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Abstract: The effect of alkali viz., sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide, on the recovery of xylan from sugarcane bagasse under two different conditions namely overnight incubation at room temperature and autoclaving was investigated. Conditions for the enzymatic cleavage of the extracted xylan leading to the best yields of xylooligosaccharides was investigated using a fixed substrate concentration (2%, w/v) and varied inputs of other critical factors like pH, temperature, enzyme dose and reaction time. The sugarcane bagasse constituted of 98.99±0.01% organic matter, 35.67±0.15% cellulose, 23.22±0.05% hemicellulose, 6.04±0.06% lignin and 2.3±0.01% protein. The highest xylan recovery of 85% was attained using 12% sodium hydroxide combined with steam application. Analyses of the enzymatic hydrolyzate showed the presence of XOS of varying degree of polymerization falling in the range of 2–3. The maximum conversion to XOS was observed at temperature of 40°C, pH of 4 with an enzyme dose of 2.65U and a reaction time of 8h. The response surface analysis predicted ideal condition viz., temperature 40.99°C, pH 4.92, enzyme dose 3.13U and reaction time 19.19h for maximizing xylobiose yield, while for maximum xylotriose yields the ideal variables were 40.37°C, pH 4.13, enzyme dose 5.89U and an incubation time of 18.14h. The findings established the suitability of sugarcane bagasse as a raw material for extraction of xylan vis a vis its conversion into XOS. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Cone mill was well studied for milling of wet agglomerates. This study evaluated the effects of various process parameters of cone milling roller compacted flakes on the granules produced. Impeller sidearm shapes, screen surface profiles and impeller speeds were studied. Impeller speed was found to play a major role in determining the granule attributes. Besides this, median size, size distribution and percent fines of a milled granule population were mainly determined by the size reduction mechanisms of different impellers and screens. Pre-breaking followed by shearing and slicing of flakes inside the milling chamber was primarily responsible for determining the size, size distribution and percent fines of milled granules. The pre-breaking action could be achieved using teethed round sidearm impeller and lowered the need for screen-based size reduction, thus generating less fines. The shearing and slicing of flakes due to the raised impaction edges of the grater screen also helped to minimize the production of fines. Therefore, the lowest percentage of fines was observed when the teethed round sidearm impeller was used with a grater screen. The results indicated that fines can be reduced considerably with the judicious selection of a suitable impeller and screen combination in the cone mill. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The present study relates to broad-based assessment of softening of raw jute and selectively pretreated jute fibres under the action of mixed enzymes (cellulase, xylanase and pectinase) and a textile grade aminosilicone softener and to further assess how such selective treatments finally contribute in enhancing some textile-related properties. Application of 4% mixed enzyme on jute fibre at 55°C for 2 h at pH 4.8 offers much finer, softer, cleaner and brighter jute fibre with some lowering of bundle tenacity. However, pretreatment of jute fibre under combined oxidative action of 3% H2O2 and 0.75% K2S2O8 for 2 h at 30°C (pH 11) followed by subsequent treatment with 1% mixed enzyme offers a better balance of textile-related properties covering moisture regain, fineness, bundle tenacity, flexural rigidity, surface reflectance, whiteness index, yellowness index and brightness index. Treatments of jute fibre with 0.5-1% aminosilicone softener under a specified condition also make jute fibre much softer, smoother, brighter and cause noticeable reduction in coefficient of friction without much change in bundle tenacity. However, keeping all textile-related properties in view, a preatment of conventional 3% H2O2 bleaching for 2 h at 85°C (pH 11) or an oxidative treatment under combined action of 3% H2O2 and 0.75% K2S2O8 for 2 h at 30°C (pH 11) prior to 1% aminosilicone treatment of jute fibre were found to be much useful for textile purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a study which evaluated quality protein maize (QPM), nithyasree hybrid (NH) and commercial maize based diets on the performance of lambs. The treatment diets used in the study included ragi straw as basal feed and a concentrate mixture. Researchers concluded that the feeding and digestion trials did not reaffirm the assumption that QPM and NH based diets would result in a superior performance.

Cytochrome B is an important polypeptide of the mitochondria helpful in energy metabolism through oxidative phosphorylation. Cytochrome B plays an immense role in the reproduction of animals and due to its mutation prone nature, it can affect the basic physiology of animals. Cytochrome B affects reproductive system in males and equally plays an important role in transferring and providing energy in the development of the embryo, zygote, and oocytes precisely in females. The present study was conducted on Ghungroo pig to study their molecular and reproductive traits and the effect of the cytochrome B gene in the female reproduction of the Ghungroo pig. Although studies are available for cytochrome B gene analysis for evolutionary studies through phylogenetic analysis. This is the first report for the study of Cytochrome B gene on reproduction in pigs. Cytochrome B gene was sequenced and seven SNPs were observed out of which three were non-synonymous. INDEL mutation was detected in Variant B which had lead to Frame Shift mutation resulting in a stop codon AGA. The effect in the reproductive traits of the sow was studied due to the occurrence of nucleotide substitution. Bioinformatics analysis (I-mutant, PROVEAN, and SIFT) had revealed that the mutations were deleterious for the mutant type. Mutation leading to alterations in post-translational modification sites as phosphorylation site, leucine-rich nuclear export signal, occurrence of transmembrane helices, arginine and lysine peptide cleavage site for the mutant variant had resulted in a reduced physiological response. 3 D protein structure, (predicted through bioinformatics analysis) for cytochrome B has revealed distinct structural differences in mutated form with truncated protein by RMSD analysis through TM-Align software. Associated studies of genotype variants with reproductive traits have revealed the significant effect of variants of cytochrome B gene on reproductive traits namely litter size at first, second and third furrowing, piglet mortality, age at first furrowing and furrowing interval. Mitochondrial gene as Cytochrome B variants might be used as a marker for studying female reproduction of Ghungroo sow in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study that evaluates the nutritional composition of Moringa leaves and its effects on rumen metabolic profile. The study is undertaken through collecting Moringa leaves and the use of chemical analysis to determine various rumen metabolites such as total nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen, and volatile fatty acids. The results of the study reveal that Moringa leaves contain 20.36% crude protein, 6.7% ether extract and 19.45% neutral detergent fiber.

Investigates the association of glucocorticoid deficiency with muscle contractures. Clinical manifestations of the contractures; Etiology of the contractures; Effect of glucocorticoid replacement therapy on the contractures.

Abstract: From early times, jute fibre has been generally conditioned for easy spinning by adding oil and water in the form of an emulsion. The commonly used oil consists of C12–C31 fractions of mineral oil that sometimes impart different intensities of oily (kerosene) or fishy smell to the end product. In the present work, efforts have been made to find a suitable sustainable substitute of mineral oil based conditioning agent for spinning of jute yarn and for this, three types of vegetable oil (rice bran oil, palmolein oil and castor oil), a silicone emulsion, a mixed enzyme system and glycerine have been used separately or in combinations as conditioning agents for jute fibre before its mechanical processing for making yarn in jute spinning machines. Considering comparable mechanical process performance for spinning of jute fibre (viz., fibre loss as droppings during processing, moisture retention prior to spinning stage and spinning end breakage rate), tensile properties of yarn, and lower yarn hairiness, it may be suggested to use 2.5% castor oil alone, or 2% castor oil in combination with 0.1–0.5% glycerine in the form of oil-in-water emulsion as the most suitable alternatives to conventional mineral oil-based jute conditioning agent to spin ordinary jute yarn. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]