Bioavailability of arginine from Indian mustard protein concentrate and meal compared with that of a soy protein concentrate in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchys mykiss)

Relative bioavailability (RBV) of arginine (Arg) from Indian mustard protein concentrate (IMC, 62% crude protein) and Indian mustard meal (IMM, 42% crude protein), and a commercially available soy protein concentrate (SPC, 57% crude protein) was compared with that of crystalline L‐arginine (L‐Arg) in rainbow trout. A basal diet highly deficient in Arg (1.23%) was formulated. Eight other isoproteic and isoenergetic diets were formulated to contain ~1.35% and ~1.5% Arg by adding increasing amount of IMC, IMM, SPC and L‐Arg. The experimental diets were fed for 16 weeks using a standard protocol. Growth rate, weight gain (g fish^?1) and protein (PD, g fish^?1) and lipid (LD, g fish^?1) deposition were increased linearly with increasing level of Arg from all ingredients. Arg availability from protein‐bound sources were equal or higher than those from L‐Arg. RBV of Arg from IMC, IMM and SPC were ranged from 100% and 123% than that from L‐Arg (assumed as 100% bio‐available). Among the ingredients, only the RBV of Arg from IMC was significantly higher than those from SPC (P < 0.05). The findings suggest that the RBV of Arg from IMC and IMM are very good and comparable to that of the commercial SPC used in this study.     

猪对蛋白质和纤维的能量利用效率(续完)——净能体系的应用实例

<正>2.2养分消化率消化率测试也可能存在大量的试验误差(Bakker和Jongbloed,1994;Moughan等,2000)。当采用全粪收集法时,这可能由浪费的饲料和粪便收集不完全造成。当采用指示剂法估测消化率时,误差可能与未正确取样或未正确测定饲料和粪便中的指示剂含量有关。由于担心适口性或者极端养分含量对消化功能的影响,需要对饲料中     

Effects on pesticide spray drift of the physicochemical properties of the spray liquid

This research was on the effect of the physicochemical properties of the spray liquid on pesticide spray drift. Ten pesticide spray liquids with various physicochemical properties were selected for study. Some of these spray liquids were also examined with the addition of a polymer drift-retardant. In the first part, laboratory tests were performed to measure surface tension, viscosity, evaporation rate and density of the spray liquids. Subsequently, drift experiments were performed in a wind tunnel. From the results it was found that the dynamic surface tension is a major drift-determining factor, and also that the addition of a polymer drift-retardant can reduce drift significantly by increasing the viscosity. Drift reduction was found to be less effective with spray liquids of emulsifiable and suspendable formulation types than with spray liquids of water-dispersible granules and powders.     

Ecotoxicological Risk Assessment of Pesticides Subject to Long-Range Transport

Concern has arisen about the possible ecological effects of persistent pesticides that become airborne during or after application and are transported to regions far away from where they were applied. In this paper an ecotoxicological approach is outlined that may support assessments of products suspected of long-range transport capacity. It is proposed that the risk is estimated from a classical PNEC/PEC comparison for the surface layer of a remote area, where PEC is estimated from dose rate, emission factors, atmospheric residence time and persistence, while PNEC is estimated from ecotoxicological information collected as part of the registration procedure. According to this "null model", risk assessment of pesticides subject to long-range transport is not different from the usual risk assessment, provided that due attention is paid to losses occurring during transport and accumulation in remote areas with low temperature. A simplified equation is derived for estimating PEC from the recommended dose rate, which shows that the concentration in the remote area is higher than in the target area only if its residence time is at least two order of magnitude longer than the corresponding value in the target area. A review of ecotoxicity data for effects of volatile pesticides on arthropods indicates that effect levels in the air compartment are far above the concentrations of concern in long-range transport. Arguments supporting the view that remote areas, specifically the polar regions, are characterized by ecosystems that are more vulnerable than the ones on which the usual risk assessment is based, are reviewed. Although residues of organochlorines are of concern, there does not seem to be concrete epidemiological or experimental evidence about effects of modern pesticides on wildlife in remote areas. It is concluded that there is no reason to reject the "null model" at the moment, however, in view of the large uncertainty involved, it is proposed that the maximum acceptable ratio between PNEC and PEC be increased by an extra safety factor.     

Which impact for beta-damascenone on red wines aroma?

beta-Damascenone, a C-13 norisoprenoid compound, is usually presented as an impact odorant in red wines. Its direct contribution to their aroma was investigated. Both free beta-damascenone and beta-damascenone precursors were isolated from various French red wines and then analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, revealing concentrations in the vicinity of 1 and 2 microg/L for free compounds and both forms, respectively. Gas chromatography-olfactometry analyses were also performed on dilutions of both red wine extracts and pure beta-damascenone. The very low detection threshold in olfactometry for this compound explains why it is found at the highest dilution factor in aroma extract dilution analysis methods. Moreover, determination of beta-damascenone's odor thresholds confirmed the huge importance of the matrix: beta-Damascenone is characterized by a very low perception threshold in hydroalcoholic solution as compared to red wine, where it is over 1000-fold higher. In hydroalcoholic solution, beta-damascenone enhanced fruity notes of ethyl cinnamate and caproate and masked the herbaceous aroma of IBMP. Globally, these results suggested that beta-damascenone has more an indirect than a direct impact on red wine aroma.     

Dissolution kinetics of macronutrient fertilizers coated with manufactured zinc oxide nanoparticles

The solubility of Zn in Zn fertilizers plays an important role in the agronomic effectiveness of the fertilizer. On the basis of thermodynamics, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) should dissolve faster and to a greater extent than bulk ZnO particles (equivalent spherical diameter >100 nm). These novel solubility features of ZnO NPs might be exploited to improve the efficiency of Zn fertilizers. In this study, we compared the Zn solubility and dissolution kinetics of ZnO nanoparticles and bulk ZnO particles coated onto two selected granular macronutrient fertilizers, urea and monoammonium phosphate (MAP). The main Zn species on coated MAP and urea granules were zinc ammonium phosphate and ZnO, respectively. Coated MAP granules showed greater Zn solubility and faster dissolution rates in sand columns compared to coated urea granules, which may be related to pH differences in the solution surrounding the fertilizer granules. The kinetics of Zn dissolution was not affected by the size of the ZnO particles applied for coating of either fertilizer type, possibly because solubility was controlled by formation of the same compounds irrespective of the size of the original ZnO particles used for coating.     

Simple methods for estimating field capacity using Mamdani inference system and regression tree

Using easily measurable soil properties could save time and cost for field capacity (FC) prediction. The objective of this study was to compare Mamdani fuzzy inference system (MFIS) and regression tree (RT) for FC predicting using such properties. One hundred and sixty-five soil samples from Unsaturated Soil hydraulic database data-set and 45 from Hydraulic Properties of European Soils data-set were used for the development and validation of MFIS and RT, respectively. Fuzzy rules and tree diagram based on the relationships between these predictor variables and the response variable FC were defined and 48 rules were written. Results showed a positive linear relevancy in terms of standardized independent variable weight, W*, between clay content and FC and negative linear relevancy between geometric mean particular size diameter (d_g) and FC. Among predictor variables, d_g (W* = 0.81) and bulk density (BD) (W* = 0.49) had the highest and lowest influence on FC, respectively. A tree diagram is presented for the prediction of FC using clay content, dg, and BD. Overall, based on statistical parameters, RT method (R² = 0.78, geometric mean error (GME) = 1.02, mean error (ME) = 0.01 cm³ cm^?3, and root mean square error (RMSE) = 0.04 cm³ cm^?3) showed a higher performance than MFIS method (R² = 0.72, GME = 1.16, ME = 0.08 cm³ cm^?3, and RMSE = 0.06 cm³ cm^?3) to predict FC.     

Parameters causing variation between soil screening values and the effect of harmonization

Background, aim, and scope

This paper discusses the variation between generic soil screening values (SSV) from 17 countries for 11 volatile organic contaminants (VOC). The variation between SSV was one to four orders-of-magnitude (OOM) depending on the SSV and landuse type. What would be the variation if parameter values are harmonized between member states?

Main Features

The effect of harmonization was visualized by firstly reviewing the technical derivation procedure for SSV for 7 SSV from five countries and collecting all parameter values that are involved in the deviation. The parameters were subdivided in scientific (e.g. algorithm plus its parameter values), political (e.g. toxicological reference) or geographical (e.g. building and soil properties) elements. Secondly, new SSV were calculated with progressively harmonized sets of scientific and/or political parameter values, while the geographical parameters varied. Thirdly, the variation between SSV was compared before and after harmonization.

Results

Results show that harmonizing algorithms plus other scientific and political parameters are suited for harmonization. The variation decreases to 1 OOM, after scientific and political parameters were harmonized. Geographical parameters seem to have less impact on the differences between SSV.

Discussion

So, should we harmonize the procedures for deriving SSV between EU member states? The need for discussing harmonization is also raised by the upcoming EU Soil Framework Directive.

Conclusions

Clearly common generic SSV across all of Europe are not appropriate, since countries are allowed to include member state specific geographical and cultural elements and also political decision making. By harmonizing scientific and/or political parameters differences between SSV can be made more transparent between member states and it will encourage convergence in procedures among member states to ensure neutral conditions of competition and a coherent soil protection regime throughout Europe.

Recommendations and perspectives

To promote uniformity it is recommended to construct a toolbox for the calculation of human health risk exposure, carried by a European consensus, that includes different model algorithms for which fixed and flexible input parameters are made available. Fixed algorithm parameters are standardized and applied uniformly by all member states, e.g. physico-chemical parameters, while flexible input parameters permits member states to include region or country specific parameter values and policy decisions.     

Inclusion of upland crops in rice‐based rotations affects chemical properties of clay soil

In the Mekong Delta, alluvial clay soils have been used intensively over many generations for rice monoculture. Currently, farmers are confronted by problems of declining land productivity. Rotations comprising rice and upland crops can increase soil quality, but appropriate cropping systems for paddy soils have received relatively little attention. We therefore established a multiyear field experiment to evaluate the long‐term effects of cropping systems with different rotations on soil chemical quality. Systems laid out in a randomized complete block design with four replications were as follows: (i) traditional rice monoculture with three rice crops per year (R‐R‐R), (ii) rotation with two rice crops and maize (R‐M‐R), (iii) rotation with two rice crops and mung bean (R‐Mb‐R) and (iv) rotation with one rice crop and two upland crops – mung bean and maize (R‐Mb‐M). We hypothesized that systems with rotations of upland crops and their temporary beds improve chemical quality of paddy rice soil. Soil chemical parameters were determined to better understand and evaluate the sustainability of the cropping systems. Results showed an improvement in soil chemical quality for cropping systems with rotations of rice and mung bean or maize grown on temporary beds (R‐M‐R, R‐Mb‐R and R‐Mb‐M), particularly the content of soil organic carbon and a presumed hydrolysable labile carbon fraction compared with rice monoculture. Less pronounced improvements in EC, CEC and total acidity were also found with inclusion of upland crops. Cropping systems of rice with upland crops improved rice grain and straw yield in subsequent season in contrast with rice monoculture.     

Certification of sustainable forest management practices: a global perspective on why countries certify

In this paper, we examine national conditions that encourage the growth of a private regulatory environmental system to govern forests. Economic, institutional and social capital variables for 117 countries are used to examine factors determining forest certification under the Forest Stewardship Council and domestic competitor schemes. Although economic factors, such as forest exports and GDP, are important in explaining the likelihood that a country's forest management practices are certified, the regression results support the idea that economic institutions and the social context under which firms and forest landowners seek certification matters. The ability of citizens to influence the political process is also significant; in particular, the likelihood that firms and forest owners will seek to certify their forest practices is significantly reduced if women have little or no effective voice in civil society.