Dual accounting of energy flows and the characterization of the metabolic pattern across hierarchical levels

The identification and characterization of farmers types in the maize agroecosystem is an essential element for the development of effective and sustainable socio-productive strategies. In four municipalities of the Frailesca region in Chiapas, Mexico; maize farmers were typified and their agroecosystem was characterized regarding the criteria: socioeconomic, productive and energy efficiency. Besides, farmers relation to conventional, agro-ecological and mixed production strategies was determined. It was an exploratory socio-agronomic and descriptive research focused on a system approach and energy flows. The sample used was 300 farmers. For data management, descriptive statistics and exploratory multivariate analysis of principal components and clusters were used to construct the typologies. Five types of farmers-groups were identified based on six components that explained 83 % of the total variance. Among these components, the following stood out: "Yield and Efficiency", "Maize profile" (refers to the type of maize and its importance within the system) and "Energy Consumption". The typified groups of farmers were labeled as: "Small farmers", "Major farmers", "Mixed livestock-maize farmers", "Subsistence farmers" and "Maize-stubble producers". All groups are characterized by having small maize areas, but they are considered to have an acceptable energy efficiency, greater than 10 MJ and yields between 2.8 and 4.0 t.ha-1, higher than the average for the state of Chiapas. All groups were efficient in the use of energy, as result of the high productive and economic capacity of the agroecosystem. The maize yield is between 2.8 and 4.0 t.ha-1 and the energy efficiency is higher than 10 MJ. Conventional agriculture management predominates in the region in 86 % of the studied systems.

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Untargeted Metabolic Profiling of 4-Fluoro-Furanylfentanyl and Isobutyrylfentanyl in Mouse Hepatocytes and Urine by Means of LC-HRMS

Metabolites ◽

10.3390/metabo11020097 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 97

Author(s):

Camilla Montesano ◽

Flaminia Vincenti ◽

Federico Fanti ◽

Matteo Marti ◽

Sabrine Bilel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Metabolic Profiling ◽

High Resolution Mass Spectrometry ◽

Intraperitoneal Administration ◽

New Psychoactive Substances ◽

Metabolic Pattern ◽

Mouse Hepatocytes ◽

First Time

The diffusion of new psychoactive substances (NPS) is highly dynamic and the available substances change over time, resulting in forensic laboratories becoming highly engaged in NPS control. In order to manage NPS diffusion, efficient and innovative legal responses have been provided by several nations. Metabolic profiling is also part of the analytical fight against NPS, since it allows to identify the biomarkers of drug intake which are needed for the development of suitable analytical methods in biological samples. We have recently reported the characterization of two new analogs of fentanyl, i.e., 4-fluoro-furanylfentanyl (4F-FUF) and isobutyrylfentanyl (iBF), which were found for the first time in Italy in 2019; 4F-FUF was identified for the first time in Europe and was notified to the European Early Warning System. The goal of this study was the characterization of the main metabolites of both drugs by in vitro and in vivo experiments. To this end, incubation with mouse hepatocytes and intraperitoneal administration to mice were carried out. Samples were analyzed by means of liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC–HRMS), followed by untargeted data evaluation using Compound Discoverer software with a specific workflow, designed for the identification of the whole metabolic pattern, including unexpected metabolites. Twenty metabolites were putatively annotated for 4F-FUF, with the dihydrodiol derivative appearing as the most abundant, whereas 22 metabolites were found for iBF, which was mainly excreted as nor-isobutyrylfentanyl. N-dealkylation of 4F-FUF dihydrodiol and oxidation to carbonyl metabolites for iBF were also major biotransformations. Despite some differences, in general there was a good agreement between in vitro and in vivo samples.

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Phenotypic variability of fruits and seeds in natural populations of Hymenaea stigonocarpa (Mart. Ex Hayne)

Pesquisa Agropecuária Tropical ◽

10.1590/1983-40632021v5167292 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 51 ◽

Author(s):

Rodrigo Soares de Castro ◽

Ariany Rosa Gonçalves ◽

Ramilla dos Santos Braga-Ferreira ◽

Mariana Pires de Campos Telles ◽

Lázaro José Chaves

Keyword(s):

Quantitative Traits ◽

Phenotypic Variability ◽

Natural Populations ◽

Seed Mass ◽

Brazilian Savanna ◽

Phenotypic Differentiation ◽

Botanical Variety ◽

Hierarchical Levels ◽

Morphometric Characterization

ABSTRACT Hymenaea stigonocarpa (Mart. Ex Hayne), popularly known as jatobá-do-cerrado, is a fruit tree widely distributed in the Brazilian Savanna, has multiple uses and is a promising genetic resource. This study aimed to physically characterize fruits and seeds of H. stigonocarpa, as well as to estimate the phenotypic variability at three hierarchical levels: populations, mother trees within populations, and fruits/seeds within mother trees. Fruits from six mother trees were sampled from each of the 25 natural populations found in the Brazilian Savanna. The morphometric characterization of 742 fruits was carried out by evaluating 10 quantitative traits in fruits and seeds. In addition, comparative analyses were performed between the average values of H. stigonocarpa and the botanical variety H. stigonocarpa var. brevipetiolata. Significant phenotypic variations were noticed at all hierarchical levels. A high phenotypic differentiation among the populations was observed for quantitative traits (fruit mass and size, pulp mass and seed mass), being higher when H. stigonocarpa var. brevipetiolata was included in the analysis.

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ТЕХНОГЕНЕЗ И СТРУКТУРНО-ФУНКЦИОНАЛЬНЫЕ РЕАКЦИИ ДРЕВЕСНЫХ ВИДОВ: ПОВРЕЖДЕНИЯ, АДАПТАЦИИ, СТРАТЕГИИ. ЧАСТЬ 4. ВЛИЯНИЕ НА ЖИЗНЕННОЕ СОСТОЯНИЕ И ВЫРАБОТКУ АДАПТИВНЫХ СТРАТЕГИЙ ДРЕВОСТОЕВ.

Биосфера ◽

10.24855/biosfera.v13i4.581 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 11

Author(s):

Р.В. Уразгильдин ◽

А.Ю. Кулагин

Keyword(s):

Anthropogenic Pollution ◽

Adaptive Strategies ◽

Anthropogenic Factors ◽

Adaptive Responses ◽

Adaptive Potential ◽

Biological Organization ◽

Hierarchical Levels ◽

Methodological Approaches ◽

Original Approach

The present publication is the fourth in the series of four reviews of reports that have been published over the last 20 years to address the responses of arboreal plants at different hierarchical levels of their organization to anthropogenic factors. In the fourth part, modern methodological approaches to assessing the conditions of forests are considered and the most promising of them are distinguished. The conditions of forests under anthropogenic pollution deteriorate in general; however, the degree of deterioration much depends on tree species and pollution type. The resistance of biosystems to anthropogenic factors is based on adaptive responses involving all levels of biological organization, from cytogenetic to ecosystemic. Special attention is paid to adaptive responses related to plant resistance to metals. The development of the theory of the adaptive strategies of plants is traced starting from the Ramensky-Grime concept of phytocenotypes. The industrial pollution is a novel, in the historical perspective, environmental factor for plant. This makes it reasonable to develop further the concepts related to adaptive strategies of plant species with account for their adaptive potential, variability, resistance, and ecological plasticity. An original approach to the discovery and characterization of strategies of adaptation of plants to anthropogenic factors is proposed based on the analysis of current literature and decades of original studies.

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Morphological Characterization of Mycobacteriophage R1

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100051281 ◽

1974 ◽

Vol 32 ◽

pp. 254-255

Author(s):

B. L. Soloff ◽

T. A. Rado

Keyword(s):

Carbon Source ◽

Stationary Phase ◽

Growth Phase ◽

Minimal Medium ◽

Morphological Characterization ◽

Logarithmic Growth Phase ◽

Complete Lysis ◽

Lysogenic Culture ◽

Logarithmic Growth

Mycobacteriophage R1 was originally isolated from a lysogenic culture of M. butyricum. The virus was propagated on a leucine-requiring derivative of M. smegmatis, 607 leu−, isolated by nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis of typestrain ATCC 607. Growth was accomplished in a minimal medium containing glycerol and glucose as carbon source and enriched by the addition of 80 μg/ ml L-leucine. Bacteria in early logarithmic growth phase were infected with virus at a multiplicity of 5, and incubated with aeration for 8 hours. The partially lysed suspension was diluted 1:10 in growth medium and incubated for a further 8 hours. This permitted stationary phase cells to re-enter logarithmic growth and resulted in complete lysis of the culture.

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AEM analysis of crystallization in Ti-based amorphous alloys

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100075142 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 41 ◽

pp. 270-271

Author(s):

A.R. Pelton ◽

A.F. Marshall ◽

Y.S. Lee

Keyword(s):

Magnetic Properties ◽

Amorphous Alloys ◽

Amorphous Materials ◽

Isothermal Annealing ◽

Amorphous Matrix ◽

Nucleation And Growth ◽

Current Interest ◽

Amorphous Films ◽

Electrical And Magnetic Properties

Amorphous materials are of current interest due to their desirable mechanical, electrical and magnetic properties. Furthermore, crystallizing amorphous alloys provides an avenue for discerning sequential and competitive phases thus allowing access to otherwise inaccessible crystalline structures. Previous studies have shown the benefits of using AEM to determine crystal structures and compositions of partially crystallized alloys. The present paper will discuss the AEM characterization of crystallized Cu-Ti and Ni-Ti amorphous films.Cu60Ti40: The amorphous alloy Cu60Ti40, when continuously heated, forms a simple intermediate, macrocrystalline phase which then transforms to the ordered, equilibrium Cu3Ti2 phase. However, contrary to what one would expect from kinetic considerations, isothermal annealing below the isochronal crystallization temperature results in direct nucleation and growth of Cu3Ti2 from the amorphous matrix.

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Characterization of Coherent, Ordered Precipitates in Nickel-Base Alloys

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100071168 ◽

1973 ◽

Vol 31 ◽

pp. 144-145

Author(s):

B. H. Kear ◽

J. M. Oblak

Keyword(s):

Stable Phase ◽

Nickel Base Superalloy ◽

Alloy 718 ◽

Commercial Alloy ◽

Precipitate Morphology ◽

Continuous Precipitation ◽

Nickel Base ◽

Base Superalloy ◽

Strengthening Precipitate

A nickel-base superalloy is essentially a Ni/Cr solid solution hardened by additions of Al (Ti, Nb, etc.) to precipitate a coherent, ordered phase. In most commercial alloy systems, e.g. B-1900, IN-100 and Mar-M200, the stable precipitate is Ni3 (Al,Ti) γ′, with an LI2structure. In A lloy 901 the normal precipitate is metastable Nis Ti3 γ′ ; the stable phase is a hexagonal Do2 4 structure. In Alloy 718 the strengthening precipitate is metastable γ″, which has a body-centered tetragonal D022 structure.Precipitate MorphologyIn most systems the ordered γ′ phase forms by a continuous precipitation re-action, which gives rise to a uniform intragranular dispersion of precipitate particles. For zero γ/γ′ misfit, the γ′ precipitates assume a spheroidal.

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The Use of Advanced Analytical Techniques for Characterization of the Chemical, Physical, and Crystallographic Nature of a Surface

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100071107 ◽

1973 ◽

Vol 31 ◽

pp. 132-133 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

R. E. Herfert

Keyword(s):

Surface Characterization ◽

Analytical Techniques ◽

X Ray Diffraction ◽

Depth Of Penetration ◽

X Ray ◽

The Past ◽

Transmission Electron ◽

Scanning Electron

Studies of the nature of a surface, either metallic or nonmetallic, in the past, have been limited to the instrumentation available for these measurements. In the past, optical microscopy, replica transmission electron microscopy, electron or X-ray diffraction and optical or X-ray spectroscopy have provided the means of surface characterization. Actually, some of these techniques are not purely surface; the depth of penetration may be a few thousands of an inch. Within the last five years, instrumentation has been made available which now makes it practical for use to study the outer few 100A of layers and characterize it completely from a chemical, physical, and crystallographic standpoint. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) provides a means of viewing the surface of a material in situ to magnifications as high as 250,000X.

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Skeletal elements of crinoid echinoderms: High-resolution structural and microanalytical results

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100074768 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 41 ◽

pp. 194-195

Author(s):

D. F. Blake ◽

L. F. Allard ◽

D. R. Peacor

Keyword(s):

High Resolution ◽

Marine Invertebrates ◽

Sea Urchins ◽

Structural Features ◽

Sea Stars ◽

High Resolution Tem ◽

Relationship Of ◽

The Relationship ◽

Insight Into

Echinodermata is a phylum of marine invertebrates which has been extant since Cambrian time (c.a. 500 m.y. before the present). Modern examples of echinoderms include sea urchins, sea stars, and sea lilies (crinoids). The endoskeletons of echinoderms are composed of plates or ossicles (Fig. 1) which are with few exceptions, porous, single crystals of high-magnesian calcite. Despite their single crystal nature, fracture surfaces do not exhibit the near-perfect {10.4} cleavage characteristic of inorganic calcite. This paradoxical mix of biogenic and inorganic features has prompted much recent work on echinoderm skeletal crystallography. Furthermore, fossil echinoderm hard parts comprise a volumetrically significant portion of some marine limestones sequences. The ultrastructural and microchemical characterization of modern skeletal material should lend insight into: 1). The nature of the biogenic processes involved, for example, the relationship of Mg heterogeneity to morphological and structural features in modern echinoderm material, and 2). The nature of the diagenetic changes undergone by their ancient, fossilized counterparts. In this study, high resolution TEM (HRTEM), high voltage TEM (HVTEM), and STEM microanalysis are used to characterize tha ultrastructural and microchemical composition of skeletal elements of the modern crinoid Neocrinus blakei.

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