Pickling Research Articles

Quality changes in combined pressure-thermal treated acidified vegetables during extended ambient temperature storage

Abstract A study assessed combined pressure-thermal treatment effect on quality attributes of selected acidified vegetables (banana pepper, red beets and green asparagus) over 30 days storage at 25 °C. Vegetables were acidified by suspending them in pickling liquid either through thermal blanching or 8 h storage at ambient temperature. Subsequently, samples were pressure treated in a pilot scale high pressure processor at 600 MPa, 45° or 65 °C for 5 min and stored at ambient temperature for 30 days. Quality analyses included texture, enzyme activity, color, pH and °Brix. Processed products remained stable during storage (pH Industrial relevance The research documented the quality changes in selected acidified vegetable pickles subjected to various pressure-thermal treatments. By reducing thermal impact, high pressure treatment in combination with modest heat can help preserve quality attributes of acidified vegetable pickles with the extended shelf life. The knowledge from this study could help the food processors in deciding relevance of high pressure processing for industrial manufacturing of acidified low-acid shelf-stable vegetable matrices.

Antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of fresh bitter melon and change of charantin and lutein content upon brining and blanching treatments of pickling

본 연구에서는 여주의 산화방지 활성과 알파글루코시데이스 저해 활성을 측정하고 총폴리페놀, $\text\tiny{L}$ -아스코브산, 카란틴, 루테인 등 유효성분의 함량을 분석하였으며 초절임조건에서 카란틴과 루테인의 함량 변화를 비교하였다. 본 실험에 사용된 여주는 카란틴 $777.92{\pm}27.59mg/100g$ , 루테인 $16.8...

Identification and expression analysis of genes involved in somatic embryogenesis of banana

Somatic embryogenesis (SE) is a process in which somatic cells go through morphological and biochemical changes to form somatic embryos. These embryos are capable of regenerating into new plants. The present study aims to understand the molecular basis of these changes during the different stages of SE in banana cv. Grand Naine. 16 SE related genes belonging to 8 gene families i.e. PINHEADED (PIN), YUCCA (YUC), PICKLE (PKL), TOPOISOMERASE (TOP), HISTINE KINASES (CRE), SOMATIC CELL RECEPTOR KINASE (SERK), GLOBULIN (GLB), and KNOTTED (KNAT) were identified from the banana genome database. In-silico analysis of all 16 genes was performed to find out their structural features, phylogenetic relationship, subcellular, and chromosomal localization. Phylogenetic analysis of these genes with their homologs in other plant species (gymnosperm, monocot, and dicot) confirmed their close evolutionary association with monocot. We studied the differential expression pattern of all 16 genes for the exposure of 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2, 4-D) in callus, embryogenic cell suspension (ECS), and non-embryogenic cell suspension (NECS) cultures of cv. Grand Naine. The higher expression of MaPIN1 in embryogenic callus and ECS suggests its possible role in SE of banana. The prominent expression of MaCRE2 and MaCRE3 found in NECS revealed that these genes might be involved in other cell functions except embryogenesis. The present study reported that MaPIN1 could be a potential marker for the embryogenicity in banana.

Distribution characteristics and risk factors of colorectal adenomas

To determine the detection rate and distribution characteristics of colorectal adenomas in Ningbo area of China, and to identify the risk factors for colorectal adenoma, in order to provide reference for colorectal cancer screening. A cross-sectional study was performed among 8660 subjects undergoing colonoscopy in the Ningbo No.2 Hospital between January and December 2016, using a questionnaire, including demographic data (age, gender, height and weight), history of diseases (diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and family history of malignant neoplasm), lifestyle (smoking, alcohol, dietary bias on red meat, dietary bias on fruit and vegetables, dietary frequency of pickled food and physical activities), and intestinal early warning symptoms. All colonoscopically detected polyps were removed for histological examination. Polyps were histologically divided into non-adenomatous (hyperplastic polyps and inflammatory polyps) and adenomatous polyps (tubular, villous, tubulovillous and serrated adenomas). Pathologic features were analyzed according to anatomical site. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors for colorectal adenoma. A total of 7077 subjects who received colonoscopic examination and completed the questionnaire survey were enrolled in this study. There were 3633 males and 3444 females with a median age of 53 (ranged 17 to 83) years. Adenoma detection rate was 15.6% (1103/7077) in all cases, 21.0%(762/3633) for males, and 9.9%(341/3444) for females(P=0.000). Detection rate of 6.2%(29/469) was recorded in individuals aged less than 30 years, 8.0%(87/1086) in those from 30 to 39 years, 12.1%(148/1222) in those from 40 to 49 years, 16.8%(272/1623) in those from 50 to 59 years, 20.4%(326/1601) in those from 60 to 69 years, and 22.4%(241/1076) in those ≥70 years. The detection rate increased according to age(P=0.000). A total of 1521 adenomas were detected in 1103 cases, including 1455 tubular adenomas, 33 tubulovillous adenomas, 9 villous adenomas and 24 serrated adenomas. Among 1521 adenomas, 44.1%(n=671) located in the right hemicolon, 39.0%(n=593) in the left hemicolon, and 16.9%(n=257) in the rectum. Significantly larger number of serrated adenomas and advanced adenomas (advanced adenoma was defined as any adenoma with high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia, diameter ≥10 mm or with villous component) was observed in the right hemicolon compared to left hemicolon and rectum [serrated adenomas: 2.5%(17/671) vs. 0.8% (5/593) and 0.8% (2/257), P=0.029; advanced adenoma: 9.2% (62/671) vs. 5.2% (31/953) and 6.6% (17/257), P=0.021]. Multivariate analysis showed that malely (P=0.003), elderly (P=0.000), obesity (P=0.014), smoking (P=0.001), alcohol (P=0.032), and family history of malignancy (P=0.000) were independent risk factors of colorectal adenoma. In view of a higher detection rate of colorectal adenoma in population aged 40 to 49 years especially in male individuals, the starting age of colonoscopy screening may be advanced to 40 years old. People with family history of malignancy, obesity, and habit of smoking or drinking should be regarded as important subjects for colonoscopy screening. During colonoscopy screening, special emphasis should be given to right hemicolon.

The Chromatin Remodelers PKL and PIE1 Act in an Epigenetic Pathway That Determines H3K27me3 Homeostasis in Arabidopsis.

Selective, tissue-specific gene expression is facilitated by the epigenetic modification H3K27me3 (trimethylation of lysine 27 on histone H3) in plants and animals. Much remains to be learned about how H3K27me3-enriched chromatin states are constructed and maintained. Here, we identify a genetic interaction in Arabidopsis thaliana between the chromodomain helicase DNA binding chromatin remodeler PICKLE (PKL), which promotes H3K27me3 enrichment, and the SWR1-family remodeler PHOTOPERIOD INDEPENDENT EARLY FLOWERING1 (PIE1), which incorporates the histone variant H2A.Z. Chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing and RNA-sequencing reveal that PKL, PIE1, and the H3K27 methyltransferase CURLY LEAF act in a common gene expression pathway and are required for H3K27me3 levels genome-wide. Additionally, H3K27me3-enriched genes are largely a subset of H2A.Z-enriched genes, further supporting the functional linkage between these marks. We also found that recombinant PKL acts as a prenucleosome maturation factor, indicating that it promotes retention of H3K27me3. These data support the existence of an epigenetic pathway in which PIE1 promotes H2A.Z, which in turn promotes H3K27me3 deposition. After deposition, PKL promotes retention of H3K27me3 after DNA replication and/or transcription. Our analyses thus reveal roles for H2A.Z and ATP-dependent remodelers in construction and maintenance of H3K27me3-enriched chromatin in plants.

Effects of adding betaine on biological nitrogen and phosphorus removal from simulated pickled vegetables wastewater.

Laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactors (SBR) were used to examine the effects of adding dosage and ways of adding betaine on nitrogen and phosphorus removal from simulated pickled vegetables wastewater under two different concentrations of salt. The activated sludge was pre-acclimated in a salt environment prior to the experiment. Adding 0.5-2.0 mM betaine to the synthetic wastewater, all the levels were found to be effective at improving the ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N) removal with increased salt concentrations from 8 to 16 g/L, in which 1.0 mM betaine was found to be the most effective. Rapid increase of salt concentration, however, showed to have a more pronounced negative effect on total phosphorus (TP) removal. Nevertheless, betaine-added enhanced TP removal was superior to that of NH4+-N in high salt content conditions compared with the absence of betaine. Both NH4+-N and TP removal rate were not significantly influenced by the ways of betaine-adding. Interestingly, the dynamic process on phosphate removal in a single cycle of SBR operation, was showed to have anomalous aerobic phosphorus desorption and anaerobic phosphorus absorption, the former could be caused by insufficiency of biodegradable organic matters and/or longer aeration time, and the latter may be attributed to the function of denitrifying phosphorus-accumulating bacteria in the sludge. As a result, a moderate betaine dosage can obtain a sufficient improvement effect for biological nitrogen and phosphorus removal even under high salt stress.

Investigation of Dietary Factors and Esophageal Cancer Knowledge: Comparison of Rural Residents in High- and Low-incidence Areas

To compare the differences in dietary status and knowledge of esophageal cancer (EC) between residents of high- and low-incidence areas. We investigated dietary conditions and EC knowledge among residents in high- and low-EC incidence areas (Yanting and Qingzhen counties). Residents in Yanting consumed more pickled vegetables, salted meat and barbecued food (P < 0.05). Analysis of the past ten-year trend in Yanting consumed fresh vegetables/fruits, beans, sauerkraut, hot food, and barbecued food had gradually increased, and the trend was less than that in Qingzhen County. However, the gradual increasing trend in consumption of pickled vegetables, pickled meat, and spicy food over the past 10 years was greater (P < 0.05). Drinking water in Yanting County was healthier than that in Qingzhen County (P < 0.05). In terms of EC knowledge, the proportions of residents in Yanting who had a clear understanding, knowledge or had heard of EC or knew the common causes, primary symptoms, therapeutic measures, preventive measures, and government interventions for EC were all higher than in Qingzhen (P < 0.05). Residents in Yanting had greater EC knowledge but more harmful dietary habits than those in Qingzhen.

Comparative de novo transcriptome analysis of male and female Sea buckthorn.

Sea buckthorn is a dioecious medicinal plant found at high altitude. The plant has both male and female reproductive organs in separate individuals. In this article, whole transcriptome de novo assemblies of male and female flower bud samples were carried out using Illumina NextSeq500 platform to determine the role of the genes involved in sex determination. Moreover, genes with differential expression in male and female transcriptomes were identified to understand the underlying sex determination mechanism. The current study showed 63,904 and 62,272 coding sequences (CDS) in female and male transcriptome data sets, respectively. 16,831 common CDS were screened out from both transcriptomes, out of which 625 were upregulated and 491 were found to be downregulated. To understand the potential regulatory roles of differentially expressed genes in metabolic networks and biosynthetic pathways: KEGG mapping, gene ontology, and co-expression network analysis were performed. Comparison with Flowering Interactive Database (FLOR-ID) resulted in eight differentially expressed genes viz. CHD3-type chromatin-remodeling factor PICKLE (PKL), phytochrome-associated serine/threonine-protein phosphatase (FYPP), protein TOPLESS (TPL), sensitive to freezing 6 (SFR6), lysine-specific histone demethylase 1 homolog 1 (LDL1), pre-mRNA-processing-splicing factor 8A (PRP8A), sucrose synthase 4 (SUS4), ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase 12 (UBP12), known to be broadly involved in flowering, photoperiodism, embryo development, and cold response pathways. Male and female flower bud transcriptome data of Sea buckthorn may provide comprehensive information at genomic level for the identification of genetic regulation involved in sex determination.

LIFESTYLE AND DIETARY FACTORS ASSOCIATING WITH DEMENTIA STATUS IN THE COMMUNITY-DWELLING ELDERLY AGED 65 AND OLDER IN A SUBURBAN TOWN OF TOKYO

Background: Dementia is a priority health issue worldwide. Building dementia-friendly communities was discussed at the 32nd International Conference of Alzheimer?s Disease International in April 2017 and followed in May by the adoption of Global Action Plan on the Public Health Response to Dementia by the 70th World Health Assembly (WHO). An unhealthy lifestyle and diet are likely to cause many diseases. Objectives: This study aims to clarify lifestyle and dietary factors associating with dementia status in the community-dwelling elderly aged 65 and older in a suburban town of Tokyo and to clarify gender differences in health behavior. Methods: Self-administered questionnaires were mailed to 2,069 elderly people in February 2004 and 1,538 responses were returned by addressees or proxies (response rate; 74.3%). Institutionalized ones were excluded. Analysis subjects were comprised of 52 people with dementia (PWD), 173 people with probable dementia (PPD) and 1,211 cognitively intact people (CIP). Mean age (sd) was 74.03 (6.55) in men and 75.56 (7.27) in women. Descriptive statistics, a chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests and Bonferroni?s multiple comparisons were performed in men and women, respectively. Significance was set at 0.05 (0.017 after Bonferroni correction). Lifestyle items included smoking, alcohol drinking, cooking, breakfast eating, walking/exercise, sleep duration per day including nap, going out, daytime lying duration in bed and the number of hobbies. Dietary items included meat/poultry, soybean products, eggs, oily fish, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, salted fish, deep-/stir-fried food, miso soup/soup, pickled ume plums and pickled vegetables. Results: Significant differences were detected in most lifestyle items except smoking and breakfast eating in men and women. As for dietary items, a significant difference was found only in pickled vegetables in men, however, in women significant differences were detected in items except eggs, salted fish, heavily seasoned food and pickled ume plums. Conclusion: Significant differences in lifestyle were detected in the same items in the CIP men and women. Exercise, social and mental activities like going out and hobbies, moderate alcohol drinking and dietary items above are recommended to prevent or delay the onset of dementia by Alzheimer?s Society. The results of this study showed the same implications. As for dietary items, significant differences were observed in nine out of 13 items in women, while only one item was clarified in men. Health behavior seems to be better in women.

Interaction between Risk Factors and Gastric Cancer: A Population-Based Case-Control Study in a High Risk Chinese Area

Introduction: An extremely high prevalence of gastric cancer (GC) was observed in Xianyou County, the Southeastern of China, yet it remains unclear how interaction of environmental factors affects the GC risk in this area.Methods: A population-based case-control study was conducted during March 2013 and January 2017 in Xianyou County. All newly diagnosed patients with GC were compared with healthy controls matched (1:1) by sex, age (± 3 years) and place of residence.Results: A total of 622 cases of GC and 622 matched healthy controls were included. Participants who consumed pickled vegetables and had a preference for hard solid food had the highest risk of GC (adjusted OR=12.42, 95% CI: 7.56-20.41) compared to individuals who did not have such food patterns. Increased GC risk was also observed among those who consumed pickled vegetables but not drink tea (adjusted OR=6.88, 95% CI: 3.74-12.66), compared to those drinking tea but did not consume pickled vegetables. Furthermore, participants who did not consume tea but were exposed to pesticides during farm work also had 2.50 times (95% CI: 1.30-4.80) higher risk of GC risk compared to those had tea consumption but were not exposed to pesticides. No statistically significant interactions were observed for pesticide exposure, smoking, beef or pork consumption, fruit consumption, chronic atrophic gastritis and family history of any cancer in relation to GC.Conclusion: Strong synergistic effects in raising the risk of GC were seen between pickled vegetables consumption and hard solid food preference, as well as between pickled vegetables consumption and not drinking tea.

Orthodontics and Oral Microflora: Synergism or Parasitism

Microorganisms cannot be seen through naked eye but we can feel their impact on us in various ways. Though only 3% of the total microbial populations are harmful to the humans without knowing, we are getting their help from the historic days eg. souring of milk, pickles, jams, dosa and idly making, wine production etc. In an average adult, there are 100 trillion human cells and 1500 trillion microbes. Thus, at best we are little more than 10% of us. Hence we are all just Petri dishes with shoes. We as orthodontists often intervene with the most important microbial habitat that is the oral cavity. Various studies have been done in relation to orthodontics and oral flora which have been unable to resolve the dilemma of the type of relationships among the two. The relationships formed and thereby the success of an orthodontic therapy depends upon both an orthodontist as well as the patient. All procedures beginning with appliance fabrication, insertion, oral hygiene maintenance and patient motivation are equally important. A balance and harmony have to be maintained from initiation throughout progression till the end of the therapy. If any of the above becomes wrong or imbalanced, orthodontic therapy fails.

Lactobacillus fermentum LLB3 improves antioxidant activity of bitter melon (Momordica charantia)

Oxidative stress plays a major role in the pathogenesis and progression of diabetes. Functional foods with an antioxidant effect can repress oxidative stress. Momordica charantia (bitter melon) contains substances with antidiabetic properties such as charantin, vicine, and polypeptide-p, as well as other unspecific bioactive components such as antioxidants. Lactobacillus fermentum LLB3 isolated from bamboo shoot pickle was used to ferment bitter melon juice. The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in antioxidant activity of bitter melon juice during fermentation. Study has been carried out by fermenting bitter melon juice with L. fermentum LLB3. The free radical scavenging activity of the phenolics were done using 2,2-diphenyl- 1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Antioxidant activity of bitter melon juice increased during 24 hours fermentation. In addition, the sugar content and pH decreased compared with the baseline value. The fermentation of bitter melon juice by L. fermentum LLB3 increased its antioxidant activity. These result suggest that fermented bitter melon juice is a promising agent for diabetes management.

Detection of not allowed food-coloring additives (copper chlorophyllin; copper-sulphate) in green table olives sold on the Italian market

Table olives are a common and well-known food in the whole Mediterranean area, produced and consumed in great quantities. Many deep-green olives can be found on sale in the South of Italy. Sometimes their unnatural color could be the result of the fraudulent addition of a coloring agent (E141ii, copper chlorophyllins) during the pickling process, in spite of the European Union legislation that does not allow the addition of any colorant to table olives. The objectives of this study were to detect fraudulent color adulteration of table olives with E141ii in Italian market and to confirm the presence on the market of artificially colored table olives. We assessed the presence of compounds with chromatographic and spectral characteristics similar to the ones from the E141ii (Cu chlorin e 6 , Cu isochlorin e 4 , Cu pyropheophorbide a) in 8 samples out of 16. These result show that the fraudulent addition of colorant to table olives is a quite common practice. More pressing controls and analysis are required to ensure the complete food safety and the compliance with the current law.

Bacterial and fungal microbiota of spontaneously fermented Chinese products, Rubing milk cake and Yan-cai vegetable pickles

The Rubing milk cake from Yunnan and the Yan-cai vegetable pickles from Guangdong are traditional spontaneously fermented foods in China. We evaluated the microbial properties of these products with the analysis of their bacterial and fungal microbiota using classical culture-dependent and culture-independent methods, including a 16S rDNA gene (V4) and an internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region pyrosequencing method with MiSeq system. The viable lactic acid bacteria (LAB) count was 8 and 6 log colony-forming units (CFU)/g in Rubing and Yan-cai samples, respectively. The yeast count was approximately 100–1000 times less than the LAB count in most samples, except one Yan-cai sample. In addition, the gram-negative rod count in half of the samples was similar to the LAB count. Pyrosequencing results revealed the high abundance (10%–20%) of gram-negative Pseudomonas spp. and Enterobacteriaceae in these samples. These results suggest that some of these traditional foods are undesirable as ready-to-eat (RTE) foods, even when these are typical lactic acid fermented foods.

Analysis of Physicochemical, Antioxidant Properties and Sensory Characteristic of Shiitake Mushroom Pickles

Mushrooms are perishable foods; they required processing technologies that preserves chemical and nutritional characteristics of fresh forms. The principal objective of this research was to analyze the physicochemical changes and sensory properties of Shiitake pickles with and without mustard oil in order to contribute to the diversification of food. The antioxidant activity of fresh shiitake mushroom pickles with and without mustard oil demonstrated a significant result in Scavenging free radicals except for DDPH. The pH of MOVS and SWVS was reduced to 3.92±010 and 2.80±0.26 over time during 20 days of storage and the acidity was gradually increased for up to storage. However HPLC analysis of both pickles revealed the presence of four acids were present in the MOVS pickle (malic acid at 4.354 with the retention time of 4.2 minutes). The second peak indicates lactic acid at 5.069 with the retention time of 4.3 min. The third peak indicates citric acid at 5.489 with the retention time of 4.5 min. The fourth peak indicates succinic acid at 7.301 with the retention time of 6.8min. Whereas the SWVS pickle showed the peak for three acids present in the pickle sample, where the first peak indicates malic acid at 4.303 with the retention time of 4.2 min, the second peak indicates acetic acid acid at 6.573 with the retention time of 6.2 min, and the final peak was found of succinic acid at 7.304 with the retention time of 6.8 min. The pickle formulated with (MOVS) showed 5.70 for overall acceptability of pickle.

Processing of spent pickling liquor formed during treatment of titanium products

The article presents the research findings on processing of spent acid pickling liquor (SAPL) formed during etching of titanium products. The processing includes neutralizing the SAPL with alkali, filtering, drying and calcining the titanium hydroxide precipitate as well as electrochemical processing of the filtrate in an ion-exchange membrane cell. The proposed SAPL processing procedure allows obtaining titanium dioxide, sodium hydroxide and a mixture of acids. Titanium dioxide can be used in paint-and-varnish industry. The alkali can be used in neutralizing the SAPL. A mixture of acids is suitable for use in etching process of titanium products.

Identification and characterization of probiotic lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditional persian pickled vegetables.

Background: The pickle, a traditional fermented product, is popular among Iranians. Much research has been conducted worldwide on this food group. Due to a lack of related data in Iran, this study was conducted to isolate and identify dominant lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in pickles and salted pickles.Materials and methods: Seventy samples were collected from different regions of Iran. The isolated bacteria were identified as LAB by Gram staining and catalase by using MRS agar. Then, those strains were identified at the species level by physiological tests (e.g., gas production from glucose, arginine hydrolysis, CO2 production from glucose in MRS broth, carbohydrate fermentation) and growth at temperatures of 15°C, 30°C, and 45°C in MRS broth for 3 days. The probiotic characteristics of these bacteria were studied using acid and bile tolerance. The corresponding results were verified using PCR analyses of the 16S rDNA region. Results: 114 presumptive lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with Gram-positive and catalase-negative properties were obtained from the samples. The results revealed that all isolated bacteria were identfied as Lactobacillus (L.) plantarum, L. brevis, L. pentosus, L. casei, L. paracasei and Leuconostoc mesenteroides. The predominant LAB in these pickles was L. plantarum, which was isolated from most of the samples. Among the 114 LAB, 7 isolated species have probiotic potential. Six out of seven were recognized as L. plantarum and one remained unidentifiable by biochemical testing. PCR analysis and sequencing of the 16S rDNA region using 27f and 1522r primers showed that all of the probiotic strains were L. plantarum.Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the dominant LAB in traditional Persian pickled vegetables are L. plantarum, L. brevis, L. pentosus, L. casei, L. paracasei, and Leuconostoc mesenteroides. Moreover, L. plantarum was recognized as a probiotic species in pickled vegetables. The raw data obtained from this study can be used in the pickling industry to improve the nutritional value of products.

Voltammetric determination of nitrite by using a glassy carbon electrode modified with a self-assembled nanocomposite prepared from CdTe quantum dots, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, chitosan and multiwalled carbon nanotubes

The authors describe an electrostatic self-assembly strategy for the modification of a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) with CdTe quantum dots (QDs), cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, chitosan, and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The nanocomposite was characterized by scanning electron microscopy revealing the distribution of spherically shaped CdTe QDs on the tubular networks of the MWCNTs. The modified GCE is shown to enable improved voltammetric sensing of nitrite, best at a working potential of 0.78 V (vs. SCE). The synergetic effect of the four components leads to rapid electron transfer and in an increased active area. Hence, excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of nitrite is observed. Square wave voltammetry was applied to quantify nitrite, and the two linear ranges cover the 1 to 100 μmol L−1 and 100 to 600 μmol L−1 nitrite concentration ranges. The detection limit is 0.30 μmol L−1. The method was applied to the determination of nitrite in pickled vegetables and the results were compared to a UV-Vis method. The method is found to be sensitive, accurate, rapid, and well repeatable.

PICKLE chromatin-remodeling factor controls thermosensory hypocotyl growth of Arabidopsis.

Temperature is a major signal that governs plant distribution and shapes plant growth. High ambient temperature promotes plant thermomorphogenesis without significant induction of heat-stress responses. Although much progress of warm temperature-mediated plant growth has been made during recent years, the thermomorphogenic signalling pathway is not well understood. We previously revealed that PICKLE (PKL), an ATP-dependent chromatin remodelling factor, negatively controls photomorphogenesis in Arabidopsis thaliana. Here, we show that mutations in PKL lead to reduced sensitivity in hypocotyl elongation to warm temperature (28°C). We demonstrate that CIRCADIAN CLOCK-ASSOCIATED 1 (CCA1) directly binds to the specific promoter regions of PKL and its expression is reduced in the cca1 mutants. We find that the cca1 seedlings are also less sensitive to temperature-mediated growth than the wild-type plants. Furthermore, PKL affects the level of trimethylation of histone H3 Lys 27 associated with INDOLE-3-ACETIC ACID INDUCIBLE 19 (IAA19) and IAA29 and regulates their expression. We also identify 6 additional transcription factors as the upstream regulators of PKL. Our study thus reveals PKL and CCA1 as 2 novel factors in controlling plant growth in response to the elevated temperature environment and provides new insight into the integration of light and temperature signals through chromatin regulation.

Analysis of time management strategies for instruction in public secondary schools in Elgeyo Marakwet County, Kenya

The study analyzed teacher spending of instructional time in public secondary schools. Objectives were to examine; teacher preparation, teaching interruptions and teachers’ commitment. Pickle Jar Theory was applied. Research design was descriptive survey, while stratified random sampling was used to select 23 schools from 75. Questionnaires, interview schedule and document analysis were used. Validity was checked by expert review, test re-test technique was done for reliability. Results were presented using; frequency, percentages, tables and statements. Major finding was teaching interruptions reduce teaching time. Main recommendation was teachers shouldn’t allow unplanned activities. Findings and recommendations will be useful to teachers. Article visualizations: