Oleaster oil positively modulates plasma lipids in humans

The olive tree had been domesticated during the early Neolithic in the Near East, and more than 1000 different cultivars have been identified to date. However, examples of wild olive trees (Olea europaea oleaster) can still be found in the Mediterranean basin. Evidence of oleaster use for oil production can be found in historical and sacred texts, such as the Odyssey, the Holey Koran, and the Holey Bible. While the nutritional and healthful properties of olive oil are actively being explored, there are no data on the human actions of oleaster oil. Therefore, we investigated the effect of prolonged, i.e., 1 month, consumption of oleaster oil on the lipid profile of a 40 healthy Algerian subjects (aged 27.9 ± 3.85 years), as compared to nonconsumers from the same area. Plasma urea, creatinine, and uric acid concentrations and glycemia did not significantly differ, at the end of the study, between controls and oleaster-oil-supplemented subjects. Conversely, we recorded significant decreases of plasma triglyceride concentration (-24.8%; p < 0.05), total cholesterol (-12.13%; p < 0.05), and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) (-24.39%; p < 0.05) in oleaster-oil-treated subjects. Concomitantly, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations were significantly increased (17.94%; p < 0.05) by oleaster oil administration. In conclusion, we show that oil obtained from feral olive trees, i.e., oleasters, improves the plasma lipid profile of healthy volunteers.     

Nutrients balance for improvement of phytoremediation ability of teak seedlings (Tectona grandis)

As a green technique, plant-based remediation systems can be used to remove nitrogen (N) pollutants from N-rich wastewaters. However, the excess amount of N and shortage of other nutrients in this system limits the plant growth and affects the plant remediation efficiency. In this study, the effect of adding phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) to the N-enriched wastewater on growth and N-removal efficiency of teak seedlings (Tectona grandis) was evaluated. Twelve ratios of N:P:K were applied to teak seedlings and the related effects were compared with those in control solution containing only N. The results indicated that a ratio of 1N:0.5P:1K increased dry matter accumulation in teak seedlings by improving the balance of nutrients in plants. Teak seedlings grown in nutritionally-improved system eliminated 33.8% N more than those grown in only N solution. The water loss through plant uptake was also enhanced in the improved system up to 56%.     

Speciation of heavy metals in garden soils: evidences from selective and sequential chemical leaching

Purpose  

Gardening (especially food growing) in urban areas is becoming popular, but urban soils are often very contaminated for historical reasons. There is lack of sufficient information as to the bioavailability of soil heavy metals to plants and human in urban environments. This study examines the relative leachability of Cr, Ni, As, Cd, Zn, and Pb for soils with varying characteristics. The speciation and mobility of these metals can be qualitatively inferred from the leaching experiments. The goal is to use the data to shed some light on their bioavailability to plant and human, as well as the basis for soil remediation.     

Potassium fixation of some calcareous soils after short term extraction with different solutions

This investigation was done to determine the release of potassium (K) from five calcareous soils of southern Iran using 0.025 M CaCl₂, HCl and citric acid during six successive extractions and to study the K fixation capacity of the soils after K release experiment. Mineralogical study indicated that Vertisols and Mollisols were dominated with smectites; while other soils had illite, chlorite, palygorskite and smectite. Results indicated that citric acid extracted more K than CaCl₂ and HCl (137 vs. 111 and 113 mg kg^?1, respectively). The analysis of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and K concentrations in the solutions suggests that the exchange of K with soluble Ca and Mg (originated from dissolution of carbonates by acidic solutions) is the main mechanism of K release, but citrate is able to dissolve K-bearing minerals and release K in slightly calcareous soils. Soils with more illite released more K. Potassium fixation capacity of soils increased after extractions of soils with different extractants from 324 to 471 mg kg^?1, with no significant difference. It is suggested to apply more K fertilizers in K-depleted calcareous soils and use of different solutions for extracting K from soil minerals may be a temporary and short term solution.     

Detection, accumulation, distribution, and depletion of furaltadone and nifursol residues in poultry muscle, liver, and gizzard

Nitrofurans were broadly used as an extremely effective veterinary antibiotic especially in pig and poultry production farms. Because of fears of the carcinogenic effects on humans, the nitrofurans were banned from use in livestock production in many countries, including the European Union. The present study examines the accumulation, distribution, and depletion of furaltadone and nifursol and of their tissue-bound metabolites [3-amino-5-morpholinomethyl-2-oxazolidinone (AMOZ) and 3,5-dinitro-salicylic acid hydrazine (DNSAH), respectively, in poultry edible tissues (muscle, liver, and gizzards) following administration to chickens of therapeutic and subtherapeutic concentrations of both compounds. Nitrofurans determination was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, respectively, for feeds and for poultry tissues. Furaltadone and nifursol, in very low concentrations, were found in samples of muscle, liver, and chicken's gizzard collected from slaughtered animals after 5 weeks of treatment and no withdrawal time period. When a withdrawal time period of 3 weeks was respected, no detectable nitrofuran parent compounds was observed in all of the studied matrices. For AMOZ, concentrations of 270 μg/kg in meat, 80 μg/kg in liver, and 331 μg/kg in gizzard were determined after administration of a medicated feed with furaltadone (132 mg/kg), 3 weeks after withdrawal of treatment. For DNSAH, the concentration values obtained are much lower than those observed for AMOZ. For meat, liver, and gizzard, DNSAH concentrations of 2.5, 6.4, and 10.3 μg/kg, respectively, were determined, after administration of a medicated feed with nifursol (98 mg/kg), 3 weeks after withdrawal of treatment. The gizzard could be considered a selected matrix for nitrofuran residues evaluation in poultry, due to its capacity of retaining either nitrofuran parent compounds or metabolites in higher concentrations, regardless of the administered dose or of the respected withdrawal time period.     

Soil organic C variability and microbial functions in a Mediterranean agro-forest ecosystem

Five soils characterised by different agro-forest managements, typical of Mediterranean environment and with increasing human impact were chosen in Sardinia (Italy): two vineyards with different management systems, a rotation hay crop-pasture and a forest (Quercus suber L.). The study aimed to investigate the relationships between C storage and microbial functionality in soil under different managements. Pools of total organic C and microbial biomass C were determined, as well as the loss of organic C due to microbial respiration (basal and cumulative) and several microbial indices (metabolic, mineralization, and microbial quotient) as indicators of the microbial efficiency in the use of energy and the degree of substrate limitation for soil microbes. Enzymes were chosen on their relevance in the C (β-cellobiohydrolase, N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase, β-glucosidase, α-glucosidase), N (leucine aminopeptidase), S (arylsulphatase) and P (acid phosphatase) cycling and were used as indicators of functional diversity in soil. Organic C pools and enzyme activities on average increased noticeably in soils with a lower human impact showing the highest values in forest and the lowest in the vineyards, following the trend of organic matter availability. The trend in functional diversity reflected the increase of microbial pool and organic C availability: the vineyards showed a lower Shannon’s diversity index, whilst pasture and forest sites reached the maximum levels of functional diversity. These soils showed an increase of microbial efficiency in the use of available resources and the decrease of substrate limitation for soil microbes.     

Effects of pulsation rate and viscosity on pulsation-induced taste enhancement: new insights into texture-taste interactions

Oral stimulation with high-tastant concentrations that are alternared with low-tastant concentrations or water rinses (pulsatile stimulation) results in taste intensity ratings that are higher than continuous stimulation with the same average tastant concentration. This study tested the combined effects of taste pulsation rate and viscosity on pulsation-induced taste enhancement in apple juice. According to a tastant-kinetics hypothesis, less pulsation-induced taste enhancement is expected at enhanced pulsation rates in the high-viscous proximal stimulus compared to lower viscous stimuli. High-concentration sucrose apple juice pulses and low-concentration sucrose apple juice intervals were alternated at different pulsation periods (pulse + interval in seconds) every 2.5 s (period length = 5 s) or every 1.25 s (period length = 2.5 s). Pulsed stimuli were presented at two viscosity levels by the addition of pectin (0 and 10 g/L). Sweetness intensities of pulsed stimuli were compared to a continuous reference of the same net but nonalternating sucrose concentration. Sweetness ratings were higher for pulsatile stimuli than for continuous stimuli. In low-viscous stimuli, enhancement depended on the pulsation period and peaked at 5 s periods. In high-viscous stimuli, the same enhancement was observed for both pulsation periods. These results contradict a tastant-kinetics hypothesis of viscosity-induced taste suppression because impaired tastant kinetics by viscosity would predict the opposite: lower pulsation-induced taste enhancement for viscous stimuli, especially at higher pulsation rates. Instead, these observations favor an explanation based on perceptual texture-taste interactions, which predict the observed independence between viscosity and pulsation rate.     

Nematode diversity,food web condition,and chemical and physical properties in different soil habitats of an organic farm

The aim of this paper was to assess biodiversity among different habitats of an organic farm and the relationships between some soil properties, nematode taxonomic diversity, and soil food web condition. Eight habitats were studied in the farm: ponds, ditches, a riparian corridor, hedgerows, and four agricultural fields (mustard, oats, fallow, and legumes). The undisturbed riparian corridor had higher soil and concentrations, and potentially mineralizable N and higher abundances of bacterivore nematodes and longer food webs. Canonical correlation analysis showed associations between habitats and nematode trophic groups: predatory and bacterial-feeding nematodes in the riparian corridor and hedgerows, omnivore nematodes in the ponds and ditches, and fungal-feeding nematodes in the legume field. Soil chemical and physical properties mirrored the aboveground farm patterns and were more similar among habitats that were or had been cultivated, compared to the riparian corridor. Soil food web indices, based on functional analysis of nematode faunal composition, reflected the aboveground landscape heterogeneity. Discriminant analysis indicated that soil food web indices separated the two most disturbed habitats (ponds and tailwater ditches) from the two least disturbed habitats (the riparian corridor and hedgerows). The indices correlated with soil functioning as inferred by soil properties. Abundance of nematode taxa was not associated with aboveground landscape patterns. The complexity of the soil food web may have been influenced by (1) environmental factors that differed between years, (2) different time periods since disturbance in the various habitats, and (3) movement of nutrients and organisms by water flow between habitats in the farmscale.     

Isoflavone levels in five soybean (Glycine max) genotypes are altered by phytochrome-mediated light treatments

The objective of the present study was to determine whether concentrations of different isoflavones (puerarin, genistein, genistin, daidzein, and daidzin) in shoots and roots of five selected soybean genotypes would respond the same or differently to red (650 nm peak transmittance) and far-red (750 nm peak transmittance) light treatments given under controlled environments. Levels of isoflavones (mg g(-1) dry weight biomass) present in seeds, control roots, and shoots and 10 day light-treated seedlings (light, dark, red, and far-red wavelengths) of soybean (Glycine max) were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis in comparison with known isoflavone standards. Seeds of the five soybean genotypes studied consistently stored most of their isoflavones as glucosyl conjugates (e.g., daidzin, genistin, and puerarin). For the five soybean genotypes, isoflavone levels were lower in the seeds as compared with roots plus shoots of control, time zero (first true leaf stage) seedlings. Following 10 days of the respective light treatments, we found that (i) isoflavone levels were enhanced in dark-grown plants over light-grown plants for three of the five genotypes (a new finding) and the reverse occurred for a single genotype (a typical response of legumes) and (ii) generally, far-red end of day (EOD) light treatment enhanced total isoflavone levels in roots plus shoots over red EOD light treatment. Results from the present study show that phytochrome does appear to play a role in regulating isoflavone levels in developing soybean seedlings and that this influence by red/far-red-mediated phytochrome reactions is strongly dependent on the genotypes selected for study.