Comprehensive study on wheat flour quality attributes as influence by different agrotechnical factors

Received: November 27th, 2020 ; Accepted: February 2nd, 2021 ; Published: March 2nd, 2021 ; Corresponding author: [email protected] present polyfactorial long-term experiment was conducted to determine the role of different agrotechnical factors, like fertilization, forecrop, year and cultivar on the quality and yield attributes of a classical and a modern winter wheat genotypes. The research gives a complex view of the alteration of the most quality parameters (32) that are rarely done together in a single experiment (n = 96). All the studied factors had a significant effect on some tested properties. First growing season with fair water supply was beneficial for yield (+21.7%) however, the 2nd one with mild weather in spring and average annual precipitation was favourable for quality parameters (HFN: +3%, GI: +19%, GS: -51%, DDT: +22.4%, ST: +24.6%, DS: -14%, PDR: +37.6%, PD: +6%, PMR: +51.5%, PE: +52.7%, W: +25.8%, LV: +16.3%, HI: +13.3%). The optimal fertilizer demand of the different parameters varied to realize the potential of the varieties (N90P68K80 for Y, VWA, PWA, PMR, PE, LV, Mavg, KW and HI; meanwhile N150P113K133 for CP, WGC, ZI, VQN, ST, W and P/L). In the case of suboptimal nutrient supply, the effect of fore crops was significant (Y, CP, DGC, ZI, FE, VQN, DDT, ST, DS, PDR, PMR, PE, Mavg and all alveographic values). Comparing the varieties, GK Öthalom had better fertilizer response attribute (NUECP) and quality parameters, till then Mv Ispán possessed significantly better natural nutrient utilizing property (+22.9%), NUEY and yield (+31.7% in 2019). Summarizing the results, there is a need to put great emphasis on the selection of adapted cultivar and variety-specific agrotechnology practices, also these data contribute to a better understanding of the relationships between the quality parameters

Better Indoor Climate With Less Energy: European Energy Performance of Building Directive (EPBD)

The European Commission's Action Plan on Energy Efficiency (2000) indicated the need for specific measures in the building sector. In response, the European Commission (EC) published the proposed Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings (EPBD) in May 2001. The European Parliament and Council accepted the text, and it was published in the EU Official Journal in January 2003, at which time the Directive became a European Law. The objective of the EPBD is to promote the improvement of the energy performance of buildings, taking into account outdoor climatic and local conditions, as well as indoor climate requirements. The main objective is to achieve better indoor climate with less energy

Quantum-confined single photon emission at room temperature from SiC tetrapods

Controlled engineering of isolated solid state quantum systems is one of the most prominent goals in modern nanotechnology. In this letter we demonstrate a previously unknown quantum system namely silicon carbide tetrapods. The tetrapods have a cubic polytype core (3C) and hexagonal polytype legs (4H)-a geometry that creates spontaneous polarization within a single tetrapod. Modeling of the tetrapod structures predicts that a bound exciton should exist at the 3C-4H interface. The simulations are confirmed by the observation of fully polarized and narrowband single photon emission from the tetrapods at room temperature. The single photon emission provides important insights into understanding the quantum confinement effects in non-spherical nanostructures. Our results pave the way to a new class of crystal phase nanomaterials that exhibit single photon emission at room temperature and therefore are suitable for sensing, quantum information and nanophotonics. © 2014 the Partner Organisations

Application of electronic tongue to discriminate white wines originated from different regions of Hungary

In this work, the application of an electronic tongue (ET) based on a specific ion-selective sensor array for discrimination of different white wine types is presented. The electronic tongue equipped with specific sensor array containing seven IFSET sensors was used to analyze wine samples. The obtained ET responses were evaluated using different pattern recognition methods. Principal component analysis (PCA) provides the possibility to identify some initial patterns. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was used to build models to separate white wine samples based on wine regions and grape cultivars. The results showed that every group was distinguished from each other with no misclassification error. Furthermore, the sequence of the wine sample groups was similar to the increasing total acidity content. Partial least square (PLS) regression was used to build models for the prediction of the main chemical compositions of the wine samples based on the electronic tongue results. The closest correlation (R2=0.93) was found in case of ‘total acidity’, and the prediction error (RMSEP) was 6.9%. The pH of the wine samples was predicted with good correlation (R2=0.89) but higher prediction error (RMSEP=10.71%) from the electronic tongue results. The ET combining these statistical methods can be applied to determine the origin and variety of the wine samples in easy and quick way

Authentication of Tokaj Wine (Hungaricum) with the Electronic Tongue and Near Infrared Spectroscopy

Tokaj wines (Hungaricum) are botrytized wines acknowledged for the unique organoleptic properties bestowed by botrytized grape berries during production. Excluding these berries during wine production or manipulating the sugar content of low-grade wines to imitate high-grade wines are some recent suspicious activities that threaten the wine quality. Advanced methods such as spectroscopy and sensor-based devices have been lauded for rapid, reliable, and cost-effective analysis, but there has been no report of their application to monitor grape must concentrate adulteration in botrytized wines. The study aimed to develop models to rapidly discriminate lower grade Tokaj wines, "Forditas I" and "Forditas II," that were artificially adulterated with grape must concentrate to match the sugar content of high-grade Tokaj wines using an electronic tongue (e-tongue) and two near infrared spectrometers (NIRS). Data were evaluated with the following chemometrics: principal component analysis (PCA), discriminant analysis (LDA), partial least square regression (PLSR), and aquaphotomics (a novel approach). There was a noticeable pattern of separation in PCA for all three instruments and 100% classification of adulterated and nonadulterated wines in LDA using the e-tongue. Aquagrams from the aquaphotomics approach showed important water absorption bands capable of being markers of Tokaj wine quality. PLSR models showed coefficient of determination ((RCV)-C-2) of 0.98 (e-tongue), 0.97 (benchtop NIRS), 0.87 (handheld NIRS), and low root mean squared errors of cross-validation. All three instruments could discriminate, classify, and predict grape must concentrate adulteration in Tokaj with a high accuracy and low error. The methods can be applied for routine quality checks of botrytized wines. Practical Application Tokaj wines (Hungaricum) are botrytized wines acknowledged for the unique organoleptic properties bestowed by botrytized grape berries during production. Excluding these berries during wine production or manipulating the sugar content of low-grade wines to imitate high-grade wines are some recent suspicious activities that threaten the wine quality. Using advanced instruments, the electronic tongue, benchtop near infrared spectroscopy, and a handheld near infrared spectroscopy, we could discriminate, classify, and predict grape must concentrate adulteration in Tokaj with a high accuracy and low error. The models in our study can be applied for routine quality checks of botrytized wines

Expression of VEGF in neonatal urinary obstruction: does expression of VEGF predict hydronephrosis?

BACKGROUND In animal studies, the inhibition of VEGF activity results in high mortality and impaired renal and glomerular development. Mechanical stimuli, like mechanical stretch in respiratory and circulatory systems, results in an elevated expression of VEGF. In animal models, the experimental urinary obstruction is associated with stretching of tubular cells and activations of the renin-angiotensin system. This results in the upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and TNF-alfa. MATERIAL AND METHODS Tissue samples from urinary tract obstruction were collected and immunohistochemistry was performed in 14 patients (average age: 7.1+/-4.1 years). The control histology group consisted of ureteropelvic junction tissue from 10 fetuses after midtrimester artificial abortion. The fetuses did not have any failure at ultrasound screening and pathological examination. The mean gestational age was 20.6 weeks of gestation (+/-2.2SD). Expression of VEGF was detected with immunohistochemistry method. RESULTS Expression of VEGF was found in varying intensity in the submucosa and subserosa layers, but only in the test tissue (placental tissue). The tissue of the patients with urinary obstruction and the tissue of the fetal ureteropelvic junction without urinary obstruction were negative for expression of VEGF. The repeated examination showed negative cells and no color staining. CONCLUSIONS The pressure due to congenital urogenital obstruction resulting in mechanical stress in cells did not increase the expression of VEGF in young children in our study. To find a correlation between urogenital tract obstruction and increased expression of VEGF, we need to perform more examinations because the connection may be of therapeutic significance

The effect of indomethacin, myeloperoxidase, and certain steroid hormones on bactericidal activity: an ex vivo and in vivo experimental study.

BACKGROUND: The role of myeloperoxidase (MPO) is essential in the killing of phagocytosed bacteria. Certain steroid hormones increase MPO plasma concentration. Our aim was to test the effect of MPO, its inhibitor indomethacin, and certain steroid hormones on bactericidal activity. METHODS: Human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) were incubated with opsonised Escherichia coli and either MPO, indomethacin, estradiol, or hydrocortisone. Intracellular killing capacity was evaluated with UV microscopy after treatment with fluorescent dye. Next, an in vivo experiment was performed with nine groups of rats: in the first phase of the study indomethacin treatment and Pasteurella multocida infection (Ii), indomethacin treatment without infection (I0), untreated control with infection (Mi) and untreated control without infection (M0); in the second phase of the study rats with infection and testosterone treatment (NT), castration, infection and testosterone treatment (CT), castration, infection and estradiol treatment (CE), non-castrated infected control (N0), and castrated infected control (C0). After treatment bacteria were reisolated from the liver and heart blood on agar plates, and laboratory parameters were analyzed. For the comparison of laboratory results ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis test and LSD post hoc test was used. RESULTS: Indomethacin did not have a remarkable effect on the bacterial killing of PMNs, while the other compounds increased bacterial killing to various degrees. In the animal model indomethacin and infection caused a poor clinical state, a great number of reisolated bacteria, elevated white blood cell (WBC) count, decreased C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum albumin levels. Testosterone treatment resulted in less bacterial colony numbers in group NT, but not in group CT compared to respective controls (N0, C0). Estradiol treatment (CE) decreased colony numbers compared to control (C0). Hormone administration resulted in lower WBC counts, and in group CE, a decreased CRP. CONCLUSIONS: MPO, estradiol, and hydrocortisone improve bacterial killing activity of PMNs. Indomethacin treatment and castration weaken immune responses and clinical state of infected rats, while testosterone and estradiol have a beneficial effect

Interactions of pathological hallmark proteins: Tubulin polymerization promoting protein/p25, {beta}-amyloid and {alpha}-synuclein

The disordered tubulin polymerization promoting protein (TPPP/p25) was found to be co-enriched in neuronal and glial inclusions with α-synuclein in Parkinson disease and multiple system atrophy, respectively; however, co-occurrence of α-synuclein with β-amyloid (Aβ) in human brain inclusions has been recently reported, suggesting the existence of mixed type pathologies that could result in obstacles in the correct diagnosis and treatment. Here we identified TPPP/p25 as an interacting partner of the soluble Aβ oligomers as major risk factors for Alzheimer disease using ProtoArray human protein microarray. The interactions of oligomeric Aβ with proteins involved in the etiology of neurological disorders were characterized by ELISA, surface plasmon resonance, pelleting experiments, and tubulin polymerization assay. We showed that the Aβ(42) tightly bound to TPPP/p25 (K(d) = 85 nm) and caused aberrant protein aggregation by inhibiting the physiologically relevant TPPP/p25-derived microtubule assembly. The pair-wise interactions of Aβ(42), α-synuclein, and tubulin were found to be relatively weak; however, these three components formed soluble ternary complex exclusively in the absence of TPPP/p25. The aggregation-facilitating activity of TPPP/p25 and its interaction with Aβ was monitored by electron microscopy with purified proteins by pelleting experiments with cell-free extracts as well as by confocal microscopy with CHO cells expressing TPPP/p25 or amyloid. The finding that the interaction of TPPP/p25 with Aβ can produce pathological-like aggregates is tightly coupled with unusual pathology of the Alzheimer disease revealed previously; that is, partial co-localization of Aβ and TPPP/p25 in the case of diffuse Lewy body disease with Alzheimer disease