Search

Hospital and community-acquired infections caused by Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have emerged as a significant public health challenge, highlighting the urgent need for novel antibiotics. In response, the antibacterial properties of natural products derived from traditional plants are being investigated as potential treatments for multidrug resistance. This study demonstrates the potent antibacterialimoact of Berberine (BBR), a compound derived from traditional Chinese medicine, against the community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) strain USA300 LAC. Through a comprehensive series of in vitro antibacterial experiments and gene-level investigations, we discovered that BBR compromises the integrity of the USA300 LAC cell wall structure. This mechanism of action is likely attributed to the inhibition of the tarO gene, which encodes a critical enzyme in the initial stage of wall teichoic acid (WTA) biosynthesis, thereby suppressing WTA synthesis, an essential component of the cell wall. Additionally, BBR upregulates the expression of lytic enzymes LytM and SsaA, resulting in accelerated hydrolysis of peptidoglycan, a major structural element of the cell wall. This disruption ultimately leads to the destruction of the USA300 LAC cell wall. Moreover, combined antibacterial assays reveal that BBR synergistically enhances the antibacterial effect of Oxacillin against USA300 LAC. Overall, our findings elucidate the antibacterial mechanism of BBR, a traditional Chinese medicine monomer, against MRSA and highlight its promising potential for clinical application in the treatment of MRSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early diagnosis and preventive measures are necessary to mitigate diseases' impact on the yield of Colocasia esculenta (Taro). This study addresses the challenges of Taro disease identification by employing two key strategies: integrating explainable artificial intelligence techniques to interpret deep learning models and conducting a comparative analysis of advanced architectures Inception V3, ResNet-50, and Vision Transformers for classifying common Taro diseases, including leaf blight and mosaic virus, as well as identifying healthy leaves. The novelty of this work lies in the first-ever integration of SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) with deep learning architectures to enhance model interpretability while providing a comprehensive comparison of state-of-the-art methods for this underexplored crop. The proposed models significantly improve the ability to recognize complex patterns and features, achieving high accuracy and robust performance in disease classification. The model's efficacy was evaluated through multi-class statistical metrics, including accuracy, precision, F1 score, recall, specificity, Chohen's kappa, and area under the curve. Among the architectures, Inception V3 exhibited superior performance in accuracy (0.9985), F1 score (0.9985), recall (0.9985), and specificity (0.9992). The explainability of Inception V3 was further enhanced using SHAP, which provides insights by dissecting the contributions of individual features in Taro leaves to the model's predictions. This approach facilitates a deeper understanding of the disease classification process and supports the development of effective disease management strategies, ultimately contributing to improved Taro cultivation practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gryllus madagascarensis (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) is a cricket species that shows promise to mitigate food insecurity and malnutrition. But whether this species will accept low- to no-cost weeds and agro by-products as feed, and how these feeds affect its performance, remains unknown. This study assessed the acceptability of 66 weed species and agro by-products (derived from a single plant species) by adult G. madagascarensis and compared the results to a reference feed (chicken feed). We further examined how the 11 top acceptable single plant products affected growth parameters of G. madagascarensis. The parameters assessed included development, survivorship, body mass and body length and reproductive fitness of the crickets on each of these diets. Finally, the costs of the 11 top accepted single plant products were compared. Our results demonstrated that the cricket accepted all 66 single plant products at varying degrees. Tropical white morning glory (Ipomoea alba), cassava tops (Manhot esculentum), taro leaves (Colocasia esculenta), cowpea bran (Vigna unguiculata), American hog-peanut (Afroamphica africana), gallant soldier (Galinsoga parviflora), wheat bran (Triticum aestivum), glycine (Neonotonia wightii), silver leaf Desmodium (Desmodium uncinatum), maize bran (Zea mays) and rice bran (Oryza sativa) were the most accepted. The analysed nutrient content varied across the top 11 accepted single plant products and the reference feed. The shortest development and highest survival rate were recorded with gallant soldier and cowpea bran powders. Wet body mass and body length were highly impacted by various single plant products tested compared to the reference feed. Reproductive parameters were significantly briefer on tropical white morning glory compared to other feeds and the reference diet. Single plant products cost two- to four-fold less than reference feed. The findings are valuable for developing blended diets that balance performance, cost and availability for household and commercial production of crickets as a "green" technology for producing edible sources of protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document titled "Acknowledgment to reviewers" from the journal "Surgery Today" expresses gratitude to numerous consultants who reviewed manuscripts during 2023-2024. The list includes a wide range of individuals from diverse backgrounds and expertise, showcasing the collaborative effort in the field of surgery. The document highlights the importance of peer review and the contributions of these reviewers to the academic community. [Extracted from the article]

Taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott) is a tropical tuber crop whose underground corms are used as an important staple food. However, due to a lack of molecular markers, the genetic diversity, germplasm identification, and molecular breeding of taro are greatly limited. In this study, high-density InDel-SSR molecular markers covering the whole genome were developed based on the resequencing data of taro core germplasm. A total of 1,805,634 InDel-SSR loci were identified, and 219 highly polymorphic markers with an average polymorphism information content PIC value of 0.428 were screened. Furthermore, a genetic diversity analysis of 121 taro germplasm resources was conducted based on 219 markers, dividing the resources into three groups. In addition, an association analysis showed that, of the multiple InDel-SSR markers, g13.52 and g12.82 were significantly associated with leaf area and average cormel weight, respectively; the candidate genes CeARF17 (EVM0014444) and CeGA20ox (EVM0001890) were related to cormel expansion; and we excavated the candidate genes CeXXT2 (EVM0016820) and CeLOG1 (EVM0017064), which regulate leaf development. The InDel-SSRs and candidate genes identified in this study are expected to provide important support for genetically improving and breeding new varieties of taro.

The document is an acknowledgment listing the referees who provided reviews for the International Journal of Urology from September 2023 to August 2024. The list includes a diverse range of individuals from various cultural backgrounds and countries who contributed to the journal's peer review process. The referees' names are presented in alphabetical order, showcasing the global collaboration and expertise involved in the journal's publication. [Extracted from the article]

The Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education expresses gratitude to regional advisors and reviewers for their invaluable support in strengthening geographical and theoretical diversity within the journal. The regional advisors provide mentorship to scholars from underrepresented areas, enriching scholarly dialogue. The reviewers contribute their time and expertise to uphold the quality and integrity of the journal, fostering growth within the scholarly community. [Extracted from the article]

[Objective] This paper aims to solve the common problems in the taro industry, such as the high storage and transportation cost of taro and its quick-frozen products, the low drying efficiency of fresh taro, and the flavor loss of taro powder by investigating the conditions of segmented microwave vacuum drying process of taro and the flavor characteristics of taro powder. [Methods] By taking Hezhou taro as the research object, the microwave vacuum drying mode was determined by analyzing the characteristics of the drying curve, and the optimal process was determined by analyzing the whiteness value, drying time, and sensory evaluation results. The flavor characteristics of taro powder were analyzed by using solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) technology. [Results] The optimal process of segmented microwave vacuum drying for Hezhou taro was as follows: vacuum degree of -95 kPa, microwave power of 12.0 kW at acceleration phase with drying temperature range of 60~70 °C, conversion time of 12 min, microwave power of 6.0 kW at deceleration phase with drying temperature range of 40~60 °C, moisture content of the sample to drying ≤4%, and total time consumption of 34 min. The taro powder obtained under the optimal process had a strong taro flavor, and a total of 12 volatile flavor components were detected, including nine key volatile flavor components, of which (E)-6,10-dimethyl-5,9-undecadien-2-one might be a unique flavor component of Hezhou taro. [Conclusion] Segmented microwave vacuum drying is an effective way to improve the drying efficiency of fresh taro and strengthen the taro flavor of taro powder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to explore the utilization of taro as a substitute for potatoes in making gnocchi and the addition of aglio olio sauce to enhance taste and texture. The research findings indicate that taro can be used as a substitute for potatoes with a relatively high level of acceptability. The addition of aglio olio sauce also enhances the overall taste and aroma of gnocchi. This research contributes to the development of innovative and sustainable food products, offering a new perspective on the utilization of lesserused plants in the culinary industry. This research is an experimental study. Taro was chosen as the raw material because, although it has many benefits and is underutilized, it has a high nutritional value. The organoleptic test of the taro utilization as a substitute for potatoes and the addition of aglio olio sauce in the production of gnocchi was conducted using a Likert scale from 1 to 5, with higher values indicating better quality. The panel consisted of 20 members of the public, with an equal number of men and women and an average age of 30 years. They were randomly selected and had no special skills in the culinary field. The product received good ratings in terms of sensory taste, such as spicy, sweet, sour, savory, and general. The findings of this study are that the optimal process of utilizing taro as a substitute for potatoes and adding aglio olio sauce in the production of gnocchi requires a series of meticulous and efficient steps. From the soaking and cleaning stages to the serving stage, each step must be carefully executed to ensure the quality of the final product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a popular vegetable in Yunnan Province, China, taro flowers are delicious but contain substances that can cause numbing and mucous membrane damage. Prolonged high-temperature cooking is used by locals to mitigate these effects, though its mechanisms were previously unexplored. This study confirms the presence of needle-like calcium oxalate crystals in taro flowers and shows that prolonged steaming reduces their quantity, size, and sharpness, making them safer to eat. Microscopic observations revealed numerous sharp-tipped (~50 μm) calcium oxalate crystals in fresh taro flowers. After 2 h of steam heating, there were significantly fewer (~80% reduction) and smaller crystals (~70% reduction). Ion chromatography showed no significant change (p > 0.05) in calcium oxalate content (remaining ~2.5% of dry weight) after heating. Higher temperatures increase calcium oxalate solubility, causing gradual dissolution and the likely formation of small irregular structures, thus reducing the numbing effect. Prolonged cooking could be applied to other plant-based foods and medicines rich in these crystals. By analyzing statistics related to taro and taro flowers, the estimated potential economic benefits of commercializing taro flowers were USD 2.58–12.92 billion annually, potentially improving food security, creating jobs, and promoting development across regions where taro is largely cultivated in the Global South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taro (Colocasia Esculenta (L.) Schott) is one of the oldest cultivated plants grown for its edible bulbs and leaves. Taro is also known as kalo, kolakas, dasheen, eddoe, malanga, cocoyam and elephant ear. It is stated that it is an important herbal source of vitamins B1, B2, B6 and C in addition to the minerals sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc and copper. The small size of the starch granules in taro, a tropical tuber crop containing high amounts of starch, increases digestibility. Taro; it is also rich in bioactive components such as flavonoids, campesterol, stigmasterol and ß - sitosterol, which are secondary metabolites. For this reason, it shows bioactivities antioxidant, antitumor, antimetastatic, antimutagenic, antihyperglycemic and anti-hypercholesterolemic. The nutrient composition of kelp and its role in nutrition and health are compiled in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taro (Colocasia esculenta) is one of the perennial tuberous plants in the Araceae family. The global area of taro harvesting has reached 1.793 7 million hectares in 2022, with a total output of 12.394 5 million tons. The yield per unit area in China has been 2.75 times the world average in the world. The main production regions are situated in the Yangtze River Basin, the Pearl River Basin, and Taiwan Province. Taro can play a crucial role in the process of rural revitalization. However, manual harvesting has been predominant in recent years. It is still lacking in the specialized harvesting equipment for the mechanized production of taro. In a previous study, the bar-type screening device was employed to conduct taro harvesting experiments. The taro root system and the soil have also been adhered, wrapped, and entangled to form a "root-soil composite" structure during operation. This complex matrix can serve as the taro tubers to reinforce the fibers for the roots. Nevertheless, some challenges remain in actual production, including suboptimal soil crushing quality, ineffective root-soil separation, and elevated screening power consumption during mechanized harvesting. Furthermore, the existing bar-type screening device was unable to fulfill the requirement of taro root-soil separation requirements. In this study, the centrifugal rotary root-soil separation device was developed to fully meet the agronomic and harvesting requirements of multi-seed taro. A collision mechanics model of taro root-soil composite was developed for an impact crushing mechanics model of soil blocks. A systematic analysis revealed that the primary influencing factors on the efficacy of root-soil separation were ranked in the descending order of the spring tooth inclination angle, the rotational speed of the screen, and the aspect ratio of the flexible finger. The range of values was determined for the influencing factors after measurement. A discrete element model (DEM) of taro corm-root-soil composite was established using EDEM software, in order to analyze the process of soil fragmentation under impact collisions. The simulation experiment was conducted to couple the EDEM-Recur Dyn platform. A systematic analysis was made to determine the dynamic change of the taro root-soil composite during screening. There were the balance, instability, soil crushing, collision tumbling, and soil shedding. The single-factor test showed that the diameter and length of flexible fingers were 14, and 45 mm, respectively. A quadratic regression orthogonal test was conducted to identify the optimal combination of spring tooth inclination angle, rotary screen speed, and soil feed amount, with the root-soil separation rate and the maximum impact force of taro as the evaluation indices. The optimal combination of parameters was determined using the Design-Expert software. A high root-soil separation rate of 93.36% was achieved in the rotary screen speed of 110.00 r/min and a soil feed amount of 14.00 kg/s at an inclination angle of 16.00°. A series of field tests were conducted to validate the optimal parameters under identical operational conditions. The results indicated that the root-soil separation rate was 92.06%, which differed by 1.39% from the prediction of a regression model. At the same time, the taro damage rate was 4.86%. Five performance tests were conducted using the multiple taro harvester and the traditional bar-type rhizome harvester. The root-soil separation rate of the multiple taro harvester increased by 8.61 percentage points under identical operational conditions, while the damage rate increased by 0.99 percentage points. The centrifugal rotary device of root-soil separation fully met the requirements of root-soil separation of taro. The screening performance was better than the traditional grid-type screening device. The findings can serve as the sound foundation to design efficient and low-loss harvesting equipment in the crushing and separation of root-soil composite for root and tuber crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seeking to establish a novel, eco‐friendly and ultra‐ sensitive electrochemical nitrite sensor, we have fabricated fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) electrode with green synthesized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) from gold salt and taro plant (Colocasia esculenta) extract (Taro_AuNPs/FTO). Different morphological and elemental analysis were conducted to undermine morphological condition and shapes of AuNPs. Further, electrochemical studies were performed for enabling observation on the modification as well as interaction between nitrite ion and AuNPs on the modified FTO. Furthermore, the performance of Taro_AuNPs/FTO sensor was evaluated using DPV technique and the limit of detection (LOD) was 0.923 nmol L−1 (S/N=3) having sensitivity of 0.00503 μA mM−1 cm−2 within 5–500 μmol L−1. Additionally, an insightful mechanistic overview was highlighted about interacting nitrite on the modified electrode surface. Finally, interference test, stability, reproducibility and real sample analysis were conducted to establish the effectiveness of Taro_AuNPs/FTO electrochemical senor for environmental application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass and biowaste resources can be used to create self‐doped carbon with a distinctive microstructure. Using an economical and environmentally friendly method to create heteroatom‐doped carbon electrode materials with excellent electrochemical performance has attracted much attention in the energy storage industry. A novel facile two‐step, low‐cost, and eco‐friendly synthesis method for Colocasia esculenta peels has been developed to manufacture activated carbon (CEPAC) and used as an electrode material for supercapacitor application. The CEPAC 1:1 displayed a high specific surface area of 910 m2/g with oxygen‐heteroatom polar sites in the carbon network. A specific capacitance of 525.3 F/g was recorded in the three‐electrode system using a 3 M KOH solution. The assembled symmetric cell delivered an impressive specific capacitance of 98.7 F/g at 1 A/g while maintaining 98.4% of the initially recorded capacitance after 10 000 charge–discharge cycles. These results present a promising low‐cost and simple processing route for synthesizing electrode materials with superior surface properties for high‐performance supercapacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation entitled "Variability Assessment at Morphological Level in Taro (Colocasia esculenta L. Schott)" was conducted in kharif (2021-22), at Horticulture Farm, Department of Horticulture, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Udaipur to evaluate the correlation coefficient and path analysis for 18 genotypes. The overall evaluation of genotypic and phenotypic characters was conducted. The results obtained for total yield (t/ha) exhibited highly significant positive genotypic and phenotypic correlations and path analysis with cormel yield per plant, cormel weight, number of cormels per plant, corm weight and corm yield per plant. It also showed significant positive phenotypic correlations with dry matter of corms, and total phenol. Dry matter of cormels showed a positive direct effect, as did calcium oxalate of leaf. Total phenol demonstrated a positive direct effect, along with calcium oxalate of cormel and total sugar percentage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study investigated that integrated use of silicon combined with manure. A field experiment was conducted during kharif 2023 at the horticulture farm, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, MPUAT, Udaipur. The highest plant height, leaf lamina length and leaf lamina width were observed in 100% RDF and 75 kg silicon application. However, the maximum number of leaves, number of stolon and stolon length was obtained in 5 ton vermicompost and 75 kg silicon application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document titled "Thanks to Reviewers" lists numerous individuals who have contributed to the journal "Lupus" as reviewers. The list includes a diverse range of names from various cultural backgrounds, reflecting a global perspective in the field of lupus research. This compilation serves as a recognition of the valuable contributions made by these individuals to the journal. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract Taro is a tropical plant and an underutilized root crop that has a good source of carbohydrate. Taro tuber contains 70%–80% of starch on dry basis. This review highlights the extraction of taro starch, latest advancements in the modification such as physical, chemical and enzymatic modification of taro starch. Furthermore, after modification of taro starch, molecular weight and amylopectin branch chain length distribution, granular shape, percentage crystallinity, swelling and solubilization, pasting and thermal properties and in vitro digestibility of taro starch were significantly affected. Additionally, researchers have explored novel methods to modify the physicochemical characteristics of taro starch, enhancing its functionality as a thickening, gelling, and stabilizing agent in various food formulations. However, fabrication of nanoparticles from taro starch was also studies. Various health benefits of taro starch have been reported in this study. One significant health benefit of taro starch is its potential to improve blood sugar management. Furthermore, the versatility of taro starch in food applications has expanded, ranging from traditional staples to modern convenience foods. Its gluten‐free nature makes it an attractive option for individuals with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease. Taro starch is increasingly incorporated into bakery products, snacks, noodles, and as a thickening agent in soups and sauces. The unique sensory attributes and nutritional profile of taro starch contribute to the development of novel, health‐conscious food products that cater to evolving consumer preferences.

Dickeya fangzhongdai ZXC1 is a newly identified highly virulent causal agent of taro bacterial soft rot disease isolated from a taro sample showing typical soft rot symptoms in Shaoguan, Guangdong Province, China. The pathogen produces plant cell wall–degrading enzymes that macerate the taro tube tissues. In this study, we report the whole-genome sequencing analysis of strain ZXC1. The results showed that strain ZXC1 has one circular DNA chromosome of 5,129,951 bp with a 56.59% G+C content. In addition to sharing a conserved zms gene cluster that encodes the genes for biosynthesis of phytotoxin zeamines and 11 copies of predicted pectate lyase genes, the strain ZXC1 genome contains more prophage loci and a higher number of type IV secretion system and type IV secretion system gene clusters than the D. fangzhongdai strains isolated from pears or phalaenopsis, which may account for its strong virulence phenotype. The data from this study present a valuable resource for elucidation of the pathogenic mechanisms of D. fangzhongdai and may aid in developing new disease control approaches to safeguard taro production. [Figure: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

An experimental study was conducted in a natural pond to investigate host plant preference and plasticity in damselfly Onychargia atrocyana. The hypothesis was that this species has a host preference for oviposition and also sufficient plasticity to use other hosts in the absence of the preferred host. After mating, tandems were observed landing on plants in search of suitable oviposition substrates. The majority of landings occurred on Alternanthera philoxeroides, followed by Colocasia esculenta and Commelina diffusa. The frequency of landings on A. philoxeroides and C. esculenta was not significantly different, while landings on C. esculenta and C. diffusa did differ significantly. In the absence of emergent littoral plants, the damselflies exhibited plasticity in host preference and shifted ovipositional substrate by laying eggs on submerged areas of petioles of free-floating Eichhornia crassipes. Females of O. atrocyana exhibited a flexible oviposition strategy, transitioning from a combination of emergent and submerged oviposition to primarily selecting emergent oviposition in most cases. Additionally, they divided oviposition events into multiple phases when required to ensure successful reproduction. E. crassipes supported a higher rate of oviposition compared to other plants. A multiple regression analysis demonstrated that during submerged oviposition water temperature and pH were significant predictors of the duration of submergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study shows that incorporating taro carbon (TC) into a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) significantly enhanced surface charge transfer characteristics and conductivity and successfully separated the hydroquinone (HQ) and catechol (CT). Moreover, TC on the GCE surface reduced the overpotential of HQ and CT oxidation. Using X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, field‐emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), the surface morphology and elemental composition of TC was investigated. The enhanced electron transfer process at TC‐GCE was studied using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) investigation. Scan rate analysis revealed that HQ and CT exhibited a higher oxidation affinity at TC‐GCE, with diffusion‐regulated anodic processes. Quantitative analysis showed a linear detection range of 5–200 μM for both HQ and CT, with LOD values of 0.47 μM for HQ and 0.51 μM for CT respectively. The modified electrode showed excellent selectivity, stability, and high recovery rates for detecting HQ and CT in tap water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document titled "Author Index" is a list of authors and their corresponding page numbers in the Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology. [Extracted from the article]

The high demand for starch in the food industry drives the search for new alternative sources for extraction. In this regard, Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott, an edible root, is a promising alternative source for starch extraction. This study focused on correlating the technological and thermal properties with the microstructure and size distribution of starch from white and purple varieties. Starch granules with high thermal stability (132-258.3 °C) and good digestibility based on granule size (0.79-4.05 µm) were obtained. It was demonstrated that larger starch granules exhibit higher water absorption capacity (WAC) (139±0.53%). Moreover, the increase in WAC results in a higher gelatinization temperature (76.1±0.3 °C), which is favorable as it allows the use of this starch in food processing at high temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the genetic diversity of 253 taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott) germplasm accessions collected in Vietnam at the molecular level using 20 Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers. High genetic diversity in the taro germplasm accessions were detected with 100% polymorphic SSR loci, and 89 alleles were obtained at the 20 SSR loci with an average of 4.45 alleles per locus, of which 14 markers had high polymorphism (3 alleles/locus). Polymorphic Information Content (PIC) values obtained at 20 SSR loci ranged from 0.31 (Ce0078) to 0.85 (HK34), with an average of 0.65. The genetic similarity coefficient within the accessions ranged from 0.39 to 1.00. All 253 accessions were classified into 2 groups at a genetic similarity level of 0.60; one of the groups (group 2) was divided into 8 sub-groups at a genetic similarity level of 0.64. Some accessions (such as 28279 and SP-19-009; SP-19-061 and SP-19-023; 28278 and SP-19-006) with a high genetic similarity coefficient (1.00) showed a very close genetic relationship, while others (such as 10063 and 11544) with a low genetic similarity coefficient (0.39) showed a fairly distant genetic relationship. The study's results provide a foundation for preserving and breeding taro in Vietnam. Five taro accessions (28211, SP-19-017, T.3578, T.3515, and 10098) carrying specific alleles that could be identified by 6 SSR markers (uq55–112, uq73–164, HK35, Ce0078, HK22, and HK31) were detected. Furthermore, the SSR marker approach showed the potential application in identifying genetic relationships and distinguishing different taro cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sky Bridge 721 was opened on 13 May 2022. It is located in the area of the Kralicky Sneznik mountain massif in the area of the Dolni Morava Mountain Resort. It was built in two years and spans the valley between the two ridges Slamnik and Chlum with a length of 721 metres. It has become a new landmark of the region, although in reality it is almost invisible when viewed from a distance. It winds like a thin thread below the horizon of the mountain ridge, suspended between the sky and the ground, so that it does not interfere with the view of the surrounding countryside. It was a real challenge to bridge such a wide valley at a height of nearly 100 metres and to achieve a subtle line of the footbridge that would not disturb the silhouette of the mountain massif. This is the story of the whole process, from the design to the statics, construction, design and implementation, that the TAROS NOVA a.s. team had to overcome during the implementation of the footbridge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Prataculturae Sinica is the property of Acta Prataculturae Sinica Editorial Office 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.)

Taro is a tropical plant and an underutilized root crop that has a good source of carbohydrate. Taro tuber contains 70%–80% of starch on dry basis. This review highlights the extraction of taro starch, latest advancements in the modification such as physical, chemical and enzymatic modification of taro starch. Furthermore, after modification of taro starch, molecular weight and amylopectin branch chain length distribution, granular shape, percentage crystallinity, swelling and solubilization, pasting and thermal properties and in vitro digestibility of taro starch were significantly affected. Additionally, researchers have explored novel methods to modify the physicochemical characteristics of taro starch, enhancing its functionality as a thickening, gelling, and stabilizing agent in various food formulations. However, fabrication of nanoparticles from taro starch was also studies. Various health benefits of taro starch have been reported in this study. One significant health benefit of taro starch is its potential to improve blood sugar management. Furthermore, the versatility of taro starch in food applications has expanded, ranging from traditional staples to modern convenience foods. Its gluten‐free nature makes it an attractive option for individuals with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease. Taro starch is increasingly incorporated into bakery products, snacks, noodles, and as a thickening agent in soups and sauces. The unique sensory attributes and nutritional profile of taro starch contribute to the development of novel, health‐conscious food products that cater to evolving consumer preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil erosion is a serious threat to agriculture and environmental sustainability in the risk‐prone rainfed Himalayan ecosystem. Hence, runoff and soil loss mitigation ability of four maize‐based intensified systems; maize (Zea mays) + turmeric (Curcuma longa), maize + ginger (Zingiber officinale), maize + colocasia (Colocasia esculenta), and maize + sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) were tested against the sole maize. The study recorded 41 erosive events during the 2020–2022 monsoon season. A principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to transform correlated rainfall parameters into orthogonal principal components. A two‐dimensional biplot analysis examined the relationship between PCs, rainfall events, and rainfall parameters. The rainfall events were divided into three regimes based on cluster analysis using PC. Rainfall regime 1 was characterized by low rainfall, I30, rainfall erosivity (E), and moderate rainfall duration (D), regime2 with moderate rainfall, short duration, high I30, and E, and regime3 with high D, I30, and rainfall erosivity. The soil loss of regime‐3 was 9.29 and 3.24 times higher than regime‐1 and regime‐2, respectively. Cover crops reduced runoff by 21.5%–69.3% and soil loss by 54.1%–77.0% over control. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that rainfall parameters (I30, I60, D, and E) had a significant direct influence across the systems, explaining 37.7%–54.9% of response variable variance, with E being the most influential (47.4%–54.9%), indicating varied impacts on runoff and soil loss. The sweet potato was best suited with maize as an intercrop to minimize soil erosion and maximize the system's profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thailand is globally recognized for its rich biodiversity, a characteristic that extends to the diverse species of indigenous yams within the Dioscorea spp. genus. With the energy crisis, the selection of agricultural materials for ethanol production to replace the use of economic crops is therefore necessary. This research focuses on six specific yam varieties: Amorphophallus konjac, Colocasia esculenta, Dioscorea bulbifera, Dioscorea alata, Dioscorea hispida, and Dioscorea esculenta. The primary objective is to investigate their bioethanol productivity through the implementation of a separate hydrolysis and fermentation process, with the broader aim of contributing to the potential preservation of these invaluable indigenous yam species. Initiating the study, the experimental samples underwent hydrolysis by alpha-amylase enzyme (1% w/winitial starch) for 180 min, followed by glucoamylase enzyme (1% w/winitial starch) for an additional 72 h. Post the initial hydrolysis, the detection of small molecule sugars by high-performance liquid chromatography, revealed a range of 14.49 ± 1.10 to 28.89 ± 0.03 gtotal sugar/L, with maltose emerging as the predominant sugar compound. Subsequent to the second hydrolysis, it was observed that maltose and starch residues across all six samples underwent successful digestion. The peak glucose productivity was attained at the 12-h mark post-glucoamylase hydrolysis. Among the diverse yam varieties under examination, Dioscorea hispida exhibited the highest glucose production, showcasing a hydrolysis efficiency of 62.53 ± 2.08%. Following the fermentation process with S. cerevisiae, the optimal fermentation time was identified as 72 h, at which point all available glucose in the hydrolysate was fully utilized. The bioethanol productivity spanned from 32.31 ± 3.40 to 43.66 ± 0.02 g/L, with Dioscorea hispida demonstrating the highest ethanol productivity at 0.61 ± 0.00 g/L/h, and a yield of 0.42 ± 0.01gEtOH/gGlucose. These findings underscore the potential of Dioscorea hispida as a promising contributor to bioethanol production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complete chloroplast genomes of 17 samples from six species of Colocasia (Araceae) were sequenced, assembled, and aligned together with two previously reported complete genome sequences from taro (Colocasia esculenta). Analysis provides a well‐supported phylogenetic tree for taro and closely‐related wild Colocasia species in Southeast Asia. Two chloroplast lineages (CI and CII) form a well‐defined haplotype group and are found in cultivated taros known as var. esculenta (dasheen, CI), var. antiquorum (eddoe, CII), and in a widespread, commensal wild form known as var. aquatilis (CI). A third lineage (CIII) is also found in wild taros known as var. aquatilis and in the wild species C. lihengiae, C. formosana, and C. spongifolia. We suggest three different scenarios to explain the grouping of CIII wild taros (C. esculenta) with other wild Colocasia species. Chloroplast lineages CI and CIII in C. esculenta and an unknown parent species may be involved in an as yet undated history of hybridization, chloroplast capture, and range extension. Substantial taxonomic revision may be needed for C. esculenta after further studies of morphological and genetic diversity within the crop, in wild populations, and in closely related wild species. The results also point to the Bengal delta as a region of key interest for future research on the origins of tropical wetland taros. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal uptake by vegetables is becoming a threat to the life of consumers. Therefore, continuous monitoring of metals in vegetables and soils is becoming a necessity. In this study, the occurrence of 18 metals in amadumbe (Colocasia esculenta L.), sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas L.), potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.), and carrots (Daucus carrota L.) grown in small-scale South African agricultural farms was monitored using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy. All the 18 investigated elements were detected in soils and different vegetative plants parts. Bioaccumulation factors indicated the transfer of selected metals from soils into the plant roots. Toxic metals Cd, Cr, and Pb had their concentrations exceeding the maximum permissible levels set by the World Health Organization in the edible parts of all root vegetables. Cd and Pb varied between 18.89 and 19.19 mg kg−1 and 10.46 and 11.46 mg kg−1, respectively, while Cr remained constant at 16.78 mg kg−1. The exact metals together with As and Ni had their total hazard quotients exceeding the threshold value of 1, which indicated that the daily consumption of the investigated root vegetables is likely to pose health risks to both adults and children. Therefore, this study points out to a possibility of toxic health effects that could arise when these vegetables are consumed daily. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the collection of root and tuber crop germplasm in the Southern districts of Assam, India. The study observes the diversity of tuber crops like yam, taro, sweet potato, xanthosoma, tapioca and arrow root. It examines factors to the declining trend in production and number of varieties including displacement by other crops, drought, short shelf life, shortage and non-availability of planting material, limited knowledge among youth, and susceptibility to pests and diseases.

Bacterial soft rot caused by coinfection with Dickeya spp. and Pectobacterium spp. in hosts can cause successive changes in fields, and it is difficult to prevent the spread of and control the infection. Pectobacterium spp. are prevalent in the growing areas of tuberous crops, including taro and potato. Recently, Dickeya fangzhongdai has emerged as a virulent pathogen in taro. To determine the prevalence status of the causal agents and evaluate the potential spreading risks of D. fangzhongdai, screening and taxonomic classification were performed on phytopathogenic bacteria collected from different taro-growing areas in Guangdong Province, China, and biological and genomic characteristics were further compared among typical strains from all defined species. The causative agents were verified to be phytobacterial strains of D. fangzhongdai, Pectobacterium aroidearum and Pectobacterium colocasium. P. aroidearum and P. colocasium were found to form a complex preferring Araceae plants and show intensive genomic differentiation, indicating their ancestor had adapted to taro a long time prior. Compared with Pectobacterium spp., D. fangzhongdai was more virulent to taro corms under conditions of exogenous infection and more adaptable at elevated temperatures. D. fangzhongdai strains isolated from taro possessed genomic components of additional T4SSs, which were accompanied by additional copies of the hcp-vgrG genes of the T6SS, and these contributed to the expansion of their genomes. More gene clusters encoding secondary metabolites were found within the D. fangzhongdai strains than within the Pectobacterium complex; interestingly, distinct gene clusters encoding zeamine and arylpolyene were both most similar to those in D. solani that caused potato soft rot. These comparisons provided genomic evidences for that the newly emerging pathogen was potentially equipped to compete with other pathogens. Diagnostic qPCR verified that D. fangzhongdai was prevalent in most of the taro-growing areas and coexisted with the Pectobacterium complex, while the plants enriching D. fangzhongdai were frequently symptomatic at developing corms and adjacent pseudostems and caused severe symptoms. Thus, the emerging need for intensive monitoring on D. fangzhongdai to prevent it from spreading to other taro-growing areas and to other tuberous crops like potato; the adjustment of control strategies based on different pathopoiesis characteristics is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an abundant, inexpensive, and renewable biomass raw material, taro [Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott] stalks were employed as a simple biochar template due to their porous structure. A composite composed of gold microsphere and taro stalk derived porous carbon (Au-MS@TSPC) was used to construct an electrochemical sensor for the sensitive determination of rutin. Under the optimized conditions, the sensor exhibited a wide linear range from 0.12 to 10.0 μmol·L−1 with a detection limit of 0.0265 μmol·L−1. The sensor demonstrated good selectivity and was applied to the determination of rutin in human serum with recoveries from 94.0% to 105.8%. The fabrication of Au-MS@TSPC in this study provides a promising approach for the subsequent utilization of taro stalks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The current work was carried out to enhance the quality (including product colour, rehydration performance, textural properties, product cracking rate and sensory evaluation) of microwave freeze‐dried prepared taro balls, a popular starch‐based food product, by synergistic addition of guar gum and sodium bicarbonate. The results showed that taro balls with added sodium bicarbonate had the shortest freeze‐drying time (153 min), but the high‐cracking rate (66.67%) was not acceptable to consumers. The addition of guar gum could effectively reduce the cracking rate (17.5%) during freeze‐drying of taro balls, but did not significantly improve sensory evaluation and textural properties. The combination of sodium bicarbonate and guar gum demonstrated satisfactory positive effects in increasing the rehydration rate of freeze‐dried taro balls (53.67%), maintaining the whiteness (WI = 84.52) and reducing the cracking rate (21.67%). Although sodium bicarbonate alone produced the best results in terms of sensory ratings and textural properties, there was no significant difference between the effects of sodium bicarbonate alone and the combination of the two food additives on rehydrated taro balls. Therefore, the combination of sodium bicarbonate and guar gum is an appropriate hybrid strategy for producing high quality freeze‐dried taro balls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Taro is a widely utilized starch resource plant. It is essential to quantify the expression levels of functional genes associated with taro growth using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). However, to obtain reliable RT-qPCR results, appropriate reference genes (RGs) are required for data normalization. In this study, we screened seven novel candidate RGs using transcriptome datasets from taro, encompassing data from growth corms and various tissues. The expression stability of these seven new RGs, along with the commonly used RGs Actin, EF1-α, and β-tubulin, was assessed using Delta Ct, BestKeeper, geNorm, and NormFinder algorithms. Furthermore, we conducted a comprehensive analysis using the RefFinder program and validated the results using the target gene, CeAGPL1. The findings revealed that ACY-1 and PIA2 were the optimal multiple RGs for normalization during corm growth, while COX10 and Armc8 were suitable for samples including various types of tissues. Furthermore, we found three RGs, Armc8, COX10 and CCX4L, were the optimal RGs for drought stress. This study assessed the suitability of RGs in taro for the first time. The identified RGs provide valuable resources for studying corm growth, diverse tissues, and drought stress. This study contributes to the advancement of our understanding of the underlying mechanisms that govern the growth of taro.

The Japanese Journal of Ophthalmology lists numerous scientific reviewers primarily from Japan, with a few from other countries like Switzerland, Turkey, Germany, the United States, Indonesia, and Taiwan. The list includes a diverse group of professionals contributing to the field of ophthalmology. The journal also acknowledges additional scientific reviewers consulted on subjects outside ophthalmology during the same period. [Extracted from the article]

Motivation Although the human microbiome plays a key role in health and disease, the biological mechanisms underlying the interaction between the microbiome and its host are incompletely understood. Integration with other molecular profiling data offers an opportunity to characterize the role of the microbiome and elucidate therapeutic targets. However, this remains challenging to the high dimensionality, compositionality, and rare features found in microbiome profiling data. These challenges necessitate the use of methods that can achieve structured sparsity in learning cross-platform association patterns. Results We propose Tree-Aggregated factor RegressiOn (TARO) for the integration of microbiome and metabolomic data. We leverage information on the taxonomic tree structure to flexibly aggregate rare features. We demonstrate through simulation studies that TARO accurately recovers a low-rank coefficient matrix and identifies relevant features. We applied TARO to microbiome and metabolomic profiles gathered from subjects being screened for colorectal cancer to understand how gut microrganisms shape intestinal metabolite abundances. Availability and implementation The R package TARO implementing the proposed methods is available online at https://github.com/amishra-stats/taro-package. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cut surface of fresh-cut taro tends to yellowing and browning even stored at low temperatures, leading to a decrease in commercial values. In this study, to confirm the preservative effects of vacuum packaging (VP) combined with cold storage on fresh-cut taro, the effects of VP treatment on the browning and total microbial counts in fresh-cut taro during cold storage were studied. The results showed that VP treatment delayed the decrease of L* values and the increase of a*, b*, color differences (ΔE), and browning index (BI) values, indicating that VP treatment significantly prevented the browning of fresh-cut taro during cold storage. Furthermore, VP treatment effectively restrained the growth and reproduction of microbials, reducing the total number of bacteria by 94.31% and the total number of yeast by 65.02% at 12 d, suggesting that VP combined with cold storage had a good preservative effect on fresh-cut taro. VP treatment led to decreased PAL and PPO activities, as well as reduced levels of total phenolics, total flavonoids, and total soluble quinones, suggesting that VP treatment hindered the browning by reducing the biosynthesis and oxidation of phenolic compounds of fresh-cut taro. Moreover, VP treatment restrained the decline in CAT activity, increased POD activity at early storage, and reduced LOX activity, H2O2 contents and MDA contents, suggesting that VP treatment alleviated cutting-induced oxidative damages by maintaining the antioxidant activity of fresh-cut taro, thus restraining the quality deterioration during cold storage. This study demonstrates that VP treatment combined with cold storage is a physical preservative technology with good preservation effects, simple and easy to use, laying a foundation for the application of VP method in the preservation of fresh-cut taro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taro is a widely utilized starch resource plant. It is essential to quantify the expression levels of functional genes associated with taro growth using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). However, to obtain reliable RT-qPCR results, appropriate reference genes (RGs) are required for data normalization. In this study, we screened seven novel candidate RGs using transcriptome datasets from taro, encompassing data from growth corms and various tissues. The expression stability of these seven new RGs, along with the commonly used RGs Actin, EF1-α, and β-tubulin, was assessed using Delta Ct, BestKeeper, geNorm, and NormFinder algorithms. Furthermore, we conducted a comprehensive analysis using the RefFinder program and validated the results using the target gene, CeAGPL1. The findings revealed that ACY-1 and PIA2 were the optimal multiple RGs for normalization during corm growth, while COX10 and Armc8 were suitable for samples including various types of tissues. Furthermore, we found three RGs, Armc8, COX10 and CCX4L, were the optimal RGs for drought stress. This study assessed the suitability of RGs in taro for the first time. The identified RGs provide valuable resources for studying corm growth, diverse tissues, and drought stress. This study contributes to the advancement of our understanding of the underlying mechanisms that govern the growth of taro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]