Effects of dietary energy levels on plasma leptin in sheep

This experiment investigates the changes in the plasma leptin levels of sheep fed a diet of three energy levels (low, moderate and high). Four mature wethers were used for this experiment. For the first 4 weeks, the sheep were fed diets to provide 1.2 times the maintenance metabolizable energy requirements, low energy levels (LE). During the second 4 weeks, the sheep were fed diets to provide 1.5 times the maintenance metabolizable energy requirements, moderate energy levels (ME). During third 4‐week period, the sheep were fed a diet to provide 1.8 times the maintenance metabolizable energy requirements, high energy levels (HE). Body weight was determined every week. Blood samples were collected prior to the morning meal at 3 days intervals throughout the experiment, and plasma leptin, insulin and nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations were assayed. Body weight decreased in week 1 after the start of the experiment, it continued to decrease during the LE feeding, but it gradually increased until the end of HE period. Similarly, plasma leptin concentration decreased during LE feeding, but increased during the HE feeding. Additionally, positive correlation was obtained between leptin and insulin or glucose concentrations, whereas no clear relationship with circulating NEFA was observed. In conclusion, it was suggested that plasma leptin concentrations were affected by the metabolizable energy in feed.     

Seasonal differences in the field performance of micropropagated potato under a short growing season in Quebec

Field performance comparisons between ex vitro plantlet-derived (EVPD) plants and seed tuber-derived (STD) plants ofRusset Burbank were conducted for two consecutive years under a short growing season in Quebec. The EVPD plants produced more potential seed tubers than STD plants although total tuber biomass of EVPD plants was less than that of STD plants. The frequency and weight distributions of tubers formed by the two types of propagates were different. The EVPD plants produced significantly more small sized tubers and fewer large sized tubers than the STD plants. Average tuber weight was less for EVPD than STD plants for each of five size categories. No significant differences were found in the fresh and dry weight of plants, leaves and stems at harvest time. However, plant height and growth habit differed between the two types of propagates. The EVPD plants had a unique appearance. They produced a single stem with extensive axillary bud development. The EVPD plants were apparently more susceptible to early water stress in the field than STD plants, probably due to an earlier production of stolons. No differences were found between ex vitro plantlet- or microtuber-derived plants, in plant growth or yield characteristics.     

Microtuber dormancy in three potato cultivars

Microtuber size, media growth regulators, incubation period, as well as bud maturity and endogenous abscisic acid content of microtubers were evaluated for their effects on length of dormant period of Kennebec, Russet Burbank and Superior microtubers. The dormant period of microtubers was found to be cultivar-specific and a significant correlation was observed betweenin vitro andin vivo dormant periods. Smaller microtubers (≤250 mg) had longer dormant periods than did those greater than 250 mg. Dormant periods were unaffected by addition of coumarin or 2-(chloroethyl)-trimethylammoniumchloride and 6-benzylaminopurine to the culture media or incubation period (28 and 56 days). Developmental age had no effect on individual buds ability to break dormancy and elongate. A positive correlation was observed between tissue levels of abscisic acid and microtuber dormant periods.     

Foaming and Emulsifying Properties of Fractions of Gluten Peptides Obtained by Limited Enzymatic Hydrolysis and Ultrafiltration

Gluten hydrolysates were prepared by limited enzymatic hydrolysis with a protease having a chymotryptic activity in the presence or in the absence of cysteine during the dispersion phase of the process. The hydrolysates were fractionated by ultrafiltration, using two inorganic membranes with different molecular weight cut-off (MWCO), 50 kg/mol and 150 kg/mol. The retentates were enriched in hydrophobic peptides and the permeates were enriched in hydrophilic peptides. The foaming and emulsifying properties of hydrolysates, retentates and permeates were analysed at two pHs (4 and 6·5) and two salt concentrations (0·2 and 2% NaCl). Hydrolysates displayed a foaming capacity, but the foams were not stable. Permeates generated foams at pH 6·5 only, and these foams had a very short life-time. Permeates displayed no emulsifying properties. Retentates yielded foams with a good stability and were more efficient than whole hydrolysates to stabilise emulsions. They provided a strong resistance to coalescence. The functional properties of retentates were only sightly influenced by pH and ionic strength. Neither cysteine addition, which helps gluten dispersion and increases the yield of soluble hydrolysate, nor the MWCO of the ultrafiltration membranes influenced the functionality of the hydrolysate fractions.     

Development of an ELISA for quantifying lysozyme in hen egg white

An indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) by inhibition was developed for quantifying lysozyme in hen egg white (HEW), a protein of value in not only the food and pharmaceutical industries but also for poultry research. Various experimental conditions (coating, antibodies dilutions, samples dilutions, preparations, blocking agents, and incubation times) were assayed to optimize this assay to the quantification of HEW in egg white samples. HEW samples were diluted 1:3000 to avoid matrix effects, possibly resulting from lysozyme interaction with other egg white proteins. Assay linearity for lysozyme ranged from 0.38 to 4.8 mug/mL, with intra- and interassay variations of 6.8% and 7.6%, respectively, and the lower detection limit was 0.264 mug/mL. We found that lysozyme concentrations in albumen from eggs laid by a hen cohort ranged from 2.2 to 4.5 mg/mL, thus underlining interhen variability. Overall, these data present an ELISA assay that is simple, quick, sensitive, accurate, and has been specifically designed to determine lysozyme concentrations in egg white samples.     

Impact assessment of urban waste processing systems using a multibox model

A set of 14 household waste management system scenarios have been ranked according to the environmental impact of their respective refuse outputs. Each system has been characterized by the annual release of 8 chemical elements, namely: S, Cl, Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg and Pb. The method relies on the determination of a load factor, which is defined as the ratio between the actual pollutant concentration and the accepted norm for this concentration. These figures are calculated via a three box model, where the three boxes are air, water and soil. The model considers the pollutant output from each scenario, the dilution or accumulation in each box as well as dry deposition from air to water and soil. The pollutant load factors are then aggregated in order to obtain a score. These scores allow a final scenario grade to be determined, which can then be used to rank the various scenarios. The final grades are strongly dependant on the presence of deposition terms as well as on the values chosen for the individual pollutant concentration norms, whereas they are reasonably independent of all other parameters.     

Spatial attributes of fire regime in eastern Canada: influences of regional landscape physiography and climate

The characterization of the fire regime in the boreal forest rarely considers spatial attributes other than fire size. This study investigates the spatial attributes of fires using the physiography of the landscape as a spatial constraint at a regional scale. Using the Canadian National Fire Database, the size, shape, orientation and eccentricity were assessed for 1,136 fires between 1970 and 2010 in Quebec’s boreal forest and were summarized by ecodistrict. These spatial metrics were used to cluster 33 ecodistricts into homogeneous fire zones and then to determine which environmental variables (climate, topography, hydrography, and surficial deposits) influence the spatial attributes of fires. Analyses showed that 28 out of 33 ecodistricts belonging to a given fire zone were spatially contiguous, suggesting that factors driving the spatial attributes of fire are acting at a regional scale. Indeed, the orientation and size of fires vary significantly among the zones and are driven by the spatial orientation of the landscape and the seasonal regional climate. In some zones, prevailing winds during periods conducive to fire events parallel to the orientation of the landscape may favour the occurrence of very large fires (>100,000 ha). Conversely, an orientation of the landscape opposite to the prevailing winds may act as a natural firebreak and limit the fire size and orientation. This study highlights the need to consider the synergistic relationship between the landscape spatial patterns and the climate regime over the spatial attributes of fire at supra-regional scale. Further scale-dependant studies are needed to improve our understanding of the spatial factors controlling the spatial attributes of fire.