Local and scientific knowledge to assess plot quality in Central Spain

Farmers’ land management is a key factor for sustainable agriculture, yet the traditional knowledge which constitutes its base is seldom incorporated in the land and soil academic literature. The need for a hybrid approach that combines local (farmers’) and scientific knowledge is formally recognized. Plot quality criteria are a component of both sources of knowledge, playing an important role in shaping land management practices. Yet there are few case studies comparing the criteria used by farmers and soil scientists when assessing plot quality, particularly in developed countries. We compare the plot quality assessment done by a sample of 31 farmers in a semiarid area of Spain with an edaphic quality index (EQI) obtained through laboratory analyses of soil samples from 61 farm plots. There is a coincidence between farmer and laboratory assessments in 70% of cases. Plots identified by farmers as being of good quality have a significantly higher EQI than those identified as bad quality. The two key differentiating parameters were clay content (average 21% in good versus 18% in bad quality plots) and soil organic carbon content (1.6 and 1.3%, respectively), both closely related to soil water retention ability. A holistic land vision, a higher level of education and large differences in EQI between good and bad plots as assessed by farmers have a positive influence in the degree of coincidence between farmers’ and laboratory assessments.     

Effects of Agave fructans (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Agave tequilana</Emphasis> Weber var. azul) on Body Fat and Serum Lipids in Obesity

Obesity affects millions of people worldwide, constituting a public health problem associated with premature mortality. Agave fructans decrease fat mass, body and liver weight, and generate satiety in rodents. In the present study the effects of agave fructans on weight control, lipid profile, and physical tolerability were evaluated in obese people. Twenty-eight obese volunteers were randomly divided into two groups. In the first group, 96 mg/bw of agave fructans was administered for 12 weeks; in the second group, maltodextrin as a placebo was administered for 12 weeks. All participants consumed a low-calorie diet of 1500 kcal/day. Anthropometric and biochemical measurements were taken at baseline and at the end of the study. The body mass index (BMI) of the agave fructans treated group was reduced significantly from the baseline to the final measurements. Hip and waist circumferences decreased statistically in both groups. A decrease of 10% in total body fat was observed in the agave fructans treated group, resulting in a statistically significant difference in the final versus baseline measurements between the Agave fructans treated group and the placebo treated group. Triglycerides were reduced significantly in the agave fructans treated group. Glucose values did not change in either group. Agave fructans intake was safe and well tolerated throughout the study. The results showed that the ingestion of agave fructans enhanced the decrease in BMI, the decrease in total body fat, and the decrease in triglycerides in obese individuals who consume a low-calorie diet.     

The Caldenal ecosystem: Effects of a prescribed burning on soil chemical properties

Before and after a prescribed burning, the upper 2.5 cm of soil in patches of forage, nonforage, and shrub vegetation were sampled. Then, bulk density, gravimetric moisture, pH in water, available phosphorus, exchangeable cations, cationic exchange capacity, total nitrogen, total, particulate, and mineral organic carbon contents were determined. Maximum temperature ranges reached over the ground during burning were measured and the highest values were registered in shrubs. Results showed that total, particulate, and mineral organic carbon and total nitrogen contents and percent base saturation increased in all soils after burning, without detecting differential effects between vegetation patches. After burning, available phosphorus content increased both for forage and shrub patches. A Na⁺ content decrease was observed for all soils in the different patches while Mg²⁺ content increased. No changes in the other analyzed variables were observed. Prescribed burning, as studied in the present work, might improve the Caldenal soils’ chemical fertility, mainly due to an increase in labile organic matter and some nutrients essential for plant growth.     

Aerobic stability of sugar-cane silage inoculated with tropical strains of lactic acid bacteria

Aerobic stability is an important feature in the evaluation of silages. The aims were to investigate the chemical and microbiological changes that occur in sugar-cane (Saccharum spp.) silage after aerobic exposure, to identify the major species of yeasts associated with the aerobic deterioration process and to select lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains that can improve the aerobic stability of this silage. Fourteen wild LAB strains belonging to Lactobacillus plantarum, L. brevis and L. hilgardii were evaluated using experimental silos. Silage samples were collected at 0, 96 and 216 h after aerobic exposure to determinate the DM, WSC, pH, products of fermentation, to evaluate the silage temperatures and to identify yeast species associated with the aerobic deterioration of silage. The strains tested were able to modify the fermentative and chemical parameters and the diversity of yeasts species of silage after aerobic exposure. There was no association between the facultative or obligatory heterofermentative fermentation patterns and the increased aerobic stability of silage. Aerobic stability of sugar-cane silages was associated with high acetic acid and 1,2-propanediol concentrations. L. hilgardii UFLA SIL51 and UFLA SIL52 strains promoted an increase in aerobic stability of silage.     

Back kinematics of healthy trotting horses during treadmill versus over ground locomotion

Reasons for performing study: Treadmill locomotion is frequently used for training of sport horses, for diagnostic purposes and for research. Identification of the possible biomechanical differences and similarities between the back movement during treadmill (T) and over ground (O) locomotion is essential for the correct interpretation of research results. Objectives: To compare the kinematics of the thoracolumbar vertebral column in treadmill and over ground locomotion in healthy horses. Methods: Six sound Dutch Warmblood horses trotted on a T and O during 10 s at their own preferred velocity (mean ± s.d. 3.6 ± 0.3 m/s T and 3.6 ± 0.1 m/s O), which was the same in both conditions. Kinematics of the vertebral column was captured by infrared cameras using reflective skin markers attached over the spinous processes of selected vertebrae and other locations. Flexion‐extension and lateral bending range of motion (ROM), angular motion pattern (AMP) and intravertebral pattern symmetry (IVPS) of 5 vertebral angles (T6‐T10‐T13, T10‐T13‐T17, T13‐T17‐L1, T17‐L1‐L3 and L1‐L3‐l5) were calculated. Neck angle, linear and temporal stride parameters and protraction‐retraction angles of the limbs were also calculated. Results: The vertical ROM (flexion‐extension) was similar in both conditions, but the horizontal ROM (lateral bending) of the lumbar angles T17‐L1‐L3 and L1‐L3‐L5 was less during T locomotion (mean ± s.d. difference of 1.8 ± 0.6 and 1.7 ± 0.9°, respectively, P>0.05). During O locomotion, the symmetry pattern of the lumbar vertebral angles was diminished from 0.9 to 0.7 (1 = 100% symmetry) indicating increased irregularity of the movement (P>0.05). No differences were found in the basic linear and temporal stride parameters and neck angle. Potential relevance: Vertebral kinematics during treadmill locomotion is not identical to over ground locomotion, but the differences are minor. During treadmill locomotion lumbar motion is less, and caution should be therefore taken when interpreting lumbar kinematics.     

Influence of different processing procedures on the reproductive capacity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trichinella spiralis</Emphasis> in pork meat

The aim of this work was to determine the influence of different processing procedures and preparations on the viability and infectivity of Trichinella spiralis ML. The muscles of limbs tongue and masseters of pigs experimentally infected were collected, splitted to pieces, and pooled. Five batches were used for the following processing procedures: (1) seasoning with “adobo”, commercially acquired chilli and several other spices, (2) “wet-curing” by immersion of meat pieces in 3% brine during 24 hours, (3) cold storage without any further processing or preparation, (4) freezing to -20°C and, (5) drying for 24 hours at 60°C. Samples were stored at 4°C for 15, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105 or 266 days after preparation. At the last-mentioned dates, ML were recovered and used to determine the reproductive capacity by infecting naïve mice. The state of meat conservation or spoilage respectively was tested by visual and tactile examination. In samples treated by freezing or drying no motile larvae were found after artificial digestion and, following inoculation of mice with larvae recovered from these groups, no ML were founded after 40 days of infection. After the artificial digestion of the cold stored samples, the ones seasoned with “adobo” and “wet-cured”, a number of motile ML were consistently obtained. Initial reproductive capacity index was as of 80±0.5, then rates decreased to 60 – 70 between days 15 and 105 PT and dropped to 40±6.7 at day 266 for seasoned, 33±2.7 for cold-stored and 33±2.5 for cured samples. The influence of storage time (p=0.000005; factorial ANOVA) but not for processing procedure (p=0.724; factorial ANOVA) were statistically significant. The sensorial examination of the meat samples showed severe changes caused by spoilage in odour, texture and colour from day 45 of storage. Data reported from this trial proves that curing or flavoring do not inactivate the Trichinella Mexican strain, although cold storage for more than three months led to a partial decrease of the reproductive capacity. Freezing and drying seemed to be effective measures to eliminate the ML infectivity.     

Relationship Among Antimutagenic, Antioxidant and Enzymatic Activities of Methanolic Extract from Common Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L)

Common beans are rich in phenolic compounds, which can provide health benefits to the consumer. The objective of this work was to study the relationship among antimutagenicity, antioxidant and enzymatic activities of methanolic extract and trolox by principal components multivariate analysis. Antimutagenicity of phenolic compounds present in methanolic extract from the seed coat of common beans (P. vulgaris, Flor de Mayo Bajío cultivar) and trolox against AFB₁ mutagenicity were evaluated in the Salmonella typhimurium microsuspension assay. Antioxidant capacity of methanolic extract and trolox were evaluated using β-carotene and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) in vitro model assays. Cythrome P450 activity was measured by fluorometric assay. For phenolic extract, trolox and phenolic extract + trolox, the inhibition on AFB₁ mutagenicity in tester strain TA100 was 47, 59 and 69%, respectively. While in TA98 was 39, 48 and 68%. The inhibition of phenolic compounds, trolox and phenolic compounds + trolox on cytochrome P450 (CYP450) activity was 48, 59 and 88%, respectively. Correlation analysis showed that phenolic extract and trolox have high antimutagenic and antioxidant activity and also inhibited enzymatic activity. The results suggest that the primary mechanism of action of phenolic compounds in beans against AFB₁ mutagenicity may be extra-cellular in the microsuspension assay.     

In silico and gene expression analysis of the acute inflammatory response of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) after subcutaneous administration of carrageenin

Fish Physiology and Biochemistry - Inflammation is one of the main causes of loss of homeostasis at both the systemic and molecular levels. The aim of this study was to investigate in silico the...     

How much do Irish Private Forest Owners Know about Forestry?

Since 1980, over 20,000 Irish landowners have afforested land, for the first time, as part of an afforestation programme subsidised by the Government and the EU. A survey of 99 private forest owners was conducted to determine their knowledge of broad aspects of forest management. Key questions were scored so as to test whether respondents had passed or failed a forestry knowledge test. Over two-thirds of private forest owners passed the test. Success in this test was shown to be related to whether respondents had (a) attended extension field days; (b) been active in forest operations in the early stages of the forest cycle and (c) been members of farming and/or forestry groups. Younger respondents (i.e., ≤50 years) were more likely to pass the knowledge test than older respondents.