Influence of Fucoidans on Hemostatic System

Three structurally different fucoidans from the brown seaweeds Saccharina latissima (SL), Fucus vesiculosus (FV), and Cladosiphon okamuranus (CO), two chemically modified fucoidans with a higher degree of sulfation (SL-S, CO-S), and a synthetic totally sulfated octasaccharide (OS), related to fucoidans, were assessed on anticoagulant and antithrombotic activities in different in vitro experiments. The effects were shown to depend on the structural features of the compounds tested. Native fucoidan SL with a degree of sulfation (DS) of 1.3 was found to be the most active sample, fucoidan FV (DS 0.9) demonstrated moderate activity, while the polysaccharide CO (DS 0.4) was inactive in all performed experiments, even at high concentrations. Additional introduction of sulfate groups into fucoidan SL slightly decreased the anticoagulant effect of SL-S, while sulfation of CO, giving rise to the preparation CO-S, increased the activity dramatically. The high level of anticoagulant activity of polysaccharides SL, SL-S, and CO-S was explained by their ability to form ternary complexes with ATIII-Xa and ATIII-IIa, as well as to bind directly to thrombin. Synthetic per-O-sulfated octasaccharide OS showed moderate anticoagulant effect, determined mainly by the interaction of OS with the factor Xa in the presence of ATIII. Comparable tendencies were observed in the antithrombotic properties of the compounds tested.     

Identification and sequence characterisation of molecular markers polymorphic between male kiwifruit (Actinidiachinensis var. deliciosa (A. Chev.) A. Chev.) accessions exhibiting different flowering time

Fruit set in kiwifruit is strongly dependent on pollination, which is limited by the lack of efficient male pollen donors, among other factors. We searched for molecular markers that could be polymorphic in relation to flowering time in order to classify male kiwifruit plants to discard those that are not likely to perform as efficient pollen donors. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and modified amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers were generated using 41 male kiwifruit plants in two flowering groups, early- and late-flowering males (with respect to the female cultivar ‘Hayward’). One RAPD and nine modified-AFLP markers polymorphic between male plants exhibiting different flowering time were identified, sequenced and analysed in databases. Unweighted pair group method with arithmetic average (UPGMA) clustering and multidimensional scaling showed that these markers could be used to classify the male plants into flowering groups. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) agreed with this classification, showing that most of the genetic variation is found between flowering groups. Sequence analysis based on a database search revealed that the polymorphism PolM contains a 7-nucleotide long element involved in the repression of the phytochrome A gene, that Pol4 is a partial sequence of a phytochrome B gene, and that sequences Pol3, Pol5, Pol7, and Pol9 show high identity with ESTs from kiwifruit buds treated with hydrogen cyanamide. Clustering analysis supported the previous classification of males into flowering groups, making it feasible to predict male plants’ flowering times with respect to the cultivar ‘Hayward’ based upon these molecular markers.     

A framework for the integrated assessment and management of dredged materials in Italy: a case study based on the application of Local Sediment Quality Guidelines

Purpose

In order to assess sediment quality and to account for the great geochemical heterogeneity of Italian coasts, Local Sediment Quality Guidelines (LSQGs) have to be defined for specific portions of the coastline based on the approach developed by ICRAM–APAT (2007). This paper describes the application of LSQGs to the harbour of Fiumicino (Rome, Italy). The aims were to evaluate the quality of dredging sediments through an integrated chemical–ecotoxicological approach and to define suitable management options.

Materials and methods

Thirty-eight sediment cores, covering the planned dredging depth, were collected in the study area and sliced into 92 sediment samples. Chemical analyses, including inorganic and organic contaminants as well as microbiological parameters, were carried out for all the samples. A bioassay battery composed by the bacterium Vibrio fischeri, the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus and the alga Dunaliella tertiolecta was applied on one third of the samples. LSQGs were derived from chemical and ecotoxicological data of the harbour area, and were integrated with those from the identified dumping site. The Baseline Chemical Level, corresponding to an absent or unlikely ecotoxicological hazard, and the Limit Chemical Level, corresponding to a probable ecotoxicological hazard, were the LSQGs derived for each chemical.

Results and discussion

A gradient of increasing contamination, moving inland due to urban and agricultural effluents, was observed. Ecotoxicological analyses, similar to microbiological ones, confirmed the poor sediment quality, with the exception of a sample located at the port entrance, where hydrodynamics flush sediment away from the site. Principal component analysis allowed a clear discrimination of three areas, each affected by a different contamination degree and influenced by many sources related to industrial, commercial and/or urban activities. Using LSQGs and the results of bioassays, it was possible to classify the sediment quality of the whole harbour area and to define the most suitable management options. It was found that Fiumicino harbour sediment was not suitable for either beach nourishment or for offshore dumping, with the exception of a negligible amount located at the port entrance. In turn, most sediment seemed to be suitable for disposal in a properly sealed confined disposal facility or for mechanical/chemical treatment.

Conclusions

This case study provided useful insights for implementing the development of LSQGs for more realistic sediment management and will assist in promoting its application to harbour dredging at the local level.     

Effect of humic preparation on winter wheat productivity and rhizosphere microbial community under herbicide-induced stress

Purpose

The aim of the present work was to study the effect of humic preparation on the yielding capacity of winter wheat, the dynamics of mineral nutrients in the rhizosphere, and the activity of rhizosphere microbial community, as well as the protective properties of humate treatment under the stress caused by the application of a sulfonylurea herbicide.

Materials and methods

The humic preparation BIO-Don is prepared from vermicompost by alkaline extraction. The effect of humic preparation was estimated in a field experiment. The contents of the mobile ammonium and nitrate, exchangeable potassium, phosphorus, and humus were determined. Sampling and nutrient determination were performed in the tillering, booting, and grain maturing stages. Production experiments on the study of the combined effect of the humic preparation and the sunfonylurea pesticide Granstar Pro were performed in 2015 and 2017. The dynamics of mobile phosphorus in soil was studied. The abundance of culturable bacteria in the rhizosphere and bacterial species with different ecological strategies was determined. The dominant bacterial species were identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

Results and discussion

The results of a small-plot experiment showed that at the tillering stage, the use of humic preparation has led to significantly higher supply of soil with mobile phosphorus. The winter wheat yield was 32.0 dt/ha in the control and 39.2 dt/ha with humic preparation or 22.5% gain in yield. The results of production experiment show that the application of sulfonylurea herbicide induced a chemical stress on winter wheat plants, but the use of humic preparation reduced this effect and increased the availability of phosphorus compounds. The treatment of plants with pesticides caused the general decrease in abundance of bacteria in the rhizosphere. The effect on quickly growing bacteria is more pronounced, while slowly growing bacteria and fungi are more resistant to this impact.

Conclusions

The application of humic preparation to winter wheat plantations allows to decrease the toxic effect of sulfonylurea herbicide, improve the supply of soil with mineral nutrients, and increase the crop yield. The favorable effects of humic preparation can be related to the active regulation of phosphorus mobilization by plants through the mechanism of root exudates due to the activation of root microbiota.

     

Red chicories as potent scavengers of highly reactive radicals: a study on their phenolic composition and peroxyl radical trapping capacity and efficiency

Eight varieties of Cichorium genus vegetables (five heavily red colored, one red spotted, and two fully green) were investigated for their phenolic content (by HPLC and UV-vis spectrophotometry) and for their antioxidant activity. In particular, the capacity (that is, the amount of trapped peroxyl radicals) and the efficiency (that is, the amount of antioxidant necessary to halve the steady-state concentration of peroxyl radicals) were measured. All of the studied chicories are characterized by the presence of a large amount of hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids, whereas the red color is due to cyanidin glycosides. The presence of these phenolics in red chicories confers to them an exceptionally high peroxyl radical scavenging activity in terms of both capacity and efficiency, particularly in their early stage of growth, and makes this popular and low-cost foods comparable or superior to many foods having well-known antioxidant properties such as red wine, blueberry, and tomato.     

A comparative study to evaluate efficiency of EDTA and calcium in alleviating arsenic toxicity to germinating and young <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vicia faba</Emphasis> L. seedlings

Purpose

This study delineated the effect of calcium (Ca) and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) addition on arsenic (As) accumulation and physiological attributes of Vicia faba L.

Materials and methods

Two separate experiments were performed. In the first experiment, V. faba seedlings, grown under hydroponic conditions, were exposed to three levels of As (25, 125 and 250 μM) in the presence and absence of three levels of EDTA (25, 125, 250 μM) and calcium (CaCl₂: 1, 5 and 10 mM). The effect of EDTA and Ca on As accumulation and physiological attributes of V. faba was assessed by determining As contents in roots and shoot, chlorophyll contents, H₂O₂ contents, and lipid peroxidation in young and old leaves. In the second experiment, V. faba seeds were grown in As-contaminated sand culture using the same treatment plan.

Results and discussion

The accumulation and toxicity of As to V. faba plants increased with increasing As levels in nutrient solution. Arsenic exposure enhanced the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in both roots and leaves, which resulted in lipid peroxidation and decreased chlorophyll contents. The presence of both EDTA and Ca, in general, significantly decreased As accumulation by V. faba seedlings, Ca being more effective than EDTA. Both the amendments decreased As-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and lipid peroxidation. In the case of chlorophyll contents, EDTA significantly decreased chlorophyll contents, while Ca significantly increased chlorophyll contents compared to As. The effect of all the treatments was more pronounced in roots than leaves and in young leaves compared to old leaves.

Conclusions

It is proposed that EDTA and Ca greatly affect As accumulation and toxicity to V. faba, and the effect varies greatly with their applied levels as well as type and age of plant organs. The germinating seedlings of V. faba may be preferred for risk assessment studies, while transplanting 1-week-old V. faba seedlings to As-contaminated soils can decrease its toxicity.

     

Spatial heterogeneity provides organic matter refuges for soil microbial activity in the Patagonian steppe, Argentina

In arid and semi-arid ecosystems that are frequently classified as water limited, it is unclear how spatial and temporal variability of vegetation and climate could affect microbially-mediated soil processes. Our objective was to determine how aboveground spatial heterogeneity creates characteristic soil conditions that modulate microbial growth and activity in a semi-arid Patagonian steppe. In particular, we explored how micro-environmental and biogeochemical soil characteristics generated by the native vegetation could control soil β-glucosidase activity. Both life-form (shrubs, grasses, mosses and bare soil) and season exerted strong controls on all measured abiotic (soil temperature and gravimetric soil water content, inorganic nitrogen, pH and total C and N) and biotic (microbial biomass C and β-glucosidase activity) soil characteristics. Partial correlation between β-glucosidase activity and extracellular organic C (EOC) was high across seasons (r = 0.5; P < 0.001) while soil water content did not correlate with soil enzymatic activity (r = 0.09; P > 0.05). We postulate that labile soil carbon rather than water availability functions as a principal limitation of microbial activity in this semi-arid ecosystem, and the distribution of this carbon is, in large part, determined by the patchy distribution of vegetation.     

Chemical characterization of Sacha Inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.) oil

A chemical characterization of the major components, namely, triacylglycerols (TAGs), polyphenols, and tocopherols in a Sacha inchi oil derived from cold pressing of the seed, is hereby reported. To tackle such a task, high-performance liquid chromatography in combination with photodiode array (PDA), fluorescence (RF), and mass spectrometry (MS) detection was employed. The latter was interfaced with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization and with electrospray ionization for the analysis of TAGs and polyphenols, respectively, whereas RF detection was tested for the determination of tocopherol content. Furthermore, fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) were evaluated by gas chromatography-flame ionization detector. A 93% amount of total fatty acids was represented by unsaturated FAMEs with the greatest percentage represented by linoleic (L) and linolenic (Ln) accounting for approximately 50 and 36%, respectively. The main TAGs (>10%) were represented by LLnL, LnLnLn, and LnLLn; the latter was present in the oil sample at the highest percentage (22.2%). Among tocopherols, γ-tocopherol was detected to be the most abundant component (over 50%). The polyphenolic composition was also investigated, and a total of 15 compounds were positively identified, through the complementary analytical information coming from PDA and MS data. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report providing a thorough chemical characterization of a Plukenetia volubilis L. oil.     

Impact of Chemical Substances on 137Cs Accumulation in Spring Wheat Seedlings and Their Cell Nuclei Reactions

The aim of the present work was to determine peculiarities of accumulation of ionic state ¹³⁷Cs in model experiments with seedlings of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L., ??Nandu??) using laboratory experiments and to evaluate the complex effect of ¹³⁷Cs ionizing radiation and geochemical factors on the growth of this plant. ¹³⁷Cs accumulation in seedlings is influenced by the presence of mineral substances in the nutritional medium and by the conditions of illumination. Mineral substances (K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Cu²⁺, NH ₄ ⁺ , P⁵⁺, Fe³⁺) reduced the ¹³⁷Cs accumulation coefficient of seedlings approximately three times. Addition of heavy metals as well as anionic group NO ₃ ^? to the growth medium caused insignificant changes in the level of radionuclide accumulation. In the model systems of RNA synthesis with wheat seedling cells nuclei isolated after complex treatment (in vivo) by ¹³⁷Cs and HM showed clear inhibition of the RNA-polymerase II. This inhibition manifested itself as a complex effect of ¹³⁷Cs ionizing radiation and heavy metals.     

Modulation of antioxidant compounds in organic vs conventional fruit (peach,Prunus persica L., and pear,Pyrus communis L.)

Despite the increasing interest in organic products, knowledge about how different levels of fertilization affect nutritionally relevant components is still limited. The concentration of polyphenols and the activity of polyphenoloxidase (PPO), together with the content in ascorbic acid, citric acid, and alpha- and gamma-tocopherol, were assayed in conventional and organic peach (Prunus persica L., cv. Regina bianca) and pear (Pyrus communis L., cv. Williams). 2-Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and the tocopherolquinone/alpha-tocopherol ratio were used as markers of oxidative damage in fruits. A parallel increase in polyphenol content and PPO activity of organic peach and pear as compared with the corresponding conventional samples was found. Ascorbic and citric acids were higher in organic than conventional peaches, whereas alpha-tocopherol was increased in organic pear. The concentration of oxidation products in organic samples of both fruits was comparable to that of the corresponding conventional ones. These data provide evidence that an improvement in the antioxidant defense system of the plant occurred as a consequence of the organic cultivation practice. This is likely to exert protection against damage of fruit when grown in the absence of pesticides.