Formation of Damascenone under both commercial and model fermentation conditions

The fermentations, at a commercial winery, of six different grape musts encompassing the varieties Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, Shiraz, Grenache, and Pinot noir were monitored for damascenone concentration. In every case, the concentration of damascenone increased during fermentation from low or undetectable levels to concentrations of several parts per billion. Further increases in damascenone concentration were observed during barrel aging of three of these wines. Two ketones, megastigma-4,6,7-triene-3,9-dione (4) and 3-hydroxymegastigma-4,6,7-trien-9-one (5), were synthesized and subjected to fermentation conditions using two yeasts, AWRI 796, and AWRI 1537. In the case of the former compound, 4, synthesis confirmed the original, tentative assignment of the structure and confirmed 4 as a natural product, isolated from honey. Both compounds, under the action of both yeasts, produced appreciable amounts of damascenone (1), with ketone 5 and AWRI 796 yeast yielding the highest concentration of 1.     

Geographic distribution and domestication of wild emmer wheat (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Triticum dicoccoides</Emphasis>)

The transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture had revolutionary consequences for the development of human societies. Crops such as wheat, barley, lentil, pea and chickpea played a crucial role in the establishment of complex civilizations in south west Asia. Wild emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccoides) was one of the first cereals to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent between c. 12,000 and c. 10,000 years ago. This step provided the key for subsequent bread wheat evolution. Wild emmer is found today in the western Fertile Crescent in Jordan, Syria and Israel, the central part of southeastern Turkey and mountain areas in eastern Iraq and western Iran. In this review, we summarize issues concerning geography and domestication of wild emmer wheat based on published molecular and archaeobotanical data and on our recent findings. We suggest that modern domestic tetraploid wheats derived from wild emmer lines from southeast Turkey. However, our understanding of emmer domestication is not complete. The “dispersed-specific” domestication model proposed for einkorn might well be appropriate also for emmer.     

Maize response to broadcast flaming at different growth stages: Effects on growth,yield and yield components

Weed management is a major constraint in organic crop production. Propane flaming could be an additional tool for weed control in organic maize (Zea mays L.) production. However, tolerance of maize to broadcast flaming must be determined first to optimize the use of propane. Field experiments were conducted at the Haskell Agricultural Laboratory of the University of Nebraska, Concord, NE in 2008 and 2009 to determine maize response to five propane doses applied at three growth stages of V2 (2-leaf), V5 (5-leaf) and V7 (7-leaf). The propane doses tested were 0, 13, 24, 44 and 85 kg ha^?1. Flaming treatments were applied utilizing a custom built research flamer mounted on the back of a four-wheeler moving at a constant speed of 6.4 km h^?1. The response of maize to propane flaming was evaluated in terms of visual crop injury (1, 7, 14 and 28 days after treatment—DAT), effects on dry matter (14 DAT), yield components (plants m^?2, ears plant^?1, kernels cob^?1 and 1000-kernel weight) and grain yield. The response of different growth stages of maize to propane doses was described by log–logistic models. Overall, maize response to broadcast flaming varied among growth stages and propane doses. In general, maize at V5 was the most tolerant stage for broadcast flaming, whereas V2 stage was the most susceptible to flaming resulting in the highest visual crop injury ratings, dry matter reductions and the largest loss of yield and its components. At 28 DAT, the maximum visual crop injury rating of 7% was estimated for flaming done at V5 stage compared to significantly higher injuries of 43% and 12% for V2 and V7 growth stages, respectively. An arbitrarily assigned 2.5% yield reduction was evident with 33, 16 and 11 kg ha^?1 of propane for V5, V2 and V7 growth stages, respectively, suggesting that maize flamed at V5 stage can tolerate higher dose of propane for the same yield reduction compared to other growth stages. Moreover, the maximum yield reductions with the highest propane dose of 85 kg ha^?1 were 3% for V5, 11% for V7 and 17% for V2 stage. Based on these results, flaming has a potential to be used effectively in organic maize production when conducted properly at V5 stage. However, there are both benefits and concerns associated with the use of flame weeding. The preservation of the soil from erosion and the protection of the surface and underground water from chemical pollution can be seen as benefits, while the concerns include higher energy use, and the release of greenhouse gasses.     

Biosorption of Colour-Imparting Substances in Biologically Treated Pulp Mill Effluent Using Aspergillus niger Fungal Biomass

Biosorption has potential to be an economical colour removal technology. As such, the colour removal potential of inactivated Aspergillus niger biomass was investigated for the treatment of activated sludge-treated pulp mill effluent from a northern bleached softwood kraft mill. Biomass pretreatment methods, effects of initial pH of the effluent and preparative biomass washing methods were examined. The most effective pretreatment method was found to be simple autoclaving of the biomass and this approach was applied in subsequent kinetic and isotherm batch studies. It was also found that the pH of the wastewater prior to addition of the biomass affected the biosorption rate and the solubility of chromophores in pulp mill effluent. The results also indicated that biomass washing methods reduced the quantity of organic matter leached from the fungal biomass during application. The kinetic study revealed that colour removal by biosorption occurred most readily in the first 8 h and could be described adequately by both the Lagergren and Ho et al. models. The maximum colour removal was over 900 TCU, with a biomass dose of about 20 g/L. The isotherm study data were fitted with the BET isotherm model. The results indicated that adsorption occurred in a multi-layer fashion and that physical adsorption was the main mechanism contributing to the biosorption. Therefore, dead A. niger biomass was concluded to be a promising alternative for colour removal from pulp mill effluent.     

Evaluation of compositional equivalence for multitrait biotechnology crops

Compositional analysis is an important tool in the evaluation of the safety and nutritional status of biotechnology-derived crops. As part of the comparative assessment of a biotechnology-derived crop, its composition is evaluated by quantitative measurement of the levels of key nutrients, antinutrients, and secondary metabolites and compared to that of conventional crops. To evaluate the effect of combining multiple biotech traits through conventional breeding, the forage and grain compositions of the double combinations MON 810 × NK603, MON 863 × MON 810, and MON 863 × NK603 and the triple combination MON 863 × NK603 × MON 810 were compared to their respective near-isogenic, conventional control hybrids. Overall, a total of 241 statistical comparisons between the multitrait biotechnology crop and its corresponding conventional controls were conducted. Of these comparisons 192 (79.7%) were not statistically significantly different (p > 0.05), and all 49 of the differences were within the 99% tolerance interval for commercial hybrids grown in the same field or related field trials. These data on combined trait biotechnology-derived products demonstrated that the forage and grain were compositionally equivalent to their conventional comparators, indicating the absence of any influence of combining insect protection and herbicide tolerance traits by conventional breeding on compositional variation.     

Chondroprotective role of sesamol by inhibiting MMPs expression via retaining NF-κB signaling in activated SW1353 cells

Overexpression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) is a major pathological factor causing cartilage destruction in osteoarthritis (OA). This study aimed to investigate the effects and mechanisms of sesamol on expression of MMPs in activated chondrosarcoma cells. Sesamol significantly attenuated TNF-α- and IL-1β-induced gelatinolysis and expression of MMP-9 in a concentration-dependent manner in SW1353 cells. Additionally, both MMP-1 and -13 stimulated by PMA were inhibited by sesamol. On the other hand, the NF-κB signaling activation through IκB-α degradation was restored by sesamol under TNF-α or PMA stimulation. Furthermore, this bioactive compound exerted the reduction on phosphorylation of ERK1/2 or p38 MAPKs after either PMA or IL-1β stimulation. This study also evaluated whether sesamol down-regulates MMP expression in the joint cartilage of monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced OA in rats. Sesamol prevented the expression of MMP-1 and -9 in the cartilage of MIA-induced OA in rats. The results of this study demonstrate that sesamol inhibits cytokine- or PMA-induced MMPs expression through the signal pathways of either NF-κB or ERK/p38 MAPKs down-regulation. This study also showed that sesamol attenuates destructive factor expression in vivo, providing a potential strategy for the chondroprotective therapy in OA.     

Life cycle of Pontoscolex corethrurus () in tropical artificial soil

Pontoscolex corethrurus (Müller) is a widespread, peregrine earthworm species of the Glossoscolecidae family, native to the Neotropics. This endogeic earthworm shows wide tolerance to environmental variations, being found in many different habitats and soil types throughout the tropics and sub-tropics. To evaluate the life cycle of this species in tropical artificial soil (TAS), a substrate used in ecotoxicological tests, and the influence of food availability and humidity on its growth, earthworms were incubated individually under laboratory conditions. The life cycle was evaluated in four treatments with 24 earthworms (replicates) each: TAS (120 g) without additional food (TAS0), TAS with 5 g of horse manure (TAS5), TAS with 10 g of manure (TAS10) and TAS with 25% greater soil moisture with 5 g of manure (TAS5H). Food was provided every 14 d and the containers maintained at room temperature (20 ± 4 °C). Cocoons collected in the field were placed individually in the different treatments and the hatching date, growth, development, and reproduction followed for 50 weeks after hatching. New cocoons hatched at 34 d, adulthood was reached at 8 months, and cocoon deposition began 3 months later, so that its life cycle was completed in 12 months. By the 13th week all juveniles in TAS0 had died due to insufficient food resources, while in the other treatments, all the animals had matured by 44 weeks, with significantly higher biomass and length in TAS10 (0.72 g, 5.4 cm), compared with TAS5 and TAS5H (0.59–0.61 g, 5.1–5.4 cm). Growth and weight gain were positively related to food availability, and no negative effect of excess moisture was observed on their growth. With additional food TAS showed no limitations for the development of the species, and it can be used for ecotoxicological tests involving acute toxicity (mortality) and avoidance, although its potential use in chronic tests (reproduction) is more limited. The length of its life cycle and other biological characteristics associated with this parthenogenetic species create some challenges that must be dealt with before this species can be recommended for wider use as a standard ecotoxicological test species.     

Just Add Water and Salt: the Optimisation of Petrogenic Hydrocarbon Biodegradation in Soils from Semi-arid Barrow Island, Western Australia

We investigated the potential of soil moisture and nutrient amendments to enhance the biodegradation of oil in the soils from an ecologically unique semi-arid island. This was achieved using a series of controlled laboratory incubations where moisture or nutrient levels were experimentally manipulated. Respired CO₂ increased sharply with moisture amendment reflecting the severe moisture limitation of these porous and semi-arid soils. The greatest levels of CO₂ respiration were generally obtained with a soil pore water saturation of 50?C70%. Biodegradation in these nutrient poor soils was also promoted by the moderate addition of a nitrogen fertiliser. Increased biodegradation was greater at the lowest amendment rate (100 mg N kg^?1 soil) than the higher levels (500 or 1,000 mg N kg^?1 soil), suggesting the higher application rates may introduce N toxicity. Addition of phosphorous alone had little effect, but a combined 500 mg N and 200 mg P kg^?1 soil amendment led to a synergistic increase in CO₂ respiration (3.0×), suggesting P can limit the biodegradation of hydrocarbons following exogenous N amendment.     

Invertebrate grazing affects nitrogen partitioning in the saprotrophic fungus Phanerochaete velutina

The heterogeneity of nutrients in forest soils is governed by many biotic and abiotic factors. The significance of nutrient patchiness in determining soil processes remains poorly understood. Some saprotrophic basidiomycete fungi influence nutrient heterogeneity by forming large mycelial networks that enable translocation of nutrients between colonized patches of dead organic matter. The effect of mycophagous soil fauna on these networks and subsequent nutrient redistribution has, however, been little studied. We used a soil microcosm system to investigate the potential effects of a mycophagous collembola, Protaphorura armata, on nutrient transfer within, and nutrient loss from, the mycelium of a saprotrophic basidiomycete fungus, Phanerochaete velutina. A ¹⁵N label, added to central mycelium, was used to track nitrogen movement within the microcosms across 32 days. Although collembola grazing had little impact on δ¹⁵N values, it did alter the partitioning of ¹⁵N between different regions of mycelia. Less ¹⁵N was transferred to new mycelial growth in grazed systems than in ungrazed systems, presumably because collembola reduced fungal growth rate and altered mycelial morphology. Surprisingly, collembola grazing did not increase the mineralization of N from mycelium into the bulk soil. Overall, our results suggest that mycophagous soil fauna can alter nutrient flux and partitioning within fungal mycelium; this has the potential to affect the dynamics and spatial heterogeneity of forest floor nutrients.     

Galactooligosaccharides improve mineral absorption and bone properties in growing rats through gut fermentation

Galactooligosaccharides (GOS), prebiotic nondigestible oligosaccharides derived from lactose, have the potential for improving mineral balance and bone properties. This study examined the dose-response effect of GOS supplementation on calcium and magnesium absorption, mineral retention, bone properties, and gut microbiota in growing rats. Seventy-five 4-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into one of five treatment groups (n = 15/group) and fed a diet containing 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8% GOS by weight for 8 weeks. Dietary GOS significantly decreased cecal pH and increased cecal wall weight and content weight in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.0001). Fingerprint patterns of the 16S rRNA gene PCR-DGGE from fecal DNA indicated the variance of bacterial community structure, which was primarily explained by GOS treatments (p = 0.0001). Quantitative PCR of the samples revealed an increase in the relative proportion of bifidobacteria with GOS (p = 0.0001). Net calcium absorption was increased in a dose-response manner (p < 0.01) with GOS supplementation. Dietary GOS also increased (p < 0.02) net magnesium absorption, femur ??Ca uptake, calcium and magnesium retention, and femur and tibia breaking strength. Distal femur total and trabecular volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) and area and proximal tibia vBMD increased (p < 0.02) with GOS supplementation. Trabecular-rich bones, that is, those that rapidly turn over, were most benefited. Regression modeling showed that GOS benefited calcium and magnesium utilization and vBMD through decreased cecal pH, increased cecal wall and content weight, and increased proportion of bifidobacteria.