Digestibility of Quinoa (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Chenopodium quinoa</Emphasis> Willd.) Protein Concentrate and Its Potential to Inhibit Lipid Peroxidation in the Zebrafish Larvae Model

Quinoa protein concentrate (QPC) was extracted and digested under in vitro gastrointestinal conditions. The protein content of QPC was in the range between 52.40 and 65.01% depending on the assay used. Quinoa proteins were almost completely hydrolyzed by pepsin at pH of 1.2, 2.0, and 3.2. At high pH, only partial hydrolysis was observed. During the duodenal phase, no intact proteins were visible, indicating their susceptibility to the in vitro simulated digestive conditions. Zebrafish larvae model was used to evaluate the in vivo ability of gastrointestinal digests to inhibit lipid peroxidation. Gastric digestion at pH 1.2 showed the highest lipid peroxidation inhibition percentage (75.15%). The lipid peroxidation activity increased after the duodenal phase. The digest obtained at the end of the digestive process showed an inhibition percentage of 82.10%, comparable to that showed when using BHT as positive control (87.13%).     

Effects of Pre-Stratification Storage Conditions on Black Walnut Seed Post-Stratification Germination Capacity

The objective of this work was to quantify changes in the germination capacity of Juglans nigra seeds following storage and then artificial stratification. Seeds were stored at 5 and –20 °C under 5% and 14% internal moisture content (IMC) for 0, 8, 10, and 12 months under conditions with oxygen or under vacuum. Germination percentage (GP) was affected by storage temperature, IMC, and storage period. Seeds stored with 5% IMC succeeded in germinating regardless of the temperature. Seeds stored with 14% IMC did not germinate (–20 °C) or germinated during storage (5 °C). The GP was reduced with the time of storage in seeds at –20 °C and 5% IMC and this effect was avoided in storage under vacuum. In conclusion, the germination capacity of black walnut seeds did not change for up to 12 months at low above-zero temperature and low IMC (5 °C, 5% IMC), being the most cost-effective alternative for long-term storage of black walnut seeds in commercial nurseries. Vacuum storage avoided the decrease of around 50% in average germination capacity of seeds stored for a year at –20 °C.     

Assessing seed desiccation responses of native trees in the Caribbean

New Forests - Native trees from the Caribbean were tested for seed desiccation responses, by adapting the “100-seed test” protocol. Ninety-seven seed lots of 91 species were collected...     

Soil organic‐C accumulation and N availability under improved pastures established in Mediterranean oak woodlands

Long‐term effects of improved pasture establishment (with high proportion of legumes) on soil organic‐C status and N availability in Mediterranean cork oak (Quercus suber L.) woodlands were assessed. Soils were sampled beneath scattered crowns and in open areas, considering two systems: unmanaged and managed woodlands where improved pastures were installed 26 and 32 years ago. Total and labile C and N pools were measured and C and N mineralization were determined over 24 weeks laboratory incubation. Soils under improved pastures showed higher organic‐C, total‐N and net N mineralization than those under unmanaged pasture, mainly when established beneath trees. Potentially mineralizable C, C mineralization rate and microbial C were not statistically different between the unmanaged and improved pasture sites, but were higher closer to the tree than in the open area (1.8, 1.2 and 1.2 times, respectively). The qCO₂ was higher in improved pastures (1.7 times). Labile pool of C and N extracted with hot water increased under improved pasture (3.4 and 1.7 times, respectively). Results indicate that soil quality amelioration by improved pastures is stronger in the presence of oak trees. Management systems that favour oak tree maintenance and regeneration should be taken into account to reverse soil degradation.     

Ecological impacts of small hydropower plants on headwater stream fish: from individual to community effects

Hydroelectricity is increasingly used worldwide as a source of renewable energy, and many mountain ranges have dozens or hundreds of hydropower plants, with many more being under construction or planned. Although the ecological impacts of large dams are relatively well known, the effects of small hydropower plants and their weirs have been much less investigated. We studied the effects of water diversion of small hydropower plants on fish assemblages in the upper Ter river basin (Catalonia, NE Spain), which has headwater reaches with good water quality and no large dams but many of such plants. We studied fish populations and habitat features on control and impacted reaches for water diversion of 16 hydropower plants. In the impacted reaches, there was a significantly lower presence of refuges for fish, poorer habitat quality, more pools and less riffles and macrophytes, and shallower water levels. We also observed higher fish abundance, larger mean fish size and better fish condition in the control than in impacted reaches, although the results were species‐specific. Accordingly, species composition was also affected, with lower relative abundance of brown trout (Salmo trutta) and Pyrenean minnow (Phoxinus bigerri) in the impacted reaches and higher presence of stone loach (Barbatula quignardi) and Mediterranean barbel (Barbus meridionalis). Our study highlights the effects of water diversion of small hydropower plants from the individual to the population and community levels but probably underestimates them, urging for further assessment and mitigation of these ecological impacts.     

Structure-activity relationships of triazinone herbicides on resistant weeds and resistant Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Weeds resistant to the s-triazine herbicide atrazine also show resistance to the triazinone herbicide metribuzin. However, with highly lipophilic triazinones, thylakoids isolated from atrazine-resistant Amaranthus retroflexus (mutation at position Ser₂₆₄ of the photosystem II D-1 reaction centre protein) in general show a higher pI₅₀ value in photosystem II electron transport than those from the wild type (i.e. negative cross-resistance; ‘supersensitivity’). A quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) can be established, wherein the lipophilicity of the compound plays a major role. In in-vivo experiments, it was found that the triazinone DRW2698 killed resistant Amaranthus retroflexus and Chenopodium album whereas the wild type was almost unaffected. Triazinones were further investigated in five different mutants of Chlamydomonas rheinhardtii (mutations in the D-1 protein at positions Ser₂₆₄, Ala₂₅₁, Leu₂₇₅, Phe₂₅₅, and Val²¹⁹). Inhibitory activity of all triazinones was generally enhanced in the Phe₂₅₅ mutant but decreased in the Val₂₁₉ mutant. In the other mutants, biological activity was decreased when position 3 of the triazinone was substituted by CH₃, OCH₃, SCH₃, NHCH₃ or N(CH₃)₂. However, negative cross-resistance was again observed when this position was occupied by free thiol. It is therefore suggested that these two groups of triazinones orient themselves differently within the herbicide binding niche of the photosystem II D-1 protein.     

Biochemical and toxicological differences in the modes of action of the benzoylureas

The two insecticidal benzoylurea compounds, diflubenzuron and chlorfluazuron, show large differences in their toxicity against the larvae of insects like the tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens, or the Egyptian cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis, chlorfluazuron being about 100 times more toxic. This difference is due mainly to a much faster metabolism of diflubenzuron. Its half-life within the larvae is about 5 h, compared to about 50 h for chlorfluazuron. Chlorfluazuron is also the much better ovicide of the two, following injection of the compounds into the females of H. virescens. Again the difference in the rate of metabolism is the main cause. The rate of excretion of the parent benzoylureas is relatively low, but their metabolites are excreted very quickly.     

Serotyping of Haemophilus paragallinarum isolates from Mexico by the Kume hemagglutinin scheme

A total of 42 isolates of Haemophilus paragallinarum from Mexico were serotyped by the Kume hemagglutinin scheme. Serovars A-1, A-2, B-1, and C-2 were recognized among 11 (26.2%), 7 (16.6%), 4 (9.5%), and 14 (33.3%) isolates, respectively. A further six isolates (14.3%) showed hemagglutinating activity but could not be classified into any serovar. Commercial vaccines containing Kume serovars A-1, A-2, B-1, and C-2 may provide better protection than those bi- or trivalent infectious coryza vaccines currently used in Mexico.