Extracts of Peels and Seeds of Five Varieties of Brazilian Jabuticaba Present High Capacity to Deactivate Reactive Species of Oxygen and Nitrogen

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Jabuticaba has a high concentration of phenolic compounds, which have a significant antioxidant capacity. Methodologies have been developed to evaluate the ability...     

Extraction of grape seed oil using compressed carbon dioxide and propane: extraction yields and characterization of free glycerol compounds

The main objective of this work was to compare the extraction of grape seed oil with compressed carbon dioxide and propane on the extraction yields and chemical characteristics of free glycerol compounds. The experiments were performed in a laboratory scale unit in the temperature range of 30 to 60 degrees C and pressures from 60 to 254 bar. The results showed that propane is a more suitable solvent for grape seed oil extraction than carbon dioxide, as higher extractions yields and a very fast kinetic of extraction were achieved with this solvent. In relation to compressed carbon dioxide extractions, both temperature and density presented a very pronounced and positive effect on the extraction yield. The oils extracted were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively with regard to the free glycerol compounds, mainly fatty acids, ethyl, and methyl esters. The results showed that these compounds are present in low concentration in vegetable oil (<3%) and that, in general, samples extracted with propane present a smaller amount of peaks of free glycerol compounds in the oil than samples extracted with carbon dioxide.     

Yerba Maté (Ilex paraguariensis) aqueous extract decreases intestinal SGLT1 gene expression but does not affect other biochemical parameters in alloxan-diabetic Wistar rats

Yerba maté (Ilex paraguariensis) is rich in polyphenols, especially chlorogenic acids. Evidence suggests that dietary polyphenols could play a role in glucose absorption and metabolism. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antidiabetic properties of yerba maté extract in alloxan-induced diabetic Wistar rats. Animals (n = 41) were divided in four groups: nondiabetic control (NDC, n = 10), nondiabetic yerba maté (NDY, n = 10), diabetic control (DC, n = 11), and diabetic yerba maté (DY, n = 10). The intervention consisted in the administration of yerba maté extract in a 1 g extract/kg body weight dose for 28 days; controls received saline solution only. There were no significant differences in serum glucose, insulin, and hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase activity between the groups that ingested yerba maté extract (NDY and DY) and the controls (NDC and DC). However, the intestinal SGLT1 gene expression was significantly lower in animals that received yerba maté both in upper (p = 0.007) and middle (p < 0.001) small intestine. These results indicate that bioactive compounds present in yerba maté might be capable of interfering in glucose absorption, by decreasing SGLT1 expression.     

Irrigation of paddy soil with industrial landfill leachate: impacts in rice productivity,plant nutrition,and chemical characteristics of soil

Treated industrial effluents have high levels of nutrients and dissolved organic matter. The irrigation of rice by flooding can increase nutrient uptake and grain yield. Therefore, this study evaluated the nutrient contents in the shoots and grain of the rice crop and also the chemical of the soil after irrigation of the crop with leachate of the treated industrial effluent. A greenhouse experiment was conducted using pots filled with 20 kg of soil in a randomized block design with three replications. The treatments consisted of control (irrigation with distilled water) and four concentrations of the leachate (25, 50, 75, and 100 %) for irrigation. At the end of the experiment, the nutrient contents in tissues of rice plants, sterility of spikelets, and grain mass were evaluated. Results showed that irrigation with the leachate at 25 % content increased the macro- and micronutrients’ concentrations in the shoot biomass and grain, except for potassium and iron. Irrigation with the industrial leachate decreased tillering and grain yield; however, it increased chlorophyll content, sterility of spikelets, and sodium intake at this leachate concentration. The potassium and sodium levels and the electrical conductivity values of soils irrigated with treated industrial leachate were increased. The use of the treated leachate from industrial effluents is an alternative that reuses the nutritional load, but the volume of leachate should be limited and monitored to prevent the sodicity in the soil and problemsdue to eutrophication.     

Fish functional diversity responses following flood pulses in the upper Paraná River floodplain

Flood pulses are the main force driving the dynamics of aquatic communities in floodplains. The responses of communities to environmental changes following flood pulses usually demand a time lag to appear and reach the climax. We assembled a data set of 16 years of fish samplings to assess the relationship between water level and four functional diversity measures, in the upper Paraná River floodplain. Specifically, we approached four aspects of each relationship between water level and functional diversity: nature (positive or negative), sensitivity (response intensity), responsiveness (response delay) and extent (response duration). The nature of the relationship between water level and functional diversity was positive in all cases. Functional richness (FRic) responded right after flood pulses, although with shorter extent. Abundance‐dependent functional measures (evenness—FEve; divergence—FDiv; and Rao's quadratic entropy—Rao's Q) presented delayed responses, reaching peaks more than 1.5 years after flood pulses. Significant effects of floods on fish functional diversity were observed for more than 3 years, although the highest functional diversity was observed with 1.8 years, on average. More importantly, flood pulses had no longer significant effects on functional diversity after 4 years. Regarding conservation strategies in regulated systems, flood events should occur every 2 or 3 years, with adequate timing (October‐November), intensity (up to 450 cm) and duration (at least 50 uninterrupted days). Intervals longer than 3 years or inadequate timing, intensity and duration could dramatically decrease functional diversity and compromise ecosystem services.     

Assessment of the ideal ratios of digestible essential amino acids for pacu,Piaractus mesopotamicus,juveniles by the amino acid deletion method

The present study aimed to determine the ideal ratios of digestible essential amino acids (EAAs) for pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) juveniles by the amino acid (AA) deletion method. A completely randomized design which consisted of 11 treatments and three replicates each was used. The treatments included a control diet (CD) containing 55% of nonpurified natural ingredients and 45% of purified synthetic amino acids and ingredients, and other ten isonitrogenous and isoenergetic EAA limiting diets (LDs), each being deficient in 44.4 ± 0.02% of the respective EAA. Pacu juveniles with initial average body weight of 6.22 ± 0.09 g were distributed among 33 fiber glass tanks. Fish were fed with semipurified and extruded diets for 113 days two times a day until apparent satiation. The ideal ratio of each dietary EAA was calculated on the basis of the relationship between body N retention and amount of EAA deleted from the respective EAA LD. Based on the AA deletion method, the ideal ratios of digestible EAAs for pacu juveniles, relative to lysine requirement of 100% were estimated as: methionine 14.6%, threonine 35.0%, tryptophan 6.6%, arginine 62.8%, histidine 13.6%, isoleucine 26.3%, leucine 43.7%, phenylalanine 27.2%, and valine 35.8%.     

Uncertainty assessment of soya bean yield gaps using DSSAT‐CSM‐CROPGRO‐Soybean calibrated by cultivar maturity groups

Soya bean yield gap can be caused by different factors resulting in uncertainties when the objective is to use such information for farm decision‐making and reference yield determination. Thus, this study aimed to quantify the soya bean yield gap for four sites, located in Southern and Midwestern Brazil, as well as the uncertainties of that related to cultivars, sowing dates, soil types and reference yields. The crop simulation model DSSAT‐CSM‐CROPGRO‐Soybean was calibrated for cultivars with similar maturity groups, based on the data obtained from the best farmers at the county level. The yield gap by water deficit (YG_WD) was obtained through the difference between potential and attainable yields, and that one caused by sub‐optimum crop management (YG_CM) by subtracting actual yield of each county, obtained from official statistics between 1989/90 and 2014/15 growing seasons, from the estimated attainable yield. The yield was simulated using four sowing dates, three soil types and two soya bean maturity groups by county. The reference yield uncertainty was quantified using yield reference from crop model and regional winners of the soya bean yield context, conducted by CESB (Brazilian Soybean Strategic Committee), for the growing seasons from 2013/14 to 2015/16. The crop model showed a good agreement between measured and simulated crop development and growth using calibration by maturity group, with low root mean square error (347 kg/ha). Southern sites had a mean YG_WD of 1,047 kg/ha, while in the Midwest, it was lower than 100 kg/ha. The YG_CM was 1,067, 528, 984 and 848 kg/ha, respectively, for Castro, PR, Mamborê, PR, Montividiu, GO and Primavera do Leste, MT, representing the opportunity for yield gain when having the best farmers as reference. The maturity groups, sowing dates and soil types showed to be an important source of uncertainty for yield gap determination, being recommended to investigate the farms in detail for an appropriate quantification. The reference yield showed expressive uncertainties, with some farmers presenting conditions to increase their soya bean yields by more than 3,000 kg/ha, when considering as reference the yields obtained by the winners’ farmers. These results show that uncertainties must be reduced when assessing farm yield gaps, in order to ensure that expected rate of soya bean yield growth could be reached by adopting the same technologies from CESB winners and best farmers in the county as a reference.