Nutritional utilization by the rat of diets based on lentil (Lens culinaris) seed meal or its fractions

The nutritional effects in the rat of raw lentil meal or its fractions have been evaluated in three feeding trials. Growth, gain/feed ratio, apparent N digestibility, and N retention were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced by the inclusion of whole lentil meal, dehulled lentil meal, or ethanol-extracted lentil meal as the sole source of protein in the diet. Pure lentil lectin and lectin-depleted albumin proteins had no significant negative effect on nutritional performance. In contrast, growth, gain/feed ratio, protein conversion efficiency, N digestibility, and N retention were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced by diets containing lentil globulins or lentil hulls. The poor nutritional quality of raw lentil meal for rats is therefore likely to be primarily due to the combined effects of these two components.     

Endotoxin Structures in the Psychrophiles Psychromonas marina and Psychrobacter cryohalolentis Contain Distinctive Acyl Features

Lipid A is the essential component of endotoxin (Gram-negative lipopolysaccharide), a potent immunostimulatory compound. As the outer surface of the outer membrane, the details of lipid A structure are crucial not only to bacterial pathogenesis but also to membrane integrity. This work characterizes the structure of lipid A in two psychrophiles, Psychromonas marina and Psychrobacter cryohalolentis, and also two mesophiles to which they are related using MALDI-TOF MS and fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) GC-MS. P. marina lipid A is strikingly similar to that of Escherichia coli in organization and total acyl size, but incorporates an unusual doubly unsaturated tetradecadienoyl acyl residue. P. cryohalolentis also shows structural organization similar to a closely related mesophile, Acinetobacter baumannii, however it has generally shorter acyl constituents and shows many acyl variants differing by single methylene (-CH₂-) units, a characteristic it shares with the one previously reported psychrotolerant lipid A structure. This work is the first detailed structural characterization of lipid A from an obligate psychrophile and the second from a psychrotolerant species. It reveals distinctive structural features of psychrophilic lipid A in comparison to that of related mesophiles which suggest constitutive adaptations to maintain outer membrane fluidity in cold environments.     

Risk-based surveillance for H5N1 avian influenza virus in wild birds in Great Britain

Recent outbreaks of the H5N1 strain of avian influenza in Europe have highlighted the need for continuous surveillance and early detection to reduce the likelihood of a major outbreak in the commercial poultry industry. In Great Britain (gb), one possible route by which H5N1 could be introduced into domestic poultry is through migratory wild birds from Europe and Asia. Extensive monitoring data on the 24 wild bird species considered most likely to introduce the virus into GB, and analyses of local poultry populations, were used to develop a risk profile to identify the areas where H5N1 is most likely to enter and spread to commercial poultry. The results indicate that surveillance would be best focused on areas of Norfolk, Suffolk, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, south-west England and the Welsh borders, with areas of lower priority in Anglesey, south-west Wales, north-east Aberdeenshire and the Firth of Forth area of Scotland. These areas have significant poultry populations including a large number of free-range flocks, and a high abundance of the 24 wild bird species.     

Effects of litter quality and parent material on organic matter characteristics and N-dynamics in Luxembourg beech and hornbeam forests

To test effects of litter quality and soil conditions on N-dynamics, we selected seven forests in Luxembourg dominated by beech (Fagus sylvatica, L.) and hornbeam (Carpinus betulus L.), and located on acid loam, decalcified marl or limestone, and measured organic matter characteristics, microbial C and N and net N-mineralization in a laboratory incubation experiment. Organic layer characteristics were significantly affected by species, with lower litter decay and higher accumulation under the less palatable beech, even on limestone. However, beech and hornbeam did not show any differences in N-cycling at all. Instead of species, N-cycling was affected by site conditions, albeit different than expected. Microbial N generally increased from acid loam to limestone, but acid loam showed higher net N-mineralization, especially in the organic layer. Also, acid loam showed high instead of low efficiency of N-mineralization per unit microbe, in both organic layer and mineral topsoil. In addition, acid loam showed net consumption of DOC instead of release in both soil layers, which suggests that not N, but C was a limiting factor to decomposition. In contrast, limestone showed low net N-mineralization in the organic layer, despite high mass and well-decomposed organic matter, and low efficiency of N-mineralization per unit microbe in both organic layer and mineral topsoil. DOC was net released instead of consumed, which supported that not C, but N was a limiting factor. The general lack of differences in net N-cycling between species, but relatively clear site effects, is discussed in relation to different microbial strategies. Acid soil may have high net N-release despite low biological activity, because N-requirements of fungi are also low, while in calcareous soil, high bacterial N-demand may counteract high gross N-release. Thus, species producing litter that decomposes rapidly may be planted to improve soil conditions and plant biodiversity, but litter quality effects on N-availability may be less important than soil conditions.     

Phosphorus saturation in soils and groundwaters

On average, crops require about 30 kg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ of P in humid regions. in some regions fertilizer and manure are applied in amounts that exceed this. the surplus of P in agricultural areas is about 20-45 kg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹. This implies an accumulation of P. the surplus of P estimated from the balance of agricultural soils of industrialized countries in Europe in the last four decades is between 800 and more than 1500 kg ha⁻¹ although this distribution is not even. Phosphorus accumulation is more than one order of magnitude higher than average in areas with intensive livestock farming. Consequently, The application of high levels of manure exceed the capacity of the soil to store P. This implies that P saturation May, pose a problem. Indeed, about half of the Dutch sandy soils (approximately 300 000 ha) are currently considered to be saturated with P, meaning that there is a hazard of P leaching to groundwaters in the future. Assuming current phosphate application rates, phosphate leaching is a distinct possibility over a period of decades to a century. Vulnerable areas are soils with high inputs, low sorption capacities for P, high water-tables and a low retention time for water. the possible consequence is a time-delayed increase of eutrophication of surface waters (lakes, rivers and the sea) caused by a diffuse load of P in the few next decades. Modelling the influence of different agricultural strategies shows that accumulation of P would not increase further only if the use of P increases by an amount that compensates for the increased inputs. It is proposed to change the current support system of agriculture by installing a system of financial incentives and taxes which seek to promote nutrient balances for each farm.     

Evaluation of an air ionizer unit and its effects on cellular respiratory defense in racing thoroughbreds

A double crossover trial, consisting of two three-week periods, was conducted to evaluate an air ionizer unit and its effects on cellular respiratory defenses in racing Thoroughbreds. Each week, samples of the stable air were taken and horses were sampled for hematological and blood biochemical analyses. At the end of both three-week periods, blood neutrophil and bronchopulmonary lavage immune cellular responses were assayed and bronchopulmonary lavage samples were cultured aerobically and anaerobically. The air ionizer unit had no significant effects on the parameters assayed.     

Purification of an antifungal endochitinase from a potential biocontrol Agent Streptomyces griseus

Streptomyces griseus (MTCC 9723) is a chitinolytic bacterium isolated from prawn cultivated pond soil of Peddapuram Village; East Godavari District was studied in detailed. Chitinase (EC 3.2.1.14) was extracted from the culture filtrate of Streptomyces griseus and purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE-cellulose ionexchange chromatography, Sephadex G-100 and Sephadex G-200 gel filtration chromatography. The molecular mass of the purified chitinase was estimated to be 34, 32 kDa by SDS gel electrophoresis and confirmed by activity staining with Calcofluor White M2R. Chitinase was optimally active at pH of 6.0 and at 40 degrees C. The enzyme was stable from pH 5-9 and up to 20-50 degrees C. The chitinase exhibited Km and Vmax values of 400 mg and 180 IU mL(-1) for colloidal chitin. Among the metals and inhibitors that were tested, the Hg+, Hg2+ and P-chloromercuribenzoic acid completely inhibited the chitinase activity at 1 mM concentration. The purified chitinase showed high activity on colloidal chitin, chitobiose, and chitooligosaccharide. An in vitro assay proved that the crude chitinase, actively growing cells of S. griseus having antifungal activity against all studied fungal pathogen. This result implies that characteristics of S. griseus producing endochitinase made them suitable for biotechnological purpose such as for degradation of chitin containing waste and it might be a promising biocontrol agent for plant pathogens.