Risk behaviours for milk-borne diseases transmission along the milk chain in The Gambia and Senegal

The objective of this study was the characterisation of the traditional milk chain in Western Region (The Gambia) and Kolda (Southern Senegal); and the analysis of milk chain actors' risk behaviours for milk-borne diseases transmission. For this purpose, cattle herds involved in milk production, milk collectors, milk vendors and small-scale milk processing units were surveyed in the two study sites. A similar general milk chain organisation was found in the two sites with some particularities in farm management, compliance with hygienic measures at different levels, treatment of milk and milk consumption patterns. This results in a variable degree of risk of consumers' exposure to milk-borne diseases. Although the quality of the milk has been improved with the development of small-scale milk processing units, serious efforts are still needed with respect to pasteurisation procedure and to change the mindset of consumers who prefer in their majority drinking raw milk, fresh or soured, without any prior treatment.     

Content of antioxidative caffeoylquinic acid derivatives in field-grown Ligularia fischeri (Ledeb.) Turcz and responses to sunlight

Ligularia fischeri (Ledeb.) Turcz, a commercial leafy vegetable, contains caffeoylquinic acid derivatives (CQAs) as major phenolic constituents. The HPLC chromatograms of leaf extracts collected from different areas in Korea showed a significant variation in CQA amount, and two tri-O-caffeoylquinic acids (triCQAs) were purified and structurally identified by NMR and MS from this plant. Radical scavenging activities among CQAs were found to be increased in proportion to the number of caffeoyl groups. Since this plant prefers damp and shady growth conditions, the effects of sunlight were investigated by growing plantlets in sunlight and shade for four weeks. Greater leaf thickness and higher phenolic contents were found for leaves grown in sunlight than in shade. Four major CQAs-5-mono-O-caffeoylquinic acid (5-monoCQA), and 3,4-, 3,5-, and 4,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (diCQA)-were induced by solar irradiation, whereas the content of these compounds decreased steadily in shade leaves. The leaves of L. fischeri clearly showed adaptation responses to sunlight, and these characteristics can be exploited for cultivation of this plant for potential use as a nutraceutical and functional food.     

New farmers’ efforts to create a sense of place in rural communities: insights from southern Ontario,Canada

This research situates new farmers within the counter-urbanization phenomenon, explores their urban–rural migration experiences and examines how they are becoming a part of the rural agricultural landscape. Key characteristics in new farmers’ sense of place constructions are revealed through an ethnographic study conducted in southern Ontario, Canada, during the summer of 2009. Using a sense of place framework comprised of place identity, place attachment, and sense of community, this research details a contemporary concept of place to provide a fresh perspective on new farmers. It uncovers underlying motivations, goals, and values attached to rural agricultural landscapes as well as the “everyday” interactions and challenges experienced by those transitioning into rural farming communities. New farmers are found to draw unevenly from both the physical and social landscape of the urban and rural environments in the creation of a sense of place. This finding raises important questions about the socio-spatial dynamics that underscore the place of food and the local food movement.     

Molecular genetic diversity and genetic structure of Vietnamese indigenous pig populations

The study characterized genetic diversity and genetic structure of five indigenous pig populations (Ha Lang, Muong Te, Mong Cai, Lung and Lung Pu), two wild pig populations (Vietnamese and Thai wild pigs) and an exotic pig breed (Yorkshire) using FAO/ISAG recommended 16 microsatellite markers in 236 samples. All estimated loci were very polymorphic indicated by high values of polymorphism information content (from 0.76 in S0225 to 0.92 in Sw2410). Indigenous populations had very high level of genetic diversity (mean He = 0.75); of all indigenous breeds, Lung Pu showed highest mean number of alleles (MNA = 10.1), gene diversity (He = 0.82), allele richness (5.33) and number of private alleles (10). Thirteen percentage of the total genetic variation observed was due to differences among populations. The neighbour‐joining dendrogram obtained from Nei's standard genetic distance differentiated eight populations into four groups including Yorkshire, two wild populations, Mong Cai population and a group of four other indigenous populations. The Bayesian clustering with the admixture model implemented in Structure 2.1 indicated seven possible homogenous clusters among eight populations. From 79% (Ha Lang) to 98% (Mong Cai). individuals in indigenous pigs were assigned to their own populations. The results confirmed high level of genetic diversity and shed a new light on genetic structure of Vietnam indigenous pig populations.     

Isolation and characterization of rosmarinic acid oligomers in Celastrus hindsii Benth leaves and their antioxidative activity

Antioxidative compounds were isolated from the 50% methanol extract of dried leaves of Celastrus hindsii. Eight phenolic compounds (1-8) were finally obtained by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, and their structures were elucidated by nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry and mass spectrometry analyses. They were the five known compounds, rutin (1), kaempferol 3-rutinoside (2), rosmarinic acid (3), lithospermic acid (4), and lithospermic acid B (6), and three novel oligomers of rosmarinic acid, a dimer (5) and two trimers (7 and 8). The major components in the extract were rosmarinic acid (3) and lithospermic acid B (6). These phenolic compounds were shown to have antioxidative activities against the autoxidation of methyl linoleate in bulk phase and the radical-initiated peroxidation of soybean phosphatidylcholine in liposomes. In the liposomal peroxidation, the number of phenolic hydroxyl group in each molecule was correlated with the effectiveness of antioxidative activity.     

A method of rotor orbit purification based on ensemble empirical mode decomposition filter

In order to purify rotor orbit,the characteristics of suppressing the phenomenon of mode mixing and filtering in ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) are studied,and a method of rotor orbit purification is presented. Ensemble empirical mode decomposition decomposes a complicated signal into a collection of intrinsic mode functions (IMFs). Then,according to prior knowledge of rotor system,choose intrinsic mode function components and reconstruct the signal,and,the purification of rotor orbit is obtained. The effectiveness of the method is proved by the successful purification of rotor orbit coming from the test-bed. And,the results of comparing the performances of the proposed method to the harmonic-based and the EMD-based purification of axis orbit method show the advantage of the de-noising method. The method provides a new way for fault diagnosis of rotating machinery.     

Photoprotection for deltamethrin using chitosan-coated beeswax solid lipid nanoparticles

BACKGROUND: In the natural environment, photodegradation is one of the most common degradative processes of pesticides. In order to reduce the photodegradation of pesticides, and so increase their killing activity against target pests, chitosan‐coated beeswax solid lipid nanoparticles (CH‐BSLNs) were prepared by a combination of hot homogenization and sonication, with deltamethrin as an active ingredient. RESULTS: Under optimal conditions, the highest encapsulation efficiency (95%) and a high payload of deltamethrin (approximately 12.5%) were achieved. In direct photolysis, in the case of CH‐BSLNs after UV irradiation for 24 h, 37.3% of deltamethrin remained, as opposed to only 14.6% of the free‐form deltamethrin. In addition, in indirect photolysis, in the case of CH‐BSLNs after UV irradiation for 2 h in 2% acetone solution, approximately 74.5% of deltamethrin remained, as opposed to only 37.6% of the free‐form deltamethrin. CONCLUSION: CH‐BSLNs showed good protection for deltamethrin against photodegradation. This novel nanocarrier may be useful in crop protection as an economical strategy to enhance the effect of pesticides in the field and protect the environment as well. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Model studies on the stability of folic acid and 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid degradation during thermal treatment in combination with high hydrostatic pressure

Stability of folic acid and 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid in phosphate buffer (0.2 M; pH 7) toward thermal (above 65 degrees C) and combined high pressure (up to 800 MPa)/thermal (20 up to 65 degrees C) treatments was studied on a kinetic basis. Residual folate concentration after thermal and high pressure/thermal treatments was measured using reverse phase liquid chromatography. The degradation of both folates followed first-order reaction kinetics. At ambient pressure, the estimated Arrhenius activation energy (E(a)) values of folic acid and 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid thermal degradation were 51.66 and 79.98 kJ mol(-1), respectively. It was noticed that the stability of folic acid toward thermal and combined high pressure thermal treatments was much higher than 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid. High-pressure treatments at room temperature or higher (up to 60 degrees C) had no or little effect on folic acid. In the whole P/T area studied, the rate constant of 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid degradation was enhanced by increasing pressure, and a remarkable synergistic effect of pressure and temperature on 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid degradation occurred at temperatures above 40 degrees C. A model to describe the combined pressure and temperature effect on the 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid degradation rate constant is presented.     

Quercetin-dependent inhibition of nitration induced by peroxidase/H2O2/nitrite systems in human saliva and characterization of an oxidation product of quercetin formed during the inhibition

Local pH in the oral cavity can decrease to below 7 at the site where acid-producing bacteria are proliferating. Effects of pH on nitration of 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid were studied using dialyzed human saliva. Dialyzed saliva nitrated 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid to 4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenylacetic acid in the presence of nitrite and H(2)O(2). The rate of the nitration was dependent on pH, and the maximal rate was observed between pH 5.5 and 7.2. The optimum pH seemed to reflect rates of formation of nitrogen dioxide and 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid radicals. Quercetin inhibited the nitration. The quercetin-dependent inhibition might be due to scavenging of nitrogen dioxide and 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid radicals, which were formed by salivary peroxidase-dependent oxidation of nitrite and 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, respectively, and competition with nitrite and 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid for peroxidase in saliva. An oxidation product of quercetin was formed during inhibition of the nitration by quercetin. The oxidation product was identified as 2-(3,4-dihydroxybenzoyl)-2,4,6-trihydroxy-3(2H)-benzofuranone. This component could also be oxidized by salivary peroxidase and nitrogen dioxide radicals. The oxidation products were 2,4,6-trihydroxyphenylglyoxylic and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acids. On the basis of the results, the significance of quercetin for inhibition of nitrogen dioxide formation and for scavenging of nitrogen dioxide radicals in the oral cavity is discussed.     

Isolation and structural elucidation of some glycosides from the rhizomes of smaller galanga (Alpinia officinarum Hance)

Glycosidically bound compounds were isolated from the methanol extract of fresh rhizomes of smaller galanga (Alpinia officinarum Hance). Nine glycosides (1-9) were finally obtained by reversed-phase HPLC and their structures were elucidated by MS and NMR analyses. They were the three known glycosides, (1R,3S,4S)-trans-3-hydroxy-1,8-cineole beta-D-glucopyranoside (1), benzyl beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), and 1-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-4-allylbenzene (chavicol beta-D-glucopyranoside, 4); and the six novel glycosides, 3-methyl-but-2-en-1-yl beta-D-glucopyranoside (2), 1-hydroxy-2-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-4-allylbenzene (5), 1-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-2-hydroxy-4-allylbenzene (demethyleugenol beta-D-glucopyranoside, 6), 1-O-(6-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-2-hydroxy-4-allylbenzene (demethyleugenol beta-rutinoside, 7), 1-O-(6-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-4-allylbenzene (chavicol beta-rutinoside, 8), and 1,2-di-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-4-allylbenzene (9). Compounds 2-9 were detected for the first time as constituents of galanga rhizomes.