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The global interest in increasing the world's carbon stocks is skewed towards perennial woody ecosystems. But a continuous shortage of land stands in the way of achieving the goal. We must therefore aim to explore viable alternatives. The banana as a potential carbon sequester attracted little attention from researchers. Therefore, this study aimed at estimating the potential of bananas in different states of India as potential carbon sequesters. Data was collected from twelve major banana producers between January 2021 and December 2022. One hundred banana gardens were sampled in each of the 12 banana-producing states, covering the major bananas grown (AAA, AAB, and ABB). The above-ground (AGB) and below-ground (BGB) biomass were calculated using the allometric equation with pseudostem volume as the allometric parameter. The dry weight obtained from the allometric equations was then converted to carbon using a dry weight to carbon conversion factor. Sequestered carbon varied with the AAA, AAB, and ABB of bananas. Banana plant carbon stock was also found to be very small, ranging from 2.573 to 6.407 t/ha, compared with very high soil carbon ranging from 39.55 to 77.14t. In all the banana-cultivating states, the proportion of carbon contained in the plant to that in the soil was only 8.286 percent, and that of soil carbon accounted for 91.714%. At the national level, the banana crop sequestered 48.627 million metric tonnes of carbon, with soil carbon accounting for 44.798 metric tonnes and plant carbon accounting for only 3.828 metric tonnes per year. Despite these small amounts of plant carbon, the banana cropping system enriches the soil by enabling much more carbon to be sequestered into the soil in amounts comparable to other perennial plantations.

Due to the demand for decarbonization of the construction sector, research on alkali-activated binders and material-minimized carbon-reinforced structures has gained momentum in recent years. Most of the research into alkali-activated binders is focused on developing market-ready alternatives, mainly using a trial-and-error approach. In this study, an attempt is made to identify and quantify the factors influencing compressive strength development. Due to their worldwide availability, investigations are being carried out into binders based on calcined clays and natural pozzolans. The goal is to develop a method to produce tailor-made AAB for continuous manufacturing methods to combine carbon reinforcement and alkali-activated materials. For this purpose, an experimental matrix with 20 variation parameters was set up, in which the activator solution and the precursor composition varied. The design of the experiments was used to minimize the number of experiments. It was shown that no single factor is responsible for the development of compressive strength but instead involves several interacting factors. It was possible to find empirical formulas for predicting the compressive strength after 2, 7, and 28 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the study, Kombucha beverages produced with Anatolian hawthorn (KH) or nettle leaves (KN) were examined in terms of some microbiological and chemical properties during fermentation (at 25 ºC for 21 days) and storage (at 4 ºC for 120 days) periods. The samples were also examined for color and sensory properties during storage. The numbers of acetic acid bacteria (AAB) and yeast for fermentation period were in the range of 3.08–6.15 and 3.30–6.21 log CFU/mL in KH, 3.74–6.02 and 3.85–6.85 log CFU/mL in KN, and 3.63–6.13 and 3.86–6.70 log CFU/mL in Kombucha produced from black tea (control samples-KC), respectively. At the end of the storage, AAB and yeast counts of the samples were mostly lower than the beginning. Besides, AAB counts of KH and KN were higher than KC (except KC1). The highest acidity was determined in KN (except KH4) at the end of the fermentation period. The results of the sensory evaluation showed that in general, KH had higher scores in terms of color, clarity, taste, odor, and general acceptance, depending on the storage time. As a result, this study indicated that Anatolian hawthorn and nettle leaves have significant potential to be used as a substrate for developing Kombucha having better sensory properties than Kombucha produced from black tea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the French West Indies, and particularly in Guadeloupe, agricultural policies mainly support the banana and sugarcane export sectors. However, driven by consumer demand, policy-makers are increasingly interested in developing local and agroecological food systems. Plantain (Musa spp., AAB), cultivated by a wide range of farmers, plays a key role in the diversification of local production and food systems, contributing to food security. However, important gaps in knowledge about plantain cropping systems are hindering the understanding of their contribution to the agroecological transition of farms. Farmers are also requesting more guidance from technical advisers and research. The aim of the work, presented in this article, was to co-design agroecological plantain cropping systems with farmers in order to fill this knowledge gap and to support local food systems. The co-design process was based on the characterization of the diversity of plantain farming systems, the evaluation of changes in practices implemented between 2017 and 2019, and the co-design of a system experiment. We identified six types of plantain farming systems defined by the role of plantain in the production strategy of the farm and a gradient of agroecology in plantain management practices. Our results also show progress toward agroecology between 2017 and 2019. Four innovative plantain cropping systems were designed based on a combination of existing knowledge held by farmers from the six types of farming systems. These results confirm that plantain cropping systems are contributing to the agroecological transition of farms in Guadeloupe and highlight that there are multiple possible agroecological transition pathways for plantain farmers. These results also provide a concrete example of integration of academic and non-academic knowledge for the co-design of agroecological systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the demand for decarbonization of the construction sector, research on alkali-activated binders and material-minimized carbon-reinforced structures has gained momentum in recent years. Most of the research into alkali-activated binders is focused on developing market-ready alternatives, mainly using a trial-and-error approach. In this study, an attempt is made to identify and quantify the factors influencing compressive strength development. Due to their worldwide availability, investigations are being carried out into binders based on calcined clays and natural pozzolans. The goal is to develop a method to produce tailor-made AAB for continuous manufacturing methods to combine carbon reinforcement and alkali-activated materials. For this purpose, an experimental matrix with 20 variation parameters was set up, in which the activator solution and the precursor composition varied. The design of the experiments was used to minimize the number of experiments. It was shown that no single factor is responsible for the development of compressive strength but instead involves several interacting factors. It was possible to find empirical formulas for predicting the compressive strength after 2, 7, and 28 days.

The mechanism of the photolysis of the trans-aminoazobenzene dye (t-AAB) excited by pulsed laser visible (Vis) radiation (λex = 400 nm) and probed by picosecond absorption spectroscopy is corrected. It is taken into account that two types of phenylaminyl cations belonging to t-AAB2 ridimers are responsible for light absorption (the main state of the dye). The photoexcitation of these cations leads to the cleavage of t-AAB2 ridimers into monomeric Franck-Condon (FC) pairs of two types. One type of FC pair consists of neutral monomers that relax with a loss of vibrational excitation and regeneration of t-AAB2. Other FC pairs consist of a neutral and electron-polarized monomer, in which the Rydberg 3s-orbital of the azo group is occupied by a pair of electrons excited from the sp2-orbitals of the azo group. The neutral monomers of these FC pairs regenerate the t-AAB2 ridimers, when meeting in the course of self-diffusion, and the electron-polarized monomers undergo isomerization in cis-AAB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Symbiotic relationships between animals and bacteria have profound impacts on the evolutionary trajectories of each partner. Animals and gut bacteria engage in a variety of relationships, occasionally persisting over evolutionary timescales. Ants are a diverse group of animals that engage in many types of associations with taxonomically distinct groups of bacterial associates. Here, we bring into culture and characterize two closely-related strains of gut associated Acetobacteraceae (AAB) of the red carpenter ant, Camponotus chromaiodes. Results Genome sequencing, assembly, and annotation of both strains delineate stark patterns of genomic erosion and sequence divergence in gut associated AAB. We found widespread horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in these bacterial associates and report elevated gene acquisition associated with energy production and conversion, amino acid and coenzyme transport and metabolism, defense mechanisms, and lysine export. Both strains have acquired the complete NADH-quinone oxidoreductase complex, plausibly from an Enterobacteriaceae origin, likely facilitating energy production under diverse conditions. Conservation of several lysine biosynthetic and salvage pathways and accumulation of lysine export genes via HGT implicate L-lysine supplementation by both strains as a potential functional benefit for the host. These trends are contrasted by genome-wide erosion of several amino acid biosynthetic pathways and pathways in central metabolism. We perform phylogenomic analyses on both strains as well as several free living and host associated AAB. Based on their monophyly and deep divergence from other AAB, these C. chromaiodes gut associates may represent a novel genus. Together, our results demonstrate how extensive horizontal transfer between gut associates along with genome-wide deletions leads to mosaic metabolic pathways. More broadly, these patterns demonstrate that HGT and genomic erosion shape metabolic capabilities of persistent gut associates and influence their genomic evolution. Conclusions Using comparative genomics, our study reveals substantial changes in genomic content in persistent associates of the insect gastrointestinal tract and provides evidence for the evolutionary pressures inherent to this environment. We describe patterns of genomic erosion and horizontal acquisition that result in mosaic metabolic pathways. Accordingly, the phylogenetic position of both strains of these associates form a divergent, monophyletic clade sister to gut associates of honey bees and more distantly to Gluconobacter.

ABSTRACT: Proper plant nutrition is critical to increasing the yield of bananas. The objective was to establish the potential nutrient-response curves and sufficiency ranges using the boundary line approach (BLA) and the method proposed by Kenworthy (MK) to assess the nutritional status of ‘Prata-Anã’ bananas cultivated under two environmental conditions. The study was carried out using a database comprising leaf nutrient concentrations and banana yields grown at Missão Velha, Ceará, and Ponto Novo, Bahia, Brazil. The reference population consisted of high-yielding plants with yields greater than the mean yield plus 0.5 standard deviation. The database was divided into two datasets. One contained 253 leaf analysis results and a reference population with a mean yield greater than 39.81 t ha−1 yr−1 at Missão Velha. The other contained 147 samples and a reference population with a mean yield greater than 41.69 t ha−1 yr−1 at Ponto Novo. The sufficiency ranges obtained by the BLA for ‘Prata-Anã’ banana in Bahia and Ceará, respectively, are: a) for macronutrients (g kg−1): N (19.3-22.0) and (19.9-22.1); P (1.4-2.0) and (1.4-1.6); K (22.6-32.2) and (24.0-31.3); Ca (4.6-6.5) and (5.3-5.8); Mg (1.8-2.6) and (2.1-2.7); S (1.3-2.0) and (1.3-1.5); b) for micronutrients (mg kg−1): B (8.4-13.0) and (13.7-16.4); Cu (5.6-8.4) and (4.4-5.2); Fe (54.2-77.6) and (39.0-55.0); Mn (140.1-222.8) and (64.0-91.0); Zn (13.5-18.3) and (12.4-14.5). The sufficiency ranges obtained by the BLA are more assertive when assessing the nutritional status for ‘Prata-Anã’ banana.

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Copyright of Realidad Economica is the property of Realidad Economica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Bacterial toxin–antitoxin (TA) systems play important roles in diverse cellular regulatory processes. Here, we characterize three putative type II TA candidates from Acetobacter pasteurianus and investigate the profile of type II TA systems in the genus Acetobacter. Based on the gene structure and activity detection, two-pairs loci were identified as the canonical hicAB and higAB TA systems, respectively, and DB34_01190–DB34_01195 as a putative new one without a canonical TA architecture. Physiologically, the expression of the three pairs conferred E. coli with additional plasmid maintenance and survival when under acetic acid stress. Chromosomal TA systems can be horizontally transferred within an ecological vinegar microbiota by co-option, and there was a tendency for toxin module loss. The antitoxin retention in the genome is suggested to have a broad role in bacterial physiology. Furthermore, A. pasteurianus strains, universally domesticated and used for industrial vinegar fermentation, showed a higher number of type II TA loci compared to the host-associated ones. The amount of TA loci per genome showed little positive relationship to insertion sequences, although its prevalence was species-associated, to the extent of even being strain-associated. The TA system is a candidate of studying the resistant mechanistic network, the TAs-dependent translatome affords a real-time profile to explore stress adaptation of A. pasteurianus, promoting industrial development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microbiota involved in lambic beer fermentations in an industrial brewery in West-Flanders, Belgium, was determined through culture-dependent and culture-independent techniques. More than 1300 bacterial and yeast isolates from 13 samples collected during a one-year fermentation process were identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry followed by sequence analysis of rRNA and various protein-encoding genes. The bacterial and yeast communities of the same samples were further analyzed using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of PCR-amplified V3 regions of the 16S rRNA genes and D1/D2 regions of the 26S rRNA genes, respectively. In contrast to traditional lambic beer fermentations, there was no Enterobacteriaceae phase and a larger variety of acetic acid bacteria were found in industrial lambic beer fermentations. Like in traditional lambic beer fermentations, Saccharomyces cerevisiae , Saccharomyces pastorianus , Dekkera bruxellensis and Pediococcus damnosus were the microorganisms responsible for the main fermentation and maturation phases. These microorganisms originated most probably from the wood of the casks and were considered as the core microbiota of lambic beer fermentations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic at AAB College in Pristina, Kosovo and the steps taken by college librarians and library staff to ensure that students and faculty continued to succeed while the college was closed due to lockdown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alkali activated binders (AABs) are evolving as alternative to Portland cement. They are predominantly synthesized using aluminosilicate materials, such as fly ash, silica fume, metakaolin, etc. However, the synthesis of these binders is very sensitive to several factors. These include the source, constituents and fineness of the precursor materials, type and combination of alkaline activators, quantity of free-water, and type and duration of curing. Though the synthesis and properties of AABs were studied in the past, there is an apprehension towards using this technology by the construction industry due to practical difficulties. These include insufficient information and understanding of the mix design, lack of uniformity in the composition of precursor materials and its possible impact on the properties of these binders. In addition, there is lack of data on the long-term performance of AABs under aggressive exposure conditions, particularly chloride-bearing environment. The findings of research studies conducted so far indicate that the mechanical characteristics of AABs are either equivalent to or better than those of Portland cement concrete. However, some aspects related to the long-term durability of these binders are yet to be fully understood, including fire-resistance. Accordingly, this paper is aimed to present an overview of parameters that affect the properties of AABs and to elaborate the polymerization mechanisms of commonly used precursor materials. Moreover, the performance of AABs exposed to aggressive environmental conditions are presented. In the light of available literature, the review indicates that future research in this area has to be focused on the development of standard specifications and evaluation procedures for the precursor materials and combinations of alkaline activators for a particular source material. In addition, it is realized that the long-term study on the durability aspects of these binders, particularly exposed to chloride-bearing environment requires considerable attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enteroviral infections have been associated with autoimmunity and type 1 diabetes (T1D), but reliable methods to ascertain localization of single infected cells in the pancreas were missing. Using a single-molecule-based fluorescent in situ hybridization (smFISH) method, we detected increased virus infection in pancreases from organ donors with T1D and with disease-associated autoantibodies (AAb + ). Although virus-positive β cells are found at higher frequency in T1D pancreases, compared to control donors, but are scarce, most virus-positive cells are scattered in the exocrine pancreas. Augmented CD45 + lymphocytes in T1D pancreases show virus positivity or localization in close proximity to virus-positive cells. Many more infected cells were also found in spleens from T1D donors. The overall increased proportion of virus-positive cells in the pancreas of AAb + and T1D organ donors suggests that enteroviruses are associated with immune cell infiltration, autoimmunity, and β cell destruction in both preclinical and diagnosed T1D., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2021 The Authors.)