Micro Characterization of Hot-Rolled Plate of Nb-Bearing Grain-Oriented Silicon Steel

In this study, niobium was added into grain-oriented silicon steels, four Nb-bearing hot-rolled bands with Nb content range from 0–0.025 wt% were prepared and a detailed study of the micro characterization (microstructure, texture and precipitates) of hot-rolled bands was carried out by various analysis methods, such as EBSD and TEM. The results indicate that the precipitates in Nb-free steel are MnS and AlN; however, in the Nb-bearing steel they are MnS, AlN and Nb(C, N). The precipitates are finer and more dispersed in Nb-bearing steel, and a stronger pining force was obtained, which contributes to the finer microstructure and less recrystallization fractions of the hot-rolled bands. A larger volume fraction and stronger intensity of Goss texture is presented in steel with 0.025 wt% Nb due to the effective inhibiting effect. However, it has little effect on the changes of microstructure and texture when the Nb content is more than 0.009 wt%.

Effect of geographical location, insect type and cooking method on the nutritional composition of insects consumed in South Africa

Edible insects may be a sustainable source of protein and some other nutrients, especially for low economic status communities. The current study determined the influence of insect type, geographic location and cooking method on the nutritional composition of insects. The investigation would contribute to maximal derivation of the nutritional benefits of insects. Dried samples of four insect types, Gonimbrasia belina (mopani worm), Gynanisa caterpillar, termite soldiers/workers, and termite alates, were procured from different street vendors across Vhembe district in Limpopo Province, South Africa. G. belina samples were cooked by frying, boiling with and without salt addition. Generally, nutrient content varied significantly with insect type and geographic location (P<0.05). Protein content varied from 40 g/100 g in termite alates to 69.75 g/100 g in termite soldiers/workers. Termite soldiers/workers had the highest iron content (range: 545-629.5 mg/kg), whilst Gynanisa caterpillar had the highest zinc content (range: 122.14-150.33 mg/kg). Similarly, Gynanisa caterpillar had the highest levels of lysine (range: 0.80-4.53 g/100 g), threonine (range: 0.79-2.64 g/100 g) and isoleucine (range: 0.63-2.33). On the other hand termite soldiers/workers had the highest levels of valine (range: 2.20-3.47 g/100 g), leucine (range: 2.49-3.87 g/100 g) and phenylalanine (range: 1.38-3.55 g/100 g). Cooking method significantly affected nutrient retention. Boiling with salt added resulted in the highest retention of protein and total mineral content (ash), and, therefore, seems a suitable method for cooking insects. The findings indicate that, if optimally selected and cooked, edible insects can contribute significantly to the alleviation of protein, zinc, and iron deficiencies in target communities.

Investigating the Mineral Composition of Peat by Combining FTIR-ATR and Multivariate Analysis

The mineral content of peat has received little attention until the last few decades, when peat cores have been increasingly used to study past dust deposition. Paleodust deposition is commonly reconstructed through elemental datasets, which are used to infer deposition rates, storminess patterns, mineral composition, source identification, and fertilization effects. To date, only a few studies have directly analyzed the mineralogy (by XRD and SEM) and particle size of peat mineral matter, and the conducted studies have usually been constrained by the need to remove a large amount of organic matter, which risks altering the mineral component. One alternative is to use quick, nondestructive techniques, such as FTIR-ATR, that require little sample preparation. In this study, we analyzed by FTIR-ATR both the bulk peat and ash fractions of a sequence taken in a minerogenic mire that covered a wide inorganic matter content range (6%–57%). Aided by principal component analysis on transposed IR spectral data, we were able to identify the main minerals in bulk peat and ash, quartz, mica (likely muscovite), K feldspar (likely microcline), and plagioclase (likely anorthite), which are consistent with the local geology of the mire catchment. Changes in mineral composition during the last ca. 2800 years were coeval with previously reconstructed environmental changes using the same core. Our results suggest that FTIR-ATR has great potential to investigate peat mineral matter and the processes that drive its compositional change.

Compost stability, phytotoxicity and nutrient quality as influenced by carbon to nitrogen ratios of feedstock

Effects of three C/N mixes of groundnut husk (GNH) and Wister rat litter (RL) on stability, nutrient quality and phytotoxicity of compost were tested and compared with the conventional carbon and nitrogen feedstock mix on 1:3 w/w modality respectively. The GNH and RL were respectively composted in a windrow at three proportionate levels (14.7+105.3, 39.2+80.8 and 63.7+56.3 kg) to achieve C/N nutrient ratios of 20:1, 30:1 and 40:1 respectively using the Pearson square method. A control pile containing GNH+RL (tagged conv. 1:3) applied at 30 kg GNH and 90 kg RL using the conventional 1:3 w/w modality was compared in triplicate. Data were taken on daily compost temperature, pH, EC and nutrient content of stabilized composts. Phytotoxicity was assessed by using two compost extract concentrations of 100 and 50% per compost. There were three replications laid in CRD. Data were statistically analyzed. Number of days to compost stability was significantly influenced by C/N with values increasing with decreasing C/N in the order of 59 < 69 < 74 < 77 days for 40:1, 30:1, 20:1 and conv. 1:3 respectively. Increasing C/N decreased pH (range of 7.3 – 9.0), EC (range of 1.2 – 2.7dS/m), ash (range of 44.2 – 55.5%), total macronutrient (N+P+K) (range of 3.56 – 5.15%) and calcium content (range of 3.3 – 6.5%) and increased organic C (range of 22.4 – 29.6%) of the resultant composts and GI (range of 25 – 76%) of cowpea. The 100 and 50% concentrations supported higher GI of cowpea in composts produced from lower and higher C/N respectively.

Gordonia jinghuaiqii sp. nov. and Gordonia zhaorongruii sp. nov., isolated from Tibetan Plateau wildlife

Four mesophilic and Gram-stain-positive strains (zg-686T/zg-691 and HY186T/HY189) isolated from Tibetan Plateau wildlife (PR China) belong to the genus Gordonia according to 16S rRNA gene and genomic sequence-based phylogenetic/genomic results. They have a DNA G+C content range of 67.4–68.3 mol% and low DNA relatedness (19.2–27.6 %) with all available genomes in the genus Gordonia . Strains zg-686T/zg-691 and HY186T/HY189 had C18 : 1ω9c, C18 : 0 10-methyl, C16 : 1 ω7c/C16 : 1ω6c and C16 : 0 as major cellular fatty acids. The polar lipids detected in strains zg-686T and HY186T included diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidyl inositol mannoside and phosphatidylinositol. The respiratory quinones comprised MK8(H2) (10.8 %) and MK9(H2) (89.2 %) for strain zg-686T, and MK6 (7.7 %), MK8(H2) (8.4 %), MK8(H4) (3.1 %) and MK9(H2) (80.8 %) for strain HY186T. Optimal growth conditions were pH 7.0, 35–37 °C and 0.5–1.5 % NaCl (w/v) for strains pair zg-686T/zg-691, and pH 7.0, 28 °C and 1.5 % (w/v) NaCl for strains pair HY186T/HY189. Based on these genotypic and phenotypic results, these four strains could be classified as two different novel species in the genus Gordonia , for which the names Gordonia jinghuaiqii sp. nov. and Gordonia zhaorongruii sp. nov. are proposed. The type strains are zg-686T (=GDMCC 1.1715T =JCM 33890T) and HY186T (=CGMCC 4.7607T =JCM 33466T), respectively.

Analysis of Carotenoid Composition in Oil Palm Fruits (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) from several Varieties: A Review

Basically, oil palm has three types of fruit, namely the dura, pisifera, and tenera varieties. These three varieties have different characteristics, likewise with resulting Crude Palm Oil (CPO) levels. Generally, palm oil contains 500–700 ppm of carotenoid compounds, and the amount is equivalent to 15 times the carotenoids in carrots and 300 times in tomatoes. This is a study of information about the carotenoid composition of three varieties of oil palm fruit and applying the most superior analytical methods to obtain carotenoids from CPO. The purpose of this review is to examine the carotenoid composition of three varieties of oil palm fruit and carotenoid analysis methods presented for consideration as a reference. The method used in this review is the inclusion and exclusion criteria in literary search. The results showed that the carotenoid composition of the three varieties of oil palm in the presence of 11 types of carotene and the highest percentage composition was β-carotene with a content range of 54.39–56.02%. As for the development of new methods for carotenoid analysis from CPO, namely Raman and FT-NIR spectroscopy with the advantages of being environmentally friendly, not using solvents, and fast measurement compared to methods UV-Vis Spectrophotometry, UPLC, and HPLC.

Desiccation-driven senescence and its repression in Xerophyta schlechteri are regulated at extremely low water contents

Vegetative desiccation tolerance, the ability to survive loss of over 90% of cellular water, is an extremely rare trait in Angiosperms. Xerophyta schlechteri survives such extreme water deficit by entering prolonged quiescence and suppressing drought-induced senescence in most of the leaf area, except the apical tip. Information on the molecular regulation of senescence in such plants is scarce and this is the first study to investigate such regulation in senescing and non-senescing tissues of the same leaf. Genome-wide RNA sequencing enabled comparison of senescent and non-senescent tissues during desiccation and early rehydration, establishment of the water content range in which senescence is initiated and identification of molecular mechanisms employed to bring about cellular death. Senescence-associated genes (XsSAG) specific to this species were identified and two potential regulatory sites were enriched in regions upstream to these XsSAGs, allowing us to create a model of senescence regulation in X. schlechteri based on homology with known Arabidopsis senescence regulators. We hypothesise that desiccation-driven senescence occurs as a result of a convergence of signals around MAPK6 to trigger WRKY-mediated ethylene synthesis and XsSAG expression, not unlike aging and stress-related senescence in Arabidopsis, but at remarkably lower water contents (<35% RWC).

Peer Review jurnal AACL 2017

Salinity and calcium affect the osmoregulation activity. In the optimum salinity and calciumconditions, the energy for osmoregulation will be minimal thus allowing for more available energyportion for growth. This study aimed to determine the values of optimum salinity and the optimum calcium content range at optimum salinity which can improve the survival and growth of Indonesianshortfin eel Anguilla bicolor. This research was conducted in two stages: determination of optimum salinity which was done for seven days and determination of optimum calcium content range atoptimum salinity which was carried out for 14 days. The research design used was complete randomized design (CRD)

Isotermas e calor isostérico de dessorção das sementes de tungue

<p><span class="fontstyle0">The tung is a species that has potential for biodiesel production, so for safe storage there is a need to get to know its hygroscopicity. The objective of this work was to determine the desorption isotherms based on the recommendation of a mathematical model, to define the safe moisture content for storage, and to obtain the isosteric heat for the tung seeds. In order to obtain the hygroscopic equilibrium water content, the static method was used, with 20g of seeds surrounded by a permeable tissue, and placed inside the desiccators containing salt solutions, in a BOD chamber with temperatures of 20, 25, At 30 and 35 ºC, water activity ranged from 0.14 to 0.812 decimal.The Akaike information criterion (AIC) and Bayesian Schwarz information criterion (BIC) were used to adjust the mathematical models and to help choose the best one. Among the tested models, ChungPfost was elected to represent the desorption isotherms of tung seeds. Integral isosteric desorption heat values in the equilibrium moisture content range from 2.08 to 8.35 (% b.s.) ranged from 3754 to 2555 kJ kg</span><span class="fontstyle0">-1</span> <br /><br /></p>