Postprandial glycemia, insulinemia, and satiety responses in healthy subjects after whole grain rye bread made from different rye varieties. 2

Rye breads made from commercial rye blends lower the postprandial insulin demand and appear to facilitate glucose regulation. However, differences in metabolic responses may occur between rye varieties. In the present work, five rye varieties (Amilo, Evolo, Kaskelott, Picasso. and Vicello) and a commercial blend of rye grown in Sweden were investigated with regard to their postprandial insulin, glucose, and appetite regulation properties in a randomized crossover study in 20 healthy subjects. The rye flours were baked into whole grain breads, and a white wheat bread (WWB) was used as reference (50 g of available starch). Picasso and Vicello rye bread showed lower glycemic indices (GIs) compared with WWB (80 and 79, respectively) (P < .0.05). In addition to the GI, two measures of the glycemic profile (GP and GP(2)) were calculated by dividing the incremental duration of the plasma glucose curve with the incremental glucose peak and squared incremental glucose peak, respectively. Vicello and Picasso ryes were characterized by a higher GP(2) than that of the WWB, suggesting a better regulated course of glycemia. Rye bread made from not only Vicello and Picasso but also Amilo and Kaskelott displayed significantly lower insulin indices (IIs) than WWB (74-82). A high GP and GP(2) and a low GI were related to a lower II and insulin incremental peak. A high content of insoluble fibers and a high GP(2) were related to a higher subjective satiety in the early and late postprandial phase (tAUC 0-60 min and tAUC 120-180 min, respectively). The results suggest that there may be differences in the course of glycemia following different rye varieties, affecting postprandial insulin responses and subjective satiety.     

Effects of soil acidification on foliar leaching and retranslocation of metals in vascular plants

This paper reports on the seasonal patterns in leaf metal concentrations as influenced by artificial acidification and acidification due to acid precipitation at ambient levels in Southern Norway. The effects of change in soil nutrient availability can be concealed for a long time because of ability of plants to retranslocate mobile nutrients including Cu, Mg, K, and Zn. Exceptions are, e.g., Ca and Mn which are relatively immobile in the indigenous plant species studied. It appears from this work that long-term exposure to episodes of artificial rainfall of pH 3.2, or to acid precipitation at ambient pH levels, may alter the seasonal patterns in tissue metal concentrations of vascular plants. An enhanced retention of Mg and Zn in senescent leaves of deciduous species was observed. Foliar leaching of K on exposure to acid deposition may not be adequately compensated by root uptake.     

Egg Quality in Wild and Broodstock Cod Gadus morhua L.

Problems concerning egg viability or egg quality have received increasing attention, in relation to cultivation as well as to the assessment of reproduction of wild fishes. One important aspect of this paper is to discuss the use of cell morphological characteristics as indicators of egg quality in cod. Early cellular malformation rates in egg batches show a positive correlation with their later egg and larval survival, and can be used as a rough prediction of normal development and mortality rates.
The natural mortality rate offish eggs is not well understood, and observed egg viability of captive cod is are discussed in relation to egg viability in the wild. Results from recent work indicated that approximately 10% of naturally spawned cod eggs from both wild fish (planktonic samples) and from a broodstock had abnormal cleavages at the 2–128 cell stage. Eggs with observed early abnormal cell-cleavage showed very poor survival and hatching rates. For broodstock cod, egg viability was highest during the peak of the spawning season.
The North Atlantic cod may provide a good model species for studies of egg viability variations in wild and captive individuals, as its reproductive biology is well studied. It is now documented that the egg production in cod is dependent on fish age, nutritional status, batch number, and stress factors.     

Appetite, gut transit, oxygen uptake and nitrogen excretion in captive Atlantic halibut, Hippoglossus hippoglossus L., and lemon sole, Microstomus kitt (Walbaum)

Atlantic halibut, Hippoglossus hippoglossus L., eat larger satiation meals (mean 11.7% body weight) than lemon sole, Microstomus kitt (Walbaum), (2.6% body weight). Total gut clearance time was about 120 h for halibut and 72 h for lemon sole. There are marked differences in feeding behaviour between the two species; halibut feed in midwater and require several body lengths of approach swimming before taking large items of food, while lemon sole eat only off the bottom. In shared tanks, no aggressive interaction was observed. A duoculture system holding small numbers of lemon sole with the more valuable halibut is recommended as a means of minimizing food waste and tank fouling. Oxygen uptakes of 0.07-0.11 ml O₂ g fish wt⁻¹ h⁻¹ (depending on nutritional state) were recorded for the two species. Ammonia nitrogen outputs were also similar. Starved halibut excreted 2.32 μg N g⁻¹ h⁻¹, fed animals 5.08 μg N g⁻¹ h⁻¹. The corresponding values for lemon sole were 3.26 μg N g⁻¹ h⁻¹ and 6.37 μg N g⁻¹ h⁻¹, respectively.     

Liposome‐encapsulated chemotherapy: Current evidence for its use in companion animals

Cytotoxic drugs encapsulated into liposomes were originally designed to increase the anticancer response, while minimizing off‐target adverse effects. The first liposomal chemotherapeutic drug was approved for use in humans more than 20 years ago, and the first publication regarding its use in a canine cancer patient was published shortly thereafter. Regardless, no general application for liposomal cytotoxic drugs has been established in veterinary oncology till now. Due to the popularity of canines as experimental models for pharmacokinetic analyses and toxicity studies, multiple publications exist describing various liposomal drugs in healthy dogs. Also, some evidence for its use in veterinary cancer patients exists, especially in canine lymphoma, canine splenic hemangiosarcoma and feline soft tissue sarcoma, however, the results have not been overwhelming. Reasons for this may be related to inherent issues with the enhanced permeability and retention effect, the tumour phenomenon which liposomal drugs exploit. This effect seems very heterogeneously distributed in the tumour. Also, it is potentially not as ubiquitously occurring as once thought, and it may prove important to select patients for liposomal therapy on an individual, non‐histology‐oriented, basis. Concurrently, new developments with active‐release modified liposomes in experimental models and humans will likely be relevant for veterinary patients as well, and holds the potential to improve the therapeutic response. It, however, does not resolve the other challenges that liposomal chemotherapy faces, and more work still needs to be done to determine which veterinary patients may benefit the most from liposomal chemotherapy.     

Genetic variation in resistance to infectious pancreatic necrosis in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) after a challenge test

In this study, we wanted to evaluate genetic variation in resistance to infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) in a breeding population of rainbow trout. Two hundred families were challenged at a commercial test station, using methods that were previously developed for testing resistance to IPN in Atlantic salmon. Thirty‐five days after the challenge the accumulated mortality was 26%. The results show that resistance to IPN is moderately heritable in the tested population (h²=0.30). The genetic correlation between IPN resistance and body weight was found to be low and non‐significant. The significant additive genetic variation found in IPN resistance after a controlled challenge test gives promise for successful breeding for increased resistance to IPN in rainbow trout.     

Uptake of macro nutrients,barium, and strontium by vegetation from mineral soils on carbonatite and pyroxenite bedrock at the Lillebukt Alkaline Complex on Stjernøy,Northern Norway

Carbonatite originating from the Lillebukt Alkaline Complex at Stjernøy in Northern Norway possesses favorable lime and potassium (K) fertilizer characteristics. However, enrichments of barium (Ba) and strontium (Sr) in carbonatite may cause an undesired uptake by plants when applied to agroecosystems. A field survey was carried out to compare concentrations of Ba, Sr, and macronutrients in indigenous plants growing in mineral soil developed on a bedrock of apatite–biotite–carbonatite (high in Ba and Sr) and of apatite–hornblende–pyroxenite (low in Ba and Sr) at Stjernøy. Samples of soil and vegetation were collected from three sites, two on carbonatite bedrock and one on pyroxenite bedrock. Ammonium lactate (AL)‐extracted soil samples and nitric acid microwave‐digested samples of soil, grasses, dwarf shrubs, and herbs were analyzed for element concentration using ICP‐MS and ICP‐OES. Concentrations of magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) in both soil (AL) and plants were equal to or higher compared to values commonly reported. A high transfer of phosphorus (P) from soil to plants indicates that the apatite‐P is available to plants, particularly in pyroxenite soil. The non‐exchangeable K reservoir in the soil made a significant contribution to the elevated K transfer from soil to plant. Total concentrations of Ba and Sr in surface soil exhibited a high spatial variation ranging from 490 to 5,300 mg Ba kg^?1 and from 320 to 1,300 mg Sr kg^?1. The transfer of AL‐extractable elements from soil to plants increased in the order Ba < Sr < Ca < Mg < K, hence reflecting the chemical binding strength of these elements. Concentrations of Ba and Sr were low in grasses (≈ 20 mg kg^?1), intermediate in dwarf shrubs and highest in herbs. Plant species and their affinity for Ca seemed more important in explaining the uptake of Ba and Sr than the soil concentration of these elements. The leguminous plant species Vicia cracca acted as an accumulator of both Ba (1.800 mg kg^?1) and Sr (2.300 mg kg^?1).     

Atlantic cod (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Gadus morhua</Emphasis>) larvae can biosynthesis phospholipid de novo from 2-oleoyl-glycerol and glycerol precursors

The dietary requirement of phospholipid (PL) of fish larvae has been suggested to originate in an inefficient ability for de novo biosynthesis of PL based on dietary triacylglycerol (TAG). The main objective of the present study was to investigate whether cod larvae could synthesis PL from sn-2-monoacylglycerol (2-MAG) and glycerol precursors. A tube feeding method was used to deliver equal molar aliquots of 2-oleoyl-[1,2,3-³H]glycerol and [U-¹⁴C] glycerol together with bovine serum albumin (BSA) bound 16:0 (palmitic acid) and 22:6n-3 (docosahexaenoic acid, DHA), with or without choline chloride to the foregut of anesthetized cod larvae and thereafter monitoring the metabolism of these components in the larvae through 4 h following injection. Our results showed that both 2-MAG and glycerol precursors contributed to the de novo synthesis of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and the 2-MAG pathway predominated over the G-3-P (glycerol-3-phosphate) pathway in the synthesis of TAG and PC. The molecular ratio of PC/TAG obtained from the 2-MAG and the G-3-P pathways was 0.44–0.74 and 1.02–2.06 within the first hour of tube feeding, suggesting they might have comparable biosynthesis ability of PC and TAG under the conditions of the present study. Furthermore, supplementation of choline chloride significantly increased PC/TAG ratio (p < 0.05) for both pathways. However, further studies are needed to quantify the enzyme activity involved in the CDP-choline (cytidine diphosphate choline) pathway, and the function of choline either in simulating PC synthesis or TAG catabolism or both needs further investigation.     

Secondary Metabolites from Marine-Derived Fungi and Actinobacteria as Potential Sources of Novel Colorectal Cancer Drugs

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers diagnosed in the world. Chemotheraphy is one of the most common methods used for the pharmacological treatment of this cancer patients. Nevertheless, the adverse effect of chemotherapy is not optimized for improving the quality of life of people who are older, who are the most vulnerable subpopulation. This review presents recent updates regarding secondary metabolites derived from marine fungi and actinobacteria as novel alternatives for cytotoxic agents against colorectal cancer cell lines HCT116, HT29, HCT15, RKO, Caco-2, and SW480. The observed marine-derived fungi were from the species Aspergillus sp., Penicillium sp., Neosartorya sp., Dichotomomyces sp., Paradendryphiella sp., and Westerdykella sp. Additionally, Streptomyces sp. and Nocardiopsis sp. are actinobacteria discussed in this study. Seventy one compounds reviewed in this study were grouped on the basis of their chemical structures. Indole alkaloids and diketopiperazines made up most compounds with higher potencies when compared with other groups. The potency of indole alkaloids and diketopiperazines was most probably due to halogen-based functional groups and sulfide groups, respectively.