Understanding the influence of processing conditions on the extraction of rhamnogalacturonan-I “hairy” pectin from sugar beet pulp

Sugar beet pectin is rich in rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I) region, which is a potential source of prebiotics. RG-I pectin cannot be extracted the same way as commercial homogalacturan-rich pectin using hot acid. Therefore, this study has explored several alternative methods, including microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and conventional- solvent extraction (CSE) at atmospheric pressure using different solvents, and microwave-assisted hydrothermal extraction (MAHE) under pressure using water. No conclusive differences in microwave and conventional heating were found with heating rate controlled. The optimum treatment times of both MAE and CSE at 90 °C atmospheric pressure and regardless of the solvents used were 120 min; however, MAHE at 130 °C under pressure can dramatically reduce the time to 10 min. Alcohol-insoluble solids (AIS) extracted using pH13 solvent by MAE had both the highest RG-I yield at 25.3% and purity at 260.2 mg/g AIS, followed by AIS extracts using water by MAHE with 7.5% and 166.7 mg/g AIS respectively

Barriers and facilitators to implementing community outreach work, and inter-professional collaboration with regional partners

Abstract : Objective. Community outreach workers support individuals in accessing the health and community services they require through various forms of proximity approaches. Even though community outreach has been available in the province of Quebec (Canada) for the past 40 years, it is still difficult to implement and sustain, especially with families of young children. The aim of this study was to document barriers and facilitators to implementing community outreach practices, and to describe how such workers collaborate with sectoral (e.g. health care) and inter-sectoral (e.g. municipalities, community organizations, schools) partners. Methodology. We performed a content analysis on 55 scientific and grey literature documents, and transcriptions of 24 individual interviews and 3 focus groups with stakeholders including parents, community outreach workers, health care employees, and inter-sectoral partners. Results. This study reveals four categories of barriers and facilitators to the implementation of community outreach work (i.e. organizational factors, nature of the work and worker-related factors, family-related factors, external factors). With regards to collaboration, community outreach workers deal with various partners. Good inter-professional collaboration is achieved through positive interactions and communication, shared or co-developed activities for the families, co-intervention with families, and strategies to enhance role awareness and inter-sectoral meetings. Conclusion. Results highlighted that many factors interact and can either influence, positively or negatively, the opportunity to implement community outreach work. The collaborative practices identified may help to maximize facilitators and overcome barriers. Advocacy and a better understanding of how to integrate community outreach work within health services while maintaining the workers’ flexibility are needed to sustain this practice

Multilocus Genotyping of Human Giardia Isolates Suggests Limited Zoonotic Transmission and Association between Assemblage B and Flatulence in Children

Giardia intestinalis is a protozoan parasite found world-wide and it is a major cause of diarrhea in humans and other mammals. The genetic variability within G. intestinalis is high with eight distinct genotypes or assemblages (A-H). Here we performed sequence-based multilocus genotyping of around 200 human Giardia isolates. We found evidence of limited zoonotic transmission of certain A subtypes and an association between flatulence and assemblage B infection in children. This shows that it is important to investigate different assemblages and sub-assemblages of G. intestinalis in human infections in order to understand the clinical significance, zoonotic potential, sequence divergence, and transmission pathways of this parasite

On the genome constitution and evolution of intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium: Poaceae, Triticeae)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The wheat tribe Triticeae (Poaceae) is a diverse group of grasses representing a textbook example of reticulate evolution. Apart from globally important grain crops, there are also wild grasses which are of great practical value. Allohexaploid intermediate wheatgrass, <it>Thinopyrum intermedium </it>(2n = 6x = 42), possesses many desirable agronomic traits that make it an invaluable source of genetic material useful in wheat improvement. Although the identification of its genomic components has been the object of considerable investigation, the complete genomic constitution and its potential variability are still being unravelled. To identify the genomic constitution of this allohexaploid, four accessions of intermediate wheatgrass from its native area were analysed by sequencing of chloroplast <it>trn</it>L-F and partial nuclear GBSSI, and genomic <it>in situ </it>hybridization.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The results confirmed the allopolyploid origin of <it>Thinopyrum intermedium </it>and revealed new aspects in its genomic composition. Genomic heterogeneity suggests a more complex origin of the species than would be expected if it originated through allohexaploidy alone. While <it>Pseudoroegneria </it>is the most probable maternal parent of the accessions analysed, nuclear GBSSI sequences suggested the contribution of distinct lineages corresponding to the following present-day genera: <it>Pseudoroegneria</it>, <it>Dasypyrum</it>, <it>Taeniatherum</it>, <it>Aegilops </it>and <it>Thinopyrum</it>. Two subgenomes of the hexaploid have most probably been contributed by <it>Pseudoroegneria </it>and <it>Dasypyrum</it>, but the identity of the third subgenome remains unresolved satisfactorily. Possibly it is of hybridogenous origin, with contributions from <it>Thinopyrum </it>and <it>Aegilops</it>. Surprising diversity of GBSSI copies corresponding to a <it>Dasypyrum</it>-like progenitor indicates either multiple contributions from different sources close to <it>Dasypyrum </it>and maintenance of divergent copies or the presence of divergent paralogs, or a combination of both. <it>Taeniatherum</it>-like GBSSI copies are most probably pseudogenic, and the mode of their acquisition by <it>Th. intermedium </it>remains unclear.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Hybridization has played a key role in the evolution of the Triticeae. Transfer of genetic material via extensive interspecific hybridization and/or introgression could have enriched the species' gene pools significantly. We have shown that the genomic heterogeneity of intermediate wheatgrass is higher than has been previously assumed, which is of particular concern to wheat breeders, who frequently use it as a source of desirable traits in wheat improvement.</p

Longevity of Buffel Grass Seed Sown in an Arid Australian Range

Three sets of buffel grass seed with germination percentages of 0.8, 35 and 94 were sown in a spinifex grassland near Alice Springs, N.T., at a depth of 2.5 cm. Replicated batches were recoverd from each set at increasing intervals and their germinability compared to seed kept in laboratory storage. All seed lost dormancy progressively, more rapidly in soil than storage. In the soil natural death of non-dormant seeds was probably concurrent with loss of dormancy, the balance leading eventually to small germination percentages. Values of about 10% were obtained 2-4 years after sowing, the seed with highest germinability at sowing having the shortest span. In storage germination percentages remained above 60. Range seeding of adapted varieties of buffel grass in arid regions with infrequent establishment periods can be attempted with confidence in seed longevity.This material was digitized as part of a cooperative project between the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries.The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform August 202

Some Effects of Furrow Spacing and Depth on Soil Moisture in Central Australia

This material was digitized as part of a cooperative project between the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries.The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform August 202