Electronic nose coupled with linear and nonlinear supervised learning methods for rapid discriminating quality grades of superior java cocoa beans

An electronic nose (E-nose), comprising eight metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) gas sensors and a moisture-temperature sensor, was used for classifying three quality grades of superior java cocoa beans, namely fine cocoa dark bean 60%, and bulk cocoa bean that is a harder task compared to the discrimination of high versus low-quality cocoa beans. The E-nose signals were pre-processed using the maximum value method. The capability for discriminating the quality grade of the cocoa beans was checked by applying multivariate statistical tools, namely, linear discriminant analysis (LDA), support vector machine (SVM) and artificial neural networks (ANN). For this, the experimental dataset was split into two subsets, one for training (i.e., establishing the classification models) and the other for external-validation purposes. Furthermore, hyperparameter optimization and K-fold cross-validation variant were implemented during the model training procedure to select the best classification models and to avoid over-fitting issues. The best predictive classification performance was obtained with the E-nose-MLP-ANN procedure, which allowed 99% of correct classifications (overall accuracy) for the training dataset and 95% of correct classifications (overall accuracy) for the external-validation dataset. The satisfactory results clearly demonstrated that the E-nose could be applied as a quality control tool in the cocoa industry, requiring minimum and simple sample preparation. © Intelligent Network and Systems Society.The authors thank the Directorate of Research and Community Service, Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education, the Republic of Indonesia for providing research grants of PTUPT 2019 (Contract No. 2688/UN1.DITLIT/DITLIT/LT/2019). The authors also like to acknowledge the financial support given by Associate Laboratory LSRE-LCM-UID/EQU/50020/2019, strategic funding UID/BIO/04469/2019-CEB, BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) and strategic project PEst-OE/AGR/UI0690/2014 – CIMO, all funded by national funds through FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Deciphering Plant-Insect-Microorganism Signals for Sustainable Crop Production

Agricultural crop productivity relies on the application of chemical pesticides to reduce pest and pathogen damage. However, chemical pesticides also pose a range of ecological, environmental and economic penalties. This includes the development of pesticide resistance by insect pests and pathogens, rendering pesticides less effective. Alternative sustainable crop protection tools should therefore be considered. Semiochemicals are signalling molecules produced by organisms, including plants, microbes, and animals, which cause behavioural or developmental changes in receiving organisms. Manipulating semiochemicals could provide a more sustainable approach to the management of insect pests and pathogens across crops. Here, we review the role of semiochemicals in the interaction between plants, insects and microbes, including examples of how they have been applied to agricultural systems. We highlight future research priorities to be considered for semiochemicals to be credible alternatives to the application of chemical pesticides

POKOK-POKOK PIKIRAN DOSEN FAKULTAS PERTANIAN UNIVERSITAS ANDALAS PERSPEKTIF PERTANIAN TROPIKA BASAH:POTENSI DAN TANTANGANNYA DALAM RANGKA PERTANIAN BERKELANJUTAN

Buku ini membahas keragaman hasil penelitian yang telah dilakukan dan juga merupakan hasil pemikiran yang mendalam tentang pertanian di Sumatera Barat khususnya dan Indonesia umumnya bagi kemajuan bangsa Indonesia yang dilakukan oleh Dosen Fakultas Pertanian Universitas Andalas dari berbagai aspek terkait pertanian berkelanjutan khususnya pada aspek pertanian tropika basah, teknologi dasar untuk pertanian tropika basah, potensi diversifikasi pangan, dan aplikasi terapan dalam budi daya tanaman, serta aspek sosial ekonomi dan modal sosial. Masalah utama yang harus dihadapi di dalam pemanfaatan lahan pada daerah tropika basah adalah keadaan sosial ekonomi petani atau masyarakat yang menggunakan lahan sebagai tempat usahanya. Pendapatan keluarga yang rendah serta kemiskinan di banyak tempat berkorelasi positif dengan usaha tani. Rendahnya produktivitas lahan, selain disebabkan oleh tingkat kesuburan tanah yang rendah, juga disebabkan oleh rendahnya intensitas indeks pertanaman karena kebutuhan air tidak tersedia sepanjang tahun. Untuk meningkatkan produktivitas lahan, selain pengapuran dan pemupukan dapat dilakukan dengan optimalisasi pola tanam, penggunaan varietas unggul dan unggul lokal, pemanfaatan mikroorganisme indigenus, meningkatkan intensitas indeks pertanaman, mengurangi aliran permukaan/erosi, dan evaporasi tanah oleh adanya penutupan tanaman dan sisa hasil panen yang dapat berfungsi sebagai mulsa dan menambah bahan organik tanah. Pengelolaan sumber daya lahan harus dipandang sangat penting berdasarkan pertimbangan bahwa proses pembangunan yang sedang dan akan dilakukan di Indonesia masih tergantung pada cara memanfaatkan potensi sumber daya lahannya

Within-individual phenotypic plasticity in flowers fosters pollination niche shift

Authors thank Raquel Sánchez, Angel Caravante, Isabel Sánchez Almazo, Tatiana López Pérez, Samuel Cantarero, María José Jorquera and Germán Fernández for helping us during several phases of the study and Iván Rodríguez Arós for drawing the insect silhouettes. This research is supported by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (CGL2015-71634-P, CGL2015-63827-P, CGL2017-86626-C2-1-P, CGL2017- 86626-C2-2-P, UNGR15-CE-3315, including EU FEDER funds), Junta de Andalucía (P18- FR-3641), Xunta de Galicia (CITACA), BBVA Foundation (PR17_ECO_0021), and a contract grant to C.A. from the former Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (RYC-2012-12277). This is a contribution to the Research Unit Modeling Nature, funded by the Consejería de Economía, Conocimiento, Empresas y Universidad, and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), reference SOMM17/6109/UGR.Phenotypic plasticity, the ability of a genotype of producing different phenotypes when exposed to different environments, may impact ecological interactions. We study here how within-individual plasticity in Moricandia arvensis flowers modifies its pollination niche. During spring, this plant produces large, cross-shaped, UV-reflecting lilac flowers attracting mostly long-tongued large bees. However, unlike most co-occurring species, M. arvensis keeps flowering during the hot, dry summer due to its plasticity in key vegetative traits. Changes in temperature and photoperiod in summer trigger changes in gene expression and the production of small, rounded, UV-absorbing white flowers that attract a different assemblage of generalist pollinators. This shift in pollination niche potentially allows successful reproduction in harsh conditions, facilitating M. arvensis to face anthropogenic perturbations and climate change. Floral phenotypes impact interactions between plants and pollinators. Here, the authors show that Moricandia arvensis displays discrete seasonal plasticity in floral phenotype, with large, lilac flowers attracting long-tongued bees in spring and small, rounded, white flowers attracting generalist pollinators in summer.Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (EU FEDER funds) CGL2015-71634-P CGL2015-63827-P CGL2017-86626-C2-1-P CGL2017-86626-C2-2-P UNGR15-CE-3315Junta de Andalucia P18-FR-3641Xunta de GaliciaBBVA Foundation PR17_ECO_0021Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness RYC-2012-12277Consejeria de Economia, Conocimiento, Empresas y Universidad SOMM17/6109/UGREuropean Union (EU) SOMM17/6109/UG

Recent advances in ankylosing spondylitis: understanding the disease and management

The term spondyloarthritis refers to a group of immune-mediated diseases characterised by inflammation of the axial skeleton, peripheral joints, and entheses. Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is the most common and characteristic of these entities and even though it was first described over two centuries ago, the understanding of the underlying disease mechanism remains incomplete. It is known that around 40% of patients with AS have subclinical bowel inflammation, suggesting that the origin of the disease could be in the gut. Also, more genes and new molecules have demonstrated a role in the pathogenesis of AS. In this review, we analyse the latest therapies for spondyloarthritis and the most relevant discoveries over the last three years, together with their implications for different aspects of the disease

Extraction of Collagen from the Skin of Kacang Goat and Production of Its Hydrolysate as an Inhibitor of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme

The study was designed to determine the potential of collagen hydrolysate produced from the skin of Kacang goat through chymotrypsin hydrolysis to be used as an inhibitor of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE). This research was conducted in three replications, with the measured parameters include ACE inhibitory potential and collagen hydrolysate fractionation. The results showed that collagen extraction of Kacang goat skin by chymotrypsin hydrolysis yielded 9.74% (dry matter, v/v) collagen, with pH at 6.6. The extracted collagen contained α1, α2, and β collagen chains with molecular weights of 151 kDa, 141 kDa, and 240 kDa, respectively. Furthermore, the collagen hydrolysis produced protein peptides confirmed at molecular weights of 43 to 107 kDa. The hydrolysate fractionation at molecular weights of <3 kDa, 3-5 kDa, and >5 kDa showed proteins concentrations of 2.33 mg/mL, 3.81 mg/mL, and 3.93 mg/mL, respectively. The hydrolysate fractionation with molecular weight <3 kDa showed to have ACE inhibition activity with the IC50 value of 0.47 mg/mL. The study concluded that collagen hydrolysate extracted from the skin of Kacang goat had a promising potential as a source of antihypertensive agent

Extraction of Collagen from the Skin of Kacang Goat and Production of Its Hydrolysate as an Inhibitor of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme

The study was designed to determine the potential of collagen hydrolysate produced from the skin of Kacang goat through chymotrypsin hydrolysis to be used as an inhibitor of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE). This research was conducted in three replications, with the measured parameters include ACE inhibitory potential and collagen hydrolysate fractionation. The results showed that collagen extraction of Kacang goat skin by chymotrypsin hydrolysis yielded 9.74% (dry matter, v/v) collagen, with pH at 6.6. The extracted collagen contained α1, α2, and β collagen chains with molecular weights of 151 kDa, 141 kDa, and 240 kDa, respectively. Furthermore, the collagen hydrolysis produced protein peptides confirmed at molecular weights of 43 to 107 kDa. The hydrolysate fractionation at molecular weights of &lt;3 kDa, 3-5 kDa, and &gt;5 kDa showed proteins concentrations of 2.33 mg/mL, 3.81 mg/mL, and 3.93 mg/mL, respectively. The hydrolysate fractionation with molecular weight &lt;3 kDa showed to have ACE inhibition activity with the IC50 value of 0.47 mg/mL. The study concluded that collagen hydrolysate extracted from the skin of Kacang goat had a promising potential as a source of antihypertensive agent.</p

Evaluation of rice straw as natural filler for injection molded high density polyethylene bio-composite materials

Rice straw that left behind during the paddy harvesting process holds immense potential to be used as a renewable resource in the development of eco-friendly polymeric products. Utilisation of rice straw as natural filler in the development of high density polyethylene bio-composite materials by using the injection moulding technique was reported in the present study. The investigation of filler size revealed that the bio-composites with the acceptable tensile strength was achieved when the rice straw with 250 300 μm of particle size was used in the composite formulation. By increasing the rice straw content, a decreasing trend was observed in the tensile and flexural strength of the fabricated bio-composites. The tensile and flexural moduli of the biocomposites were enhanced with the increasing of rice straw. The water absorption of the rice straw-based high density polyethylene bio-composites was also significantly increased with the elevation of rice straw content in the composite formulations. The present study provides insights into the underlying behaviours of the rice straw in fabricated high density polyethylene bio-composites, which, in turn, could serve as a reliable guideline for the development of the rice straw for a wide range of eco-friendly products

Using synoptic tracer surveys to assess runoff sources in an Andean headwater catchment in central Chile

Headwater catchments in the Andes provide critical sources of water for downstream areas with large agricultural communities dependent upon irrigation. Data from such remote headwater catchments are sparse, and there is limited understanding of their hydrological function to guide sustainable water management. Here, we present the findings of repeat synoptic tracer surveys as rapid appraisal tools to understand dominant hydrological flow paths in the semi-arid Rio Grande basin, a 572-km(2) headwater tributary of the 11,696-km(2) Limar\' basin in central Chile. Stable isotopes in stream water show a typical altitudinal effect, with downstream enrichment in δ(2)H and δ(18)O ratios. Seasonal signals are displayed in the isotopic composition of the springtime melting season water line with a steeper gradient, whilst evaporative effects are represented by lower seasonal gradients for autumn and summer. Concentrations of solutes indexed by electrical conductivity indicate that there are limited contributions of deeper mineralised groundwater to streamflow and that weathering rates vary in the different sub-catchments. Although simplistic, the insights gained from the study could be used to inform the structure and parameterisation of rainfall runoff models to provide seasonal discharge predictions as an evidence base for decision making in local water management