Effect of subacute oral doses of nivalenol on immune and metabolic defence systems in mice

Nivalenol (NIV) is a toxic Fusarium secondary trichothecene metabolite occurring naturally in cereal grains. In order to evaluate the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL), we tested the effects of a large array of oral doses of this toxin for responses on plasma biochemistry, the immune system and hepatic drug metabolism in mice. C57Bl6 mice received oral doses of toxin (0.014, 0.071, 0.355, 1.774 or 8.87 mg/kg bw) 3 days a week for 4 weeks. Only the highest dose of NIV induced an increase in plasma phosphate, decreases in plasma urea and immunoglobulin M and additional changes like increases in plasma alkaline phosphatase and immunoglobulin G. Interleukin 4 production was increased in cultured murine splenocytes. Regarding liver drug metabolising enzymes, the only glutathione transferase activity accepting 1-chloro-2,4-dinitro-benzene as substrate was transiently increased in mice receiving low doses (0.071 and 0.355 mg/kg bw) of NIV. Regarding the cytochrome P450 monooxygenases, no significant change was observed in ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase activity whereas both methoxyresorufin and pentoxyresorufin O-dealkylase activities were decreased by 38-45% for the highest dose (8.87 mg/kg bw) of NIV. However, when analysed by Western blot analysis, the protein expression of mouse P450 1a, 2b, 2c, 3a and 4a subfamilies was unchanged in animals receiving NIV. In conclusion, the NOAEL of this toxin in our study was 1.774 mg/kg bw, corresponding to an exposure to 5 ppm contaminated food. Indeed hepatotoxicity appears in the only mice treated with a five fold higher oral dose of 8.87 mg/kg bw of NIV. Such exposure levels appear to be by far higher than the maximal natural occurrence measured in European cereals, known to range from 0.34 to 1.86 ppm.     

Compositional Differences in Anthocyanins from Blue‐ and Purple‐Grained Spring Wheat Grown in Four Environments in Central Saskatchewan

Anthocyanins are important dietary components that play significant roles in human health because of their antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory properties. In the present study nine anthocyanin‐pigmented spring wheat lines grown at two sites in central Saskatchewan, Canada, were evaluated in terms of anthocyanin composition in comparison with four wheat checks over a two‐year period. The genotypes studied were blue‐aleurone and purple‐pericarp wheat. The anthocyanin pigments were quantified and identified with liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Two anthocyanin profiles were identified in the breeding lines, namely, blue profile and purple profile. Wheat lines with a purple profile had overall higher anthocyanin concentrations and more pigments than the blue‐aleurone lines. The purple profile was also characterized by the presence of acylated anthocyanins containing malonyl and succinyl substituents, but no acylated pigments were found in the blue profile. Delphinidin was the dominant aglycone in the blue profile, whereas cyanidin was the principal anthocyanidin in the purple profile. Genotype and interactions among genotype, year, and location were found to significantly influence content and composition of anthocyanin pigments. These differences in anthocyanin content and composition reflect various color characteristics and bioactivity for purple or blue wheat when utilized.     

Functional Characteristics of Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Near‐Isogenic Lines Differing at the Waxy (Wx) Locus

The Waxy (Wx) gene in hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) encodes granule‐bound starch synthase (GBSS1), which is involved in the synthesis of amylose, a mostly linear glucan polymer that makes up ∼25% of wheat starch. A null mutation of the Wx gene in each of the three genomes is associated with starch almost entirely consisting of the branched glucan polymer amylopectin (waxy starch), with corresponding changes in functionality. However, the rheological behavior of partially waxy starch remains unclear. The objective of this study was to characterize flour and baking quality in 16 near‐isogenic lines, null at the Wx locus on zero, one, two, or all three genomes, grown in four different environments. Across allelic groups, significant variations in amylose concentrations, flour paste viscosity, loaf structure and texture, dough stability, and proximate variables were observed. Because waxy wheat starch has greater water absorbance and resistance to retrogradation than normal starch, its inclusion in flour blends has been suggested as a means of improving the texture and appearance of bakery products and noodles. The results indicate that wheat encoding <3 functional homeologs of GBSS1 produces starch that has potential in the production of certain food items, such as Asian noodles. However, further research is necessary to determine the optimal amylose‐to‐amylopectin ratio to improve baking quality.     

Softwood sawlog secondary transport travel speed prediction for the South African forestry industry

The objective of this study was to develop a predictive model for travel speed of softwood sawlog timber transport (STT) vehicles over a range of forest and provincial roads of varying condition for the South African forestry industry. Data was accumulated from both the Eastern Cape/KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga forest regions of South Africa. Vehicle location and payload data were collected remotely using a combination of GPS tracking and remotely sensed data. Road condition, including road width, was assessed for each identified road segment in-field according to a visual condition indicator (VCI) index. Two STT contractors were selected from each forest region transporting pine sawlogs directly from compartment roadside landings to either a processing plant or log storage area. Five STT vehicle types, representative of transport operations in the two forest regions, were assessed. Principal component analysis was conducted to determine the degree of communality between the respective predictor variables combining road width and VCI as one factor, and truck maximum power and the percentage of (legal) maximum payload as a second factor. Comparisons of the correlations between average speed and the respective predictor variables showed that road width and percentage of maximum (legal) payload had the highest correlations. Multiple linear regression of these two factor variables were used in the model showing both variables as significant (p < 0.05) with an adjusted r² value of 0.52.     

Fibre losses during debranching and debarking of Eucalyptus pulp logs using a single-grip harvester

Mechanised harvesting operations are becoming more prevalent in South Africa, with the realisation that motor- manual and manual harvesting operations pose significant health and safety risks to workers. However, the potential damage caused by single-grip harvester feed rollers and delimbing knives on the log surface during debranching and debarking of eucalypts pulp logs may negatively affect fibre recovery as opposed to manually debarked logs, which show little or no log surface damage. Compared with manual debarking, this study investi- gated the influence of two mechanised debarking treatments on wood fibre loss on eucalypt log assortments debarked by harvester head feed rollers and delimbing knives. The two mechanised debarking treatments consisted of three and five feed roller passes along the stem surface. In addition to quantifying the magnitude of this fibre loss, a financial evaluation was done to calculate the value of these losses. The three- and five-pass debarking treatments caused significant fibre losses of 1.425 green tonnes per hectare (gt ha?1) and 2.275 gt ha?1, respec- tively, as opposed to manually debarked logs, which produced no fibre losses. Wood fibre losses in terms of total potential (or available) wood mass for three- and five-pass mechanically debarked trees were 1.06% and 1.70%, respectively. These represent a fibre value loss of R441.75 ha?1 and R705.25 ha?1 for three- and five-pass operations, respectively. For the 6.48 million gt y?1 currently mechanically debarked for the South African pulp and paper industry, this equates to fibre value losses of R21.36 million and R34.10 million annually for three- and five-pass operations, respectively.     

Potential role of phosphate buffering capacity of soils in fertilizer management strategies fitted to environmental goals

Sorption behavior and buffering of phosphorus (P) are important, both from an agricultural and an environmental point of view. The objectives of this study were to investigate: (1) the kinetics of the transfer of P from soil to soil solution and assessing P buffering capacity of soils (PBC), as a function of soil solution P; (2) the effect of PBC on soil P status fitted to environmental targets for water quality; (3) the effect of PBC on crop response. PBC was derived from the non‐linear Q‐I curve describing the time‐dependent relationship between plant‐available reserve of soil P (Q) versus soil solution P (I). The Q‐I curve was determined in soil suspension using sorption and isotopic dilution methods for soil samples from French, Swedish, and Dutch field trials. Soils with low PBC values were more sensitive to the loss of P to the environment, required higher critical value in soil solution P to comply with P demand of maize, and had higher change in soil solution P per unit of P budget. In different soils, both the critical soil solution P for maize and the change in soil solution P per unit of P balance varied inversely with PBC. It is concluded that (1) PBC plays a key role in determining the agronomic and environmental threshold levels of available P content in the soils, and (2) PBC is a prerequisite for the development of more environmentally oriented fertilization recommendation systems.     

Effects of nitrogen fertilizer and pesticide management on floodwater ecology in a wetland ricefield

Algal, zooplankton, and mollusc populations were monitored over a crop cycle in the floodwater of a tropical ricefield subject to various N-management and pesticide regimes. This paper gives the results on dynamics of microcrustanceans and dipteran larvae. Dominant groups developed in the succession mosquito+chironomid larvaeostracodscopepods+cladocerans. Populations of ostracods and mosquito+chironomid larvae expanded rapidly after broadcast N applications. Deep placement of N avoided the proliferation of ostracods and dipteran larvae. With the exception of chironomid larvae early in the crop cycle, aquatic invertebrates were generally less abundant in treatments where Azolla sp. was incorporated. When considered at the crop cycle level, aquatic invertebrate populations were not significantly affected by applications of butachlor and carbofuran.     

Landscape effects on the population dynamics of the fossorial form of the water vole (Arvicola terrestris sherman)

The dynamics of microtine rodents show large variations among species and even among populations of a single species. Several studies have shown that landscape structure and predation play a role in these variations. We studied the influence of landscape structure on the spatial distribution and the population dynamics of the fossorial form of the water vole (Arvicola terrestris sherman). The sampling was based on a preliminary five-year survey of a rodent cycle on a regional scale, as well as a method of abundance estimation using surface indices. This survey led to distinguishing epicentres where outbreaks started, and diffusion sections where outbreaks occurred later. Results showed differences in dynamics of spatial distribution of the vole colonies between these two types of sections. This distribution pattern is related to landscape composition and structure. Epicentres are characterized by a higher ratio of open landscape, a lower ratio of forest, and less fragmentation when compared to the diffusion sections. Therefore landscape analysis has the potential of providing a valuable framework for the designing of programs for the early control of A. terrestris populations.     

Landscape patterns from mathematical morphology on maps with contagion

The perceived realism of simulated maps with contagion (spatial autocorrelation) has led to their use for comparing landscape pattern metrics and as habitat maps for modeling organism movement across landscapes. The objective of this study was to conduct a neutral model analysis of pattern metrics defined by morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) on maps with contagion, with comparisons to phase transitions (abrupt changes) of patterns on simple random maps. Using MSPA, each focal class pixel on a neutral map was assigned to one of six pattern classes—core, edge, perforated, connector, branch, or islet—depending on MSPA rules for connectivity and edge width. As the density of the focal class (P) was increased on simple random maps, the proportions of pixels in different pattern classes exhibited two types of phase transitions at threshold densities (0.41 ≤ P ≤ 0.99) that were predicted by percolation theory after taking into account the MSPA rules for connectivity and edge width. While there was no evidence of phase transitions on maps with contagion, the general trends of pattern metrics in relation to P were similar to simple random maps. Using an index P for comparisons, the effect of increasing contagion was opposite that of increasing edge width.