Reducing the incidence of under-skin browning in 'Honey Gold' mango (Mangifera indica L.) fruit

'Honey Gold' mango is a relatively new cultivar in Australia, with an appealing skin colour and a sweet fibre-free flesh. However, fruit can develop 'under-skin browning' (USB), which appears several days after packing as a distinct 'bruise'-like discolouration under the epidermis and can affect large areas of the fruit surface. We investigated the anatomy of USB and the impact of post-harvest fruit handling conditions on the disorder. Starch accumulated around the resin canals and discoloured cells in the affected area, with no visible change to the cuticle or epidermis. Delays of 1 d at ambient temperature (27 degrees - 35 degrees C) before packing, and 2 d at 18 degrees - 20 degrees C (after packing), before placing fruit at 12 degrees - 14 degrees C and road transportation, reduced the incidence of USB by 83% compared to placing fruit at 12 degrees - 14 degrees C within 13 h of picking. The incidence of USB was 88 100% higher in fruit that were cooled to 12 degrees - 14 degrees C within 13 h of picking, then commercially road-freighted for 4 d at 12 degrees - 14 degrees C, than in fruit held under similar temperature conditions, but not road-freighted. Wrapping each fruit in bubble-wrap to minimise direct contact with other fruit, with the plastic insert, or with the cardboard tray, reduced the incidence of USB by 84% after road-freight compared to not using bubble-wrap. These results suggest that USB is a unique disorder of mango skin associated with a rapid post-harvest reduction in temperature, from high ambient temperatures to 12 degrees - 14 degrees C, and with physical damage during road-freight.

Intermolecular charge-transfer complexes of macrocyclic polyethers with 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone

The interactions of benzo-15-crown-5, dibenzo-18-crown-6, and dibenzo-24-crown-8 with 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano- 1,4-benzoquinone have been studied in methylene chloride by using spectroscopic methods. These crown ethers from 1:l molecular complexes with the acceptor. The magnitudes of association constants and thermodynamic parameters of complexation are indicative of cooperative interaction of oxygens with the acceptor.

Individual difference predictors of change in career adaptability over time

Career adaptability is a psychosocial construct that reflects individuals' resources for managing career tasks and challenges. This study investigated the effects of demographic characteristics and three sets of individual difference variables (Big Five personality traits, core self-evaluations, and temporal focus) on changes over time in career adaptability and its dimensions (concern, control, curiosity, and confidence). Data came from 659 full-time employees in Australia who participated in two measurement waves six months apart. Results showed that age and future temporal focus predicted change in overall career adaptability. In addition, age, education, extraversion, neuroticism, openness to experience, core self-evaluations, and future temporal focus differentially predicted change over time in one or more of the four career adaptability dimensions. While the lagged effects found in this study were generally small, the findings suggest that certain individual difference characteristics predispose employees to experience change in career adaptability over time.

Rapid distortion of axisymmetric turbulence

A generalization of the isotropic theory of Batchelor & Proudman (1954) is developed to estimate the effect of sudden but arbitrary three-dimensional distortion on homogeneous, initially axisymmetric turbulence. The energy changes due to distortion are expressed in terms of the Fourier coefficients of an expansion in zonal harmonics of the two independent scalar functions that describe the axisymmetric spectral tensor. However, for two special but non-trivial forms of this tensor, which represent possibly the simplest kinds of non-isotropic turbulence and specify the angular distribution but not the wavenumber dependence, the energy ratios have been determined in closed form. The deviation of the ratio from its isotropic value is the product of a factor containing R, the initial value of the ratio of the longitudinal to the transverse energy component, and another factor depending only on the geometry of the distortion. It is found that, in axisymmetric and large two-dimensional contractions, the isotropic theory gives nearly the correct longitudinal energy, but (when R > 1) over-estimates the increase in the transverse energy; the product of the two intensities varies little unless the distortion is very large, thus accounting for the stress-freezing observed in rapidly accelerated shear flows.Comparisons with available experimental data for the spectra and for the energy ratios show reasonable agreement. The different ansatzes predict results in broad qualitative agreement with a simple strategem suggested by Reynolds & Tucker (1975), but the quantitative differences are not always negligible.

Liquid-liquid critical phenomena. The coexistence curve of n-heptane-acetic anhydride

The coexistence curve of the binary liquid mixture n-heptane-acetic anhydride has been determined by the observation of the transition temperatures of 76 samples over the range of compositions. The functional form of the difference in order parameter, in terms of either the mole fraction or the volume fraction, is consistent with theoretical predictions invoking the concept of universality at critical points. The average value of the order parameter, the diameter of the coexistence curve, shows an anomaly which can be described by either an exponent 1 - a, as predicted by various theories (where a is the critical exponent of the specific heat), or by an exponent 20 (where P is the coexistence curve exponent), as expected when the order parameter used is not the one the diameter of which diverges asymptotically as 1 - a.

Phenobarbitone-mediated translocation of the cytosolic proteins interacting with the 5 '-proximal region of rat liver CYP2B1/B2 gene into the nucleus

The positive element (PE) (-69 to -98 bp) within the 5'-proximal region of the CYP2B1B2 gene (+1 to -179 bp) of rat liver is essential for phenobarbitone (PB) response and gives a single major complex with the rat liver cytosol in gel shift analysis. This complex corresponds to complex I (top) of the three complexes given by the nuclear extracts. PB treatment of rats leads to a decrease in complex I formation with the cytosol and PE and an increase in the same with the nuclear extract in gel shift analysis. Both the changes are counteracted by simultaneous okadaic acid administration. The nuclear protein giving rise to complex I has been isolated and has an M-r of 26 kDa. The cytosolic counterpart consists of two species, 26 and 28 kDa, as revealed by Southwestern blot analysis using labeled PE. It is concluded that PB treatment leads to the translocation accompanied by processing of the cytosolic protein species into the nucleus that requires protein dephosphorylation. It is suggested that PB may exert a global regulation on the transcription of many genes by modulating the phosphorylation status of different protein factors involved in transcriptional regulation. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science (USA).

CXI-benzo-84 reversibly binds to tubulin at colchicine site and induces apoptosis in cancer cells

Here, we have discovered CXI-benzo-84 as a potential anticancer agent from a library of benzimidazole derivatives using cell based screening strategy. CXI-benzo-84 inhibited cell cycle progression in metaphase stage of mitosis and accumulated spindle assembly checkpoint proteins Mad2 and BubR1 on kinetochores, which subsequently activated apoptotic cell death in cancer cells. CXI-benzo-84 depolymerized both interphase and mitotic microtubules, perturbed EB1 binding to microtubules and inhibited the assembly and GTPase activity of tubulin in vitro. CXI-benzo-84 bound to tubulin at a single binding site with a dissociation constant of 1.2 +/- 0.2 mu M. Competition experiments and molecular docking suggested that CXI-benzo-84 binds to tubulin at the colchicine-site. Further, computational analysis provided a significant insight on the binding site of CXI-benzo-84 on tubulin. In addition to its potential use in cancer chemotherapy, CXI-benzo-84 may also be useful to screen colchicine-site agents and to understand the colchicine binding site on tubulin. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Note: Design and development of an integrated three-dimensional scanner for atomic force microscopy

A compact scanning head for the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) greatly enhances the portability of AFM and facilitates easy integration with other tools. This paper reports the design and development of a three-dimensional (3D) scanner integrated into an AFM micro-probe. The scanner is realized by means of a novel design for the AFM probe along with a magnetic actuation system. The integrated scanner, the actuation system, and their associated mechanical mounts are fabricated and evaluated. The experimentally calibrated actuation ranges are shown to be over 1 mu m along all the three axes. (c) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.

2-(4-Chlorobenzyl)-6-arylimidazo2,1-b]1,3,4]thiadiazoles: Synthesis, cytotoxic activity and mechanism of action

The cytotoxic activity of a new series of 2-(4'-chlorobenzyl)-5,6-disubstituted imidazo2,1-b]1,3,4]wthiadiazoles against different human and murine cancer cell lines is reported. Among the tested compounds, two derivatives namely 2-(4-chlorobenzyl)-6-(2-oxo-2H-chromen-3-yl)imidazo2,1-1)]1,3,4]th iadiazole-5-carbaldehyde 4i and 2-(4-chlorobenzyl)-6-(2-oxo-2H-chromen-3-ypimidazo2,1-1)]1,3,4]thi adiazol-5-yl thiocyanate 5i emerged as the most potent against all the cell lines. To investigate the mechanism of action, we selected compounds 4i for cell cycle study, analysis of mitochondrial membrane potential and Annexin V-FITC flow cytometric analysis and DNA fragmentation assay. Results showed that 4i induced cytotoxicity by inducing apoptosis without arresting the cell cycle. (C) 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Differences in host species relationships and biogeographic influences produce contrasting patterns of prevalence, community composition and genetic structure in two genera of avian malaria parasites in southern Melanesia

1. Host-parasite interactions have the potential to influence broadscale ecological and evolutionary processes, levels of endemism, divergence patterns and distributions in host populations. Understanding the mechanisms involved requires identification of the factors that shape parasite distribution and prevalence. 2. A lack of comparative information on community-level host-parasite associations limits our understanding of the role of parasites in host population divergence processes. Avian malaria (haemosporidian) parasites in bird communities offer a tractable model system to examine the potential for pathogens to influence evolutionary processes in natural host populations. 3. Using cytochrome b variation, we characterized phylogenetic diversity and prevalence of two genera of avian haemosporidian parasites, Plasmodium and Haemoproteus, and analysed biogeographic patterns of lineages across islands and avian hosts, in southern Melanesian bird communities to identify factors that explain patterns of infection. 4. Plasmodium spp. displayed isolation-by-distance effects, a significant amount of genetic variation distributed among islands but insignificant amounts among host species and families, and strong local island effects with respect to prevalence. Haemoproteus spp. did not display isolation-by-distance patterns, showed marked structuring of genetic variation among avian host species and families, and significant host species prevalence patterns. 5. These differences suggest that Plasmodium spp. infection patterns were shaped by geography and the abiotic environment, whereas Haemoproteus spp. infection patterns were shaped predominantly by host associations. Heterogeneity in the complement and prevalence of parasite lineages infecting local bird communities likely exposes host species to a mosaic of spatially divergent disease selection pressures across their naturally fragmented distributions in southern Melanesia. Host associations for Haemoproteus spp. indicate a capacity for the formation of locally co-adapted host-parasite relationships, a feature that may limit intraspecific gene flow or range expansions of closely related host species.

Structural characterization and in vitro biomedical activities of sulfated chitosan from Sepia pharaonis

A low molecular weight sulfated chitosan (SP-LMWSC) was isolated from the cuttlebone of Sepia pharaonis. Elemental analysis established the presence of C, H and N. The sulfation of SP-LMWSC was confirmed by the presence of characteristic peaks in FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra. The thermal properties of SP-LMWSC were studied by thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. Electrolytic conductivity of SP-LMWSC was measured by cyclic voltammetry and the molecular weight was determined by MALDI-TOF/MS. The molecular structure and sulfation sites of SP-LMWSC were unambiguously confirmed using H-1,C-13, 2D COSY and 2D HSQC NMR spectroscopy. SP-LMWSC exhibited increased anticoagulant activity in avian blood by delaying coagulation parameters and displayed cytostatic activity by inhibiting the migration of avian leucocytes. SP-LMWSC demonstrated avian antiviral activity by binding to Newcastle disease virus receptors at a low titer value of 1/64. These findings suggested that SP-LMWSC isolated from an industrial discard holds immense potentials as carbohydrate based pharmaceuticals in future. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Light Reflectance Characteristics and Remote Sensing of Waterlettuce

Waterlettuce ( Pistia stratiotes L.) is a free-floating exotic aquatic weed that often invades and clogs waterways in the southeastern United States. A study was conducted to evaluate the potential of using remote sensing technology to distinguish infestations of waterlettuce in Texas waterways. Field reflectance measurements showed that waterlettuce had higher visible green reflectance than associated plant species. Waterlettuce could be detected in both aerial color- infrared (CIR) photography and videography where it had light pink to pinkish-white image tonal responses. Computer analysis of CIR photographic and videographic images had overall accuracy assessments of 86% and 84%, respectively. (PDF contains 6 pages.)

Effects of fish-meal, cow blood-meal, and sorghum diets on food utilization and growth of cage cultured Sarotherodon niloticus

The growth responses and feed utilization of Sarotherodon niloticus held in metal cages in a pond and fed diets containing fish-meal, cow blood-meal or sorghum was studied. Results indicate that the best growth, feed conversion and protein efficiency ratio were obtained with the diet containing 60% fish-meal. The growth performance of fish on 40% fish-meal, and 40% and 60% blood meal were not significantly different, and were quite close to the performance with 60% fish-meal. The growth and food utilization of fish on 84% sorghum diet was significantly lower than the rest. The Caged fish without supplemental feeding had a light gain in weight. All fish with supplemental feeding appeared healthy. It is concluded that cow blood meal at 40% or 60% inclusion in diet can adequately replace fish-meal in S. niloticus supplemental diet in pond culture

Characterization and developmental regulation of a gene expressed specifically in the skeletogenic lineage of the sea urchin embryo

The sea urchin embryonic skeleton, or spicule, is deposited by mesenchymal progeny of four precursor cells, the micromeres, which are determined to the skeletogenic pathway by a process known as cytoplasmic localization. A gene encoding one of the major products of the skeletogenic mesenchyme, a prominent 50 kD protein of the spicule matrix, has been characterized in detail. cDNA clones were first isolated by antibody screening of a phage expression library, followed by isolation of homologous genomic clones. The gene, known as SM50, is single copy in the sea urchin genome, is divided into two exons of 213 and 1682 bp, and is expressed only in skeletogenic cells. Transcripts are first detectable at the 120 cell stage, shortly after the segregation of the skeletogenic precursors from the rest of the embryo. The SM50 open reading frame begins within the first exon, is 450 amino acids in length, and contains a loosely repeated 13 amino acid motif rich in acidic residues which accounts for 45% of the protein and which is possibly involved in interaction with the mineral phase of the spicule.

The important cis-acting regions of the SM50 gene necessary for proper regulation of expression were identified by gene transfer experiments. A 562 bp promoter fragment, containing 438 bp of 5' promoter sequence and 124 bp of the SM50 first exon (including the SM50 initiation codon), was both necessary and sufficient to direct high levels of expression of the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter gene specifically in the skeletogenic cells. Removal of promoter sequences between positions -2200 and -438, and of transcribed regions downstream of +124 (including the SM50 intron), had no effect on the spatial or transcriptional activity of the transgenes.

Regulatory proteins that interact with the SM50 promoter were identified by the gel retardation assay, using bulk embryo mesenchyme blastula stage nuclear proteins. Five protein binding sites were identified and mapped to various degrees of resolution. Two sites are homologous, may be enhancer elements, and at least one is required for expression. Two additional sites are also present in the promoter of the aboral ectoderm specific cytoskeletal actin gene CyIIIa; one of these is a CCAA T element, the other a putative repressor element. The fifth site overlaps the binding site of the putative repressor and may function as a positive regulator by interfering with binding of the repressor. All of the proteins are detectable in nuclear extracts prepared from 64 cell stage embryos, a stage just before expression of SM50 is initiated, as well as from blastula and gastrula stage; the putative enhancer binding protein may be maternal as well.

Isolation of the murine interleukin 2 gene and characterization of its regulatory architecture

Interleukin 2 (IL2) is the primary growth hormone used by mature T cells and this lymphokine plays an important role in the magnification of cell-mediated immune responses. Under normal circumstances its expression is limited to antigen-activated type 1 helper T cells (T_H1) and the ability to transcribe this gene is often regarded as evidence for commitment to this developmental lineage. There is, however, abundant evidence than many non-T_H1 T cells, under appropriate conditions, possess the ability to express this gene. Of paramount interest in the study of T-cell development is the mechanisms by which differentiating thymocytes are endowed with particular combinations of cell surface proteins and response repertoires. For example, why do most helper T cells express the CD4 differentiation antigen?

As a first step in understanding these developmental processes the gene encoding IL2 was isolated from a mouse genomic library by probing with a conspecific IL2 cDNA. The sequence of the 5' flanking region from + 1 to -2800 was determined and compared to the previously reported human sequence. Extensive identity exists between +1 and -580 (86%) and sites previously shown to be crucial for the proper expression of the human gene are well conserved in both sequence location in the mouse counterpart.

Transient expression assays were used to evaluate the contribution of various genomic sequences to high-level gene expression mediated by a cloned IL2 promoter fragment. Differing lengths of 5' flanking DNA, all terminating in the 5' untranslated region, were linked to a reporter gene, bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) and enzyme activity was measured after introduction into IL2-producing cell lines. No CAT was ever detected without stimulation of the recipient cells. A cloned promoter fragment containing only 321 bp of upstream DNA was expressed well in both Jurkat and EL4.El cells. Addition of intragenic or downstream DNA to these 5' IL2-CAT constructs showed that no obvious regulatory regions resided there. However, increasing the extent of 5' DNA from -321 to -2800 revealed several positive and negative regulatory elements. One negative region that was well characterized resided between -750 and -1000 and consisted almost exclusively of alternating purine and pyrimidines. There is no sequence resembling this in the human gene now, but there is evidence that there may have once been.

No region, when deleted, could relax either the stringent induction-dependence on cell-type specificity displayed by this promoter. Reagents that modulated endogenous IL2 expression, such as cAMP, cyclosporin A, and IL1, affected expression of the 5' IL2-CAT constructs also. For a given reagent, expression from all expressible constructs was suppressed or enhanced to the same extent. This suggests that these modulators affect IL2 expression through perturbation of a central inductive signal rather than by summation of the effects of discrete, independently regulated, negative and positive transcription factors.