Chemical modification and chemical cross-linking for protein/enzyme stabilization

The developmental competence of bovine follicular oocytes that had been meiotically arrested with the phosphokinase inhibitor 6-dimethylaminopurine (6-DMAP) was studied. After 24 h in vitro culture with 2 mM 6-DMAP, 85 +/- 12% of the oocytes were at the germinal vesicle stage compared to 97 +/- 3% at the start of culture (P > 0.05). After release of the 6-DMAP inhibition, followed by 24 h IVM, 82 +/- 18% were at MII stage, compared with 93 +/- 7% in the control group (P > 0.05). The 6-DMAP oocytes displayed a much higher frequency of abnormal MII configurations than the control oocytes (67% vs 23%; P < 0.0001). In addition spontaneous oocyte activation was more frequent than among control oocytes (5% vs 0.3%; P 0.0006). After IVF of 6-DMAP oocytes, normal fertilization was lower (76 +/- 8% vs 89 +/- 7%; P < 0.01), oocyte activation higher (11 +/- 5% vs 2 +/- 2%; P < 0.01), and polyspermy slightly but not significantly higher (8 +/- 7% vs 4 +/- 4%; P > 0.05), compared with the control group. Cleavage was lower (61 +/- 13% vs 81 +/- 6%; P < 0.001), as well as day 8 blastocyst formation (17 +/- 7% vs 36 +/- 8%; P < 0.001). The MII kinetics was different for 6-DMAP and control oocytes. Maximum MII levels were reached at 22 h IVM in both groups, but 50% MII was reached at 17 h in 6-DMAP oocytes, compared to 20 h in control oocytes. Ultrastructure of MII oocytes was similar in the two groups, but in 6-DMAP oocytes the ooplasmic vesicle pattern at GV was at a more advanced stage than in control oocytes. In conclusion, 6-DMAP exposure of GV oocytes prior to IVM induce asynchronous cytoplasmic maturation, leading to aberrant MII kinetics. Thus, at the time of insemination a smaller cohort of oocytes will be at the optimal stage for normal fertilization and subsequent blastocyst development.     

System for ESR measurements at hydrostatic pressures to 60 kilobars

A single-crystal sapphire serves both as a solid microwave cavity (X band) and an anvil in a Bridgman-anvil pressure geometry. A metal gasket is used in a manner similar to its use in the diamond-anvil pressure cell, and single-crystal samples are subject to purely hydrostatic pressures. The ruby-fluorescence pressure-measurement technique is utilized. Sample size is limited to a disk approximately 0.6 mm in diameter and 0.1 mm thick. ESR data on Cr(3+) in ruby to 60 kilobars are given as an illustration of the precision and data quality. Line widths and profiles, as well as line positions, are meaningful. Very little degradation of the data is experienced at the higher pressures. The first and second derivatives of the zero-field splitting (delta) of the states in ruby with pressure are measured as ddelta/dP= (6.70+/-0.08) x 10(-4) cm(-1) kilobar(-1) and d(2)delta/dP(2)= (-2.44+/-0.30) x10(-6) cm(-1) kilobar(-2) at P=0. The gyromagnetic ratio g(11) is shown to experience a fractional change less than 2 x 10(-4) to 60 kilobars.     

Outcoupling efficiency enhancement in organic light emitting diodes via nano-structured indium tin oxide and nano-phosphors

Nanostructures of indium tin oxide (NSITO) deposited using glancing angle deposition (GLAD) technique are used to enhance the outcoupling efficiency of blue and green OLEDs. The enhancement was found to be angle independent. The efficiency of device has increased by about 2.1 times by the use of NSITO at glass/air interface and ITO/glass interface. Similarly nano-phosphor particles were used to recover the glass modes by depositing them on the backside of the substrates. Both these methods were found to be effective for outcoupling efficiency enhancement.     

Use of essential oils and phytochemicals against the mycotoxins producing fungi for shelf-life enhancement and food preservation

Mycotoxin-producing fungi are a significant source of crop and food contamination, posing a significant threat to global food safety and security. Essential oils, plant extracts and phytochemicals have emerged as green preservatives to extend the shelf-life of foods due to their unique antimicrobial properties. Unlike conventional synthetic preservatives, they are a sustainable and safe way to preserve food with no or little harmful effects on the environment. Use of nanoformulations containing essential oils and phytochemicals offer enormous potential as a mitigation strategy to lower mycotoxin contamination incidences in food and crop with enhanced release behaviour to efficiently transport them to the target location for a rapid reaction without much impact from environmental variables. Hence, this review overviews various essential oils and phytochemicals utilized through nanoformulations to control the mycotoxigenic fungi, probable mechanism of actions involved as well as emerging mycotoxins and associated safety concerns to ensure food sustainability.     

Performance studies on flat plate solar air heater subjected to various flow patterns

The performance of flat plate solar air heater subjected to various flow patterns (over flow, under flow and double pass) were experimentally investigated. An aluminium flat plate of 1.2. × 0.7 m² size was employed as absorber plate. Two glass plates of similar size were used as protection for heat loss from absorber plate to atmosphere. Performance of the solar air heater at various mass flow rates (0.014, 0.0279 and 0.042 kg/s) was also reported. Thermal efficiency is recorded higher during double pass experimental conditions. Heat gained by air is found higher at experimental conditions having double pass when compared with over flow and under flow.     

Antimicrobial action of essential oil vapours and negative air ions against Pseudomonas fluorescens

The aim of this study was to investigate the antibacterial activity of essential oil (in liquid as well as in vapour phase) and negative air ions (NAI) against Pseudomonas fluorescens. The combined effect of NAI with essential oil vapour was also investigated to determine kill time and morphological changes in bacterial cells.The MIC of Cymbopogon citratus (0.567 mg/ml), Mentha arvensis (0.567 mg/ml), Mentha piperita (1.125 mg/ml) and Eucalyptus globulus (2.25 mg/ml) was studied via the agar dilution method. To estimate the antibacterial activity of essential oils in the vapour phase, agar plates inoculated with P. fluorescens were incubated with various concentrations of each essential oil vapour and zone of inhibition was recorded. Further, in order to assess the kill time, P. fluorescens inoculated agar plates were exposed to selected bactericidal essential oil vapour and NAI, separately, in an air-tight chamber. A continuous decrease in bacterial count was observed over time. A significant enhancement in the bactericidal action was observed by exposure to the combination of essential oil vapour and NAI as compared to their individual action. Scanning electron microscopy was used to study the alteration in morphology of P. fluorescens cells after exposure to C. citratus oil vapour, NAI, and combination of C. citratus oil vapour and NAI. Maximum morphological deformation was found due to the combined effect of C. citratus oil vapour and NAI. This study demonstrates that the use of essential oils in the vapour phase is more advantageous than the liquid phase. Further the antibacterial effect of the essential oil vapours can be significantly enhanced by the addition of NAI. The work described here offers a novel and efficient approach for control of bacterial contamination that could be applied for food stabilization practices.     

Effect of ammonia fiber expansion on the available energy content of wheat straw fed to lactating cattle and buffalo in India

The seasonal lack of availability of lush green forages can force dairy farmers in developing nations to rely on crop residues such as wheat and rice straw as the major feed source. We tested whether ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX) treatment of wheat straw would increase the energy available to Murrah buffalo and Karan-Fries cattle consuming 70% of their diet as wheat straw in India. Forty lactating animals of each species were blocked by parity and days in milk and randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatment diets (n = 10). Treatments were a nutrient-rich diet with 0 to 20% straw (positive control; PC) and 3 high-straw diets with various levels of AFEX-treatment: (1) 70% untreated straw (no AFEX), (2) 40 to 45% untreated straw with 25 to 30% AFEX-treated straw (low AFEX), and (3) 20% untreated straw with 50% AFEX-treated straw (high AFEX). The AFEX-treated straw was pelleted. Urea was added to the no and low AFEX diets so they were isonitrogenous with the high AFEX diet. Animals were individually fed the PC diet for 14 d followed by 7 d of adaptation to treatments, full treatments for 28 to 35 d, and finally PC diets for 21 d. Compared with buffalo fed the PC diet, those fed high-straw diets consumed 29% less feed dry matter, put out 16% less milk energy, and lost 0.8 kg/d more body weight; the AFEX treatment of straw did not alter intake or milk production but greatly ameliorated the body weight loss (?1.0 kg/d for no AFEX and ?0.07 kg/d for high AFEX). In Karan-Fries cattle, high-straw diets decreased dry matter intake by 39% and milk energy by 24%, and the high AFEX diet increased intake by 42% and milk energy by 18%. The AFEX treatment increased digestibilities of organic matter, dry matter, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and crude protein by 6 to 13 percentage points in buffalo and 5 to 10 points in cattle. In conclusion, AFEX treatment increased the digestibility and energy availability of wheat straw for lactating buffalo and cattle and has commercial potential to improve milk production and feed efficiency when high-quality forages or grains are not available.     

Influence of aeration and agitation modes on solid‐state fermentation of apple pomace waste by Phanerochaete chrysosporium to produce ligninolytic enzymes and co‐extract polyphenols

The effect of different types of agitation (i) continuous agitation (C); (ii) continuous, discontinuous, continuous agitation (C/D/C); (iii) discontinuous, continuous, discontinuous agitation (D/C/D) and aeration (0.87, 1.25, 1.66 vvm) on ligninolytic enzyme production and polyphenolic compounds extraction by solid‐state cultures of Phanerochaete chrysosporium BKM‐F‐1767 was investigated. Higher production of manganese peroxidase (MnP) (1690.3 ± 87.6), lignin peroxidase (LiP) (387.9 ± 14.3) and laccase (898.9 ± 53.3 U gds^?1) and liberation of total polyphenolics (ranging from 12.22 ± 1.1 to 30.12 ± 0.88 mg gallic acid equivalents per gram DW) was obtained after 195, 147, 219 and 204 h of fermentation, respectively, using 1.66 vvm as airflow and (C/D/C) agitation mode. Maximal enzyme production and total polyphenolic content were influenced by aeration, and higher values were obtained using 1.66 vvm as airflow rate, followed by 1.25 and 0.83 vvm, respectively. They were also influenced by agitation, and maximal values were obtained using C/D/C, followed by D/C/D and continuous agitation, respectively. The agitation modes influenced the production of ligninolytic enzymes and simultaneous extraction of polyphenols.