In vitro determination of the indigestible fraction in foods: an alternative to dietary fiber analysis

Dietary fiber (DF) intakes in Western countries only accounts for about one-third of the substrates required for colonic bacterial cell turnover. There is a general trend among nutritionists to extend the DF concept to include all food constituents reaching the colon. In this line, a method to quantify the major nondigestible components in plant foods, namely, the indigestible fraction (IF), is presented. Analytical conditions for IF determination are close to physiological. Samples, analyzed as eaten, were successively incubated with pepsin and alpha-amylase; after centrifugation and dialysis, insoluble and soluble IFs were obtained. IF values include DF, resistant starch, resistant protein, and other associated compounds. IF contents determined in common foods (cereals, legumes, vegetables, and fruits) were higher than DF contents. Calculated IF intakes were close to the estimated amount of substrates reaching the colon. IF data could be more useful than DF data from a nutritional point of view; therefore, IF is proposed as an alternative to DF for food labeling and food composition tables.     

Empirical predictions of plant material C and N mineralization patterns from near infrared spectroscopy, stepwise chemical digestion and C/N ratios

Prediction of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) mineralization patterns of plant litter is desirable for both agronomic and environmental reasons. Near infrared reflectance (NIR) spectroscopy has recently been introduced in decomposition studies to characterize biochemical composition. The purpose of the current study was to use empirical techniques to predict C and N mineralization patterns of a wide range of plant materials incubated under controlled temperature and moisture conditions. We hypothesized that the richness of information in the NIR spectra would considerably improve predictions compared to traditional stepwise chemical digestion (SCD) or C/N ratios. Initially, we fitted a number of empirical functions to the observed C and N mineralization patterns. The best functions fitted with R²=0.990 and 0.949 to C and N, respectively. The fractions of C and N mineralized at different points in time were then either predicted directly with regression functions or indirectly by prediction of the parameters of the empirical functions fitted to incubation data. In both cases, partial least squares (PLS) regressions were used and predictions were validated by cross-validations. We found that the NIR spectra (best R²=0.925) were able to predict C mineralization patterns marginally better than the SCD fractions (best R²=0.911), but considerably better than the C/N ratios (best R²=0.851). In contrast, N mineralization was better predicted by SCD fractions (best R²=0.533) than the C/N ratio (best R²=0.497), which was better than NIR predictions (best R²=0.446). Although the predictions with the NIR spectra were only slightly better for C and worse for N mineralization compared to SCD fractions, NIR spectroscopy still holds advantages, as it is a much less laborious and cheaper analytical method. Furthermore, exploration of the applications of NIR spectroscopy in decomposition studies has only just begun, and offers new ways to gain insights into the decomposition process.     

Precipitation chemistry and atmospheric processes in the forested part of Croatia

The influence of mesoscale weather patterns on the chemical composition of daily precipitation samples is analysed. The data of pH, sulphur from sulphates and total nitrogen are analysed for two rural sites: Plitvice station in forested part of Central Croatia (1981 to 1990) and Puntijarka suburban station on the mountain near Zagreb, the capital of Croatia (1982–1991). The two prevailing weather types in precipitation days are selected and the comparison of chemical composition of precipitation is made for each of them. The frequency distributions of pH, sulphur and nitrogen show that concentration of major ions in precipitation apparently depends on the regional scale weather type. It is shown that the seasonal variation of deposition is related to the seasonal variation in precipitation amount. In both weather types Plitvice receives more pollution than Puntijarka that is closer to urban and industrial pollution sources. Both locations are under the prevailing influence of regional pollution sources.     

利用SSH技术鉴定香蕉体细胞胚发生相关基因

本研究以野生蕉胚性悬浮系为材料,将胚性细胞增殖培养基上的香焦胚性悬浮系作为对照,体胚诱导培养基上的培养材料为处理,利用抑制性消减杂交(suppression subtractive hybridization,SSH)技术,构建野生蕉胚性悬浮系激素诱导的胚胎发育差异表达cDNA文库,随机挑选阳性克隆并进行生物信息学分析...     

柑橘属2n花粉自然发生与沙田柚2n花粉诱导研究

果树2n配子育种较其他植物起步晚,尤其是利用2n花粉进行育种的研究在柑橘上还无先例。试验中初步观察了柑橘属部分品种的2n花粉自然发生情况,证实了柑橘属内未减数花粉的存在。同时通过秋水仙碱不同浓度与作用时间处理促进了柑橘2n花粉的发生,将长寿沙田柚2n花粉发生比例由当年的自然发生率0.87%提高到9.76%。初步观察了2n花粉离体萌发状况,其萌发率与花粉管伸长速度较为正常,但萌发启动比单倍性花粉慢。     

湖南省茶叶产品出口创汇关联分析

本运用灰色关联分析方法，对在“七·五”期间湖南省出口茶的各项投资与各产品创汇之间的相互关系作了定量地分析，得出了计算结果，同时对结果作了定性分析，探讨了各项投资的现状和调整方向。     

家蚕春用品种华欣×东旺的选育研究初报

华欣×东旺是从国外引进的杂交组合中,经过５年饲养筛选出的家蚕春用新组合。该组合下蚁收茧量２１．５６ｋｇ,茧层率２５．７％,四龄起蚕健蛹率９７．６３％,解舒优且稳定,四年平均为８１．８３％,最高达９３．０３％,解舒长１０１２．７５米,出丝率２１．６１％。经多年试验室鉴定及生产实践表明,该组合具有蚕体发育齐、易处理、好饲养、产量高、茧质优异的特点。     

Ecology and distribution of Armillaria species in Norway

The occurence of Armillaria species was assessed in Norway, enabling the northern‐most distribution of this genus to be determined in Europe. Four Armillaria species were found in Norway. Armillaria borealis was the most common species occurring on woody vegetation to the permafrost zone (ca. 69°N). Armillaria cepistipes was present in southern and central Norway, but was not found further than 66°N. Armillaria solidipes and Armillaria gallica were rare, found at only one locality each; 59°40′ and 59°32′, respectively. Armillaria species were found on 14 hosts, but there was no significant difference between occurrence of A. borealis and A. cepistipes on declining and dead trees. Phylogenetic analyses separated each species into separate clades. All isolates of A. borealis, except one, and most isolates of A. solidipes were in separate clades. However, a subclade within the A. borealis clade was formed of two A. ostoyae and one A. borealis isolates. Two small A. cepistipes genets were found in a declining oak stand.     

Congenital diaphragmatic eventration in two closely related British Shorthair cats

Two closely related British Shorthair cats, which died after surgery performed in the dorsal position, were presented for dissection. In both, a thin, flaccid, enlarged transparent tendinous diaphragmatic portion protruded cranially into the thoracic cavity, forming a cupola in which left, right medial and quadrate hepatic lobes were encased in both cats and the stomach in one cat. Microscopically, no muscle fibres were observed in the membrane, but numerous hepatocytes and bile ducts were incorporated in its central part. The anomaly was diagnosed as a congenital diaphragmatic eventration.     

Distribution of Potato virus Y in potato plant organs, tissues, and cells

The distribution of Potato virus Y (PVY) in the systemically infected potato (Solanum tuberosum) plants of the highly susceptible cultivar Igor was investigated. Virus presence and accumulation was analyzed in different plant organs and tissues using real-time polymerase chain reaction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) negative staining methods. To get a complete insight into the location of viral RNA within the tissue, in situ hybridization was developed and optimized for the detection of PVY RNA at the cellular level. PVY was shown to accumulate in all studied leaf and stem tissues, in shoot tips, roots, and tubers; however, the level of virus accumulation was specific for each organ or tissue. The highest amounts of viral RNA and viral particles were found in symptomatic leaves and stem. By observing cell ultrastructure with TEM, viral cytoplasmic inclusion bodies were localized in close vicinity to the epidermis and in trichomes. Our results show that viral RNA, viral particles, and cytoplasmic inclusion bodies colocalize within the same type of cells or in close vicinity.