Evaluation of the intrinsic competitiveness and saprophytic competence of Rhizobium tropici IIB strains

Inoculation of beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) with strains of R. tropici IIB and R. etli resulted in the disappearance of the R. tropici IIB stains from the nodule population and their replacement by other (non R. tropici IIB) bean symbionts (Vlassak et al. 1996). Coinoculation studies in monoxenic conditions and in soil core microcosms with plants harvested at two different growth stages indicated that the inoculated R. tropici IIB strains CIAT899 and F98.5 possess a good intrinsic competitiveness which declines, however, at a later plant growth stage and in soil conditions. The poor saprophytic competence of R. tropici IIB strain CIAT899 was further demonstrated by its poor survival in soil core microcosms after bean harvest. Strains were isolated from the field plots with a 3-year bean-planting history, characterized and evaluated for their competitiveness against R. tropici IIB strain CIAT899. Isolates from field plots, which had been repeatedly inoculated with R. tropici IIB strain CIAT899, showed a higher nodule occupancy compared to R. tropici IIB strain CIAT899, and this higher competitiveness exhibited by the field isolates might be an additional reason for the poor performance of R. tropici IIB strain CIAT899 in the field study. Plots with and without a history of bean production revealed after 3-year bean cultivation an almost totally different population that also significantly differed in competitiveness. Received: 12 February 1996     

Cadmium and other heavy metals in sea-skaters

Exceptionally high concentrations of Cd (100 to 200 ppm dry weight) were found in samples of Halobates collected off Baja California. In contrast, no detectable Cd was found in Rheumatobates collected from mangrove lagoons in the Gulf of California. Concentrations of five other heavy metals in the two marine insects are also presented.     

Flavonoids in vegetable foods commonly consumed in Brazil and estimated ingestion by the Brazilian population

The objective of this work was to quantify the flavonoids present in foods most commonly consumed by the Brazilian population. The predominant flavonoids found in largest abundance in all of the analyzed vegetables were glycosides of quercetin. In lettuce, a small amount of luteolin was also detected. In sweet pepper, quercetin and luteolin were both present. White onion [48-56 mg/100 g of fresh weight (FW), expressed as aglycon], red onion (40-100 mg/100 g of FW), red lettuce (67-67.2 mg/100 g of FW), arugula (41-118 mg/100 g of FW), and chicory (18-38 mg/100 g of FW) were highest in total flavonoids. In fruits, the highest concentrations of flavonoids were found in the peel (125-170 mg/100 g of FW) and pulp (35-44 mg/100 g of FW) of oranges and in some apple varieties (14-36 mg/100 g of FW). Variability in flavonoid content due to time of harvesting was high for leafy vegetables and red onions. The estimated ingestion by Brazilian population ranged from 60 to 106 mg/day.     

Ultrafast electron crystallography of interfacial water

We report direct determination of the structures and dynamics of interfacial water on a hydrophilic surface with atomic-scale resolution using ultrafast electron crystallography. On the nanometer scale, we observed the coexistence of ordered surface water and crystallite-like ice structures, evident in the superposition of Bragg spots and Debye-Scherrer rings. The structures were determined to be dominantly cubic, but each undergoes different dynamics after the ultrafast substrate temperature jump. From changes in local bond distances (OH.O and O.O) with time, we elucidated the structural changes in the far-from-equilibrium regime at short times and near-equilibration at long times.     

Shared cortical anatomy for motor awareness and motor control

In everyday life, the successful monitoring of behavior requires continuous updating of the effectiveness of motor acts; one crucial step is becoming aware of the movements one is performing. We studied the anatomical distribution of lesions in right-brain-damaged hemiplegic patients, who obstinately denied their motor impairment, claiming that they could move their paralyzed limbs. Denial was associated with lesions in areas related to the programming of motor acts, particularly Brodmann's premotor areas 6 and 44, motor area 4, and the somatosensory cortex. This association suggests that monitoring systems may be implemented within the same cortical network that is responsible for the primary function that has to be monitored.     

Effects of diluted and undiluted treated wastewater on the growth,physiological aspects and visual quality of potted lantana and polygala plants

In many nurseries in the Mediterranean area irrigation water supply is a major problem due to climatic conditions, and it is important to evaluate alternative water resources, such as treated wastewater, for ornamental plant production. For this reason, a nursery study was conducted in order to determine: (1) the effect of irrigation with a saline reclaimed wastewater (reused water) on the growth and visual quality of Lantana camara and Polygala myrtifolia, and (2) the effectiveness of the mixing the same water with canal water to reduce any negative effects observed with the reused water. Potted plants were irrigated with reused water, canal water and reused water diluted 50% with canal water. The results suggest that polygala can be irrigated with reused water since visual damage is minimal and growth reduction very slight, which seems to be related with the plant's low accumulation of saline ions. In lantana, reused water led to an excessive uptake of chloride, sodium and boron in the leaves, which was associated with defoliation, leaf burn, leaf chlorosis and damage to the photosynthetic apparatus, diminishing both growth and its aesthetic value. The dilution of reused water alleviated some negative effects in lantana, but not sufficiently to avoid a significant loss of plant quality.     

Antioxidants, free radicals, storage proteins, puroindolines, and proteolytic activities in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) seeds during accelerated aging

Seeds of bread wheat were incubated at 40 degrees C and 100% relative humidity for 0, 3, 4, 6, and 10 days. The effects of accelerated aging on seed germinability and some biochemical properties of flour (carotenoid, free radical, and protein contents and proteolytic activity) and gluten (free radical content and flexibility) were investigated. Seed germinability decreased during aging, resulting in seed death after 10 days. A progressive decrease of carotenoid content, in particular, lutein, was observed, prolonging the incubation, whereas the free radical content increased in both flour and gluten. A degradation of soluble and storage proteins was found, associated with a marked increase of proteolytic activity and a loss of viscoelastic properties of gluten. On the contrary, puroindolines were quite resistant to the treatment. The results are discussed in comparison with those previously obtained during accelerated aging of durum wheat seeds.     

In vivo bioinsecticidal activity toward Ceratitis capitata (fruit fly) and Callosobruchus maculatus (cowpea weevil) and in vitro bioinsecticidal activity toward different orders of insect pests of a trypsin inhibitor purified from tamarind tree (Tamarindus indica) seeds

A proteinaceous inhibitor with high activity against trypsin-like serine proteinases was purified from seeds of the tamarind tree (Tamarindus indica) by gel filtration on Shephacryl S-200 followed by a reverse-phase HPLC Vidac C18 TP. The inhibitor, called the tamarind trypsin inhibitor (TTI), showed a Mr of 21.42 kDa by mass spectrometry analysis. TTI was a noncompetitive inhibitor with a Ki value of 1.7 x 10(-9) M. In vitro bioinsecticidal activity against insect digestive enzymes from different orders showed that TTI had remarkable activity against enzymes from coleopteran, Anthonomus grandis (29.6%), Zabrotes subfasciatus (51.6%), Callosobruchus maculatus (86.7%), Rhyzopertha dominica(88.2%), and lepidopteron, Plodia interpuncptella (26.7%), Alabama argillacea (53.8%), and Spodoptera frugiperda (75.5%). Also, digestive enzymes from Diptera, Ceratitis capitata (fruit fly), were inhibited (52.9%). In vivo bioinsecticidal assays toward C. capitata and C. maculatus larvae were developed. The concentration of TTI (w/w) in the artificial seed necessary to cause 50% mortality (LD50) of larvae was 3.6%, and that to reduce mass larvae by 50.0% (ED50) was 3.2%. Furthermore, the mass C. capitata larvae were affected at 53.2% and produced approximately 34% mortality at a level of 4.0% (w/w) of TTI incorporated in artificial diets.     

Effect of storage temperature and water activity on the content and profile of isoflavones, antioxidant activity, and in vitro protein digestibility of soy protein isolates and defatted soy flours

The aim of this work was to study the effect of 1 year of storage at different temperatures and 1 month of storage at different water activities on the content and profile of isoflavones, antioxidant activity, and in vitro protein digestibility of defatted soy flours (DSF) and soy protein isolates (SPI). The storage for up to 1 year, at temperatures from -18 to 42 degrees C, had no effect on the total content of isoflavones, but the profile changed drastically at 42 degrees C, with a significant decrease of the percentage of malonylglucosides with a proportional increase of beta-glucosides. A similar effect was observed for SPI stored at a(w) = 0.87 for 1 month. For DSF, however, there was observed a great increase in aglycons (from 10 to 79%), probably due to the action of endogenous beta-glucosidases. The antioxidant activity decreased after storage at 42 degrees C, but the in vitro protein digestibility did not change.     

A novel series of O,O-diethyl O-(1,3-disubstituted-1,2,4-triazol-5-yl) phosphorothioates. Part II. Quantitative structure–activity relationships

The in-vivo toxicity data of 33 O,O-diethyl O-(1-alkyl-3-R″-1,2,4-triazol-5-yl) phosphorothioates, reported in Part I of this series, were subjected to multiregression analyses for the following organisms: Leptinotarsa decemlineata (larvae), Macrosiphum euphorbiae (aphids), Culex pipiens (adults), Spodoptera littoralis (larvae) and the rat. The activities were found to depend mainly on the steric parameters of R″, these being best expressed by the values L, B₁ and B₄ of the computer program STERIMOL. It was shown that there were different steric requirements for each species and these are discussed. The predictive values of the best equations were also estimated.