Evaluation of some quality characteristics in cassava storage roots

The susceptibility to physiological deterioration and the hardness (penetration) of fresh peeled cassava roots as well as the cooking time, taste and texture of cooked roots of four (one local and three promising) cultivars at four plant ages (6, 8, 10 and 12 months) were evaluated. Variety or cultivar, plant age and their interactions significantly affected all these parameters. Roots produced by the local cultivar (M Col 113) had lower DM contents and susceptibility to physiological deterioration, a longer cooking time and higher penetration measurements than the promising cultivars. Physiological deterioration and penetration values tended to decrease, whereas cooking time increased as the plants became older. The variation in correlation coefficients between quality and chemical parameters among the different cultivars was substantial, with no correlation being significant in all four cultivars. The experimental results demonstrate the great variability among cassava cultivars in the root quality factors.     

EFFECT OF SEVOFLURANE ANESTHESIA AND BLOOD DONATION ON THE SONOGRAPHIC APPEARANCE OF THE SPLEEN IN 60 HEALTHY CATS

The aims of this prospective study were to describe the normal sonographic size and appearance of the feline spleen, and to test effects of sevoflurane anesthesia and blood collection on sonographic characteristics. Sonographic evaluations were performed in 60 healthy blood donor cats prior to anesthesia and blood collection (baseline), after anesthesia induction, after completion of blood collection while under anesthesia, and 7–10 days after blood collection. Transverse sonographic images of the splenic mid‐body were made. Splenic height, width, cross‐sectional area, echogenicity relative to the left renal cortex, and echotexture were recorded. Height, width, and cross‐sectional area were compared across time periods using linear‐mixed effects models. Holm's method was applied to adjust for multiplicity and control the overall Type 1 error rate at α = 0.05. Normal transverse sonographic splenic measurements (mean ± standard deviation) at baseline were: height 8.2 ± 1.4 mm; width 26.7 ± 4.4 mm; and CSA 1.6 ± 0.5 cm². While there were statistically significant differences in splenic height, width, and cross‐sectional area after sevoflurane anesthesia and/or blood collection, differences were of low magnitude. The spleen was diffusely homogenous and subjectively isoechoic or mildly hyperechoic relative to the left renal cortex. In 77% of castrated male cats, the spleen was isoechoic to the left renal cortex. We conclude that sevoflurane anesthesia and blood donation do not subjectively alter splenic dimensions, echogenicity and echotexture in normal cats.     

Estimated and measured DNA, plant-chromosphere and erythemal-weighted irradiances at Barrow and South Pole (1979–2000)

In the last two decades as a consequence of ozone depletion there has been an increasing interest in the study of biological effects of ultraviolet radiation (UV). Spectral instruments, which provide detailed information on UV environmental conditions, have been in use systematically only for little more than a decade. These time series are still relatively short and information on spectral historical irradiance levels is not available. Many efforts have been carried out in inferring this information from other available data sets. One of them has been the use of statistical models. Spectral irradiances are available at South Pole (90°00′S 0) and Barrow (71°18′N, 156°47′W) from the NSF UV Radiation Monitoring Program since 1991. In the present paper, daily-integrated biologically weighted irradiances for these sites are inferred back to 1979 using a multi-regressive model, obtaining time series that extend near the beginning of the Antarctic ozone depletion. These datasets are unique since the daily-integrated irradiances were calculated from irradiance measured hourly at the earth’s surface. The biologically weighted irradiances are estimated from irradiance measured with broadband instruments, ozone, and solar zenith angles. From daily-integrated irradiance, monthly means were also calculated. The RMS errors between the estimated and measured daily-integrated irradiances range from 4.69 to 7.49% at South Pole and from 9.57 to 15.20% at Barrow, while the monthly mean errors vary from 2.07 to 3% and 2.95 to 3.91%, respectively. Completing the databases with spectral measurements, the resulting time series extend from 1979 to 2000. Analyzing monthly values an increase relative to 1979–1981 during all years is observed at South Pole. Largest increases are observed for DNA and plant-chromosphere weighted irradiances during October. Although at a lower rate, an increase is also observed at Barrow during the spring. Maximum monthly increase at South Pole during October is near 1200% relative to 1979–1981, while the increase at Barrow is near one tenth of that percentage. Daily-integrated irradiance shows that a slight increase was present during the spring at South Pole for the period 1979–1981 reflecting the beginning of the ozone depletion. Historical maximums of daily-integrated DNA weighted irradiance at South Pole (90°00′S, 0°00′) are about as large as summer maximums at San Diego (32°45′N, 117°11′W).     

Bioactive metabolites from the fungus Nectria galligena, the main apple canker agent in Chile

The phytopathogenic fungus Nectria galligena Bres. is the most common canker disease agent of hardwood trees. The terpenoids colletochlorin B, colletorin B, ilicicolin C, E, and F, as well as the phytotoxin alpha,beta-dehydrocurvularin have been isolated from liquid cultures of N. galligena obtained from the xylem of infected apple trees in central Chile. Ilicicolin C and F and alpha,beta-dehydrocurvularin were active against Pseudomonas syringae with IC50 values of 28.5, 28.5, and 14.2 microg/mL, respectively, in the same range as streptomycin and penicillin G (11 and 15 microg/mL, respectively). All of the compounds showed moderate inhibitory activity toward the enzymes acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and beta-glucuronidase. The most active enzyme inhibitors were colletochlorin B and ilicicolin C and E, with IC50 values of 30-36 microg/mL in the AChE assay and 32-43 microg/mL in the beta-glucuronidase test. All of the chlorinated compounds showed some toxicity toward human lung fibroblasts, with IC50 values in the range of 64-120 microg/mL. alpha,beta-Dehydrocurvularin proved to be the most toxic compound, showing IC50 values less than 12 microg/mL. The effect of the isolated compounds on seed germination and radicle and epicotyl growth was assessed in lettuce and millet seeds. At 100 and 200 microg/disk, alpha,beta-dehydrocurvularin significantly reduced radicle length and epicotyl growth in Lactuca sativa. This is the first report on the occurrence of colletochlorin B, colletorin B, ilicicolin C, E, and F, as well as alpha,beta-dehydrocurvularin associated to N. galligena.     

Phenolic Constituents of the Chilean Herbal Tea Fabiana imbricata R. et P.

??Pichi?? or ??pichi romero?? (Fabiana imbricata R. et. P., Solanaceae) is a Chilean plant used as a tea in the Andean regions of Chile and Argentina. A very simple and direct method was developed for the qualitative analysis of polyphenols in the tea by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with diode array detection and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. The phenolic constituents identified in the teas were chlorogenic acid (3-O-caffeoylquinic acid), p-hydroxyacetophenone, scopoletin and quercetin derivatives. The glycosides were mainly glucosides from p-hydroxyacetophenone and scopoletin while di- and tri-glycosides from quercetin were the main flavonoids. The content of the main phenolic compounds in the teas (g/100?g lyophilized infusion) was 0.8?C1.9?% for scopoletin, 0.4?C6.2?% for p-hydroxyacetophenone and 2.1?C4.3?% for rutin, respectively. The health-promoting properties reported for this herbal tea can be associated with the presence of several phenolics with known antioxidant, diuretic and antiinflammatory activity.     

Blood gas analysis and cooximetry in retired racing Greyhounds

Objective – The purposes of this study were to evaluate the oxygen affinity of hemoglobin (Hb) in healthy retired racing Greyhounds via cooximetry, and to establish reference intervals for blood gases and cooximetry in this breed. Design – Prospective clinical study. Setting – University Teaching Hospital. Animals – Fifty‐seven Greyhounds and 30 non‐Greyhound dogs. Interventions – Venous blood samples were collected from the jugular vein and placed into heparinized tubes. The samples were analyzed within 30 minutes of collection using a blood gas analyzer equipped with a cooximeter. Measurements and Main Results – Greyhounds had significantly higher pH, PO₂, oxygen saturation, oxyhemoglobin, total Hb, oxygen content, and oxygen capacity and significantly lower deoxyhemoglobin and P₅₀ when compared with non‐Greyhound dogs. Conclusion – These findings support the fact that this breed is able to carry a higher concentration of total oxygen in the blood. As reported previously, this breed also has lower P₅₀ and, therefore, high oxygen affinity. In light of recent findings suggesting that in certain tissues a high affinity for oxygen is beneficial, this adaptation may be of benefit during strenuous exercise.     

FTIR approaches for diuron determination in commercial pesticide formulations

Two strategies have been developed for Diuron determination by FTIR spectrometry, an off-line extraction and stopped-flow determination and a fully mechanized procedure, based on the on-line extraction of Diuron and FIA-FTIR measurement of the extracts. The aforementioned procedures have been compared with a reference chromatographic method. The off-line FTIR spectra were obtained at a nominal resolution of 4 cm(-1) from 4000 to 900 cm(-1) by accumulating 25 scans. Diuron was determined using peak height measurements at 1582 cm(-1) corrected using a baseline defined between 1562 and 1614 cm(-1). The waste generation of the off-line procedure was 3.4 mL chloroform for each sample, and the method provided a LOD of 40 microg g(-1), corresponding to 0.8% (w/w) Diuron in the original sample. The fully mechanized FIA method provided a LOD of 35 microg g(-1), which corresponds to 0.7% (w/w) in the solid sample and a maximum sampling frequency of the whole procedure of 30 h(-1), with a waste generation of 9.3 mL per sample, taking into account the volume of CHCl(3) required for sample dissolution and that need as a carrier. All those methods consume less organic solvent than a HPLC method, which involves the use of 39 mL of acetonitrile per sample and a sampling frequency of 12 h(-1).     

Free radical scavengers and antioxidants from Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf.)

Methanol, MeOH/water extracts, infusion, and decoction of Cymbopogon citratus were assessed for free radical scavenging effects measured by the bleaching of the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical, scavenging of the superoxide anion, and inhibition of the enzyme xanthine oxidase (XO) and lipid peroxidation in human erythrocytes. The extracts presented effect in the DPPH and superoxide anion assay, with values ranging between 40 and 68% and 15-32% at 33 and 50 microg/mL, respectively, inhibited lipid peroxidation in erythrocytes by 19-71% at 500 microg/mL and were inactive toward the XO at 50 microg/mL. Isoorientin, isoscoparin, swertiajaponin, isoorientin 2' '-O-rhamnoside, orientin, chlorogenic acid, and caffeic acid were isolated and identified by spectroscopic methods. Isoorientin and orientin presented similar activities toward the DPPH (IC(50): 9-10 microM) and inhibited lipid peroxidation by 70% at 100 microg/mL. Caffeic and chlorogenic acid were active superoxide anion scavengers with IC(50) values of 68.8 and 54.2 microM, respectively, and a strong effect toward DPPH. Caffeic acid inhibited lipid peroxidation by 85% at 100 microg/mL.     

Physical properties of thinning wood in maritime pine (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus pinaster</Emphasis> Ait.): case study

Forty young trees from a stand of maritime pine in the southern mountains of Galicia, Spain (42°21′N: 8°01′W) were felled to obtain the material required for studying density and shrinkage in clear and small wood specimens. The wood ranged from light to moderately heavy, and the dimensions remained reasonably stable with varying moisture content. The results were consistent with those obtained in previous studies of adult trees, except for axial shrinkage, which was very high and variable in this study. The between-tree variation in wood properties was high considering that the sampled trees came from the same stand. However, the relationships between density and height in the stem were similar in all trees. A general model for the prediction of volumetric shrinkage was developed, with oven-dry density and ring width as predictor variables. The model is feasible for estimation of wood quality in living trees. It is applicable to tree selection for thinning and for genetic improvement of stock.