Plant and spider communities benefit differently from the presence of planted hedgerows in highway verges

Road verges should play a crucial role as a refuge for native flora and fauna in human dominated landscapes. However, the influence of construction choices, such as plantation of woody species, on the biodiversity supported by roadsides has received little attention, although the presence of hedgerows in roadsides is likely to enhance their role as a refuge, notably for woodland species. Using standardised methods, we assessed the impact of planted hedgerows on two taxonomic groups (plants and spiders) inhabiting highway verges within an intensive agricultural landscape. We examined community richness, taxonomic and functional composition in sites with and without planted hedgerows. At the site level, the response of plant and spider communities to the presence of planted hedgerows differed markedly: hedgerows were associated with significantly higher plant richness (higher α-diversity), but similar spider richness. Plant communities in sites without hedgerows appeared as a subset of communities in sites with hedgerows, whereas spider communities in non-planted sites were complementary to that of planted sites (increased β-diversity). The presence of planted hedgerows was also associated with increased taxonomic and functional trait diversity at the landscape level (γ-diversity), through an increased β-diversity in both plants and spiders. Our results thus suggest that a mosaic of planted hedgerows and grassland habitats is crucial for the maintenance of biodiversity at a landscape scale. By providing information for road practitioners and policy makers regarding their potential impact on biodiversity, these results have important direct implications for the management of road networks.     

Quality of Spaghetti Made from Full and Partial Waxy Durum Wheat

The waxy character is achieved in durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum) when the granule‐bound starch synthase activity is eliminated. The result is a crop that produces kernels with no amylose in the starch. The presence of two Waxy loci in tetraploid wheat permits the production of two partial waxy wheat genotypes. Advanced full and partial waxy durum wheat genotypes were used to study the effect of waxy null alleles on pasta quality. Semolina from full and partial waxy durum wheats was processed into spaghetti with a semicommercial‐scale extruder, and pasta quality was evaluated. Cooked waxy pasta was softer and exhibited more cooking loss than pasta made from traditional durum cultivars. These features were attributed to lower setback of waxy starch as measured with the Rapid Visco Analyser. High cooking loss may be due to the lack of amylose‐protein interaction, preventing the formation of a strong protein network and permitting exudates to escape. Waxy pasta cooked faster but was less resistant to overcooking than normal pasta. Partial waxy pasta properties were similar to results obtained from wild‐type pasta. This indicates that the presence of a single pair of functional waxy genes in durum wheat was sufficient to generate durum grain with normal properties for pasta production. Waxy durum wheat is not suitable for pasta production because of its softening effect. However, this property may offer an advantage in other applications.     

Feed or food responsible for the presence of low-level thiouracil in urine of livestock and humans?

In recent years, questions have been raised on the possible semi-endogenous status of the alleged xenobiotic thyreostatic drug thiouracil; thiouracil has been detected in the urine of various animals (livestock and domesticated) at concentrations between 1 and 10 μg L(-1) and also in human urine. Although several studies suggest Brassicaceae-derived feed as potential origin, no traces of thiouracil have been detected in feed so far. Therefore, the aim of this study was to elucidate the origin of thiouracil in the urine of livestock and humans. To this purpose various Brassicaceae feed and food sources (e.g., rapeseed, rapeseed coarse meal, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli) were investigated for the presence of thiouracil. In addition, the impact of the Brassicaceae-related β-thioglucosidase enzyme was evaluated. This myrosinase enzyme appeared to be crucial, because without its catalyzed hydrolysis no thiouracil could be detected in the various Brassicaceae-derived samples. Therefore, a sample pretreatment with incorporated enzymatic hydrolysis was developed after ensuring the quality performance of the extracted myrosinase mixture with a single-point glucose assay. Upon enzymatic hydrolysis and LC-MS(2) analysis, thiouracil was successfully detected in samples of traditional rapeseed, rapeseed-'00' variety coarse meal (values of erucic acid <2% and glucosinolates <25 μmol g(-1)), and rapeseed cake at 1.5, 1.6, and 0.4 μg kg(-1), respectively. As for the food samples, broccoli and cauliflower displayed thiouracil concentrations of 6.0 and <1.0 μg kg(-1), respectively. To the best of the authors' knowledge this study is the first to report the presence of naturally occurring thiouracil in feed and food samples. Future research should investigate the pathway of thiouracil formation and identify its possible precursors.     

Origin of French virgin olive oil registered designation of origins predicted by chemometric analysis of synchronous excitation-emission fluorescence spectra

The authentication of virgin olive oil samples requires usually the use of sophisticated and very expensive analytical techniques, so there is a need for fast and inexpensive analytical techniques for use in a quality control methodology. Virgin olive oils present an intense fluorescence spectra. Synchronous excitation-emission fluorescence spectroscopy (SEEFS) was assessed for origin determination of virgin olive oil samples from five French registered designation of origins (RDOs) (Nyons, Vallée des Baux, Aix-en-Provence, Haute-Provence, and Nice). The spectra present bands between 600 and 700 nm in emission due to chlorophylls a and b and pheophytins a and b. The bands between 275 and 400 nm in emission were attributed to alpha-, beta-, and gamma-tocopherols and to phenolic compounds, which characterize the virgin olive oils compared to other edible oils. The chemometric treatment (PLS1) of synchronous excitation-emission fluorescence spectra allows one to determine the origin of the oils from five French RDOs (Baux, Aix, Haute-Provence, Nice, and Nyons). Results were quite satisfactory, despite the similarity between two denominations of origin (Baux and Aix) that are composed by some common cultivars (Aglandau and Salonenque). The interpretation of the regression coefficients shows that RDOs are correlated to chlorophylls, pheophytins, tocopherols, and phenols compounds, which are different for each origin. SEEFS is part of a global analytic methodology that associates spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques. This approach can be used for traceability and vindicates the RDOs.     

Composition rather than viscosity modifies the aroma compound retention of flavored stirred yogurt

The influence of thickening agents (modified starch/pectin mixture 0 and 7 g/L) and mechanical treatment (low, medium, and high) on the retention of esters (pentyl acetate and ethyl pentanoate), aldehydes (hexanal and (E)-2-hexenal), and a lactone (gamma-octalactone) in low-fat flavored stirred yogurts were investigated under equilibrium conditions. In the range studied, the thickening agent and mechanical treatment had little influence on aroma compound retention compared to the decreasing effect of increasing dairy protein concentration on aldehyde retention and the "salting out" effect of carbohydrates on esters. Moreover, experiments in dynamic mode (study of the release of hexanal when yogurts were heated) showed, in the conditions studied, that heat and mass transfer coefficients were not influenced by any of the studied factors (thickening agents and mechanical treatment). These results under static and dynamic conditions are not related to the significant decreasing effect of thickening agents on apple sensory scores associated with hexanal, observed in a previous sensory study. Thus, this sensory effect of thickening agents may be due to sensory interactions between perceptions rather than physicochemical interactions.     

Oxidative stability of bovine serum albumin- and sodium caseinate-stabilized emulsions depends on metal availability

Proteins often stabilize food emulsions and are also able to promote or delay lipid oxidation in complex systems. The purpose of this work was to investigate the relationship between metal ion availability and oxidative stability of oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by bovine serum albumin (BSA) or sodium caseinate (NaCas). Emulsions with similar and stable droplet size distributions were prepared with stripped sunflower oil (30 vol %) and protein solutions (20 g L(-)(1); pH = 6.5). In the absence of the water-soluble metal chelator EDTA, oxygen uptake, conjugated dienes, and volatile compounds developed faster in NaCas-stabilized emulsions than in those prepared with BSA. This effect is attributed to the chelating properties of NaCas and to electrostatic interactions that attract some metal ions at the interface where they could initiate lipid oxidation. When EDTA (100 muM) was present, oxidation was delayed to a greater extent in emulsions made with NaCas than in BSA stabilized emulsions. These conditions probably enabled NaCas to exert free-radical-scavenging activity.     

Variable selection in near infrared spectra for the biological characterization of soil and earthworm casts

Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) was used to predict six biological properties of soil and earthworm casts including extracellular soil enzymes, microbial carbon, potential nitrification and denitrification. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) models were developed with a selection of the most important near infrared wavelengths. They reached coefficients of determination ranging from 0.81 to 0.91 and ratios of performance-to-deviation above 2.3. Variable selection with the variable importance in the projection (VIP) method increased dramatically the prediction performance of all models with an important contribution from the 1750–2500 nm region. We discuss whether selected wavelengths can be attributed to macronutrient availability or to microbial biomass. Wavelength selection in NIR spectra is recommended for improving PLSR models in soil research.     

Abnormal Sysmex XT‐2000iV DIFF scattergram in a cat with a prominent mastocytemia

A 2‐year‐old neutered male domestic shorthair cat was presented to the emergency service of the National Veterinary School of Toulouse (France) for acute vomiting and diarrhea with lethargy, inappetence, and adypsia for the past 48 hours. Complete blood counts were performed with the ProCyte DX at the emergency department and with the Sysmex XT‐2000iV at the laboratory 2 weeks later. The scattergrams from the two analyzers revealed similar unusual and abnormal dot plots. The Sysmex XT‐2000iV DIFF scattergram also showed no clear separation between different leukocyte populations. The eosinophil cluster was in an abnormal location compared with that of the “typical” location in a normal cat. A blood smear evaluation revealed the presence of numerous mast cells. Thus, we hypothesized that the Sysmex XT‐2000iV had detected the mast cell population, and this led to errors in the differential counts. To explore this hypothesis, we manually gated on the DIFF scattergram and performed a manual differential on the blood smear. With this new gating strategy, the Sysmex XT‐2000iV and manual differentials were similar. Thus, in the case of systemic mastocytosis, mast cells can be located between the lymphocyte, monocyte, and eosinophil clusters on scattergrams.     

TRANSTHORACIC LUNG ULTRASOUND IN NORMAL DOGS AND DOGS WITH CARDIOGENIC PULMONARY EDEMA: A PILOT STUDY

Pulmonary edema is the most common complication of left‐sided heart failure in dogs and early detection is important for effective clinical management. In people, pulmonary edema is commonly diagnosed based on transthoracic ultrasonography and detection of B line artifacts (vertical, narrow‐based, well‐defined hyperechoic rays arising from the pleural surface). The purpose of this study was to determine whether B line artifacts could also be useful diagnostic predictors for cardiogenic pulmonary edema in dogs. Thirty‐one normal dogs and nine dogs with cardiogenic pulmonary edema were prospectively recruited. For each dog, presence or absence of cardiogenic pulmonary edema was based on physical examination, heartworm testing, thoracic radiographs, and echocardiography. A single observer performed transthoracic ultrasonography in all dogs and recorded video clips and still images for each of four quadrants in each hemithorax. Distribution, sonographic characteristics, and number of B lines per thoracic quadrant were determined and compared between groups. B lines were detected in 31% of normal dogs (mean 0.9 ± 0.3 SD per dog) and 100% of dogs with cardiogenic pulmonary edema (mean 6.2 ± 3.8 SD per dog). Artifacts were more numerous and widely distributed in dogs with congestive heart failure (P < 0.0001). In severe cases, B lines increased in number and became confluent. The locations of B line artifacts appeared consistent with locations of edema on radiographs. Findings from the current study supported the use of thoracic ultrasonography and detection of B lines as techniques for diagnosing cardiogenic pulmonary edema in dogs.