Growth kinetics for shelf-life prediction: Theory and practice

Summary Predictive microbiology can be used to determine and predict the shelf-life of perishable foods under commercial distribution conditions based on microbial growth kinetics. This paper presents general microbial growth kinetics with the Monod model and the Gompertz function. Additional models are given to describe effects of food composition (e. g.a _w) and environmental conditions (e.g. temperature, gas atmosphere) as well as their interaction on the growth kinetic parameters (lag time and specific growth rate). These models can be used to predict the time to reach a critical level under any constant conditions within the range tested. A combination of microbial kinetics with an engineering accumulation approach can be used to predict the final microbial level in a food, or the loss of shelf-life, for any known time-temperature sequence, if there is no history effect or the history effect is negligible. A time-temperature indicator, could be used for predicting the remaining shelf-life of perishable foods under any distribution condition based on microbial growth kinetics.Mention of brand or firm names does not constitute an endorsement by the US Department of Agriculture over others of a similar nature not mentioned.     

青藏高原东缘的锈菌资料IV.悬钩子上一个类似柄锈菌的新锈菌

本文报告采自四川西部九寨沟自然保护区菰帽悬钩子(Rubus pileatus Focke)上的一个锈菌新种。标本上仅见冬孢子堆,冬孢子双胞,类似柄锈菌的冬孢子。由于未见性子器,属的地位尚难确定。然而,此菌的冬孢子堆外观酷似悬钩子植物上特有的单种属阿氏锈菌属(Arthuriomyces)。镜下观察测得孢子大小为40-55(-65) × 22-28 μm,孢壁厚度为3-4.5 μm,有细皱纹,每个细胞各具一芽孔。从芽孔数及位置看符合阿氏锈菌属的特征,因而将此菌暂隶于此属,命名为悬钩子生阿氏锈菌(Arthuriomyces rubicola sp. nov.)     

Biodegradation of 4-chlorobiphenyl by Micrococcus species

A Micrococcus sp., isolated by enrichment culture, grew on 4-chlorobiphenyl at 2 g/l as sole carbon source and produced 4-chlorobenzoic acid in the culture medium as a dead-end metabolite. The organism degraded 4-chlorobiphenyl by 2,3-dihydroxylation followed by meta-ring cleavage to yield 4-chlorobenzoate and carbon fragments for cell growth.     

云南省蚱科一新属新种(直翅目:蚱科)

本文报道蚱科一新属一新种。新属,微翅蚱属Alulatettix gen nov.的主要特征是前胸背板强烈隆起呈屋脊形,前胸背板侧片后缘具二凹陷,前、后翅甚微小。其模式种为云南微翅蚱Alulatettix yunnanensis sp.nov.     

The development of oral vaccines based on live attenuated Salmonella strains

Abstract Safe, live attenuated Salmonella strains can be produced by introducing defined non-reverting mutations into the chromosome. Such rationally attenuated strains have proved to be excellent oral vaccines in several animal species and can therefore be considered as candidate vaccines against invasive salmonellosis in both animals and man. A panel of attenuating lesions is now available from which it is possible to tailor the level of attenuation and hence produce strains with different immunogenic properties. Because of the spectrum of immune responses produced by such Salmonella vaccine strains they have been utilised extensively as vectors for delivering heterologous antigens to the mammalian immune system. We have focussed on the development of a single dose oral tetanus vaccine based on attenuated Salmonella strains expressing a non-toxic, immunogenic protein derived from tetanus toxin (fragment C). Several different expression systems have been used for fragment C and candidate vaccine strains have been constructed that are capable of protecting orally immunised mice against a lethal challenge with tetanus toxin. An oral tetanus vaccine may help to reduce the mortality rate from tetanus in the developing world by overcoming the problems associated with the implementation of vaccine programmes using the current parenteral vaccine.     

The water frogs of Greece: Bioacoustic evidence for a new species

The structure of the mating call of lake frogs (referred to as R. ridibunda) from 16 populations in Greece was analyzed for local variation using multivariate statistics. The populations of Thrace and of the island of Samothraki form a group giving the same type of mating call, whereas the mating call of the other populations differs in the degree of temperature dependence of four parameters, and specifically in the number of pulses/pulse group and pulse groups/call. Discriminant functions distinguish even single call series with a probability of 97%, intermediate mating calls are absent, and there is a significant, but slight differentiation of external morphological characters. These results have strong taxonomic implications. We conclude that the lake frogs of Greece comprise two species. The mating call of the lake frogs from Thrace resembles in all parameters that of the Rana ridibunda in the terra typica restricta (Guryev, CIS). Accordingly, the lake frogs of eastern Greece belong to R. ridibunda. The mating call of these lake frogs consists of 20 pulses/pulse group and of 7 pulse groups/call on the average. Most of Greece is inhabited by the second taxon, Rana balcanica sp. n. Its mating call is characterized by 27 pulses/pulse group and 4 pulse groups/call on the average. The two species in Greece do not differ with respect to coloration and size, but several standardized indices vary significantly: body length/digitus primus length; body length/callus internus length; body length/snout-eye distance; body length/tympanum diameter; tibia length/callus internus length; maximal head width/snout-eye distance.     

一株红球菌属细菌LV4在高盐条件下的吡啶降解特性

由微生物介导的吡啶降解技术是解决高盐吡啶环境污染的经济有效方法之一,开发具有吡啶降解性能且能够耐受高盐分的微生物是该类研究的重要前提。本研究从山西太原钢铁公司焦化废水处理厂活性污泥中分离培养了一株耐盐吡啶降解菌,通过菌落形态和16S rDNA基因系统发育分析,鉴定其为红球菌属(Rhodococcus sp.)的细菌。耐盐性实验结果表明,菌株LV4能够在0%–6%盐度范围内生长,并完全降解初始浓度为500 mg/L的吡啶;但当盐度高于4%时,菌株LV4因其生长变缓而导致吡啶完全降解时间明显延长。扫描电镜结果显示,高盐环境会使菌株LV4的菌体细胞分裂变慢,诱导细胞表面分泌更多的颗粒状胞外聚合物(extracellular polymeric substance, EPS)。当盐度不高于4%时菌株LV4主要依靠EPS中蛋白含量的增加来响应高盐环境的冲击。单因素实验优化发现,菌株LV4在盐度为4%的高盐环境中降解吡啶的最佳条件为温度30℃、pH 7.0、转速为120 r/min (DO 10.30 mg/L)。最优条件下菌株LV4对于初始浓度为500 mg/L的吡啶,在经过12 h的适应期后,...     

乌云伞的解剖学及花粉形态学研究

八角莲属(Dysosma)是小檗科(Berberidaceae)一个重要属,全国共有7个种,大约分布于北纬23—32°,东经94—122°之间。湖北八角莲属有4个种,其中乌云伞(Dysosma lichuanensis Z. Cheng, sp. nev., ined.)为内定种,是多年生草本,它的形态特征与八角莲(Dysosma     

杨树拟茎点菌溃疡病的研究

本病系我国杨树新发生的一种病害。病原菌的分生孢子有2种形状,无色透明、单胞,呈纺缍形孢子大小为1.64—2.74×9.59—13.7μm。线形孢子顶端弯钩状大小为1.37—1.78×15—27.4μm。病原菌适宜生长的培养基为PDA、麦芽粉、豆饼粉培养基;温度为25—32℃和pH6—10。本病于4月下旬发病,5月中下旬分生孢子成熟,6月中下旬为分生孢子飞散高峰期。经室内采用多菌灵、甲基托布津、福美砷的200倍液浸泡插穗30、60、90分钟处理均有药害,采用100—200倍液浸泡10分钟无药害,对病害有防效。造林地幼树可采用上述药剂的100倍液进行刮破病斑涂抹,防效可达87.5％。     

The Puccinia striiformis effector Hasp98 facilitates pathogenicity by blocking the kinase activity of wheat TaMAPK4

The obligate biotrophic fungus Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) employs virulence effectors to disturb host immunity and causes devastating stripe rust disease. However, our understanding of how Pst effectors regulate host defense responses remains limited. In this study, we determined that the Pst effector Hasp98, which is highly expressed in Pst haustoria, inhibits plant immune responses triggered by flg22 or nonpathogenic bacteria. Overexpression of Hasp98 in wheat (Triticum aestivum) suppressed avirulent Pst-triggered immunity, leading to decreased H₂O₂ accumulation and promoting P. striiformis infection, whereas stable silencing of Hasp98 impaired P. striiformis pathogenicity. Hasp98 interacts with the wheat mitogen-activated protein kinase TaMAPK4, a positive regulator of plant resistance to stripe rust. The conserved TEY motif of TaMAPK4 is important for its kinase activity, which is required for the resistance function. We demonstrate that Hasp98 inhibits the kinase activity of TaMAPK4 and that the stable silencing of TaMAPK4 compromises wheat resistance against P. striiformis. These results suggest that Hasp98 acts as a virulence effector to interfere with the MAPK signaling pathway in wheat, thereby promoting P. striiformis infection.