Evaluation of Common Bean Varieties for Yield and Yield Component in Segen Area Peoples Zone SNNPRS, Ethiopia

Studies on the evaluation of variety performance provide opportunities to increase productivity of common bean. Therefore, the current study evaluates the performance of varieties on yield and yield components of common bean during the main cropping season of 2015 and 2016 at four locations in Segen Zone,Konso woreda (Southwestern Ethiopia) with the objectives of  selecting high yielding common bean varieties those are adapted to the study area. Fifteen released common bean varieties and one local cultivar were planted in randomized complete block design with three replications. The analysis revealed that significant variation for all traits except maturity date. Highest yield obtained from Nasir(2136 kgha-1) and Hawassa dume (1948 kgha-1) followed by Sari (1751 kgha-1) were as at Addis Gebere, high grain yield was obtained from Sari (2227 kgha-1), Hawassa dume (2111 kgha-1) and Dimtu (2073 kgha-1). For average mean yield from overall location, high yield obtained from Hawassa dume (2129 kgha-1) and Nasir (2002 kgha-1) followed by Sari (1989 kgha-1). Results revealed that Hawassa dume, Nasir and Sari were best performed and better adapted varieties than the others respectively. Therefore, the above mentioned varieties are promising varieties for the production area and recommendable for area with similar agro-ecologies. Keywords: Phaseolus Vulagris L, Evaluation, Grain yield,Varieties

Human Breast Milk: A Source of Potential Probiotic Candidates

This study focuses on the isolation of lactobacilli/bifidobacteria from human breast milk and their first characterization, in the perspective to find new probiotic candidates to be included in food products. More specifically, breast-milk-isolated strains demonstrated a very good aptitude to adhere to intestinal cells, in comparison with L. rhamnosus GG strain, taken as reference. The same behavior has been found for hydrophobicity/auto-aggregation properties. A remarkable antagonistic activity was detected for these isolates not only against spoilage and pathogenic species of food interest, but also against the principal etiological agents of intestinal infections. Indeed, isolated strains impaired spoilage and pathogenic species growth, as well as biofilm formation by gut pathogens. In addition, breast milk strains were characterized for their antibiotic susceptibility, displaying species-specific and strain-specific susceptibility patterns. Finally, to assess their technological potential, the fermentation kinetics and viability of breast milk strains in pasteurized milk were investigated, also including the study of the volatile molecule profiles. In this regard, all the strains pointed out the release of aroma compounds frequently associated with the sensory quality of several dairy products such as acetic acid, diacetyl, acetoin, acetaldehyde. Data here reported point up the high potential of breast-milk-isolated strains as probiotics

Unravelling the functional and technological potential of soy milk based microencapsulated Lactobacillus crispatus and Lactobacillus gasseri

The main aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of microencapsulation with soy milk as a carrier, conducted by spray-drying, on three mixed cultures of functional vaginal lactobacilli, Lactobacillus crispatus (BC1, BC3, and BC4) and Lactobacillus gasseri BC9, that could be further exploited as an adjunct in health foods. The i) physicochemical properties (using scanning electronic microscopy), ii) viability of encapsulated bacteria over time, and iii) functional features of powders containing the encapsulated bacteria were characterised considering different storage conditions. All microbial mixtures exhibited high viability for 90 d of storage, regardless of the storage conditions. All microencapsulated microbial combinations, excluding L. crispatus BC3 + L. gasseri BC9, exhibited hydrophobicity values exceeding 60%. Moreover, regardless of the considered combination, the in vitro digestion results exhibited a more significant decrease in cell viability for non-encapsulated microbial combinations than that of the encapsulated strains

Effects of novel modified atmosphere packaging on lipid quality and stability of sardine (Sardina pilchardus) fillets

Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is an efficient method to increase shelf-life of fishery products by inhibiting bacterial growth and oxidative reactions. Beside the traditional gases used for MAP, novel gases such as argon (Ar) and nitrous oxide (N2O) were approved for food use in the European Union. The present research investigates the effect of MAP with unconventional gas mixtures, that previously positively affected microbial shelf-life, on colour, lipid oxidation and sensorial characteristics of sardine fillets during storage. Four atmosphere conditions were tested: Air (20.8% O2/79.2% N2), N2 (30% CO2/70% N2), N2O (30% CO2/70% N2O) and Ar (30% CO2/70% Ar). Samples were stored for 12 days at 3 °C. Results showed that the removal of oxygen significantly inhibited the oxidation process; however, most of the investigated parameters related to fat oxidation did not show any improvement, except for a slight decrease in lipid hydrolysis and improvement in sensory properties in the packaging containing Ar

Role of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) and Inflammation in Obese Children

Knowledge of the real incidence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) in obese children and its role in obesity development seems essential for a more effective approach to the treatment of this condition. In this prospective, single-blind study, presence of SIBO was evaluated in a group of children with overweight/obesity. A blood sample for evaluation of cytokine profile was collected to establish the potential relationship with inflammatory condition and lactulose breath test (LBT) to diagnose SIBO was performed. A total of 36 patients with excess of adipose tissue were recruited. Among them, 16 (44.4%) were overweight and 20 (45.6%) were obese. Overall, 26 (72.2%) children had a positive LBT and were considered suffering from SIBO, 12 (75.0%) among those overweight and 14 (70.0%) among those obese. Measurement of cytokines (IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p40, IL-12p70, IL-17, IFN-α2, IFN-γ, TNF-α), cytokine antagonists (IL-1ra), chemokines (IP10, MCP-1, MIP1α, MIP1β), and growth factors (EGF, G-CSF, GM-CSF, and VEGF) secreted in culture supernatants by PHA activated-PBMCs revealed that in the study population proinflammatory cytokines IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, IFN-γ, IL-18, and TNF-α were high, whereas anti-inflammatory mediators IL-4 and IL-10 were low. However, no significance difference between children with SIBO and those without were evidenced. Evaluation of relationship of severity of SIBO showed a significant positive relationship between EGF or IFN-α2 and H2 but not CH4 levels and an inverse significant relationship with CH4 but not H2. Despite its limitations and further studies are needed, this study seems to indicate that SIBO is extremely common in overweight and obese children and can be demonstrated not only in severely obese subjects but also in moderately overweight patients. The inflammatory state seems to precede obesity development and SIBO does not seem to have relevance in obesity development, with no relationship found between severity of SIBO and inflammatory state

The AMS-02 RICH Imager Prototype - In-Beam Tests with 20 GeV/c per Nucleon Ions -

A prototype of the AMS Cherenkov imager (RICH) has been tested at CERN by means of a low intensity 20 GeV/c per nucleon ion beam obtained by fragmentation of a primary beam of Pb ions. Data have been collected with a single beam setting, over the range of nuclear charges 2<Z<~45 in various beam conditions and using different radiators. The charge Z and velocity beta resolutions have been measured.Comment: 4 pages, contribution to the ICRC 200

West Nile virus outbreak among horses in New York State, 1999 and 2000.

West Nile (WN) virus was identified in the Western Hemisphere in 1999. Along with human encephalitis cases, 20 equine cases of WN virus were detected in 1999 and 23 equine cases in 2000 in New York. During both years, the equine cases occurred after human cases in New York had been identified