Enhanced survival of probiotics by encapsulation with plant extracts during foam-mat drying and under simulated gastrointestinal conditions

Survival of probiotic bacteria, Pediococcus pentosaceus ARG-MG12 encapsulated in sodium alginate beads with different plant extracts (onion, soybean, and lotus root) were tested under simulated gastrointestinal conditions compared with free cells. Encapsulated P. pentosaceus ARG-MG12 in sodium alginate solution with onion and soybean extracts revealed the highest survival under bile salt. The survival increased proportionately with increasing extracts concentrations. Microencapsulation enhanced acidic survival of all probiotic strains compared to free cells. P. pentosaceus ARG-MG12 coencapsulated with 3% soybean extracts showed the highest survival of 9.98 log CFU/mL (p < 0.05) after bile salt exposure for 3 hr, while the control including microencapsulated cells without extracts exhibited 8.66 log CFU/mL of survival. Alginate coating of the soybean extracts co-encapsulated probiotic increased survival during foam-mat drying at 70°C to 98.39% compared to that of uncoated which showed 87.55% survival. Co-encapsulated P. pentosaceus ARG-MG12 stored in hard gelatin capsule and aluminium foil bag at 8°C for eight weeks showed higher survival than room temperature

A Development of Agile Leadership Indicators for Private Higher Education Institution Administrators in Thailand

The purposes of this research were to 1) develop agile leadership indicators for private higher education institution administrators in Thailand and 2) verify the structural accuracy of agile leadership indicators with empirical data. The research consisted of 2 phases. The first phase was to develop agile leadership indicators for private higher education institution in Thailand by carrying out content analysis from the document and having from specialists considering in agile leadership indicators for private higher education institution in Thailand. The second phase was to verify the structural accuracy of agile leadership indicators with empirical data. 350 samples were selected from those who performed administrative duties from Top-Ten private university in Thailand. Respondents returned 341 copies of the questionnaire or 97.43%. The findings revealed that the agile leadership indicators for private higher education institution administrators in Thailand consisted of 2 main elements. Both elements having the same standard factor loading value as follows 1) the mindset which was 5 sub-elements, 25 indicators and 2) the behavior which was 10 sub-elements, 50 indicators. Structural accuracy of agile leadership indicators was fitted with the empirical data

Resposta da aplicação do 1-MCP em frutos de mamoeiro 'Golden' em diferentes estádios de maturação Responses of 1-MCP applications in 'Golden' papaya fruits on differents maturation stages

O estudo de fatores que influenciam no processo de amadurecimento é fundamental para o planejamento do processo de comercialização, principalmente em frutos com padrão de respiração climatérico e perecível, como é o caso do mamão. Nesse trabalho, avaliou-se o efeito da aplicação do 1-MCP (1-metilciclopropeno) sobre o amadurecimento de frutos de mamoeiro nos estádios 0; 1 e 2 de maturação. O 1-MCP diminui a produção de etileno (&#8776;79%) e a taxa respiratória (&#8776;45%), principalmente em frutos no estádio 0 de maturação. O uso deste inibidor da ação do etileno retardou a perda de coloração verde da casca dos frutos, principalmente em frutos nos estádios 0 e 1 de maturação. Houve redução na perda de firmeza do fruto e do mesocarpo nos estádios 1 e 2. Entretanto, em frutos no estádio 0 de maturação, a firmeza do mesocarpo manteve-se alta, o que pode comprometer a aceitação destes frutos pelo consumidor. O teor de sólidos solúveis não foi influenciado pela aplicação do 1-MCP. O efeito do 1-MCP na redução da atividade das enzimas PME e PG foi maior em frutos nos estádios 0 e 1 de maturação em comparação a frutos no estádio 2 de maturação. A atividade da PME demonstrou crescente aumento ao longo do período de armazenamento, porém a atividade da PG permaneceu baixa ao longo dos cinco primeiros dias, com aumento posterior. Os resultados mostraram que a PME exerce influência significativa na perda de firmeza da polpa nos primeiros dias, com atuação posterior da PG. O 1-MCP mostrou-se eficiente em retardar o processo de amadurecimento de frutos de mamoeiro, tornando-se mais eficiente quando associado a estádios de maturação iniciais.<br>The study of factors that influence the process of ripening is critical for planning the marketing process, mainly in standard breathing climacteric and perishing fruits, as it is the case of papaya. In this work it was evaluated the effect of the application of 1-MCP (1- methylcyclopropene) in the pattern of fruit ripening of papaya at the maturation stages 0, 1 and 2. The 1-MCP delayed the production of ethylene (&#8776;79%) and the respiratory rate (&#8776;45%) mainly in fruit maturation stages 0. The use of the inhibitor of the ethylene action delayed the degreening of the fruits, especially in fruit maturation stages 0 and 1. With 1-MCP application there was a reduction in loss of flesh and fruit firmness in stages 1 and 2. However, in fruit maturation stage 0, the flesh firmness showed excessively high, which may decrease the acceptance for consumer of these fruits. The solid soluble content was not influenced by the application of the 1-MCP. The effect of 1-MCP in the reduction of the activity of the enzymes PME and PG was bigger in fruit maturation stages 0 and 1 than fruit maturation stage 2. The PME enzyme activity demonstrated an increasing over the shelf life; however, the PG enzyme activity remained low during the first five days of shelf life, increasing later. The results showed that the PME enzyme exerts significant influence on loss of flesh firmness, and the PG acting later. The 1-MCP was effective delaying the process of ripening of papaya fruits being more efficient when associated with initial maturation stages

Ethylene and senescence processes

Senescence is a vitally important sequence of events in the latter phase of the life cycle of a plant that determines yield and reproductive success. In many species, and in different plant organs, ethylene is a key regulator of senescence and an increased understanding of the way the hormone functions will enable the timing and location of senescence to be manipulated in order to improve yield, quality and longevity. This chapter examines the physiological and molecular regulation of senescence in different plant organs and introduces the concept of the ‘senescence window’ in which plant organs are receptive to ethylene-mediated senescence cues. Several studies have attempted to elucidate global patterns of the regulation of senescence, which have enabled the function of ethylene to be placed in the context of the involvement of other, often antagonistic, hormones in the execution of senescence and downstream processes. Finally, we examine the consequences of senescence for post-harvest biology, an area where the control of ethylene action has been actively sought in order to control precisely the timing of senescence and ripening processes so that crop quality can be enhanced and maintained