Effect of packaging material and postharvest calcium treatment on weight loss, decay and biochemical quality of strawberry fruits during storage

Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) fruits are highly perishable which lose their marketability within a short period of time, resulting in considerable loss of fruits after harvest. In present study, the packaging materials treatment i.e. polypropylene terephthalate (PET) Punnet and High density polythene (HDPE) crates and calcium compounds (CaCl2 and Ca(No3)2) were examined for the storability and biochemical quality of strawberry (cv. Winter Down) fruits in cold condition (3±1 °C) in comparison to the untreated control fruit in ambient storage for 3, 6 and 8 days storage period. Results revealed that physiological loss in weight (PLW) and fruit decay increased with the advancement of the storage period irrespective of the treatments. Fruits treated with CaCl2 (2%), packed in PET Punnets and stored in cold condition (3±1 °C) showed significantly minimum PLW (6.55, 11.12 and 15 34 %) and fruit decay (7.29, 17.71 and 34.38 %) at 3, 6 and 8 days storage, respectively. Non-treated control fruits at ambient conditions could not maintain their marketability even 3 days of storage and showed relatively high decay losses (25.00, 62.21 and 91.67 % at 3, 6 and 8 days of storage, respectively). Packaging and calcium treatment did not affect the fruit total soluble solids (TSS) and total sugars but was found effective to slow down the decrease of ascorbic acid and acidity contents of the fruit during storage. PET Punnets packaged fruits treated with CaCl2 (2%) under cold conditions retained better shelf-life with better biochemical quality of fruits during storage while untreated control fruits deteriorated rapidly

Response of preservative chemicals on the shelf life of cut lilium (Lilium spp.) flower cv. ‘Pavia’

Lilium cut flowers have commercial importance and extending their vase life is vital. An increase in the vase life quality and quantity can directly increase the viability and price realization of commercially important flowers like lilium. Shelf life of cut lilium flower is influenced by using different preservative chemicals and sucrose added in vase solution. Such an extension of vase life can be achieved via chemical treatment. The trial was carried out to examine the effect of various concentration of two chemicals, AgNO3 (silver nitrate) and 8-HQC (8-Hydroxyquinoline citrate) along with sucrose on the shelf life of lilium cut flower cv. ‘Pavia’ (cross between Asiatic and Longiflorum lilies). In the experiment, sucrose (20%), 8-HQC at 3 concentrations (100, 150, 200 ppm) and AgNO3 at 3 concentrations (50, 75, 100 ppm) and water (distilled) as control were tested alone and with combinations. Cut flowers of lilium were treated at one bud opening stage. The trial was carried out in a completely randomized design (CRD) having 16 treatments and one control in three (3) replications. The fresh weight and relative fresh weight of the cut flower spike, opening of all flowers on a spike, vase solution uptake on a day, total vase solution uptake and vase life of lilium cut flower spike showed the best outcome with AgNO3 (50 ppm) and 20% sucrose treatment combination. Out of the two chemicals, silver nitrate showed better results than 8-HQC as a preservative in enhancing the shelf life of cut Lilium flower cv. ‘Pavia’. Analysis of this new and exciting method will be useful to research institutes, commercial producers, wholesalers, retailers, consumers or anyone to choose right chemical and concentration of holding solution to maximize the post-harvest life of lilium cut flowers

How are soil use and management reflected by soil organic matter characteristics: a spectroscopic approach

We studied the quantitative and qualitative changes of soil organic matter (SOM) due to different land uses (arable versus grassland) and treatments (organic manure and mineral fertilizer) within an agricultural crop rotation in a long-term field experiment, conducted since 1956 at Ultuna, Sweden, on a Eutric Cambisol. The organic carbon (OC) content of the grassland plot was 1.8 times greater than that of the similarly fertilized Ca(NO3) 2 treated cropped plots. The comparison of two dispersion techniques (a lowenergy sonication and a chemical dispersion which yield inherent soil aggregates) showed that increasing OC contents of the silt-sized fractions were not matched by a linear increase of silt-sized aggregates. This indicated saturation of the aggregates with OC and a limited capacity of particles to protect OC physically. Thermogravimetric analyses suggested an increase of free organic matter with increasing OC contents. Transmission FT-IR spectroscopy showed relative enrichment of carboxylic, aromatic, CH and NH groups in plots with increasing OC contents. The silt-sized fractions contained the largest SOM pool and, as revealed by 13C NMR spectroscopy, were qualitatively more influenced by the plant residue versus manure input than the clay fractions. Alkyl and O-alkyl C in the silt-sized fractions amounted to 57.4% of organic carbon in the animal manure treated plots and 50–53% in the other treatments.We thank the Austrian Science Fund (Fonds zur FÖrderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung) for funding this bilateral project.Peer reviewe

Model Order Reduction for Rotating Electrical Machines

The simulation of electric rotating machines is both computationally expensive and memory intensive. To overcome these costs, model order reduction techniques can be applied. The focus of this contribution is especially on machines that contain non-symmetric components. These are usually introduced during the mass production process and are modeled by small perturbations in the geometry (e.g., eccentricity) or the material parameters. While model order reduction for symmetric machines is clear and does not need special treatment, the non-symmetric setting adds additional challenges. An adaptive strategy based on proper orthogonal decomposition is developed to overcome these difficulties. Equipped with an a posteriori error estimator the obtained solution is certified. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method

Action research in physical education: focusing beyond myself through cooperative learning

This paper reports on the pedagogical changes that I experienced as a teacher engaged in an action research project in which I designed and implemented an indirect, developmentally appropriate and child‐centred approach to my teaching. There have been repeated calls to expunge – or at least rationalise – the use of traditional, teacher‐led practice in physical education. Yet despite the advocacy of many leading academics there is little evidence that such a change of approach is occurring. In my role as teacher‐as‐researcher I sought to implement a new pedagogical approach, in the form of cooperative learning, and bring about a positive change in the form of enhanced pupil learning. Data collection included a reflective journal, post‐teaching reflective analysis, pupil questionnaires, student interviews, document analysis, and non‐participant observations. The research team analysed the data using inductive analysis and constant comparison. Six themes emerged from the data: teaching and learning, reflections on cooperation, performance, time, teacher change, and social interaction. The paper argues that cooperative learning allowed me to place social and academic learning goals on an even footing, which in turn placed a focus on pupils’ understanding and improvement of skills in athletics alongside their interpersonal development

A Microcosm of the Biomedical Research Experience for Upper-level Undergraduates

The skill set required of biomedical researchers continues to grow and evolve as biology matures as a natural science. Science necessitates creative yet critical thinking, persuasive communication skills, purposeful use of time, and adeptness at the laboratory bench. Teaching these skills can be effectively accomplished in an inquiry-based, active-learning environment at a primarily undergraduate institution. Cell Biology Techniques, an upper-level cell biology laboratory course at St. John Fisher College, features two independent projects that take advantage of the biology of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, a premier yet simple model organism. First, students perform a miniature epigenetic screen for novel phenotypes using RNA interference. The results of this screen combined with literature research direct students toward a singe gene that they attempt to subclone in the second project. The biology of the chosen gene/protein also becomes an individualized focal point with respect to the content of the laboratory. Progress toward course goals is evaluated using written, oral, and group-produced assignments, including a concept map. Pre- and postassessment indicates a significant increase in the understanding of broad concepts in cell biological research

Implementing health research through academic and clinical partnerships : a realistic evaluation of the Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC)

Background: The English National Health Service has made a major investment in nine partnerships between higher education institutions and local health services called Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC). They have been funded to increase capacity and capability to produce and implement research through sustained interactions between academics and health services. CLAHRCs provide a natural ‘test bed’ for exploring questions about research implementation within a partnership model of delivery. This protocol describes an externally funded evaluation that focuses on implementation mechanisms and processes within three CLAHRCs. It seeks to uncover what works, for whom, how, and in what circumstances. Design and methods: This study is a longitudinal three-phase, multi-method realistic evaluation, which deliberately aims to explore the boundaries around knowledge use in context. The evaluation funder wishes to see it conducted for the process of learning, not for judging performance. The study is underpinned by a conceptual framework that combines the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services and Knowledge to Action frameworks to reflect the complexities of implementation. Three participating CLARHCS will provide indepth comparative case studies of research implementation using multiple data collection methods including interviews, observation, documents, and publicly available data to test and refine hypotheses over four rounds of data collection. We will test the wider applicability of emerging findings with a wider community using an interpretative forum. Discussion: The idea that collaboration between academics and services might lead to more applicable health research that is actually used in practice is theoretically and intuitively appealing; however the evidence for it is limited. Our evaluation is designed to capture the processes and impacts of collaborative approaches for implementing research, and therefore should contribute to the evidence base about an increasingly popular (e.g., Mode two, integrated knowledge transfer, interactive research), but poorly understood approach to knowledge translation. Additionally we hope to develop approaches for evaluating implementation processes and impacts particularly with respect to integrated stakeholder involvement

Engineering of Three-Finger Fold Toxins Creates Ligands with Original Pharmacological Profiles for Muscarinic and Adrenergic Receptors

Protein engineering approaches are often a combination of rational design and directed evolution using display technologies. Here, we test “loop grafting,” a rational design method, on three-finger fold proteins. These small reticulated proteins have exceptional affinity and specificity for their diverse molecular targets, display protease-resistance, and are highly stable and poorly immunogenic. The wealth of structural knowledge makes them good candidates for protein engineering of new functionality. Our goal is to enhance the efficacy of these mini-proteins by modifying their pharmacological properties in order to extend their use in imaging, diagnostics and therapeutic applications. Using the interaction of three-finger fold toxins with muscarinic and adrenergic receptors as a model, chimeric toxins have been engineered by substituting loops on toxin MT7 by those from toxin MT1. The pharmacological impact of these grafts was examined using binding experiments on muscarinic receptors M1 and M4 and on the α1A-adrenoceptor. Some of the designed chimeric proteins have impressive gain of function on certain receptor subtypes achieving an original selectivity profile with high affinity for muscarinic receptor M1 and α1A-adrenoceptor. Structure-function analysis supported by crystallographic data for MT1 and two chimeras permits a molecular based interpretation of these gains and details the merits of this protein engineering technique. The results obtained shed light on how loop permutation can be used to design new three-finger proteins with original pharmacological profiles

Identification and Structural Characterization of a New Three-Finger Toxin Hemachatoxin from Hemachatus haemachatus Venom

10.1371/journal.pone.0048112PLoS ONE710