Carotenoids from Marine Microalgae: A Valuable Natural Source for the Prevention of Chronic Diseases

Epidemiological studies have shown a relation between antioxidants and the prevention of several chronic diseases. Microalgae are a potential novel source of bioactive molecules, including a wide range of different carotenoids that can be used as nutraceuticals, food supplements and novel food products. The objective of this review is (i) to update the research that has been carried out on the most known carotenoids produced by marine microalgae, including reporting on their high potentialities to produce other less known important compounds; (ii) to compile the work that has been done in order to establish some relationship between carotenoids and oxidative protection and treatment; (iii) to summarize the association of oxidative stress and the various reactive species including free radicals with several human diseases; and (iv) to provide evidence of the potential of carotenoids from marine microalgae to be used as therapeutics to treat or prevent these oxidative stress-related diseases.     

Tetrodotoxin,an Extremely Potent Marine Neurotoxin: Distribution,Toxicity, Origin and Therapeutical Uses

Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a potent neurotoxin responsible for many human intoxications and fatalities each year. The origin of TTX is unknown, but in the pufferfish, it seems to be produced by endosymbiotic bacteria that often seem to be passed down the food chain. The ingestion of contaminated pufferfish, considered the most delicious fish in Japan, is the usual route of toxicity. This neurotoxin, reported as a threat to human health in Asian countries, has spread to the Pacific and Mediterranean, due to the increase of temperature waters worldwide. TTX, for which there is no known antidote, inhibits sodium channel producing heart failure in many cases and consequently death. In Japan, a regulatory limit of 2 mg eq TTX/kg was established, although the restaurant preparation of “fugu” is strictly controlled by law and only chefs qualified are allowed to prepare the fish. Due to its paralysis effect, this neurotoxin could be used in the medical field as an analgesic to treat some cancer pains.     

Thermal time requirements of root-knot nematodes on zucchini-squash and population dynamics with associated yield losses on spring and autumn cropping cycles

The present research was undertaken to evaluate the effects of soil temperature on the life cycle of root-knot nematodes (RKN) on zucchini-squash in growth chambers and to assess the relationship between Meloidogyne incognita soil population densities at planting (Pi), its multiplication rate, and crop losses of zucchini in field conditions. Thermal requirements for M. incognita and M. javanica were determined by cultivating zucchini plants in pots inoculated with 200 second stage juveniles (J2) of each Meloidogyne species at constant temperatures of 17, 21, 25, and 28 °C. Number of days from nematode inoculation until appearance of egg laying females and until egg hatching were separately recorded. For life cycle completion, base temperatures (Tb) of 12?ºC and 10.8?ºC and accumulated degree-days above Tb (S) of 456 and 526, were estimated for M. incognita and M. javanica, respectively. The relationship between fruit weight and M. incognita Pi fits the Seinhorst damage function, but differed accordingly to the cropping season, spring or autumn. Tolerance limits for M. incognita on zucchini were 8.1 J2 per 250 cm³ of soil in spring and 1.5 in autumn cropping cycles, and the minimum relative yields were 0.61 in spring and 0.69 in autumn. Zucchini-squash was a poorer host for M. incognita in spring than in autumn, since maximum multiplication rates (a) and equilibrium densities (E) were lower in spring (a?=?16–96; E?=?274–484) than in autumn (a?=?270–2307; E?=?787–1227).     

基于SIRMOD模型的畦灌入渗参数估算及灌溉模拟

土壤入渗参数是地面灌溉中制定灌溉制度、评价灌水质量的重要指标。针对现有估算方法存在计算工作量较大、精度不高的现状,根据田间实测资料,利用SIRMOD模型,对小麦畦灌条件下田间土壤入渗参数进行了估算。与用Maheshwari法计算结果较为接近,差异均在2.0%以内。根据估算的土壤入渗参数,应用SIRMOD模型进行了多组合灌溉模拟,在保证灌水质量较高的条件下,得出了在不同亏缺水量时的适宜灌水量和灌水流量,通过田间实例验证表明模拟效果较好。     

Characterization of humus-protease complexes extracted from soil

Pyrophosphate (140 mM, pH 7.1) extracts of two arable soils and one pasture soil were ultrafiltrated separating the extracted material into three fractions: A_I with nominal molecular weight (nmw) > 100 kD, A_II with nmw between 10 kD and 100 kD and R with nmw < 10 kD. Protease activity was determined in the fractions by using three different substrates: N-benzoyl-l-argininamide (BAA), specific for trypsin; N-benzyloxy-carbonyl-l-phenylalanyl l-leucine (ZPL), specific for carboxypeptidases; and casein, essentially a non-specific substrate. The derivative fractions were also analysed for their amino acid N and humic (HA) and fulvic (FA) acid contents. The organic matter of extracts and derivative fractions obtained from the pasture soil was analysed by isoelectric focusing (IEF) and that of fractions analysed by pyrolysis gas chromatography (Py-GC). Activities of the extract were monitored for their thermal stability and those of the extract and derivative fractions for their optimal pH.Due to the mechanical disintegrating action of sodium pyrophosphate over the humic substances during the fractionation process the amount of total organic C and FA in the fractions was ranked as R > A_II > A_I. The lowest amino acid N/organic C was found in the R fraction, whereas A_II fraction was rich in humic acids, carbohydrates and amino acid N and A_I fraction showed the lowest carbohydrate content. At least 70% of the total BAA- and ZPL-hydrolysing activity was associated to particles with nmw higher than 10 kD and at least 30% of these activities were present in particles with nmw higher 100 kD. Casein-hydrolysing activity was quite evenly distributed among the three fractions (A_I, A_II and R). The extracted protease-organic complexes were resistant to thermal denaturation and some of them showed optimal activity at pH values higher than 10 as a result of the polyanionic characteristics of the humic material surrounding enzyme molecules and of the presence of alkaline protease. Comparison of data obtained in Py-GC analyses and in protease activity suggests that BAA-hydrolysing activity was associated to a highly condensed humic matter and ZPL-hydrolysing activity to less resistant humic substances, while at least some of the extracted casein-hydrolysing activity was present as glyco-proteins not associated to humus. BAA-hydrolysing activity was probably inhibited by fresh organic matter of carbohydrate origin whereas lignin derived organic matter probably inhibited ZPL- and casein-hydrolysing activity.