting cellulolytic microorganisms. The analysis was performed with 90 isolates of filamentous fungi selected from pulp mill materials. In both methods 1% low viscosity carboxymethylcellulose (1% CMC l.v.) was used as a substrate. For n = 90, no correlation between the parameters has been found. A further analysis was carried out for 12 selected isolates: 6 with the highest RS values and 6 with the highest EI values. For the chosen fungi, also cultivated on 1% CMC l.v. medium, the following parameters have been determined: the total cellulase activity (filter paper assay, FPase), endoglucanase (CMCase) activity, β -glucosidase (CBase) activity, and the changes in the culture medium viscosity (DV). The statistical analysis revealed a negative, moderately marked correlation between EI and RS and clearly marked positive correlations for two pairs: RS-FPase and DV-FPase. A high positive correlation between RS and DV has also been observed. Correlations between EI, RS, DV, CMCase, and CBase activities were weak. It was shown that the quantitative parameter RS is more suitable than EI for the evaluation of the total cellulolytic activity of filamentous fungi. The application of CMC as the only source of carbon in the culture media and the subsequent determination of EI or RS has failed to provide the means for selecting fungi with a high endoglucanase (CMCase) activity.
Breeding for pepper fruit quality: a genitical metabolomics approach

A diverse collection of 32 pepper accessions was analysed for variation in health-related metabolites, such as carotenoids, capsaicinoids, flavonoids and vitamins C and E. For each of the metabolites analysed, there was a lot of variation among the accessions and it was possible to identify accessions with high amounts of specific metabolites. While all accessions contained high levels of vitamin C, accession C. chinenseAC2212 was found to be an excellent source of vitamin E, whereas C. annuumLong Sweet accumulated high levels of the flavonoid quercetin. A genetical metabolomics approach was used to study the genetic basis of metabolic traits in a segregating F2 population based on a cross between two contrasting pepper genotypes. This led to the identification of several metabolites QTL hotspots. The genetic basis for the accumulation of several flavonoids in pepper fruit was further investigated, by combining metabolic, gene expression and candidate gene-based marker data. This provided valuable insight into the key genes important for flavonoid accumulation in pepper fruit. The results of this study will help breeders to assist future breeding programs aimed at optimizing the levels of nutritional compounds in pepper fruit.
Projected distributions of Southern Ocean albatrosses, petrels and fisheries as a consequence of climatic change

Given the major ongoing influence of environmental change on the oceans, there is a need to understand and predict the future distributions of marine species in order to plan appropriate mitigation to conserve vulnerable species and ecosystems. In this study we use tracking data from seven large seabird species of the Southern Ocean (Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris, Grey-headed Albatross T. chrysostoma, Northern Giant Petrel Macronectes halli, Southern Giant Petrel M. giganteus, Tristan Albatross Diomedea dabbenena Wandering Albatross D. exulans and White-chinned Petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis , and on fishing effort in two types of fisheries (characterised by low or high-bycatch rates), to model the associations with environmental variables (bathymetry, chlorophyll-a concentration, sea surface temperature and wind speed) through ensemble Species Distribution Models. We then project these distributions according to four climate change scenarios built by the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change for 2050 and 2100. The resulting projections were consistent across scenarios, indicating that there is a strong likelihood of poleward shifts in distribution of seabirds, and several range contractions (resulting from a shift in the northern, but no change in the southern limit of the range in four species). Current trends for southerly shifts in fisheries distributions are also set to continue under these climate change scenarios at least until 2100; some of these may reflect habitat loss for target species that are already over-fished. It is of particular concern that a shift in the distribution of several highly threatened seabird species would increase their overlap with fisheries where there is a high-bycatch risk. Under such scenarios, the associated shifts in distribution of seabirds and increases in bycatch risk will require much-improved fisheries management in these sensitive areas to minimise impacts on populations in decline. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Farnesyltransferase: Gene Expression in Plants and Role in Plant Development

Protein farnesyltransferase (FTase, E. C. 2.5.1.21) post-translationally modifies regulatory proteins involved in controlling cell growth, division, and differentiation. Recently, a cDNA clone (PsFTb) encoding a pea (Pisum sativum) FTase β subunit was isolated. Initial studies led to the hypothesis that FTase plays a role in the regulation of plant cell division. To gain insight into FTase function in plants, a detailed study of the expression pattern of FTase genes was carried out. A cDNA (NgFTb) encoding the β subunit of tobacco FTase was cloned from a Nicotiana glutinosa cDNA library to initiate studies in tobacco. In tobacco BY-2 suspension culture, levels of NgFTb mRNA and FTase activity transiently increased at the early log phase of cell growth and rapidly declined before cells entered stationary phase. These data, along with inhibitor studies in the BY-2 system, support our hypothesis. To understand the expression and regulation of pea FTase subunit genes, 5’-upstream sequences of both pea FTase subunit genes (PsFTb and PsFTa) were cloned from a pea genomic library. The 5’-upstream sequence (~2 kb) of PsFTa was fused to GUS (β-glucuronidase) and GFP (green fluorescent protein) reporter genes and introduced into tobacco plants. This 2 kb upstream region appears insufficient to provide PsFTa promoter function. On the other hand, 3.2 kb of PsFTb 5’-upstream sequence expressed as a PsFTb:GUS construct is fully functional in transgenic tobacco plants. GUS expression was most prominent in actively growing cells supporting FTase involvement in plant cell cycle control. GUS activity was also found in mature and imbibed embryos but not premature embryos, consistent with the role of FTase in abscisic acid (ABA) signaling. An unexpected pattern of GUS activity, not correlated with dividing cells or ABA signaling, was also observed in the transgenic plants. GUS activity was detected in vascular bundles adjacent to actively-growing tissues and in regions that connect two organs, e.g., junctions between stems and leaf petioles, cotyledons and hypocotyls, roots and hypocotyls. Auxin promotes PsFTb expression while light and sucrose inhibit expression. These spatial and temporal expression patterns strongly suggest that FTase has a broader role associated with regulation of nutrient transportation or allocation in plants.
Spatial distribution of soil chemicals attributes in sugar cane crop area

1 Department of Agronomy (DAG), State University of Maringá (UEM), Av. Colombo 5790, Code 87020-900, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil. 2 State University of Maringá (UEM), Av. Colombo 5790, 87020-900, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil. 3 Geotechnology Applied in Agriculture and Forest (GAAF), State University of Mato Grosso (UNEMAT), Av. Perimetral Deputado Rogério Silva Norte 2, Alta Floresta, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
Economics of Cultivation and Value Addition of Ocimum spp. Cultivated with Teak-based Silvi-medicinal and Sole Cropping Systems in Gujarat

The study has reported the economics of three Ocimum species, namely O. tenuiflorum, O. gratissimum and O. basilicum, which were grown under 18-year old teak (Tectona grandis) based silvi-medicinal (teak + Ocimum spp.) and sole cropping systems and has investigated the effect of value addition due to herb and oil production. The study has found that herbage production of O. gratissimum provided highest net returns of ` 38, 018/ha (benefit-cost ratio (BCR): 1.85) when grown under sole cropping and ` 25, 418/ha (BCR: 1.24) when grown under silvi-medicinal system. The essential oil production from O. basilicum accrued the highest net returns of ` 103327/ha with BCR of 2.56. The value addition due to essential oil production provided higher returns and benefit cost ratio in O. tenuiflorum and O. basilicum. The NPV, IRR, PBP and BCR analysis has suggested cultivation, either as sole crop or under silvi-medicinal system, of O. gratissium for raw herbage and of O. basilicum for essential oil production. The study has revealed that the financial flow on account of oil production was higher as compared to herb production and value addition in terms of net returns and BCR ratio proved more remunerative.
Proteolytic activity characterization of Podisus nigrispinus gut contents and apparent lack of Cry1Ac toxin hydrolysis.

The use of plants genetically modified with Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) genes provides an unparalleled area wide protection to insect pests. However, the distribution and interaction of Cry toxins produced by Bt plants may impose harmful effects on non-target insects, including both phytophagous and predators exposed by direct feeding on plants or transfer via prey food chain. The stinkbugs, Podisus spp. , serve as important beneficial agents against Lepidoptera larvae, which can feed on Bt plants. Therefore, this work aimed to determine the in vitro proteolytic activity of digestive enzymes of Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas) that plays a role (by hydrolysis) in these natural enemies’ refractoriness to Bt Cry1Ac toxin. Firstly, a general characterization of proteases was performed to provide insights on this stinkbug hydrolysis. BApNA, SAAPFpNA, and SAAPLpNA were in this order the major hydrolyzed substrates by the P. nigrispinus digestive tract, suggesting trypsin-like, chymotrypsin-like, and elastase activity in the stinkbug gut content. However, cysteine-like proteases that act in mildly acidic to neutral solution were most likely the enzymes that hydrolyzed the BApNA substrate because they were strongly inhibited by E-64 (a cysteine proteases inhibitor) (100% at 10 mM). Furthermore, TLCK besides TPCK also inhibited the BApNA hydrolysis (100% at 10 mM), which suggest they non-selectively inhibited cysteine-like proteases since TPCK does not inhibit trypsin-like proteases. Departing from 0.1 mM, TPCK, EDTA and PMSF showed increased inhibition towards SAAPLpNA hydrolysis causing 90, 70, 60% of inhibition at 1mM, respectively. The in vitro proteolytic activity of P. nigrispinus digestive contents against Cry1Ac suggests that this toxin cross the stinkbug digestive system virtually unprocessed.
The investigation of variation and de novo mutation in the human genome

Hypervariable minisatellites form a subset of tandem repeat arrays which show high rates of germline instability. At the hypervariable minisatellite MS31a, population studies indicated that there was no polarity of variability within the tandem repeat array. This contrasts with previous analysis of pedigree mutant alleles which demonstrated that mutation is polarised towards the 5' end of the repeat array. Population studies on the flanking DNA also demonstrated high levels of recombination throughout the MS31a locus. It is suggested that the absence of any polarity of variability within the repeat array may be due to these elevated levels of recombination flanking the minisatellite. Further evidence to support this has arisen from studies to isolate and characterise crossover molecules from sperm DNA. This work identified a putative recombination hotspot in the 5' flanking DNA adjacent to the most unstable part of the tandem repeat array. This correlates well with similar studies on the human minisatellite MS32, indicating that there may be a conserved mechanism of mutation at these minisatellites. The second half of the project investigates instability of Alu elements. Alus are dispersed repeats which have been associated with recombination breakpoints in a significant number of genetic diseases. Two Alu rich regions were examined; the first is located upstream of the human hypervariable minisatellite MS32. The second is a region of the C l inhibitor gene that has previously been associated with Alu-mediated mutation. Population and evolutionary studies predicted that rearrangement at these loci was very rare. Concentrating on the detection of deletion events in sperm DNA, the most sensitive techniques available at this time were unable to recover any mutant alleles at either locus. The implications are that mutation detection techniques must be improved before the molecular mechanisms of low level mutation can be elucidated.
Sex differences in the epidemiology of tattoo skin disease in captive common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus): are males more vulnerable than females?

The clinical and epidemiological features of tattoo skin disease (TSD), caused by cetacean poxviruses, are reported in 257 common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) held in 31 facilities in the USA and Europe. Photographs and biological data of 146 females and 111 males were analyzed. Dolphins were classified into three age classes (0-3; 4-8; over 9 years), approximating the life stages of ‘calves and young juveniles’, ‘juveniles and sub-adults’ and ‘adults’. The youngest dolphins with tattoos were 14 and 15 months old. Minimal TSD persistence varied between 4 and 65 months in 30 dolphins and was over 22 months in those with very large lesions (> 115 mm). In 2012-2014, 20.6% of the 257 dolphins had TSD. Prevalence varied between facilities from 5.6% (n= 18) to 60% (n= 20), possibly reflecting variation in environmental conditions. Prevalence was significantly higher in males (31.5%) than in females (12.3%), a pattern which departs from that observed in free-ranging Delphinidae where there is no gender bias. As with free-ranging Delphinidae, TSD prevalence in captive females varied with age category, being the highest in the 4 to 8 year old. By contrast, prevalence levels in males were high in all age classes. Prevalence of very large tattoos was also higher in males (28.6%, n= 35) than in females (11.1%, n= 18). Combined, these data suggest that captive male T. truncatus are more vulnerable to TSD than females possibly because of differences in immune response and because males may be more susceptible to captivity-related stress than females.
Zur Amphibienfauna Perus nebst Beschreibung eines neuen Eleutherodactylus (Leptodactylidae)

Abstrax;t. A herpetological survey of Peru and the examination of further material in the collection of the Zoologisches Museum Alexander Koenig resulted in 94 species of amphibians. When known, ecological data and observations are provided for these species. Four species of frogs, Elachistocleis bicolor, Colostethus nexipiis, Pseudis paradoxa and Sphaenorhynchus lacteus, are recorded for the first time in Peru. Tadpoles of Chiasmocleis ventrimaculata, Telmatobius arequipensis. Bufo trifolium, and Gastrotheca marsupiata are described. Observations on ontogeny, parental care, and seasonal sexual dimorphism of Leptodactylus rhodonotus are reported. Eleutherodactylus nebulosus n. sp. (Leptodactyhdae) is described from the Cordillera Azul. Additionally, one or two species of salamanders (genus Bolitoglossa), two species of the dendrodatid genus Colostethus and some individuals of hylids, genus Gastrotheca, probably represent undescribed species. Epipedobates anthonyi is regarded as a synonym of E. tricolor. No subspecies of Telmatobius arequipensis are recognized. Hyla elkejungingerae is transferred to the genus Osteocephalus. The type locahty of Dendrobates variabilis is restricted to km 27 of the road from Tarapoto to Yurimaguas. Morphological differences between Phobobates bassleri and P. trivittatus are Hsted. The resolution of the following zoogeographical and taxonomical problems requires further intensive studies: several taxa of the Telmatobius culeus/albiventris and T. marmoratus/jelskii groups are insufficiently diagnosed and/or probably unjustified. The status of several forms within the Bufo spinulosus group remains unresolved. The subspecies Pleurodema marmorata viridis needs further justification. In contrast, the redbellied form of Epipedobates pictus probably deserves subspecific status. Several cryptic species of frogs almost certainly hide under the names Leptodactylus wagneri and Gastrotheca marsupiata. A checklist of all amphibian species reported from Peru is provided.