Turkish Tombul hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.). 2. Lipid characteristics and oxidative stability

The quality of crude hazelnut oil extracted from Tombul (Round) hazelnut, grown in the Giresun province of Turkey, was determined by measuring lipid classes, fatty acids, and fat soluble bioactives (tocopherols and phytosterols). Oxygen uptake, peroxide value, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, and alpha-tocopherol levels of stripped and crude hazelnut oils in bulk and oil-in-water (o/w) emulsion systems were also evaluated as indices of lipid oxidation over a 21 day storage period at 60 degrees C in the dark. The total lipid content of Tombul hazelnut was 61.2%, of which 98.8% were nonpolar and 1.2% polar constituents. Triacylglycerols were the major nonpolar lipid class and contributed nearly 100% to the total amount. Phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylinositol were the most abundant polar lipids, respectively. Sixteen fatty acids were identified, among which oleic acid contributed 82.7% to the total, followed by linoleic, palmitic, and stearic acids. Unsaturated fatty acids accounted for 92.2% of the total fatty acids present. Among oil soluble bioactives, alpha-tocopherol (38.2 mg/100 g) and beta-sitosterol (105.5 mg/100 g) were predominant in hazelnut oil and comprised 88 and 93% of the total tocopherols and phytosterols present, respectively. The results also showed that both stripped and crude hazelnut oils were more stable in terms of lipid oxidation in the bulk oil as compared to those in an o/w emulsion.     

Population growth of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pieris brassicae</Emphasis> (L.) (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) on different cole crops under laboratory conditions

The effect of different host plants including cabbage, cauliflower, mustard, radish, and broccoli on biological parameters of Pieris brassicae (L.) was studied in the laboratory at 28°C, 65 ± 5% RH and 12L:12D photoperiod. Duration of each life stage, longevity, the intrinsic rate of natural increase (r _m), net reproductive rate (R ₀), mean generation time (T), doubling time (DT), and finite rate of increase (λ) of the cabbage white butterfly on the different cole crops were estimated. Differences in fertility life table parameters of the P. brassicae among host plants were analyzed using pseudo-values, which were produced by Jackknife re-sampling. The results indicating that cabbage might be the most suitable food for P. brassicae due to the shorter development time (16 days), longer adult longevity (12 and 9 days for female and male, respectively), higher fecundity (281 eggs/female), higher intrinsic rate of natural increase (0.1156 females/female/day), lower doubling time (6.00), lower larval mortality (70.33%), and higher yield of adult (30%). Therefore, it can be concluded from the present study that P. brassicae prefers cabbage for fast and healthy development with low larval mortality and highest number of adult yield than other cole crops.     

Gibberellin producing Neosartorya sp. CC8 reprograms Chinese cabbage to higher growth

Gibberellins production by soil fungi received little attention, although substantial work has been carried out on other growth promoting aspects of soil borne fungi. We investigated gibberellins production and growth promoting capacity of a novel fungal strain of Neosartorya, which was isolated from the roots of Chinese cabbage (Bassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis). Fungal culture filtrates (CF) obtained from pure cultures of 16 endophytic fungi were bioassayed on Waito-C, in order to investigate plant growth promoting capacity of these fungi. The fungal isolate CC-8 induced maximum shoot length of Waito-C (13.0 cm) as compared to control treatments. In a separate experiment, the CF of fungus CC-8 significantly promoted plant length and biomass of Chinese cabbage. The fungal CF also increased endogenous bioactive GA₁ and GA₄ contents of Chinese cabbage. Gibberellin analysis of CF of CC-8 showed presence of both physiologically active and non active gibberellins in higher concentrations (GA₁, 1.42 ng/ml; GA₃, 5.93 ng/ml; GA₄, 11.36 ng/ml; GA₇, 3.25 ng/ml; GA₉, 0.79 ng/ml; GA₁₅, 1.18 ng/ml). The culture filtrate of CC-8 produced higher amounts of GA₃, GA₄, GA₇ and GA₉ than wild type Fusarium fujikuroi, a well known gibberellins producing fungus. The fungal isolate CC-8 was later identified as a new strain of Neosartorya species on the basis of traditional and advance molecular techniques.     

Effect of dietary supplementation of probiotic on the performance of F1 crossbred (Rhode Island red male × Fayoumi female) cockerels

A study was conducted to evaluate four different probiotic levels, using diets supplemented with 0 (control), 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3% or 0.5% of organic-green culture-zs (probiotic). The cockerels of 6-weeks old were randomly divided into 15 separate floor pens each comprising 25 birds and three pens (replicates) per treatment group following completely randomized design. At 12 weeks of age BW and feed to gain ratio (FCR) were determined. At the end of 42 days of experiment, nine birds per treatment were sacrificed to evaluate carcass characteristics, abdominal fat contents and the internal organs. Blood haemato-biochemical parameters were also determined. Haemagglutination inhibition antibody titres against Newcastle disease virus and lymphoid organs weight/body weight ratio were also determined. The BW of birds fed 0.2-0.5% of probiotic was significantly greater than birds fed without probiotic diet. Similarly, better FCR was observed in birds those fed diets of high level of probiotic. There was no mortality recorded at higher levels of probiotics. Differences in carcass characteristics, organs weight, meat composition, haematological values and HDL and LDL concentrations among all the diets were non-significant. However, abdominal fat contents reduced significantly in supplemented groups in relation to control and cholesterol contents were reduced significantly in 0.3% or 0.5% supplemented groups in relation to control. Feeding levels of 0.2-0.5% of probiotic, did positively affect the immune system within the parameters measured. It may be concluded that performance, blood chemistry and immunity against disease in cockerels could be maintained when supplementing 0.3% or 0.5% level of probiotic incorporated in crossbred cockerel's diets.     

绿液预处理对麦草化学成分及酶水解糖化的影响

主要探讨在不同温度、用碱量和硫化度条件下绿液预处理对麦草化学成分及酶水解效率的影响。随着预处理用碱量和硫化度的提高木质素的脱除率增加,但同时也加剧了碳水化合物的降解,导致麦草浆得率下降。绿液预处理废液的pH值小于9.5,弱碱介质可以减少碳水化合物的降解,同时避免禾草原料含量较高的硅溶解在黑液中,有利于废液的碱回收利用。预处理后浆料经过由纤维素酶、木聚糖酶和β-葡萄糖苷酶组合而成的混合酶液水解,纤维素酶用量从5 FPU/g增加到10 FPU/g时,总糖得率及转化率显著增加。在酶用量为10 FPU/g条件下经过48 h的酶水解后,温度130℃、用碱量8%、硫化度40%条件下的预处理浆料总糖得率达到最大值43%,总糖转化率为73.1%。     

Effect of posttransportation grazing on the physiological condition and meat quality traits of Black Bengal goats

This study was designed to reveal the role of posttransportation grazing on the physiological condition and meat quality traits of Black Bengal goats. Twenty‐four castrated male Black Bengal goats were divided into a control (untransported) group and three treated groups: Walking and Transportation with Human Interference group (WTHI) (30 min walking before 6 hr transport and then 30 min walking with human interference), posttransportation grazing for 48 hr (PTG1), and posttransportation grazing for 72 hr (PTG2). The WTHI and PTG1 groups had a significant reduction in their blood concentrations of tri‐iodothyronine (T₃) and thyroxine (T₄), and a significantly higher neutrophil and lymphocyte (N:L) ratio compared with those of the control group. Blood concentrations of T₃ and T₄ and the N:L ratio of PTG2 returned to the control level after 72 hr of grazing. The final pH and water‐holding capacity values of meat were significantly higher in the WTHI group than in the control group, but those in the PTG2 group returned to the control level after 72 hr of grazing. These results demonstrate that posttransportation grazing for 72 hr is effective for recovering from damage induced by transportation stress.     

Determination of cardiac troponin I in the blood and heart of calves with foot-and-mouth disease

The current study was designed to determine the changes of the cardiac troponin I (cTnI) expression in blood and tissue during the myocardial degeneration in calves with foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). Seventeen crossbred calves presenting pathological signs for FMD confirmed by viral analysis were studied. A biochemistry panel and immunohistochemistry were performed on 17 diseased calves and 7 calves used as controls. Creatine kinase (CK), CK-myocardial band (CK-MB), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities were analyzed for both groups. Cardiac troponin I levels were measured by a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Mean cTnI (14.8 +/- 1.9 ng/ml) concentration and CK (573 +/- 407 U/l), CK-MB (238 +/- 37 U/l), AST (84 +/- 7), and LDH (298 +/- 29 U/l) activities were higher in FMD cases compared with controls. Immunohistochemistry revealed loss or depletion of cTnI expression in myocardium of all cases. None of the 7 controls showed loss of cTnI expression. Increased serum cTnI concentration correlated with myocardial injury and loss of cTnI immunolabeling in cardiomyocytes of calves with FMD.     

Adequate range of boron nutrition is more restricted for root nodule development than for plant growth in young soybean plant

A pot experiment was conducted under growth chamber conditions to determine the lower and upper critical levels of boron (B) for plant growth, nodule development, and nodule acetylene reduction activity (ARA) in young soybean plants. Plants of a soybean cultivar, Tachinagaha, were grown in pots containing river sand to which a nutrient solution with different B levels was added and were inoculated with Bradyrhizobium japonicum A1017. At 8, 12, and 16 d after sowing (DAS), among the plants supplied with the solution at 0, 1.0, and 2.0 mg B L^-1 , plants with 1.0 mg B L^-1 showed the highest values for dry shoot and fresh root weight, root length, total number of developing nodules and meristematic nodules (DMN), and ARA. At 20 DAS plants grown with 11 B levels (0-2.0 mg L^-1) were compared. The B critical deficiency levels for soybean dry shoot weight, fresh root weight, root length, DMN, number of complete nodules, and ARA were approximately 46, 35, 34, 57, 60, and 50 mg B kg^-1 dry matter, and the critical toxicity levels were approximately 114, 137, 134, 97, 104, and 89 mg B kg^-1 dry matter, respectively. The optimum B levels for the growth characters were approximately 34 to 137 mg B kg^-1 dry matter. The optimum range of B levels for nodule formation and function was more restricted than that for the growth characters. Based on the results of treatments with various B concentrations, 0.4 mg B L^-1 was found to be the concentration most beneficial for all the growth characters including nodule formation at the early stage (20 DAS) of development of soybean plants.