Antioxidant activity of ferulic acid alkyl esters in a heterophasic system: a mechanistic insight

The antioxidant activity of some esters of ferulic acid with the linear fatty alcohols C7, C8 (branched and linear), C9, C11, C12, C13, C15, C16, and C18 has been studied in homogeneous and heterogeneous phases. Whereas in homogeneous phase all of the alkyl ferulates possessed similar radical-scavenging abilities, in rat liver microsomes they showed striking differences, the more effective being C12 (7) (IC50 = 11.03 M), linear C8 (3) (IC50 = 12.40 microM), C13 (8) (IC50 = 18.60 microM), and C9 (5) (IC50 = 19.74 microM), followed by C7 (2), C15 (9), C11 (6), branched C8 (4), C16 (10), and C18 (11) (ferulic acid was the less active, IC50 = 243.84 microM). All of the molecules showed similar partition coefficients in an octanol-buffer system. Three-dimensional studies (NMR in solution, modeling in vacuo) indicate that this behavior might be due to a different anchorage of the molecules with the ester side chain to the microsomal phospholipid bilayer and to a consequent different orientation/positioning of the scavenging phenoxy group outside the membrane surface against the flux of oxy radicals.     

Effect of High Organic Loading Rates of Particulate and Dissolved Organic Matter on the Efficiency of Shallow Experimental Horizontal Subsurface-flow Constructed Wetlands

Two identical experimental subsurface-flow constructed wetlands were operated at relatively high organic loading rates (23 g COD m^?2 day^?1) for 4 months to evaluate their relative ability to remove either dissolved organic carbon (glucose, considered to be a readily biodegradable substrate) or particulate organic carbon (starch, considered to be a slowly biodegradable substrate). The systems were built using plastic containers (0.93 m long, 0.59 m wide and 0.52 m high) that were filled with an 0.35 m layer of wetted gravel (D₆₀?=?3.5 mm, uniformity coefficient C_u?=?D₆₀/D₁₀?=?1.7) and the water level was maintained at 0.05 m under the gravel surface to give a water depth of 0.30 m. The results indicated that there was no significant difference in COD removal between the two systems. Both systems generally had COD removal rates of over 90%, which is quite high if the heavy load applied is taken into account. The removal of ammonium was greater in the glucose-fed system (57%) in comparison with the starch-fed system (43%). Based on mass balance calculations and stoichiometric relationships, it was estimated that denitrification and sulphate reduction were minor pathways for the removal of organic matter. Indirect observations allowed to assume that methanogenesis made a highly significant contribution to the removal of organic matter.     

Woodland networks in a changing climate: Threats from land use change

Landscape adaptation to climate change requires policies that facilitate species dispersal, to counteract the effects of fragmentation and allow tracking of a species’ ‘climatic niche’. Expanding existing ecological networks is often proposed as a measure to maintain functional connectivity for forest species in multi-functional landscapes.In the next decades, however, such networks will be threatened by climate change through its effects on land use change, as global drivers are likely to have an increasing influence on national land use policy. Evaluation of indirect effects of climate change, on habitat networks, mediated by land use change, is therefore needed. We used an approach integrating climate, soil properties, and landscape resistance to dispersal, the latter estimated using Circuit Theory, to evaluate the vulnerability to land use change of forest habitat networks in Scotland, given two scenarios of land use change. In Scotland a combination of high food prices and improved land capability for agriculture could lead to decreased landscape connectivity for woodland species, especially in the East and South, with potentially large trade-offs between agriculture and woodland connectivity in the case of loss of woodland on prime agricultural land. We suggest that planning of ecological networks needs to account for future land use change. Adaptation and mitigation strategies across multiple sectors should be reconciled. Woodland networks will benefit from minimising creation of new woodlands on future prime agricultural land, the protection of existing patches, and the creation of wide-scale dispersal pathways along climatic gradients, i.e. in the N–S and E–W directions.     

IRMS as a tool to obtain the carbon turnover (δ13C) in organs of weaned piglets fed glutamic acid and nucleotides

Early weaning of piglets causes stress characterized by a decrease in feed intake followed by a decline in growth rates; thus, a fast recovery represents an essential step for proper growth of these animals. Considering that IRMS is a potential tool for non‐destructive sampling and the fact that it provides time‐integrated estimate of assimilated and not just ingested nutrients turned possible its application to evaluate the effects of dietary nucleotides and glutamate on carbon turnover (δ¹³C) in organs of weanling piglets. At day 0, three piglets were slaughtered (prior to diet switch), the remaining eighty‐four piglets weaned at 21‐day‐old were randomly assigned in a complete block design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments (two Nu levels: 0 and 0.1% and two Glu levels: 0 and 1%), being three piglets per treatment slaughtered on trial days 3, 6, 9, 14, 21, 35 and 49. The samples were analysed by IRMS and adjusted to first‐order equation by a non‐linear regression analysis using NLIN of SAS, in order to establish exponential graphics. After that, the turnover data were submitted to analysis of variance using GLM of SAS. The turnover value (t_95%) verified for spleen was faster (p < 0.05) when glutamate was supplemented in diets. For pancreas and liver, the turnover rates were faster (p < 0.05) for the mixture of additives. However, for renal tissue, the turnover rate (t_95%) was greater (p < 0.05) for the free additive diet. The results obtained suggest that the mixture of additives was more efficient to develop the digestive tract at post‐weaning phase, taking into account the functional importance of pancreas and liver for nutrients’ digestion and processing.     

A molecular epidemiology study reveals the presence of identical genotypes on grapevines and ground cover weeds and the existence of separate genetic groups in a Botrytis cinerea population

Botrytis cinerea, the grey mould agent, is one of the most important pathogens of grapevine, due to the great yield losses caused and the economic costs related to disease control. Ground cover plants are assumed to have a role in the complex epidemiology of the pathogen, even if no information on the genetic variability of the strains is available. In this study, a molecular epidemiology approach, based on the comparative analysis of the nucleotide sequences of multiple genes (ITS1-ITS2, G3PDH, NEP1, NEP2, BC-hch, and sdhB), was used to evaluate whether B. cinerea isolated from herbaceous species contributes to grey mould diffusion on grapevines. From 330 samples collected in two vineyards in Lombardy, Italy, 63 B. cinerea strains were isolated from tissues of grapevine with symptoms (50 strains) and spontaneous ground cover plants (13 strains). Capsella bursa-pastoris, Cardamine impatiens, Lamium purpureum, and Crepis tectorum were identified as novel B. cinerea hosts. Sequence analysis and phylogeny showed that the same genotypes were present on both grapevines and herbaceous plants, with no fitness (estimated from growth and sporulation on potato dextrose agar) or pathogenicity (on grapevine leaves and berries, and tomato leaves) penalties. This confirms that ground cover plants can be a source of inoculum for B. cinerea on grapevine. Moreover, phylogenetic analysis of the BC-hch gene allowed the identification of two genetically distinct clusters, characterized by vegetative incompatibility and different distributions of the mating types, fitness, and pathogenicity. Therefore, B. cinerea seems to be composed of two diverging subpopulations that do not differ for host specialization.     

Genetic characterization of an Italian Giant Reed (Arundo donax L.) clones collection: exploiting clonal selection

This study is the first report of combining ability and heterosis for important vitamins and antioxidant plant pigments in cauliflower. Five CMS lines were crossed with 8 male fertile lines in line × tester design to develop 40 hybrids. These hybrids along with parental lines were evaluated for different vitamins and anti-oxidant pigments to reveal extent of heterosis and genetic combining ability. The CMS line Ogu12A was good general combiner (gca effect) and Ogu16A was poor general combiner for most of the important traits under study. Most of the heterotic hybrid combinations were associated high specific combing ability (sca effect). However, gca effect was also important in developing quality heterotic hybrids. The proportions of $\sigma_{\text{gca}}^{ 2} /\sigma_{\text{sca}}^{2}$ were less than unity in all the cases indicating the role of non-additive gene action for most of the traits. Highest number of heterotic hybrids in positive direction was recorded for ascorbic acid content followed by anthocyanin content. The accumulated average heterosis of the 40 hybrids was in positive direction for ascorbic acid, anthocyanin and lycopene concentration whereas it was in negative direction for carotenoids and chlorophyll pigments. Very high heterosis for ascorbic acid, anthocyanin and carotenoids in cauliflower indicated the scope for development of F₁ hybrids with higher concentration of these vitamins and anti-oxidant pigments. It is possible to develop heterotic hybrids for different vitamins and anti-oxidant plant pigments through selection of parental lines based on desirable genetic combing ability.     

Yeast Flora in Oropharyngeal and Rectal Mucous Membranes of Healthy and Critically Ill Neonatal Foals

Little is known about the normal or pathologic yeast flora in healthy and critically ill neonatal foals. The aims of this study were to evaluate the yeast flora colonizing the mucous membranes of the digestive tract (oropharynx and rectum mucous membranes) of healthy and hospitalized foals and to find out risk factors involved in yeast colonization of foals referred to a neonatal intensive care unit. A total of 240 swabs were collected from 21 healthy (group A) and 39 sick (group B) foals. In 14 of the 60 foals, yeast was isolated in at least one sample (23.3%): 3 of the 21 foals (14.3%) were positive in group A and 11 of 39 foals (28.2%) were positive in group B. The yeasts were isolated from rectal swabs obtained from none in healthy foals, whereas 5 of the 39 sick foals were positive; however, this difference was not statistically significant. No significant difference was also detected regarding oropharyngeal swabs between healthy (3/21) and sick (10/39) foals. The risk factors significantly associated with the isolation of yeasts from rectal swabs were female sex, treatment with oral antibiotics, and stressful diagnostic–therapeutic procedures. The only risk factor significantly associated with the isolation of yeast from oropharyngeal swabs was the treatment with antacids and gastroprotectants. The results show that fungi present in the gastrointestinal tract of neonatal foals were mainly environmental yeasts and suggested the absence of a stable fungal colonization. Candida was the genus frequently isolated in hospitalized foals, just as it is isolated in critically ill human neonates.