November 2011
Establishing a biotech-modern-agriculture for China
China, with a large population and small amount of arable land, is a populous as well as a large agricultural country. In order to ensure food security, agricultural sustainable development and prosperity of agriculture economy, modern agriculture based on biotechnology combined with modern equipment must be developed. Only in that way can we achieve intensive management and establish a resource efficiently-utilized and...
November 2011
Food processing optimization using evolutionary algorithms
Evolutionary algorithms are widely used in single and multi-objective optimization. They are easy to use and provide solution(s) in one simulation run. They are used in food processing industries for decision making. Food processing presents constrained and unconstrained optimization problems. This paper reviews the development of evolutionary algorithm techniques as used in the food processing industries. Some...
November 2011
Maize defensin ZmDEF1 is involved in plant response to fungal phytopathogens
A seed-specific cDNA Zea mays defensin 1 (ZmDEF1), which encodes a novel plant defensin, was isolated from maize (Zea mays L. cv. NongDa108). ZmDEF1 containsa predicted signal peptide of 31 amino acids at the N-terminus domain and a mature peptide of 49 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 5.4 kDa. Expression data demonstrated that this gene is expressed specially in immature and...
November 2011
Karyotype studies on Tagetes erecta L. and Tagetes patula L.
Karyotypes of nine Tagetes erecta L. accessions and three Tagetes patula L. accessions were studied. The chromosome numbers of T. erecta and T. patula were 2n=2x=24 and 2n=4x=48, respectively. The karyotype formulae of T. erecta L. ‘Scarletade’ and ‘Perfection Yellow’ are 2n=2x=24=4sm+20m; ‘9901AB’ and ‘Harvest’,...
November 2011
Genetic diversity assessment of Diplocyclos palmatus (L.) C. Jeffrey from India using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA
Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of nuclear ribosomal DNA from 20 populations of Diplocyclos palmatus (L.) C. Jeffrey belonging to five different geographical locations (Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu) of India were sequenced. Analysis of nucleotide sequences reveals polymorphism among the populations [π = 0.01482, θw = 0.01180 (0.00236) and total...
November 2011
Regeneration of plantlets under NaCl stress from NaN3 treated sugarcane explants
In this experiment, mutation induction in explants using NaN3 and subsequently, callus growth and plant regeneration under NaCl stressed conditions was assessed in some sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) cultivars (Thatta-10, CPF-237 and SPHS-19). Immature bases of leaf tips were cultured on MS2n (MS salts, 3.0 mg L-1; 2,4-D, 0.5% NaN3) for 6 days then sub-cultured on MS2 (MS salts, 3.0 mg L-1 2,4-D), MS2a (MS2, 25...
November 2011
Proteomic and transcriptomic analysis reveals evidence for the basis of salt sensitivity in Thai jasmine rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. KDML 105)
The fragrant Thai jasmine rice cultivar, Khao Dawk Mali 105 (KDML 105), is an economically important cultivar with valuable flavour characteristics, however, it is very sensitive to salinity. To investigate whether genetic characters for salt-tolerance are present, proteomes from the leaf lamina of KDML 105 and a contrasting salt tolerant cultivar (Pokkali) were compared under saline conditions. Ten differential...
November 2011
Genetic diversity and relationship analysis among accessions of Aegilops ssp. in Turkey using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers
Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) DNA markers were used to assess the genetic diversity and relationships between 55 accessions of genus Aegilops, including the species Aegilops triuncialis L. (UUCC), Aegilops geniculata Roth (MMUU), Aegilops cylindrica Host (CCDD) and Aegilops umbellulata Zhuk (UU). The samples were collected from Aegean region and East Anatolia,...
November 2011
Determination of total polyphenol content and antityrosinase capacity of mulberrymedicine (Morusnigra L.) extract
Total polyphenol content and antityrosinase capacity of mulberry medicine extract were evaluated for its development and utilization. Total polyphenols were extracted from mulberry medicine with 70% alcohol solution. The content of total polyphenols was determined by ultraviolet spectrophotometer and the capacity of antityrosinase was evaluated by using the enzyme-linked...
November 2011
Somatic embryogenesis and bulblet regeneration in snakehead fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris L.)
Induction of in vitro morphogenesis of mature zygotic embryos of Fritillaria meleagrisL. was investigated. Somatic embryogenesis and whole plant regeneration were achieved. Isolated zygotic embryos were cultured on MS medium that contained 3% sucrose, 0.7% agar, 250.0 mg/l casein hydrolysate, 250.0 mg/l L-proline, 80 mg/l adenine sulfate and 1.0 mg/l 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) or thidiazuron...
November 2011
Meiotic behavior and pollen fertility of five species in the genus Epimedium
Meiotic behavior and pollen fertility were analysed in five Epimedium species:Epimedium chlorandrum, Epimedium acuminatum, Epimedium davidii, Epimedium ecalcaratum and Epimedium pubescens. Chromosome numbers for five species were 2n = 2x = 12. All examined species displayed stable meiotic process and high pollen fertility (>76.67%). Meiotic abnormality partially affected pollen...
November 2011
In vitro antifungal activity of 63 Iranian plant species against three different plant pathogenic fungi
Crude aqueous and methanolic extracts of 63 plant species belonging to 23 families collected from the west of Iran were screened for antifungal activity against three economically important phytopathogenic fungi, Cochliobolus sativus, Fusarium oxysporum and Rhizoctonia solani. Bioassay of extract was conducted by paper disc diffusion method on agar plate cultures with four...
November 2011
Effects of different photoperiods and concentrations of phosphate on the growth of the cyanobacterium Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii (Woloszynska)
The freshwater cyanobacterium, Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii is potentially toxic and widely distributed in tropical and sub-tropical regions. This species is highly abundant throughout the Anzali Lagoon during the months of July and August. The effects of four different photoperiods (L/D 12:12, 10:14, 14:10, 8:16) as well as three different concentrations of phosphate (2 fold, 3 fold and half of the...
November 2011
Uptake of cadmium from hydroponic solutions by willows (Salix spp.) seedlings
Willow (Salix sp.) has large biomass production and high resistance to environmental stress. As an important multipurpose tree species in afforestation, ithas been proved to be effective in the uptake and accumulation of metals from contaminated waters and soils. Suliu172 (Salix × jiangsuensis 'J172'), Hanliu (Salix matsudana), Weishanhu (Salix integra 'Weishanhu') and Yizhibi...
November 2011
Relationship between abscisic acid (ABA) concentration and some physiological traits in two wheat cultivars differing in post-anthesis drought-resistance
This work investigated the effects of endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) and physiologic parameters related to yield in two wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum L.), Marvdasht and Zagros (sensitive and tolerant to terminal season drought, respectively) grown in pots under well watered and water-stressed starting from anthesis until maturity. All physiological parameters were affected by drought stress. Results show that...
November 2011
Impacts of geo-physical factors and human disturbance on composition and diversity of roadside vegetation: A case study from Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve of Southwest China
We examined vegetation-disturbance-environment relationships in theXiaomengyang Section of Xishuangbanna Nature Reserve (XNR) using multivariate analysis to understand the impacts of geo-physical factors and human disturbance on vegetation along the highway corridor. We found that native forests were the best habitat for protected/endangered species and native species. The exotic plantsEupatorium...
November 2011
Modeling spatial pattern of deforestation using GIS and logistic regression: A case study of northern Ilam forests, Ilam province, Iran
This study aimed to predict spatial distribution of deforestation and detects factors influencing forest degradation of Northern forests of Ilam province. For this purpose, effects of six factors including distance from road and settlement areas, forest fragmentation index, elevation, slope and distance from the forest edge on the forest deforestation were studied. In order to evaluate the changes in forest, images...
November 2011
Differential response to water deficit stress in alfalfa (Medicago sativa) cultivars: Growth, water relations, osmolyte accumulation and lipid peroxidation
The present study was fixed as objective to compare the response to water deficit (33% of field capacity, FC) stress of eight cultivars of Medicago sativa, originating from the Mediterranean basin. Comparison was performed on some key parameters such as growth, relative water content, leaf water potential, MDA tissue content, electrolyte leakage and proline and soluble sugar tissue concentrations. In...
November 2011
Cloning and characterization of a thermostable 2-deoxy-D-ribose-5-phosphate aldolase from Aciduliprofundum boonei
Analysis of the presumptive 2-deoxy-D-ribose 5-phosphate aldolase gene fromAciduliprofundum boonei revealed an open reading frame (ORF) encoding 222 amino acids, which was subcloned and then expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant DERA protein was purified to apparent homogeneity. The enzyme activity was optimal at pH 7.0 and 80°C. For 2-deoxyribose-5-phosphate, the apparent Km was...
November 2011
Isolation and characterization of a bacterial cellulose-producing bacterium derived from the persimmon vinegar
A novel cellulose-producing organism was isolated from the liquid part of a 3-year ripened persimmon vinegar, which belonged to the family of Acetobacteracea based on its morphological and physiological characteristics. The phylogenetic position of the isolated strain was most closely related to Gluconacetobacter intermedius TF2T(99.929%), hence, it was specifically named...
November 2011
Purification and characterization of an endo-1,4-β-glucanase from Bacillus cereus
A cellulase produced by Bacillus cereus (B. cereus), isolated from the local soil, was purified to homogeneity from culture broth. The enzyme had a molecular mass of 51.3 kDa. The optimal cellulase activity was at pH 8 and at the temperature of 55°C. The enzyme was stable at 50°C in the pH range of 5 to 9. The enzyme was stable up to 55°C above which stability decreased rapidly after...
November 2011
Chemical composition of Hirsutella beakdumountainsis, a potential substitute for Cordyceps sinensis
A strain of Hirsutella beakdumountainsis parasitized on Antheraea pernyi pupa was isolated from the fruiting body. The objective of this work was to optimize the artificial cultivation condition for the fruiting bodies of H. beakdumountainsis and compare the compositions of natural fruiting bodies of Cordyceps sinensis (NFCS), mycelia from shake culture (SCHS) and the fruiting bodies from artificial...
November 2011
Phenolic composition and antioxidant capacity of Cherry laurel (Laurocerasus officinalis Roem.) sampled from Trabzon region, Turkey
In this study, we investigated 17 different phenolic constituents and total antioxidant properties of cherry laurel, Laurocerasus officinalis Roem (family Rosaceae), locally named karayemis or taflan, a summer fruit highly characteristic of the Black Sea region. Phenolic constituents were measured by reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Total phenolic compounds, total...
November 2011
Exhaust emissions and combustion performances of ethylene glycol monomethyl ether palm oil monoester as a novel biodiesel
A novel biodiesel named ethylene glycol monomethyl ether palm oil monoester was developed. This fuel owns one more ester group than the traditional biodiesel. The fuel was synthesized and structurally identified through FT-IR, P1PH NMR analyses and GPC. Engine test results showed that when a tested diesel engine was fueled with this biodiesel in the place of 0# diesel fuel, engine-out smoke...
November 2011
Optimization of biodiesel production from rice bran oil via immobilized lipase catalysis
The lipase-catalyzed transesterification of rice bran oil and methanol for biodiesel production in hexane was investigated. The effects of different hexane weight ratio, methanol molar ratio, reaction temperature and immobilized lipase dosage on the total conversion were systematically analyzed by response surface methodology (RSM). RSM analysis showed good correspondence between experimental and predicted values. The...
November 2011
Optimization of biodiesel production from rice bran oil via immobilized lipase catalysis
The lipase-catalyzed transesterification of rice bran oil and methanol for biodiesel production in hexane was investigated. The effects of different hexane weight ratio, methanol molar ratio, reaction temperature and immobilized lipase dosage on the total conversion were systematically analyzed by response surface methodology (RSM). RSM analysis showed good correspondence between experimental and predicted values. The...
November 2011
Mechanism of action of pefloxacin on surface morphology, DNA gyrase activity and dehydrogenase enzymes of Klebsiella aerogenes
The aim of the present study was to investigate susceptibility of Klebsiella aerogenestowards pefloxacin. The MIC determined by broth dilution method and Hi-Comb method was 0.1 µg/ml. Morphological alterations on the cell surface of the K. aerogenes was shown by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) after the treatment with pefloxacin. It was observed that the site of pefloxacin action was...
November 2011
Cytotoxic constituents of Clausena excavata
Phytochemical investigation on leaves, stem bark and roots of Malaysian Clausena excavata has led to the isolation and identification of limonoid compounds, clausenolide-1-methyl ether (1) and clausenarin (2), carbazole alkaloids, 3-formyl-2,7-dimethoxycarbazole (3) and clausine-K (4) together with coumarins, xanthyletin (5), dentatin (6) and nordentatin (7). Extracts of roots and isolated compounds...
November 2011
Antimicrobial activities of methanol and aqueous extracts of the stem of Bryophyllum pinnatum Kurz (Crassulaceae)
The stem of Bryophyllum pinnatum (Crassulaceae), used in ethnomedicine for the treatment of various diseases, was screened for secondary metabolites and antimicrobial activity on Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger. Phytochemical analysis showed the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, proteins,...
November 2011
Determining the relationship between the application of fixed appliances and periodontal conditions
The aim of this work was to study the relationship between the use of fixed appliances and periodontal conditions during orthodontic treatment. A Historical Cohort study design was used. The treatment group consisted of 30 patients undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment and 30 patients were used as controls. Both patient groups had no background of trauma resulting from bracket which might affect the gingival status and...
November 2011
Use of pheromone-baited traps for monitoring Ips sexdentatus (Boerner) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in oriental spruce stands
The population level and flight periods of Ips sexdentatus (Boerner) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) was determined according to certain stand dynamics, altitude steps and temperatures based on the capture amounts in pheromone traps hung on some spruce stands in the oriental spruce, Picea orientalis (L.) Link. Forests of Turkey in 2006 to 2009. Average number of I. sexdentatus was...
November 2011
Distributional record of oak gall wasp (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) species’ diversity in different regions of West-Azerbaijan, Iran
Among gall–inducing insects, the majority of species are gall wasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) that occur on oak trees (Quercus spp.) and produce galls on a certain part of the host. In this survey, oak gall wasp species were collected from the oak forests of Pardanan, Mirabad, Nalas, Sardasht, Hamran and Dar-ghabr in West-Azerbaijan province. The galls occurring on 50 cm sampled branches from four cardinal...
November 2011
Phosphine resistance in Rhyzopertha dominica (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) from different geographical populations in China
This study was carried out to determine the level of phosphine resistance in 16 Rhyzopertha dominica (Fabricius) populations that were collected from ten provinces and one municipality in China following the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) standard method. Results showed that the 50% lethal concentration (LC50) of phosphine to these R. dominica populations ranged from 0.017 to 4.272 mg/L. Of the 16...
November 2011
Contribution to the knowledge of Gnaphosidae (Arachnida: Araneae) in Turkey
In this study, some additions were made on arachnofauna in Turkey. We recordedDrassodex Murphy, 2007 genus and six gnaphosid species: Drassodex hypocrita(Simon, 1878), Drassodes cupreus (Blackwall, 1834), Echemus angustifrons(Westring, 1861), Setaphis gomerae (Schmidt, 1981), Trachyzelotes fuscipes (L. Koch, 1866) and Zelotes hermani (Chyzer,...
November 2011
A new endophytic taxol- and baccatin III-producing fungus isolated from Taxus chinensis var. mairei
120 endophytic fungi were isolated from the old inner bark of Taxus chinensis var.mairei and only a fungus was detected to produce Taxol and related taxanes inpotato dextrose agar (PDA) medium. The presence of taxol and baccatin III was confirmed by high performance liquid chromatography combined with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and competitive inhibition enzyme immunoassay (CIEIA). The fungal compound...
November 2011
Heart dysfunction and fibrosis in rat treated with myocardial ischemia and reperfusion
Because cardiovascular disease remains a serious problem in modern humansociety, the aim of this study was to establish the rat model animal and to compare the heart dysfunction and fibrosis with SD and LE rats when treated with myocardial ischemia and reperfusion operation. A 20-minute thoracotomy was performed on the rat at the left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion; then the...
November 2011
Cardiodepression as a possible mechanism of the hypotensive effects of the methylene chloride/methanol leaf extract of Brillantaisia nitens Lindau (Acanthaceae) in rats
Brillantaisia nitens Lindau (Acanthaceae) is traditionally used in Cameroon for the management of many diseases including cardiovascular disorders. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the contribution of cardiodepressive activity of methylene chloride/methanol leaf extract of B. nitens to its hypotensive action in normotensive (NTR) and deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt hypertensive rats (DSHR). In...
November 2011
Influence of cross-breeding of native breed sows of Zlotnicka spotted with boars of Duroc and polish large white (PLW) breeds on the slaughter value fatteners
The aim of this study was the estimation of the cross-breeding influence of Zlotnicka spotted sows with boars of polish large white and Duroc breeds on carcass traits of fatteners. 50 pigs were divided into four groups: Zlotnicka spotted (ZS), Zlotnicka spotted x polish large white (ZS x PLW), Zlotnicka spotted x Duroc (ZS x D) and Zlotnicka spotted x (Zlotnicka spotted x D). Obtained results confirm the results of...
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