Antioxidant Efficacy of a Spirulina Liquid Extract on Oxidative Stress Status and Metabolic Disturbances in Subjects with Metabolic Syndrome

Lipid peroxidation is associated with the development of some pathologies, such as cardiovascular diseases. Reduction in oxidative stress by antioxidants, such as Arthrospira (formely Spirulina), helps improving this redox imbalance. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of the Arthrospira liquid extract “Spirulysat^®” on oxidative markers—in particular, oxidized LDL (oxLDL)/total LDL cholesterol—and isoprostanes and to investigate its impact on lipid and glucose metabolism in the metabolic syndrome subject. A controlled, randomised, double-blind design was conducted in 40 subjects aged 18 to 65 years with metabolic syndrome after a daily intake of Spirulysat^® or placebo for twelve weeks. Blood and urinary samples were collected at three visits (V1, V2, V3) in the two groups for parameters determination. Although the Spirulysat^® group showed a decrease at all visits of the oxLDL/total cholesterol ratio, there was no significant difference compared to the placebo (p = 0.36). The urinary isoprostanes concentration in the Spirulysat^® group was reduced (p = 0.014) at V3. Plasma triglycerides decreased at V3 (p = 0.003) and HDL-cholesterol increased (p = 0.031) at all visits with Spirulysat^®. In conclusion, Spirulysat^® did not change the oxidized LDL (oxLDL)/LDL ratio but decreased the urinary isoprostanes, plasma triglycerides and increased HDL cholesterol, suggesting a beneficial effect on metabolic syndrome.     

Influence of storage practices on acrylamide formation during potato frying

A number of parameters linked to storage of potatoes were evaluated with regard to their potential to influence the acrylamide formation in French fries. Acrylamide, which is a potential human carcinogen, is reported to be formed during the frying of potatoes as a result of the reactions between asparagine and reducing sugars. This study was conducted using three potato varieties (Bintje, Ramos, and Saturna) typically used in Belgium, The Netherlands, and the northern part of France for French fry and crisp production. Saturna, mainly used in crisp production, appeared to be the least susceptible for acrylamide formation during frying. Especially storage at low temperatures (4 degrees C) compared to storage at 8 degrees C seemed to enhance acrylamide formation due to a strong increase in reducing sugars caused by low-temperature storage. Because of the reversible nature of this physiological reaction, it was possible to achieve a significant reduction of the reducing sugars after a reconditioning of the cold-stored potatoes for 3 weeks at 15 degrees C. All changes in acrylamide concentrations could mainly be explained by the reducing sugar content of the potato (R2 = 0.84, n = 160). This means that, by ensuring a low reducing sugar content of the potato tuber, the risk for acrylamide formation will largely be reduced. Finally the use of a sprout inhibitor did not influence the composition of the potato, and thus acrylamide formation was not susceptible to this treatment.     

Effect of successive cuttings on uptake and partitioning of 15N among plant parts of Leucaena leucocephala

Summary We studied the effect of three successive cuttings on N uptake and fixation and N distribution in Leucaena leucocephala. Two isolines, uninoculated or inoculated with three different Rhizobium strains, were grown for 36 weeks and cut every 12 weeks. The soil was labelled with 50 ppm KNO₃ enriched with 10 atom % ¹⁵N excess soon after the first cutting. Except for the atom % ¹⁵N excess in branches of K28 at the second cutting, both the L. leucocephala isolines showed similar patterns of total N, fixed N₂, and N from fertilizer distribution in different parts of the plant at each cutting. The Rhizobium strain did not influence the partitioning of ¹⁵N among the different plant parts. Significant differences in ¹⁵N enrichment occurred in different parts. Live nodules of both isolines showed the lowest atom % ¹⁵N excess values (0.087), followed by leaves (0.492), branches (0.552), stems (0.591), and roots (0.857). The roots contained about 60% of the total plant N and about 70% of the total N derived from fertilizer over the successive cuttings. The total N₂ fixed in the roots was about 60% of that fixed in the whole plant, while the shoots contained only 20% of the fixed N₂. We conclude that N reserves in roots and nodules constitute another N source that must be taken into account when estimating fixed N₂ or the N balance after pruning or cutting plants. ¹⁵N enrichment declined up to about fivefold in the reference and the N₂-fixing plants over 24 weeks following the ¹⁵N application. The proportion and the amounts of N derived from fertilizer decreased, while the amount derived from N₂ fixation increased with time although its proportion remained constant.     

Advances in Variable Rate Technology Application in Potato in The Netherlands

Precision agriculture is a farming management concept based on observing, measuring and responding to inter- and intra-field variability in crops. In this paper, we focus on responding to intra-field variability in potato crops and analyse variable rate applications (VRAs). We made an overview of potential VRAs in potato crop management in The Netherlands. We identified 13 potential VRAs in potato, ranging from soil tillage to planting to crop care to selective harvest. We ranked them on availability of ‘proof of concept’ and on-farm test results. For five VRAs, we found test results allowing to make a cost-benefit assessment. These five VRAs were as follows: planting, soil herbicide weed control, N side dress, late blight control and haulm killing. They use one of two types of spatial data: soil maps or biomass index maps. Data on costs and savings of the VRAs showed that the investments in VRAs will pay off under practical conditions in The Netherlands. Savings on pesticide use and N-fertilizer use with the VRAs were on average about 25%, which benefits the environment too. We foresee a slow but gradual adoption of VRAs in potato production. More VRAs will become available given ongoing R&D. The perspectives of VRAs in potatoes are discussed.     

Three-dimensional kinematics of the equine interphalangeal joints: articular impact of asymmetric bearing

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of asymmetric placement of the foot on the three-dimensional motions of the interphalangeal joints. Four isolated forelimbs were used. Trihedrons, made of three axes fitted with reflective markers, were screwed into each phalanx. They allowed to establish a local frame associated with each bone and thus to define the spatial orientation of the phalanges. The limbs were then placed under a power press, and subjected to compression with gradually increasing force (from 500 to 6 000 N). The procedure was performed in neutral position and with the lateral or medial part of the foot raised by a 12 degrees wedge. Flexion, collateromotion (passive abduction/adduction) and axial rotation of the interphalangeal joints were measured using a cardan angle decomposition according to the principle of the "Joint Coordinate System" described by Grood and Suntay. Raising the lateral or medial part of the hoof induced collateromotion (about 5.6 degrees +/- 0.8) and axial rotation (about 6.5 degrees +/- 0.5) of the distal interphalangeal joint. The proximal interphalangeal joint underwent axial rotation (about 4.7 degrees +/- 0.5 at 6 000 N) and slight collateromotion. Both interphalangeal joints underwent collateromotion in the direction of the raised part of the foot (i.e., narrowing of the articular space on the side of the wedge), whereas axial rotation occurred in the direction opposite to the raised part of the foot. These results confirm the functional importance of interphalangeal joint movements outside the sagittal plane. In particular they demonstrate the involvement of the proximal interphalangeal joint in the digital balance. These data are helpful for the identification of biomechanical factors that may predispose to interphalangeal joint injury. Also the data may be of use for the rational decision making with respect to exercise management and corrective shoeing of the lame horse.     

Stimulating effects of the insecticide chlorpyrifos on host searching and infestation efficacy of a parasitoid wasp

Hymenopterous parasitoids play an important role in the control of insect populations. During oviposition, Hymenopterous parasitoids use cues such as odours from their environment to locate their specific host. Leptopilina heterotoma (parasitoid of Drosophila larvae) locate their host by probing the substrate with the ovipositor. This behaviour can be induced by the odour of the host substrate alone. We analysed the sub-lethal effects of chlorpyrifos at LD20 on the probing activity in response to a fruit odour (banana). The insecticide increased the percentage of females spontaneously probing in response to the odour. Parasitoid females were then conditioned to associate banana odour with the oviposition in host larvae. This conditioning enables parasitoids to memorize the odour and to increase their probing response to this odour. During the olfactory conditioning, females exposed to the insecticide found and oviposited in host larvae more quickly than control females. One hour after the olfactory conditioning, females exposed to the insecticide presented a higher increase of their probing response to the odour than controls. Twenty-four hours after conditioning, the stimulation produced by chlorpyrifos was no longer perceptible, but the level of response of conditioned females was still higher than that of non-conditioned females, showing that odour memory was not impaired by the insecticide treatment. These sub-lethal effects, that stimulate host searching by parasitoids without impairing odour memorization, could increase their parasitic efficiency.     

Requirement of the activation-induced deaminase (AID) gene for immunoglobulin gene conversion

Three phenotypically distinct processes-somatic hypermutation, gene conversion, and switch recombination-remodel the functionally rearranged immunoglobulin (Ig) loci in B cells. Somatic hypermutation and switch recombination have recently been shown to depend on the activation-induced deaminase (AID) gene product. Here, we show that the disruption of the AID gene in the chicken B cell line DT40 completely blocks Ig gene conversion and that this block can be complemented by reintroduction of the AID complementary DNA. This demonstrates that the AID master gene controls all B cell-specific modifications of vertebrate Ig genes.     

Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza effects on Gliricidia sepium and Senna siamea in a fallowed alley cropping system

Nitrogen fixing and non-N₂ fixing legumes such as Gliricidia speium and Senna siamea have been used in alley cropping systems for soil improvement and source of N for food crops. However their establishments could be limited by P and moisture deficiencies in degraded soils. Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi can help to overcome these deficiencies. We examined the effects of a vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungus, Glomus deserticola, on the performance of sole hedgerow trees of Gliricidia sepium and Senna siamea and their mixtures (interplanted) in a fallowed alley cropping experiment on a degraded Alfisol in southwestern Nigeria. Percentage root infection by VAM fungi was higher in inoculated plants than in uninoculated ones irrespective of whether they were interplanted or non-interplanted. Inoculation with G. deserticola increased dry matter accumulation and nutrient uptake (N. P, Mg and K) but there was no significant interaction between mycorrhizal inoculation and interplanting for growth and nutrient uptake except for the uptake of P, Mg and K in G. sepium. Inoculation with G. deserticola reduced leaf shedding of G. sepium by 50% but did not have the same effect for S. siamea. For both tree species inoculated plants extracted more water from 0–30 cm depth than the uninoculated ones.     

Identification,pathogenicity and community dynamics of fungi and oomycetes associated with pea root rot in northern France

The pea root rot complex is a major concern for green pea production worldwide. This study aimed at characterizing its composition and dynamics throughout a cropping season in northern France. To this end, fungi and oomycetes were isolated from green pea plant roots with symptoms sampled at the flowering stage in 22 fields in 2017, and at the pea emergence, elongation and flowering stages in two fields in 2018. Out of 646 isolates collected, 317 were identified using molecular markers. Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani and F. redolens were highly predominant. Pathogenicity tests separated the isolates into four aggressiveness groups. F. solani isolates were the most aggressive. Phylogenetic analysis of their TEF1 sequences showed that they mainly belonged to the F. pisi lineage, and that F. oxysporum isolates were genetically close to isolates from the UK that did not belong to the forma specialis pisi. In addition, several Clonostachys rhizophaga isolates are reported for the first time to cause pea root rot. The oomycetes were rarely found and were represented by a few Pythium spp. isolates. Lastly, this study shows that the fungal and oomycete communities associated with pea root rot change during the cropping season. The level of dissimilarity of the root-rot-associated communities decreased throughout the cropping season towards a more similar composition at the flowering stage, dominated by F. solani, F. oxysporum and F. redolens. The proportion of nonpathogenic to weakly pathogenic isolates decreased progressively during the growing season in favour of moderately to highly pathogenic isolates.     

Nitrogen contribution by multipurpose trees to rice and cowpea in an alley cropping system in Sierra Leone

In an alley cropping experiment, a study was carried out on N₂ fixation by Gliricidia sepium, nitrogen (N) accumulation by prunings of Gliricidia, Senna siamea (formerly Cassia siamea) and Gmelina arborea, and the N contribution to associated crops of rice and cowpea.Total N accumulated by the hedgerow trees ranged from 297–524 kg N ha^–1 on average but varied between tree species and depended on the growing season. Gliricidia sepium accumulated 370 kg N ha^–1 on average and more than half of this came from fixation. Senna siamea and Gmelina arborea served as reference trees for estimating N₂ fixation. The estimates of N₂ fixation using Gmelina as a reference gave higher estimates than those using Senna.Although the dry matter and nitrogen yields of prunings from the hedgerow trees were high, their relative nitrogen contribution to the associated crops was generally low ranging from 5 to 29%. Higher crop yields and nitrogen contribution were observed with Gliricidia sepium prunings. The low N contribution from prunings was attributed to the lack of synchronization between the N released from the prunings and the crop's demand for N.