A Pilot Study to Compare Oxidative Status between Organically and Conventionally Managed Dairy Cattle During the Transition Period

The aim of this study was to assess the redox balance of organically managed dairy cattle (OMC; n = 40) during the transition period and to compare this with conventionally managed cattle (CMC; n = 22). Serum samples of dairy cows from two organic and one conventional farm were taken. Markers of oxidants production [reactive oxygen species] and total serum antioxidant capacity were measured in four different production stages: (i) far‐off dry (2 to 1 months before calving; 44 samples in CMC and 48 in OMC); (ii) close‐up dry (1 month until 3 days before calving; 44 CMC; 54 OMC); (iii) fresh (3 days to +1 month after calving; 44 CMC; 49 OMC); and (iv) peak of lactation (+1 to +3 months; 71 CMC; 78 OMC). Values were compared between production stages and against a metabolic baseline status (4th–5th month of pregnancy; 40 CMC; 30 OMC). Our results indicated that throughout the periparturient period, OMC had lower concentrations of reactive oxygen species, but also a lower antioxidant capacity than CMC. Indeed, when the two components of the redox balance were assessed together through the Oxidative Stress index, the values of this parameter were higher for OMC than for CMC, thereby implying a higher risk of oxidative stress. Therefore, further larger studies are needed to confirm the current observations, as organically reared animals might be exposed to a lack of antioxidants supply.     

Potential of Triticale as a Substitute for Wheat in Flour Tortilla Production

The potential of triticale as a partial or total substitute for wheat in flour tortilla production was evaluated. Different mixtures of triticale and wheat flours were tested in a typical hot‐press formulation. Both grains yielded similar amounts of flour. Wheat flour contained 1.5% more crude protein, 1.6× more gluten, and produced stronger dough than triticale. Triticale flour significantly reduced optimum water absorption and mix time of blends. Flour tortillas with 100% triticale absorbed 8% less water and required 25% of the mix time of the control wheat flour tortilla. The yield of triticale tortillas was lower than the rest of the tortillas due to lower moisture content and water absorption. Triticale dough balls required less proofing and ruptured during hot pressing, thus producing defective tortillas. The 50:50 flour mixture produced doughs with acceptable rheological properties and good quality tortillas. Addition of 1% vital gluten to the 75:25 triticale‐wheat flour mix or 2% to the 100% triticale flour significantly increased water absorption and mix time and improved dough properties and tortilla yields. Textural studies indicated that increasing levels of triticale flour reduced the force required to rupture tortillas. For all tortilla systems, rupture force gradually increased, and extensibility decreased during seven days of storage at room temperature; the highest rate of change occurred during the first day. Sensory evaluation tests indicated that triticale could substitute for 50% of wheat flour without affecting texture, color, flavor, and overall acceptability of tortillas. For production of 100% triticale flour tortillas, at least 2% vital gluten had to be added to the formulation.     

Defence responses in flag leaves and spikes of common wheat Triticum aestivum cultivars with contrasting levels of basal resistance to blast caused by Pyricularia oryzae

Wheat blast, caused by Pyricularia oryzae, can cause large yield losses in crops. This study aimed to investigate defence responses in flag leaves and spikes of wheat cultivars BR-18 (moderately resistant) and BRS-Guamirim (susceptible), which differ in their levels of basal resistance. In contrast to cultivar BRS-Guamirim, infected plants of cultivar BR-18 showed more pronounced increases in activities of β-1,3-glucanase and chitinase as well as higher concentrations of lignin-thioglycolic acid derivatives in the flag leaves and total soluble phenolics in the spikes. Polyphenoloxidase activity increased in both flag leaves and spikes in response to fungal infection, regardless of cultivar. Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity increased in infected flag leaves of both cultivars, especially in BR-18. PAL activity was lower in spikes of infected compared to noninfected plants of both cultivars, although to a lesser extent in BR-18. Compared to BRS-Guamirim, the antioxidative system in both flag leaves and spikes of BR-18 was more efficient in removing reactive oxygen species, reducing cellular damage caused by fungal infection. The lower catalase and peroxidase activities, associated with high superoxide dismutase activity, in flag leaves and spikes of infected BR-18 culminated in a high hydrogen peroxide concentration. The increase in ascorbate peroxidase activity was higher in both flag leaves and spikes of infected plants of BR-18 than in infected BRS-Guamirim. It was concluded that wheat resistance to blast depended on the basal level of resistance of the cultivar, which was mainly associated with the activities of defence enzymes and a more effective antioxidative system.     

Ex-situ conservation of maize germplasm from different latitudes

Germplasm collections often include open-pollinated varieties from diverse latitudes and climatic areas that cannot be correctly conserved in a single environment. The objective of this research was to investigate if open-pollinated maize varieties from diverse latitudinal and climatic conditions could be conserved in a single location. Twelve varieties from the humid Spain, the dry Spain, and the Canary Island were multiplied in three locations from the humid Spain, one from the dry Spain, and one from the Canary Islands. Hand pollinations were made in 100-plant plots following a randomized complete block design with two replications in five locations during two years. Differences between origins and between varieties were significant for most traits, including those related to growth cycle (male and female flowering and grain moisture). The varieties from each latitudinal and climatic origin did not behave as a consistent germplasm block; contrarily, the location × variety interaction was significant for most traits. The varieties from the humid Spain maintained their ranks of growth cycle across locations and differences between varieties were more important in the dry Spain. The growth cycle of the Canarian varieties was completely different in the dry Spain. We can maintain the varieties from any Spanish environment and latitude at any location, but most varieties could be modified by natural selection for adaptation.     

Bioprospecting Marine Plankton

The ocean dominates the surface of our planet and plays a major role in regulating the biosphere. For example, the microscopic photosynthetic organisms living within provide 50% of the oxygen we breathe, and much of our food and mineral resources are extracted from the ocean. In a time of ecological crisis and major changes in our society, it is essential to turn our attention towards the sea to find additional solutions for a sustainable future. Remarkably, while we are overexploiting many marine resources, particularly the fisheries, the planktonic compartment composed of zooplankton, phytoplankton, bacteria and viruses, represents 95% of marine biomass and yet the extent of its diversity remains largely unknown and underexploited. Consequently, the potential of plankton as a bioresource for humanity is largely untapped. Due to their diverse evolutionary backgrounds, planktonic organisms offer immense opportunities: new resources for medicine, cosmetics and food, renewable energy, and long-term solutions to mitigate climate change. Research programs aiming to exploit culture collections of marine micro-organisms as well as to prospect the huge resources of marine planktonic biodiversity in the oceans are now underway, and several bioactive extracts and purified compounds have already been identified. This review will survey and assess the current state-of-the-art and will propose methodologies to better exploit the potential of marine plankton for drug discovery and for dermocosmetics.     

Clearance of para-aminohippuric acid in wethers consuming locoweed

AIM: To validate the use of para-aminohippuric acid (PAH) as a marker for measuring blood flow in wethers consuming a mixed diet of locoweed and blue grama hay.

METHODS: Fourteen sheep, stratified by bodyweight (BW), were assigned to one of three treatments: 0.8 mg swainsonine (SW)/kg BW (HI), 0.2 mg SW/kg BW (LO), and no SW (Control). Sheep were fed various ratios of locoweed and blue grama hay to deliver SW treatments, for 28 days prior to infusion of PAH. Concentrations of SW and activities of alkaline phosphatase (Alk-P) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in serum were measured to confirm exposure to SW and subclinical intoxication. A single 20-ml injection of 5% PAH was delivered into the jugular vein after subclinical intoxication had been achieved. Blood samples were collected and serum analysed for PAH immediately prior to injection, then every 5 min from 5–30 min, and every 10 min from 30–60 min, following injection of PAH.

RESULTS: Effective delivery of SW was evident from the greater concentrations of SW measured in the serum of HI compared with LO animals (p<0.05). No significant differences were detected in the rate of elimination (range 0.097–0.108 L/min), elimination half-life (range 6.62–7.24 min), apparent volume of distribution for the central compartment (range 7.14–9.72 L), and clearance (range 0.73–0.92 L/min) of PAH, between treatments.

CONCLUSIONS: Subclinical intoxication with SW did not affect the pharmacokinetics of PAH. Thus, use of downstream dilution of PAH is a valid method to determine the rate of blood flow in nutrient flux experiments that involve consumption of locoweed.     

Improving soil property maps for precision agriculture in the presence of outliers using covariates

Precision Agriculture - This study aimed to evaluate the use of multiple covariates in robust geostatistical modeling of soil chemical properties characterized by the presence of outliers....     

Cytokinin-dependent improvement in transgenic P(SARK)::IPT tobacco under nitrogen deficiency

Wild-type (WT) and transgenic tobacco plants overexpressing isopentenyltransferase (IPT), a gene coding the rate-limiting step in cytokinin (CKs) synthesis, were grown under limited nitrogen (N) conditions to evaluate the role of CKs in NUE (N-use efficiency) and in different parameters that determine the quality of tobacco leaves. The results indicate that WT tobacco plants submitted to N deficiency show a decline in the leaf/root ratio, associated with a decrease in the NUE and in tobacco-leaf quality, defined by an increase in the quantity of nicotine. On the contrary, the transgenic plants submitted to N deficiency maintained the leaf/root ratio, presenting a higher NUE and greater quality of tobacco leaves than the WT plants, as the latter showed reduced nicotine and an increase in reducing sugars under severe N-deficiency conditions. Therefore, the overexpression of CKs under N deficiency could be a useful tool to improve tobacco cultivation, given that it could reduce N-fertilizer application and thereby provide economic savings and environmental benefits, maintaining yield and improving tobacco leaf quality.     

Improvement of 2D‐PAGE Resolution of Human,Porcine and Equine Follicular Fluid by Means of Hexapeptide Ligand Library

The major challenge of follicular fluid proteomic analysis is the presence of high‐abundance proteins that originate from plasma. These proteins can prevent the detection of lower abundant ones, produced locally by follicle cells and that may have important roles in follicular activity. In this study, the novel technology called hexapeptide ligand library was evaluated to enrich the low‐abundance proteins in follicular fluid of human (HFF), porcine (PFF) and equine (EFF) prior 2D‐PAGE. Our results showed that the new strategy enabled detection of many new protein spots, increased resolution and highly improved the intensity of low‐abundance proteins by 2D‐PAGE.     

Subunit influenza vaccine candidate based on CD154 fused to HAH5 increases the antibody titers and cellular immune response in chickens

World Health Organization has a great concern about the spreading of avian influenza virus H5N1. To counteract its massive spread, poultry vaccination is highly recommended together with biosecurity measures. In our study, a recombinant vaccine candidate based on the fusion of extracellular segments of hemagglutinin (HA) H5 of avian influenza virus and chicken CD154 (HACD) is tested with the aim of enhancing humoral and cellular immune responses in chickens. Protein expression was carried out by transducing several mammalian cell lines with recombinant adenoviral vectors. HACD purification was assessed by three distinct purification protocols: immunoaffinity chromatography by elution at acidic pH or with a chaotropic agent and size exclusion chromatography. Humoral and cellular immune responses were measured using the hemagglutination inhibition assay and the semiquantitative real time PCR, respectively. The results showed that humoral response against HACD was significantly higher than the obtained with HA alone after booster (P<0.01, P<0.05). From HACD molecules purified by distinct protocols, only the obtained by size exclusion chromatography generated hemagglutinationin-inhibition activity. IFN-γ levels indicated that cellular immune response was significantly higher with HACD, in its pure or impure form, compared to its counterpart HA (P<0.01). These data demonstrate that HACD is able to significantly enhance humoral and cellular immune responses against HA antigen, which make this fusion protein a promising subunit vaccine candidate against H5N1 virus outbreaks.