A new root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne moensi n. sp. (Nematoda : Meloidogynidae), parasitizing Robusta coffee from Western Highlands, Vietnam

A new root-knot nematode, parasitizing Robusta coffee in Dak Lak Province, Western Highlands of Vietnam, is described as Meloidogyne moensi n. sp. Morphological and molecular analyses demonstrated that this species differs clearly from other previously described root-knot nematodes. Morphologically, the new species is characterized by a swollen body of females with a small posterior protuberance that elongated from ovoid to saccate; perineal patterns with smooth striae, continuous and low dorsal arch; lateral lines marked as a faint space or linear depression at junction of the dorsal and ventral striate; distinct phasmids; perivulval region free of striae; visible and wide tail terminus surrounding by concentric circles of striae; medial lips of females in dumbbell-shaped and slightly raised above lateral lips; female stylet is normally straight with posteriorly sloping stylet knobs; lip region of second stage juvenile (J2) is not annulated; medial lips and labial disc of J2 formed dumbbell shape; lateral lips are large and triangular; tail of J2 is conoid with rounded unstriated tail tip; distinct phasmids and hyaline; dilated rectum. Meloidogyne moensi n. sp. is most similar to M. africana, M. ottersoni by prominent posterior protuberance. Results of molecular analysis of rDNA sequences including the D2-D3 expansion regions of 28S rDNA, COI, and partial COII/16S rRNA of mitochondrial DNA support for the new species status

Batch and column adsorption of reactive dye by eggshell powder–chitosan gel core-shell material

In this study, eggshell powder-chitosan gel (EPCG) material was synthesized and tested as an adsorbent for two commercial reactive dyes in batch and dynamic modes. The EPCG material was a novel core-shell material in which the eggshell core particles were coated by a thin layer of chitosan. SEM images of dried EPCG powder showed a porous structure of the surface. In adsorption batch tests, Langmuir and Freundlich equations well described the adsorption isotherms with a maximum capacity of 2.3 mg/g at pH 4 and equilibrium time of 60 min (r2> 0.98). The adsorption process followed pseudo-second-order kinetics. Adsorption behaviour of EPCG toward the reactive dyes in fixed-bed adsorber was better described by the Clark model (r2> 0.92) than by the Bohart – Adam model (r2> 0.82). These results suggest that EPCG, as an environment-friendly material produced from waste eggshell, is very promising for wastewater treatment applications

POLLUTION OF GROUNDWATER BY LEACHATE FROM DONG THANH LANDFILL DISPOSAL SITE

Joint Research on Environmental Science and Technology for the Eart

Changes in Bitterness, Antioxidant Activity and Total Phenolic Content of Grapefruit Juice Fermented by Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium Strains

Four strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium including L. plantarum 01, L. fermentum D13, L. rhamnosus B01725, and B. bifidum B7.5 exhibiting naringinase production were applied in grapefruit juice fermentation. All investigated strains grew well in grapefruit juice without nutrition supplementation. In all cases, cell counts were 108–109 CFU ml−1 after 24 hours of fermentation. The highest lactic acid and acetic acid productions were observed in the case of strain L. plantarum 01. The L. plantarum 01 and L. fermentum D13 strains prefer glucose over fructose and sucrose, whereas fructose was the most favoured sugar for L. rhamnosus B01725 and B. bifidum B7.5. At the end of the fermentation process, antioxidant activity and total polyphenol content of grapefruit juice decreased in all cases, but the changes were not significant. Significant decrease of naringin was observed in the case of L. plantarum 01, 28% naringin in grapefruit juice was removed after fermentation. This result is promising for development of technology for production of probiotic grapefruit juice

Templating porosity in polymethylsilsesquioxane coatings using trimethylsilylated hyperbranched polymers

A series of trimethylsilyl end-functionalized aliphatic hyperbranched polymers has been used to template porosity in polymethylsilsesquioxane films prepared by heat treatment of a spin cast methylsilsesquioxane precursor. By varying the extent of the end-functionalization, closed pore foams with controlled pore sizes and pore contents of up to 40 vol% were obtained by chemically-induced phase separation and thermal degradation of the hyperbranched polymers during the heat treatmen

Innovative in silico approaches to address avian flu using grid technology

The recent years have seen the emergence of diseases which have spread very quickly all around the world either through human travels like SARS or animal migration like avian flu. Among the biggest challenges raised by infectious emerging diseases, one is related to the constant mutation of the viruses which turns them into continuously moving targets for drug and vaccine discovery. Another challenge is related to the early detection and surveillance of the diseases as new cases can appear just anywhere due to the globalization of exchanges and the circulation of people and animals around the earth, as recently demonstrated by the avian flu epidemics. For 3 years now, a collaboration of teams in Europe and Asia has been exploring some innovative in silico approaches to better tackle avian flu taking advantage of the very large computing resources available on international grid infrastructures. Grids were used to study the impact of mutations on the effectiveness of existing drugs against H5N1 and to find potentially new leads active on mutated strains. Grids allow also the integration of distributed data in a completely secured way. The paper presents how we are currently exploring how to integrate the existing data sources towards a global surveillance network for molecular epidemiology.Comment: 7 pages, submitted to Infectious Disorders - Drug Target