Acetylcholine-synthesizing T cells relay neural signals in a vagus nerve circuit

Neural circuits regulate cytokine production to prevent potentially damaging inflammation. A prototypical vagus nerve circuit, the inflammatory reflex, inhibits tumor necrosis factor-α production in spleen by a mechanism requiring acetylcholine signaling through the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor expressed on cytokine-producing macrophages. Nerve fibers in spleen lack the enzymatic machinery necessary for acetylcholine production; therefore, how does this neural circuit terminate in cholinergic signaling? We identified an acetylcholine-producing, memory phenotype T cell population in mice that is integral to the inflammatory reflex. These acetylcholine-producing T cells are required for inhibition of cytokine production by vagus nerve stimulation. Thus, action potentials originating in the vagus nerve regulate T cells, which in turn produce the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, required to control innate immune responses.     

Effects of heat treatments and germination on trypsin inhibitor activity and polyphenols in jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis L. DC)

The application of dry heat to seeds and meal was not effective in inactivating the TI and reducing the polyphenol content. Soaking for 24 h followed by cooking for 20 min, was equally effective in destroying the TI activity. Germination of jack bean seeds for 40 h decreased the levels of TI and polyphenols by 31% and 35%, respectively.     

Genetic diversity and population structure of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit genotypes using molecular and morphological attributes

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution - For the estimation of genetic diversity and population structure, 23 accessions of Leucaena leucocephala were characterized using morphological and molecular...     

Effects of roasting and storage on proteins and oil in peanut kernels

Peanut kernels, untreated or soaked in salt solution, were roasted at 160°C for 30 min in a hot air oven or oil roasted at 147°C for 2 min and, stored at 27°C and 5°C up to 150 days. The heat treatments significantly decreased methionine, tryptophan and in vitro protein digestibility (IVPD) and, increased the soluble proteins and acid value of kernel oil. Storage of heated peanuts caused an increase in water-soluble proteins, IVPD, acid value and saponification value and a decrease in methionine, tryptophan and iodine value. The oil roasting was found to be more detrimental to nutritional quality and storage stability of peanuts as compared to dry roasting. The storage of heated peanuts at 5°C was found to be beneficial in lowering the undesirable nutritional changes in the peanut kernels.     

Wetland Simulation Model for Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Sediments Retention in Constructed Wetlands

Steamboat Creek, Washoe County, Nevada, is considered the most polluted tributary of the Truckee River, therefore the reduction of nutrients from the creek is an important factor in reducing eutrophication in the lower Truckee River. Restoration of the wetlands along the creek has been proposed as one method to improve water quality by reducing nutrient and sediments from non-point sources. This study was aimed to design a simulation model wetlands water quality model (WWQM) that evaluates nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediments retention from a constructed wetland system. WWQM is divided into four submodels: hydrological, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment. WWQM is virtual Visual Basic 6.0 program that calculates hydrologic parameters, nutrients, and sediments based on available data, simple assumptions, knowledge of the wetland system, and literature data. WWQM calibration and performance was evaluated using data sets obtained from the pilot-scale constructed wetland over a period of four and half years. The pilot-scale wetland was constructed to quantify the ability of the proposed wetland system for nutrient and sediment removal. WWQM simulates nutrient and sediments retention reasonably well and agrees with the observed values from the pilot-scale wetland system. The model predicts that wetlands along the creek will remove nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediments by 62, 38, and 84 %, respectively, which would help to reduce eutrophication in the lower Truckee River.     

Nutrient distribution and phenolic antioxidants in air-classified fractions of beach pea (Lathyrus maritimus L.)

Beach pea (Lathyrus maritimus L.) cotyledons and hulls were air-classified into different fractions. The crude protein content (%N x 6.25) of samples ranged from 32.8 to 35.3% in cotyledons and 14.7 to 16.8% in hulls. Crude fiber content was higher in hulls fraction 1 (37.13%) and fraction 2 (36.85%) than in cotyledons (2.83, 2.99, and 3.08% in fractions 1, 2, and 3, respectively). Condensed tannins of cotyledons ranged from 5.76 to 6.90% and of hulls ranged from 52.49 to 57.24%, expressed as catechin equivalents. Minerals, namely P, K, and Zn, were higher in cotyledons, but Ca and Mn were more prevalent in hulls. Nonprotein nitrogen was concentrated in hulls, whereas phytic acid was more abundant in the cotyledons. The UV absorption pattern showed that flavonoids were present in fractions (I-III) from hulls separated on Sephadex LH-20. Fraction III from hulls had the highest content of total phenolics and condensed tannins, but no condensed tannins were detected in fractions I and II from hulls. The antioxidant activity of fractions separated on Sephadex LH-20 from hulls and crude extracts in a beta-carotene-linoleate model system was in the order of fraction III > crude extract > fraction II > fraction I. Spots on silica gel TLC plates, sprayed with a solution of beta-carotene and linoleic acid, indicated that many of the individual compounds were antioxidative in nature. Further, separation of fraction III from hulls on a semipreparative HPLC showed the presence of (+) catechin and (-) epicatechin as the main low-molecular-weight phenolic compounds present.     

Processing of commercial peanut cake into food-grade meal and its utilization in preparation of cookies

The commercial cake produced during expeller pressing of peanuts was extracted with n-hexane, and 80% ethanol followed by sieving through 80 mesh, to remove residual oil, pigments, bitter taste and fibrous material. The processed meal exhibited comparable composition with defatted peanut flour prepared in the laboratory by solvent extraction of full-fat peanut meal. However, the processed cake meal exhibited low methionine content and in vitro protein digestibility as compared with defatted peanut flour. The processed cake meal can be blended with wheat flour to the extent of 10% (w/w) to prepare acceptable cookies with improved protein and mineral contents.     

Estimating carbon sequestration potential of existing agroforestry systems in India

India launched National Agroforestry Policy on 10th February, 2014 which has the potential to substantially reduce poverty in rural India and revive wood based industry, besides integrating food production with environmental services. The policy is not only crucial to India’s ambitious goal of achieving 33 per cent forest and tree cover but also to mitigate GHG emissions from agriculture sector. Dynamic CO2FIX-v3.1 model has been used to estimate the carbon sequestration potential (CSP) of existing agroforestry systems (AFS) for simulation period of 30 years in twenty six districts from ten selected states of India. The observed number of trees on farmers’ field in these districts varied from 1.81 to 204 per hectare with an average value of 19.44 trees per hectare. The biomass in the tree component varied from 0.58 to 48.50 Mg DM ha^?1, whereas, the total biomass (tree and crop) ranged from 4.96 to 58.96 Mg DM ha^?1. The soil organic carbon ranged from 4.28 to 24.13 Mg C ha^?1. The average estimated carbon sequestration potential of the AFS, representing varying edapho-climatic conditions, on farmers field at country level was 0.21 Mg C ha^?1yr^?1. At national level, existing AFS are estimated to mitigate 109.34 million tons CO₂ annually, which may offsets one-third (33 %) of the total GHG emissions from agriculture sector.     

Nutritional quality of some improved cultivars of cowpea

The seeds of 13 improved cowpea cultivars were analysed for proximate composition, methionine, tryptophan and polyphenols. Considerable genetic variations were observed for the contents of protein, nonprotein nitrogen, limiting amino acids and polyphenols. The globulins contributed about 50% of the total seed proteins. A significant proportion of proteins of high protein cultivars was found to be insoluble. The proteins of most of the cultivars were found deficient in methionine and tryptophan. Methionine and tryptophan levels were negatively correlated with protein and positively correlated with carbohydrate contents. The cultivars with colored seed coats contained higher amounts of polyphenols. The difference in polyphenol content between various cultivars were due to seed coat polyphenols.     

Effects of seed treatments and storage on the changes in lipids of pearl millet meal

Lipids in pearl millet meal showed a rapid hydrolytic decomposition during storage. The magnitude of such degradation was influenced significantly by the nature of the storage container used, the temperature and heat treatments given to the seeds. The hydrolytic breakdown of lipids was significantly low in the meals stored in polyethylene bags, plastic boxes and under refrigerated (5±2 °C) conditions. Hot water blanching at 98 °C for 10 sec and dry heating of seeds at 100 °C for 120 min were found to be most effective in minimising the undesirable changes in lipids of the meal during storage.