Bioactivity of Different Enriched Phenolic Extracts of Wild Fruits from Northeastern Portugal: A Comparative Study

Arbutus unedo, Prunus spinosa, Rosa micrantha and Rosa canina are good sources of phenolic compounds, including anthocyanins. These compounds have potent antioxidant properties, which have been related to anticancer activity. Herein, the in vitro antioxidant and antitumor properties of enriched phenolic extracts (non-anthocyanin phenolic compounds enriched extract- PE and anthocyanins enriched extract- AE) of the mentioned wild fruits were evaluated and compared. PE gave higher bioactive properties than the corresponding AE. It was observed a high capacity of A. unedo phenolic extract to inhibit lipid peroxidation in animal brain homogenates (EC₅₀?=?7.21 μg/mL), as also a high antitumor potential against NCI-H460 human cell line (non-small lung cancer; GI₅₀?=?37.68 μg/mL), which could be related to the presence of galloyl derivatives (exclusively found in this species). The bioactivity of the studied wild fruits proved to be more related to the phenolic compounds profile than to the amounts present in each extract, and could be considered in the design of new formulations of dietary supplements or functional foods.     

Canine parvovirus 2c infection in central Portugal

Canine parvovirus (CPV) has been evolving, generating new genetic and antigenic variants throughout the world. This study was conducted to determine the types of CPV circulating in dogs in Figueira da Foz, Portugal. Thirty fecal samples, collected between 2006 and 2007 from dogs with clinical signs of CPV infection, were tested for CPV by a rapid, in-clinic, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)/immunomigration test, by conventional real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and by minor-groove binding TaqMan PCR. Of the 29 PCR-positive samples, 15 were identified as CPV-2b and 14 as CPV-2c. No CPV-2a was detected. The sensitivity of the ELISA test was 82.76% compared with the PCR assays. No significant associations were found between CPV type, clinical outcome, breed, vaccination status, or age.     

Photosensitizing effect of riboflavin, lumiflavin, and lumichrome on the generation of volatiles in soy milk

Lumichrome and lumiflavin were formed from riboflavin under light. pH had a significant influence on the formation of lumichrome and lumiflavin from riboflavin. Lumichrome was the only major product from riboflavin under neutral or acidic pH values. Lumiflavin was also formed from riboflavin in basic pH. The maximum concentration of lumiflavin from 100 microM riboflavin at pH 8.5 was 30.9 microM, and it was reached after 2 h of exposure at 1500 lux. The maximum concentration of lumichrome formed from 100 microM riboflavin at pH 4.5, 6.5, or 8.5 was 79.9, 58.7, and 73.1 microM, respectively, after 8, 6, or 2 h of light exposure. The formation of lumichrome and lumiflavin from riboflavin was due to the type I mechanism of the riboflavin photosensitized reaction. Singlet oxygen was also involved in the photosensitized degradation of lumiflavin and lumichrome. The reaction rates of riboflavin, lumiflavin, and lumichrome with singlet oxygen were 9.66 x 10(8), 8.58 x 10(8), and 8.21 x 10(8) M(-1) s(-1), respectively. The headspace oxygen depletion and headspace volatile formation were significant in soy milk containing lumichrome or lumiflavin under light (p < 0.05) and were insignificant (p > 0.05) in the dark. Ascorbic acid could inhibit the total volatile changes of soy milk under light. Soy milk should be protected from light to prevent the photodegradation of riboflavin and the oxidation of soy milk.     

Employment of hordein subunit polymorphisms in establishing selection criteria for high quality malting barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Cereal seed storage proteins are encoded by complex multigene families and their subunit profiles are highly related to end-use qualities. Each fraction of albumin and hordein was extracted and its subunit profile was evaluated in related to malt and grain quality parameters. The purpose of this study was to provide selection criteria for high quality malting barley using grain and malt quality parameters and biochemical-genetic information. Grain and malt quality of 13 local adaptability test (LAT) lines were evaluated for malting process. A total of 16 germplasm accessions of high or low seed storage protein content were also evaluated for biochemicalgenetic analysis. The correlation coefficients among quality parameters were analyzed. Several important quality parameters in brewing process showed significant positive or negative correlations. Seed storage protein subunits of albumin and hordein of all tested lines and accessions were evaluated using 12% 1D SDS-PAGE. Scored data of protein subunit’s presence or absence was applied to Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering (AHC) for statistical analysis and showed specific grouping patterns among tested lines. Clustered lines with subunit information were highly related with agricultural performance and grain and malt qualities. Based on the profiles of seed storage protein subunits, association of hordein subunit of 38, 43, and 65 kDa with high malt scored lines was found. The obtained results would provide improved selection criteria for high quality malting barley in the malting barley breeding program.     

Predicting land use change: comparison of models based on landowner surveys and historical land cover trends

To make informed planning decisions, community leaders, elected officials, scientists, and natural resource managers must be able to evaluate potential effects of policies on land use change. Many land use change models use remotely-sensed images to make predictions based on historical trends. One alternative is a survey-based approach in which landowners’ stated intentions are modeled. The objectives of our research were to: (1) develop a survey-based landowner decision model (SBM) to simulate future land use changes, (2) compare projections from the SBM with those from a trend-based model (TBM), and (3) demonstrate how two alternative policy scenarios can be incorporated into the SBM and compared. We modeled relationships between land management decisions, collected from a mail survey of private landowners, and the landscape, using remotely-sensed imagery and ownership parcel data. We found that SBM projections were within the range of TBM projections and that the SBM was less affected by errors in image classification. Our analysis of alternative policies demonstrates the importance of understanding potential effects of targeted land use policies. While policies oriented toward increasing enrollment in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) resulted in a large (11–13%) increase in CRP lands, policies targeting increased forest thinning on private non-industrial lands increased low-density forest projections by only 1%. The SBM approach is particularly appropriate for landscapes including many landowners, because it reflects the decision-making of the landowners whose individual actions will result in collective landscape change.     

Determining the distributions of soil carbon and nitrogen in particle size fractions using near-infrared reflectance spectrum of bulk soil samples

This study aimed at assessing the potential of near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) for determining the distribution of soil organic matter (SOM) in particle size fractions, which has rarely been attempted. This was done on sandy soils from Burkina Faso (three sites) and Congo-Brazzaville (one site). Over the total sample set, NIRS accurately predicted carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) concentrations (g kg^?1 fraction) in the fraction <20 μm. When considering Burkina Faso only, predictions were improved in general; those of C and N amounts (g kg^?1 soil) became accurate for the fraction <20 μm but not for the coarser fractions, probably due to heterogeneous SOM repartition. However, most SOM being <20 μm in general, NIRS could be considered promising for determining SOM size distribution.     

Comparison of yield, composition, and antioxidant activity of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) extracts obtained using various techniques

Turmeric extracts were obtained from two lots of raw material (M and S) using various techniques: hydrodistillation, low pressure solvent extraction, Soxhlet, and supercritical extraction using carbon dioxide and cosolvents. The solvents and cosolvents tested were ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, and their mixture in equal proportions. The composition of the extracts was determined by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and UV. The largest yield (27%, weight) was obtained in the Soxhlet extraction (turmeric (S), ethanol = 1:100); the lowest yield was detected in the hydrodistillation process (2.1%). For the supercritical extraction, the best cosolvent was a mixture of ethanol and isopropyl alcohol. Sixty percent of the light fraction of the extracts consisted of ar-turmerone, (Z)-gamma-atlantone, and (E)-gamma-atlantone, except for the Soxhlet extracts (1:100, ethanol), for which only ar-turmeronol and (Z)-alpha-atlantone were detected. The maximum amount of curcuminoids (8.43%) was obtained using Soxhlet extraction (ethanol/isopropyl alcohol). The Soxhlet and low pressure extract exhibited the strongest antioxidant activities.     

Antioxidant protection of resveratrol and catechin in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Moderate consumption of red wine reduces the risk of heart disease and extends lifespan, but the relative contribution of wine polyphenols to these effects is unclear. In this work, the capacity of resveratrol and catechin to protect the eukaryotic microorganism Saccharomyces cerevisiae against oxidative stress caused by different agents, hydrogen peroxide, carbon tetrachloride, and cadmium, was evaluated. Under all stress conditions, both polyphenols increased tolerance, although their protection was more evident under peroxide exposure. By using mutant strains deficient in specific antioxidant defense systems (superoxide dismutases, catalase, or glutathione), it was observed that increased H2O2 tolerance produced by both polyphenols was associated with catalase, as well as the rise in survival rates caused by resveratrol under CCl4. The acquisition of tolerance was correlated with a reduction in lipid peroxidation, indicating that the antioxidant property of resveratrol and catechin involves protection against membrane oxidation.     

Effect of rapamycin treatment during post‐activation and/or in vitro culture on embryonic development after parthenogenesis and in vitro fertilization in pigs

This study investigated the effects of early induction of autophagy on embryonic development in pigs. For this, oocytes or embryos were treated with an autophagy inducer, rapamycin (RP), during post‐activation (Pa), in vitro fertilization (IVF) and/or in vitro culture (IVC). When parthenogenesis (PA) embryos were untreated (control) or treated with various concentrations of RP for 4 hr during Pa, 100 nm RP showed a higher blastocyst formation (48.8 ± 2.7%) than the control (34.6 ± 3.0%). When PA embryos were treated during the first 24 hr of IVC, blastocyst formation was increased (p < .05) by 1 and 10 nm RP (61.9 ± 3.0 and 59.6 ± 3.0%, respectively) compared to the control (43.2 ± 1.8%) and 100 nm RP (47.8 ± 3.2%), with a higher embryo cleavage in response to 10 nm RP (87.3 ± 2.4%) than the control (74.1 ± 3.2%). RP treatment during IVC and Pa + IVC showed increased blastocyst formation (44.7 ± 2.5 and 44.1 ± 2.0%, respectively) compared to the control (33.2 ± 2.0%). In addition, RP treatment during Pa and/or IVC increased glutathione content and inversely reduced reactive oxygen species. In IVF, RP treatment for 6 hr during IVF significantly increased embryonic development (34.0 ± 2.6%) compared to the control (24.8 ± 1.6%), but treatment during IVC for 24 hr with RP did not (23.0 ± 3.8%). Autophagy was significantly increased in PA oocytes by the RP treatment during Pa but not altered by the treatment during the first 24 hr of IVC. Overall, RP treatment positively regulated the pre‐implantation development of pig embryos, probably by regulating cellular redox state and stimulating autophagy.     

Reference ranges of hematology and lymphocyte subsets in healthy Korean native cattle (Hanwoo) and Holstein dairy cattle

There are no accurate reference ranges for hematology parameters and lymphocyte subsets in Korean native beef cattle (Hanwoo). This study was performed to establish reliable reference ranges of hematology and lymphocyte subsets using a large number of Hanwoo cattle (n = 350) and to compare differences between Hanwoo and Holstein dairy cattle (n = 334). Additionally, age‐related changes in lymphocyte subsets were studied. Bovine leukocyte subpopulation analysis was performed using mono or dual color flow cytometry. The leukocyte subpopulations investigated in healthy cattle included: CD2⁺ cells, sIgM⁺ cells, MHC class II⁺ cells, CD3⁺CD4⁺ cells, CD3⁺CD8⁺ cells, and WC1⁺ cells. Although Hanwoo and Holstein cattle are the same species, results showed several differences in hematology and lymphocyte subsets between Hanwoo and Holstein cattle. This study is the first report to establish reference ranges of hematology and lymphocyte subsets in adult Hanwoo cattle.