Gene effects of Cicer reticulatum on qualitative and quantitative traits in the cultivated chickpea

The gene effects of Cicer reticulatum on both double‐podding as qualitative traits and yield criteria as quantitative traits in interspecific hybridization with cultivated chickpea (Cicer arietinum) have not yet been elucidated, despite the easy acquisition of hybrid progeny between two species. This study sought to answer three questions concerning qualitative and quantitative traits in reciprocal crosses between C. arietinum and C. reticulatum. (i) Is there a similarity in the gene effects of flower colour, pigmentation and double‐podded traits in reciprocal interspecific crosses? (ii) What are the expressivity and penetrance of the double‐podded trait in interspecific crosses? (iii) Which heterosis predicts the occurrence and the extent of transgressive variation? The materials for this study were F₁, F₂ and F₃ progeny derived from a reciprocal cross between C. arietinum and C. reticulatum. As qualitative traits, purple flower colour, pigmentation and single‐podded traits in C. reticulatum were governed by a dominant single gene. Purple flower colour and pigmentation were detected to be linked traits as all progeny had the same phenotypes. As quantitative traits, yield criteria in progeny which were double‐podded had higher values than the single‐podded counterparts. Expressivity and penetrance of the double‐podding trait were superior in progeny derived from C. reticulatum × C. arietinum. The results showed that fruitful heterosis was more useful than residual heterosis in F₃ as residual heterosis was mostly negative and fruitful heterosis was suggested in self‐pollinated species such as chickpea that lacks inbreeding depression. Interspecific transgression was significant with respect to chickpea improvement because it represented a potential source of novel genetic variation.     

Transgressive segregations for yield criteria in reciprocal interspecific crosses between <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cicer arietinum</Emphasis> L. and <Emphasis Type="Italic">C. reticulatum</Emphasis> Ladiz.

Wild Cicer species are considered to be more resistant for biotic and abiotic stresses than that of the cultivated chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). Alien genes conferring resistance for biotic and abiotic stresses can be transferred from wild Cicer species to the cultivated chickpea but success in interspecific hybridizations has already been achieved with only two wild Cicer species. The current study was undertaken to compare fruitful heterosis in F₂ and F₃ for yield and yield criteria and to identify transgressive segregation in F₂ and F₃ in reciprocal interspecific crosses between C. arietinum and C. reticulatum Ladiz. We define fruitful heterosis as a useful parameter that can be used instead of residual heterosis. Considerable fruitful heterosis in F₂ and F₃ was found for number of seeds, pods per plant, biological yield, and seed yield. Maximum values of most of the characteristics in F₂ and F₃ were higher than that of the best parent indicating that superior progeny could be selected for yield from transgressive segregation. Progeny selection should be based on number of seeds, pods per plant, and biological yield since these characteristics had the highest direct effect on seed yield. The narrow sense heritability was found to be the highest for 100-seed weight. It was suggested that the cultivated chickpea could be used as female parent in interspecific hybridization to increase yield and yield criteria since progeny in F₂ and F₃ had better performance when it was used as female. In conclusion, interspecific hybridization of wild and cultivated chickpea can be used to improve yield and yield components and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses as well.     

Hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal gland axis in mice inhaling toluene prior to low-level long-term exposure to formaldehyde

We studied the change in the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal gland (HPA) axis upon adding prior toluene inhalation to our previous formaldehyde inhalation experiments to determine whether short term exposure to relatively high levels of toluene triggers multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS). Data come from immunocytochemical, morphometrical and RT-PCR measurements. Four groups of adult female mice were exposed to differing concentrations (0, 80, 400, and 2,000 ppb) of formaldehyde for 16 hr/day, 5 days/week for twelve weeks, after the mice were exposed intranasally to 500 ppm toluene per mouse for 6 hr/day, for 3 days. We found that the number of corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH)-immunoreactive (ir) neurons was up-regulated according to the amount of formaldehyde as well as inhalation of formaldehyde alone in our previous experiment. The proportion of adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH)-ir cells increased according to the formaldehyde concentration, though there was no significant difference between the 400 and 2,000 groups. The number of ACTH-ir cells was higher in the 400 group than in the other groups (0, 80, and 2,000). Expression of ACTH-mRNA was also up-regulated according to the quantity of formaldehyde. The sinusoid in the anterior pituitary showed more dilatation in the 400 and 2,000 groups than in the control group, especially in the 2,000 group. We propose that exposure to toluene prior to inhalation of formaldehyde has no effect on the HPA axis and as a trigger of MCS, although greater sinusoid dilatation was found in the anterior pituitary gland at higher concentrations of formaldehyde.     

Effect of catechins on fattening performance,meat quality,some antioxidant and blood parameters and fattening costs in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

1. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of green tea (Camellia sinensis) catechins in quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica).

2. Quail were fed with a basal diet, and the treatment groups were fed on the basal diet with 1.25 or 2.50 g/kg catechin supplementation for 30 d.

3. Fattening performance and meat quality of the quail were estimated. Serum total antioxidant status (TAS), plasma and liver malondialdehyde (MDA) and some serum biochemical parameters were measured.

4. The results showed that catechin supplementation did not affect live weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, carcass weight, carcass dressing or the nutrient composition of breast and thigh meats. The water holding capacity (WHC) of breast meat was increased in the 2.50 g/kg catechin treatment. Catechin supplementation increased the serum TAS, but decreased plasma MDA and liver MDA concentration as well as serum glucose and total cholesterol levels. Serum triglyceride and total protein levels were not affected by catechin supplementation.

5. In conclusion, catechins have effective antioxidant hypoglycaemic and hypocholesterolaemic properties, as well as having the potential to increase meat quality in fattening quail. On the other hand, catechin supplementation did not have any negative effect on the fattening performance, meat nutrient composition and fattening costs in fattening quail.

     

Nutritional Value of electron beam irradiated cottonseed meal in broiler chickens

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of electron beam‐irradiated cottonseed meal on performance, carcass characteristics and some blood parameters of broiler chicks. Treatments were cottonseed meal (CSM) at levels of 12% and 24% (raw and irradiated at 30 kGy) and corn‐soya bean meal diet (as control, without CSM and without irradiation) that used with five dietary treatments, four replicates and 10 birds of each for 42 days in completely randomized design. Feed intake (FI) and body weight gain (BWG) were recorded weekly. At 42 days of age, two birds per pen were randomly selected for the determination of carcass characteristics and blood parameters. BWG decreased with increasing levels of dietary CSM during the experiment (p < 0.05). In addition, radiation had significant positive effect in broilers fed 12% compared with those fed 24% CSM. FI in chicks fed control and diet containing 24% CSM were increased significantly in starter period. But FI was significantly decreased in broilers consumed CSM compare to the control in grower and during the experiment. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) increased with increasing levels of CSM in the diets. Relative weights of liver, gastrointestinal tract (GI), pancreas, gizzard and abdominal fat were increased by increasing levels of CSM in the diet (p < 0.05). Glucose, cholesterol, HDL, triglyceride and phosphorous concentrations increased, and LDL concentration decreased as the dietary CSM levels increased (p < 0.05). But radiation had not significant effect on blood parameters. Electron irradiation seems to be a good procedure to improve the nutritional quality of CSM, but it seems higher dose of it was needed to improve performance of chickens.     

Consumer value dimensions for sustainable wood products: results from the Finnish retail sector

Our study focuses on exploring on the dimensionality of sustainability in perceived consumer value regarding wooden products in the Finnish context. Factors affecting consumer value on sustainability were derived from the literature on sustainable consumption and tested on a specific case of wooden terrace products through a developed survey instrument. The dimensions of sustainability-based consumer value were identified using a factor analysis on data consisting of 208 responses collected in the home and building material retail sector in May–June 2013. Four-dimensional structure for consumer value concerning sustainable and responsible wooden products is identified to consist of “Information and product origin,” “Consumer activity,” “Product image,” and “Quality.” The first two, sustainability-related factors were more strongly valued by elderly as well as by female respondents, while “Quality” and “Image” were more preferred by young and middle-aged respondent groups. As for the conclusion, our results suggest that improving the sustainability information content, launching awareness campaigns and environmental education as well as applying greenness as a complementary product attribute would be some of the solutions to attract larger consumer groups.     

Influence of exercise and joint topography on depth‐related spatial distribution of proteoglycan and collagen content in immature equine articular cartilage

Reasons for performing study: There is ample evidence on topographical heterogeneity of the principal biochemical components of articular cartilage over the surface of the joint and the influence of loading thereon, but no information on depth‐related zonal variation in horses. Objectives: To study depth‐related zonal variation in proteoglycan (PG) and collagen content in equine articular cartilage. Methods: Two techniques (safranin‐O densitometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) were applied to sections of articular cartilage from the proximal phalangeal bone of the metacarpophalangeal joint of 18‐month‐old Thoroughbreds that had been raised at pasture from age 0–18 months without (PASTEX) and with (CONDEX) additional exercise. Two sites were investigated: site 1 at the joint margin that is unloaded at rest or at slow gaits, but subjected to high‐intensity loading during athletic activity; and site 2, a continuously, but less intensively, loaded site in the centre of the joint. Results: Proteoglycan values increased from the surface to the deep layers of the cartilage, collagen content showed a reverse pattern. PG content was significantly higher at site 2 in both PASTEX and CONDEX animals without an effect of exercise. In the PASTEX animals collagen content was significantly higher at site 1, but in the CONDEX group the situation was reversed, due to a significant exercise effect on site 1, leading to a reduced collagen content. Conclusions: Collagen and PG content gradients agree with findings in other species. The observations on PG levels suggest that the exercise level was not strenuous. The collagen results in the PASTEX group confirmed earlier findings, the lower levels at site 1 in the CONDEX group being possibly due to an advancement of the physiological maturation process of collagen remodelling. Potential relevance: This study confirms earlier observations that even moderate variations in exercise level in early age may have significant effects on the collagen network of articular cartilage.     

Expression of calbindin-D28K in sporadic nephroblastomas of the chicken

Calbindin-D28K (Ca-D28K) is a calcium-binding protein. In the kidney, Ca-D28K is present in the distal nephron, but not in the proximal nephron. This site-specific distribution in the kidney indicates that Ca-D28K is a potential marker for the differentiation of the distal nephron. In this study, we have examined the expression of Ca-D28K in 25 sporadic cases of chicken nephroblastomas. All cases of nephroblastomas were composed of atypical tubular structures, blastemal cells, and fibrous stroma in varying degrees of differentiation. Immunohistochemically in all nephroblastoma specimens, Ca-D28K was expressed in the epithelial cells of the subsets of tubular structures, but not in the blastema or the stroma. These results suggested that the tubuli in the nephroblastomas are able to differentiate into the phenotype of distal nephrons. Furthermore, Ca-D28K might develop as a novel diagnostic marker for nephroblastomas because this molecule is reported to be completely negative in other renal tumors, including renal cell carcinoma, chromophobe carcinomas, and oncocytoma.     

Ingestion of oregano extract increases excretion of urinary phenolic metabolites in humans

Despite the promising antioxidant action of Lamiaceae herbs in vitro, human studies on these potential sources of dietary antioxidants have remained scarce. In this work, the phenolic acids recovered in human urine after single ingestion of Origanum onites extract were analyzed. The excretion was increased 4- and 2-fold during 0-24 and 24-48 h of the follow-up, respectively. The mean increase in the excretion of phenolic compounds exceeded the ingested amount of identified phenolic acids. The result can be partly explained by rosmarinic acid, the main identified phenolic constituent in the extract, as well as flavonoids present in minor amounts, presumably being metabolized into a double amount of simple phenolic metabolites. Furthermore, unidentified phenolic constituents in the extract partly contribute to the excretory increase. The main metabolite, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, was excreted rapidly. The results show that constituents of oregano extract and, in particular, their metabolites may contribute to the dietary intake of phenolic antioxidants.     

Changes in freezing tolerance, plasma membrane H+-ATPase activity and fatty acid composition in Pinus resinosa needles during cold acclimation and de-acclimation

It has previously been suggested that plasma membrane ATPase (PM H+-ATPase, EC 3.6.1.3.) is a site of incipient freezing injury because activity increases following cold acclimation and there are published data indicating that activity of PM H+-ATPase is modulated by changes in lipids associated with the enzyme. To test and extend these findings in a tree species, we analyzed PM H+-ATPase activity and the fatty acid (FA) composition of glycerolipids in purified plasma membranes (PMs) prepared by the two-phase partition method from current-year needles of adult red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.) trees. Freezing tolerance of the needles decreased from -56 degrees C in March to -9 degrees C in May, and increased from -15 degrees C in September to -148 degrees C in January. Specific activity of vanadate-sensitive PM H+-ATPase increased more than two-fold following cold acclimation, despite a concurrent increase in protein concentration. During de-acclimation, decreases in PM H+-ATPase activity and freezing tolerance were accompanied by decreases in the proportions of oleic (18:1) and linoleic (18:2) acids and increases in the proportions of palmitic (16:0) and linolenic (18:3) acids in total glycerolipids extracted from the plasma membrane fraction. This pattern of changes in PM H+-ATPase activity and the 18:1, 18:2 and 18:3 fatty acids was reversed during cold acclimation. In the PM fractions, changes in FA unsaturation, expressed as the double bond index (1 x 18:1 + 2 x 18:2 + 3 x 18:3), were closely correlated with changes in H+-ATPase specific activity (r2 = 0.995). Changes in freezing tolerance were well correlated with DBI (r2 = 0.877) and ATPase specific activity (r2 = 0.833) in the PM fraction. Total ATPase activity in microsomal fractions also closely followed changes in freezing tolerance (r2 = 0.969). We conclude that, as in herbaceous plants, simultaneous seasonal changes in PM H+-ATPase activity and fatty acid composition occur during cold acclimation and de-acclimation in an extremely winter hardy tree species under natural conditions, lending support to the hypothesis that FA-regulated PM H+-ATPase activity is involved in the cellular response underlying cold acclimation and de-acclimation.