Urine flavonoids and plasma carotenoids in the validation of fruit, vegetable and tea intake during pregnancy in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa)

OBJECTIVE: To validate a new food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for measuring the intake of fruit, vegetables and tea reported by women participating in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). DESIGN: Intake of fruits, vegetables and tea estimated by the FFQ was compared with urinary flavonoid excretion, plasma carotenoid concentration and intake measured by a 4-day weighed food diary (FD). The triangular method was applied to calculate FFQ validity coefficients using two independent biomarkers. SETTING AND SUBJECTS: One hundred and nineteen women participating in MoBa. RESULTS: The FFQ estimate of fruit intake was significantly correlated with urine phloretin (r = 0.33), citrus fruit/juice with urine hesperetin (r = 0.44), cooked vegetables with plasma alpha-carotene (r = 0.37), and tea with urine kaempferol (r = 0.41) (P < 0.01 for all). On average, 60% of the participants fell into the same or adjacent quintiles when classified by FFQ and biomarkers. Significant correlations between the FFQ and FD were found for fruit (r = 0.39), vegetables (r = 0.34), juices (r = 0.50) and tea (r = 0.53). The FFQ validity coefficient was 0.65 for citrus fruit/juice and 0.59 for cooked vegetables as calculated by the triangular method. CONCLUSIONS: The validation study shows that the MoBa FFQ can be used to estimate fruit, juice, vegetable and tea intake in pregnant Norwegian women, and to rank individuals within the distribution.     

Dynamics of litter carbon turnover and microbial abundance in a rye detritusphere

Factors determining C turnover and microbial succession at the small scale are crucial for understanding C cycling in soils. We performed a microcosm experiment to study how soil moisture affects temporal patterns of C turnover in the detritusphere. Four treatments were applied to small soil cores with two different water contents (matric potential of ?0.0063 and ?0.0316 MPa) and with or without addition of ¹³C labelled rye residues (δ¹³C=299‰), which were placed on top. Microcosms were sampled after 3, 7, 14, 28, 56 and 84 days and soil cores were separated into layers with increasing distance to the litter. Gradients in soil organic carbon, dissolved organic carbon, extracellular enzyme activity and microbial biomass were detected over a distance of 3 mm from the litter layer. At the end of the incubation, 35.6% of litter C remained on the surface of soils at ?0.0063 MPa, whereas 41.7% remained on soils at ?0.0316 MPa. Most of the lost litter C was mineralised to CO₂, with 47.9% and 43.4% at ?0.0063 and ?0.0316 MPa, respectively. In both treatments about 6% were detected as newly formed soil organic carbon. During the initial phase of litter decomposition, bacteria dominated the mineralisation of easily available litter substrates. After 14 days fungi depolymerised more complex litter compounds, thereby producing new soluble substrates, which diffused into the soil. This pattern of differential substrate usage was paralleled by a lag phase of 3 days and a subsequent increase in enzyme activities. Increased soil water content accelerated the transport of soluble substrates, which influenced the temporal patterns of microbial growth and activity. Our results underline the importance of considering the interaction of soil microorganisms and physical processes at the small scale for the understanding of C cycling in soils.     

Influence of Boar Seminal Plasma on the Distribution of Spermatozoa in the Genital Tract of Gilts

The main purpose of the present study was to investigate whether boar seminal plasma affects the transport of spermatozoa in the genital tract of oestrous pigs or not, with special reference to the sperm transport into the oviducts. Altogether 17 gilts were used in three experiments.Experiment I. In nine gilts one uterine horn was injected surgically with 10¹⁰ spermatozoa suspended in seminal plasma and the other uterine horn with 10¹⁰ spermatozoa suspended in TESNaK-glucose buffer solution. The sperm deposition was performed under general anaesthesia. The gilts were slaughtered 1–2 or 4–6 h after insemination. The genital tract was removed and the numbers of spermatozoa determined in oviducts and in uterine horns.Experiment II. The insemination doses were prepared exactly as in Experiment I. Approx. 24 h before insemination Polyvinylchloride cannulas were inserted into the uterine lumen of the horns, drawn via the midventral incision at linea alba subcutaneously to cutaneous incisions ventral to the vulva opening. One cannula was placed in each uterine horn. At standing heat the insemination doses were slowly injected through the cannulas. The gilts were slaughtered 1 h after insemination and the numbers of spermatozoa within the genital tract were counted.Experiment III. In three gilts under general anaesthesia the uterine horns were ligated 10 cm from the uterotubal junction. The semen doses (containing 2 × 10⁹ spermatozoa), prepared as in Experiment I, were deposited into the uterine horns anterior to the ligatures through a cannula. The gilts were slaughtered 1 h after insemination, and the numbers of spermatozoa within the oviducts and ligated part of the uterine horns were counted.In all three experiments more spermatozoa were, on average, recovered in the oviducts connected to uterine horns inseminated with spermatozoa suspended in seminal plasma. In Experiments I andII this was the case for 10 of 14 gilts and in Experiment III for all the three gilts. It is therefore suggested that boar seminal plasma pro¬motes sperm transport into the oviduct of oestrous pigs. The back¬ground mechanism for this is discussed.     

Yield potential and salt tolerance of quinoa on salt‐degraded soils of Pakistan

Quinoa is recently introduced to Pakistan as a salt‐tolerant crop of high nutritional value. Open field trials were conducted to evaluate its performance on normal and salinity/sodicity‐degraded lands at two locations of different salinity/sodicity levels, S₁ (UAF Farm, Normal Soil), S₂ (Paroka Farm UAF, saline sodic), S₃ (SSRI Farm, normal) and S₄ (SSRI Farm, saline sodic) during 2013–2014. Two genotypes (Q‐2 and Q‐7) were grown in lines and were allowed to grow till maturity under RCBD split‐plot arrangement. Maximum seed yield (3,062 kg/ha) was achieved by Q‐7 at normal field (S₁) soil which was statistically similar with yield of same genotype obtained from salt‐affected field S₂ (2,870 kg/ha). Furthermore, low yield was seen from both genotypes from both S₃ and S₄ as compared to S₁ and S₂. Q‐7 was best under all four conditions. Minimum yield was recorded from Q‐2 (1,587 kg/ha) at S₄. Q‐7 had higher SOD, proline, phenolic and K⁺ contents, and lower Na⁺ content in leaves as compared to Q‐2. High levels of antioxidants and K⁺/Na⁺ of Q‐7 helped to withstand salt stress and might be the cause of higher yields under both normal and salt‐affected soils. Seed quality (mineral and protein) did not decrease considerably under salt‐affected soils even improved seed K⁺, Mg²⁺ and Mn²⁺.     

Regional groundwater monitoring and examples of acidification trends in the province of Göteborg and Bohus,southwestern Sweden

Acidification is the most serious threat to the groundwater quality in the province, causing both corrosion on water pipe systems and increased leaching of metals from the ground. The regional groundwater monitoring programme focuses on parameters as pH, alkalinity, sulphate and total aluminium. Sampling is done regularly in 1) natural groundwater springs in the countryside, 2) public water supplies, 3) observation wells in the countryside and 4) observation wells in urban areas.For most of the sites, analysing has been carried out during a time period that is shorter than five years. These sites give valuable information about the general relationship between groundwater acidity and the hydrogeological conditions in the recharge area. Results from regular sampling of public water supplies have been used for studies of time series. The trends indicate that the hydrogeological conditions are of great importance for how the groundwater responds to acid input. In general, surficial groundwater in Quaternary deposits is more sensitive to acidification than groundwater in crystalline bedrock.     

Important factors in nutrient availability: Root morphology and physiology

Nutrient availability in the soil is not only determined by chemical, physical, and micro-biological factors but can be actively influenced by the plant root system. Various components of root activity have been studied in our laboratory during the last 10 years. The major findings are summarized and discussed with special emphasis on root morphology, cation-anion imbalance and proton release, the mechanism of proton release and anion secretion. Large species differences in root morphology were found between red clover and rye-grass. Root morphology was also found to be controlled by environmental and physiological factors. Experimental results obtained with different plant species suggest that proton release by plant roots is not primarily a consequence of excess cation uptake to achieve charge balance in the plant, but rather that active proton extrusion by ATPase activity creates a charge imbalance and a pH gradient which drive nutrient uptake. The pH gradient across the plasmalemma of root cells was also found to be essential for the retention of organic anions by plant roots.     

Changes in adaptation in a Swedish and an Italian lucerne variety when grown for seed without isolation

Seed of two lucerne varieties, Tuna from Sweden and Nostrale (common) from Italy, multiplied in isolated stand and in the vicinity of each other, was tested in field trials at Perugia (Italy) and at Uppsala (Sweden). In both places distinct differences between the intercrossed populations Tuna (× Nostrale) and Nostrale (× Tuna) were demonstrated. The decrease in winterhardiness as compared with Tuna was very pronounced in the trial at Uppsala. It is concluded that the influence of volunteer lucerne plants in a field or in the vicinity of a seed field is economically very important when seed of a North European variety is produced outside the area of adaptation.

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Samenvatting Zaad van twee lucernerassen, Tuna uit Zweden en Nostrale uit Italië, afkomstig van geïsoleerde en van naast elkaar gezaaide velden, werd gebruikt voor veldproeven te Perugia (Italië) en te Uppsala (Zweden). Op beide plaatsen konden duidelijke verschillen tussen de populaties Tuna (x Nostrale) en Nostrale (x Tuna) worden vastgesteld.Opvallend was de achteruitgang in winterhardheid van het in Italië, in de nabijheid van het ras Nostrale, vermeerderde Zweedse ras Tuna.Geconcludeerd wordt dat bij de vermeerdering van Noord-Europese lucernerassen in andere landen (buiten het gebied, waaraan zij zijn aangepast) spontane kruisbestuiving met andere rassen of opslag-planten voorkomen dient te worden.

     

Performance of the Swedish lucerne variety U 0615 from seed multiplied in Israel

Seed of the Swedish lucerne variety U 0615 harvested in a seed field in Israel for four consecutive seasons was tested in field trials in Sweden. Differences in seed yield between plants were demonstrated in Israel — less winter-dormant plants gave more than four times as much seed as winter-dormant plants. On the average Israel-grown seed yielded less in the first cut than Swedish-grown seed, which indicates a decrease in winter-hardiness. The yield was especially reduced in 1962 when winter damage was severe. It is pointed out that varieties may react differently when seed is produced outside the area of adaptation. In a variety with a high degree of heterogeneity, e.g. U 0615, the mode of increase and the stage to be multiplied at southern latitudes should be tested carefully before it is undertaken commercially.Swedish Seed Association, Uppsala 1, Sweden.The Hebrew University, Faculty of Agriculture, Rehovot, Israel.     

In vivo confocal microscopy in the normal corneas of cats, dogs and birds

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the applicability of in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) in veterinary ophthalmology and analyze the morphology of living, healthy cornea. ANIMALS EXAMINED: Thirty-seven dogs, 34 cats and five birds. PROCEDURE: Various corneal sublayers were visualized in the central region using an in vivo confocal corneal microscope (HRTII/RCM). RESULTS: An investigation method was developed and adapted for use on animals with varying skull forms and eye positions. Real-time images of the epithelial cells, the corneal stroma and the endothelial layer were obtained. The corneal stromal nerve trunks and the subepithelial and basal epithelial nerve plexus were visualized. In dogs, full corneal thickness (FCT) was 585 +/- 79 microm (mean +/- SD) and endothelial cell density (ECD) 3175 +/- 776 cells/mm(2) (mean +/- SD). In cats, FCT was 592 +/- 80 microm and ECD 2846 +/- 403 cells/mm(2). There were no significant differences between canine and feline FCT and ECD and no morphologic differences could be seen between dogs and cats. The bird images revealed a number of structural differences. CONCLUSION: Noninvasive IVCM allows accurate detection of corneal sublayers, corneal pachymetry, endothelial cell density and corneal innervation in various animal species. For clinical usage, patients must be under general anesthesia. The confocal images provided anatomic reference images of various healthy corneal structures in dogs, cats and birds.