Hydrological parameterization of piping in loess‐rich soils in the Bergisches Land,Nordrhein‐Westfalen,Germany

Pedohydrological properties were investigated on a piped slope in the Bergisches Land in the Rhenish Slate Mountains (Nordrhein‐Westfalen, Germany). The study confirmed that genesis and development of pipes decisively depend on hydrological conditions in the soils. Vertical water permeability of saturated samples was very high. This promoted fast seepage. Many macropores produced by earthworms also caused high transport capacity for soil water. Even more efficient were the burrows of moles and mice, enabling immediate infiltration and direct vertical and lateral water movement. On the contrary, the horizontal saturated permeability was low indicating no correlation with piping. Porosity of piped soils was not different to that of other soils of the region without pipes.     

Potential factors controlling the population viability of newly introduced endangered marble trout populations

While several population viability analyses (PVAs) have been performed on anadromous salmonids, less attention has been given to stream-living salmonids. In this work, we explore the role of PVA as a tool in the recovery of threatened stream-living salmonid species. The analysis has been performed with reference to marble trout Salmo marmoratus, a salmonid with a limited geographic distribution and at risk of extinction due to hybridization with the non-native introduced brown trout. Demographic parameters, such as survival, fecundity and density-dependent patterns were estimated from an eight year on-going monitoring program of two translocated marble trout populations in pristine, previously fishless streams (Zakojska and Gorska) in the Soca and Idrijca river basins (Slovenia). To explore the importance of disturbance events such as floods on marble trout population dynamics, we performed a PVA under three scenarios: (1) occurrence of both severe and moderate floods; (2) occurrence of only moderate floods; (3) no flood events. Our analysis shows that population viability is threatened only by severe flood events, otherwise the two populations prove to be fairly stable with population abundance fluctuating around stream carrying capacity. A sensitivity analysis performed on model parameters highlighted that density-dependence in first-year survival and the magnitude of reduction in population size after a severe flood are the two most crucial parameters affecting population abundance and quasi-extinction probability, respectively. While only extreme floods can drive the population to extinction, the increase in juvenile survival when population abundance collapses after a major flood may allow the populations to quickly recover from few reproductive individuals back to stream carrying capacity.     

Sensomics mapping and identification of the key bitter metabolites in Gouda cheese

Application of a sensomics approach on the water-soluble extract of a matured Gouda cheese including gel permeation chromatography, ultrafiltration, solid phase extraction, preparative RP-HPLC, and HILIC combined with analytical sensory tools enabled the comprehensive mapping of bitter-tasting metabolites. LC-MS-TOF and LC-MS/MS, independent synthesis, and sensory analysis revealed the identification of a total of 16 bitter peptides formed by proteolysis of caseins. Eleven previously unreported bitter peptides were aligned to beta-casein, among which 6 peptides were released from the sequence beta-CN(57-69) of the N terminus of beta-casein and 2 peptides originated from the C-terminal sequence beta-CN(198-206). The other peptides were liberated from miscellaneous regions of beta-casein, namely, beta-CN(22-28), beta-CN(74-86), beta-CN(74-77), and beta-CN(135-138), respectively. Six peptides were found to originate from alpha(s1)-casein and were shown to have the sequences alpha(s1)-CN(11-14), alpha(s1)-CN(56-60), alpha(s1)-CN(70/71-74), alpha(s1)-CN(110/111-114), and alpha(s1)-CN(135-136). Sensory evaluation of the purified, synthesized peptides revealed that 12 of these peptides showed pronounced bitter taste with recognition thresholds between 0.05 and 6.0 mmol/L. Among these peptides, the decapeptide YPFPGPIHNS exhibited a caffeine-like bitter taste quality at the lowest threshold concentration of 0.05 mmol/L.     

Characterization and antioxidant potential of Brazilian fruits from the Myrtaceae family

The objective of this study is to evaluating the Brazilian biodiversity through physicochemical characterization and determination of antioxidant potential of three species from the Myrtaceae family, namely yellow guava (Psidium cattleyanum Sabine), guabiroba (Campomanesia xanthocarpa O. Berg), and uvaia ( Eugenia pyriformis Cambess). Guabiroba had the greater quantity of phenolic compounds (9033 mg chlorogenic acid/100 g) and vitamin C (30.58 mg/g) and showed the best TSS/TTA (total soluble solid/total titratable acid) ratio (45.12). For the ABTS (2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic) method, the guabiroba (507.49 μM Trolox/g) presented the highest antioxidant potential; however, in the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) method, uvaia (170.26 g/g DPPH) and guabiroba (161.29 g/g DPPH) were not statistically different. The uvaia outranked the other fruits with respect to its high carotenoid (909.33 μg/g) and vitamin A (37.83 μg/g) contents, and the yellow guava, although showing a lower bioactive compound content and antioxidant activity, nevertheless presented much higher values than many traditionally consumed fruits.     

Fatty acid pattern, oxidation product development, and antioxidant loss in muscle tissue of rainbow trout and Dicentrarchus labrax during growth

The levels of hydrophilic, lipophilic, and enzymatic antioxidants, the oxidative damage to lipids and proteins, and the fatty acid patterns of triglyceride and phospholipid fractions were assayed in fresh muscle tissue of rainbow trouts (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and sea basses (Dicentrarchus labrax) during aging, to investigate the correlation between oxidative stress and aging processes in fish. The present studies suggests that lipid peroxidation and accumulation of oxidized proteins during in vivo aging are most likely to be linked with an age-dependent decline of lipophilic antioxidants (CoQH(2), CoQ, and vitamin E) and vitamin C contents in muscle tissue, whereas fish aging is not linked to a decline in antioxidant enzymes and reduced glutathione levels. Lipophilic antioxidant and vitamin C levels represent a reliable marker of oxidative stress during aging, and their determination might be useful for the assessment of fish age.     

Characterization of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) grown with biopesticides and deltamethrin

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physico-chemical characteristics and the post-harvest loss of mass of curly lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) cv. Verônica that was grown in a protective environment with applications of biopesticides. The curly lettuce was treated by spraying with neem oil, cassava flour wastewater (manipueira), biofertiliser or the control treatment of deltamethrin. We determined the weight, circumference, dry matter, ash, crude protein, total phenols and minerals profile for the heads of lettuce. After harvesting, the lettuce was packed into opened plastic bags and kept at 5 °C for 5 days to evaluate its weight loss. No differences were observed among the treatments for the physico-chemical parameters. The lettuce that was sprayed with manipueira or biofertiliser had the greatest weight loss during storage. The achievement of similar yields with cheaper products suggests a benefit of using organic bioinsecticides.     

YELLOW PASSION FRUIT PLANT NUTRITIONAL DIAGNOSIS AT DIFFERENT PHENOLOGICAL STAGES BY THE DIAGNOSIS AND RECOMMENDATION INTEGRATED SYSTEM METHOD

This work was performed in the Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, with the objective to evaluate the nutritional status of yellow passion fruit plants along different phenological stages, using the DRIS method. Fifty-four passion fruit cultivated areas with an annual yield productivity ranging from 6.95 to 33.8 t ha^?1 year^?1 and average productivity of 16.9 t ha^?1 year^?1 were selected in the region. The contents of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S), chlorine (Cl), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), and boron (B) were evaluated. The reference standards were established (mean and variation coefficient) for the values of the nutrient concentration ratios, two by two, on samples from high yield productivity plantations and analyzed by the DRIS index of nutrients for the medium and low yield productivity areas. The established standards differed according with the phenological stage of the culture. In a general way, the mean content of the evaluated nutrients did not differed between the two productivity levels into each phonological stage. There was a difference for the Nutritional Limitation Order between different phenological stages of yellow passion fruit plants. The most negative DRIS indexes and the highest absolute values for the Average Nutritional Balance on yellow passion fruit plants in the region, were found for potassium in May, phosphorus in October and iron in January.     

Enzymatic transformation of humic substances by NDO

Enzymatic transformation of humic acids (HA), fulvic acids (FA) and indole was examined using naphthalene 1,2-dioxygenase (NDO). NDO was used as a model for dioxygenase enzymes found in various microbial species. Indole was used as a model substrate for NDO-catalyzed reactions resulting in condensation products. Although NDO is not classified as a soil enzyme, all HA and FA tested were susceptible to NDO-induced transformation. The extent of NDO-specific NADH oxidation in solutions containing HA and FA paralleled the percent aromaticity of the HA and FA. Furthermore, the UV–Vis absorptive properties of NDO-treated HA and FA were altered in a manner suggesting condensation reactions similar to the formation of indigo from indole. Condensation reactions were enhanced in NDO-treated mixtures containing indole and an FA. NDO retained activity for 2 weeks under ambient conditions, and retained some enzymatic activity for 9 days based on detection of specific metabolites by HPLC, suggesting prolonged extracellular activity. Humic substances have not previously been known to be substrates for dioxygenases; even more significant was that dioxygenase enzymes can facilitate condensation reactions between indole-like functional groups well-known to be present in HA and FA. These results illustrate how dioxygenases can be potential humic-modifying enzymes when released into the environment upon microbial death and concurrent cell lysis which could alter the bioavailability of organic contaminants associated with dissolved organic matter through specific modulation of enzyme activity involving substrate competition.