Nutraceutical,Physicochemical, and Sensory Properties of Blue Corn polvorones,a Traditional Flour-Based Confectionery

Blue corn is an anthocyanin-rich material that can be used in the preparation of baking products. The aim of this work was to evaluate the physicochemical, nutraceutical, and sensory properties of polvorones (a traditional flour-based confectionery) made with whole blue-corn flour. All samples showed similar bromatological composition, but polvorones from whole blue-corn flour had a higher phenolics (837.1 mg gallic acid/kg) and anthocyanins (373.0 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside/kg) content, which exerted an influence on their higher antioxidant activity compared with wheat flour-based laboratory and commercial samples. The transformation of raw blue-corn flour into polvorones produced the degradation of some acylated anthocyanins into non-acylated forms. The substitution of wheat flour with whole blue-corn flour enhanced overall acceptability, as well as the color and flavor of polvorones. Our findings demonstrated that it is possible to use whole blue corn in the formulation of polvorones with more health beneficial properties and better consumer acceptability than refined wheat products.     

Vasorelaxant activity of some structurally related triterpenic acids from Phoradendron reichenbachianum (Viscaceae) mainly by NO production: ex vivo and in silico studies

The aim of the current study was to investigate the vasorelaxant activity of five structurally-related triterpenic acids namely ursolic (1), moronic (2), morolic (3), betulinic (4) and 3,4-seco-olean-18-ene-3,28-dioic (5) acids. The vasorelaxant effect of compounds 1-5 were determined on endothelium-denuded and endothelium-intact rat aortic rings pre-contracted with noradrenaline (0.1 μM). All compounds showed significant relaxant effect on endothelium-intact vessels in a concentration-dependent manner (p<0.05). Ursolic, moronic and betulinic acids were the most potent vasorelaxant agents with 11.7, 16.11 and 58.46 μM, respectively. Since vasorelaxation was blocked by L-NAME, while indomethacin did not inhibit the effect, endothelium-derived nitric oxide seems to be involved in triterpenic 2 and 3 mode of action. Compounds 1-5 were docked with a crystal structure of eNOS. Triterpenes 1-5 showed calculated affinity with eNOS in the C1 and C2 binding pockets, near the catalytic site; Ser248 and Asp480 are the residues that make hydrogen bonds with the triterpene compounds.     

Effects of trailer design on animal welfare parameters and carcass and meat quality of three Pietrain crosses being transported over a long distance

This study aimed at evaluating the effects of trailer design on stress responses and meat quality traits of 3 different pig crosses: 50% Pietrain breeding with halothane (HAL)(Nn) (50Nn); 50% Pietrain breeding with HAL(NN) (50NN); and 25% Pietrain breeding with HAL(NN) genotype (25NN). Over a 6-wk period, pigs (120 pigs/crossbreed) were transported for 7 h in either a pot-belly (PB) or flat-deck (FD) trailer (10 pigs/crossbreed(-1.)trailer(-1.)wk(-1)). Temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) were monitored in each trailer. Behaviors during loading and unloading, time to load and unload, and latency to rest in lairage were recorded, whereas a sub-population of pigs (4 pigs/crossbreed(-1.)trailer(-1.)wk(-1)) was equipped with gastro-intestinal tract (GIT) temperature monitors. Blood samples were collected at exsanguination for measurement of cortisol, creatine kinase (CK), lactate, haptoglobin, and Pig-MAP concentrations. Meat quality data were collected at 24 h postmortem from the LM and semimembranosus (SM) and adductor (AD) muscles of all 360 pigs. Greater T were recorded in the PB trailer during transportation (P = 0.006) and unloading (P < 0.001). Delta GIT temperature was greater (P = 0.01) in pigs unloaded from the PB. At loading, pigs tended to move backwards more (P = 0.06) when loaded on the FD than the PB trailer. At unloading, an interaction was found between trailer type and crossbreed type, with a greater (P < 0.01) frequency of overlaps in 50NN and 25NN pigs and slips/falls in 50Nn and 50NN pigs from the FD than the PB trailer. Cortisol concentrations at slaughter were greater (P = 0.02) in pigs transported in the PB than FD trailer. Greater lactate concentrations were found in 50Nn and 50NN pigs (P = 0.003) and greater CK concentrations (P < 0.001) in 50Nn pigs. As expected, 50Nn pigs produced leaner (P < 0.001) carcasses, with greater (P = 0.01) dressing percentages, as well as lower (P < 0.001) ultimate pH values and greater (P < 0.001) drip loss percentages in the LM and greater (P = 0.002) drip losses and a paler color (greater L* values, P = 0.02) in the SM than 50NN pigs. When used for long distance transportation under controlled conditions, the PB trailer produced no detrimental effects on animal welfare or pork quality. Pigs with 50% Pietrain crossbreeding appear to be more responsive to transport stress, having the potential to produce acceptable carcass and pork quality, provided pigs are free of the HAL gene.     

Models to distinguish effects of landscape patterns and human population pressures associated with species loss in Canadian national parks

It is widely accepted that large protected areas are required to effectively conserve historical species composition. However, recent analyses of mammal species loss in Canadian and African national parks contradict earlier conclusions that extent of local extinctions (i.e., extirpations) is strongly inversely related to park size, suggesting that park size alone is inadequate to predict reserve designs that may sustain biodiversity. To plan protected areas that will meet conservation goals, reserve-design models that incorporate other landscape-scale factors in addition to reserve area are needed; potential factors include the types and intensity of land use and habitat change, together with land cover types, in and around parks. Additionally, human population size around parks, and visitor density in parks may affect species loss. We quantified land use, land cover, and human population in and around 24 Canadian national parks to model effects of human disturbance and changes in natural habitats on known mammal extirpations.Multiple regression models were compared using the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC_c). The most parsimonious model (AIC_c weighting w _i = 0.5391) emphasized effective habitat area in and around parks and not visitor numbers nor human population size around parks. Our model suggests that parks with as little as 3140 km² of effective habitat area inside may be large enough to conserve historical mammal species composition if they are also surrounded by at least 18 000 km² of effective habitat within 50 km of park boundaries.     

Is it common to be rare on the landscape? A test using a novel model system

Context

Understanding how rare species are distributed can be difficult due to heterogeneity between landscape units. Lack of statistical replication of landscapes can make it difficult to carry out testing. Model systems may be a solution.

Objectives

We test whether lichen thalli along the trunk of a tree are analogous to habitat patches in a kilometers-extent landscape and hence can function as a model system. This model system allows for increased statistical power. We use this system to test whether landscapes with rare species are different from those without.

Methods

We sampled macrolichen diversity along the trunk of 24 balsam fir trees in a stand on the Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland, Canada, along with microclimate variables. We analysed difference in pattern by aspect and along the gradient of 1 m up the trunk as well as between trees containing the rare Erioderma pedicellatum and those without.

Results

We found no difference in total patch richness or abundance between the micro-landscapes. We found significantly consistent patterns in lichen patches along the trunk. These patterns were similar on the trees with the rare species. Lichen species richness did not differ between trees containing the rare species versus those that did not.

Conclusions

Lichen patch pattern is statistically similar between trees and as such, these can be considered as replicate landscape units. Thus, landscape ecologists can use micro-landscapes as model systems to conduct observational and manipulative experiments to test questions about spatial pattern and process, such as those concerning distribution of rare species.

     

Reducing Beta-Glucan Solubility in Oat Bran Muffins by Freeze-Thaw Treatment Attenuates Its Hypoglycemic Effect

The viscosity of soluble fibers such as β-glucan depends on their concentration in solution and molecular weight (MW) distribution. We investigated whether freezing treatment of oat bran muffins affected the physicochemical properties of β-glucan, and its physiological effectiveness in lowering postprandial blood glucose response. A controlled range of β-glucan solubility was achieved by subjecting oat bran muffins containing two levels of β-glucan to repeated freeze-thaw temperature cycling. β-Glucan solubilized by in vitro digestion extraction was measured by flow-injection analysis. MW distributions of β-glucan were analyzed using size-exclusion chromatography. β-Glucan solubility decreased as the number of freeze-thaw cycles increased, while MW distribution of β-glucan decreased slightly. Peak blood glucose rise (PBGR) after fresh muffins (8 and 12 g of β-glucan/serving) was significantly lower than that after muffins (8 and 12 g of β-glucan/serving) treated with four freeze-thaw (FT) cycles (1.84 ± 0.2 vs. 2.31 ± 0.1 mmol/L, P = 0.007). Compared with the control whole wheat muffins, the reduction in incremental area under the glucose response curve (AUC) after fresh muffins (8 and 12 g of β-glucan/serving) was nearly twice that after 4 FT cycles (43.3 ± 4.4% vs. 27.0 ± 5.4%, P = 0.016). A significant inverse linear relationship was found between the log [concentration] of extractable β-glucan and PBGR (r² = 0.85, P = 0.01), and AUC (r² = 0.71, P = 0.03). The results show that reduction of β-glucan solubility in foods attenuates its physiological effectiveness in lowering postprandial glycemia.     

THE EFFECTS OF EXPORT PRICES ON THE DEMAND AND SUPPLY FOR FISH IN THE PHILIPPINES

ABSTRACT

This paper describes the effects of changes in export prices on Philippine fish demand, supply, prices and trade. The analysis uses a multi-commodity-model of the fisheries sector that is based on the AsiaFish model. The results indicate that higher export prices lead to higher output and exports for the fisheries sector. However, such changes also cause a decline in the domestic consumption of fish.     

Digestibility of Dry Matter, Protein, Lipid, and Organic Matter of Two Fish Meals, Two Poultry By-product Meals, Soybean Meal, and Distiller's Dried Grains with Solubles in Practical Diets for Sunshine Bass, Morone chrysops ×M. saxatilis

Limited information is available on digestibility of nutrients in various practical ingredients used in diets for commercially important finfish species, such as hybrid striped bass. This information is especially needed for sunshine bass, Morone chrysops × M. saxatilis , to improve least-cost diet formulations and to allow effective substitution of feedstuffs. A study was conducted with large (867 g) sunshine bass to determine the apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) for moisture, protein, lipid, and organic matter (OM) in a variety of ingredients in floating, extrusion-processed, diets. The practical ingredients tested were menhaden (MEN) fish meal (FM), anchovy (ANCH) FM, pet-food grade poultry by-product meal, feed-grade poultry by-product meal, dehulled soybean meal (SBM), and distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDGS). Test diets consisted of a 70:30 mixture of reference diet to test ingredient with chromic oxide (1.0%) as the inert marker. Reference and test diet ingredients were mixed and extruded on a Wenger X85 single-screw extruder to produce floating pellets. The digestibility trials were conducted in twelve 1200-L circular tanks. Diets were randomly assigned to tanks of 30 sunshine bass and were fed once daily to satiation. Protein digestibility coefficients were significantly ( P  < 0.05) different among test ingredients and ranged from 86.42% for MEN to 64.94% for DDGS. Lipid ADCs were significantly different ( P  < 0.05) among test ingredients and ranged from 92.14% for MEN to 57.11% for SBM. OM ADCs were significantly different ( P  < 0.05) among test ingredients and ranged from 89.41% for MEN to 16.94% for DDGS. This information will assist in the formulation of more efficient, economical diets for sunshine bass.     

Phenotypic diversity among local Spanish and foreign peach and nectarine [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] accessions

Phenotypic data for tree and fruit characteristics was collected over three consecutive years from a germplasm collection of 94 peach and nectarine accessions representing both traditional Spanish as well as foreign cultivars with widespread global plantings. All accessions were grown at the Experimental Station of Aula Dei located in the Ebro Valley (Northern Spain, Zaragoza) under a Mediterranean climate. Tree traits evaluated included bloom and harvest date, vigor, yield, yield efficiency and flower and leaf characteristics. Fruit traits included fresh weight, firmness, soluble solids, titratable acidity, levels of individual soluble sugars (sucrose, glucose, fructose and sorbitol), vitamin C, total phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanins, relative antioxidant capacity and ripening index. Extensive variability was observed for most qualitative and quantitative traits with significant correlations identified between many traits. While the traditional Spanish accessions demonstrated good adaptability to the northern Spain evaluation site, opportunities for continued improvement in tree and fruit quality traits were demonstrated by an extensive phenotypic variability within the germplasm collection.     

Extraction and Physicochemical Characterization of Rye β‐Glucan and Effects of Barium on Polysaccharide Molecular Weight

Use of saturated Ba(OH)₂ to extract rye β‐glucan led to a depolymerized product. Similar depolymerization of β‐glucan was observed when oat bran was extracted with this reagent. Isolated oat β‐glucan, detarium xyloglucan, guar galactomannan, and wheat and rye arabinoxylan were also depolymerized by treatment with the barium reagent. The degree of depolymerization was related to time of contact with, and concentration of, the barium. Rye β‐glucan of two different molecular weights (MW) were isolated and characterized. The structure of rye β‐glucan, as evaluated from the ratio of (1→3)‐linked cellotriosyl to (1→3)‐linked cellotetraosyl primary structural units, most closely resembles barley β‐glucan. Analytical variability of this ratio is discussed. A freshly prepared solution (2%) of the higher MW sample showed shear thinning behavior typical of cereal β‐glucans. The lower MW sample at 2% was not shear thinning, but on further purification, after storage for seven days, a 6% solution had gelled as shown by the mechanical spectrum.