Biochemical and morphological risk assessment of transgenic wheat with enhanced iron and zinc bioaccessibility

Decreased iron and zinc bioaccessibility, caused by the anti-nutrient phytic acid, is one of the leading reasons for micronutrient deficiency-related disorders. Biofortification of wheat with phytase gene to enhance iron and zinc bioaccessibility appears to be a fitting solution for this problem, especially in developing countries where most of the population belongs to the lower economic sector. However, societal views on crops, particularly crops that are genetically modified (GM) to express a new trait, needs to be changed. Risk assessment of GM crops can play a crucial role in fostering positive public perception, since it is imperative to ensure safety before allowing human consumption. The present study performed compositional and morphological risk assessment of T3 and T4 generations of phytase transgenic wheat by comparing their biochemical and morphological traits. Transgenic plants were analysed for their carbohydrate, protein, starch and phytic acid content along with iron bioaccessibility, zinc bioaccessibility and phytase enzyme activity. Morphological traits studied included plant height, seed number, seed weight and spike number. No significant differences were observed for carbohydrate, protein, starch content and for morphological traits; however, a significant increase was observed in phytase activity as well as iron and zinc bioaccessibility, which correlated with a significant decrease in phytic acid. These results demonstrate that phytase transgenic wheat is as native as local wheat varieties and can potentially increase iron and zinc bioaccessibility.     

Using Chlorella vulgaris and iron oxide nanoparticles in a designed bioreactor for aquaculture effluents purification

Aquaculture operations produce high volumes of wastewater containing suspended solids and nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen. Treatment of water effluent from fish production ponds is essential for sustain environment. So, the present study was conducted to evaluate simultaneous use of microalgae and iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) to purify aquaculture effluents within a designed bioreactor. For designing experiment, effluent samples were collected from fish farms in Sari, Iran. Iron oxide nanoparticles were prepared from Iranian Nano Pishgaman Company. Chlorella vulgaris was captured from the environment, then purified and cultured in the laboratory. After that, NP and microalgae were transferred to the reactor space. TSS (total suspended solid), TDS (total dissolved solid), BOD (biological oxygen demand), pH (power of hydrogen), EC (electrical conductivity), NO₃ (nitrates), NO₂ (nitrite), NH₄, (ammonium) and PO₄ (phosphates) were measured during the experiment period which NH₄ (93.67 %), NO₃ (92.23 %), NO₂ (89.3 %), and PO₄ (89.25 %) showed the highest reduction percentage, respectively. Also, significant differences among the calculated parameters (except for pH) were observed during the experiment (P < 0.05). Based on the obtained results, it is concluded that the simultaneous use of microalgae and nanoparticles is desirable for purification of aquaculture wastewaters.     

木材的变色

本文论述了木材变色的特征及其防治措施 ,介绍了有代表性色调的变色特征、除色和防变色方法 ,同时探讨了已变色木材的普通除色方法、变色木材的利用以及药液处理时应注意的事项     

Insights from in vitro exploration of factors influencing iron,zinc and provitamin A carotenoid bioaccessibility and intestinal absorption from cereals

Developments in genetics, agronomics and processing has positioned staple cereals as important sources of iron, zinc and provitamin A (pVA) carotenoids for nutritionally vulnerable populations. Significant effort has been placed on understanding the bioavailability of these micronutrients from cereal foods, including the exploration of underlying mechanisms by which their bioavailability can be modified. While micronutrient bioavailability is preferably assessed in clinical trials, relevant in vitro digestion and intestinal cell culture models have been applied to study effects of genetic, agronomic, post-harvest and food processing on micronutrient bioavailability. This review (1) critically assesses the application of in vitro models in the exploration of mechanisms associated with iron, zinc and provitamin A carotenoid bioaccessibility and intestinal absorption from cereal foods, and (2) identifies remaining gaps in order to frame future strategies to improve the nutritional impact of cereal foods.     

Quantitative trait loci for phytate in rice grain and their relationship with grain micronutrient content

Phytate (inositol-hexa-phosphate) has an important role in plants but it also may have anti-nutritional properties in animals and humans. While there is debate within the plant breeding and nutrition communities regarding an optimum level in grain, there appears to be little information at the molecular level for the genetics of this trait, and its association with important trace elements, in particular, Fe and Zn. In this preliminary study, quantitative trait loci (QTL) for grain phytates, Zn and Fe in glasshouse-grown rice lines from an IR64 × Azucena doubled haploid population were identified. Correlations between phytate and essential nutrients were also studied. Transgressive segregation was found for most traits. Phytate and total P concentrations had one QTL in common located on chromosome five with the (high concentration) allele contributed from Azucena. There were significant positive correlations between phytate and inorganic phosphorus (P), total P, Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn concentrations for both grain concentration and content. However, the QTLs of phytate were not located on the same chromosomal regions as those found for Fe, Zn and Mn, suggesting that they were genetically different and thus using molecular markers in breeding and selection would modify the phytate level without affecting grain micronutrient density.     

芹菜对铁的吸收及铁对其生长和品质的影响

通过调节水培营养液中铁浓度分别为0,0.7,1.4,2.8,5.6,8.4,11.2和14.0.mg/L的8个水平种植4个芹菜品种,研究了不同铁供应水平对芹菜生长和植株铁含量及其品质的影响。结果表明,0.7mg/L浓度下,芹菜生长良好,没有表现缺铁症状,1.4mg/L浓度时,叶片中的铁含量达最大值,2.8mg/L浓度下,芹菜产量,Vc、蛋白质、叶绿素含量较高,硝酸盐含量较低。在各铁供应水平下4个芹菜品种均未出现铁中毒现象。供铁以后,其供应量对芹菜叶中钙、镁含量影响不大;锌含量与营养液中铁浓度呈负相关,铁锌之间表现出离子竞争作用。     

植稻年限对土壤铁锰氧化物的影响

以浙江不同耕作年限水田和旱地为研究对象,探讨了植稻年限对土壤铁锰氧化物的影响,并揭示了水稻土发育过程中铁锰氧化物的剖面运移规律和诊断意义。结果表明:①土壤剖面中,全Fe、游离Fe及全Mn的变异随着种稻时间的延长而增大。种植达到一定年限时,全Fe、全Mn以及游离Fe在土壤剖面下层出现淀积。在各种铁锰氧化物中,对水稻土最具诊断意义的是游离Fe和全Fe。②无定形Fe以及络合态Fe、Mn与有机质呈显著正相关。植稻年限对它们的影响是通过对有机质的影响达到的。     

施用钢渣对土壤和水稻植株中硅、铁、锰的影响

盆栽试验结果表明:施用钢渣降低了土壤水溶态硅、DTPA-Fe、DTPA-Mn的含量,其效果随钢渣用量的增加而更为显著。但在钢渣用量一定时,却以中等粒度(60目)处理降低程度最大。施用钢渣还可以提高水稻植株体内硅的含量,降低水稻植株体内铁和锰的含量,其效果随钢渣用量增加或粒度变细而更为明显。     

水稻土中铁氧化物的厌氧还原及其对微生物过程的影响

采用厌氧泥浆恒温培养实验 ,测定了添加 6种外源氧化铁后土壤中Fe(Ⅱ )和Fe(Ⅲ )浓度的变化 ,探讨了不同氧化铁的还原能力及其对土壤产H2 、产CO2 、产乙酸和产CH4 过程的影响。结果表明 :无定形氧化铁和纤铁矿易于被还原 ,两者的最终还原程度大体相同 ,但无定形氧化铁存在还原滞后现象 ;针铁矿、赤铁矿、Al取代针铁矿和Al取代赤铁矿难以被还原 ,表现出与对照相同的还原特征 ;铁还原能导致土壤中H2 和乙酸稳态浓度的降低 ,有效抑制了甲烷产生 ;添加Fe(OH) 3和纤铁矿后 ,Fe(Ⅲ )还原占总电子传递的贡献率由对照的 1 8.3 0 %增至 63 .3 2 %和 46.90 % ,而形成甲烷的电子传递贡献率由对照的 80 .92 %降至 3 5 .85 %和 5 2 .3 2 % ,Fe(Ⅲ )还原对电子的竞争消耗 ,使土壤产甲烷过程被强烈抑制     

稻田改为茶园后土壤铁形态与磁学性质演变特征

以四川省名山区稻田及由稻田改造的茶园土壤为研究对象,采用铁形态连续分级提取与环境磁学技术相结合的方法,分析铁氧化物与磁学特征随土壤利用方式及植茶时间变化而变化的特征。结果表明,稻田及不同植茶年限(3、6、10年)茶园土壤110cm土体均表现为可还原铁(Red-Fe)>可氧化态铁(Oxi-Fe)>酸溶态铁(Acid-Fe)；稻田改为茶园以及随着植茶年限延长,表层(0-10cm)及亚表层(10-20cm)土壤Acid-Fe、Oxi-Fe明显增加,而整个土体Red-Fe降低。稻田改为茶园3年后, 0~30cm土壤表现出质量磁化率(MS)、饱和等温剩磁(SIRM)、软剩磁(IRMs)升高,而硬剩磁(IRMh)降低；随着植茶年限的延长,土体总体表现出各磁性参数均降低的趋势,亚铁磁性矿物主导土壤磁性特征变化。稻田改为茶园后土壤逐渐酸化且有机质积累,使亚铁磁性矿物不稳定,进一步导致Red-Fe溶解并向Acid-Fe、Oxi-Fe转化,且随植茶年限的延长,部分铁氧化物结晶度会增加。