Effects of Actinomycete Secondary Metabolites on Sediment Microbial Communities.

PubMed

Patin, Nastassia V; Schorn, Michelle; Aguinaldo, Kristen; Lincecum, Tommie; Moore, Bradley S; Jensen, Paul R

2017-02-15

Marine sediments harbor complex microbial communities that remain poorly studied relative to other biomes such as seawater. Moreover, bacteria in these communities produce antibiotics and other bioactive secondary metabolites, yet little is known about how these compounds affect microbial community structure. In this study, we used next-generation amplicon sequencing to assess native microbial community composition in shallow tropical marine sediments. The results revealed complex communities comprised of largely uncultured taxa, with considerable spatial heterogeneity and known antibiotic producers comprising only a small fraction of the total diversity. Organic extracts from cultured strains of the sediment-dwelling actinomycete genus Salinispora were then used in mesocosm studies to address how secondary metabolites shape sediment community composition. We identified predatory bacteria and other taxa that were consistently reduced in the extract-treated mesocosms, suggesting that they may be the targets of allelopathic interactions. We tested related taxa for extract sensitivity and found general agreement with the culture-independent results. Conversely, several taxa were enriched in the extract-treated mesocosms, suggesting that some bacteria benefited from the interactions. The results provide evidence that bacterial secondary metabolites can have complex and significant effects on sediment microbial communities. Ocean sediments represent one of Earth's largest and most poorly studied biomes. These habitats are characterized by complex microbial communities where competition for space and nutrients can be intense. This study addressed the hypothesis that secondary metabolites produced by the sediment-inhabiting actinomycete Salinispora arenicola affect community composition and thus mediate interactions among competing microbes. Next-generation amplicon sequencing of mesocosm experiments revealed complex communities that shifted following exposure to S. arenicola extracts. The results reveal that certain predatory bacteria were consistently less abundant following exposure to extracts, suggesting that microbial metabolites mediate competitive interactions. Other taxa increased in relative abundance, suggesting a benefit from the extracts themselves or the resulting changes in the community. This study takes a first step toward assessing the impacts of bacterial metabolites on sediment microbial communities. The results provide insight into how low-abundance organisms may help structure microbial communities in ocean sediments. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Pre- and post-remediation characterization of acid-generating fluvial tailings material

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Kathleen S.; Walton-Day, Katherine; Hoal, Karin O.; Driscoll, Rhonda L.; Pietersen, K.

2012-01-01

The upper Arkansas River south of Leadville, Colorado, USA, contains deposits of fluvial tailings from historical mining operations in the Leadville area. These deposits are potential non-point sources of acid and metal contamination to surface- and groundwater systems. We are investigating a site that recently underwent in situ remediation treatment with lime, fertilizer, and compost. Pre- and post-remediation fluvial tailings material was collected from a variety of depths to examine changes in mineralogy, acid generation, and extractable nutrients. Results indicate sufficient nutrient availability in the post-remediation near-surface material, but pyrite and acid generation persist below the depth of lime and fertilizer addition. Mineralogical characterization performed using semi-quantitative X-ray diffraction and quantitative SEM-based micro-mineralogy (Mineral Liberation Analysis, MLA) reveal formation of gypsum, jarosite, and complex coatings surrounding mineral grains in post-remediation samples.

Effect of land use on the spatial variability of organic matter and nutrient status in an Oxisol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paz-Ferreiro, Jorge; Alves, Marlene Cristina; Vidal Vázquez, Eva

2013-04-01

Heterogeneity is now considered as an inherent soil property. Spatial variability of soil attributes in natural landscapes results mainly from soil formation factors. In cultivated soils much heterogeneity can additionally occur as a result of land use, agricultural systems and management practices. Organic matter content (OMC) and nutrients associated to soil exchange complex are key attribute in the maintenance of a high quality soil. Neglecting spatial heterogeneity in soil OMC and nutrient status at the field scale might result in reduced yield and in environmental damage. We analyzed the impact of land use on the pattern of spatial variability of OMC and soil macronutrients at the stand scale. The study was conducted in São Paulo state, Brazil. Land uses were pasture, mango orchard and corn field. Soil samples were taken at 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm depth in 84 points, within 100 m x 100 m plots. Texture, pH, OMC, cation exchange capacity (CEC), exchangeable cations (Ca, Mg, K, H, Al) and resin extractable phosphorus were analyzed.. Statistical variability was found to be higher in parameters defining the soil nutrient status (resin extractable P, K, Ca and Mg) than in general soil properties (OMC, CEC, base saturation and pH). Geostatistical analysis showed contrasting patterns of spatial dependence for the different soil uses, sampling depths and studied properties. Most of the studied data sets collected at two different depths exhibited spatial dependence at the sampled scale and their semivariograms were modeled by a nugget effect plus a structure. The pattern of soil spatial variability was found to be different between the three study soil uses and at the two sampling depths, as far as model type, nugget effect or ranges of spatial dependence were concerned. Both statistical and geostatistical results pointed out the importance of OMC as a driver responsible for the spatial variability of soil nutrient status.

Optimization of isolation and cultivation of bacterial endophytes through addition of plant extract to nutrient media

PubMed Central

Eevers, N; Gielen, M; Sánchez-López, A; Jaspers, S; White, J C; Vangronsveld, J; Weyens, N

2015-01-01

Many endophytes have beneficial effects on plants and can be exploited in biotechnological applications. Studies hypothesize that only 0.001–1% of all plant-associated bacteria are cultivable. Moreover, even after successful isolations, many endophytic bacteria often show reduced regrowth capacity. This research aimed to optimize isolation processes and culturing these bacteria afterwards. We compared several minimal and complex media in a screening. Beside the media themselves, two gelling agents and adding plant extract to media were investigated to enhance the number and diversity of endophytes as well as the growth capacity when regrown after isolation. In this work, 869 medium delivered the highest numbers of cultivable bacteria, as well as the highest diversity. When comparing gelling agents, no differences were observed in the numbers of bacteria. Adding plant extract to the media lead to a slight increase in diversity. However, when adding plant extract to improve the regrowth capacity, sharp increases of viable bacteria occurred in both rich and minimal media. PMID:25997013

Predicting organic matter, nitrogen, and phosphorus concentrations in runoff from peat extraction sites using partial least squares regression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuukkanen, T.; Marttila, H.; Kløve, B.

2017-07-01

Organic matter and nutrient export from drained peatlands is affected by complex hydrological and biogeochemical interactions. Here partial least squares regression (PLSR) was used to relate various soil and catchment characteristics to variations in chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations in runoff. Peat core samples and water quality data were collected from 15 peat extraction sites in Finland. PLSR models constructed by cross-validation and variable selection routines predicted 92, 88, and 95% of the variation in mean COD, TN, and TP concentration in runoff, respectively. The results showed that variations in COD were mainly related to net production (temperature and water-extractable dissolved organic carbon (DOC)), hydrology (topographical relief), and solubility of dissolved organic matter (peat sulfur (S) and calcium (Ca) concentrations). Negative correlations for peat S and runoff COD indicated that acidity from oxidation of organic S stored in peat may be an important mechanism suppressing organic matter leaching. Moreover, runoff COD was associated with peat aluminum (Al), P, and sodium (Na) concentrations. Hydrological controls on TN and COD were similar (i.e., related to topography), whereas degree of humification, bulk density, and water-extractable COD and Al provided additional explanations for TN concentration. Variations in runoff TP concentration were attributed to erosion of particulate P, as indicated by a positive correlation with suspended sediment concentration (SSC), and factors associated with metal-humic complexation and P adsorption (peat Al, water-extractable P, and water-extractable iron (Fe)).

Organo-mineral fertilisers from glass-matrix and organic biomasses: a new way to release nutrients. A novel approach to fertilisation based on plant demand.

PubMed

Trinchera, Alessandra; Allegra, Maria; Rea, Elvira; Roccuzzo, Giancarlo; Rinaldi, Simona; Sequi, Paolo; Intrigliolo, Francesco

2011-10-01

A glass-matrix fertiliser (GMF), a by-product from ceramic industries, releases nutrients only in the presence of complexing solutions, similar to those exuded by plant roots. This ensures a slow release of nutrients over time, limiting the risk of their loss in the environment. With the aim to improve fertiliser performance, GMF was mixed with vine vinasse (DVV), pastazzo (a by-product of the citrus processing industry, PAS) or green compost (COMP) and nutrient release was evaluated by citric and chloridric acid extraction, at different concentrations. Theoretical and actual nutrients release were compared to evaluate possible synergistic effects due to the organic component added to the mineral fertiliser: phosphorus (+7.1%), K (+4.8%), Fe (+8.5%) and Zn (+5.5%) were released more efficiently by 2% citric acid from GMF + DVV, while Ca availability was increased (+5.3%) by 2% citric acid from GMF + PAS mixture. Both DVV and COMP increased by 12-18% the Fe release from GFM matrix. Organic biomasses added to GMF increased the release of some macro and micronutrients through an 'activation effect', which suggests the employment of these organo-mineral fertilisers also in short-cycle crops production. Moreover, the re-use of some agro-industrial organic residues gives another 'adding value' to this novel organo-mineral fertilfertilisers. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

Establishment of five cover crops and total soil nutrient extraction in a humid tropical soil in the Peruvian Amazon

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In order to evaluate the establishment of five cover crops and their potential to increase soil fertility through nutrient extraction, an experiment was installed in the Research Station of Choclino, San Martin, Peru. Five cover crops were planted: Arachis pintoi Krapov. & W.C. Greg, Calopogonium m...

ENERGY AND NUTRIENT EXTRACTION FROM ONSITE WASTEWATER - PHASE I

EPA Science Inventory

Onsite wastewater systems are a significant source of nutrient loading to the environment and there is a demand for technologies that remove nutrients at the source. Most desired are passive, low-...

Application of laser microdissection to identify the mycorrhizal fungi that establish arbuscules inside root cells

PubMed Central

Berruti, Andrea; Borriello, Roberto; Lumini, Erica; Scariot, Valentina; Bianciotto, Valeria; Balestrini, Raffaella

2013-01-01

Obligate symbiotic fungi that form arbuscular mycorrhizae (AMF; belonging to the Glomeromycota phylum) are some of the most important soil microorganisms. AMFs facilitate mineral nutrient uptake from the soil, in exchange for plant-assimilated carbon, and promote water-stress tolerance and resistance to certain diseases. AMFs colonize the root by producing inter- and intra-cellular hyphae. When the fungus penetrates the inner cortical cells, it produces a complex ramified structure called arbuscule, which is considered the preferential site for nutrient exchange. Direct DNA extraction from the whole root and sequencing of ribosomal gene regions are commonly carried out to investigate intraradical AMF communities. Nevertheless, this protocol cannot discriminate between the AMFs that actively produce arbuscules and those that do not. To solve this issue, the authors have characterized the AMF community of arbusculated cells (AC) through a laser microdissection (LMD) approach, combined with sequencing-based taxa identification. The results were then compared with the AMF community that was found from whole root DNA extraction. The AMF communities originating from the LMD samples and the whole root samples differed remarkably. Five taxa were involved in the production of arbuscules, while two taxa were retrieved inside the root but not in the AC. Unexpectedly, one taxon was found in the AC, but its detection was not possible when extracting from the whole root. Thus, the LMD technique can be considered a powerful tool to obtain more precise knowledge on the symbiotically active intraradical AMF community. PMID:23675380

Effects of probiotic supplementation in different nutrient density diets on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profiles, fecal microflora and noxious gas emission in weaning pig.

PubMed

Lan, Ruixia; Tran, Hoainam; Kim, Inho

2017-03-01

Probiotics can serve as alternatives to antibiotics to increase the performance of weaning pigs, and the intake of probiotics is affected by dietary nutrient density. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a probiotic complex in different nutrient density diets on growth performance, digestibility, blood profiles, fecal microflora and noxious gas emission in weaning pigs. From day 22 to day 42, both high-nutrient-density and probiotic complex supplementation diets increased (P < 0.05) the average daily gain. On day 42, the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter, nitrogen and gross energy (GE), blood urea nitrogen concentration and NH 3 and H 2 S emissions were increased (P < 0.05) in pigs fed high-nutrient-density diets. Pigs fed probiotic complex supplementation diets had higher (P < 0.05) ATTD of GE than pigs fed non-supplemented diets. Fecal Lactobacillus counts were increased whereas Escherichia coli counts and NH 3 and H 2 S emissions were decreased (P < 0.05) in pigs fed probiotic complex supplementation diets. Interactive effects on average daily feed intake (ADFI) were observed from day 22 to day 42 and overall, where probiotic complex improved ADFI more dramatically in low-nutrient-density diets. The beneficial effects of probiotic complex (Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus subtilis and Clostridium butyricum) supplementation on ADFI is more dramatic with low-nutrient-density diets. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Phenotyping the quality of complex medium components by simple online-monitored shake flask experiments.

PubMed

Diederichs, Sylvia; Korona, Anna; Staaden, Antje; Kroutil, Wolfgang; Honda, Kohsuke; Ohtake, Hisao; Büchs, Jochen

2014-11-07

Media containing yeast extracts and other complex raw materials are widely used for the cultivation of microorganisms. However, variations in the specific nutrient composition can occur, due to differences in the complex raw material ingredients and in the production of these components. These lot-to-lot variations can affect growth rate, product yield and product quality in laboratory investigations and biopharmaceutical production processes. In the FDA's Process Analytical Technology (PAT) initiative, the control and assessment of the quality of critical raw materials is one key aspect to maintain product quality and consistency. In this study, the Respiration Activity Monitoring System (RAMOS) was used to evaluate the impact of different yeast extracts and commercial complex auto-induction medium lots on metabolic activity and product yield of four recombinant Escherichia coli variants encoding different enzymes. Under non-induced conditions, the oxygen transfer rate (OTR) of E. coli was not affected by a variation of the supplemented yeast extract lot. The comparison of E. coli cultivations under induced conditions exhibited tremendous differences in OTR profiles and volumetric activity for all investigated yeast extract lots of different suppliers as well as lots of the same supplier independent of the E. coli variant. Cultivation in the commercial auto-induction medium lots revealed the same reproducible variations. In cultivations with parallel offline analysis, the highest volumetric activity was found at different cultivation times. Only by online monitoring of the cultures, a distinct cultivation phase (e.g. glycerol depletion) could be detected and chosen for comparable and reproducible offline analysis of the yield of functional product. This work proves that cultivations conducted in complex media may be prone to significant variation in final product quality and quantity if the quality of the raw material for medium preparation is not thoroughly checked. In this study, the RAMOS technique enabled a reliable and reproducible screening and phenotyping of complex raw material lots by online measurement of the respiration activity. Consequently, complex raw material lots can efficiently be assessed if the distinct effects on culture behavior and final product quality and quantity are visualized.

Investigation of utilization of the algal biomass residue after oil extraction to lower the total production cost of biodiesel.

PubMed

Gao, Min-Tian; Shimamura, Takashi; Ishida, Nobuhiro; Takahashi, Haruo

2012-09-01

In this study, component analysis of a novel biodiesel-producing alga, Pseudochoricystis ellipsoidea, was performed. The component analysis results indicated that proteins and amino acids are abundant in P. ellipsoidea while the sugar content is relatively low. Rather than its use as a carbon source, the use of the algal biomass residue after oil extraction as a nutrient source provided a new way for lowering the total production cost of biodiesel. In both lactic acid and ethanol fermentations, the use of the residue instead of high-cost nutrient yeast extract allowed a significant saving, showing the promise of the algal biomass residue for use as a fermentation nutrient source. Copyright © 2012 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ion Chromatography as an Alternative to Standard Methods for Analysis of Macro-nutrients in Mehlich 1 Extracts of Unfertilized Forest Soils

Treesearch

Joseph B. Fischer; James H. Miller

2004-01-01

This study evaluates ion chromatography (IC) as an alternative to atomic absorption (AA) and inductively-coupled plasma spectromctry (ICP) for analysis of potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), and calcium (Ca), and and as an alternative to antimonylmolybdate colorimetry and ICP for analysis of phosphorus (P) macro-nutrients in Mehlich 1 extracts. Soils typical of pine forests...

Interfacial dilational properties of tea polyphenols and milk proteins with gut epithelia and the role of mucus in nutrient adsorption.

PubMed

Guri, Anilda; Li, Yang; Corredig, Milena

2015-12-01

By interacting with nutrients, the mucus layer covering the intestinal epithelium may mediate absorption. This study aimed to determine possible interactions between epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), skim milk proteins or their complexes with human intestinal mucin films. The films were extracted from postconfluent monolayers of HT29-MTX, a human intestinal cell line, and a model system was created using drop shape tensiometry. The EGCG uptake tested in vitro on postconfluent Caco-2 cells or co-cultures of Caco-2/HT29-MTX (mucus producing) showed recovery of bioavailable EGCG only for Caco-2 cell monolayers, suggesting an effect of mucus on absorption. Interfacial dilational rheology was employed to characterize the properties of the interface mixed with mucus dispersion. Adsorption of polyphenols greatly enhanced the viscoelastic modulus of the mucus film, showing the presence of interactions between the nutrient molecules and mucus films. On the other hand, in situ digestion of milk proteins using trypsin showed higher surface activities as a result of protein unfolding and competitive adsorption of the hydrolyzed products. There was an increase of viscoelastic modulus over the drop ageing time for the mixed interfaces, indicating the formation of a stiffer interfacial network. These results bring new insights into the role of the mucus layer in nutrient absorption and the interactions of mucus and dairy products.

Food and symptom generation in functional gastrointestinal disorders: physiological aspects.

PubMed

Farré, Ricard; Tack, Jan

2013-05-01

The response of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) to ingestion of food is a complex and closely controlled process, which allows optimization of propulsion, digestion, absorption of nutrients, and removal of indigestible remnants. This review summarizes current knowledge on the mechanisms that control the response of the GIT to food intake. During the cephalic phase, triggered by cortical food-related influences, the GIT prepares for receiving nutrients. The gastric phase is dominated by the mechanical effect of the meal volume. Accumulation of food in the stomach activates tension-sensitive mechanoreceptors, which in turn stimulate gastric accommodation and gastric acid secretion through the intrinsic and vago-vagal reflex pathways. After meal ingestion, the tightly controlled process of gastric emptying starts, with arrival of nutrients in the duodenum triggering negative feedback on emptying and stimulating secretion of digestive enzymes through the neural (mainly vago-vagal reflex, but also intrinsic) and endocrine (release of peptides from entero-endocrine cells) pathways. Several types of specialized receptors detect the presence of all main categories of nutrients. In addition, the gastrointestinal mucosa expresses receptors of the T1R and T2R families (taste receptors) and several members of the transient receptor potential channel family, all of which are putatively involved in the detection of specific tastants in the lumen. Activation of nutrient and taste sensors also activates the extrinsic and intrinsic neural, as well as entero-endocrine, pathways. During passage through the small bowel, nutrients are progressively extracted, and electrolyte-rich liquid intestinal content with non-digestible residue is delivered to the colon. The colon provides absorption of the water and electrolytes, storage of non-digestible remnants of food, aboral propulsion of contents, and finally evacuation through defecation.

Nitrogen and phosphorus resorption in a neotropical rain forest of a nutrient-rich soil.

PubMed

Martínez-Sánchez, José Luis

2005-01-01

In tropical forests with nutrient-rich soil tree's nutrient resorption from senesced leaves has not always been observed to be low. Perhaps this lack of consistence is partly owing to the nutrient resorption methods used. The aim of the study was to analyse N and P resorption proficiency from tropical rain forest trees in a nutrient-rich soil. It was hypothesised that trees would exhibit low nutrient resorption in a nutrient-rich soil. The soil concentrations of total N and extractable P, among other physical and chemical characteristics, were analysed in 30 samples in the soil surface (10 cm) of three undisturbed forest plots at 'Estaci6n de Biologia Los Tuxtlas' on the east coast of Mexico (18 degrees 34' - 18 degrees 36' N, 95 degrees 04' - 95 degrees 09' W). N and P resorption proficiency were determined from senescing leaves in 11 dominant tree species. Nitrogen was analysed by microkjeldahl digestion with sulphuric acid and distilled with boric acid, and phosphorus was analysed by digestion with nitric acid and perchloric acid. Soil was rich in total N (0.50%, n = 30) and extractable P (4.11 microg g(-1) n = 30). As expected, trees showed incomplete N (1.13%, n = 11) and P (0.11%, n = 1) resorption. With a more accurate method of nutrient resorption assessment, it is possible to prove that a forest community with a nutrient-rich soil can have low levels of N and P resorption.

Isolation of ethyl acetic based AGF bio-nutrient and its application on the growth of Capsicum annum L. plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hendrawan, Sonjaya, Yaya; Khoerunnisa, Fitri; Musthapa, Iqbal; Nurmala, Astri Rizki

2015-12-01

The study aimed to obtain the bionutrient derived from extraction of AGF leafs in ethyl acetic solvents and to explore its application on the plant growth of capsicum annum L. (curly red chili). Particularly, the fraction of secondary metabolites groups composed bionutrient was intensively elucidated by liquid vacuum chromatography technique. The characterization of secondary metabolites groups was conducted through several methods, i.e. thin layer chromatography, phytochemical screening, and FTIR spectroscopy. The AGF extracts based bionutrient then was applied on capsicum annum L. plants with dosage of 2 and 10 mL/L. The ethyl acetic solvent and commercial nutrient of Phonska and pesticide of curacron (EC 500) were selected as a blank and a positive control to evaluate the growth pattern of capsicum annum L., respectively. The result showed that the CF 1 dan CF2 of AGF extract contained alkaloid and terpenoid of secondary metabolite group, the CF 3, and CF 4 of AGF extracts were dominated by alkaloid, flavonoid, and terpenoid, while the CF 5 of AGF extract contained alkaloid, tannin and terpenoid groups. The CF 2 of AGF extract has the highest growth rate constant of 0.1702 week-1 with the number and heaviest mass of the yield of 82 pieces and 186.60, respectively. It was also showed the significant bio-pesticide activity that should be useful to support plant growth, indicating that AGF extract can be applied as both bio-nutrient and bio-pesticide.

Phytoremediation of agriculture runoff by filamentous algae poly-culture for biomethane production, and nutrient recovery for secondary cultivation of lipid generating microalgae.

PubMed

Bohutskyi, Pavlo; Chow, Steven; Ketter, Ben; Fung Shek, Coral; Yacar, Dean; Tang, Yuting; Zivojnovich, Mark; Betenbaugh, Michael J; Bouwer, Edward J

2016-12-01

An integrated system was implemented for water phytoremediation and biofuel production through sequential cultivation of filamentous algae followed by cultivation of lipid-producing microalgae Chlorella sorokiniana. Natural poly-culture of filamentous algae was grown in agricultural stormwater using the Algal Turf Scrubber®, harvested and subjected for lipid extraction and/or methane production using anaerobic digestion (AD). While filamentous algae lipid content was too low for feasible biodiesel production (<2%), both whole biomass and lipid-extracted algal residues (LEA) yielded ∼0.2LmethanepergVS at loading rates up to 5gVS/L-day. Importantly, essential macro-nutrients and trace elements captured from stormwater were released into the AD effluent as soluble nutrients and were successfully tested as fertilizer replacement for cultivation of lipid-accumulating C. sorokiniana in a subsequent stage. Accordingly, filamentous algae poly-culture was exploited for waste nutrient capturing and biofuel feedstock generation. These nutrients were recovered and reused as a concentrated supplement for potentially high-value microalgae. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Nutrition quality of extraction mannan residue from palm kernel cake on brolier chicken

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tafsin, M.; Hanafi, N. D.; Kejora, E.; Yusraini, E.

2018-02-01

This study aims to find out the nutrient residue of palm kernel cake from mannan extraction on broiler chicken by evaluating physical quality (specific gravity, bulk density and compacted bulk density), chemical quality (proximate analysis and Van Soest Test) and biological test (metabolizable energy). Treatment composed of T0 : palm kernel cake extracted aquadest (control), T1 : palm kernel cake extracted acetic acid (CH3COOH) 1%, T2 : palm kernel cake extracted aquadest + mannanase enzyme 100 u/l and T3 : palm kernel cake extracted acetic acid (CH3COOH) 1% + enzyme mannanase 100 u/l. The results showed that mannan extraction had significant effect (P<0.05) in improving the quality of physical and numerically increase the value of crude protein and decrease the value of NDF (Neutral Detergent Fiber). Treatments had highly significant influence (P<0.01) on the metabolizable energy value of palm kernel cake residue in broiler chickens. It can be concluded that extraction with aquadest + enzyme mannanase 100 u/l yields the best nutrient quality of palm kernel cake residue for broiler chicken.

Nutrient-Specific Foraging in Invertebrate Predators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayntz, David; Raubenheimer, David; Salomon, Mor; Toft, Søren; Simpson, Stephen J.

2005-01-01

Many herbivores and omnivores adjust their food selection behavior to regulate the intake of multiple nutrients. Carnivores, however, are generally assumed to optimize the rate of prey capture rather than select prey according to nutrient composition. We showed experimentally that invertebrate predators can forage selectively for protein and lipids to redress specific nutritional imbalances. This selection can take place at different stages of prey handling: The predator may select among foods of different nutritional composition, eat more of a prey if it is rich in nutrients that the predator is deficient in, or extract specific nutrients from a single prey item.

Legacy nutrient dynamics and patterns of catchment response under changing land use and management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Attinger, S.; Van, M. K.; Basu, N. B.

2017-12-01

Watersheds are complex heterogeneous systems that store, transform, and release water and nutrients under a broad distribution of both natural and anthropogenic controls. Many current watershed models, from complex numerical models to simpler reservoir-type models, are considered to be well-developed in their ability to predict fluxes of water and nutrients to streams and groundwater. They are generally less adept, however, at capturing watershed storage dynamics. In other words, many current models are run with an assumption of steady-state dynamics, and focus on nutrient flows rather than changes in nutrient stocks within watersheds. Although these commonly used modeling approaches may be able to adequately capture short-term watershed dynamics, they are unable to represent the clear nonlinearities or hysteresis responses observed in watersheds experiencing significant changes in nutrient inputs. To address such a lack, we have, in the present work, developed a parsimonious modeling approach designed to capture long-term catchment responses to spatial and temporal changes in nutrient inputs. In this approach, we conceptualize the catchment as a biogeochemical reactor that is driven by nutrient inputs, characterized internally by both biogeochemical degradation and residence or travel time distributions, resulting in a specific nutrient output. For the model simulations, we define a range of different scenarios to represent real-world changes in land use and management implemented to improve water quality. We then introduce the concept of state-space trajectories to describe system responses to these potential changes in anthropogenic forcings. We also increase model complexity, in a stepwise fashion, by dividing the catchment into multiple biogeochemical reactors, coupled in series or in parallel. Using this approach, we attempt to answer the following questions: (1) What level of model complexity is needed to capture observed system responses? (2) How can we explain different patterns of nonlinearity in watershed nutrient dynamics? And finally, how does the accumulation of nutrient legacies within watersheds impact current and future water quality?

Effects of Lycium barbarum extract on production and immunomodulatory activity of the extracellular polysaccharopeptides from submerged fermentation culture of Coriolus versicolor.

PubMed

Lin, Fang-Yi; Lai, Yiu-Kay; Yu, Hao-Chen; Chen, Nan-Yin; Chang, Chi-Yue; Lo, Hui-Chen; Hsu, Tai-Hao

2008-09-15

Polysaccharopeptides (PSPs) from Coriolus versicolor have been used as immunomodulatory and anticancer agents. However, most studies have concentrated on the mycelial PSPs and not those in the fermented broth. On the other hand, Lycium barbarum fruit has been used as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine for two millennia. Its extract contains various nutrients, minerals, and also polysaccharide-protein complexes, which are proven to be bioactive. Herein we report the effects of L. barbarum fruit extract on the mycelial growth and extracellular PSP (ePSP) production of C. versicolor LH1 by using a submerged fermentation process in 20l fermenters. Fermentation production of C. versicolor biomass and its ePSP were augmented in the presence of L. barbarum extract. The ePSP such obtained differs from those obtained with normal culture medium in terms of simple sugar composition and protein content but shows similar overall chemical structures as analyzed by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy. Moreover, the ePSP from C. versicolor cultured with supplementary L. barbarum extract exhibits significant immunomodulatory activity as judged by its effects on the production of nitric oxide and several cytokines by murine RAW264.7 macrophages. Copyright © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Plant Nutrition 2: Macronutrients (N, P, K, S, Mg, and Ca)

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Summary In the second of three lessons spanning the topic of Plant Nutrition, we examine how macronutrients affect plant growth. Specifically, we look at (1) the availability of nutrients in the soil along with the effects of soil microbes and physical properties on their availability; (2) nutrient uptake from the external environment, across plasma membranes and into plant cells; (3) in some cases, the assimilation of the nutrient into organic molecules; (4) the distribution and redistribution of nutrients throughout the plant; and (5) regulation of these processes. In parallel, we examine the genetic basis of a plant's nutrient use efficiency (NUE) and evaluate strategies by which to replenish nutrients that growing plants extract from soil.

Metal and Nutrient Distribution and Fractionation in Managed Urban Watersheds Across the US Southwest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papelis, C.; Williams, A. C.; Boettcher, T. M.

2008-12-01

Metals, metalloids, and nutrients are common contaminants of concern in arid and semi-arid watersheds in the Southwestern U.S. Because of the dramatic population growth in this part of the U.S., the potential for contamination of urban watersheds has also increased over the last few decades. Streams in urban watersheds receive storm water, urban runoff, shallow groundwater, and treated wastewater, among other sources. In addition, urban watersheds are often heavily managed to mitigate flood events and sediment- related impacts. Sediment transport can have a profound effect on the water quality of affected bodies of water. However, differences in geology, hydrogeology, and land use may have dramatic effects on the distribution of nutrients and metals in different urban watersheds. To test these effects, aqueous and sediment samples were collected above and below erosion control and other structures along two heavily managed urban watersheds, namely the Las Vegas Wash in the Las Vegas Valley Watershed, Nevada, and the Rio Salado (Salt River) in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area, Arizona. The construction of such control structures has the potential to alter the distribution of metals and metalloids in bodies of water used by wildlife. In this study, all sediments were characterized by particle size distribution, specific surface area, mineralogical composition, and scanning electron microscopy. The results of total arsenic, boron, and phosphorus extractions will be discussed, as a function of sediment characteristics. Significant differences exist between the two U.S. Southwest watersheds studied, including land use, water sources, sediment characteristics, nutrient and metal distribution, and overall system complexity. These differences lead to significant variations in metalloid and nutrient distributions in the two watersheds. Differences and similarities in the two systems will be explained as a function of sediment characteristics and watershed properties.

Characterizing phosphorus speciation of Chesapeake Bay sediments using chemical extraction, 31P NMR, and X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy.

PubMed

Li, Wei; Joshi, Sunendra R; Hou, Guangjin; Burdige, David J; Sparks, Donald L; Jaisi, Deb P

2015-01-06

Nutrient contamination has been one of the lingering issues in the Chesapeake Bay because the bay restoration is complicated by temporally and seasonally variable nutrient sources and complex interaction between imported and regenerated nutrients. Differential reactivity of sedimentary phosphorus (P) pools in response to imposed biogeochemical conditions can record past sediment history and therefore a detailed sediment P speciation may provide information on P cycling particularly the stability of a P pool and the formation of one pool at the expense of another. This study examined sediment P speciation from three sites in the Chesapeake Bay: (i) a North site in the upstream bay, (ii) a middle site in the central bay dominated by seasonally hypoxic bottom water, and (iii) a South site at the bay-ocean boundary using a combination of sequential P extraction (SEDEX) and spectroscopic techniques, including (31)P NMR, P X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy (XANES), and Fe extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS). Results from sequential P extraction reveal that sediment P is composed predominantly of ferric Fe-bound P and authigenic P, which was further confirmed by solid-state (31)P NMR, XANES, and EXAFS analyses. Additionally, solution (31)P NMR results show that the sediments from the middle site contain high amounts of organic P such as monoesters and diesters, compared to the other two sites, but that these compounds rapidly decrease with sediment depth indicating remineralized P could have precipitated as authigenic P. Fe EXAFS enabled to identify the changes in Fe mineral composition and P sinks in response to imposed redox condition in the middle site sediments. The presence of lepidocrocite, vermiculite, and Fe smectite in the middle site sediments indicates that some ferric Fe minerals can still be present along with pyrite and vivianite, and that ferric Fe-bound P pool can be a major P sink in anoxic sediments. These results provide improved insights into sediment P dynamics, particularly the rapid remineralization of organic P and the stability of Fe minerals and the ferric Fe-bound P pool in anoxic sediments in the Chesapeake Bay.

Broiler litter as a micronutrient source for cotton: concentrations in plant parts.

PubMed

Tewolde, H; Sistani, K R; Rowe, D E

2005-01-01

Analytically, poultry litter contains nearly all essential micronutrients but the extent of phytoavailability of these nutrients and whether cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) and other crop plants can receive adequate amounts of these nutrients from litter is not fully known. The objective of this research was to determine whether cotton receives sufficient amounts of Fe, Cu, Mn, and Zn from litter and estimate the efficiency of cotton in extracting these metal nutrients from litter in the absence of any other source of the micronutrients. The greenhouse research used plastic pots filled with approximately 11 kg of a 2:1 (v/v) sand to vermiculite growing mix. Cotton (cv. Stoneville 474) was grown in the pots fertilized with broiler litter at rates of 30, 60, 90, or 120 g pot(-1) in a factorial combination with four supplemental nutrient solution (NS) treatments. The nutrient solutions consisted of full Hoagland's nutrient solution (NS-full); a solution of the macronutrients N, P, K, Ca, and Mg (NS-macro); a solution of the micronutrients Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, B, and Mo (NS-micro); and water (NS-none). Based on tissue nutrient analysis, a one-time broiler litter application supplied adequate amounts of Fe, Cu, and Mn to bring the concentration of these nutrients in upper leaves within published sufficiency ranges. Zinc, with <17 mg kg(-1) concentration in the upper leaves, was the only micronutrient below the established sufficiency range regardless of the rate of applied litter. Cotton extracted Fe and Mn more efficiently than Cu or Zn, removing as much as 8.8% of Fe and 7.2% of Mn supplied by 30 g litter pot(-1). In contrast, the extraction efficiency was 1.7% for Cu and 1.9% for Zn. Roots accumulated 58% of the total absorbed Fe and 64% of Cu, and leaves accumulated 32% of the Fe and only 13% of the Cu supplied by litter. In contrast, only 16% of the total absorbed Mn and 23% of Zn accumulated in roots while leaves accumulated 64% of the total Mn and 37% of Zn. These results demonstrate that broiler litter is a valuable source of the metal nutrients supplying Fe, Cu, and Mn in full and Zn in part, but a very large fraction of the litter-supplied metal nutrients remained in the growing mix.

Efficient production of ε-poly-L-lysine by Streptomyces ahygroscopicus using one-stage pH control fed-batch fermentation coupled with nutrient feeding.

PubMed

Liu, Sheng-Rong; Wu, Qing-Ping; Zhang, Ju-Mei; Mo, Shu-Ping

2015-03-01

ε-Poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) is a homopolymer of L-lysine molecules connected between the ε amino and alpha carboxyl groups. This polymer is currently used as a natural preservative in food. Insufficient biomass is a major problem in ε-PL fermentation. Here, to improve cell growth and ε-PL productivity, various nitrogen-rich nutrients were supplemented into flask cultures after 16 h cultivation, marking the onset of ε-PL biosynthesis. Yeast extract, soybean powder, corn powder, and beef extract significantly improved cell growth. In terms of ε-PL productivity, yeast extract at 0.5% (w/v) gave the maximum yield (2.24 g/l), 115.4% higher than the control (1.04 g/l), followed by soybean powder (1.86 g/l) at 1% (w/v) and corn powder (1.72 g/l) at 1% (w/v). However, supplementation with beef extract inhibited ε-PL production. The optimal time for supplementation for all nutrients examined was at 16 h cultivation. The kinetics of yeast-extract-supplemented cultures showed enhanced cell growth and production duration. Thus, the most commonly used two-stage pH control fed-batch fermentation method was modified by omitting the pH 5.0-controlled period, and coupling the procedure with nutrient feeding in the pH 3.9-controlled phase. Using this process, by continuously feeding 0.5 g/h of yeast extract, soybean powder, or corn powder into cultures in a 30 L fermenter, the final ε-PL titer reached 28.2 g/l, 23.7 g/l, and 21.4 g/l, respectively, 91.8%, 61.2%, and 45.6% higher than that of the control (14.7 g/l). This describes a promising option for the mass production of ε-PL.

Nutrient Intake and Digestibility in Merino Sheep Fed Peanut Straw

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanim, C.; Muhlisin

2018-02-01

This study aimed to compare nutrient intake and digestibility between male and female Merino fed peanut straw as sole feed. Four male and five female Merino sheep ages 10 to 12 month with average weight of 40 kg were used in this study. All animals were confined in individual metabolism cages and nylon nets were fitted bellow the cages for faecal collection. This experiment was done with 14 d adaptation period and 7 d collection period. Representative sample of feed, refusal feed, and faeces were analysed proximate including dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), crude fibre (CF), ether extract (EE), and extract-free nitrogen (EFN). Data collected were used to calculate nutrient intake and digestibility. All nutrient intake in male Merino was higher (P<0.05) than female one, whereas digestibility of DM, CP, and CF in male Merino sheep were higher (P<0.05) than female sheep. It could be concluded male Merino sheep consumed feed more than female, but they had similar value of digestibility.

Roots bridge water to nutrients: a study of utilizing hydraulic redistribution through root systems to extract nutrients in the dry soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, J.; Ghezzehei, T. A.

2017-12-01

The rhizosphere is the region of soil that surrounds by individual plant roots. While its small volume and narrow region compared to bulk soil, the rhizosphere regulates numerous processes that determine physical structure, nutrient distribution, and biodiversity of soils. One of the most important and distinct functions of the rhizosphere is the capacity of roots to bridge and redistribute soil water from wet soil layers to drier layers. This process was identified and defined as hydraulic lift or hydraulic redistribution, a passive process driven by gradients in water potentials and it has attracted much research attention due to its important role in global water circulation and agriculture security. However, while previous studies mostly focused on the hydrological or physiological impacts of hydraulic redistribution, limited research has been conducted to elucidate its role in nutrient cycling and uptake. In this study, we aim to test the possibility of utilizing hydraulic redistribution to facilitate the nutrient movement and uptake from resource segregated zone. Our overarching hypothesis is that plants can extract nutrients from the drier but nutrient-rich regions by supplying sufficient amounts of water from the wet but nutrient-deficient regions. To test our hypothesis, we designed split-root systems of tomatoes with unequal supply of water and nutrients in different root compartments. More specifically, we transplanted tomato seedlings into sand or soil mediums, and grew them under conditions with alternate 12-h lightness and darkness. We continuously monitored the temperature, water and nutrient content of soils in these separated compartments. The above and below ground biomass were also quantified to evaluate the impacts on the plant growth. The results were compared to a control with evenly supply of water and nutrients to assess the plant growth, nutrient leaching and uptake without hydraulic redistribution.

Modification to the AOAC Sporicidal Activity of Disinfectants Test (Method 966.04): collaborative study.

PubMed

Tomasino, Stephen F; Hamilton, Martin A

2006-01-01

In an effort to improve AOAC Method 966.04, the Sporicidal Activity of Disinfectants Test, selected modifications to the procedure were evaluated in a collaborative study. Method 966.04 is used to generate efficacy data to support the product registration of sporicides and sterilants. The method is a carrier-based test that provides a qualitative measure of product efficacy against spores of Bacillus subtilis and Clostridium sporogenes. The use of garden soil extract and the lack of standard procedures for the enumeration of spores and neutralization of the test chemicals have been considered problematic for many years. The proposed modifications were limited to the B. subtilis and hard surface carrier (porcelain penicylinder) components of the method. The study included the evaluation of a replacement for soil extract nutrient broth and an establishment of a minimum spore titer per carrier, both considered crucial for the improvement and utilization of the method. Additionally, an alternative hard surface material and a neutralization confirmation procedure were evaluated. To determine the equivalence of the proposed alternatives to the standard method, 3 medium/carrier combinations, (1) soil extract nutrient broth/porcelain carrier (current method), (2) nutrient agar amended with 5 microg/mL manganese sulfate/porcelain carrier, and (3) nutrient agar amended with 5 microg/mL manganese sulfate/stainless steel carrier were analyzed for carrier counts, HCI resistance, efficacy, quantitative efficacy, and spore wash-off. The test chemicals used in the study represent 3 chemical classes and are commercially available antimicrobial liquid products: sodium hypochlorite (bleach), glutaraldehyde, and a combination of peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide. Four laboratories participated in the study. The results of the spore titer per carrier, HCI resistance, efficacy, and wash-off studies demonstrate that amended nutrient agar in conjunction with the porcelain is comparable to the current method, soil extract nutrient broth/porcelain. The nutrient agar method is simple, inexpensive, reproducible, and provides an ample supply of high quality spores. Due to the current use of porcelain carriers for testing C. sporogenes, it is advisable to retain the use of porcelain carriers until stainless steel can be evaluated as a replacement carrier material for Clostridium. The evaluation of stainless steel for Clostridium has been initiated by the Study Director. Study Director recommendations for First Action revisions are provided in a modified method.

Measuring Nitrification: A Laboratory Approach to Nutrient Cycling.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hicks, David J.

1990-01-01

Presented is an approach to the study of nutrient cycling in the school laboratory. Discussed are obtaining, processing, and incubating samples; extraction of ions from soil; procedures for nitrate and ammonium analysis; data analysis; an example of results; and other aspects of the nitrogen cycle. (CW)

Wastewater and Saltwater: Studying the Biogeochemistry and Microbial Activity Associated with Wastewater Inputs to San Francisco Bay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Challenor, T.; Menendez, A. D.; Damashek, J.; Francis, C. A.; Casciotti, K. L.

2014-12-01

Nitrification is the process of converting ammonium (NH­­4+) into nitrate (NO3-), and is a crucial step in removing nitrogen (N) from aquatic ecosystems. This process is governed by ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA) that utilize the ammonia monooxygenase gene (amoA). Studying the rates of nitrification and the abundances of ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms in south San Francisco Bay's Artesian Slough, which receives treated effluent from the massive San Jose-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility, are important for understanding the cycling of nutrients in this small but complex estuary. Wastewater inputs can have negative environmental impacts, such as the release of nitrous oxide, a byproduct of nitrification and a powerful greenhouse gas. Nutrient inputs can also increase productivity and sometimes lead to oxygen depletion. Assessing the relative abundance and diversity of AOA and AOB, along with measuring nitrification rates gives vital information about the biology and biogeochemistry of this important N-cycling process. To calculate nitrification rates, water samples were spiked with 15N-labeled ammonium and incubated in triplicate for 24 hours. Four time-points were extracted across the incubation and the "denitrifier" method was used to measure the isotopic ratio of nitrate in the samples over time. In order to determine relative ratios of AOB to AOA, DNA was extracted from water samples and used in clade-specific amoA PCR assays. Nitrification rates were detectable in all locations sampled and were higher than in other regions of the bay, as were concentrations of nitrate and ammonium. Rates were highest in the regions of Artesian Slough most directly affected by wastewater effluent. AOB vastly outnumbered AOA, which is consistent with other studies showing that AOB prefer high nutrient environments. AOB diversity includes clades of Nitrosospira and Nitrosomonas prevalent in estuarine settings. Many of the sequenced genes are related to estuarine sediment found at other sites in the San Francisco Bay as well as the Chesapeake Bay, China East Sea, and Pearl River Estuary. Our data provide evidence for the path that N takes once entering the estuary and also further characterize the behavior of nitrifying microorganisms in extremely high-nutrient aquatic environments.

Effects of soil characteristics on grape juice nutrient concentrations and other grape quality parameters in Shiraz

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Concepción Ramos, Maria; Romero, Maria Paz

2017-04-01

This study investigated the response of grapes to soil properties in the variety Shiraz (SH) cultivated in the Costers de Segre Designation of Origin (NE, Spain). The research was carried out in two areas with differences in vigor, which was examined using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). Soil properties such as organic matter content, pH, electrical conductivity and nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Zn and Mn) were analysed in the two areas. Soil analyses were limited to the upper 40 cm. Soil N-NO3 was measured in 2M KCl extracts. Assimilable phosphorus was analysed by extraction with 0.5 M NaHCO3 at pH 8.5 using the Olsen method. The available K, Ca and Mg were evaluated in hemaaxinecobalt trichloride extracts and the available fraction of Cu, Zn, Mn and Fe in DTPA- trietanolamine extracts, by spectroscopy atomic emission/absorption. Berry grapes were collected at maturity. Nutrients in grape juice (K, Ca, Mg Cu, Zn, Mn and Fe) were determined after a microwave hydrogen peroxide digestion in a closed vessel microwave digestion system and measured by spectroscopy. Other grape properties that determine grape quality such as pH, berry weight and sugar content were analysed using the methods proposed by the OIV. Differences in soil properties were observed between plots, which determined the differences in vigour. The vines with lower vigour were grown in the soils with higher pH, electrical conductivity and silt content, which had in addition higher Ca, Mg and K available levels as well as higher levels of Fe and Mn than the soil in which vines had higher vigour. However, the available fraction of Cu and Zn was smaller. Similar differences in nutrient concentration in the berry were observed for all nutrients except for Cu. Grape juice pH and total soluble solids (°Brix) were higher in the most vigorous vines. However, the differences in berry weight and total acidity at ripening were not significant. Keywords: acidity; berry weight; nutrients; pH; soil characteristics, sugar content.

The influence of soil pH and humus content on received by Mehlich 3 method nutrients analysis results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tonutare, Tonu; Krebstein, Kadri; Rodima, Ako; Kõlli, Raimo; Künnapas, Allan; Rebane, Jaanus; Penu, Priit; Vennik, Kersti; Soobik, Liina

2015-04-01

Soils provide vital ecosystem functions, playing an important role in our economy and in healthy living environment. However, soils are increasingly degrading in Europe and at the global level. Knowledge about the content of major plant available nutrients, i.e. calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus, plays an important role in the sustainable soil management. Mobility of nutrients depends directly on the environmental conditions, two of the most important factors are the pH and organic matter content. Therefore it is essential to have correct information about the content and behaviour of the above named elements in soil, both from the environmental and agronomical viewpoint. During the last decades several extracting solutions which are suitable for the evaluation of nutrient status of soils have been developed for this purpose. One of them is called Mehlich 3 which is widely used in USA, Canada and some European countries (e.g. Estonia, Czech Republic) because of its suitability to extract several major plant nutrients from the soil simultaneously. There are several different instrumental methods used for the analysis of nutrient elements in the soil extract. Potassium, magnesium and calcium are widely analysed by the AAS (atomic absorption spectroscopic) method or by the ICP (inductively coupled plasma) spectroscopic methods. Molecular spectroscopy and ICP spectroscopy were used for the phosphorus determination. In 2011 a new multielemental instrumental method MP-AES (microwave plasma atomic emission spectroscopy) was added to them. Due to its lower detection limits and multielemental character, compared with AAS, and lower exploitation costs, compared with ICP, the MP-AES has a good potential to achieve a leading position in soil nutrient analysis in the future. The objective of this study was to investigate: (i) the impact of soil pH and humus content and (ii) applicability of MP-AES instrumental method for the determination of soil nutrients extracted according to Mehlich 3. For the experiment 100 soil samples with different content of organic matter and pH were used. The determination of Ca, Mg, K and P was analysed by MP and ICP methods and additionally P was analysed molecular spectroscopically. Within the framework of the study the regressions between MP and ICP methods were created for all the analysed elements, i.e. Ca, Mg, K and P. According to MP and ICP, the relationships between the analysed soil major nutrient contents at different soil humus levels and at different pH ranges were determined for the evaluation of their impact. The optimal instrumental settings for calcium, magnesium and potassium analysis, according to Mehlich 3 using MP-AES method, are reported.

Biofilm formation and local electrostatic force characteristics of Escherichia coli O157:H7 observed by electrostatic force microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Y. J.; Jo, W.; Yang, Y.; Park, S.

2007-04-01

The authors report growth media dependence of electrostatic force characteristics in Escherichia coli O157:H7 biofilm through local measurement by electrostatic force microscopy (EFM). The difference values of electrostatic interaction between the bacterial surface and the abiotic surface show an exponential decay behavior during biofilm development. In the EFM data, the biofilm in the low nutrient media shows a faster decay than the biofilm in the rich media. The surface potential in the bacterial cells was changed from 957to149mV. Local characterization of extracellular materials extracted from the bacteria reveals the progress of the biofilm formation and functional complexities.

Evolving Concepts and Translational Relevance of Enteroendocrine Cell Biology.

PubMed

Drucker, Daniel J

2016-03-01

Classical enteroenteroendocrine cell (EEC) biology evolved historically from identification of scattered hormone-producing endocrine cells within the epithelial mucosa of the stomach, small and large intestine. Purification of functional EEC hormones from intestinal extracts, coupled with molecular cloning of cDNAs and genes expressed within EECs has greatly expanded the complexity of EEC endocrinology, with implications for understanding the contribution of EECs to disease pathophysiology. Pubmed searches identified manuscripts highlighting new concepts illuminating the molecular biology, classification and functional role(s) of EECs and their hormonal products. Molecular interrogation of EECs has been transformed over the past decade, raising multiple new questions that challenge historical concepts of EEC biology. Evidence for evolution of the EEC from a unihormonal cell type with classical endocrine actions, to a complex plurihormonal dynamic cell with pleiotropic interactive functional networks within the gastrointestinal mucosa is critically assessed. We discuss gaps in understanding how EECs sense and respond to nutrients, cytokines, toxins, pathogens, the microbiota, and the microbial metabolome, and highlight the expanding translational relevance of EECs in the pathophysiology and therapy of metabolic and inflammatory disorders. The EEC system represents the largest specialized endocrine network in human physiology, integrating environmental and nutrient cues, enabling neural and hormonal control of metabolic homeostasis. Updating EEC classification systems will enable more accurate comparative analyses of EEC subpopulations and endocrine networks in multiple regions of the gastrointestinal tract.

Life Cycle Assessment of Biofertilizer Production and Use Compared with Conventional Liquid Digestate Management.

PubMed

Styles, David; Adams, Paul; Thelin, Gunnar; Vaneeckhaute, Céline; Chadwick, David; Withers, Paul J A

2018-06-12

Handling of digestate produced by anaerobic digestion impacts the environment through emission of greenhouse gases, reactive nitrogen, and phosphorus. Previous life cycle assessments (LCA) evaluating the extraction of nutrients from digestate using struvite precipitation and ammonia stripping did not relate synthetic fertilizer substitution (SFS) to nutrient use efficiency consequences. We applied an expanded LCA to compare the conventional management of 1 m 3 of liquid digestate (LD) from food waste against the production and use of digestate biofertilizer (DBF) extracted from LD, accounting for SFS efficacy. Avoidance of CH 4 , N 2 O, and NH 3 emissions from LD handling and enhanced SFS via more targeted use of nutrients in the versatile DBF product could generate environmental savings of up to 0.129 kg Sb eq, 4.16 kg SO 2 eq, 1.22 kg PO 4 eq, 33 kg CO 2 eq, and 20.6 MJ eq per m 3 LD, for abiotic resource depletion, acidification, eutrophication, global warming, and cumulative energy demand burdens, respectively. However, under worst-case assumptions, DBF extraction could increase global warming and cumulative energy demand by 7.5 kg CO 2 e and 251 MJ eq per m 3 LD owing to processing inputs. Normalizing these results against per capita environmental loadings, we conclude that DBF extraction is environmentally beneficial.

Glass bead cultivation of fungi: combining the best of liquid and agar media.

PubMed

Droce, Aida; Sørensen, Jens Laurids; Giese, Henriette; Sondergaard, Teis Esben

2013-09-01

Production of bioactive compounds and enzymes from filamentous fungi is highly dependent on cultivation conditions. Here we present an easy way to cultivate filamentous fungi on glass beads that allow complete control of nutrient supply. Secondary metabolite production in Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium solani cultivated on agar plates, in shaking liquid culture or on glass beads was compared. Agar plate culture and glass bead cultivation yielded comparable results while liquid culture had lower production of secondary metabolites. RNA extraction from glass beads and liquid cultures was easier than from agar plates and the quality was superior. The system allows simple control of nutrient availability throughout fungal cultivation. This combined with the ease of extraction of nucleic acids and metabolites makes the system highly suitable for the study of gene regulation in response to specific nutrient factors. © 2013.

Hydroponic Crop Production using Recycled Nutrients from Inedible Crop Residues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garland, Jay L.; Mackowiak, Cheryl L.; Sager, John C.

1993-01-01

The coupling of plant growth and waste recycling systems is an important step toward the development of bioregenerative life support systems. This research examined the effectiveness of two alternative methods for recycling nutrients from the inedible fraction (residue) of candidate crops in a bioregenerative system as follows: (1) extraction in water, or leaching, and (2) combustion at 550 C, with subsequent reconstitution of the ash in acid. The effectiveness of the different methods was evaluated by (1) comparing the percent recovery of nutrients, and (2) measuring short- and long-term plant growth in hydroponic solutions, based on recycled nutrients.

Cultivar and Harvest Month Influence the Nutrient Content of Opuntia spp. Cactus Pear Cladode Mucilage Extracts.

PubMed

du Toit, Alba; de Wit, Maryna; Hugo, Arno

2018-04-16

Mucilage extracted from cactus pear cladodes is a hydrocolloid gum. It is a novel, natural, low-kilojoule, cost-effective texture-modifying ingredient in functional food products. Yet, the cultivar with the most optimal nutrient content and the preferred harvest times are as yet unknown. For this reason, mucilage from three Opuntia ficus-indica (Algerian, Morado and Gymno-Carpo) and one Opuntia robusta (Robusta) cultivar were investigated to determine their nutrient content over six months. Nutrients that contribute energy (10.2 kJ/g) were low. The mineral content was high (ash 17.7/100 g), particularly calcium (3.0 g/100 g) and phosphorous (109.5 mg/kg). Low insoluble acid-detergent fibre (1.4 g/kg) and neutral-detergent fibre (2.1 g/kg) values indicated that mucilage was mostly soluble fibre. Calcium oxalate crystals were not detected in dried mucilage. Opuntia robusta powders had higher protein, extractable fat and potassium content, while Opuntia ficus-indica mucilage powders had higher polyunsaturated (Linoleic and α-Linolenic acid) fat content. O. robusta Robusta mucilage, harvested after the fruit harvest (February) had the lowest energy content and the highest mineral and protein content. Mucilage powders were highly soluble, low-kilojoule and mineral-rich. This is a functional ingredient that is produced from an easily cultivated crop, as cactus pears grow in areas with poor soil, extremely high daytime temperatures and limited water supplies.

Enhanced coal-dependent methanogenesis coupled with algal biofuels: Potential water recycle and carbon capture

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barnhart, Elliott P.; Davis, Katherine J.; Varonka, Matthew; Orem, William H.; Cunningham, Alfred B.; Ramsay, Bradley D.; Fields, Matthew W.

2017-01-01

Many coal beds contain microbial communities that can convert coal to natural gas (coalbed methane). Native microorganisms were obtained from Powder River Basin (PRB) coal seams with a diffusive microbial sampler placed downhole and used as an inoculum for enrichments with different nutrients to investigate microbially-enhanced coalbed methane production (MECoM). Coal-dependent methanogenesis more than doubled when yeast extract (YE) and several less complex components (proteins and amino acids) were added to the laboratory microcosms. Stimulated coal-dependent methanogenesis with peptone was 86% of that with YE while glutamate-stimulated activity was 65% of that with YE, and a vitamin mix had only 33% of the YE stimulated activity. For field application of MECoM, there is interest in identifying cost-effective alternatives to YE and other expensive nutrients. In laboratory studies, adding algal extract (AE) with lipids removed stimulated coal-dependent methanogenesis and the activity was 60% of that with YE at 27 d and almost 90% of YE activity at 1406 d. Analysis of British Thermal Unit (BTU) content of coal (a measure of potential energy yield) from long-term incubations indicated > 99.5% of BTU content remained after coalbed methane (CBM) stimulation with either AE or YE. Thus, the coal resource remains largely unchanged following stimulated microbial methane production. Algal CBM stimulation could lead to technologies that utilize coupled biological systems (photosynthesis and methane production) that sustainably enhance CBM production and generate algal biofuels while also sequestering carbon dioxide (CO2).

Optimization of L-(+)-lactic acid production by ring and disc plastic composite supports through repeated-batch biofilm fermentation.

PubMed Central

Ho, K L; Pometto, A L; Hinz, P N

1997-01-01

Four customized bioreactors, three with plastic composite supports (PCS) and one with suspended cells (control), were operated as repeated-batch fermentors for 66 days at pH 5 and 37 degrees C. The working volume of each customized reactor was 600 ml, and each reactor's medium was changed every 2 to 5 days for 17 batches. The performance of PCS bioreactors in long-term biofilm repeated-batch fermentation was compared with that of suspended-cell bioreactors in this research. PCS could stimulate biofilm formation, supply nutrients to attached and free suspended cells, and reduce medium channelling for lactic acid production. Compared with conventional repeated-batch fermentation, PCS bioreactors shortened the lag time by threefold (control, 11 h; PCS, 3.5 h) and sixfold (control, 9 h; PCS, 1.5 h) at yeast extract concentrations of 0.4 and 0.8% (wt/vol), respectively. They also increased the lactic acid productivity of Lactobacillus casei subsp. rhamnosus (ATCC 11443) by 40 to 70% and shortened the total fermentation time by 28 to 61% at all yeast extract concentrations. The fastest productivity of the PCS bioreactors (4.26 g/liter/h) was at a starting glucose concentration of 10% (wt/vol), whereas that of the control (2.78 g/liter/h) was at 8% (wt/vol). PCS biofilm lactic acid fermentation can drastically improve the fermentation rate with reduced complex-nutrient addition. PMID:9212403

From agricultural use of sewage sludge to nutrient extraction: A soil science outlook.

PubMed

Kirchmann, Holger; Börjesson, Gunnar; Kätterer, Thomas; Cohen, Yariv

2017-03-01

The composition of municipal wastewater and sewage sludge reflects the use and proliferation of elements and contaminants within society. In Sweden, official statistics show that concentrations of toxic metals in municipal sewage sludge have steadily decreased, by up to 90 %, since the 1970s, due to environmental programmes and statutory limits on metals in sludge and soil. Results from long-term field experiments show that reduced metal pollution during repeated sewage sludge application has reversed negative trends in soil biology. Despite this Swedish success story, organic waste recycling from Swedish towns and cities to arable land is still limited to only about 20 % of the total amount produced. Resistance among industries and consumers to products grown on land treated with sewage sludge may not always be scientifically grounded; however, there are rational obstacles to application of sewage sludge to land based on its inherent properties rather than its content of pollutants. We argue that application of urban organic wastes to soil is an efficient form of recycling for small municipalities, but that organic waste treatment from large cities requires other solutions. The large volumes of sewage sludge collected in towns and cities are not equitably distributed back to arable land because of the following: (i) The high water and low nutrient content in sewage sludge make long-distance transportation too expensive; and (ii) the low plant availability of nutrients in sewage sludge results in small yield increases even after many years of repeated sludge addition. Therefore, nutrient extraction from urban wastes instead of direct organic waste recycling is a possible way forward. The trend for increased combustion of urban wastes will make ash a key waste type in future. Combustion not only concentrates the nutrients in the ash but also leads to metal enrichment; hence, direct application of the ash to land is most often not possible. However, inorganic fertiliser (e.g. mono-ammonium phosphate fertiliser, MAP) can be produced from metal-contaminated sewage sludge ash in a process whereby the metals are removed. We argue that the view on organic waste recycling needs to be diversified in order to improve the urban-rural nutrient cycle, since only recycling urban organic wastes directly is not a viable option to close the urban-rural nutrient cycle. Recovery and recycling of nutrients from organic wastes are a possible solution. When organic waste recycling is complemented by nutrient extraction, some nutrient loops within society can be closed, enabling more sustainable agricultural production in future.

Waterborne nutrient flow through an upland-peatland watershed in Minnesota

Treesearch

Elon S. Verry; D.R. Timmons

1982-01-01

Water and nutrient flow were measured on a complex upland-peatland watershed in north central Minnesota. Annual water budgets for upland and peatland components and for the total watershed were developed. Nutrient input and output budgets were developed for each component on a seasonal basis, using net precipitation inputs, and an annual nutrient budget was developed...

Nutrient Needs of Young Athletes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willenberg, Barbara; Hemmelgarn, Melinda

1991-01-01

Explains the nutritional requirements of children and adolescents, and the physiological roles of the major nutrients. Details the nutrient needs of young athletes, including pre- and postgame meals and fluid replacement. Discusses eating disorders and obesity. Advocates a diet rich in complex carbohydrates. (BC)

Deriving Criteria-supporting Benchmark Values from Empirical Response Relationships: Comparison of Statistical Techniques and Effect of Log-transforming the Nutrient Variable

EPA Science Inventory

In analyses supporting the development of numeric nutrient criteria, multiple statistical techniques can be used to extract critical values from stressor response relationships. However there is little guidance for choosing among techniques, and the extent to which log-transfor...

NGEE Arctic Plant Traits: Soil Nutrient Availability, Kougarok Road Mile Marker 64, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, beginning 2016

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Verity Salmon; Colleen Iversen; Amy Breen

Soil nutrient availability at all vegetation plots was measured using anion and cation binding resins deployed to vegetation plots at the Kougarok hillslope site located at Kougarok Road Marker 64. Concentrations of ammonia, nitrate, and phosphate in resin extract solutions were determined in the lab.

Methane production from acid hydrolysates of Agave tequilana bagasse: evaluation of hydrolysis conditions and methane yield.

PubMed

Arreola-Vargas, Jorge; Ojeda-Castillo, Valeria; Snell-Castro, Raúl; Corona-González, Rosa Isela; Alatriste-Mondragón, Felipe; Méndez-Acosta, Hugo O

2015-04-01

Evaluation of diluted acid hydrolysis for sugar extraction from cooked and uncooked Agave tequilana bagasse and feasibility of using the hydrolysates as substrate for methane production, with and without nutrient addition, in anaerobic sequencing batch reactors (AnSBR) were studied. Results showed that the hydrolysis over the cooked bagasse was more effective for sugar extraction at the studied conditions. Total sugars concentration in the cooked and uncooked bagasse hydrolysates were 27.9 g/L and 18.7 g/L, respectively. However, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural was detected in the cooked bagasse hydrolysate, and therefore, the uncooked bagasse hydrolysate was selected as substrate for methane production. Interestingly, results showed that the AnSBR operated without nutrient addition obtained a constant methane production (0.26 L CH4/g COD), whereas the AnSBR operated with nutrient addition presented a gradual methane suppression. Molecular analyses suggested that methane suppression in the experiment with nutrient addition was due to a negative effect over the archaeal/bacterial ratio. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Variation in biogeochemical parameters across intertidal seagrass meadows in the central Great Barrier Reef region.

PubMed

Mellors, Jane; Waycott, Michelle; Marsh, Helene

2005-01-01

This survey provides baseline information on sediment characteristics, porewater, adsorbed and plant tissue nutrients from intertidal coastal seagrass meadows in the central region of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. Data collected from 11 locations, representative of intertidal coastal seagrass beds across the region, indicated that the chemical environment was typical of other tropical intertidal areas. Results using two different extraction methods highlight the need for caution when choosing an adsorbed phosphate extraction technique, as sediment type affects the analytical outcome. Comparison with published values indicates that the range of nutrient parameters measured is equivalent to those measured across tropical systems globally. However, the nutrient values in seagrass leaves and their molar ratios for Halophila ovalis and Halodule uninervis were much higher than the values from the literature from this and other regions, obtained using the same techniques, suggesting that these species act as nutrient sponges, in contrast with Zostera capricorni. The limited historical data from this region suggest that the nitrogen and phosphorus content of seagrass leaves has increased since the 1970s concomitant with changing land use practice.

Spider web and silk performance landscapes across nutrient space

PubMed Central

Blamires, Sean J.; Tseng, Yi-Hsuan; Wu, Chung-Lin; Toft, Søren; Raubenheimer, David; Tso, I.-Min

2016-01-01

Predators have been shown to alter their foraging as a regulatory response to recent feeding history, but it remains unknown whether trap building predators modulate their traps similarly as a regulatory strategy. Here we fed the orb web spider Nephila pilipes either live crickets, dead crickets with webs stimulated by flies, or dead crickets without web stimulation, over 21 days to enforce spiders to differentially extract nutrients from a single prey source. In addition to the nutrients extracted we measured web architectures, silk tensile properties, silk amino acid compositions, and web tension after each feeding round. We then plotted web and silk “performance landscapes” across nutrient space. The landscapes had multiple peaks and troughs for each web and silk performance parameter. The findings suggest that N. pilipes plastically adjusts the chemical and physical properties of their web and silk in accordance with its nutritional history. Our study expands the application of the geometric framework foraging model to include a type of predatory trap. Whether it can be applied to other predatory traps requires further testing. PMID:27216252

Effects of burn temperature on ash nutrient forms and availability from cattail (Typha domingensis) and sawgrass (Cladium jamaicense) in the Florida Everglades.

PubMed

Qian, Y; Miao, S L; Gu, B; Li, Y C

2009-01-01

Plant ash derived from fire plays an important role in nutrient balance and cycling in ecosystems. Factors that determine the composition and availability of ash nutrients include fire intensity (burn temperature and duration), plant species, habitat nutrient enrichment, and leaf type (live or dead leaf). We used laboratory simulation methods to evaluate temperature effects on nutrient composition and metals in the residual ash of sawgrass (Cladium jamaicense) and cattail (Typha domingensis), particularly on post-fire phosphorus (P) availability in plant ash. Live and dead leaf samples were collected from Water Conservation Area 2A in the northern Everglades along a soil P gradient, where prescribed fire may be used to accelerate recovery of this unique ecosystem. Significant decreases in total carbon and total nitrogen were detected with increasing fire temperature. Organic matter combustion was nearly complete at temperatures > or = 450 degrees C. HCl-extractable P (average, 50% of total P in the ash) and NH(4)Cl-extractable P (average, 33% of total P in the ash) were the predominant P fractions for laboratory-burned ash. Although a low-intensity fire could induce an elevation of P availability, an intense fire generally resulted in decreased water-soluble P. Significant differences in nutrient compositions were observed between species, habitat nutrient status, and leaf types. More labile inorganic P remained in sawgrass ash than in cattail ash; hence, sawgrass ash has a greater potential to release available P than cattail. Fire intensity affected plant ash nutrient composition, particularly P availability, and the effects varied with plant species and leaf type. Therefore, it is important to consider fire intensity and vegetation community when using a prescribed fire for ecosystem management.

DYNAMICS OF NUTRIENTS AND HYDROLOGY IN A LAKE SUPERIOR COASTAL WETLAND

EPA Science Inventory

Coastal wetlands are hydrologically complex ecosystems situated at the interface of upland catchments and oligotrophic Lake Superior. Little is known about nutrient dynamics within coastal wetlands or their role in modifying or contributing to nutrient fluxes from watersheds to ...

Influence of nutrient amendments on the phytoextraction of weathered 2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-1,1-dichloroethylene by cucurbits.

PubMed

White, Jason C; Parrish, Zakia D; Isleyen, Mehmet; Gent, Martin P N; Iannucci-Berger, William; Eitzer, Brian D; Mattina, Maryjane Incorvia

2005-04-01

Field experiments were conducted to determine the impact of nutrient amendments on the phytoextraction of weathered 2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-1,1-dichloroethylene (p,p '-DDE) by eight cultivars of cucurbits over a single growing season. Four cultivars of Cucurbita pepo ssp pepo are accumulators and extract percent level quantities of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), whereas C. pepo ssp ovifera and Cucumis sativus are nonaccumulators. The nonamended accumulators phytoextracted 1.0% of the p,p'-DDE and had a translocation factor of 0.44; however, the nonaccumulators removed 0.16% of the contaminant and had a translocation factor value of 0.09. The accumulators also had 3.8 times greater inorganic element content than the nonaccumulators. Duplicate mounds of each cultivar also received weekly nutrient amendments of phosphorus (400 mg/L K2HPO4), nitrogen (200 mg/L KNO3), or nitrogen/phosphorus (400 mg/L K2HPO4, 200 mg/L KNO3); a minus phosphorus treatment involved a 1-L addition of 1 g/L AlSO4 to the soil before planting. When normalized to respective control values (unamended vegetation), the root and stem p,p'-DDE bioconcentration factors (BCF) of the accumulator cultivars were significantly greater than those of the nonaccumulator cultivars under most nutrient regimes. The biomass of accumulator cultivars decreased by up to 61% under certain nutrient regimes, resulting in mixed effects on the amount of p,p'-DDE extracted. Treatment with N and P increased nonaccumulator biomass by 40 to 100%, and increased p,p'-DDE extraction from soil by 75%. Although generally assumed that fertilizer amendments will enhance phytoremediation, as evidenced here by the nonaccumulators, additions of macronutrients may reduce the phytoextraction of weathered POPs by C. pepo ssp pepo. These findings support our hypothesis that the ability of C. pepo ssp pepo to remove sequestered organic contaminants is governed by unique nutrient-acquisition mechanisms.

Quantitative measurement of negligible trypsin inhibitor activity and nutrient analysis of guar meal fractions.

PubMed

Lee, Jason T; Connor-Appleton, Stacey; Haq, Akram U; Bailey, Christopher A; Cartwright, Aubrey L

2004-10-20

A complete nutrient characterization of three possible products of guar bean processing does not apparently exist in the literature. Guar meal is a high-protein byproduct produced during extraction of galactomannan gum from the guar bean. During the extraction process, two fractions are produced (germ and hull). Germ and hull fractions are usually combined to form the marketed product, guar meal. Analyses characterized the nutrient, trypsin inhibitor, and galactomannan gum content of the three guar meal byproducts to determine which fraction is more valuable as an ingredient in poultry diets. Analyses indicated that the germ fraction is most appropriate for inclusion in poultry diets. Trypsin inhibitor activity previously reported as an antigrowth factor associated with guar meal was negligible and not considered to be a significant factor limiting its use in poultry feeds. Copyright 2004 American Chemical Society

Use of orange peel extract for mixotrophic cultivation of Chlorella vulgaris: increased production of biomass and FAMEs.

PubMed

Park, Won-Kun; Moon, Myounghoon; Kwak, Min-Su; Jeon, Seungjib; Choi, Gang-Guk; Yang, Ji-Won; Lee, Bongsoo

2014-11-01

Mass cultivation of microalgae is necessary to achieve economically feasible production of microalgal biodiesel, but the high cost of nutrients is a major limitation. In this study, orange peel extract (OPE) was used as an inorganic and organic nutrient source for the cultivation of Chlorella vulgaris OW-01. Chemical composition analysis of the OPE indicated that it contains sufficient nutrients for mixotrophic cultivation of C. vulgaris OW-01. Analysis of biomass and FAME production showed that microalgae grown in OPE medium produced 3.4-times more biomass and 4.5-times more fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) than cells cultured in glucose-supplemented BG 11 medium (BG-G). These results suggest that growth of microalgae in an OPE-supplemented medium increases lipid production and that OPE has potential for use in the mass cultivation of microalgae. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of economically feasible, natural plant extract-based microbiological media for producing biomass of the dry rot biocontrol strain Pseudomonas fluorescens P22Y05 in liquid culture.

PubMed

Khalil, Sadia; Ali, Tasneem Adam; Skory, Chris; Slininger, Patricia J; Schisler, David A

2016-02-01

The production of microbial biomass in liquid media often represents an indispensable step in the research and development of bacterial and fungal strains. Costs of commercially prepared nutrient media or purified media components, however, can represent a significant hurdle to conducting research in locations where obtaining these products is difficult. A less expensive option for providing components essential to microbial growth in liquid culture is the use of extracts of fresh or dried plant products obtained by using hot water extraction techniques. A total of 13 plant extract-based media were prepared from a variety of plant fruits, pods or seeds of plant species including Allium cepa (red onion bulb), Phaseolus vulgaris (green bean pods), and Lens culinaris (lentil seeds). In shake flask tests, cell production by potato dry rot antagonist Pseudomonas fluorescens P22Y05 in plant extract-based media was generally statistically indistinguishable from that in commercially produced tryptic soy broth and nutrient broth as measured by optical density and colony forming units/ml produced (P ≤ 0.05, Fisher's protected LSD). The efficacy of biomass produced in the best plant extract-based media or commercial media was equivalent in reducing Fusarium dry rot by 50-96% compared to controls. In studies using a high-throughput microbioreactor, logarithmic growth of P22Y05 in plant extract-based media initiated in 3-5 h in most cases but specific growth rate and the time of maximum OD varied as did the maximum pH obtained in media. Nutrient analysis of selected media before and after cell growth indicated that nitrogen in the form of NH4 accumulated in culture supernatants, possibly due to unbalanced growth conditions brought on by a scarcity of simple sugars in the media tested. The potential of plant extract-based media to economically produce biomass of microbes active in reducing plant disease is considerable and deserves further research.

Effects of dietary tannins on total and extractable nutrients from manure

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The effects of condensed tannins on N dynamics in ruminants have been a topic of research for some time, but much less work has focused on their impacts on other nutrients in manure A 4 × 4 Latin square sheep trial was used to determine if intake of sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata; SL; a conde...

Effects of nutrient enrichment on Prymnesium parvum population dynamics and toxicity: Results from field experiments, Lake Possum Kingdom, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roelke, D.L.; Errera, R.M.; Riesling, R.; Brooks, B.W.; Grover, J.P.; Schwierzke, L.; Urena-Boeck, F.; Baker, J.; Pinckney, J.L.

2007-01-01

Large fish kills associated with toxic populations of the haptophyte Prymnesium parvum occur worldwide. In the past 5 yr, incidences of P. parvum blooms in inland water bodies of Texas (USA) have increased dramatically, where cell densities in excess of 1 ?? 107 cells l-1 are typically observed. We conducted field experiments (Lake Possum Kingdom) during the fall and early spring of 28 d duration using 24 enclosures of 1.57 m 3 each. The experiments investigated the effect of nutrient enrichment, immigration of P. parvum and addition of barley straw extract on phytoplankton biomass and assemblage structure, P. parvum population density, zooplankton biomass and assemblage structure, bacteria, and toxicity. Nutrient enrichment stimulated P. parvum population growth beyond bloom proportions (>1 ?? 107 cells l-1). However, P. parvum did not dominate the assemblage under these conditions, as it does during natural blooms. Instead, euglenophytes and chlorophytes dominated. Toxicity, estimated using fish (Pimephales promelas) and cladoceran (Daphnia magna) bioassays and which is linked to P. parvum's allelopathic and mixotrophic effectiveness, was greatly reduced (eliminated in many cases) under conditions of nutrient enrichment. The suppression of toxicity by nutrient addition suggested that targeted and time-limited nutrient manipulations might be used to mitigate the effects of P. parvum blooms. Immigration of P. parvum into natural assemblages and addition of barley straw extract had no significant effect on plankton dynamics. ?? Inter-Research 2007.

Efect of organic barley-based crop rotations on soil nutrient balance in a semiarid environment for a 16-year experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meco, Ramón; María Moreno, Marta; Lacasta, Carlos; Moreno, Carmen

2013-04-01

In natural ecosystems with no percolating moisture regime, the biogeochemical cycle can be considered a closed system because the nutrients extracted by the roots will be returned to the soil after a certain time. In organic farming, a cycle model as close as possible is taken as a guideline, but we have to consider that unlike natural ecosystems, where most of the nutrients remain in the cycle, the agrosystems are open cycles. To achieve a sustainable fertility of the soil, the soil nutrient levels, the extractions according to the expected crop yields and the export refunds in the form of crop residues, biological nitrogen fixation, green manure or compost will have to be determined. Nutrient balance should be closed with external inputs, always avoiding to be a source of negative impacts on the environment. In organic farming without exogenous inputs, the effect of the crop rotations is much more noticeable in the nutrient balance than in the conventional farming fields which every year receive inputs of nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) in the form of chemical fertilizers. The most extractive crop rotations are those that produce a greater decrease in soil reserves, and in these cases exogenous inputs to maintain sustainability should be considered; however, in less extractive crop rotations, extractions can be restored by the edaphogenesis processes. In this work, soil organic matter, phosphorus and potassium balances were analyzed in different organic barley-based crop rotations (barley monoculture [b-b] and in rotation with vetch for hay production [B-Vh], vetch as green manure [B-Vm], sunflower [B-S], chickpea [B-C] and fallow [B-F]) in clay soils under a semiarid environment ("La Higueruela" Experimental Farm, Santa Olalla, Toledo, central Spain) over a 16 year period. Additionally, barley monoculture in conventional farming [B-B] was included. In the organic system, the fertilization involved the barley straw in all rotations, the sunflower straw in B-S, the symbiotic nitrogen from the vetch crops and the green manure in B-Vm. In the conventional system, fertilization consisted on barley straw and chemical fertilizers at a rate of 80-60-30 kg N-P-K ha-1. Before the organic management, the whole plot was subjected to conventional practices. The highest total yields (and therefore the nutrients extractions) were obtained in B-Vh, followed in this order by B-B, B-S, B-F, B-Vm, B-C and b-b. The crop rotations with the highest yields favoured the microbial activity and the organic residues mineralization, although this caused, eventually, a small decrease in the soil organic matter content. Since the eighth year, this parameter remained more stable until the end of the study period. The highest decrease of soil organic matter took place in B-F and B-S, while the lowest ones happened in B-B, where the great amounts of barley straw incorporated into the soil compensated the organic matter losses. The conversion from conventional to organic management with the incorporation of the straw to the soil implies a re-adaptation process with a decrease of the soil phosphorus level by the increasing soil microbial biomass. A decrease of phosphorus during the first six years of the experiment and a posterior recovery and stabilization of this ratio by the solubilisation of the fixed phosphorus was observed. B-F and B-S presented the lowest soluble phosphorus losses, while B-C the highest ones. In the same way, the potassium level decreased during the first eight years and after that remained constant. The highest decreases took place in the rotations with the biggest amounts of barley straw; this decrease could be explained by the nutrient immobilization caused by the microbial biomass.

Approaches for Development of Nutrient Criteria in Oregon Estuaries

EPA Science Inventory

Development of nutrient criteria for all water body types of the US remains a top priority for EPA. Estuaries in the Pacific Northwest receive nutrients from both the watershed and the coastal ocean, and thus are particularly complex systems in which to establish water quality c...

Nonlinear responses of coastal salt marshes to nutrient additions and sea level rise

EPA Science Inventory

Increasing nutrients and accelerated sea level rise (SLR) can cause marsh loss in some coastal systems. Responses to nutrients and SLR are complex and vary with soil matrix, marsh elevation, sediment inputs, and hydroperiod. We describe field and greenhouse studies examining sing...

Reference Condition Approach for Numeric Nutrient Criteria for Oregon Estuaries

EPA Science Inventory

Development of nutrient criteria for all water body types of the US remains a top priority for EPA. Estuaries in the Pacific Northwest receive nutrients from both the watershed and the coastal ocean, and thus are particularly complex systems in which to establish water quality c...

Research Highlight: Water-extractable organic matter from sandy loam soils

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Labile organic matter plays important roles in soil health and nutrient cycling because of its dynamic nature. Water-extractable organic matter is part of the soil labile organic matter. In an article recently published in Agricultural & Environmental Letters, researchers report on the level and na...

Supercritical fluid extraction and processing of foods

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Consumers are aware of the processing techniques used to manufacture food and health supplements and are concerned about the impact of those processes on their health and the environment. Processes that use supercritical fluids as an alternative to solvents that are used to extract nutrients and bio...

EXAMINATION OF THE ROLE OF PHYSICAL RESOLUTION AND SCALE ON SEDIMENT AND NUTRIENT YIELDS

EPA Science Inventory

Currently, watershed delineation and extraction of stream networks are accomplished with GIS databases of digital elevation maps (DEMs). The most common method for extracting channel networks requires the a-priori specification of a critical source area that is required for chann...

Nutrient Regulation of the mTOR Complex 1 Signaling Pathway

PubMed Central

Kim, Sang Gyun; Buel, Gwen R.; Blenis, John

2013-01-01

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is an evolutionally conserved kinase which exists in two distinct structural and functional complexes, mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2 (mTORC2). Of the two complexes, mTORC1 couples nutrient abundance to cell growth and proliferation by sensing and integrating a variety of inputs arising from amino acids, cellular stresses, energy status, and growth factors. Defects in mTORC1 regulation are implicated in the development of many metabolic diseases, including cancer and diabetes. Over the past decade, significant advances have been made in deciphering the complexity of the signaling processes contributing to mTORC1 regulation and function, but the mechanistic details are still not fully understood. In particular, how amino acid availability is sensed by cells and signals to mTORC1 remains unclear. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of nutrient-dependent control of mTORC1 signaling and will focus on the key components involved in amino acid signaling to mTORC1. PMID:23694989

Advanced solvent based methods for molecular characterization of soil organic matter by high-resolution mass spectrometry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tfaily, Malak M.; Chu, Rosalie K.; Tolic, Nikola

2015-05-19

Soil organic matter (SOM) a complex, heterogeneous mixture of above and belowground plant litter and animal and microbial residues at various degrees of decomposition, is a key reservoir for carbon (C) and nutrient biogeochemical cycling in soil based ecosystems. A limited understanding of the molecular composition of SOM limits the ability to routinely decipher chemical processes within soil and predict accurately how terrestrial carbon fluxes will response to changing climatic conditions and land use. To elucidate the molecular-level structure of SOM, we selectively extracted a broad range of intact SOM compounds by a combination of different organic solvents from soilsmore » with a wide range of C content. Our use of Electrospray ionization (ESI) coupled with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR MS) and a suite of solvents with varying polarity significantly expands the inventory of the types of organic molecules present in soils. Specifically, we found that hexane is selective for lipid-like compounds with very low O:C ratios; water was selective for carbohydrates with high O:C ratios; acetonitrile preferentially extracts lignin, condensed structures, and tannin poly phenolic compounds with O:C > 0.5; methanol has higher selectivity towards compounds characterized with low O:C < 0.5; and hexane, MeOH, ACN and water solvents increase the number and types of organic molecules extracted from soil for a broader range of chemically diverse soil types. Our study of SOM molecules by ESI-FTICR MS revealed new insight into the molecular-level complexity of organics contained in soils.« less

Apparatus and method for phosphate-accelerated bioremediation

DOEpatents

Looney, Brian B.; Pfiffner, Susan M.; Phelps, Tommy J.; Lombard, Kenneth H.; Hazen, Terry C.; Borthen, James W.

1998-01-01

An apparatus and method for supplying a vapor-phase nutrient to contaminated soil for in situ bioremediation. The apparatus includes a housing adapted for containing a quantity of the liquid nutrient, a conduit in communication with the interior of the housing, means for causing a gas to flow through the conduit, and means for contacting the gas with the liquid so that a portion thereof evaporates and mixes with the gas. The mixture of gas and nutrient vapor is delivered to the contaminated site via a system of injection and extraction wells configured to the site and provides for the use of a passive delivery system. The mixture has a partial pressure of vaporized nutrient that is no greater than the vapor pressure of the liquid. If desired, the nutrient and/or the gas may be heated to increase the vapor pressure and the nutrient concentration of the mixture. Preferably, the nutrient is a volatile, substantially nontoxic and nonflammable organic phosphate that is a liquid at environmental temperatures, such as triethyl phosphate or tributyl phosphate.

Apparatus and method for phosphate-accelerated bioremediation

DOEpatents

Looney, B.B.; Phelps, T.J.; Hazen, T.C.; Pfiffner, S.M.; Lombard, K.H.; Borthen, J.W.

1994-01-01

An apparatus and method for supplying a vapor-phase nutrient to contaminated soil for in situ bioremediation. The apparatus includes a housing adapted for containing a quantity of the liquid nutrient, a conduit in fluid communication with the interior of the housing, means for causing a gas to flow through the conduit, and means for contacting the gas with the liquid so that a portion thereof evaporates and mixes with the gas. The mixture of gas and nutrient vapor is delivered to the contaminated site via a system of injection and extraction wells configured to the site. The mixture has a partial pressure of vaporized nutrient that is no greater than the vapor pressure of the liquid. If desired, the nutrient and/or the gas may be heated to increase the vapor pressure and the nutrient concentration of the mixture. Preferably, the nutrient is a volatile, substantially nontoxic and nonflammable organic phosphate that is a liquid at environmental temperatures, such as triethyl phosphate or tributyl phosphate.

Method for phosphate-accelerated bioremediation

DOEpatents

Looney, Brian B.; Lombard, Kenneth H.; Hazen, Terry C.; Pfiffner, Susan M.; Phelps, Tommy J.; Borthen, James W.

1996-01-01

An apparatus and method for supplying a vapor-phase nutrient to contaminated soil for in situ bioremediation. The apparatus includes a housing adapted for containing a quantity of the liquid nutrient, a conduit in fluid communication with the interior of the housing, means for causing a gas to flow through the conduit, and means for contacting the gas with the liquid so that a portion thereof evaporates and mixes with the gas. The mixture of gas and nutrient vapor is delivered to the contaminated site via a system of injection and extraction wells configured to the site. The mixture has a partial pressure of vaporized nutrient that is no greater than the vapor pressure of the liquid. If desired, the nutrient and/or the gas may be heated to increase the vapor pressure and the nutrient concentration of the mixture. Preferably, the nutrient is a volatile, substantially nontoxic and nonflammable organic phosphate that is a liquid at environmental temperatures, such as triethyl phosphate or tributyl phosphate.

Enhanced coal-dependent methanogenesis coupled with algal biofuels: Potential water recycle and carbon capture

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barnhart, Elliott P.; Davis, Katherine J.; Varonka, Matthew

Many coal beds contain microbial communities that can convert coal to natural gas (coalbed methane). Native microorganisms were obtained from Powder River Basin (PRB) coal seams with a diffusive microbial sampler placed downhole and used as an inoculum for enrichments with different nutrients to investigate microbially-enhanced coalbed methane production (MECoM). Coal-dependent methanogenesis more than doubled when yeast extract (YE) and several less complex components (proteins and amino acids) were added to the laboratory microcosms. Stimulated coal-dependent methanogenesis with peptone was 86% of that with YE while glutamate-stimulated activity was 65% of that with YE, and a vitamin mix had onlymore » 33% of the YE stimulated activity. For field application of MECoM, there is interest in identifying cost-effective alternatives to YE and other expensive nutrients. In laboratory studies, adding algal extract (AE) with lipids removed stimulated coal-dependent methanogenesis and the activity was 60% of that with YE at 27 d and almost 90% of YE activity at 1406 d. Analysis of British Thermal Unit (BTU) content of coal (a measure of potential energy yield) from long-term incubations indicated > 99.5% of BTU content remained after coalbed methane (CBM) stimulation with either AE or YE. Thus, the coal resource remains largely unchanged following stimulated microbial methane production. Algal CBM stimulation could lead to technologies that utilize coupled biological systems (photosynthesis and methane production) that sustainably enhance CBM production and generate algal biofuels while also sequestering carbon dioxide (CO 2).« less

Enhanced coal-dependent methanogenesis coupled with algal biofuels: Potential water recycle and carbon capture

DOE PAGES

Barnhart, Elliott P.; Davis, Katherine J.; Varonka, Matthew; ...

2017-01-05

Many coal beds contain microbial communities that can convert coal to natural gas (coalbed methane). Native microorganisms were obtained from Powder River Basin (PRB) coal seams with a diffusive microbial sampler placed downhole and used as an inoculum for enrichments with different nutrients to investigate microbially-enhanced coalbed methane production (MECoM). Coal-dependent methanogenesis more than doubled when yeast extract (YE) and several less complex components (proteins and amino acids) were added to the laboratory microcosms. Stimulated coal-dependent methanogenesis with peptone was 86% of that with YE while glutamate-stimulated activity was 65% of that with YE, and a vitamin mix had onlymore » 33% of the YE stimulated activity. For field application of MECoM, there is interest in identifying cost-effective alternatives to YE and other expensive nutrients. In laboratory studies, adding algal extract (AE) with lipids removed stimulated coal-dependent methanogenesis and the activity was 60% of that with YE at 27 d and almost 90% of YE activity at 1406 d. Analysis of British Thermal Unit (BTU) content of coal (a measure of potential energy yield) from long-term incubations indicated > 99.5% of BTU content remained after coalbed methane (CBM) stimulation with either AE or YE. Thus, the coal resource remains largely unchanged following stimulated microbial methane production. Algal CBM stimulation could lead to technologies that utilize coupled biological systems (photosynthesis and methane production) that sustainably enhance CBM production and generate algal biofuels while also sequestering carbon dioxide (CO 2).« less

Seasonal distribution of nutrients in plants of seven browse species in Louisiana

Treesearch

R.M. Blair; E.A. Epps

1969-01-01

Contents of dry matter, protein, ether extract, crude fiber, nitrogen-free extract, ash, calcium, and phosphorus were determined for 2 years in leaves, twig tips, and twig bases. Species studied were American beautyberry, sweetgum, blackgum, common greenbrier, yellow jessamine, loblolly pine, and common sweetleaf.

Quantitative determination of polyphosphate in sediments using Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and partial least squares regression.

PubMed

Khoshmanesh, Aazam; Cook, Perran L M; Wood, Bayden R

2012-08-21

Phosphorus (P) is a major cause of eutrophication and subsequent loss of water quality in freshwater ecosystems. A major part of the flux of P to eutrophic lake sediments is organically bound or of biogenic origin. Despite the broad relevance of polyphosphate (Poly-P) in bioremediation and P release processes in the environment, its quantification is not yet well developed for sediment samples. Current methods possess significant disadvantages because of the difficulties associated with using a single extractant to extract a specific P compound without altering others. A fast and reliable method to estimate the quantitative contribution of microorganisms to sediment P release processes is needed, especially when an excessive P accumulation in the form of polyphosphate (Poly-P) occurs. Development of novel approaches for application of emerging spectroscopic techniques to complex environmental matrices such as sediments significantly contributes to the speciation models of P mobilization, biogeochemical nutrient cycling and development of nutrient models. In this study, for the first time Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy in combination with partial least squares (PLS) was used to quantify Poly-P in sediments. To reduce the high absorption matrix components in sediments such as silica, a physical extraction method was developed to separate sediment biological materials from abiotic particles. The aim was to achieve optimal separation of the biological materials from sediment abiotic particles with minimum chemical change in the sample matrix prior to ATR-FTIR analysis. Using a calibration set of 60 samples for the PLS prediction models in the Poly-P concentration range of 0-1 mg g(-1) d.w. (dry weight of sediment) (R(2) = 0.984 and root mean square error of prediction RMSEP = 0.041 at Factor-1) Poly-P could be detected at less than 50 μg g(-l) d.w. Using this technique, there is no solvent extraction or chemical treatment required, sample preparation is minimal and simple, and the analysis time is greatly reduced. The results from this study demonstrated the potential of ATR FT-IR spectroscopy as an alternative method to study Poly-P in sediments.

Nutrient Exchange through Hyphae in Intercropping Systems Affects Yields

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thun, Tim Von

2013-01-01

Arbuscular mycorrhizae fungi (AMF) play a large role in the current understanding of the soil ecosystem. They increase nutrient and water uptake, improve soil structure, and form complex hyphal networks that transfer nutrients between plants within an ecosystem. Factors such as species present, the physiological balance between the plants in the…

The Potential of the Nutrient Uptake and Outcome network (NUOnet) to Contribute to Soil and Water Conservation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

With the national and global environmental challenges that we have related to nutrient management, there is a need to use large quantities of information to solve the complex agricultural challenges humanity faces. USDA-ARS is developing a national network called the Nutrient Uptake and Outcome netw...

Approaches for Development of Nutrient Criteria in Oregon Estuaries With a Focus on Tillamook Estuary

EPA Science Inventory

Development of nutrient criteria for all water body types of the US remains a top priority for EPA. Estuaries in the Pacific Northwest receive nutrients from both the watershed and the coastal ocean, and thus are particularly complex systems in which to establish water quality c...

Fermentation based carbon nanotube multifunctional bionic composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valentini, Luca; Bon, Silvia Bittolo; Signetti, Stefano; Tripathi, Manoj; Iacob, Erica; Pugno, Nicola M.

2016-06-01

The exploitation of the processes used by microorganisms to digest nutrients for their growth can be a viable method for the formation of a wide range of so called biogenic materials that have unique properties that are not produced by abiotic processes. Here we produced living hybrid materials by giving to unicellular organisms the nutrient to grow. Based on bread fermentation, a bionic composite made of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and a single-cell fungi, the Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast extract, was prepared by fermentation of such microorganisms at room temperature. Scanning electron microscopy analysis suggests that the CNTs were internalized by the cell after fermentation bridging the cells. Tensile tests on dried composite films have been rationalized in terms of a CNT cell bridging mechanism where the strongly enhanced strength of the composite is governed by the adhesion energy between the bridging carbon nanotubes and the matrix. The addition of CNTs also significantly improved the electrical conductivity along with a higher photoconductive activity. The proposed process could lead to the development of more complex and interactive structures programmed to self-assemble into specific patterns, such as those on strain or light sensors that could sense damage or convert light stimulus in an electrical signal.

Fermentation based carbon nanotube multifunctional bionic composites

PubMed Central

Valentini, Luca; Bon, Silvia Bittolo; Signetti, Stefano; Tripathi, Manoj; Iacob, Erica; Pugno, Nicola M.

2016-01-01

The exploitation of the processes used by microorganisms to digest nutrients for their growth can be a viable method for the formation of a wide range of so called biogenic materials that have unique properties that are not produced by abiotic processes. Here we produced living hybrid materials by giving to unicellular organisms the nutrient to grow. Based on bread fermentation, a bionic composite made of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and a single-cell fungi, the Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast extract, was prepared by fermentation of such microorganisms at room temperature. Scanning electron microscopy analysis suggests that the CNTs were internalized by the cell after fermentation bridging the cells. Tensile tests on dried composite films have been rationalized in terms of a CNT cell bridging mechanism where the strongly enhanced strength of the composite is governed by the adhesion energy between the bridging carbon nanotubes and the matrix. The addition of CNTs also significantly improved the electrical conductivity along with a higher photoconductive activity. The proposed process could lead to the development of more complex and interactive structures programmed to self-assemble into specific patterns, such as those on strain or light sensors that could sense damage or convert light stimulus in an electrical signal. PMID:27279425

Enhanced production of laccase from Coriolus versicolor NCIM 996 by nutrient optimization using response surface methodology.

PubMed

Arockiasamy, Santhiagu; Krishnan, Indira Packialakshmi Gurusamy; Anandakrishnan, Nimalanandan; Seenivasan, Sabitha; Sambath, Agalya; Venkatasubramani, Janani Priya

2008-12-01

Plackett and Burman design criterion and central composite design were applied successfully for enhanced production of laccase by Coriolus versicolor NCIM 996 for the first time. Plackett and Burman design criterion was applied to screen the significance of ten nutrients on laccase production by C. versicolor NCIM 996. Out of the ten nutrients tested, starch, yeast extract, MnSO(4), MgSO(4) x 7H(2)O, and phenol were found to have significant effect on laccase production. A central composite design was applied to determine the optimum concentrations of the significant variables obtained from Plackett-Burman design. The optimized medium composition for production of laccase was (g/l): starch, 30.0; yeast extract, 4.53; MnSO(4), 0.002; MgSO(4) x 7H(2)O, 0.755; and phenol, 0.026, and the optimum laccase production was 6,590.26 (U/l), which was 7.6 times greater than the control.

Chemical characterization of biochar and assessment of the nutrient dynamics by means of preliminary plant growth tests.

PubMed

Prasad, Munoo; Tzortzakis, Nikos; McDaniel, Nicola

2018-06-15

Biochar can be produced from several organic sources with varying nutrients and metal concentrations. Four commercial grade biochars were evaluated as peat substitute. Biochars were characterised for plant nutrients and for biological stability. The results showed that there were negligible quantities of N and P and generally high levels of K and high biological stability. When these materials were mixed with peat at 10, 25 and 50% and nutrients were added to bring them to the same level of nutrients as in fertilized peat, it was found that biochar mixtures considerably reduced the levels of calcium chloride/DTPA (CAT) extractable N (including nitrate), P, and electrical conductivity- greater extent with higher rates of biochar addition except for K. The pH and K levels were increased with biochar addition. The drop in EC has important implications regarding the use of other materials used to dilute peat, for example, composted green waste, the rate of dilution is limited due to high EC and biochar addition gives the potential for higher peat dilution of these materials. Nitrate and phosphorus are very vulnerable to leaching of these nutrients in the environment in peat substrates and the binding of these by biochar has implication for leaching and nutrient application strategy. Root development using Cress test and tomato plant height and biomass using containers, were in some cases better than peat indicating that biochar could be used to dilute peat e.g. for seedling production where root development and rapid growth are very important. Application of biochars resulted in a marked reduction of N (and P) in the plant. There were significant correlation between CAT extractable N and P and corresponding plant concentration, indicating the standard growing media test, CAT, would be suitable for assessing the nutrient status of peat biochar mixes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Extent of pyrolysis impacts on fast pyrolysis biochar properties.

PubMed

Brewer, Catherine E; Hu, Yan-Yan; Schmidt-Rohr, Klaus; Loynachan, Thomas E; Laird, David A; Brown, Robert C

2012-01-01

A potential concern about the use of fast pyrolysis rather than slow pyrolysis biochars as soil amendments is that they may contain high levels of bioavailable C due to short particle residence times in the reactors, which could reduce the stability of biochar C and cause nutrient immobilization in soils. To investigate this concern, three corn ( L.) stover fast pyrolysis biochars prepared using different reactor conditions were chemically and physically characterized to determine their extent of pyrolysis. These biochars were also incubated in soil to assess their impact on soil CO emissions, nutrient availability, microorganism population growth, and water retention capacity. Elemental analysis and quantitative solid-state C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed variation in O functional groups (associated primarily with carbohydrates) and aromatic C, which could be used to define extent of pyrolysis. A 24-wk incubation performed using a sandy soil amended with 0.5 wt% of corn stover biochar showed a small but significant decrease in soil CO emissions and a decrease in the bacteria:fungi ratios with extent of pyrolysis. Relative to the control soil, biochar-amended soils had small increases in CO emissions and extractable nutrients, but similar microorganism populations, extractable NO levels, and water retention capacities. Corn stover amendments, by contrast, significantly increased soil CO emissions and microbial populations, and reduced extractable NO. These results indicate that C in fast pyrolysis biochar is stable in soil environments and will not appreciably contribute to nutrient immobilization. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Chlorella vulgaris cultivation in sludge extracts from 2,4,6-TCP wastewater treatment for toxicity removal and utilization.

PubMed

Wang, Lu; Chen, Xiurong; Wang, Hualin; Zhang, Yuying; Tang, Qingjie; Li, Jiahui

2017-02-01

Chlorella vulgaris was cultivated in different proportions of activated sludge extracts, which was from the treatment of the synthetic wastewater containing 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP). The nutrients, total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP), were removed over 45% and 90%, respectively. The maximum reduction amount of ecotoxicity and total organic carbon (TOC) occurred in the 100% sludge group on the 8th day (68%; 86.2 mg L -1 ). The variations of Excitation-emission matrix spectra (EEMs) and TOC indicated that extracellular organic matters (EOM) produced by algae led to TOC increase in the medium. The cell density was close to each other for groups with sludge extract proportion below 50%; sludge extracts (below 75% addition) had a stimulating effect on the accumulation of chlorophyll-a in per unit algal cell. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) variation demonstrated that C. vulgaris response positively to sludge extracts addition. Lipid content in C. vulgaris was up to its maximum value on the 8th day. Considering the performance on nutrients removal, toxicity reduction and algal growth, the optimal cultivation period for C. vulgaris before harvesting was around 8 days with sludge extracts proportion below 50%. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Repeated use of ion-exchange resin membranes in calcareous soils

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sherrod, S.K.; Belnap, Jayne; Miller, M.E.

2003-01-01

This study compared the consistency of nutrient extraction among repeated cycles of ion-exchange resin membrane use. Two sandy calcareous soils and different equilibration temperatures were tested. No single nutrient retained consistent values from cycle to cycle in all treatments, although both soil source and temperature conferred some influence. It was concluded that the most conservative use of resin membranes is single-use.

Oxygen and diverse nutrients influence the water kefir fermentation process.

PubMed

Laureys, David; Aerts, Maarten; Vandamme, Peter; De Vuyst, Luc

2018-08-01

Eight water kefir fermentation series differing in the presence of oxygen, the nutrient concentration, and the nutrient source were studied during eight consecutive backslopping steps. The presence of oxygen allowed the proliferation of acetic acid bacteria, resulting in high concentrations of acetic acid, and decreased the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium aquikefiri. Low nutrient concentrations resulted in slow water kefir fermentation and high pH values, which allowed the growth of Comamonas testosteroni/thiooxydans. Further, low nutrient concentrations favored the growth of Lactobacillus hilgardii and Dekkera bruxellensis, whereas high nutrient concentrations favored the growth of Lactobacillus nagelii and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Dried figs, dried apricots, and raisins resulted in stable water kefir fermentation. Water kefir fermentation with dried apricots resulted in the highest pH and water kefir grain growth, whereas that with raisins resulted in the lowest pH and water kefir grain growth. Further, water kefir fermentation with raisins resembled fermentations with low nutrient concentrations, that with dried apricots resembled fermentations with normal nutrient concentrations, and that with fresh figs or a mixture of yeast extract and peptone resembled fermentations with high nutrient concentrations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermally Induced Encapsulation of Food Nutrients into Phytoferritin through the Flexible Channels without Additives.

PubMed

Yang, Rui; Tian, Jing; Liu, Yuqian; Yang, Zhiying; Wu, Dandan; Zhou, Zhongkai

2017-11-22

The cavity of phytoferritin provides a nanospace to encapsulate and deliver food nutrient molecules. However, tranditional methods to prepare the ferritin-nutrient complexes must undergo acid/alkaline conditions or apply additives. In this work, we provide a novel guideline that thermal treatment at 60 °C can expand ferritin channels by uncoiling the surrounding α-helix. Upon reduction of the temperature to 20 °C, food nutrient rutin can be encapsulated in apo-soybean seed ferritin (apoSSF) at pH 7.0 through channels without disassembly of the protein cage and with no addition of additives. Results indicated that one apoSSF could encapsulate about 10.5 molecules of rutin, with an encapsulation ratio of 8.08% (w/w). In addition, the resulting rutin-loaded SSF complexes were monodispersed in a size of 12 nm in aqueous solution. This work provides a novel pathway for the encapsulation of food nutrient molecules into the nanocavity of ferritin under a neutral pH condition induced by thermal treatment.

Insights into Digestion and Absorption of Major Nutrients in Humans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodman, Barbara E.

2010-01-01

Nutrient digestion and absorption is necessary for the survival of living organisms and has evolved into the complex and specific task of the gastrointestinal (GI) system. While most people simply assume that their GI tract will work properly to use nutrients, provide energy, and release wastes, few nonscientists know the details about how various…

Physiological profiling of soil microbial communities in a Florida scrub-oak ecosystem: spatial distribution and nutrient limitations.

PubMed

Brown, Alisha L P; Garland, Jay L; Day, Frank P

2009-01-01

Rapid physiological profiling of heterotrophic microbial communities enables intensive analysis of the factors affecting activity in aerobic habitats, such as soil. Previous methods for performing such profiling were severely limited due to enrichment bias and inflexibility in incubation conditions. We tested a new physiological profiling approach based on a microtiter plate oxygen sensor system (Becton Dickinson Oxygen Biosensor System (BDOBS)), which allows for testing of lower substrate addition (i.e., lower enrichment potential) and manipulation of physiochemical assay conditions, such as pH and nutrients. Soil microbial communities associated with a scrub-oak forest ecosystem on Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge in central Florida, USA, were studied in order to evaluate microbial activity in a nutrient poor soil and to provide baseline data on the site for subsequent evaluation of the effects of elevated CO(2) on ecosystem function. The spatial variation in physiological activity amongst different habitats (litter, bulk soil, and rhizosphere) was examined as a function of adaptation to local resources (i.e., water soluble extracts of roots and leaf litter) and the degree of N and P limitation. All the communities were primarily N-limited, with a secondary P limitation, which was greater in the rhizosphere and bulk soil. The litter community showed greater overall oxygen consumption when exposed to litter extracts relative to the rhizosphere or soil, suggesting acclimation toward greater use of the mixed substrates in the extract. Root extracts were readily used by communities from all the habitats with no habitat specific acclimation observed. A priming effect was detected in all habitats; addition of glucose caused a significant increase in the use of soil organic carbon. Response to added glucose was only observed with N and P addition, suggesting that C may be lost to the groundwater from these porous soils because nutrient limitation prevents C immobilization.

Using the principle of entropy maximization to infer genetic interaction networks from gene expression patterns.

PubMed

Lezon, Timothy R; Banavar, Jayanth R; Cieplak, Marek; Maritan, Amos; Fedoroff, Nina V

2006-12-12

We describe a method based on the principle of entropy maximization to identify the gene interaction network with the highest probability of giving rise to experimentally observed transcript profiles. In its simplest form, the method yields the pairwise gene interaction network, but it can also be extended to deduce higher-order interactions. Analysis of microarray data from genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae chemostat cultures exhibiting energy metabolic oscillations identifies a gene interaction network that reflects the intracellular communication pathways that adjust cellular metabolic activity and cell division to the limiting nutrient conditions that trigger metabolic oscillations. The success of the present approach in extracting meaningful genetic connections suggests that the maximum entropy principle is a useful concept for understanding living systems, as it is for other complex, nonequilibrium systems.

Dullgren extraction of soil mites (Acarina): Effect of refrigeration time on extraction efficiency

Treesearch

Michelle B. Lakly; D.A. Crossley

2000-01-01

Soil microarthropods constitute one of the most species rich communities in . forest ecosystems (Crossley & Blair, 1991). The effects of soil fauna in these systems on decomposition rates, nutrient regeneration and soil structure have been well documented; however, dependable estimates of population size and community structure largely depend upon adequate sampling...

Effect of Extraction, Pasteurization and Cold Storage on Flavonoids and other Secondary Metabolites in Fresh Orange Juice

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fresh orange juice is perceived to be more wholesome than processed juice. Fresh juice may have nutrients and phytonutrients that differ from pasteurized or processed juice. To evaluate this, 'Hamlin’ and ‘Valencia’ oranges were extracted using a commercial food service juicer, pasteurized or not, r...

Thin-layer chromatographic (TLC) separations and bioassays of plant extracts to identify antimicrobial compounds

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A common screen for plant antimicrobial compounds consists of separating plant extracts by paper or thin-layer chromatography (PC or TLC), exposing the chromatograms to microbial suspensions (e.g. fungal spores in nutrient solution or bacteria in liquefied agar), allowing time for the microbes to gr...

A new insight into root responses to external cues: Paradigm shift in nutrient sensing

PubMed Central

Bhardwaj, Deepak; Medici, Anna; Gojon, Alain; Lacombe, Benoît; Tuteja, Narendra

2015-01-01

Higher plants are sessile and their growth relies on nutrients present in the soil. The acquisition of nutrients is challenging for plants. Phosphate and nitrate sensing and signaling cascades play significant role during adverse conditions of nutrient unavailability. Therefore, it is important to dissect the mechanism by which plant roots acquire nutrients from the soil. Root system architecture (RSA) exhibits extensive developmental flexibility and changes during nutrient stress conditions. Growth of root system in response to external concentration of nutrients is a joint operation of sensor or receptor proteins along with several other cytoplasmic accessory proteins. After nutrient sensing, sensor proteins start the cellular relay involving transcription factors, kinases, ubiquitin ligases and miRNA. The complexity of nutrient sensing is still nebulous and many new players need to be better studied. This review presents a survey of recent paradigm shift in the advancements in nutrient sensing in relation to plant roots. PMID:26146897

Apparatus and method for phosphate-accelerated bioremediation

DOEpatents

Looney, B.B.; Pfiffner, S.M.; Phelps, T.J.; Lombard, K.H.; Hazen, T.C.; Borthen, J.W.

1998-05-19

An apparatus and method are provided for supplying a vapor-phase nutrient to contaminated soil for in situ bioremediation. The apparatus includes a housing adapted for containing a quantity of the liquid nutrient, a conduit in communication with the interior of the housing, means for causing a gas to flow through the conduit, and means for contacting the gas with the liquid so that a portion evaporates and mixes with the gas. The mixture of gas and nutrient vapor is delivered to the contaminated site via a system of injection and extraction wells configured to the site and provides for the use of a passive delivery system. The mixture has a partial pressure of vaporized nutrient that is no greater than the vapor pressure of the liquid. If desired, the nutrient and/or the gas may be heated to increase the vapor pressure and the nutrient concentration of the mixture. Preferably, the nutrient is a volatile, substantially nontoxic and nonflammable organic phosphate that is a liquid at environmental temperatures, such as triethyl phosphate or tributyl phosphate. 8 figs.

Spectral Quantitation Of Hydroponic Nutrients

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schlager, Kenneth J.; Kahle, Scott J.; Wilson, Monica A.; Boehlen, Michelle

1996-01-01

Instrument continuously monitors hydroponic solution by use of absorption and emission spectrometry to determine concentrations of principal nutrients, including nitrate, iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, and others. Does not depend on extraction and processing of samples, use of such surrograte parameters as pH or electrical conductivity for control, or addition of analytical reagents to solution. Solution not chemically altered by analysis and can be returned to hydroponic process stream after analysis.

Plant Biomass Leaching for Nutrient Recovery in Closed Loop Systems Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zeitlin, Nancy P.; Wheeler, Raymond (Compiler); Lunn, Griffin

2015-01-01

Plants will be important for food and O2 production during long term human habitation in space. Recycling of nutrients (e.g., from waste materials) could reduce the resupply costs of fertilizers for growing these plants. Work at NASA's Kennedy Space Center has shown that ion exchange resins can extract fertilizer (plant essential nutrients) from human waste water, after which the residual brine could be treated with electrodialysis to recover more water and produce high value chemicals (e.g., acids and bases). In habitats with significant plant production, inedible biomass becomes a major source of solid waste. To "close the loop" we also need to recover useful nutrients and fertilizer from inedible biomass. We are investigating different approaches to retrieve nutrients from inedible plant biomass, including physical leaching with water, processing the biomass in bioreactors, changing the pH of leaching processing, and/or conducting multiple leaches of biomass residues.

Recovery of agricultural nutrients from biorefineries.

PubMed

Carey, Daniel E; Yang, Yu; McNamara, Patrick J; Mayer, Brooke K

2016-09-01

This review lays the foundation for why nutrient recovery must be a key consideration in design and operation of biorefineries and comprehensively reviews technologies that can be used to recover an array of nitrogen, phosphorus, and/or potassium-rich products of relevance to agricultural applications. Recovery of these products using combinations of physical, chemical, and biological operations will promote sustainability at biorefineries by converting low-value biomass (particularly waste material) into a portfolio of higher-value products. These products can include a natural partnering of traditional biorefinery outputs such as biofuels and chemicals together with nutrient-rich fertilizers. Nutrient recovery not only adds an additional marketable biorefinery product, but also avoids the negative consequences of eutrophication, and helps to close anthropogenic nutrient cycles, thereby providing an alternative to current unsustainable approaches to fertilizer production, which are energy-intensive and reliant on nonrenewable natural resource extraction. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Marine microorganisms and global nutrient cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arrigo, Kevin R.

2005-09-01

The way that nutrients cycle through atmospheric, terrestrial, oceanic and associated biotic reservoirs can constrain rates of biological production and help structure ecosystems on land and in the sea. On a global scale, cycling of nutrients also affects the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Because of their capacity for rapid growth, marine microorganisms are a major component of global nutrient cycles. Understanding what controls their distributions and their diverse suite of nutrient transformations is a major challenge facing contemporary biological oceanographers. What is emerging is an appreciation of the previously unknown degree of complexity within the marine microbial community.

Aboveground production and nutrient circulation along a flooding gradient in a South Carolina Coastal Plain forest

Treesearch

B. Graeme Lockaby; William H. Conner

1999-01-01

Relative to effects of flooding, little is known about the influence of hydrology-nutrient interactions on aboveground net primary production (NPP) in forested wetlands. The authors found that nutrient circulation and NPP were closely related along a complex physical, chemical, and hydrologic gradient in a bottomland hardwood forest with four distinct communities....

Systematic review of safety and tolerability of a complex micronutrient formula used in mental health.

PubMed

Simpson, J Steven A; Crawford, Susan G; Goldstein, Estelle T; Field, Catherine; Burgess, Ellen; Kaplan, Bonnie J

2011-04-18

Theoretically, consumption of complex, multinutrient formulations of vitamins and minerals should be safe, as most preparations contain primarily the nutrients that have been in the human diet for millennia, and at safe levels as defined by the Dietary Reference Intakes. However, the safety profile of commercial formulae may differ from foods because of the amounts and combinations of nutrients they contain. As these complex formulae are being studied and used clinically with increasing frequency, there is a need for direct evaluation of safety and tolerability. All known safety and tolerability data collected on one complex nutrient formula was compiled and evaluated. Data were assembled from all the known published and unpublished studies for the complex formula with the largest amount of published research in mental health. Biological safety data from 144 children and adults were available from six sources: there were no occurrences of clinically meaningful negative outcomes/effects or abnormal blood tests that could be attributed to toxicity. Adverse event (AE) information from 157 children and adults was available from six studies employing the current version of this formula, and only minor, transitory reports of headache and nausea emerged. Only one of the studies permitted a direct comparison between micronutrient treatment and medication: none of the 88 pediatric and adult participants had any clinically meaningful abnormal laboratory values, but tolerability data in the group treated with micronutrients revealed significantly fewer AEs and less weight gain. This compilation of safety and tolerability data is reassuring with respect to the broad spectrum approach that employs complex nutrient formulae as a primary treatment.

A National-Scale Comparison of Resource and Nutrient Demands for Algae-Based Biofuel Production by Lipid Extraction and Hydrothermal Liquefaction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Venteris, Erik R.; Skaggs, Richard; Wigmosta, Mark S.

Algae’s high productivity provides potential resource advantages over other fuel crops. However, demand for land, water, and nutrients must be minimized to avoid impacts on food production. We apply our national-scale, open-pond, growth and resource models to assess several biomass to fuel technological pathways based on Chlorella. We compare resource demands between hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) and lipid extraction (LE) to meet 1.89E+10 and 7.95E+10 L yr-1 biofuel targets. We estimate nutrient demands where post-fuel biomass is consumed as co-products and recycling by anaerobic digestion (AD) or catalytic hydrothermal gasification (CHG). Sites are selected through prioritization based on fuel value relativemore » to a set of site-specific resource costs. The highest priority sites are located along the Gulf of Mexico coast, but potential sites exist nationwide. We find that HTL reduces land and freshwater consumption by up to 46% and saline groundwater by around 70%. Without recycling, nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) demand is reduced 33%, but is large relative to current U.S. agricultural consumption. The most nutrient-efficient pathways are LE+CHG for N and HTL+CHG for P (by 42%). Resource gains for HTL+CHG are offset by a 344% increase in N consumption relative to LE+CHG (with potential for further recycling). Nutrient recycling is essential to effective use of alternative nutrient sources. Modeling of utilization availability and costs remains, but we find that for HTL+CHG at the 7.95E+10 L yr-1 production target, municipal sources can offset 17% of N and 40% of P demand and animal manures can generally meet demands.« less

Influences of Geomorphic Complexity and Rehabilitation on Nutrient Uptake in an Urban Stream

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mueller, J. S.; Baker, D. W.; Bledsoe, B. P.

2006-12-01

Headwater streams, which are highly vulnerable to anthropogenic impacts associated with land use change, have large surface-to-volume ratios that favor retention and removal of nitrogen. We describe a study focused on how geomorphic complexity is related to nutrient retention in impacted and restored headwater streams along a gradient of human land use. A key element of the study is a detailed protocol for characterizing the spatial distribution of physical habitat units composed of relatively distinct combinations of flow hydraulics and textural facies. We are using the detailed physical characterization and nutrient injections in paired segments of a Colorado Front Range urban stream to examine associations among geomorphic complexity, nitrogen uptake, and the degree and style of channel rehabilitation. The results of the study have implications for the viability of stream rehabilitation as a tool for reducing N delivery to downstream aquatic systems that are vulnerable to eutrophication.

Advanced solvent based methods for molecular characterization of soil organic matter by high-resolution mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Tfaily, Malak M; Chu, Rosalie K; Tolić, Nikola; Roscioli, Kristyn M; Anderton, Christopher R; Paša-Tolić, Ljiljana; Robinson, Errol W; Hess, Nancy J

2015-01-01

Soil organic matter (SOM), a complex, heterogeneous mixture of above and belowground plant litter and animal and microbial residues at various degrees of decomposition, is a key reservoir for carbon (C) and nutrient biogeochemical cycling in soil based ecosystems. A limited understanding of the molecular composition of SOM limits the ability to routinely decipher chemical processes within soil and accurately predict how terrestrial carbon fluxes will respond to changing climatic conditions and land use. To elucidate the molecular-level structure of SOM, we selectively extracted a broad range of intact SOM compounds by a combination of different organic solvents from soils with a wide range of C content. Our use of electrospray ionization (ESI) coupled with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR MS) and a suite of solvents with varying polarity significantly expands the inventory of the types of organic molecules present in soils. Specifically, we found that hexane is selective for lipid-like compounds with very low O/C ratios (<0.1); water (H2O) was selective for carbohydrates with high O/C ratios; acetonitrile (ACN) preferentially extracts lignin, condensed structures, and tannin polyphenolic compounds with O/C > 0.5; methanol (MeOH) has higher selectivity toward compounds characterized with low O/C < 0.5; and hexane, MeOH, ACN, and H2O solvents increase the number and types of organic molecules extracted from soil for a broader range of chemically diverse soil types. Our study of SOM molecules by ESI FTICR MS revealed new insight into the molecular-level complexity of organics contained in soils. We present the first comparative study of the molecular composition of SOM from different ecosystems using ultra high-resolution mass spectrometry.

Antidiabetic Effects of Chamomile Flowers Extract in Obese Mice through Transcriptional Stimulation of Nutrient Sensors of the Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor (PPAR) Family

PubMed Central

Weidner, Christopher; Wowro, Sylvia J.; Rousseau, Morten; Freiwald, Anja; Kodelja, Vitam; Abdel-Aziz, Heba; Kelber, Olaf; Sauer, Sascha

2013-01-01

Given the significant increases in the incidence of metabolic diseases, efficient strategies for preventing and treating of these common disorders are urgently needed. This includes the development of phytopharmaceutical products or functional foods to prevent or cure metabolic diseases. Plant extracts from edible biomaterial provide a potential resource of structurally diverse molecules that can synergistically interfere with complex disorders. In this study we describe the safe application of ethanolic chamomile (Matricaria recutita) flowers extract (CFE) for the treatment and prevention of type 2 diabetes and associated disorders. We show in vitro that this extract activates in particular nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and its isotypes. In a cellular context, in human primary adipocytes CFE administration (300 µg/ml) led to specific expression of target genes of PPARγ, whereas in human hepatocytes CFE-induced we detected expression changes of genes that were regulated by PPARα. In vivo treatment of insulin-resistant high-fat diet (HFD)-fed C57BL/6 mice with CFE (200 mg/kg/d) for 6 weeks considerably reduced insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, plasma triacylglycerol, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and LDL/VLDL cholesterol. Co-feeding of lean C57BL/6 mice a HFD with 200 mg/kg/d CFE for 20 weeks showed effective prevention of fatty liver formation and hepatic inflammation, indicating additionally hepatoprotective effects of the extract. Moreover, CFE treatment did not reveal side effects, which have otherwise been associated with strong synthetic PPAR-targeting molecules, such as weight gain, liver disorders, hemodilution or bone cell turnover. Taken together, modulation of PPARs and other factors by chamomile flowers extract has the potential to prevent or treat type 2 diabetes and related disorders. PMID:24265809

Antidiabetic effects of chamomile flowers extract in obese mice through transcriptional stimulation of nutrient sensors of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) family.

PubMed

Weidner, Christopher; Wowro, Sylvia J; Rousseau, Morten; Freiwald, Anja; Kodelja, Vitam; Abdel-Aziz, Heba; Kelber, Olaf; Sauer, Sascha

2013-01-01

Given the significant increases in the incidence of metabolic diseases, efficient strategies for preventing and treating of these common disorders are urgently needed. This includes the development of phytopharmaceutical products or functional foods to prevent or cure metabolic diseases. Plant extracts from edible biomaterial provide a potential resource of structurally diverse molecules that can synergistically interfere with complex disorders. In this study we describe the safe application of ethanolic chamomile (Matricaria recutita) flowers extract (CFE) for the treatment and prevention of type 2 diabetes and associated disorders. We show in vitro that this extract activates in particular nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and its isotypes. In a cellular context, in human primary adipocytes CFE administration (300 µg/ml) led to specific expression of target genes of PPARγ, whereas in human hepatocytes CFE-induced we detected expression changes of genes that were regulated by PPARα. In vivo treatment of insulin-resistant high-fat diet (HFD)-fed C57BL/6 mice with CFE (200 mg/kg/d) for 6 weeks considerably reduced insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, plasma triacylglycerol, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and LDL/VLDL cholesterol. Co-feeding of lean C57BL/6 mice a HFD with 200 mg/kg/d CFE for 20 weeks showed effective prevention of fatty liver formation and hepatic inflammation, indicating additionally hepatoprotective effects of the extract. Moreover, CFE treatment did not reveal side effects, which have otherwise been associated with strong synthetic PPAR-targeting molecules, such as weight gain, liver disorders, hemodilution or bone cell turnover. Taken together, modulation of PPARs and other factors by chamomile flowers extract has the potential to prevent or treat type 2 diabetes and related disorders.

Supercritical CO2 Extraction of Rice Bran Oil -the Technology, Manufacture, and Applications.

PubMed

Sookwong, Phumon; Mahatheeranont, Sugunya

2017-06-01

Rice bran is a good source of nutrients that have large amounts of phytochemicals and antioxidants. Conventional rice bran oil production requires many processes that may deteriorate and degrade these valuable substances. Supercritical CO 2 extraction is a green alternative method for producing rice bran oil. This work reviews production of rice bran oil by supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO 2 ) extraction. In addition, the usefulness and advantages of SC-CO 2 extracted rice bran oil for edible oil and health purpose is also described.

Effect of extraction method on quality of orange juice: hand-squeezed, commercial-fresh squeezed and processed

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fresh orange juice is perceived to be more wholesome than processed juice. Fresh juice may have flavor and nutrients that differ from pasteurized or processed juice. In this study, ‘Hamlin’ and ‘Valencia’ oranges were extracted using a commercial food service juicer, pasteurized or not, resulting in...

Hot topic: apparent total-tract nutrient digestibilities measured commercially using 120-hour in vitro indigestible neutral detergent fiber as a marker are related to commercial dairy cattle performance.

PubMed

Schalla, A; Meyer, L; Meyer, Z; Onetti, S; Schultz, A; Goeser, J

2012-09-01

Measuring individual feed nutrient concentration is common practice for field dairy nutritionists. However, accurately measuring nutrient digestibility and using digestion values in total digestible nutrients models is more challenging. Our objective was to determine if in vivo apparent total-tract nutrient digestibility measured with a practical approach was related to commercial milk production parameters. Total mixed ration and fecal samples were collected from high-producing cows in pens on 39 commercial dairies and analyzed at a commercial feed and forage testing laboratory for nutrient concentration and 120-h indigestible NDF (iNDF) content using the Combs-Goeser in vitro digestion technique. The 120-h iNDF was used as an internal marker to calculate in vivo apparent nutrient digestibilities. Two samples were taken from each dairy and were separated in time by at least 3 wk. Samples were targeted to be taken within 7d of Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) herd testing. Approved DHI testers measured individual cow milk weights as well as fat and protein concentrations. Individual cow records were averaged by pen corresponding to the total mixed ration and fecal samples. Formulated diet and dry matter intake (DMI) records for each respective pen were also collected. Mixed model regression analysis with dairy specified as a random effect was used to relate explanatory variables (diet nutrient concentrations, formulated DMI, in vivo apparent nutrient digestibilities, and fecal nutrient concentrations) to milk production measures. Dry matter intake, organic matter (OM) digestibility, fecal crude protein (CP) concentration, and fecal ether extract concentration were related to milk, energy-corrected milk, and fat yields. Milk protein concentration was related to CP digestibility, and milk protein yield was related to DMI, OM digestibility, CP digestibility, and ether extract digestibility. Although many studies have related DMI and OM digestibility to milk production under controlled experimental settings, very few have related practical in vivo measures to milk production. By documenting the practical OM digestibility relationship with milk production, nutritionists and scientists may have confidence in this approach for measuring diet performance and collecting nutritional data for commercial dairies. Copyright © 2012 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

What's Upstream? GIS's critical role in developing nutrient ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Eutrophication due to excess levels of nitrogen and phosphorus can seriously impair ecological function in estuaries. Protective criteria for nutrients are difficult to establish because the source can vary spatially and seasonally, originate either from the watershed or the ocean, and be natural or anthropogenic. GIS tools and processes can help in developing nutrient criteria by establishing reference conditions representative of natural background nutrient levels. Along the Oregon Coast in the Pacific Northwest, the primary source of nutrients in the wet season (November-April) is generally riverine. We delineated and extracted explicit spatial data from watersheds upstream of riverine water quality monitoring stations for parametric comparison to recorded nutrient levels. The SPARROW model (Wise and Johnson, 2011) was used to estimate relative contributions of nutrient sources at each station. Both raster and vector spatial data were used and include land use / land cover, demography, geology, terrain, precipitation and forest type. The relationships of nutrients to spatial data were then explored as an approach to establishing the reference expectation. The abstract introduces Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools and processes employed for research conducted under the Safe and Sustainable Water Resources (SSWR) Task 2.3A, entitled “Nutrient Management for Sustainability of Aquatic Ecosystems.” One of the goals of the EPA Office of Water is to

A simplified extraction schema to for the analytical characterization of apple orchard soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sager, Manfred

2014-05-01

In agriculture, soil analysis is mainly done to monitor available nutrients as well contaminants, in order to find the optimum fertilization resp. remediation strategy. Traditionally, available nutrients in soils have been obtained from a series of different extractions, some just for one single parameter. In order to simplify the entire procedures, multi-element techniques, like ICP-OES and ICP-MS, have been applied to a sequence of extracts obtained with 0,16M acetic acid and 0,1M oxalate buffer pH 3, which are more suitable for the plasma than traditional salt extractant solutions. Dilute acetic acid should characterize exchangeables plus carbonates, and oxalate buffer the pedogenic oxides. Aqua regia extractions in glass have been replaced by pressure digestion with KClO3 in dilute nitric acid, which yields results equivalent to aqua regia, and additionally permits the determination of total sulfur, as well as acid-leachable boron and silicon. Total digestion was done in PTFE beakers by fuming with HNO3/HClO4, subsequently with HF, and final uptake in 1+1 HCl. The results of total digestion could be verified by XRF analysis of the solid, Ti recovery was the most critical item. The method was applied to 34 soils from apple orchards of different soil types and climatic zones. P and K obtained from standard acetate-lactate extract as well as B obtained from the Baron extract correlated with the results from the acetic acid extract better than 0,9. Just Mg from the CaCl2 extract (Schachtschabel) was independent from all other Mg fractions. The results for Ca, Cu, Mg, Mn, Sr, Pb and Zn obtained from KClO3 digest and from totals, were strongly correlated. The Rare Earth elements formed a strongly intercorrelated group as well after total digestion as in the oxalate leach. Factor analysis was utilized to prove if the obtained fractions part into groups in a geochemically feasible way. The fraction mobilized by dilute acetic acid contained Ca-Mg-carbonates as well as the minority elements Al-B-Ba-K-Na-S in the first factor, whereas Fe-Mn-Ti-La-Li-Sr-Y formed a group of its own. Both groups were rather independent from nutrient P as well as from the pedogenic oxides, obtained from Al-Fe-Mn-Ti released in oxalate. The oxalate soluble fraction was independent form available nutrient levels, and parted into 5 groups, of which one contained the anions B-S-Si, another one the contaminants As-Cd-Pb. Finally, the relations of these soil data to apple leaves from May and August, apple blossom leaves and apple fruits grown at these sites will be discussed, covering 50 varieties. The proposed method permits to obtain informations about common cations including trace elements, and the non-metals phosphorus, silicon, sulfur, boron and iodine simultaneously, which could be a gate to find new relations among them.

Optimizing Nutrient Uptake in Biological Transport Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ronellenfitsch, Henrik; Katifori, Eleni

2013-03-01

Many biological systems employ complex networks of vascular tubes to facilitate transport of solute nutrients, examples include the vascular system of plants (phloem), some fungi, and the slime-mold Physarum. It is believed that such networks are optimized through evolution for carrying out their designated task. We propose a set of hydrodynamic governing equations for solute transport in a complex network, and obtain the optimal network architecture for various classes of optimizing functionals. We finally discuss the topological properties and statistical mechanics of the resulting complex networks, and examine correspondence of the obtained networks to those found in actual biological systems.

Recycling of lipid-extracted hydrolysate as nitrogen supplementation for production of thraustochytrid biomass.

PubMed

Lowrey, Joshua; Armenta, Roberto E; Brooks, Marianne S

2016-08-01

Efficient resource usage is important for cost-effective microalgae production, where the incorporation of waste streams and recycled water into the process has great potential. This study builds upon emerging research on nutrient recycling in thraustochytrid production, where waste streams are recovered after lipid extraction and recycled into future cultures. This research investigates the nitrogen flux of recycled hydrolysate derived from enzymatic lipid extraction of thraustochytrid biomass. Results indicated the proteinaceous content of the recycled hydrolysate can offset the need to supply fresh nitrogen in a secondary culture, without detrimental impact upon the produced biomass. The treatment employing the recycled hydrolysate with no nitrogen addition accumulated 14.86 g L(-1) of biomass in 141 h with 43.3 % (w/w) lipid content compared to the control which had 9.26 g L(-1) and 46.9 % (w/w), respectively. This improved nutrient efficiency and wastewater recovery represents considerable potential for enhanced resource efficiency of commercial thraustochytrid production.

Plant response to nutrient availability across variable bedrock geologies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Castle, S.C.; Neff, J.C.

2009-01-01

We investigated the role of rock-derived mineral nutrient availability on the nutrient dynamics of overlying forest communities (Populus tremuloides and Picea engelmanni-Abies lasiocarpa v. arizonica) across three parent materials (andesite, limestone, and sandstone) in the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Broad geochemical differences were observed between bedrock materials; however, bulk soil chemistries were remarkably similar between the three different sites. In contrast, soil nutrient pools were considerably different, particularly for P, Ca, and Mg concentrations. Despite variations in nutrient stocks and nutrient availability in soils, we observed relatively inflexible foliar concentrations and foliar stoichiometries for both deciduous and coniferous species. Foliar nutrient resorption (P and K) in the deciduous species followed patterns of nutrient content across substrate types, with higher resorption corresponding to lower bedrock concentrations. Work presented here indicates a complex plant response to available soil nutrients, wherein plant nutrient use compensates for variations in supply gradients and results in the maintenance of a narrow range in foliar stoichiometry. ?? 2008 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

Chemical Constituents of Mangifera indica and Their Antiausterity Activity against the PANC-1 Human Pancreatic Cancer Cell Line.

PubMed

Nguyen, Hai Xuan; Do, Truong Nhat Van; Le, Tho Huu; Nguyen, Mai Thanh Thi; Nguyen, Nhan Trung; Esumi, Hiroyasu; Awale, Suresh

2016-08-26

Human pancreatic cancer cell lines such as PANC-1 have an altered metabolism, enabiling them to tolerate and survive under extreme conditions of nutrient starvation. The search for candidates that inhibit their viability during nutrition starvation represents a novel antiausterity strategy in anticancer drug discovery. A methanol extract of the bark of Mangifera indica was found to inhibit the survival of PANC-1 human pancreatic cancer cells preferentially under nutrient-deprived conditions with a PC50 value of 15.5 μg/mL, without apparent toxicity, in normal nutrient-rich conditions. Chemical investigation on this bioactive extract led to the isolation of 19 compounds (1-19), including two new cycloartane-type triterpenes, mangiferolate A (1) and mangiferolate B (2). The structures of 1 and 2 were determined by NMR spectroscopic analysis. Among the isolated compounds, mangiferolate B (2) and isoambolic acid (12) exhibited potent preferential cytotoxicity against PANC-1 human pancreatic cancer cells under the nutrition-deprived condition with PC50 values of 11.0 and 4.8 μM, respectively.

Could yeast infections impair recovery from mental illness? A case study using micronutrients and olive leaf extract for the treatment of ADHD and depression.

PubMed

Rucklidge, Julia J

2013-01-01

Micronutrients are increasingly used to treat psychiatric disorders including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), mood disorders, stress, and anxiety. However, a number of factors influence optimal response and absorption of nutrients, including the health of the gut, particularly the presence of yeast infections, such as Candida. As part of a wider investigation into the impact of micronutrients on psychiatric symptoms, many participants who experienced a yeast infection during their treatment showed a diminished response to the micronutrients. One case was followed systematically over a period of 3 y with documentation of deterioration in psychiatric symptoms (ADHD and mood) when infected with Candida and then symptom improvement following successful treatment of the infection with olive leaf extract (OLE) and probiotics. This case outlines that micronutrient treatment might be severely compromised by infections such as Candida and may highlight the importance of gut health when treating psychiatric disorders with nutrients. Given the role that inflammation can play in absorption of nutrients, it was hypothesized that the infection was impairing absorption of the micronutrients.

An economical approach for d-lactic acid production utilizing unpolished rice from aging paddy as major nutrient source.

PubMed

Lu, Zhengdong; Lu, Mingbo; He, Feng; Yu, Longjiang

2009-03-01

In order to reduce the raw material cost of d-lactic acid fermentation, the unpolished rice from aging paddy was used as major nutrient source in this study. The unpolished rice saccharificate, wheat bran powder and yeast extract were employed as carbon source, nitrogen source and growth factors, respectively. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to optimize the dosages of medium compositions. As a result, when the fermentation was carried out under the optimal conditions for wheat bran powder (29.10g/l) and yeast extract (2.50g/l), the d-lactic acid yield reached 731.50g/kg unpolished rice with a volumetric production rate of 1.50g/(lh). In comparison with fresh corn and polished rice, the d-lactic acid yield increased by 5.79% and 8.71%, and the raw material cost decreased by 65% and 52%, respectively, when the unpolished rice was used as a major nutrient source. These results might provide a reference for the industrial production of d-lactic acid.

Understanding complexities in coupled dynamics of human-water and food security

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Usmani, M.; Kondal, A.; Lin, L.; Colwell, R. R.; Jutla, A.

2017-12-01

Traditional premise of food security is associated with satisfying human hunger by providing sufficient calories to population. Water is the key variable associated with the growth of crops, which is then used as a metric of success for abundance of food across globe. The current framework often negates complex coupled interaction between availability of food nutrients and human well-being (such as productivity, work efficiency, low birth weight, physical and mental growth). Our analysis suggests that 1 in 3 humans suffer from malnutrition across the globe. In last five decades, most of the countries have a decreasing availability trend in at least one of the twenty-three essential food nutrients required for human well-being. We argue that food security can only be achieved if information on use of water for crops and consumption of food must include availability of nutrients for humans. Here, we propose a new concept of "consumptive nutrients" that include constant feedback mechanism between water-human and societal processes- essential for growth, distribution and consumption of food nutrients. Using Ethiopia as a signature rain-fed agricultural region, we will show how decreasing precipitation has led to an increase in crop productivity, but decreased availability of nutrients for humans. This in turn has destabilizing impact on overall regional economy. We will demonstrate why inclusion of nutrients must be a part of discussion for ensuring food security to human population.

Characterization of Fe-leonardite complexes as novel natural iron fertilizers.

PubMed

Kovács, Krisztina; Czech, Viktória; Fodor, Ferenc; Solti, Adam; Lucena, Juan J; Santos-Rosell, Sheila; Hernández-Apaolaza, Lourdes

2013-12-18

Water-soluble humic substances (denoted by LN) extracted at alkaline pH from leonardite are proposed to be used as complexing agents to overcome micronutrient deficiencies in plants such as iron chlorosis. LN presents oxidized functional groups that can bind Fe(2+) and Fe(3+). The knowledge of the environment of Fe in the Fe-LN complexes is a key point in the studies on their efficacy as Fe fertilizers. The aim of this work was to study the Fe(2+)/Fe(3+) species formed in Fe-LN complexes with (57)Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy under different experimental conditions in relation to the Fe-complexing capacities, chemical characteristics, and efficiency to provide iron in hydroponics. A high oxidation rate of Fe(2+) to Fe(3+) was found when samples were prepared with Fe(2+), although no well-crystalline magnetically ordered ferric oxide formation could be observed in slightly acidic or neutral media. It seems to be the case that the formation of Fe(3+)-LN compounds is favored over Fe(2+)-LN compounds, although at acidic pH no complex formation between Fe(3+) and LN occurred. The Fe(2+)/Fe(3+) speciation provided by the Mössbauer data showed that Fe(2+)-LN could be efficient in hydroponics while Fe(3+)-LN is suggested to be used more effectively under calcareous soil conditions. However, according to the biological assay, Fe(3+)-LN proved to be effective as a chlorosis corrector applied to iron-deficient cucumber in nutrient solution.

Systematic review of safety and tolerability of a complex micronutrient formula used in mental health

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Theoretically, consumption of complex, multinutrient formulations of vitamins and minerals should be safe, as most preparations contain primarily the nutrients that have been in the human diet for millennia, and at safe levels as defined by the Dietary Reference Intakes. However, the safety profile of commercial formulae may differ from foods because of the amounts and combinations of nutrients they contain. As these complex formulae are being studied and used clinically with increasing frequency, there is a need for direct evaluation of safety and tolerability. Methods All known safety and tolerability data collected on one complex nutrient formula was compiled and evaluated. Results Data were assembled from all the known published and unpublished studies for the complex formula with the largest amount of published research in mental health. Biological safety data from 144 children and adults were available from six sources: there were no occurrences of clinically meaningful negative outcomes/effects or abnormal blood tests that could be attributed to toxicity. Adverse event (AE) information from 157 children and adults was available from six studies employing the current version of this formula, and only minor, transitory reports of headache and nausea emerged. Only one of the studies permitted a direct comparison between micronutrient treatment and medication: none of the 88 pediatric and adult participants had any clinically meaningful abnormal laboratory values, but tolerability data in the group treated with micronutrients revealed significantly fewer AEs and less weight gain. Conclusions This compilation of safety and tolerability data is reassuring with respect to the broad spectrum approach that employs complex nutrient formulae as a primary treatment. PMID:21501484

Uniform modeling of bacterial colony patterns with varying nutrient and substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwarcz, Deborah; Levine, Herbert; Ben-Jacob, Eshel; Ariel, Gil

2016-04-01

Bacteria develop complex patterns depending on growth condition. For example, Bacillus subtilis exhibit five different patterns depending on substrate hardness and nutrient concentration. We present a unified integro-differential model that reproduces the entire experimentally observed morphology diagram at varying nutrient concentrations and substrate hardness. The model allows a comprehensive and quantitative comparison between experimental and numerical variables and parameters, such as colony growth rate, nutrient concentration and diffusion constants. As a result, the role of the different physical mechanisms underlying and regulating the growth of the colony can be evaluated.

Using the principle of entropy maximization to infer genetic interaction networks from gene expression patterns

PubMed Central

Lezon, Timothy R.; Banavar, Jayanth R.; Cieplak, Marek; Maritan, Amos; Fedoroff, Nina V.

2006-01-01

We describe a method based on the principle of entropy maximization to identify the gene interaction network with the highest probability of giving rise to experimentally observed transcript profiles. In its simplest form, the method yields the pairwise gene interaction network, but it can also be extended to deduce higher-order interactions. Analysis of microarray data from genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae chemostat cultures exhibiting energy metabolic oscillations identifies a gene interaction network that reflects the intracellular communication pathways that adjust cellular metabolic activity and cell division to the limiting nutrient conditions that trigger metabolic oscillations. The success of the present approach in extracting meaningful genetic connections suggests that the maximum entropy principle is a useful concept for understanding living systems, as it is for other complex, nonequilibrium systems. PMID:17138668

Development of eco-friendly bioplastic like PHB by distillery effluent microorganisms.

PubMed

Gangurde, Nilesh S; Sayyed, Riyaz Z; Kiran, Shashi; Gulati, Arvind

2013-01-01

During screening for poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) producing bacteria from distillery effluent sample, six out of 30 isolates comprising of three strains of Alcaligenes sp., two strains of Bacillus sp., and one strain of Pseudomonas sp. were found to accumulate varying levels of intracellular PHB. Amongst the various isolates, Alcaligenes sp. RZS4 was found as the potent PHB-producing organism, accumulating higher amounts of PHB. PHB productivity was further enhanced in the presence of oxygen, nitrogen-limiting conditions, and cloning of PHB synthesizing genes of Alcaligenes sp. RZS 4 into Escherichia coli. A twofold increase in PHB yield was obtained from recombinant E. coli vis-à-vis Alcaligenes sp.; the recombinant E. coli accumulated more PHB in NDMM, produced good amount of PHB in a single-stage cultivation process under both nutrient-rich and nutrient-deficient conditions. Extraction of PHB with acetone-alcohol (1:1) was found as suitable method for optimum extraction of PHB as this mixture selectively extracted PHB without affecting the non-PHB cell mass. PHB extract from recombinant E. coli showed the presence of C-H, =O stretching, =C-H deformation, =C-H, =CH, and =C-O functional groups characteristic of PHB.

Microbial metaproteomics for characterizing the range of metabolic functions and activities of human gut microbiota.

PubMed

Xiong, Weili; Abraham, Paul E; Li, Zhou; Pan, Chongle; Hettich, Robert L

2015-10-01

The human gastrointestinal tract is a complex, dynamic ecosystem that consists of a carefully tuned balance of human host and microbiota membership. The microbiome is not merely a collection of opportunistic parasites, but rather provides important functions to the host that are absolutely critical to many aspects of health, including nutrient transformation and absorption, drug metabolism, pathogen defense, and immune system development. Microbial metaproteomics provides the ability to characterize the human gut microbiota functions and metabolic activities at a remarkably deep level, revealing information about microbiome development and stability as well as their interactions with their human host. Generally, microbial and human proteins can be extracted and then measured by high performance MS-based proteomics technology. Here, we review the field of human gut microbiome metaproteomics, with a focus on the experimental and informatics considerations involved in characterizing systems ranging from low-complexity model gut microbiota in gnotobiotic mice, to the emerging gut microbiome in the GI tract of newborn human infants, and finally to an established gut microbiota in human adults. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

NASA tests composters for space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atkinson, C.

1997-01-01

For long term missions, composters may be an integral part of a life support system that provides edible food crops, extracts nutrients from plant biomass and removes contaminants from the recycling stream.

Effects of crop rotation and management system on water-extractable organic matter concentration, structure, and bioavailability in a chernozemic agricultural soil.

PubMed

Xu, Na; Wilson, Henry F; Saiers, James E; Entz, Martin

2013-01-01

Water-extractable organic matter (WEOM) in soil affects contaminant mobility and toxicity, heterotrophic production, and nutrient cycling in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. This study focuses on the influences of land use history and agricultural management practices on the water extractability of organic matter and nutrients from soils. Water-extractable organic matter was extracted from soils under different crop rotations (an annual rotation of wheat-pea/bean-wheat-flax or a perennial-based rotation of wheat-alfalfa-alfalfa-flax) and management systems (organic or conventional) and examined for its concentration, composition, and biodegradability. The results show that crop rotations including perennial legumes increased the concentration of water-extractable organic carbon (WEOC) and water-extractable organic nitrogen (WEON) and the biodegradability of WEOC in soil but depleted the quantity of water-extractable organic phosphorus (WEOP) and water-extractable reactive phosphorus. The 30-d incubation experiments showed that bioavailable WEOC varied from 12.5% in annual systems to 22% for perennial systems. The value of bioavailable WEOC was found to positively correlate with WEON concentrations and to negatively correlate with C:N ratio and the specific ultraviolet absorbance of WEOM. No significant treatment effect was present with the conventional and organic management practices, which suggested that WEOM, as the relatively labile pool in soil organic matter, is more responsive to the change in crop rotation than to mineral fertilizer application. Our results indicated that agricultural landscapes with contrasting crop rotations are likely to differentially affect rates of microbial cycling of organic matter leached to soil waters. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Nutrient, phytochemical, and antinutrient composition of Citrus maxima fruit juice and peel extract.

PubMed

Ani, Peace Nwanneka; Abel, Happiness Chiamaka

2018-05-01

Nutrient, phytochemical, and antinutrient composition of Citrus maxima fruit juice and peel extract were determined. The fruit was procured from a garden in Trans-Ekulu, Enugu East Local Government Area, Enugu State, Nigeria. Mature undamaged Citrus maxima fruits were thoroughly washed with distilled water to remove contamination, dirt, and air-dried. The peel was separated from the pulp. The pulp (100 g) was blended and filtered through a muslin cloth to obtain a clear juice. The peel (50 g) was macerated with 200 ml of ethanol for 20 min. The peel extract was filtered through filter paper. The supernatant was concentrated by rotary evaporation. The peel extract was weighed and stored in a plastic container until needed. Proximate, mineral, vitamins, antinutrient, and phytochemical composition of the juice and peel extract were determined using standard procedures. Citrus maxima peel extract contains significantly ( p  < .05) higher crude fiber (2.58%), fat (9.74%), ash (2.49%), and carbohydrate (71.57%) compared with Citrus maxima juice. Alkaloid, phenolics, and flavonoids were also significantly ( p  < .05) higher in the peel extract. The mineral composition revealed the order Ca > Na > Ph > Fe > Mg > K in the juice and Ca > Ph > Na > Fe > K > Mg in the peel extract. Vitamin C content of the juice and peel extract were 26.36 mg/100 g and 19.34 mg/100 g, respectively. Citrus maxima peel is highly nutritive and rich in phytochemicals, further research is recommended to investigate its therapeutic effect.

Couplings of watersheds and coastal waters: Sources and consequences of nutrient enrichment in Waquoit Bay, Massachusetts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Valiela, I.; Foreman, K.; LaMontagne, M.

1992-12-01

Human activities on coastal watersheds provide the major sources of nutrients entering shallow coastal ecosystems. Nutrient loadings from watersheds alter structure and function of receiving aquatic ecosystems. To investigate this coupling of land to marine systems, a series of subwatersheds of Waquoit Bay differing in degree of urbanization and with widely different nutrient loading rates was studied. The subwatersheds differ in septic tanks numbers and forest acreage. Ground water is the major mechanism that transports nutrients to coastal waters. Some attenuation of nutrient concentrations within the aquifer or at the sediment-water interface, but significant increases in the nutrient content ofmore » groundwater arriving at the shore's edge are in urbanized areas. The groundwater flows through the sediment-water boundary, and sufficient groundwater-borne nutrients (nitrogen in particular) traverse the sediment-water boundary to cause significant changes in the aquatic ecosystem. These loading-dependent alterations include increased nutrients in water, greater primary production by phytoplankton, and increased macroalgal biomass and growth. The increased macroalgal biomass dominates the bay ecosystem through second- or third-order effects such as alterations of nutrient status of water columns and increasing frequency of anoxic events. The increases in seaweeds have decreased the areas covered by eelgrass habitats. The change in habitat type, plus the increased frequency of anoxic events, change the composition of the benthic fauna. The importance of bottom-up control in shallow coastal food webs is evident. The coupling of land to sea by groundwater-borne nutrient transport is mediated by a complex series of steps, making it unlikely to find a one-to-one relation between land use and conditions in the aquatic ecosystem. Appropriate models may provide a way to deal with the complexities of the coupling. 22 refs., 14 figs., 5 tabs.« less

Utilization of the water soluable fraction of wheat straw as a plant nutrient source

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mackowiak, C. L.; Garland, J. L.

1990-01-01

Recovery of water soluble, inorganic nutrients from the inedible portion of wheat was found to be an effective means of recycling nutrients within hydroponic systems. Through aqueous extraction (leaching), 60 percent of the total inorganic nutrient weight was removed from wheat straw and roots, although the recovery of individual nutrients varied. Leaching also removed about 20 percent of the total organic carbon from the biomass. In terms of dry weight, the leachate was comprised of approximately 60 percent organic and 40 percent inorganic compounds. Direct use of wheat straw leachate in static hydroponic systems had an inhibitory effect on wheat growth, both in the presence and absence of microorganisms. Biological treatment of leachate either with a mixed microbial community or the oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus L., prior to use in hydroponic solutions, significantly reduced both the organic content and the inhibitory effects of the leachate. The inhibitory effects of unprocessed leachate appear to be a result of rapidly acting phytotoxic compounds that are detoxified by microbial activity. Leaching holds considerable promise as a method for nutrient recycling in a Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS).

Dietary Nutrient Intake, Ethnicity, and Epigenetic Silencing of Lung Cancer Genes Detected in Sputum in New Mexican Smokers.

PubMed

Leng, Shuguang; Picchi, Maria A; Kang, Huining; Wu, Guodong; Filipczak, Piotr T; Juri, Daniel E; Zhang, Xiequn; Gauderman, W James; Gilliland, Frank D; Belinsky, Steven A

2018-02-01

Lung cancer gene methylation detected in sputum assesses field cancerization and predicts lung cancer incidence. Hispanic smokers have higher lung cancer susceptibility compared with non-Hispanic whites (NHW). We aimed to identify novel dietary nutrients affecting lung cancer gene methylation and determine the degree of ethnic disparity in methylation explained by diet. Dietary intakes of 139 nutrients were assessed using a validated Harvard food frequency questionnaire in 327 Hispanics and 1,502 NHWs from the Lovelace Smokers Cohort. Promoter methylation of 12 lung cancer genes was assessed in sputum DNA. A global association was identified between dietary intake and gene methylation ( P permutation = 0.003). Seventeen nutrient measurements were identified with magnitude of association with methylation greater than that seen for folate. A stepwise approach identified B12, manganese, sodium, and saturated fat as the minimally correlated set of nutrients whose optimal intakes could reduce the methylation by 36% ( P permutation < 0.001). Six protective nutrients included vitamin D, B12, manganese, magnesium, niacin, and folate. Approximately 42% of ethnic disparity in methylation was explained by insufficient intake of protective nutrients in Hispanics compared with NHWs. Functional validation of protective nutrients showed an enhanced DNA repair capacity toward double-strand DNA breaks, a mechanistic biomarker strongly linked to acquisition of lung cancer gene methylation in smokers. Dietary intake is a major modifiable factor for preventing promoter methylation of lung cancer genes in smokers' lungs. Complex dietary supplements could be developed on the basis of these protective nutrients for lung cancer chemoprevention in smokers. Hispanic smokers may benefit the most from this complex for reducing their lung cancer susceptibility. Cancer Prev Res; 11(2); 93-102. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

Effects of a multi-enzyme complex on growth performance, nutrient utilization and bone mineralization of meat duck.

PubMed

Zeng, Qiufeng; Huang, Xueqin; Luo, Yuheng; Ding, Xuemei; Bai, Shiping; Wang, Jianping; Xuan, Yue; Su, Zhuowei; Liu, Yonggang; Zhang, Keying

2015-01-01

Previous studies with broiler have shown dietary supplementation with multi-enzyme complex containing non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) degrading enzymes and phytase is efficient in releasing phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), energy and amino acids from corn-soybean meal diets or corn-sorghum diets, hence compensating considerable levels of nutrients in formulation. Notwithstanding, such potentials have not been well defined in duck nutrition. Giving China being the largest duck producing country, we conducted this study to establish adequate specifications of major nutrients along with multi-enzyme complex to meat duck from day-old to slaughter, focusing on performance, utilization of nutrients and bone mineralization. Five dietary treatments were: Positive control (PC,T1 ): the nutrients concentration of diet for 1 to 14 d of age were apparent metabolizable energy(AME) 2,800 kcal/kg, crude protein (CP)19.39%, Ca 0.85%, available phosphorus (avP) 0.42%; for 15 to 35 d of age these parameters were AME 2,900 kcal/kg, CP 16.47%,Ca 0.76%,avP 0.38%; Negative control 1(NC1,T2), the AME and digestible amino acids (DAA) were reduced by 70 kcal/kg and 2.0%, avP and Ca by 1.0 g/kg from PC diet; Negative control 2( NC2,T4), the down-spec from PC diet was AME 100 kcal/kg, DAA 2.5%, avP 1.5 g/kg and Ca 1.2 g/kg; The enzyme complex was added at the same dosage (200 mL/ 1,000 kg) on NC1 (T3) and NC2 (T5) diets. Comparing with the ducks fed on T1, T3 and T5 diets, the birds fed on NC2 diet showed the lowest (P < 0.05) body weight ( d 14 and 35), feed intake (d 35), tibia ash, Ca and P contents (d 14 and 35), and the utilization of nutrients (P < 0.05). The supplementation with the enzyme complex to the NC diets restored growth rate, utilization of nutrients and bone mineralization to the level of the PC diet, and increased AME by 60 kcal/kg and 117 kcal/kg, respectively for the NC1 and NC2 diets. These results suggest that down-spec AME by 100 kcal/kg, DAA by 2.5%, avP by 1.5 g/kg and Ca by 1.2 g/kg caused detrimental effects on duck performance compared with those fed on the PC diet, and these performance losses can be compensated by the addition of the multiple-enzyme complex.

Complex food webs prevent competitive exclusion among producer species.

PubMed

Brose, Ulrich

2008-11-07

Herbivorous top-down forces and bottom-up competition for nutrients determine the coexistence and relative biomass patterns of producer species. Combining models of predator-prey and producer-nutrient interactions with a structural model of complex food webs, I investigated these two aspects in a dynamic food-web model. While competitive exclusion leads to persistence of only one producer species in 99.7% of the simulated simple producer communities without consumers, embedding the same producer communities in complex food webs generally yields producer coexistence. In simple producer communities, the producers with the most efficient nutrient-intake rates increase in biomass until they competitively exclude inferior producers. In food webs, herbivory predominantly reduces the biomass density of those producers that dominated in producer communities, which yields a more even biomass distribution. In contrast to prior analyses of simple modules, this facilitation of producer coexistence by herbivory does not require a trade-off between the nutrient-intake efficiency and the resistance to herbivory. The local network structure of food webs (top-down effects of the number of herbivores and the herbivores' maximum consumption rates) and the nutrient supply (bottom-up effect) interactively determine the relative biomass densities of the producer species. A strong negative feedback loop emerges in food webs: factors that increase producer biomasses also increase herbivory, which reduces producer biomasses. This negative feedback loop regulates the coexistence and biomass patterns of the producers by balancing biomass increases of producers and biomass fluxes to herbivores, which prevents competitive exclusion.

Serum lipid profiles, total tract nutrient digestibility, and gastrointestinal tolerance by dogs of α-cyclodextrin.

PubMed

Guevara, M A; Bauer, L L; Garleb, K A; Fahey, G C; de Godoy, M R C

2015-05-01

The objectives were to quantify gastrointestinal tolerance, total tract nutrient digestibility, and serum lipid profiles of dogs as affected by α-cyclodextrin (ACD) supplementation and to validate the accuracy of fat analyses techniques using novel ACD-fat complexes. The ACD was hydrolyzed and free sugars and hydrolyzed monosaccharides were quantified using high performance liquid chromatography. Known amount of fats were complexed with ACD, and fat content of complexes were determined using the ether extraction and acid-hydrolyzed fat methods. Nine mixed-breed hounds were used in a crossover design with 3 periods of 10 d each, including 6 d for diet adaptation and 4 d for fecal collection. Dogs were fed twice daily a diet with poultry byproduct meal and brewer's rice as the main ingredients, and chromic oxide (0.2%) was included as a digestion marker. Dogs were supplemented with either 0, 3, or 6 g of ACD diluted in 15 mL of water twice per day for a total of 0, 6, and 12 g ACD per day. The ACD had a very low free sugar concentration and, once hydrolyzed, released only glucose, as expected. Average daily food intake, fecal output (DM basis), and fecal scores were not significantly different among treatments. Body weight and condition score and serum triglycerides and cholesterol concentrations remained unaltered throughout the duration of the experiment. Dry matter, OM, and fat digestibility coefficients were lower (P < 0.05) for both treatment groups compared to the control. The acid-hydrolyzed fat method was valid to measure fat that was bound to ACD. Intake of ACD lowered fat digestibility somewhat but not to the extent previously reported, without affecting serum lipid concentrations or outcomes related to tolerance. Therefore, ACD supplementation resulted in a small decrease in fat digestibility, but ACD supplementation might have potential in modifying serum lipid profiles.

[Study on the polarized reflectance-hyperspectral information fusion technology of tomato leaves nutrient diagnoses].

PubMed

Zhu, Wen-Jing; Mao, Han-Ping; Li, Qing-Lin; Liu, Hong-Yu; Sun, Jun; Zuo, Zhi-Yu; Chen, Yong

2014-09-01

With 25%, 50%, 75%, 100% and 150%, five levels of, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) nutrition stress samples cultivated in Venlo type greenhouse soilless cultivation mode as the research object, polarized reflectance spectra and hyperspectral images of different nutrient deficiency greenhouse tomato leaves were acquired by using polarized reflectance spectroscopy system developed by our own research group and hyperspectral imaging system respectively. The relationship between a certain number of changes in the bump and texture of non-smooth surface of the nutrient stress leaf and the level of polarization reflected radiation was clarified by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). On the one hand, the polarization spectrum was converted into the degree of polarization through Stokes equation, and the four polarization characteristics between the polarization spectroscopy and reference measurement values of N, P and K respectively were extracted. On the other hand, the four characteristic wavelengths of N, P, K hyperspectral image data were determined respectively through the principal component analysis, followed by eight hyperspectral texture features extracted corresponding to the four characteristic wavelengths through correlation analysis. Polarization characteristics and hyperspectral texture features combined with each characteristics of N, P, K were extracted. These 12 characteristic variables were normalized by maximum-minimum value method. N, P, K nutrient levels quantitative diagnostic models were established by SVR. Results of models are as follows: the correlation coefficient of nitrogen r = 0.961 8, root mean square error RMSE= 0.451; correlation coefficient of phosphorus r = 0.916 3, root mean square error RMSE = 0.620; correlation coefficient of potassium r = 0.940 6, root mean square error RMSE = 0.494. The results show that high precision tomato leaves nutrition prediction model could be built by using polarized reflectance spectroscopy combined with high spectral information fusion technology and achieve good diagnoses effect. It has a great significance for the improvement of model accuracy and the development of special instruments. The research provides a new idea for the rapid detection of tomato nutrient content.

Process-induced compositional changes of flaxseed.

PubMed

Wanasundara, P K; Shahidi, F

1998-01-01

Flaxseed has been used as an edible grain in different parts of the world since ancient times. However, use of flaxseed oil has been limited due to its high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Nonetheless, alpha-linolenic acid, dietary fiber and lignans of flaxseed have regained attention. New varieties of flaxseed containing low levels of alpha-linolenic acid are available for edible oil extraction. Use of whole flaxseed in foods provides a means to utilise all of its nutrients and require minimum processing steps. However, the presence of cyanogenic glucosides and diglucosides in the seeds is a concern as they may release cyanide upon hydrolysis. In addition, the polyunsaturated fatty acids may undergo thermal or autooxidation when exposed to air or high temperatures that are used in food preparation. Studies todate on oxidation products of intact flaxseed lipids have not shown any harmful effects when flaxseed is included, up to 28%, in the baked products. Furthermore, cyanide levels produced as a result of autolysis are below the harmful limits to humans. However, the meals left after oil extraction require detoxification but, by solvent extraction, to reduce the harmful effects of cyanide when used in animal rations. Flaxseed meal is a good source of proteins; these could be isolated by complexation with sodium hexametaphosphate without changing their nutritional value or composition. In addition, the effect of germination on proteins, lipids, cyanogenic glycosides, and other minor constituents of flaxseed is discussed.

The Genome-Wide Interaction Network of Nutrient Stress Genes in Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Côté, Jean-Philippe; French, Shawn; Gehrke, Sebastian S; MacNair, Craig R; Mangat, Chand S; Bharat, Amrita; Brown, Eric D

2016-11-22

Conventional efforts to describe essential genes in bacteria have typically emphasized nutrient-rich growth conditions. Of note, however, are the set of genes that become essential when bacteria are grown under nutrient stress. For example, more than 100 genes become indispensable when the model bacterium Escherichia coli is grown on nutrient-limited media, and many of these nutrient stress genes have also been shown to be important for the growth of various bacterial pathogens in vivo To better understand the genetic network that underpins nutrient stress in E. coli, we performed a genome-scale cross of strains harboring deletions in some 82 nutrient stress genes with the entire E. coli gene deletion collection (Keio) to create 315,400 double deletion mutants. An analysis of the growth of the resulting strains on rich microbiological media revealed an average of 23 synthetic sick or lethal genetic interactions for each nutrient stress gene, suggesting that the network defining nutrient stress is surprisingly complex. A vast majority of these interactions involved genes of unknown function or genes of unrelated pathways. The most profound synthetic lethal interactions were between nutrient acquisition and biosynthesis. Further, the interaction map reveals remarkable metabolic robustness in E. coli through pathway redundancies. In all, the genetic interaction network provides a powerful tool to mine and identify missing links in nutrient synthesis and to further characterize genes of unknown function in E. coli Moreover, understanding of bacterial growth under nutrient stress could aid in the development of novel antibiotic discovery platforms. With the rise of antibiotic drug resistance, there is an urgent need for new antibacterial drugs. Here, we studied a group of genes that are essential for the growth of Escherichia coli under nutrient limitation, culture conditions that arguably better represent nutrient availability during an infection than rich microbiological media. Indeed, many such nutrient stress genes are essential for infection in a variety of pathogens. Thus, the respective proteins represent a pool of potential new targets for antibacterial drugs that have been largely unexplored. We have created all possible double deletion mutants through a genetic cross of nutrient stress genes and the E. coli deletion collection. An analysis of the growth of the resulting clones on rich media revealed a robust, dense, and complex network for nutrient acquisition and biosynthesis. Importantly, our data reveal new genetic connections to guide innovative approaches for the development of new antibacterial compounds targeting bacteria under nutrient stress. Copyright © 2016 Côté et al.

Nutrition of mangroves.

PubMed

Reef, Ruth; Feller, Ilka C; Lovelock, Catherine E

2010-09-01

Mangrove forests dominate the world's tropical and subtropical coastlines. Similar to other plant communities, nutrient availability is one of the major factors influencing mangrove forest structure and productivity. Many mangrove soils have extremely low nutrient availability, although nutrient availability can vary greatly among and within mangrove forests. Nutrient-conserving processes in mangroves are well developed and include evergreeness, resorption of nutrients prior to leaf fall, the immobilization of nutrients in leaf litter during decomposition, high root/shoot ratios and the repeated use of old root channels. Both nitrogen-use efficiency and nutrient resorption efficiencies in mangroves are amongst the highest recorded for angiosperms. A complex range of interacting abiotic and biotic factors controls the availability of nutrients to mangrove trees, and mangroves are characteristically plastic in their ability to opportunistically utilize nutrients when these become available. Nitrogen and phosphorus have been implicated as the nutrients most likely to limit growth in mangroves. Ammonium is the primary form of nitrogen in mangrove soils, in part as a result of anoxic soil conditions, and tree growth is supported mainly by ammonium uptake. Nutrient enrichment is a major threat to marine ecosystems. Although mangroves have been proposed to protect the marine environment from land-derived nutrient pollution, nutrient enrichment can have negative consequences for mangrove forests and their capacity for retention of nutrients may be limited.

The Multiple Origins of Complex Multicellularity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knoll, Andrew H.

2011-05-01

Simple multicellularity has evolved numerous times within the Eukarya, but complex multicellular organisms belong to only six clades: animals, embryophytic land plants, florideophyte red algae, laminarialean brown algae, and two groups of fungi. Phylogeny and genomics suggest a generalized trajectory for the evolution of complex multicellularity, beginning with the co-optation of existing genes for adhesion. Molecular channels to facilitate cell-cell transfer of nutrients and signaling molecules appear to be critical, as this trait occurs in all complex multicellular organisms but few others. Proliferation of gene families for transcription factors and cell signals accompany the key functional innovation of complex multicellular clades: differentiated cells and tissues for the bulk transport of oxygen, nutrients, and molecular signals that enable organisms to circumvent the physical limitations of diffusion. The fossil records of animals and plants document key stages of this trajectory.

Amoeboid organism solves complex nutritional challenges

PubMed Central

Dussutour, Audrey; Latty, Tanya; Beekman, Madeleine; Simpson, Stephen J.

2010-01-01

A fundamental question in nutritional biology is how distributed systems maintain an optimal supply of multiple nutrients essential for life and reproduction. In the case of animals, the nutritional requirements of the cells within the body are coordinated by the brain in neural and chemical dialogue with sensory systems and peripheral organs. At the level of an insect society, the requirements for the entire colony are met by the foraging efforts of a minority of workers responding to cues emanating from the brood. Both examples involve components specialized to deal with nutrient supply and demand (brains and peripheral organs, foragers and brood). However, some of the most species-rich, largest, and ecologically significant heterotrophic organisms on earth, such as the vast mycelial networks of fungi, comprise distributed networks without specialized centers: How do these organisms coordinate the search for multiple nutrients? We address this question in the acellular slime mold Physarum polycephalum and show that this extraordinary organism can make complex nutritional decisions, despite lacking a coordination center and comprising only a single vast multinucleate cell. We show that a single slime mold is able to grow to contact patches of different nutrient quality in the precise proportions necessary to compose an optimal diet. That such organisms have the capacity to maintain the balance of carbon- and nitrogen-based nutrients by selective foraging has considerable implications not only for our understanding of nutrient balancing in distributed systems but for the functional ecology of soils, nutrient cycling, and carbon sequestration. PMID:20142479

Antibacterial Effect of Curcuma longa (Turmeric) Against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Afrose, R; Saha, S K; Banu, L A; Ahmed, A U; Shahidullah, A S; Gani, A; Sultana, S; Kabir, M R; Ali, M Y

2015-07-01

This observational study was conducted during the period from July 2010 to June 2011 in the Department of Pharmacology in the collaboration of Department of Microbiology, Mymensingh Medical College, Mymensingh to determine the profile of antibacterial effect of Crude Turmeric paste aqueous turmeric extract, and standard antibiotic Amikacin against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Three separate experiments were done e.g. (Expt- I) Inhibitory effect of Crude Turmeric paste incorporated into nutrient agar (NA) media, (Expt- II) Minimum inhibitory concentration of (a) Aqueous Turmeric extract and (b) Amikacin by broth dilution technique and (Expt-III) their subculture study in nutrient agar (NA) media for confirmation of respective results of previous experiments. Inhibitory effects were observed against the growth of Staph Aureus and Esch coli at 10% and 30% respectively of Crude Turmeric paste incorporated into NA media. The broth dilution technique was followed to determine the MIC of Aqueous Turmeric extract and Amikacin. The MIC of Aqueous Turmeric extract was 800 μg/ml against Staph aureus and that against Esch coli was 2000 μg/ml and the MIC of Amikacin was 10 μg/ml for both the bacteria. The MIC of Amikacin was the lowest in comparison to MIC of Aqueous Turmeric extract for complete inhibition of growth of Staph aureus and Esch coli. The subculture study showed similar results with that of previous experiments in terms of inhibitory effects of Crude Turmeric paste and MIC of Aqueous Turmeric extract and Amikacin against all of the organisms studied.

Hydrogen utilization by clostridia in sewage sludge.

PubMed Central

Ohwaki, K; Hungate, R E

1977-01-01

A sporeformer morphologically different but physiologically similar to Clostridium aceticum Wieringa was isolated from sewage sludge. It used large amounts of H2 and CO2, converting them chiefly to acetic acid. Growth occurs anaerobically on yeast extract alone, but after the nutrients in yeast extract are used, growth continues at a reduced rate, supported by the conversion of the gases to acetate. PMID:879782

To survive or to slay

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

The ecological relevance of allelopathy is highly debated due to the lack of phytotoxic concentrations of allelochemical in natural field conditions. Most of the putative allelochemicals are exuded at low concentrations, and subsequently undergo rapid chemical and biological degradation in soil matrices. At sub-toxic concentrations, due to hormesis effect, these compounds could possibly have a stimulatory effect on plant growth. Many of the suggested allelopathic compounds are chelants and can complex-with and mobilize metal ions in soil. These complexation reactions will detoxify the compound, but will increase the chemical-nutrient-foraging ability of the donor plant. The concentration in which these compounds are exuded matches with other similar secondary metabolites facilitating plant nutrient acquisition. Irrespective of whether the implicated PSMs facilitate donor plant in chemical nutrient-foraging or in poisoning the neighbors, the conferred advantage translates in terms of resource availability—in first case the donor enjoys uncontested nutrient uptake efficiency, where as in the latter the donor gain an uncontested access to resources. This further reaffirms the notion that resource competition and allelopathy are inextricable. Since most of the secondary metabolites could mobilize nutrients from soil, along with its phytotoxic effect, complementary self-facilitation roles of these compounds should be investigated. PMID:19820349

Enteral feeding: drug/nutrient interaction.

PubMed

Lourenço, R

2001-04-01

Enteral nutrition support via a feeding tube is the first choice for artificial nutrition. Most patients also require simultaneous drug therapy, with the potential risk for drug-nutrient interactions which may become relevant in clinical practice. During enteral nutrition, drug-nutrient interactions are more likely to occur than in patients fed orally. However, there is a lack of awareness about its clinical significance, which should be recognised and prevented in order to optimise nutritional and pharmacological therapeutic goals of safety and efficacy. To raise the awareness of potential drug-nutrient interactions and influence on clinical outcomes. To identify factors that can promote drug-nutrient interactions and contribute to nutrition and/or therapeutic failure. To be aware of different types of drug-nutrient interactions. To understand complex underlying mechanisms responsible for drug-nutrient interactions. To learn basic rules for the administration of medications during tube-feeding. Copyright 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.

Prediction of the cause, effects, and prevention of drug-nutrient interactions using attributes and attribute values.

PubMed

Roe, D A

1985-01-01

Drug-nutrient interactions and their adverse outcomes have previously been identified by observation, investigation, and literature reports. Knowing the attributes of the drugs, availability of knowledge base management systems for microcomputer use can facilitate prediction of the mechanism and the effects of drug-nutrient interactions. Examples used to illustrate this approach are prediction of lactose intolerance in drug-induced malabsorption, and prediction of the mechanism responsible for drug-induced flush reactions. In the future we see that there may be many opportunities to use this system further in the investigation of complex drug-nutrient interactions.

From which soil metal fractions Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu are taken up by olive trees (Olea europaea L., cv. 'Chondrolia Chalkidikis') in organic groves?

PubMed

Chatzistathis, T; Papaioannou, A; Gasparatos, D; Molassiotis, A

2017-12-01

Organic farming has been proposed as an alternative agricultural system to help solve environmental problems, like the sustainable management of soil micronutrients, without inputs of chemical fertilizers. The purposes of this study were: i) to assess Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu bioavailability through the determination of sequentially extracted chemical forms (fractions) and their correlation with foliar micronutrient concentrations in mature organic olive (cv. 'Chondrolia Chalkidikis') groves; ii) to determine the soil depth and the available forms (fractions) by which the 4 metals are taken up by olive trees. DTPA extractable (from the soil layers 0-20, 20-40 and 40-60 cm) and foliar micronutrient concentrations were determined in two organic olive groves. Using the Tessier fractionation, five fractions, for all the metals, were found: exchangeable, bound to carbonates (acid-soluble), bound to Fe-Mn oxides (reducible), organic (oxidizable), as well as residual form. Our results indicated that Fe was taken up by the olive trees as organic complex, mainly from the soil layer 40-60 cm. Manganese was taken up from the exchangeable fraction (0-20 cm); Zinc was taken up as organic complex from the layers 0-20 and 40-60 cm, as well as in the exchangeable form from the upper 20 cm. Copper was taken up from the soil layers 0-20 and 40-60 cm as soluble organic complex, and as exchangeable ion from the upper 20 cm. Our data reveal the crucial role of organic matter to sustain metal (Fe, Zn and Cu) uptake -as soluble complexes-by olive trees, in mature organic groves grown on calcareous soils; it is also expected that these data will constitute a thorough insight and useful tool towards a successful nutrient and organic C management for organic olive groves, since no serious nutritional deficiencies were found. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rainfall runoff modelling of the Upper Ganga and Brahmaputra basins using PERSiST.

PubMed

Futter, M N; Whitehead, P G; Sarkar, S; Rodda, H; Crossman, J

2015-06-01

There are ongoing discussions about the appropriate level of complexity and sources of uncertainty in rainfall runoff models. Simulations for operational hydrology, flood forecasting or nutrient transport all warrant different levels of complexity in the modelling approach. More complex model structures are appropriate for simulations of land-cover dependent nutrient transport while more parsimonious model structures may be adequate for runoff simulation. The appropriate level of complexity is also dependent on data availability. Here, we use PERSiST; a simple, semi-distributed dynamic rainfall-runoff modelling toolkit to simulate flows in the Upper Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers. We present two sets of simulations driven by single time series of daily precipitation and temperature using simple (A) and complex (B) model structures based on uniform and hydrochemically relevant land covers respectively. Models were compared based on ensembles of Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) statistics. Equifinality was observed for parameters but not for model structures. Model performance was better for the more complex (B) structural representations than for parsimonious model structures. The results show that structural uncertainty is more important than parameter uncertainty. The ensembles of BIC statistics suggested that neither structural representation was preferable in a statistical sense. Simulations presented here confirm that relatively simple models with limited data requirements can be used to credibly simulate flows and water balance components needed for nutrient flux modelling in large, data-poor basins.

Seaweeds as Preventive Agents for Cardiovascular Diseases: From Nutrients to Functional Foods

PubMed Central

Cardoso, Susana M.; Pereira, Olívia R.; Seca, Ana M. L.; Pinto, Diana C. G. A.; Silva, Artur M. S.

2015-01-01

Being naturally enriched in key nutrients and in various health-promoting compounds, seaweeds represent promising candidates for the design of functional foods. Soluble dietary fibers, peptides, phlorotannins, lipids and minerals are macroalgae’s major compounds that can hold potential in high-value food products derived from macroalgae, including those directed to the cardiovascular-health promotion. This manuscript revises available reported data focusing the role of diet supplementation of macroalgae, or extracts enriched in bioactive compounds from macroalgae origin, in targeting modifiable markers of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), like dyslipidemia, oxidative stress, vascular inflammation, hypertension, hypercoagulability and activation of the sympathetic and renin-angiotensin systems, among others. At last, the review also describes several products that have been formulated with the use of whole macroalgae or extracts, along with their claimed cardiovascular-associated benefits. PMID:26569268

Nutrient digestibility of vegetables waste flour on male quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pramono, A.; Primadhani, M. S.; Swastike, W.; Sutrisno, J.

2018-03-01

The aim of this research is to determine the nutrient digestibility of vegetables waste flour on of male quail. Four hundred male quails were divided into four groups with five replications. The experiment is Completely Randomized Design and the data were analyzed by analyses of variants. The experimental diets were P0 = basal diet, P1 = 97% basal diet + 3% vegetables waste flour, P2 = 94% basal diet + 6% vegetables waste flour, and P3 = 91% basal diet + 9% vegetables waste flour. The observed variables were the digestibility of dry matter, crude protein and extract ether. Result showed that of the addition of vegetable waste flour in the diet had no effect on crude protein digestibility (P>0.05), however shown significant effect on dry matter (P <0.01) and extract ether (P <0.01) digestibility.

Monitoring changes in soil organic carbon pools, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur under different agricultural management practices in the tropics.

PubMed

Verma, Bibhash C; Datta, Siba Prasad; Rattan, Raj K; Singh, Anil K

2010-12-01

Soil organic matter not only affects sustainability of agricultural ecosystems, but also extremely important in maintaining overall quality of environment as soil contains a significant part of global carbon stock. Hence, we attempted to assess the influence of different tillage and nutrient management practices on various stabilized and active soil organic carbon pools, and their contribution to the extractable nitrogen phosphorus and sulfur. Our study confined to the assessment of impact of agricultural management practices on the soil organic carbon pools and extractable nutrients under three important cropping systems, viz. soybean-wheat, maize-wheat, and rice-wheat. Results indicated that there was marginal improvement in Walkley and Black content in soil under integrated and organic nutrient management treatments in soybean-wheat, maize-wheat, and rice-wheat after completion of four cropping cycles. Improvement in stabilized pools of soil organic carbon (SOC) was not proportional to the applied amount of organic manures. While, labile pools of SOC were increased with the increase in amount of added manures. Apparently, green manure (Sesbania) was more effective in enhancing the lability of SOC as compared to farmyard manure and crop residues. The KMnO(4)-oxidizable SOC proved to be more sensitive and consistent as an index of labile pool of SOC compared to microbial biomass carbon. Under different cropping sequences, labile fractions of soil organic carbon exerted consistent positive effect on the extractable nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur in soil.

Comparison of antioxidant, antimicrobial activities and chemical profiles of three coffee (Coffea arabica L.) pulp aqueous extracts.

PubMed

Duangjai, Acharaporn; Suphrom, Nungruthai; Wungrath, Jukkrit; Ontawong, Atcharaporn; Nuengchamnong, Nitra; Yosboonruang, Atchariya

2016-12-01

This study explored the bioactivities and nutrient compositions of coffee ( Coffea Arabica L.) pulp which was prepared in three different ways [Coffee Pulp Extracts (CPE) 1-3]. The coffee pulp was prepared in three different ways by distinct selecting and freezing processes. The nutritional values, polyphenol contents, antioxidant activity, and antibacterial properties of the coffee pulp as well as the characterization of the active ingredients by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS) were evaluated. The chemical profiles of three aqueous extracts were compared and characterized using LC-ESI-QTOF-MS. They showed slightly different nutrient compositions. The total phenolic content was highest in CPE1, and decreased in the following order: CPE1 > CPE2 > CPE3. Among the CPEs tested, CPE1 showed the most potent antioxidant activity with IC 50 18 μg/mL and 82 μg/mL by 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl assay, respectively. Chlorogenic acid and caffeine were the most prominent in CPE1 and it contained more compounds than the others. Moreover, CPE1 demonstrated antibacterial activity against both gram-positive ( Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis ) and gram-negative bacteria ( Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli ). These findings indicated that CPE1 has powerful nutrients with antioxidant and antibacterial properties-the potency of which is impacted by the preparation process.

The effects of plant nutritional strategy on soil microbial denitrification activity through rhizosphere primary metabolites.

PubMed

Guyonnet, Julien P; Vautrin, Florian; Meiffren, Guillaume; Labois, Clément; Cantarel, Amélie A M; Michalet, Serge; Comte, Gilles; Haichar, Feth El Zahar

2017-04-01

The aim of this study was to determine (i) whether plant nutritional strategy affects the composition of primary metabolites exuded into the rhizosphere and (ii) the impact of exuded metabolites on denitrification activity in soil. We answered this question by analysing primary metabolite content extracted from the root-adhering soil (RAS) and the roots of three grasses representing different nutrient management strategies: conservative (Festuca paniculata), intermediate (Bromus erectus) and exploitative (Dactylis glomerata). We also investigated the impact of primary metabolites on soil microbial denitrification enzyme activity without carbon addition, comparing for each plant RAS and bulk soils. Our data show that plant nutritional strategy impacts on primary metabolite composition of root extracts or RAS. Further we show, for the first time, that RAS-extracted primary metabolites are probably better indicators to explain plant nutrient strategy than root-extracted ones. In addition, our results show that some primary metabolites present in the RAS were well correlated with soil microbial denitrification activity with positive relationships found between denitrification and the presence of some organic acids and negative ones with the presence of xylose. We demonstrated that the analysis of primary metabolites extracted from the RAS is probably more pertinent to evaluate the impact of plant on soil microbial community functioning. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The effects of logging residue extraction for energy on ecosystem services and biodiversity: A synthesis.

PubMed

Ranius, Thomas; Hämäläinen, Aino; Egnell, Gustaf; Olsson, Bengt; Eklöf, Karin; Stendahl, Johan; Rudolphi, Jörgen; Sténs, Anna; Felton, Adam

2018-03-01

We review the consequences for biodiversity and ecosystem services from the industrial-scale extraction of logging residues (tops, branches and stumps from harvested trees and small-diameter trees from thinnings) in managed forests. Logging residue extraction can replace fossil fuels, and thus contribute to climate change mitigation. The additional biomass and nutrients removed, and soils and other structures disturbed, have several potential environmental impacts. To evaluate potential impacts on ecosystem services and biodiversity we reviewed 279 scientific papers that compared logging residue extraction with non-extraction, the majority of which were conducted in Northern Europe and North America. The weight of available evidence indicates that logging residue extraction can have significant negative effects on biodiversity, especially for species naturally adapted to sun-exposed conditions and the large amounts of dead wood that are created by large-scaled forest disturbances. Slash extraction may also pose risks for future biomass production itself, due to the associated loss of nutrients. For water quality, reindeer herding, mammalian game species, berries, and natural heritage the results were complicated by primarily negative but some positive effects, while for recreation and pest control positive effects were more consistent. Further, there are initial negative effects on carbon storage, but these effects are transient and carbon stocks are mostly restored over decadal time perspectives. We summarize ways of decreasing some of the negative effects of logging residue extraction on specific ecosystem services, by changing the categories of residue extracted, and site or forest type targeted for extraction. However, we found that suggested pathways for minimizing adverse outcomes were often in conflict among the ecosystem services assessed. Compensatory measures for logging residue extraction may also be used (e.g. ash recycling, liming, fertilization), though these may also be associated with adverse environmental impacts. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Invited review: The preterm pig as a model in pediatric gastroenterology

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

At birth, the newborn mammal undergoes a transition from a sterile uterine environment with a constant nutrient supply, to a microbe-rich environment with intermittent oral intake of complex milk nutrients via the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). These functional challenges partly explain the relativel...

Wetland Management Reduces Sediment and Nutrient Loading to the Upper Mississippi River

EPA Science Inventory

Restored riparian wetlands in the Upper Mississippi River basin have the potential to remove sediment and nutrients from tributaries before they flow into the Mississippi River. For 3 yr we calculated retention efficiencies of a marsh complex, which consisted of a restored marsh...

ANTHROPOGENIC NUTRIENT INPUT AND ITS INFLUENCE ON PLANT COMPETITIVE OUTCOMES: IMPLICATIONS FOR HABITAT DEGRADATION AND COMMUNITY SHIFTS

EPA Science Inventory

By taking a multifactorial approach, the study will document complex aquatic plant responses to NPS nutrient contamination, providing fundamental insight into the broader impacts of environmental degradation, its impacts on plant function, and implications for ecosystem ser...

Spiraling in Urban Streams: A Novel Approach to Link Geomorphic Structure with Ecosystem Function

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bean, R. A.; Lafrenz, M. D.

2011-12-01

The goal of this study is to quantify the relationship between channel complexity and nutrient spiraling along several reaches of an urbanized watershed in Portland, Oregon. Much research points to the effect urbanization has on watershed hydrology and nutrient loading at the watershed scale for various sized catchments. However the flux of nutrients over short reaches within a stream channel has been less studied because of the effort and costs associated with fieldwork and subsequent laboratory analysis of both surface and hyporheic water samples. In this study we explore a novel approach at capturing connectivity though nutrient spiraling along several short reaches (less than 100-meter) within the highly urbanized Fanno Creek watershed (4400 hectares). We measure channel complexity-sinuosity, bed material texture, organic matter-and use these measurements to determine spatial autocorrelation of 50 reaches in Fanno Creek, a small, urban watershed in Portland, Oregon. Using ion-selective electrodes, the fluxes of nitrate and ammonia are measured within each reach, which when combined with channel geometry and velocity measurements allow us to transform the values of nitrate and ammonia fluxes into spiraling metrics. Along each sampled reach, we collected three surface water samples to characterize nutrient amounts at the upstream, midstream, and downstream position of the reach. Two additional water samples were taken from the left and right bank hyporheic zones at a depth just below the armor layer of the channel bed using mini-piezometers and a hand-pumped vacuum device, which we constructed for this purpose. Adjacent to the hyporheic samples soil cores were collected and analyzed for organic matter composition, bulk density, and texture. We hypothesize that spiral metrics will respond significantly to the measured channel complexity values and will be a more robust predictor of nutrient flux than land cover characteristics in the area draining to each reach. Initial results show significant differences in hyporheic and surface water concentrations within the same reach indicating that sources and sinks of mineral nitrogen can be found within stream channels over very short distances. The implication of this study is that channel complexity is an important driver of nutrient flux in a watershed, and that this technique can be applied in future studies to better characterize the ecosystem services of stream channels over short reaches to entire catchments.

Effects of different tannin-rich extracts and rapeseed tannin monomers on methane formation and microbial protein synthesis in vitro.

PubMed

Wischer, G; Boguhn, J; Steingaß, H; Schollenberger, M; Rodehutscord, M

2013-11-01

Tannins, polyphenolic compounds found in plants, are known to complex with proteins of feed and rumen bacteria. This group of substances has the potential to reduce methane production either with or without negative effects on digestibility and microbial yield. In the first step of this study, 10 tannin-rich extracts from chestnut, mimosa, myrabolan, quebracho, sumach, tara, valonea, oak, cocoa and grape seed, and four rapeseed tannin monomers (pelargonidin, catechin, cyanidin and sinapinic acid) were used in a series of in vitro trials using the Hohenheim gas test, with grass silage as substrate. The objective was to screen the potential of various tannin-rich extracts to reduce methane production without a significant effect on total gas production (GP). Supplementation with pelargonidin and cyanidin did not reduce methane production; however, catechin and sinapinic acid reduced methane production without altering GP. All tannin-rich extracts, except for tara extract, significantly reduced methane production by 8% to 28% without altering GP. On the basis of these results, five tannin-rich extracts were selected and further investigated in a second step using a Rusitec system. Each tannin-rich extract (1.5 g) was supplemented to grass silage (15 g). In this experiment, nutrient degradation, microbial protein synthesis and volatile fatty acid production were used as additional response criteria. Chestnut extract caused the greatest reduction in methane production followed by valonea, grape seed and sumach, whereas myrabolan extract did not reduce methane production. Whereas chestnut extract reduced acetate production by 19%, supplementation with grape seed or myrabolan extract increased acetate production. However, degradation of fibre fractions was reduced in all tannin treatments. Degradation of dry matter and organic matter was also reduced by tannin supplementation, and no differences were found between the tannin-rich extracts. CP degradation and ammonia-N accumulation in the Rusitec were reduced by tannin treatment. The amount and efficiency of microbial protein synthesis were not significantly affected by tannin supplementation. The results of this study indicated that some tannin-rich extracts are able to reduce methane production without altering microbial protein synthesis. We hypothesized that chestnut and valonea extract have the greatest potential to reduce methane production without negative side effects.

Antioxidant Activities, Metabolic Profiling, Proximate Analysis, Mineral Nutrient Composition of Salvadora persica Fruit Unravel a Potential Functional Food and a Natural Source of Pharmaceuticals.

PubMed

Kumari, Asha; Parida, Asish K; Rangani, Jaykumar; Panda, Ashok

2017-01-01

Salvadora persica is a medicinally important plant mainly used in oral hygiene. However, little attention has been given towards the nutritional prominence of this plant. This study encloses the proximate and mineral nutrient contents, amino acid composition, metabolite profiling and antioxidant potential of S. persica fruit. The ripen fruit contained substantial amount of sugars, mineral nutrients, carotenoids, polyphenols and flavonoids. The metabolic profiling of the fruit extract by GC-MS revealed a total of 22 metabolites comprising of sugars, sugar alcohols, organic acids, organic base, and aromatic silica compound. The identified metabolites have been previously reported to have potential antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-hyperglycemic, and antitumor properties. The GC-MS analysis indicated high glucose and glucopyranose (247.62 and 42.90 mg g -1 FW respectively) contents in fruit of S. persica . The fruit extract demonstrated a significantly higher antioxidant and ROS scavenging properties along with high contents of mineral nutrients and essential amino acids. HPLC analysis revealed presence of essential and non-essential amino acid required for healthy body metabolism. The cysteine was found to be in highest amount (733.69 mg 100 g -1 DW) among all amino acids quantified. Specifically, compared to similar medicinal plants, previously reported as a source of non-conventional food and with some of the commercially important fruits, S. persica fruit appears to be a potential source of essential mineral nutrients, amino acids, vitamins (ascorbic acid and carotenoid) and pharmaceutically important metabolites contributing towards fulfilling the recommended daily requirement of these for a healthy human being. This is the first report establishing importance of S. persica fruit as nutraceuticals. The data presented here proposed that fruit of S. persica may be used as functional food or reinvigorating ingredient for processed food to reduce deficiency of nutrients among the vulnerable population group. The phytochemicals identified from S. persica fruit may be used as natural source for pharmaceutical preparations.

Antioxidant Activities, Metabolic Profiling, Proximate Analysis, Mineral Nutrient Composition of Salvadora persica Fruit Unravel a Potential Functional Food and a Natural Source of Pharmaceuticals

PubMed Central

Kumari, Asha; Parida, Asish K.; Rangani, Jaykumar; Panda, Ashok

2017-01-01

Salvadora persica is a medicinally important plant mainly used in oral hygiene. However, little attention has been given towards the nutritional prominence of this plant. This study encloses the proximate and mineral nutrient contents, amino acid composition, metabolite profiling and antioxidant potential of S. persica fruit. The ripen fruit contained substantial amount of sugars, mineral nutrients, carotenoids, polyphenols and flavonoids. The metabolic profiling of the fruit extract by GC-MS revealed a total of 22 metabolites comprising of sugars, sugar alcohols, organic acids, organic base, and aromatic silica compound. The identified metabolites have been previously reported to have potential antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-hyperglycemic, and antitumor properties. The GC-MS analysis indicated high glucose and glucopyranose (247.62 and 42.90 mg g-1 FW respectively) contents in fruit of S. persica. The fruit extract demonstrated a significantly higher antioxidant and ROS scavenging properties along with high contents of mineral nutrients and essential amino acids. HPLC analysis revealed presence of essential and non-essential amino acid required for healthy body metabolism. The cysteine was found to be in highest amount (733.69 mg 100 g-1 DW) among all amino acids quantified. Specifically, compared to similar medicinal plants, previously reported as a source of non-conventional food and with some of the commercially important fruits, S. persica fruit appears to be a potential source of essential mineral nutrients, amino acids, vitamins (ascorbic acid and carotenoid) and pharmaceutically important metabolites contributing towards fulfilling the recommended daily requirement of these for a healthy human being. This is the first report establishing importance of S. persica fruit as nutraceuticals. The data presented here proposed that fruit of S. persica may be used as functional food or reinvigorating ingredient for processed food to reduce deficiency of nutrients among the vulnerable population group. The phytochemicals identified from S. persica fruit may be used as natural source for pharmaceutical preparations. PMID:28261096

Effects of Eu and Sm on Methylobacterium sp.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hibi, Yoshihisa; Okuda, Masayo; Sakuma, Ryusuke; Iwama, Tomonori; Kawai, Keiichi

Eu and Sm have been widely used in high technology products. In this study the authors isolated a soil bacterium, identified as Methylobacterium sp. MAFF211642, which exhibited colonies on 1/100 nutrient agar, supplemented by 30µM Eu and Sm; the soil bacterium was found to exhibit larger colonies than those in the absence of these elements. However, when 0.5% methanol was added to the nutrient agar, only Sm was found to stimulate the growth. Other rare earth and metal elements did not affect or inhibit, regardless of the presence of methanol. Addition of both Sm and methanol to the nutrient broth increased the growth of this strain 10-fold in colony forming unit larger than when both were absent. When both methanol and Sm were added to the nutrient broth, specific activity of methanol dehydrogenase in a crude extract of the bacterium increased approximately 5.4-fold.

Bioremediation of contaminated groundwater

DOEpatents

Hazen, Terry C.; Fliermans, Carl B.

1995-01-01

An apparatus and method for in situ remediation of contaminated subsurface soil or groundwater contaminated by chlorinated hydrocarbons. A nutrient fluid is selected to stimulate the growth and reproduction of indigenous subsurface microorganisms that are capable of degrading the contaminants; an oxygenated fluid is selected to create a generally aerobic environment for these microorganisms to degrade the contaminants, leaving only pockets that are anaerobic. The nutrient fluid is injected periodically while the oxygenated fluid is injected continuously and both are extracted so that both are drawn across the plume. The nutrient fluid stimulates microbial colony growth; withholding it periodicially forces the larger, healthy colony of microbes to degrade the contaminants. Treatment is continued until the subsurface concentration of contaminants is reduced to an acceptable, preselected level. The nutrient fluid can be methane and the oxygenated fluid air for stimulating production of methanotrophs to break down chlorohydrocarbons, especially trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene.

Bioremediation of contaminated groundwater

DOEpatents

Hazen, T.C.; Fliermans, C.B.

1995-01-24

An apparatus and method are described for in situ remediation of contaminated subsurface soil or groundwater contaminated by chlorinated hydrocarbons. A nutrient fluid is selected to stimulate the growth and reproduction of indigenous subsurface microorganisms that are capable of degrading the contaminants. An oxygenated fluid is selected to create a generally aerobic environment for these microorganisms to degrade the contaminants, leaving only pockets that are anaerobic. The nutrient fluid is injected periodically while the oxygenated fluid is injected continuously and both are extracted so that both are drawn across the plume. The nutrient fluid stimulates microbial colony growth. Withholding it periodically forces the larger, healthy colony of microbes to degrade the contaminants. Treatment is continued until the subsurface concentration of contaminants is reduced to an acceptable, preselected level. The nutrient fluid can be methane and the oxygenated fluid air for stimulating production of methanotrophs to break down chlorohydrocarbons, especially trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene. 3 figures.

Nutrigenetics and prostate cancer: 2011 and beyond.

PubMed

Yuan, Yinan; Ferguson, Lynnette R

2011-01-01

Prostate cancer runs in families and shows a clear dietary involvement. Until recently, the key risk gene(s) have proved elusive. We summarise current understandings of nutrient-gene interactions in prostate cancer risk and progression. A MEDLINE-based literature search was conducted. Hypothesis-directed candidate gene approaches provide plausible, albeit statistically weak, nutrient-gene interactions. These are based on early understandings of factors likely to impact on carcinogenesis, including both nutrient and genetic effects on androgen biosynthesis and action, xenobiotic metabolism, DNA damage and DNA repair. Non-hypothesis-directed genome-wide association studies provide much stronger evidence for other genes, not hitherto suspected for involvement. Although only a few of these have been formally tested for dietary associations in well-designed epidemiologic studies, the nature of many of the genes suggests that their activity may be regulated by nutrients. These effects may not only be relevant to prostate cancer susceptibility, but also to disease progression. It will be important to move beyond studying single nucleotide polymorphisms, into more complex chromosomal rearrangements and to epigenetic changes. For future progress, large international cohorts will not only need to provide proof of individual nutrient-gene interactions, but also to relate these to more complex nutrient-gene-gene interactions, as parts of pathways. Bioinformatics and biostatistics will be increasingly important tools in nutrigenetic studies beyond 2011. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Using life cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis in a real options framework to inform the design of algal biofuel production facilities.

PubMed

Kern, Jordan D; Hise, Adam M; Characklis, Greg W; Gerlach, Robin; Viamajala, Sridhar; Gardner, Robert D

2017-02-01

This study investigates the use of "real options analysis" (ROA) to quantify the value of greater product flexibility at algal biofuel production facilities. A deterministic optimization framework is integrated with a combined life cycle assessment/techno-economic analysis model and subjected to an ensemble of 30-year commodity price trajectories. Profits are maximized for two competing plant configurations: 1) one that sells lipid-extracted algae as animal feed only; and 2) one that can sell lipid-extracted algae as feed or use it to recover nutrients and energy, due to an up-front investment in anaerobic digestion/combined heat and power. Results show that added investment in plant flexibility does not result in an improvement in net present value, because current feed meal prices discourage use of lipid-extracted algae for nutrient and energy recovery. However, this study demonstrates that ROA provides many useful insights regarding plant design that cannot be captured via traditional techno-economic modeling. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of nutrient supplements addition on ethanol production from cheese whey using Candida psuedotropicalis under batch condition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ghaly, A.E.; El-Taweel, A.A.

1995-05-01

Candida psuedotropicalis ATCC 8619 was selected among nine strains of lactose fermenting yeast for the production of ethanol from cheese whey. The effects of three nutrients (ammonium sulfate (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}SO{sub 4}, dipotassium hydrogen phosphate K{sub 2}HPO{sub 4}, yeast extract, and combination of them) on the ethanol yield from cheese whey were investigated. The results indicated that no addition of nutrient supplement is necessary to achieve complete lactose utilization during the cheese whey ethanol fermentation. However, addition of a small concentration (0.005% w/v) of these supplements reduced the lag period and the total fermentation time and increased the specific growthmore » rate of the yeast. Higher concentrations (0.01 and 0.015% w/v) of ammonium sulfate and dipotassium hydrogen phosphate inhibited the cell growth rate of the yeast. The highest ethanol (21.7% g/L) was achieved using yeast extract at a concentration of 0.01% w/v, given a conversion efficiency of 98.3%. No indication of alcohol inhibition was observed in this study. 60 refs., 9 figs., 3 tabs.« less

COMPLEX INTERACTIONS BETWEEN AUTOTROPHS IN SHALLOW MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS: IMPLICATIONS FOR COMMUNITY RESPONSES TO NUTRIENT STRESS. (U915532)

EPA Science Inventory

The relative biomass of autotrophs (vascular plants, macroalgae, microphytobenthos, phytoplankton) in shallow aquatic ecosystems is thought to be controlled by nutrient inputs and underwater irradiance. Widely accepted conceptual models indicate that this is the case both in m...

PBL Approach in Web-Based Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ChanLin, Lih-Juan; Chan, Kung-Chi

2004-01-01

Web-Based Instruction is increasingly being recognized as a means of teaching and learning. In dietetics, the interactions between drugs and nutrients are complex due to the wide variety of drugs and their mechanism and interactions with nutrients. How to help student professionals acquired necessary skills and knowledge is important in a dietetic…

The metabolic response to stress: a case of complex nutrition support management.

PubMed

Cartwright, Martina M

2004-12-01

The ICU patient with burns, neurotrauma, sepsis, or major surgery typifies the classic hypermetabolic patient. These patients have increased energy and nutrient needs as a result of their injuries and require early nutrition support. Although these patients are likely to benefit from nutritional intervention, the complexity of the stress response to injury and subsequent changes in nutrient metabolism make the design and implementation of nutrition care challenging. This article reviews the pathophysiology of common hypermetabolic conditions and provides strategies to manage the complications associated with nutrition support.

Earthworms and nutrient availability: the ecosystem engineer as (bio)chemical engineer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Groenigen, Jan Willem; Ros, Mart; Vos, Hannah; De Deyn, Gerlinde; Hiemstra, Tjisse; Oenema, Oene; Koopmans, Gerwin

2017-04-01

The ability of earthworms to increase plant production has long been recognized. However, the pathways through which they do so, and the magnitude of this effect, have not been conclusively addressed. In two studies we address these issues for nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) availability to plants. In the first study, a meta-analysis, we concluded that earthworm presence increases crop yield on average with 26% and aboveground biomass with 24%. The positive effects of earthworms increase when more residue is returned to the soil, but disappear when soil N availability is high. This suggests that earthworms stimulate plant growth predominantly through N mineralization from soil organic matter or crop residue. In a second study, we tested the effect of earthworms on plant P uptake from inorganic sources. In a greenhouse experiment on a soil with low P availability we showed that presence of the anecic earthworm Lumbricus terrestris resulted in increased aboveground biomass (from 164 to 188 g dry matter m-2) and P uptake (from 0.21 to 0.27 g m-2). Concentrations of total dissolved P and dissolved inorganic P in water extractions of earthworm casts were 7-9 times higher than in those of bulk soil. Using advanced surface complexation modelling, we showed that these effects were primarily related to desorption of inorganic P due to competition with organic carbon for binding sites. We conclude that earthworms can alter nutrient cycling and increase N and P uptake by plants through a combination of biochemical and chemical pathways. Earthworms are most likely to stimulate N uptake in organic farming systems and tropical subsistence farming, which largely rely on nutrient mineralization. Additional benefits of earthworms might be expected in conventional farming systems with low levels of available P.

Exogenous nutrients and carbon resource change the responses of soil organic matter decomposition and nitrogen immobilization to nitrogen deposition

PubMed Central

He, Ping; Wan, Song-Ze; Fang, Xiang-Min; Wang, Fang-Chao; Chen, Fu-Sheng

2016-01-01

It is unclear whether exogenous nutrients and carbon (C) additions alter substrate immobilization to deposited nitrogen (N) during decomposition. In this study, we used laboratory microcosm experiments and 15N isotope tracer techniques with five different treatments including N addition, N+non-N nutrients addition, N+C addition, N+non-N nutrients+C addition and control, to investigate the coupling effects of non-N nutrients, C addition and N deposition on forest floor decomposition in subtropical China. The results indicated that N deposition inhibited soil organic matter and litter decomposition by 66% and 38%, respectively. Soil immobilized 15N following N addition was lowest among treatments. Litter 15N immobilized following N addition was significantly higher and lower than that of combined treatments during the early and late decomposition stage, respectively. Both soil and litter extractable mineral N were lower in combined treatments than in N addition treatment. Since soil N immobilization and litter N release were respectively enhanced and inhibited with elevated non-N nutrient and C resources, it can be speculated that the N leaching due to N deposition decreases with increasing nutrient and C resources. This study should advance our understanding of how forests responds the elevated N deposition. PMID:27020048

Chronic human disturbance affects plant trait distribution in a seasonally dry tropical forest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sfair, Julia C.; de Bello, Francesco; de França, Thaysa Q.; Baldauf, Cristina; Tabarelli, Marcelo

2018-02-01

The effects of human disturbance on biodiversity can be mediated by environmental conditions, such as water availability, climate and nutrients. In general, disturbed, dry or nutrient-depleted soils areas tend to have lower taxonomic diversity. However, little is known about how these environmental conditions affect functional composition and intraspecific variability in tropical dry forests. We studied a seasonally dry tropical forest (SDTF) under chronic anthropogenic disturbance (CAD) along rainfall and soil nutrient gradients to understand how these factors influence the taxonomic and functional composition. Specifically we evaluated two aspects of CAD, wood extraction and livestock pressure (goat and cattle grazing), along soil fertility and rainfall gradients on shrub and tree traits, considering species turnover and intraspecific variability. In addition, we also tested how the traits of eight populations of the most frequent species are affected by wood extraction, livestock pressure, rainfall and soil fertility. In general, although CAD and environmental gradients affected each trait of the most widespread species differently, the most abundant species also had a greater variation of traits. Considering species turnover, wood extraction is associated with species with a smaller leaf area and lower investment in leaf mass, probably due to the indirect effects of this disturbance type on the vegetation, i.e. the removal of branches and woody debris clears the vegetation, favouring species that minimize water loss. Livestock pressure, on the other hand, affected intraspecific variation: the herbivory caused by goats and cattle promoted individuals which invest more in wood density and leaf mass. In this case, the change of functional composition observed is a direct effect of the disturbance, such as the decrease of palatable plant abundance by goat and cattle herbivory. In synthesis, CAD, rainfall and soil fertility can affect trait distribution at community and species levels, which can have significant implications for the ecosystem functioning of SDTF under increasing levels of disturbance, climate change and soil nutrient depletion.

THE SOLVENT EXTRACTION OF NITROSYLRUTHENIUM BY TRILAURYLAMINE IN NITRATE SYSTEM. Summary Report for the Period, July 1, 1960 to March 31, 1962

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Skavdahl, R.E.; Mason, E.A.

1962-06-01

An investigation of the solvent extraction characteristics of the nitro and nitrato complexes of nitrosylruthenium in nitric acid- sodium nitrate aqueous media was conducted. As the organic extractant phase, a solution of trilaurylamine (TLA) in toluene was utilized. In addition to the usual process parameter variation tyne of experiment, a rapid dilution type of experiment was used extensively to determine qualitative and semiquantitative results regarding the degree of extractability and concentration of the more extractable species of the nitrato complexes of nitrosylruthenium. It was found that the acids of the tetra-nitrato and pentanitrato complexes were the more extractable species formore » that set of complexes and that the acid of the penta-nitrato complex was the more extractable of the two. It was observed that for freshly prepared solutions, the dinitro complex of nitrosylruthenium was much more extractable than the gross nitrato complexes solutions. Nitro complexes in general, and the dinitro complex in particular, may be the controlling agent in ruthenium decontamination of spent nuclear fuel processed by solvent extraction methods. The experimental results from both sets of complexes could be more meaningfully correlated on the basis of unbound nitric acid concentration in the organic phase than on the basis of nitric acid concentration in the aqueous phase. The extraction of nitric acid by TLA from nitric acid-sodium nitrate aqueous solutions was investigated and the results correlated on the basis of activity of the undissociated nitric acid in the aqueous phase. (auth)« less

Metal availability, soil nutrient, and enzyme activity in response to application of organic amendments in Cd-contaminated soil.

PubMed

Yang, Zhanbiao; Liu, Lixia; Lv, Yanfeng; Cheng, Zhang; Xu, Xiaoxun; Xian, Junren; Zhu, Xuemei; Yang, Yuanxiang

2018-01-01

The study investigated the effects of organic amendments: green tea amendment (GTA) and oil cake amendment (OCA) on Cd bioavailability, soil nutrients, and soil enzyme activity in Cd-contaminated soil. The amendments were added to the soil at the doses of 1, 3, and 5% and were incubated for 45 days. Then, pakchoi cabbage was planted to test the remediation effect of the above two organic amendments. The diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)-extractable Cd in GTA and OCA treatments was reduced by 14.69-27.51 and 13.75-68.77%, respectively, compared to no amendment-applied treatment. The application of GTA and OCA notably decreased the proportion of exchangeable fraction of Cd, but increased the percentage of oxide and organic-bound fraction of Cd, thereby suppressing the uptake by pakchoi cabbage. Cd concentration of aboveground parts decreased by 8.21-18.05 and 7.77-35.89% in GTA and OCA treatments, respectively. Relative to the no amendment-applied treatment, both GTA and OCA had enhanced soil nutrients and enzyme activities largely. Redundancy analysis showed that organic matter, total P, available N, and DTPA-extractable Cd significantly affected the enzyme activities. Furthermore, the application of OCA at the dose of 5% was more effective in reducing bioavailable Cd, enhancing soil available nutrients and urease and catalase activities in contaminated soil. These results indicated that oil cake should be used to immobilize metal and improve fertility and quality of Cd-contaminated soil.

Factors Influencing Divergent Patterns of Phosphorus Availability in NY and PA Biogeochemical `Hotspots'

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saia, S. M.; Hofmeister, K.; Regan, J. M.; Buda, A. R.; Carrick, H. J.; Walter, M. T.

2016-12-01

Anthropogenic alteration of the soil phosphorus (P) cycle leads to subsequent water quality issues in agricultural dominated watersheds. In the humid Northeastern United States (NE US), variably saturated areas can generate surface runoff that transports P and stimulates biogeochemical processes; these hydrologically dynamic locations are often called biogeochemical `hotspots'. Many studies have evaluated nitrogen and carbon cycling in biogeochemical hot spots but few have focused on P. We hypothesized seasonally wet parts of the landscape (i.e., hotspots) have smaller biologically available P pools because runoff events frequently carry away nutrients like P. To test this hypothesis, we generated soil wetness index (SWI) maps from soil (SURRGO) and elevation (LiDAR rescaled to 3 m) data and used these maps to direct seasonal soil sampling near Klingerstown, Pennsylvania (PA) and Ithaca, New York (NY). We collected 5cm deep soil samples in PA (bimonthly) and NY (monthly) along soil moisture gradients for a range of land cover types (forest, fallow, and cropped) from May through October. We measured soil moisture in the field and percent organic matter (OM), pH, and three increasingly strong soil P extractions (dilute-salt-extractable P, oxalate-extractable P, and total-extractable P) in the laboratory. Our results indicated a negative relationship between dilute-salt-extractable P concentrations and SWI in PA and no relationship between these same variables in NY. We also found positive relationships between each of the three P extractions in PA but only a positive relationship between oxalate-extractable P and total-extractable P in NY. Our findings in PA support our hypothesis; namely, less biologically available P (i.e. dilute-salt-extractable P) is found in wetter areas of the landscape. However, divergent P availability patterns in NY point to further complexities and confounding variables in our understanding in soil P processes. Further studies will look into the importance of environmental variables such as OM and pH on P patterns under changing soil moisture regimes. The knowledge gained from this study will improve our understanding of P cycling in biogeochemical hotspots and can be used to improve the effectiveness of agricultural management practices in the NE US.

Nutrigenetics/Nutrigenomics.

PubMed

Simopoulos, Artemis P

2010-01-01

All diseases have a genetic predisposition. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) by large international consortia are discovering genetic variants that contribute to complex diseases. However, nutrient information is missing, which is essential for the development of dietary advice for prevention and management of disease. Nutrigenetics/nutrigenomics studies provide data on mechanisms of nutrient and gene interactions in health and disease needed for personalized nutrition. A process will be needed to define when gene-nutrient-disease associations are ready to be evaluated as potential tools to improve public health.

Microbial nutrient niches in the gut

PubMed Central

Pereira, Fátima C.

2017-01-01

Summary The composition and function of the mammalian gut microbiota has been the subject of much research in recent years, but the principles underlying the assembly and structure of this complex community remain incompletely understood. Processes that shape the gut microbiota are thought to be mostly niche‐driven, with environmental factors such as the composition of available nutrients largely determining whether or not an organism can establish. The concept that the nutrient landscape dictates which organisms can successfully colonize and persist in the gut was first proposed in Rolf Freter's nutrient niche theory. In a situation where nutrients are perfectly mixed and there is balanced microbial growth, Freter postulated that an organism can only survive if it is able to utilize one or a few limiting nutrients more efficiently than its competitors. Recent experimental work indicates, however, that nutrients in the gut vary in space and time. We propose that in such a scenario, Freter's nutrient niche theory must be expanded to account for the co‐existence of microorganisms utilizing the same nutrients but in distinct sites or at different times, and that metabolic flexibility and mixed‐substrate utilization are common strategies for survival in the face of ever‐present nutrient fluctuations. PMID:28035742

Impact of Microorganisms on the Dynamics of Unsaturated Flow Within Fractures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoner, D. L.; Stedtfeld, R. D.; Tyler, T. L.; White, F. J.; McJunkin, T. R.

2002-12-01

Understanding the impact of microorganisms on fluid flow in groundwater and subsurface environments is of significance because of the importance of natural water resources, contaminant transport, and in situ bioprocesses such as mineral dissolution and recovery, enhanced oil recovery, and remediation. In this study, the impact of microorganisms and nutrient amendments on the behavior of water within a fracture system was evaluated using an experimental system comprised of limestone blocks and a groundwater isolate, {\\ it Sphingomonas} sp. Four blocks (25 cm x 6.6 cm x 5 cm) were configured to make a vertical fracture (50.2 x 5 x 0.07 cm) that was intersected by a horizontal fracture (13.4 x 5 x 0.1 cm). To monitor the behavior of water within the fracture, 5 optical sensors each consisting of a light emitting diode and photocell were installed external to the vertical fracture. Two were installed above the fracture intersection, two below and one at the intersection. The presence of fluid in the fracture was detected as a decrease in light transmission as the fluid passed by each detector. Drop interval (the period of time between succeeding drops at the same detector) and drop width (the period of time it took for a water drop or stream to pass by each detector) data were collected for each of the five detectors. Liquids were introduced via a single needle at the top of the fracture at a rate of 0.5 ml/min. Deionized water, which had been chemically equilibrated with the limestone rock, was the control medium to which 1) cells; 2) cells with 0.01% yeast extract; 3) cells with 0.1% yeast extract; and 4) cells with 0.1% yeast extract and 30 mM urea were added. For the equilibrated water, drop intervals and drop widths above the fracture intersection were ~1 s and <0.1 s, respectively. Drop intervals and drop widths at and below the intersection were ~100 s and ~10 s, respectively. Above the fracture intersection, the addition of cells or cells with 0.01% yeast extract had little effect on drop intervals and drop widths. At and below the intersection, however, drop intervals increased to ~500 s and drop widths to ~10 s. Later with the addition of 0.1% yeast extract or 0.1% yeast extract with urea, drop interval and drop width immediately increased at locations above the fracture intersection and within 24 hours, continuous streaming was observed. For the lower sensors, drop interval and drop width initially decreased, followed by continuous streaming the day after the 0.1% yeast extract and urea was added to the system. In conclusion, the dynamics of drop behavior in fracture systems is a complex process that is impacted by the presence of bacteria and nutrient amendments as well as the fracture configuration.

Learning about Carbohydrates

MedlinePlus

... added sugar and doesn't contain important nutrients. Complex carbohydrates: These are also called starches. Starches include grain ... pasta, and rice. As with simple sugars, some complex carbohydrate foods are better choices than others. Refined (say: ...

Nutrient sequestration in Aquitaine lakes (SW France) limits nutrient flux to the coastal zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buquet, Damien; Anschutz, Pierre; Charbonnier, Céline; Rapin, Anne; Sinays, Rémy; Canredon, Axel; Bujan, Stéphane; Poirier, Dominique

2017-12-01

Oligotrophic coastal zones are disappearing from increased nutrient loading. The quantity of nutrients reaching the coast is determined not only by their original source (e.g. fertilizers used in agriculture, waste water discharges) and the land use, but also by the pathways through which nutrients are cycled from the source to the river mouth. In particular, lakes sequester nutrients and, hence, reduce downstream transfer of nutrients to coastal environments. Here, we quantify the impact of Aquitaine great lakes on the fluxes of dissolved macro-nutrients (N, P, Si) to the Bay of Biscay. For that, we have measured nutrient concentrations and fluxes in 2014 upstream and downstream lakes of Lacanau and Carcans-Hourtin, which belongs to the catchment of the Arcachon Bay, which is the largest coastal lagoon of the Bay of Biscay French coast. Data were compared to values obtained from the Leyre river, the main freshwater and nutrient source for the lagoon. Results show that processes in lakes greatly limit nutrient flux to the lagoon compared to fluxes from Leyre river, although the watershed is similar in terms of land cover. In lakes, phosphorus and silicon are trapped for long term in the sediment, silicon as amorphous biogenic silica and phosphorus as organic P and P associated with Fe-oxides. Nitrogen that enters lakes mostly as nitrate is used for primary production. N is mineralized in the sediment; a fraction diffuses as ammonium. N2 production through benthic denitrification extracts only 10% of dissolved inorganic nitrogen from the aquatic system. The main part is sequestered in organic-rich sediment that accumulates below 5 m depth in both lakes.

Do chemical gradients within soil aggregates reflect plant/soil interactions?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krüger, Jaane; Hallas, Till; Kinsch, Lena; Stahr, Simon; Prietzel, Jörg; Lang, Friederike

2016-04-01

As roots and hyphae often accumulate at the surface of soil aggregates, their formation and turnover might be related to the bioavailability especially of immobile nutrients like phosphorus. Several methods have been developed to obtain specific samples from aggregate surfaces and aggregate cores and thus to investigate differences between aggregate shell and core. However, these methods are often complex and time-consuming; therefore most common methods of soil analysis neglect the distribution of nutrients within aggregates and yield bulk soil concentrations. We developed a new sequential aggregate peeling method to analyze the distribution of different nutrients within soil aggregates (4-20 mm) from four forest sites (Germany) differing in concentrations of easily available mineral P. Aggregates from three soil depths (Ah, BwAh, Bw) were isolated, air-dried, and peeled with a sieving machine performing four sieving levels with increasing sieving intensity. This procedure was repeated in quadruplicate, and fractions of the same sample and sieving level were pooled. Carbon and N concentration, citric acid-extractable PO4 and P, as well as total element concentrations (P, K, Mg, Ca, Al, Fe) were analyzed. Additionally, synchrotron-based P K-edge XANES spectroscopy was applied on selected samples to detect P speciation changes within the aggregates. The results reveal for most samples a significantly higher C and N concentration at the surface compared to the interior of the aggregates. Carbon and N gradients get more pronounced with increasing soil depth and decreasing P status of study sites. This might be explained by lower aggregate turnover rates of subsoil horizons and intense bioturbation on P-rich sites. This assumption is also confirmed by concentrations of citric acid-extractable PO4 and P: gradients within aggregates are getting more pronounced with increasing soil depth and decreasing P status. However, the direction of these gradients is site-specific: On P-rich study sites the results reveal a significant depletion of citric acid-extractable PO4 and P on aggregate surfaces in subsoil horizons, while at the other study sites a slight enrichment at the aggregate surfaces could be observed. Total P concentrations show no distinct gradients within topsoil aggregates, but a slight P enrichment at the surface of subsoil aggregates at the P-rich site. A strong correlation with the total Al concentrations may indicate a P speciation change within aggregates (e.g., due to acidification processes). These results were also confirmed by P K-edge XANES spectra of aggregate core and shell samples of the P-rich site: In the aggregate shells of topsoil as well as subsoil aggregates, organic P forms are most dominant (82 and 80 %, respectively) than in the aggregate interior (54 and 66%, respectively). Moreover, P in the shell seems to be completely associated to Al, whereas some of the P in the aggregate interior is bound to Fe and/or Ca. Overall, our results show that plant/soil interactions impact on small-scale distribution and bioavailability of nutrients by root uptake and root-induced aggregate engineering.

Phage-based extraction of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) produced from synthetic crude glycerol.

PubMed

Hand, Steven; Gill, Jason; Chu, Kung-Hui

2016-07-01

Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), a biodegradable plastic, is an attractive alternative to traditional petrochemical-derived plastics. However, its production is expensive due to high feedstock and extraction costs. As bacteriophages are natural predators to bacteria and specific to their hosts, bacteriophages offer a new and unique means to release PHB from bacteria via cell lysis. This study examined the feasibility of using bacteriophages as an effective bioextractant to release PHB produced by Pseudomonas oleovorans cultured with glycerol containing common impurities which are generated from biodiesel production. While bacteria in stationary growth are known to be immune to bacteriophages, a bacteriophage Ke14 - isolated from soil - could lyse the PHB-filled cells effectively when excess nutrients were provided to trigger cell regrowth. The short-term nutrient treatment facilitated cell lysis with a little expense of PHB depolymerization, offering a new way to release PHB from cells without energy/solvent input. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Changes in gene expression during adaptation of Listeria monocytogenes to the soil environment.

PubMed

Piveteau, Pascal; Depret, Géraldine; Pivato, Barbara; Garmyn, Dominique; Hartmann, Alain

2011-01-01

Listeria monocytogenes is a ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen responsible for listeriosis. In order to study the processes underlying its ability to adapt to the soil environment, whole-genome arrays were used to analyse transcriptome modifications 15 minutes, 30 minutes and 18 h after inoculation of L. monocytogenes EGD-e in soil extracts. Growth was observed within the first day of incubation and large numbers were still detected in soil extract and soil microcosms one year after the start of the experiment. Major transcriptional reprofiling was observed. Nutrient acquisition mechanisms (phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase systems and ABC transporters) and enzymes involved in catabolism of specific carbohydrates (β-glucosidases; chitinases) were prevalent. This is consistent with the overrepresentation of the CodY regulon that suggests that in a nutrient depleted environment, L. monocytogenes recruits its extensive repertoire of transporters to acquire a range of substrates for energy production.

Effects of lipid extraction on stable isotope ratios in avian egg yolk: Is arithmetic correction a reliable alternative?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oppel, S.; Federer, R.N.; O'Brien, D. M.; Powell, A.N.; Hollmén, Tuula E.

2010-01-01

Many studies of nutrient allocation to egg production in birds use stable isotope ratios of egg yolk to identify the origin of nutrients. Dry egg yolk contains >50% lipids, which are known to be depleted in 13C. Currently, researchers remove lipids from egg yolk using a chemical lipid-extraction procedure before analyzing the isotopic composition of protein in egg yolk. We examined the effects of chemical lipid extraction on ??13C, ??15N, and ??34S of avian egg yolk and explored the utility of an arithmetic lipid correction model to adjust whole yolk ??13C for lipid content. We analyzed the dried yolk of 15 captive Spectacled Eider (Somateriafischeri) and 20 wild King Eider (S. spectabilis) eggs, both as whole yolk and after lipid extraction with a 2:1 chloroform:methanol solution. We found that chemical lipid extraction leads to an increase of (mean ?? SD) 3.3 ?? 1.1% in ??13C, 1.1 ?? 0.5% in ??15N, and 2.3 ?? 1.1% in ??34S. Arithmetic lipid correction provided accurate values for lipid-extracted S13C in captive Spectacled Eiders fed on a homogeneous high-quality diet. However, arithmetic lipid correction was unreliable for wild King Eiders, likely because of their differential incorporation of macronutrients from isotopically distinct environments during migration. For that reason, we caution against applying arithmetic lipid correction to the whole yolk ??13C of migratory birds, because these methods assume that all egg macronutrients are derived from the same dietary sources. ?? 2010 The American Ornithologists' Union.

Streamflow chemistry and nutrient yields from upland-peatland watersheds in Minnesota

Treesearch

Elon S. Verry

1975-01-01

Twenty-two water quality parameters were determined for the streamflow from complex but typical upland-peatland watersheds over a period of 5 yr. Five watersheds with oligotrophic peatlands and one with a minerotrophic peatland were studied. Concentrations of organically derived nutrients are highest in the streamflow from watersheds containing oligotrophic peatlands;...

Carbon Stable Isotope Values in Plankton and Mussels Reflect Changes in Carbonate Chemistry Associated with Nutrient Enhanced Net Production

EPA Science Inventory

Coastal ecosystems are inherently complex and potentially adaptive as they respond to changes in nutrient loads and climate. We documented the role that carbon stable isotope (δ13C) measurements could play in understanding that adaptation with a series of three Ecostat (i.e...

Organic coating on biochar explains its nutrient retention and stimulation of soil fertility.

PubMed

Hagemann, Nikolas; Joseph, Stephen; Schmidt, Hans-Peter; Kammann, Claudia I; Harter, Johannes; Borch, Thomas; Young, Robert B; Varga, Krisztina; Taherymoosavi, Sarasadat; Elliott, K Wade; McKenna, Amy; Albu, Mihaela; Mayrhofer, Claudia; Obst, Martin; Conte, Pellegrino; Dieguez-Alonso, Alba; Orsetti, Silvia; Subdiaga, Edisson; Behrens, Sebastian; Kappler, Andreas

2017-10-20

Amending soil with biochar (pyrolized biomass) is suggested as a globally applicable approach to address climate change and soil degradation by carbon sequestration, reducing soil-borne greenhouse-gas emissions and increasing soil nutrient retention. Biochar was shown to promote plant growth, especially when combined with nutrient-rich organic matter, e.g., co-composted biochar. Plant growth promotion was explained by slow release of nutrients, although a mechanistic understanding of nutrient storage in biochar is missing. Here we identify a complex, nutrient-rich organic coating on co-composted biochar that covers the outer and inner (pore) surfaces of biochar particles using high-resolution spectro(micro)scopy and mass spectrometry. Fast field cycling nuclear magnetic resonance, electrochemical analysis and gas adsorption demonstrated that this coating adds hydrophilicity, redox-active moieties, and additional mesoporosity, which strengthens biochar-water interactions and thus enhances nutrient retention. This implies that the functioning of biochar in soil is determined by the formation of an organic coating, rather than biochar surface oxidation, as previously suggested.

The Plasmodium falciparum rhoptry protein RhopH3 plays essential roles in host cell invasion and nutrient uptake

PubMed Central

Sherling, Emma S; Knuepfer, Ellen; Brzostowski, Joseph A; Miller, Louis H; Blackman, Michael J; van Ooij, Christiaan

2017-01-01

Merozoites of the protozoan parasite responsible for the most virulent form of malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, invade erythrocytes. Invasion involves discharge of rhoptries, specialized secretory organelles. Once intracellular, parasites induce increased nutrient uptake by generating new permeability pathways (NPP) including a Plasmodium surface anion channel (PSAC). RhopH1/Clag3, one member of the three-protein RhopH complex, is important for PSAC/NPP activity. However, the roles of the other members of the RhopH complex in PSAC/NPP establishment are unknown and it is unclear whether any of the RhopH proteins play a role in invasion. Here we demonstrate that RhopH3, the smallest component of the complex, is essential for parasite survival. Conditional truncation of RhopH3 substantially reduces invasive capacity. Those mutant parasites that do invade are defective in nutrient import and die. Our results identify a dual role for RhopH3 that links erythrocyte invasion to formation of the PSAC/NPP essential for parasite survival within host erythrocytes. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.23239.001 PMID:28252384

The complex interplay between macronutrient intake, cuticular hydrocarbon expression and mating success in male decorated crickets.

PubMed

Rapkin, J; Jensen, K; House, C M; Sakaluk, S K; Sakaluk, J K; Hunt, J

2017-04-01

The condition dependence of male sexual traits plays a central role in sexual selection theory. Relatively little, however, is known about the condition dependence of chemical signals used in mate choice and their subsequent effects on male mating success. Furthermore, few studies have isolated the specific nutrients responsible for condition-dependent variation in male sexual traits. Here, we used nutritional geometry to determine the effect of protein (P) and carbohydrate (C) intake on male cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) expression and mating success in male decorated crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus). We show that both traits are maximized at a moderate-to-high intake of nutrients in a P:C ratio of 1 : 1.5. We also show that female precopulatory mate choice exerts a complex pattern of linear and quadratic sexual selection on this condition-dependent variation in male CHC expression. Structural equation modelling revealed that although the effect of nutrient intake on mating success is mediated through condition-dependent CHC expression, it is not exclusively so, suggesting that other traits must also play an important role. Collectively, our results suggest that the complex interplay between nutrient intake, CHC expression and mating success plays an important role in the operation of sexual selection in G. sigillatus. © 2016 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2016 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Organic Wheat Farming Improves Grain Zinc Concentration

PubMed Central

Helfenstein, Julian; Müller, Isabel; Grüter, Roman; Bhullar, Gurbir; Mandloi, Lokendra; Papritz, Andreas; Siegrist, Michael; Schulin, Rainer; Frossard, Emmanuel

2016-01-01

Zinc (Zn) nutrition is of key relevance in India, as a large fraction of the population suffers from Zn malnutrition and many soils contain little plant available Zn. In this study we compared organic and conventional wheat cropping systems with respect to DTPA (diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid)-extractable Zn as a proxy for plant available Zn, yield, and grain Zn concentration. We analyzed soil and wheat grain samples from 30 organic and 30 conventional farms in Madhya Pradesh (central India), and conducted farmer interviews to elucidate sociological and management variables. Total and DTPA-extractable soil Zn concentrations and grain yield (3400 kg ha-1) did not differ between the two farming systems, but with 32 and 28 mg kg-1 respectively, grain Zn concentrations were higher on organic than conventional farms (t = -2.2, p = 0.03). Furthermore, multiple linear regression analyses revealed that (a) total soil zinc and sulfur concentrations were the best predictors of DTPA-extractable soil Zn, (b) Olsen phosphate taken as a proxy for available soil phosphorus, exchangeable soil potassium, harvest date, training of farmers in nutrient management, and soil silt content were the best predictors of yield, and (c) yield, Olsen phosphate, grain nitrogen, farmyard manure availability, and the type of cropping system were the best predictors of grain Zn concentration. Results suggested that organic wheat contained more Zn despite same yield level due to higher nutrient efficiency. Higher nutrient efficiency was also seen in organic wheat for P, N and S. The study thus suggests that appropriate farm management can lead to competitive yield and improved Zn concentration in wheat grains on organic farms. PMID:27537548

Organic Wheat Farming Improves Grain Zinc Concentration.

PubMed

Helfenstein, Julian; Müller, Isabel; Grüter, Roman; Bhullar, Gurbir; Mandloi, Lokendra; Papritz, Andreas; Siegrist, Michael; Schulin, Rainer; Frossard, Emmanuel

2016-01-01

Zinc (Zn) nutrition is of key relevance in India, as a large fraction of the population suffers from Zn malnutrition and many soils contain little plant available Zn. In this study we compared organic and conventional wheat cropping systems with respect to DTPA (diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid)-extractable Zn as a proxy for plant available Zn, yield, and grain Zn concentration. We analyzed soil and wheat grain samples from 30 organic and 30 conventional farms in Madhya Pradesh (central India), and conducted farmer interviews to elucidate sociological and management variables. Total and DTPA-extractable soil Zn concentrations and grain yield (3400 kg ha-1) did not differ between the two farming systems, but with 32 and 28 mg kg-1 respectively, grain Zn concentrations were higher on organic than conventional farms (t = -2.2, p = 0.03). Furthermore, multiple linear regression analyses revealed that (a) total soil zinc and sulfur concentrations were the best predictors of DTPA-extractable soil Zn, (b) Olsen phosphate taken as a proxy for available soil phosphorus, exchangeable soil potassium, harvest date, training of farmers in nutrient management, and soil silt content were the best predictors of yield, and (c) yield, Olsen phosphate, grain nitrogen, farmyard manure availability, and the type of cropping system were the best predictors of grain Zn concentration. Results suggested that organic wheat contained more Zn despite same yield level due to higher nutrient efficiency. Higher nutrient efficiency was also seen in organic wheat for P, N and S. The study thus suggests that appropriate farm management can lead to competitive yield and improved Zn concentration in wheat grains on organic farms.

Degradation of polychlorinated biphenyl mixtures in soil using phanerochaete chrysosporium in nutrient rich, non-ligninolytic conditions

DOEpatents

Yadav, Jagjit S.; Reddy, Chilekampalli A.; Quensen, John F.; Tiedje, James M.

2000-01-01

Substantial degradation of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) mixtures is carried out using the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium, under nutrient, carbon and nitrogen source rich, non-ligninolytic conditions. The PCBs with various numbers of ortho, meta, and para chlorines were extensively degraded, indicating relative nonspecificity for the position of chlorine substitutions on the biphenyl ring. Maximal degradation of PCBs in a mixture was observed in malt extract medium (18.4% on a molar basis), in which most of the individual PCBs were degraded.

Optimization of an extraction protocol for organic matter from soils and sediments using high resolution mass spectrometry: selectivity and biases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, R. K.; Tfaily, M. M.; Tolic, N.; Kyle, J. E.; Robinson, E. R.; Hess, N. J.; Paša-Tolić, L.

2015-12-01

Soil organic matter (SOM) is a complex mixture of above and belowground plant litter and microbial residues, and is a key reservoir for carbon (C) and nutrient biogeochemical cycling in different ecosystems. A limited understanding of the molecular composition of SOM prohibits the ability to routinely decipher chemical processes within soil and predict how terrestrial C fluxes will response to changing climatic conditions. Here, we present that the choice of solvent can be used to selectively extract different compositional fractions from SOM to either target a specific class of compounds or gain a better understanding of the entire composition of the soil sample using 12T Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. Specifically, we found that hexane and chloroform were selective for lipid-like compounds with very low O:C ratios; water was selective for carbohydrates with high O:C ratios; acetonitrile preferentially extracts lignin, condensed structures, and tannin polyphenolic compounds with O:C > 0.5; methanol has higher selectivity towards lignin and lipid compounds characterized with relatively low O:C < 0.5. Hexane, chloroform, methanol, acetonitrile and water increase the number and types of organic molecules extracted from soil for a broader range of chemically diverse soil types. Since each solvent extracts a selective group of compounds, using a suite of solvents with varying polarity for analysis results in more comprehensive representation of the diversity of organic molecules present in soil and a better representation of the whole spectrum of available substrates for microorganisms. Moreover, we have developed a sequential extraction protocol that permits sampling diverse classes of organic compounds while minimizing ionization competition during ESI while increasing sample throughput and decreasing sample volume. This allowed us to hypothesize about possible chemical reactions relating classes of organic molecules that reflect abiotic and biotic processes impacting SOM composition.

[Biotechnological optimization of nutrient composition of fermented dairy drink].

PubMed

Donskaya, G A

2014-01-01

The receipt based on the results of carried out studies is substantiated and technology of the new fermented dairy drink containing whole milk and whey with inulin (Jerusalem artichoke extract) and optimizing initial mineral composition of raw material has been developed. The starters ascertaining optimal organoleptic properties of the drink have been selected. It has been established that Jerusalem artichoke and its derivatives in the form of syrups and extracts stimulate fermentative processes of technological microflora, with maximum activity observed with Jerusalem artichoke extract. Physical-chemical and microbiological characteristics of the drink have been defined during storage. The possibility to optimize the nutrient composition of fermented dairy product by means of introducing of Jerusalem artichoke extract into milk-protein base has been demonstrated. It has been calculated that consumption of 100 g of fermented dairy drink enriched with Jerusalem artichoke extract makes it possible to satisfy the physiological needs (recommended daily allowance--RDA) for babies from 0 to 3 months in vitamins B1, B2 and B6 by 25-35% and in minerals P, K, and Ca by 20, 68, 34, 26%. For adults receiving 250 g of fermented beverage meets RDA for vitamins B1, B2 and B6 by 10-19% and in the macronutrients P, K, Ca-by 25-35%. Designed fermented dairy drink supplemented with natural plant ingredient possesses increased antioxidant activity and may be recommended for mass consumption without any limitations.

Monitoring Phenology as Indicator for Timing of Nutrient Inputs in Northern Gulf Watersheds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ross, Kenton W.; Spiering, Bruce A.; Kalcic, Maria T.

2009-01-01

Nutrient over-enrichment defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as the anthropogenic addition of nutrients, in addition to any natural processes, causing adverse effects or impairments to the beneficial uses of a water body has been identified as one of the most significant environmental problems facing sensitive estuaries and coastal waters. Understanding the timing of nutrient inputs into those waters through remote sensing observables helps define monitoring and mitigation strategies. Remotely sensed data products can trace both forcings and effects of the nutrient system from landscape to estuary. This project is focused on extracting nutrient information from the landscape. The timing of nutrients entering coastal waters from the land boundary is greatly influenced by hydrologic processes, but can also be affected by the timing of nutrient additions across the landscape through natural or anthropogenic means. Non-point source nutrient additions to watersheds are often associated with specific seasonal cycles, such as decomposition of organic materials in fall and winter or addition of fertilizers to crop lands in the spring. These seasonal cycles or phenology may in turn be observed through the use of satellite sensors. Characterization of the phenology of various land cover types may be of particular interest in Gulf of Mexico estuarine systems with relatively short pathways between intensively managed systems and the land/estuarine boundary. The objective of this study is to demonstrate the capability of monitoring phenology of specific classes of land, such as agriculture and managed timberlands, at a refined watershed level. The extraction of phenological information from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data record is accomplished using analytical tools developed for NASA at Stennis Space Center: the Time Series Product Tool and the Phenological Parameters Estimation Tool. MODIS reflectance data (product MOD09) were used to compute the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, which is sensitive to changes in vegetation canopies. The project team is working directly with the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality to understand end-user requirements for this type of information product. Initial focus areas are identification of time frames for pre-plant fertilizer applications (prior to start of season), side-dress fertilizer applications (during rapid green-up), and periods of plant decomposition (during and after senescence). Prototypical maps of phenological stages related to these time frames have been generated for watersheds in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Where feasible, these maps have been compared to existing in situ nutrient monitoring data, but the in situ data is temporally sparse (monthly frequency or less), which makes interpretation challenging. Future work will include integrating effects of rainfall and seeking couplings with estuarine remote sensing.

Nutrient concentrations in coarse and fine woody debris of Populus tremuloides Michx.-dominated forests, northern Minnesota, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Klockow, Paul A.; D'Amato, Anthony W.; Bradford, John B.; Fraver, Shawn

2014-01-01

Contemporary forest harvesting practices, specifically harvesting woody biomass as a source of bioenergy feedstock, may remove more woody debris from a site than conventional harvesting. Woody debris, particularly smaller diameter woody debris, plays a key role in maintaining ecosystem nutrient stores following disturbance. Understanding nutrient concentrations within woody debris is necessary for assessing the long-term nutrient balance consequences of altered woody debris retention, particularly in forests slated for use as bioenergy feedstocks. Nutrient concentrations in downed woody debris of various sizes, decay classes, and species were characterized within one such forest type, Populus tremuloides Michx.-dominated forests of northern Minnesota, USA. Nutrient concentrations differed significantly between size and decay classes and generally increased as decay progressed. Fine woody debris (≤ 7.5 cm diameter) had higher nutrient concentrations than coarse woody debris (> 7.5 cm diameter) for all nutrients examined except Na and Mn, and nutrient concentrations varied among species. Concentrations of N, Mn, Al, Fe, and Zn in coarse woody debris increased between one and three orders of magnitude, while K decreased by an order of magnitude with progressing decay. The variations in nutrient concentrations observed here underscore the complexity of woody debris nutrient stores in forested ecosystems and suggest that retaining fine woody debris at harvest may provide a potentially important source of nutrients following intensive removals of bioenergy feedstocks.

Nutrient Status Assessment in Individuals and Populations for Healthy Aging—Statement from an Expert Workshop

PubMed Central

Péter, Szabolcs; Saris, Wim H. M.; Mathers, John C.; Feskens, Edith; Schols, Annemie; Navis, Gerjan; Kuipers, Folkert; Weber, Peter; Eggersdorfer, Manfred

2015-01-01

A workshop organized by the University Medical Center Groningen addressed various current issues regarding nutrient status of individuals and populations, tools and strategies for its assessment, and opportunities to intervene. The importance of nutrient deficiencies and information on nutrient status for health has been illustrated, in particular for elderly and specific patient groups. The nutrient profile of individuals can be connected to phenotypes, like hypertension or obesity, as well as to socio-economic data. This approach provides information on the relationship between nutrition (nutrient intake and status) and health outcomes and, for instance, allows us to use the findings to communicate and advocate a healthy lifestyle. Nutrition is complex: a broader profile of nutrients should be considered rather than focusing solely on a single nutrient. Evaluating food patterns instead of intake of individual nutrients provides better insight into relationships between nutrition and health and disease. This approach would allow us to provide feedback to individuals about their status and ways to improve their nutritional habits. In addition, it would provide tools for scientists and health authorities to update and develop public health recommendations. PMID:26694458

Linking environmental nutrient enrichment and disease emergence in humans and wildlife

PubMed Central

Johnson, Pieter T. J.; Townsend, Alan R.; Cleveland, Cory C.; Glibert, Patricia M.; Howarth, Robert W.; McKenzie, Valerie J.; Rejmankova, Eliska; Ward, Mary H.

2009-01-01

Worldwide increases in the numbers of human and wildlife diseases present ecologists with the challenge of understanding how large-scale environmental changes affect host-parasite interactions. One of the most profound changes to Earth’s ecosystems is the alteration of global nutrient cycles, including those of phosphorus (P) and especially nitrogen (N). Alongside the obvious direct benefits of nutrient application for food production, growing evidence suggests that anthropogenic inputs of N and P can indirectly affect the abundance of infectious and noninfectious pathogens, sometimes leading to epidemic conditions. However, the mechanisms underpinning observed correlations, and how such patterns vary with disease type, have long remained conjectural. Here, we discuss recent experimental advances in this area to critically evaluate the relationship between environmental nutrient enrichment and disease. Given the inter-related nature of human and wildlife disease emergence, we include a broad range of human and wildlife examples from terrestrial, marine and freshwater ecosystems. We examine the consequences of nutrient pollution on directly transmitted, vector-borne, complex life cycle, and noninfectious pathogens, including West Nile virus, malaria, harmful algal blooms, coral reef diseases and amphibian malformations. Our synthetic examination suggests that the effects of environmental nutrient enrichment on disease are complex and multifaceted, varying with the type of pathogen, host species and condition, attributes of the ecosystem and the degree of enrichment; some pathogens increase in abundance whereas others decline or disappear. Nevertheless, available evidence indicates that ecological changes associated with nutrient enrichment often exacerbate infection and disease caused by generalist parasites with direct or simple life cycles. Observed mechanisms include changes in host/vector density, host distribution, infection resistance, pathogen virulence or toxicity, or the direct supplementation of pathogens. Collectively, these pathogens may be particularly dangerous because they can continue to cause mortality even as their hosts decline, potentially leading to sustained epidemics or chronic pathology. We suggest that interactions between nutrient enrichment and disease will become increasingly important in tropical and subtropical regions, where forecasted increases in nutrient application will occur in an environment rich with infectious pathogens. We emphasize the importance of careful disease management in conjunction with continued intensification of global nutrient cycles. PMID:20349828

Western Lake Erie Basin: Soft-data-constrained, NHDPlus resolution watershed modeling and exploration of applicable conservation scenarios.

PubMed

Yen, Haw; White, Michael J; Arnold, Jeffrey G; Keitzer, S Conor; Johnson, Mari-Vaughn V; Atwood, Jay D; Daggupati, Prasad; Herbert, Matthew E; Sowa, Scott P; Ludsin, Stuart A; Robertson, Dale M; Srinivasan, Raghavan; Rewa, Charles A

2016-11-01

Complex watershed simulation models are powerful tools that can help scientists and policy-makers address challenging topics, such as land use management and water security. In the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB), complex hydrological models have been applied at various scales to help describe relationships between land use and water, nutrient, and sediment dynamics. This manuscript evaluated the capacity of the current Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to predict hydrological and water quality processes within WLEB at the finest resolution watershed boundary unit (NHDPlus) along with the current conditions and conservation scenarios. The process based SWAT model was capable of the fine-scale computation and complex routing used in this project, as indicated by measured data at five gaging stations. The level of detail required for fine-scale spatial simulation made the use of both hard and soft data necessary in model calibration, alongside other model adaptations. Limitations to the model's predictive capacity were due to a paucity of data in the region at the NHDPlus scale rather than due to SWAT functionality. Results of treatment scenarios demonstrate variable effects of structural practices and nutrient management on sediment and nutrient loss dynamics. Targeting treatment to acres with critical outstanding conservation needs provides the largest return on investment in terms of nutrient loss reduction per dollar spent, relative to treating acres with lower inherent nutrient loss vulnerabilities. Importantly, this research raises considerations about use of models to guide land management decisions at very fine spatial scales. Decision makers using these results should be aware of data limitations that hinder fine-scale model interpretation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Western Lake Erie Basin: Soft-data-constrained, NHDPlus resolution watershed modeling and exploration of applicable conservation scenarios

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yen, Haw; White, Michael J.; Arnold, Jeffrey G.; Keitzer, S. Conor; Johnson, Mari-Vaughn V; Atwood, Jay D.; Daggupati, Prasad; Herbert, Matthew E.; Sowa, Scott P.; Ludsin, Stuart A.; Robertson, Dale M.; Srinivasan, Raghavan; Rewa, Charles A.

2016-01-01

Complex watershed simulation models are powerful tools that can help scientists and policy-makers address challenging topics, such as land use management and water security. In the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB), complex hydrological models have been applied at various scales to help describe relationships between land use and water, nutrient, and sediment dynamics. This manuscript evaluated the capacity of the current Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT2012) to predict hydrological and water quality processes within WLEB at the finest resolution watershed boundary unit (NHDPlus) along with the current conditions and conservation scenarios. The process based SWAT model was capable of the fine-scale computation and complex routing used in this project, as indicated by measured data at five gaging stations. The level of detail required for fine-scale spatial simulation made the use of both hard and soft data necessary in model calibration, alongside other model adaptations. Limitations to the model's predictive capacity were due to a paucity of data in the region at the NHDPlus scale rather than due to SWAT functionality. Results of treatment scenarios demonstrate variable effects of structural practices and nutrient management on sediment and nutrient loss dynamics. Targeting treatment to acres with critical outstanding conservation needs provides the largest return on investment in terms of nutrient loss reduction per dollar spent, relative to treating acres with lower inherent nutrient loss vulnerabilities. Importantly, this research raises considerations about use of models to guide land management decisions at very fine spatial scales. Decision makers using these results should be aware of data limitations that hinder fine-scale model interpretation.

Nutrient supplements boost yeast transformation efficiency

PubMed Central

Yu, Sheng-Chun; Dawson, Alexander; Henderson, Alyssa C.; Lockyer, Eloise J.; Read, Emily; Sritharan, Gayathri; Ryan, Marjah; Sgroi, Mara; Ngou, Pok M.; Woodruff, Rosie; Zhang, Ruifeng; Ren Teen Chia, Travis; Liu, Yu; Xiang, Yiyu; Spanu, Pietro D.

2016-01-01

Efficiency of yeast transformation is determined by the rate of yeast endocytosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of introducing amino acids and other nutrients (inositol, adenine, or p-aminobenzoic acid) in the transformation medium to develop a highly efficient yeast transformation protocol. The target of rapamycin complex 1 (TORC1) kinase signalling complex influences the rate of yeast endocytosis. TORC signaling is induced by amino acids in the media. Here, we found that increasing the concentration of amino acids and other nutrients in the growth media lead to an increase yeast transformation efficiency up to 107 CFU per μg plasmid DNA and per 108 cells with a 13.8 kb plasmid DNA. This is over 130 times that of current published methods. This improvement may facilitate more efficient experimentation in which transformation efficiency is critical, such as yeast two-hybrid screening. PMID:27760994

Nutrient and media recycling in heterotrophic microalgae cultures.

PubMed

Lowrey, Joshua; Armenta, Roberto E; Brooks, Marianne S

2016-02-01

In order for microalgae-based processes to reach commercial production for biofuels and high-value products such as omega-3 fatty acids, it is necessary that economic feasibility be demonstrated at the industrial scale. Therefore, process optimization is critical to ensure that the maximum yield can be achieved from the most efficient use of resources. This is particularly true for processes involving heterotrophic microalgae, which have not been studied as extensively as phototrophic microalgae. An area that has received significant conceptual praise, but little experimental validation, is that of nutrient recycling, where the waste materials from prior cultures and post-lipid extraction are reused for secondary fermentations. While the concept is very simple and could result in significant economic and environmental benefits, there are some underlying challenges that must be overcome before adoption of nutrient recycling is viable at commercial scale. Even more, adapting nutrient recycling for optimized heterotrophic cultures presents some added challenges that must be identified and addressed that have been largely unexplored to date. These challenges center on carbon and nitrogen recycling and the implications of using waste materials in conjunction with virgin nutrients for secondary cultures. The aim of this review is to provide a foundation for further understanding of nutrient recycling for microalgae cultivation. As such, we outline the current state of technology and practical challenges associated with nutrient recycling for heterotrophic microalgae on an industrial scale and give recommendations for future work.

Observation of a Rare Earth Ion–Extractant Complex Arrested at the Oil–Water Interface During Solvent Extraction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bu, Wei; Yu, Hao; Luo, Guangming

2014-09-11

Selective extraction of metal ions from a complex aqueous mixture into an organic phase is used to separate toxic or radioactive metals from polluted environments and nuclear waste, as well as to produce industrially relevant metals, such as rare earth ions. Selectivity arises from the choice of an extractant amphiphile, dissolved in the organic phase, which interacts preferentially with the target metal ion. The extractant-mediated process of ion transport from an aqueous to an organic phase takes place at the aqueous–organic interface; nevertheless, little is known about the molecular mechanism of this process despite its importance. Although state-of-the-art X-ray scatteringmore » is uniquely capable of probing molecular ordering at a liquid–liquid interface with subnanometer spatial resolution, utilizing this capability to investigate interfacial dynamical processes of short temporal duration remains a challenge. We show that a temperature-driven adsorption transition can be used to turn the extraction on and off by controlling adsorption and desorption of extractants at the oil–water interface. Lowering the temperature through this transition immobilizes a supramolecular ion–extractant complex at the interface during the extraction of rare earth erbium ions. Under the conditions of these experiments, the ion–extractant complexes condense into a two-dimensional inverted bilayer, which is characterized on the molecular scale with synchrotron X-ray reflectivity and fluorescence measurements. Raising the temperature above the transition leads to Er ion extraction as a result of desorption of ion–extractant complexes from the interface into the bulk organic phase. XAFS measurements of the ion–extractant complexes in the bulk organic phase demonstrate that they are similar to the interfacial complexes.« less

Fuel: Logs, sticks, needles, duff, and much more

Treesearch

Russell T. Graham; Theresa Benevidez Jain; Alan E. Harvey

2000-01-01

Fuels burned by either prescribed or wildfires are complex and important components of forested ecosystems. Fine fuels consisting of fallen limbs, twigs, and leaves of shrubs and trees are rich in nutrients. If these fuels are not immediately burned, nutrients can leach from these materials into the forest floor, especially if they overwinter. Larger fuels consisting...

Hypothalamic roles of mTOR complex I: Integration of nutrient and hormone signals to regulate energy homeostasis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Mammalian or mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) senses nutrient, energy, and hormone signals to regulate metabolism and energy homeostasis. mTOR activity in the hypothalamus, which is associated with changes in energy status, plays a critical role in the regulation of food intake and body weight...

Microbial nutrient niches in the gut.

PubMed

Pereira, Fátima C; Berry, David

2017-04-01

The composition and function of the mammalian gut microbiota has been the subject of much research in recent years, but the principles underlying the assembly and structure of this complex community remain incompletely understood. Processes that shape the gut microbiota are thought to be mostly niche-driven, with environmental factors such as the composition of available nutrients largely determining whether or not an organism can establish. The concept that the nutrient landscape dictates which organisms can successfully colonize and persist in the gut was first proposed in Rolf Freter's nutrient niche theory. In a situation where nutrients are perfectly mixed and there is balanced microbial growth, Freter postulated that an organism can only survive if it is able to utilize one or a few limiting nutrients more efficiently than its competitors. Recent experimental work indicates, however, that nutrients in the gut vary in space and time. We propose that in such a scenario, Freter's nutrient niche theory must be expanded to account for the co-existence of microorganisms utilizing the same nutrients but in distinct sites or at different times, and that metabolic flexibility and mixed-substrate utilization are common strategies for survival in the face of ever-present nutrient fluctuations. © 2017 The Authors. Environmental Microbiology published by Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Nutrient and pollutant metals within earthworm residues are immobilized in soil during decomposition

PubMed Central

Richardson, J.B; Renock, D.J; Görres, J.H; Jackson, B.P; Webb, S.M; Friedland, A.J

2016-01-01

Earthworms are known to bioaccumulate metals, making them a potential vector for metal transport in soils. However, the fate of metals within soil upon death of earthworms has not been characterized. We compared the fate of nutrient (Ca, Mg, Mn) and potentially toxic (Cu, Zn, Pb) metals during decomposition of Amynthas agrestis and Lumbricus rubellus in soil columns. Cumulative leachate pools, exchangeable pools (0.1 M KCl + 0.01 M acetic acid extracted), and stable pools (16 M HNO3 + 12 M HCl extracted) were quantified in the soil columns after 7, 21, and 60 days of decomposition. Soil columns containing A. agrestis and L. rubellus had significantly higher cumulative leachate pools of Ca, Mn, Cu, and Pb than Control soil columns. Exchangeable and stable pools of Cu, Pb, and Zn were greater for A. agrestis and L. rubellus soil columns than Control soil columns. However, we estimated that > 98 % of metals from earthworm residues were immobilized in the soil in an exchangeable or stable form over the 60 days using a mass balance approach. Micro-XRF images of longitudinal thin sections of soil columns after 60 days containing A. agrestis confirm metals immobilization in earthworm residues. Our research demonstrates that nutrient and toxic metals are stabilized in soil within earthworm residues. PMID:28163331

Seasonal Belowground Ecosystem and Eco-enzymatic Responses to Soil pH and Phosphorus Availability in Temperate Hardwood Forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smemo, K. A.; Deforest, J. L.; Petersen, S. L.; Burke, D.; Hewins, C.; Kluber, L. A.; Kyker, S. R.

2013-12-01

Atmospheric acid deposition can increase phosphorus (P) limitation in temperate hardwood forests by increasing N availability, and therefore P demand, and/or by decreasing pH and occluding inorganic P. However, only recently have studies demonstrated that P limitation can occur in temperate forests and very little is known about the temporal aspects of P dynamics in acidic forest soils and how seasonal shifts in nutrient availability and demand influence microbial investment in extracellular enzymes. The objectives of this study were to investigate how P availability and soil pH influence seasonal patterns of nutrient cycling and soil microbial activity in hardwood forests that experience chronic acid deposition. We experimentally manipulated soil pH, P, or both for three years and examined soil treatment responses in fall, winter, spring, early summer, and late summer. We found that site (glaciated versus unglaciated) and treatment had the most significant influence on nutrient pools and cycling. In general, nutrient pools were higher in glaciated soils than unglaciated for measured nutrients, including total C and N (2-3 times higher), extractable inorganic nitrogen, and readily available P. Treatment had no impact on total C and N pools in either region, but did affect other measured nutrients such as ammonium, which was greatest in the elevated pH treatment for both sites. As expected, readily available P pools were highest in the elevated P treatments (3 fold increase in both sites), but raising pH decreased available P pools in the glaciated site. Raising soil pH increased both net N mineralization rates and net P mineralization rates, regardless of site. Nitrification responses were complex, but we observed an overall significant nitrification increase under elevated pH, particularly in the growing season. Extracellular enzyme activity showed more seasonal patterns than site and treatment effects, exhibiting significant growing season activity reductions for all enzymes measured. Phosphatase enzymes did not respond to our treatments and were generally greatest in the unglaciated soils, particularly in winter and spring. Enzyme stoichiometric relationships revealed that soil microbial populations in the glaciated site were consistently less P and N-limited than unglaciated sites but this difference was less pronounced during the growing season. The trajectory of nutrient limitation in response to soil pH and P availability was highly variable, but we observed that enzyme ratios in the early summer were particularly shifted relative to other seasons suggesting that both sites were increasingly P and N-limited during this period. Overall, our results suggest that ecosystem and microbial responses to soil pH and P availability vary with both season and site history and that more spatially and temporally explicit observations are needed to improve our understanding of ecosystem acidification, nutrient limitation, and the cost-benefit relationships of microbial investments in extracellular enzymes.

The dynamic assembly of distinct RNA polymerase I complexes modulates rDNA transcription.

PubMed

Torreira, Eva; Louro, Jaime Alegrio; Pazos, Irene; González-Polo, Noelia; Gil-Carton, David; Duran, Ana Garcia; Tosi, Sébastien; Gallego, Oriol; Calvo, Olga; Fernández-Tornero, Carlos

2017-03-06

Cell growth requires synthesis of ribosomal RNA by RNA polymerase I (Pol I). Binding of initiation factor Rrn3 activates Pol I, fostering recruitment to ribosomal DNA promoters. This fundamental process must be precisely regulated to satisfy cell needs at any time. We present in vivo evidence that, when growth is arrested by nutrient deprivation, cells induce rapid clearance of Pol I-Rrn3 complexes, followed by the assembly of inactive Pol I homodimers. This dual repressive mechanism reverts upon nutrient addition, thus restoring cell growth. Moreover, Pol I dimers also form after inhibition of either ribosome biogenesis or protein synthesis. Our mutational analysis, based on the electron cryomicroscopy structures of monomeric Pol I alone and in complex with Rrn3, underscores the central role of subunits A43 and A14 in the regulation of differential Pol I complexes assembly and subsequent promoter association.

Nutrient recycling of lipid-extracted waste in the production of an oleaginous thraustochytrid.

PubMed

Lowrey, Joshua; Brooks, Marianne S; Armenta, Roberto E

2016-05-01

Improving the economics of microalgae production for the recovery of microbial oil requires a comprehensive exploration of the measures needed to improve productivity as well as to reduce the overall processing costs. One avenue for cost reduction involves recycling the effluent waste water remaining after lipid extraction. This study investigates the feasibility of recycling those wastes for growing thraustochytrid biomass, a heterotrophic microalgae, where wastes were generated from the enzymatic extraction of the lipids from the cell biomass. It was demonstrated that secondary cultures of the tested thraustochytrid grown in the recycled wastes performed favorably in terms of cell and oil production (20.48 g cells L(-1) and 40.9 % (w/w) lipid) compared to the control (13.63 g cells L(-1) and 56.8 % (w/w) lipid). Further, the significant uptake of solubilized cell material (in the form of amino acids) demonstrated that the recycled waste has the potential for offsetting the need for fresh medium components. These results indicate that the implementation of a nutrient recycling strategy for industrial microalgae production could be possible, with significant added benefits such as conserving water resources, improving production efficiency, and decreasing material inputs.

Losses of nutrients and anti-nutrients in red and white sorghum cultivars after decorticating in optimised conditions.

PubMed

Galán, María Gimena; Llopart, Emilce Elina; Drago, Silvina Rosa

2018-05-01

The aims were to optimise pearling process of red and white sorghum by assessing the effects of pearling time and grain moisture on endosperm yield and flour ash content and to assess nutrient and anti-nutrient losses produced by pearling different cultivars in optimised conditions. Both variables significantly affected both responses. Losses of ashes (58%), proteins (9.5%), lipids (54.5%), Na (37%), Mg (48.5%) and phenolic compounds (43%) were similar among red and white hybrids. However, losses of P (30% vs. 51%), phytic acid (47% vs. 66%), Fe (22% vs. 55%), Zn (32% vs. 62%), Ca (60% vs. 66%), K (46% vs. 61%) and Cu (51% vs. 71%) were lower for red than white sorghum due to different degree of extraction and distribution of components in the grain. Optimised pearling conditions were extrapolated to other hybrids, indicating these criteria could be applied at industrial level to obtain refined flours with proper quality and good endosperm yields.

Temperature and nutrient effects on periphyton associated ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Nutrient pollution is a leading cause of water quality impairments and degraded aquatic ecosystem condition. Reliable and reproducible indicators of ecosystem condition are needed to help manage nutrient pollution. The diatom component of periphyton has been used as a water quality indicator due to identifiable cell morphology and existence of relationships between nutrient concentration and diatom community composition. However, morphological identification of diatoms requires highly specialized personnel, is very time consuming, and can produce variable results, suggesting the need for alternative methods that are less expensive and more reproducible. DNA sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene is well documented and provides genus-level resolution of the community structure. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of nutrient loading and temperature on periphyton-associated bacterial communities using standard periphytometer techniques and next generation sequencing technologies. Continuous flow mesocosms were established in an eight tank system consisting of two temperature conditions (10°C and 20°C) and four nutrient conditions (1x to 6x ambient concentrations). Experimental conditions were replicated in July/August 2013 and September 2013. Replicate DNA samples were extracted and the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced using universal Bacterial primers. Initial analyses revealed strong differences in community structure based on temperature (p <

Comparison of the capture efficiency, prey processing, and nutrient extraction in a generalist and a specialist spider predator.

PubMed

García, Luis Fernando; Viera, Carmen; Pekár, Stano

2018-04-02

Predators are traditionally classified as generalists and specialists based on the presence of adaptations that increase efficiency of prey capture and consumption and selection of particular prey types. Nevertheless, empirical evidence comparing foraging efficiency between generalist and specialist carnivores is scarce. We compared the prey-capture and feeding efficiency in a generalist and a specialist (araneophagous) spider predator. By using two related species, the generalist Harpactea rubicunda (Dysderidae) and the specialist Nops cf. variabilis (Caponiidae), we evaluated their fundamental trophic niche by studying the acceptance of different prey. Then, we compared their predatory behavior, efficiency in capturing prey of varying sizes, feeding efficiency, and nutrient extraction. Nops accepted only spiders as prey, while Harpactea accepted all offered prey, confirming that Nops is stenophagous, while Harpactea is euryphagous. Further, Nops displayed more specialized (stereotyped) capture behavior than Harpactea, suggesting that Nops is a specialist, while Harpactea is a generalist. The specialist immobilized prey faster, overcame much larger prey, and gained more mass (due to feeding on larger prey) than the generalist. Both the specialist and the generalist spider extracted more proteins than lipids, but the extraction of macronutrients in the specialist was achieved mainly by consuming the prosoma of the focal prey. We show that the specialist has more efficient foraging strategy than the generalist.

Life-Cycle Analysis of Energy Use, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and Water Consumption in the 2016 MYPP Algal Biofuel Scenarios

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Frank, Edward; Pegallapati, Ambica; Davis, Ryan

2016-06-16

The Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) Multi-year Program Plan (MYPP) describes the bioenergy objectives pursued by BETO, the strategies for achieving those objectives, the current state of technology (SOT), and a number of design cases that explore cost and operational performance required to advance the SOT towards middle and long term goals (MYPP, 2016). Two options for converting algae to biofuel intermediates were considered in the MYPP, namely algal biofuel production via lipid extraction and algal biofuel production by thermal processing. The first option, lipid extraction, is represented by the Combined Algae Processing (CAP) pathway in whichmore » algae are hydrolyzed in a weak acid pretreatment step. The treated slurry is fermented for ethanol production from sugars. The fermentation stillage contains most of the lipids from the original biomass, which are recovered through wet solvent extraction. The process residuals after lipid extraction, which contain much of the original mass of amino acids and proteins, are directed to anaerobic digestion (AD) for biogas production and recycle of N and P nutrients. The second option, thermal processing, comprises direct hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of the wet biomass, separation of aqueous, gas, and oil phases, and treatment of the aqueous phase with catalytic hydrothermal gasification (CHG) to produce biogas and to recover N and P nutrients.« less

Comparison of Chemical Extraction Methods for Determination of Soil Potassium in Different Soil Types

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zebec, V.; Rastija, D.; Lončarić, Z.; Bensa, A.; Popović, B.; Ivezić, V.

2017-12-01

Determining potassium supply of soil plays an important role in intensive crop production, since it is the basis for balancing nutrients and issuing fertilizer recommendations for achieving high and stable yields within economic feasibility. The aim of this study was to compare the different extraction methods of soil potassium from arable horizon of different types of soils with ammonium lactate method (KAL), which is frequently used as analytical method for determining the accessibility of nutrients and it is a common method used for issuing fertilizer recommendations in many Europe countries. In addition to the ammonium lactate method (KAL, pH 3.75), potassium was extracted with ammonium acetate (KAA, pH 7), ammonium acetate ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (KAAEDTA, pH 4.6), Bray (KBRAY, pH 2.6) and with barium chloride (K_{BaCl_2 }, pH 8.1). The analyzed soils were extremely heterogeneous with a wide range of determined values. Soil pH reaction ( {pH_{H_2 O} } ) ranged from 4.77 to 8.75, organic matter content ranged from 1.87 to 4.94% and clay content from 8.03 to 37.07%. In relation to KAL method as the standard method, K_{BaCl_2 } method extracts 12.9% more on average of soil potassium, while in relation to standard method, on average KAA extracts 5.3%, KAAEDTA 10.3%, and KBRAY 27.5% less of potassium. Comparison of analyzed extraction methods of potassium from the soil is of high precision, and most reliable comparison was KAL method with KAAEDTA, followed by a: KAA, K_{BaCl_2 } and KBRAY method. Extremely significant statistical correlation between different extractive methods for determining potassium in the soil indicates that any of the methods can be used to accurately predict the concentration of potassium in the soil, and that carried out research can be used to create prediction model for concentration of potassium based on different methods of extraction.

On the Complexity of Nutrient Transport in a Large Watershed in Ohio

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwartz, F. W.; Allen, G.

2009-12-01

This paper examines key features of the hydrobiologic setting in controlling the cycling of nutrients through the major streams and rivers of a large agriculturally dominated watershed in central Ohio. The particular focus is on the roles of extreme rainfall events in generating nutrients, and role of reservoirs in attenuating nutrient concentrations. The study also highlights major gaps in process knowledge even in the face in the face of extensive regulatory and other monitoring. Although it has been recognized that reservoirs can significantly affect surface-water flows in watersheds, there is a growing recognition of the need for expanded and complementary studies to understand their role in nutrient transport. The study area is located in central Ohio and includes the entire Upper Scioto and the northern portion of the Lower Scioto River basins, an area encompassing approximately 9984 km2. Five of the sub-watersheds contain major surface-water storage reservoirs. Two watersheds are without reservoirs. There is intensive agriculture within the study area with corn and soybeans as the dominant crops. Tile drainage of fields provides an efficient and rapid connection of agricultural lands to surface waters, facilitating the loading of fertilizers and agrochemicals to surface streams. Storm flows in spring months that coincide with fertilizer applications often provide nitrate concentrations in excess of 10 mg/L as N. In spite of years of routine sampling for regulatory purposes, little is known about nutrient loading patterns during the few, brief, extreme events each year. Interpretations of a high resolution temporal chemical record of sampling on the Scioto River is frustrated by the complexity of loading and mixing as tributaries from sub-watersheds join the main stem of the Scioto River and nutrient utilization within the large reservoirs. Even with literally thousands of individual chemical measurements, extensive stream and precipitation data, the details of processes affecting nutrient transport remain uncertain.

Preparation of food supplements from oilseed cakes.

PubMed

Sunil, L; Appaiah, Prakruthi; Prasanth Kumar, P K; Gopala Krishna, A G

2015-05-01

Oilseed cakes have been in use for feed preparation. Being rich in proteins, antioxidants, fibers, vitamins and minerals, oilseed cakes have been considered ideal for food supplementation. These oilseed cakes can be processed and made more palatable and edible by suitable treatments and then incorporated as food supplements for human consumption. Rice bran pellets (RBP), stabilized rice bran (SRB), coconut cake (CC) and sesame cake (SC) were taken up for the study. These were mixed with distilled water and cooked in such a way to separate the cooked solid residue and liquid extract followed by freeze drying to get two products from each. The raw, cooked dried residue and extract were analyzed for various parameters such as moisture (0.9-27.4 %), fat (2.1-16.1 %), ash (3.3-9.0 %), minerals (2.6-633.2 mg/100 g), total dietary fiber (23.2-58.2 %), crude fiber (2.7-10.5 %), protein (3.2-34.0 %), and the fat further analyzed for fatty acid composition, oryzanol (138-258 mg/100 g) and lignan (99-113 mg/100 g) contents and also evaluated sensory evaluation. Nutritional composition of products as affected by cooking was studied. The cooked products (residue and extract) showed changes in nutrients content and composition from that of the starting cakes and raw materials, but retained more nutrients in cooked residue than in the extract. The sensory evaluation of cooked residue and extract showed overall higher acceptability by the panelists than the starting cakes and raw materials. On the basis of these findings it can be concluded that these cooked residue and extract products are highly valuable for food supplementation than the raw ones.

Selective dissolution followed by EDDS washing of an e-waste contaminated soil: Extraction efficiency, fate of residual metals, and impact on soil environment.

PubMed

Beiyuan, Jingzi; Tsang, Daniel C W; Valix, Marjorie; Zhang, Weihua; Yang, Xin; Ok, Yong Sik; Li, Xiang-Dong

2017-01-01

To enhance extraction of strongly bound metals from oxide minerals and organic matter, this study examined the sequential use of reductants, oxidants, alkaline solvents and organic acids followed by a biodegradable chelating agent (EDDS, [S,S]-ethylene-diamine-disuccinic-acid) in a two-stage soil washing. The soil was contaminated by Cu, Zn, and Pb at an e-waste recycling site in Qingyuan city, China. In addition to extraction efficiency, this study also examined the fate of residual metals (e.g., leachability, bioaccessibility, and distribution) and the soil quality parameters (i.e., cytotoxicity, enzyme activities, and available nutrients). The reductants (dithionite-citrate-bicarbonate and hydroxylamine hydrochloride) effectively extracted metals by mineral dissolution, but elevated the leachability and bioaccessibility of metals due to the transformation from Fe/Mn oxides to labile fractions. Subsequent EDDS washing was found necessary to mitigate the residual risks. In comparison, prior washing by oxidants (persulphate, hypochlorite, and hydrogen peroxide) was marginally useful because of limited amount of soil organic matter. Prior washing by alkaline solvents (sodium hydroxide and sodium bicarbonate) was also ineffective due to metal precipitation. In contrast, prior washing by low-molecular-weight organic acids (citrate and oxalate) improved the extraction efficiency. Compared to hydroxylamine hydrochloride, citrate and oxalate induced lower cytotoxicity (Microtox) and allowed higher enzyme activities (dehydrogenase, acid phosphatase, and urease) and soil nutrients (available nitrogen and phosphorus), which would facilitate reuse of the treated soil. Therefore, while sequential washing proved to enhance extraction efficacy, the selection of chemical agents besides EDDS should also include the consideration of effects on metal leachability/bioaccessibility and soil quality. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nutrient-enriched formula versus standard term formula for preterm infants following hospital discharge.

PubMed

Henderson, G; Fahey, T; McGuire, W

2007-10-17

Preterm infants are often growth-restricted at hospital discharge. Feeding infants after hospital discharge with nutrient-enriched formula rather than standard term formula might facilitate "catch-up" growth and improve development. To determine the effect of feeding nutrient-enriched formula compared with standard term formula on growth and development for preterm infants following hospital discharge. The standard search strategy of the Cochrane Neonatal Review Group were used. This included searches of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, The Cochrane Library, Issue 2, 2007), MEDLINE (1966 - May 2007), EMBASE (1980 - May 2007), CINAHL (1982 - May 2007), conference proceedings, and previous reviews. Randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials that compared the effect of feeding preterm infants following hospital discharge with nutrient-enriched formula compared with standard term formula. Data was extracted using the standard methods of the Cochrane Neonatal Review Group, with separate evaluation of trial quality and data extraction by two authors, and synthesis of data using weighted mean difference and a fixed effects model for meta-analysis. Seven trials were found that were eligible for inclusion. These recruited a total of 631 infants and were generally of good methodological quality. The trials found little evidence that feeding with nutrient-enriched formula milk affected growth and development. Because of differences in the way individual trials measured and presented outcomes, data synthesis was limited. Growth data from two trials found that, at six months post-term, infants fed with nutrient-enriched formula had statistically significantly lower weights [weighted mean difference: -601 (95% confidence interval -1028, -174) grams], lengths [-18.8 (-30.0, -7.6) millimetres], and head circumferences [-10.2 ( -18.0, -2.4) millimetres], than infants fed standard term formula. At 12 to 18 months post-term, meta-analyses of data from three trials did not find any statistically significant differences in growth parameters. However, examination of these meta-analyses demonstrated statistical heterogeneity. Meta-analyses of data from two trials did not reveal a statistically significant difference in Bayley Mental Development or Psychomotor Development Indices. There are not yet any data on growth or development through later childhood. The available data do not provide strong evidence that feeding preterm infants following hospital discharge with nutrient-enriched formula compared with standard term formula affects growth rates or development up to 18 months post-term.

Nutrient Budgets in Successional Northern Hardwood Forests: Uncertainty in soil, root, and tree concentrations and pools (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanai, R. D.; Bae, K.; Levine, C. R.; Lilly, P.; Vadeboncoeur, M. A.; Fatemi, F. R.; Blum, J. D.; Arthur, M.; Hamburg, S.

2013-12-01

Ecosystem nutrient budgets are difficult to construct and even more difficult to replicate. As a result, uncertainty in the estimates of pools and fluxes are rarely reported, and opportunities to assess confidence through replicated measurements are rare. In this study, we report nutrient concentrations and contents of soil and biomass pools in northern hardwood stands in replicate plots within replicate stands in 3 age classes (14-19 yr, 26-29 yr, and > 100 yr) at the Bartlett Experimental Forest, USA. Soils were described by quantitative soil pits in three plots per stand, excavated by depth increment to the C horizon and analyzed by a sequential extraction procedure. Variation in soil mass among pits within stands averaged 28% (coefficient of variation); variation among stands within an age class ranged from 9-25%. Variation in nutrient concentrations were higher still (averaging 38%, within element, depth increment, and extraction type), perhaps because the depth increments contained varying proportions of genetic horizons. To estimate nutrient contents of aboveground biomass, we propagated model uncertainty through allometric equations, and found errors ranging from 3-7%, depending on the stand. The variation in biomass among plots within stands (6-19%) was always larger than the allometric uncertainties. Variability in measured nutrient concentrations of tree tissues were more variable than the uncertainty in biomass. Foliage had the lowest variability (averaging 16% for Ca, Mg, K, N and P within age class and species), and wood had the highest (averaging 30%), when reported in proportion to the mean, because concentrations in wood are low. For Ca content of aboveground biomass, sampling variation was the greatest source of uncertainty. Coefficients of variation among plots within a stand averaged 16%; stands within an age class ranged from 5-25% CV, including uncertainties in tree allometry and tissue chemistry. Uncertainty analysis can help direct research effort to areas most in need of improvement. In systems such as the one we studied, more intensive sampling would be the best approach to reducing uncertainty, as natural spatial variation was higher than model or measurement uncertainties.

Effect of Bolax gummifera rhizosphere on the mobility of soil nutrients in a subantarctic environment (Mont Martial, Ushuaia-Argentina)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otero, Xosé Luis; Pérez-Alberti, Augusto; Gónzalez, Adrián; Macias, Felipe

2013-04-01

The study area, Mount Martial, is located in the South of Argentina, in the Tierra de Fuego province (54°S, 68°W). The climate in Tierra del Fuego is temperate-cold and humid, with a strong and markedly seasonal oceanic influence. The mean air temperature that we recorded in the study zone, at 1050 m above sea level, between February 2005 and January 2010 was -1.9° C, with an absolute maximum of 12.5° C and an absolute minimum of -12.8° C. Although we have no rainfall data, in Ushuaia, which is close to sea level, the mean annual rainfall for 1961-1970 was 550 mm; however, it would be inaccurate to extrapolate this value given the marked variability in precipitation favoured by the relief. Biogeographically, the area is included in the so-called "Andean Desert", which is almost barren of large plants and with poor vegetable cover. At 800 a.s.l., the vegetation consists of shrubs of specialised taxons such as Bolax gummifera, Moschopsis rosulata and Saxifraga magellanica. In the present study, samples of Bolax gummifera rhizosphere (Umbelliferae), bulk soil and subsurface soils (>5 cm to rock layer) were collected from a small homogeneous area (≈500m2). The soils were characterized by analysis of pH (H2O and KCl), electrical conductivity, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, organic carbon, iron extracted with sodium pyrophosphate, and particle size. Sequential extraction of Fe in the samples was also carried out to determine the following fractions: F1: exchangeable fraction (extracted with 1M MgCl2), F2: amorphous Fe oxyhydroxides (extracted with sodium ascorbate-citrate buffering to pH 8 with sodium bicarbonate), F3: crystalline Fe oxyhydroxides (extracted with 0.11 sodium citrate+ sodium bicarbonate +3 g of sodium dithionite), and F4: organic Fe (extracted with 0.02M HNO3+30%H2O2 at 85°C) and bioavailability nutrients (soluble in Mehlich 3 extratant). The results obtained for the basic physicochemical characteristics of the soils revealed some differences between samples. Thus, Although these are poorly developed soils, significant differences were foundAlthough being incipient soils, significant differences were found in relation to the effect of the rhizosphere on soil properties. For example, the total organic C was 8 times higher and the total nitrogen and C pyrophosphate were 4 times higher in the rhizosphere than in the bulk soil. The results of the sequential extraction of Fe and bioavailability nutrients, such Ca, Mg, K and Fe, also revealed significant differences between rhizosphere and bulk soil, whereas the deeper samples (> 5 cm) displayed intermediate characteristics. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that plants affect the biogeochemical processes in soils by accelerating weathering processes. This aspect may be of particular importance within the context of global climate change, as higher temperatures will favour expansion of vegetation and at the same time the flow of nutrients towards oceans and lakes, which may have a direct effect on primary productivity.

Lake on life support: Evaluating urban lake management measures by using a coupled 1D-modelling approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ladwig, Robert; Kirillin, Georgiy; Hinkelmann, Reinhard; Hupfer, Michael

2017-04-01

Urban surface water systems and especially lakes are heavily stressed and modified systems to comply with water management goals and expectations. In this study we focus on Lake Tegel in Berlin, Germany, as a representative of heavily modified urban lakes. In the 20th century, Lake Tegel received increased loadings of nutrients and leached heavy metals from an upstream sewage farm resulting in severe eutrophication problems. The construction of two upstream treatment plants caused a lowering of nutrient concentrations and a re-oligotrophication of the lake. Additionally, artificial aerators, to keep the hypolimnion oxic, and a lake pipeline, to bypass water for maintaining a minimum discharge, went into operation. Lake Tegel is still heavily used for drinking water extraction by bank filtration. These interacting management measures make the system vulnerable to changing climate conditions and pollutant loads. Past modelling studies have shown the complex hydrodynamics of the lake. Here, we are following a simplified approach by using a less computational time consuming vertical 1D-model to simulate the hydrodynamics and the ecological interactions of the system by coupling the General Lake Model to the Aquatic Ecodynamics Model Library 2. For calibration of the multidimensional parameter space we applied the Covariance Matrix Adaption-Evolution Strategy algorithm. The model is able to sufficiently replicate the vertical field temperature profiles of Lake Tegel as well as to simulate similar concentration ranges of phosphate, dissolved oxygen and nitrate. The calibrated model is used to run an uncertainty analysis by sampling the simulated data within the meaning of the Metropolis-Hastings algorithm. Finally, we are evaluating different scenarios: (1) changing air temperatures, precipitation and wind speed due to effects of climate change, (2) decreased discharges into the lake due to bypassing treated effluents into a near stream instead of Lake Tegel, and (3) increased nutrient elimination at the upstream treatment plants. We are focusing on quantifying the impact of these scenarios on lake stability as well as the abundance and distribution of nutrients.

Comparision of ICP-OES and MP-AES in determing soil nutrients by Mechlich3 method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tonutare, Tonu; Penu, Priit; Krebstein, Kadri; Rodima, Ako; Kolli, Raimo; Shanskiy, Merrit

2014-05-01

Accurate, routine testing of nutrients in soil samples is critical to understanding soil potential fertility. There are different factors which must be taken into account selecting the best analytical technique for soil laboratory analysis. Several techniques can provide adequate detection range for same analytical subject. In similar cases the choise of technique will depend on factors such as sample throughput, required infrastructure, ease of use, used chemicals and need for gas supply and operating costs. Mehlich 3 extraction method is widely used for the determination of the plant available nutrient elements contents in agricultural soils. For determination of Ca, K, and Mg from soil extract depending of laboratory ICP and AAS techniques are used, also flame photometry for K in some laboratories. For the determination of extracted P is used ICP or Vis spectrometry. The excellent sensitivity and wide working range for all extracted elements make ICP a nearly ideal method, so long as the sample throughput is big enough to justify the initial capital outlay. Other advantage of ICP techniques is the multiplex character (simultaneous acquisition of all wavelengths). Depending on element the detection limits are in range 0.1 - 1000 μg/L. For smaller laboratories with low sample throughput requirements the use of AAS is more common. Flame AAS is a fast, relatively cheap and easy technique for analysis of elements. The disadvantages of the method is single element analysis and use of flammable gas, like C2H2 and oxidation gas N2O for some elements. Detection limits of elements for AAS lays from 1 to 1000 μg/L. MP-AES offers a unique alternative to both, AAS and ICP-OES techniques with its detection power, speed of analysis. MP-AES is quite new, simple and relatively inexpensive multielemental technique, which is use self-sustained atmospheric pressure microwave plasma (MP) using nitrogen gas generated by nitrogen generator. Therefore not needs for argon and flammable (C2H2) gases, cylinder handling and the running costs of equipment are low. Detection limits of elements for MP-AES lays between the AAS and ICP ones. The objective of this study was to compare the results of soil analysis using two multielemental analytical methods - ICP-OES and MP-AES. In the experiment, different soil types with various texture, content of organic matter and pH were used. For the study soil samples of Albeluvisols, Leptosols, Cambisols, Regosols and Histosols were used . The plant available nutrients were estimated by Mehlich 3 extraction. The ICP-OES analysis were provided in the Estonian Agricultural Research Centre and MP-AES analysis in department of Soil Science and Agrochemistry at Estonian University of Life Sciences. The detection limits and limits of quantification of Ca, K, Mg and P in extracts are calculated and reported.

[The influence of the nutrient supplement for children on the nutrition and health status and intelligence of children of schooling age in the countryside of children of schooling age during 2 years].

PubMed

Zhao, Liyun; Yu, Wentao; Jia, Fengmei; Liu, Aidong; Vi, Guoqin; Song, Yi; Gong, Chenrui; Hua, Liming; Zhang, Jiguo; Zhai, Fengying

2009-11-01

To analyze the effect of complex nutrients on growth and development, intelligence and nutrition state of 6-12 years old children in two continuous years. According to the rural school's similar condition, such as social economical statement, education condition and proportion of students entering schools, 6 rural schools were respectively selected in Xishui County of Hubei Province as the experimental group and control group. In the former, middle and later periods (2004, 2005, 2006 ), growth and development, nutrition state and intelligence were analyzed and compared. The increase of height and weight in experimental group were higher than those of the control group. In 2 years, height in experimental group increased 12.9 cm, while the control group increased 11.5 cm. Weights increased in experimental group were 6.6 kg, while the control group increased 5.2 kg. Girl's bone density in experimental group increased from 0.236 g/cm in 2004 to 0.280 g/cm in 2006. The hemoglobin contents of 4 age group's children in experimental group increased significantly (P < 0.05) . While the anemia prevalence decreased 25 .8% in 2 years, the control group decreased 7.2%. Moreover, other results showed that the complex nutrients also have some effect on the intelligence in experiment group. The complex nutrients supplement could improve the rural school children's growth and development, bone and intelligence.

Managing Your Wine Fermentation to Reduce the Risk of Biogenic Amine Formation

PubMed Central

Smit, Anita Yolandi; Engelbrecht, Lynn; du Toit, Maret

2012-01-01

Biogenic amines are nitrogenous organic compounds produced in wine from amino acid precursors mainly by microbial decarboxylation. The concentration of biogenic amines that can potentially be produced is dependent on the amount of amino acid precursors in the medium, the presence of decarboxylase positive microorganisms and conditions that enable microbial or biochemical activity such as the addition of nutrients to support the inoculated starter cultures for alcoholic and malolactic fermentation (MLF). MLF can be conducted using co-inoculation or an inoculation after the completion of alcoholic fermentation that may also affect the level of biogenic amines in wine. This study focused on the impact of the addition of complex commercial yeast and bacterial nutrients and the use of different MLF inoculation scenarios on the production of biogenic amines in wine. Results showed that the addition of complex nutrients to real grape must could potentially increase histamine concentrations in wine. The same experiment in synthetic grape must showed a similar trend for putrescine and cadaverine. The effect of different MLF inoculation scenarios was examined in two cultivars, Pinotage and Shiraz. Conflicting results was obtained. In the Shiraz, co-inoculation resulted in lower biogenic amine concentrations after MLF compared to before MLF, while the concentration was higher in the Pinotage. However, the production of biogenic amines was affected more by the presence of decarboxylase positive lactic acid bacteria than by the addition of complex nutrients or the inoculation scenario. PMID:22419915

Eating the Inedible

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MOSAIC, 1975

1975-01-01

Alfalfa hay, cut and baled for fodder, is a source of protein that rivals or surpasses soybeans. Technology that makes possible the extraction of nutrients from this and other non (human)-food sources on land and in the sea can increase the Earth's food potential. (Author/BT)

Quantification and bioaccessibility of California pistachio bioactives

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The content of carotenoids, chlorophylls, phenolics, and tocols in pistachios (Pistacia vera L.) has not been methodically quantified. The objective of this study was to first optimize extraction protocols for lipophilic nutrients and then quantify the content of two phenolic acids, nine flavonoids,...

A new theory of plant-microbe nutrient competition resolves inconsistencies between observations and model predictions.

PubMed

Zhu, Qing; Riley, William J; Tang, Jinyun

2017-04-01

Terrestrial plants assimilate anthropogenic CO 2 through photosynthesis and synthesizing new tissues. However, sustaining these processes requires plants to compete with microbes for soil nutrients, which therefore calls for an appropriate understanding and modeling of nutrient competition mechanisms in Earth System Models (ESMs). Here, we survey existing plant-microbe competition theories and their implementations in ESMs. We found no consensus regarding the representation of nutrient competition and that observational and theoretical support for current implementations are weak. To reconcile this situation, we applied the Equilibrium Chemistry Approximation (ECA) theory to plant-microbe nitrogen competition in a detailed grassland 15 N tracer study and found that competition theories in current ESMs fail to capture observed patterns and the ECA prediction simplifies the complex nature of nutrient competition and quantitatively matches the 15 N observations. Since plant carbon dynamics are strongly modulated by soil nutrient acquisition, we conclude that (1) predicted nutrient limitation effects on terrestrial carbon accumulation by existing ESMs may be biased and (2) our ECA-based approach may improve predictions by mechanistically representing plant-microbe nutrient competition. © 2016 by the Ecological Society of America.

Effects of water addition to total mixed ration on water intake, nutrient digestibility, wool cortisol and blood indices in Corriedale ewes.

PubMed

Nejad, Jalil Ghassemi; Kim, Byong-Wan; Lee, Bae-Hun; Kim, Ji-Yung; Sung, Kyung-Il

2017-10-01

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of adding water to total mixed ration (TMR) on fresh water intake, nutrient digestibility, wool cortisol, and blood indices in Corriedale ewes under hot and humid conditions. Nine non-pregnant Corriedale ewes (ave. body weight = 41±3.5 kg) were individually fed diets based on maintenance requirements in metabolic crates. Ewes were assigned to three treatment groups according to a triplicate 3×3 Latin Square design for 3 periods of 21 days duration each (9 ewes per treatment, 27 replications). Treatments were TMR (crude protein [CP] = 16.1, total digestible nutrients = 69.1%) moisture levels for 40%, 50%, and 60%. No differences were found in body weight gain among all treatment groups (p>0.05). Nitrogen balance including digestible N, retained N, and urinary and fecal N showed no change among the treatment groups (p>0.05). Fresh water intake was the lower in 50% TMR moisture group than in the other groups (p<0.05). Other than ether extract which was higher in 60% TMR moisture group (p<0.05) the differences among nutrient digestibilities including CP, organic matter, dry matter, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and non-fiber carbohydrate were not significant (p>0.05). No significant difference was observed for serum protein, blood urea nitrogen, glucose, and triglyceride among the treatment groups (p>0.05). Wool and blood cortisol were not different among the treatment groups (p>0.05). Blood hematology including red blood cell, white blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, basophils, and eosinophils were not different among the treatment groups (p>0.05). It is concluded that TMR moisture at 40%, 50%, and 60% had no effects on N balance parameters, and nutrient digestibilities except for the ether extract under hot and humid conditions. Additionally there were no effects on stress conditions include wool cortisol, as well as blood cortisol levels of ewes.

Using wastewater and high-rate algal ponds for nutrient removal and the production of bioenergy and biofuels.

PubMed

Batten, David; Beer, Tom; Freischmidt, George; Grant, Tim; Liffman, Kurt; Paterson, David; Priestley, Tony; Rye, Lucas; Threlfall, Greg

2013-01-01

This paper projects a positive outcome for large-scale algal biofuel and energy production when wastewater treatment is the primary goal. Such a view arises partly from a recent change in emphasis in wastewater treatment technology, from simply oxidising the organic matter in the waste (i.e. removing the biological oxygen demand) to removing the nutrients - specifically nitrogen and phosphorus - which are the root cause of eutrophication of inland waterways and coastal zones. A growing need for nutrient removal greatly improves the prospects for using new algal ponds in wastewater treatment, since microalgae are particularly efficient in capturing and removing such nutrients. Using a spreadsheet model, four scenarios combining algae biomass production with the making of biodiesel, biogas and other products were assessed for two of Australia's largest wastewater treatment plants. The results showed that super critical water reactors and anaerobic digesters could be attractive pathway options, the latter providing significant savings in greenhouse gas emissions. Combining anaerobic digestion with oil extraction and the internal economies derived from cheap land and recycling of water and nutrients on-site could allow algal oil to be produced for less than US$1 per litre.

Uncovering the Nutritional Landscape of Food

PubMed Central

Kim, Seunghyeon; Sung, Jaeyun; Foo, Mathias; Jin, Yong-Su; Kim, Pan-Jun

2015-01-01

Recent progresses in data-driven analysis methods, including network-based approaches, are revolutionizing many classical disciplines. These techniques can also be applied to food and nutrition, which must be studied to design healthy diets. Using nutritional information from over 1,000 raw foods, we systematically evaluated the nutrient composition of each food in regards to satisfying daily nutritional requirements. The nutrient balance of a food was quantified and termed nutritional fitness; this measure was based on the food’s frequency of occurrence in nutritionally adequate food combinations. Nutritional fitness offers a way to prioritize recommendable foods within a global network of foods, in which foods are connected based on the similarities of their nutrient compositions. We identified a number of key nutrients, such as choline and α-linolenic acid, whose levels in foods can critically affect the nutritional fitness of the foods. Analogously, pairs of nutrients can have the same effect. In fact, two nutrients can synergistically affect the nutritional fitness, although the individual nutrients alone may not have an impact. This result, involving the tendency among nutrients to exhibit correlations in their abundances across foods, implies a hidden layer of complexity when exploring for foods whose balance of nutrients within pairs holistically helps meet nutritional requirements. Interestingly, foods with high nutritional fitness successfully maintain this nutrient balance. This effect expands our scope to a diverse repertoire of nutrient-nutrient correlations, which are integrated under a common network framework that yields unexpected yet coherent associations between nutrients. Our nutrient-profiling approach combined with a network-based analysis provides a more unbiased, global view of the relationships between foods and nutrients, and can be extended towards nutritional policies, food marketing, and personalized nutrition. PMID:25768022

PCB Food Web Dynamics Quantify Nutrient and Energy Flow in Aquatic Ecosystems.

PubMed

McLeod, Anne M; Paterson, Gordon; Drouillard, Ken G; Haffner, G Douglas

2015-11-03

Measuring in situ nutrient and energy flows in spatially and temporally complex aquatic ecosystems represents a major ecological challenge. Food web structure, energy and nutrient budgets are difficult to measure, and it is becoming more important to quantify both energy and nutrient flow to determine how food web processes and structure are being modified by multiple stressors. We propose that polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners represent an ideal tracer to quantify in situ energy and nutrient flow between trophic levels. Here, we demonstrate how an understanding of PCB congener bioaccumulation dynamics provides multiple direct measurements of energy and nutrient flow in aquatic food webs. To demonstrate this novel approach, we quantified nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and caloric turnover rates for Lake Huron lake trout, and reveal how these processes are regulated by both growth rate and fish life history. Although minimal nutrient recycling was observed in young growing fish, slow growing, older lake trout (>5 yr) recycled an average of 482 Tonnes·yr(-1) of N, 45 Tonnes·yr(-1) of P and assimilated 22 TJ yr(-1) of energy. Compared to total P loading rates of 590 Tonnes·yr(-1), the recycling of primarily bioavailable nutrients by fish plays an important role regulating the nutrient states of oligotrophic lakes.

Proteomic Analysis of Connexin 43 Reveals Novel Interactors Related to Osteoarthritis*

PubMed Central

Gago-Fuentes, Raquel; Fernández-Puente, Patricia; Megias, Diego; Carpintero-Fernández, Paula; Mateos, Jesus; Acea, Benigno; Fonseca, Eduardo; Blanco, Francisco Javier; Mayan, Maria Dolores

2015-01-01

We have previously reported that articular chondrocytes in tissue contain long cytoplasmic arms that physically connect two distant cells. Cell-to-cell communication occurs through connexin channels termed Gap Junction (GJ) channels, which achieve direct cellular communication by allowing the intercellular exchange of ions, small RNAs, nutrients, and second messengers. The Cx43 protein is overexpressed in several human diseases and inflammation processes and in articular cartilage from patients with osteoarthritis (OA). An increase in the level of Cx43 is known to alter gene expression, cell signaling, growth, and cell proliferation. The interaction of proteins with the C-terminal tail of connexin 43 (Cx43) directly modulates GJ-dependent and -independent functions. Here, we describe the isolation of Cx43 complexes using mild extraction conditions and immunoaffinity purification. Cx43 complexes were extracted from human primary articular chondrocytes isolated from healthy donors and patients with OA. The proteomic content of the native complexes was determined using LC-MS/MS, and protein associations with Cx43 were validated using Western blot and immunolocalization experiments. We identified >100 Cx43-associated proteins including previously uncharacterized proteins related to nucleolar functions, RNA transport, and translation. We also identified several proteins involved in human diseases, cartilage structure, and OA as novel functional Cx43 interactors, which emphasized the importance of Cx43 in the normal physiology and structural and functional integrity of chondrocytes and articular cartilage. Gene Ontology (GO) terms of the proteins identified in the OA samples showed an enrichment of Cx43-interactors related to cell adhesion, calmodulin binding, the nucleolus, and the cytoskeleton in OA samples compared with healthy samples. However, the mitochondrial proteins SOD2 and ATP5J2 were identified only in samples from healthy donors. The identification of Cx43 interactors will provide clues to the functions of Cx43 in human cells and its roles in the development of several diseases, including OA. PMID:25903580

EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT HYDROPONIC SUBSTRATE COMBINATIONS AND WATERING REGIMES ON PHYSIOLOGICAL AND ANTI-FUNGAL PROPERTIES OF SIPHONOCHILUS AETHIOPICUS

PubMed Central

S, Xego; L, Kambizi; F, Nchu

2017-01-01

Background: Production of medicinal plants in controlled environments, particularly hydroponic technology, provides opportunities for high quality biomass accumulation and optimizes production of secondary metabolites. Applying special watering regimes in combination with efficient soil draining is an encouraging new tool for the production of pharmaceutical relevant plants. The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the effect of substrate combinations and watering regimes on nutrient uptake, anti-F. oxysporum activity and secondary metabolite profile of S. aethiopicus. Materials and Methods: Coir was used as the main component for the preparation of media in different combinations; TI (Coir + vermiculite + perlite + bark), T2 (Coir + bark), T3 (Coir + perlite) and T4 (Coir + vermiculite). Plants in different treatments were grown under two watering regimes: 3 and 5-days watering intervals. At 9 weeks post treatment, plants were harvested, oven dried and tissue nutrient content, anti-F. oxysporum activity and secondary metabolites were analyzed. Results: The results showed that there were significant differences (P < 0.05) on the uptake of P, K, N, Mg, Fe, Cu, B and NH4-.The highest mean values for most nutrients were obtained in treatments under 3-days interval. Acetone extracts of S. aethiopicus under 5-days interval were the most bioactive against F. oxysporum. The MIC values obtained are relatively lower for the rhizomes, ranging from 0.078 - 0.3125 mg/ml compared to the higher MIC values (0.375 - 0.75 mg/ml) obtained in the leaves. LC-MS analysis of acetone extracts revealed the presence of phytochemicals such as caffeic acid, quercetin, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, rutin, kaempferol, epicatechin, naringenin, hesperetin and protocatechuic acid. Conclusion: The antimicrobial activity and/or the phytochemical profile of the crude extracts were affected by watering regimes. PMID:28480420

EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT HYDROPONIC SUBSTRATE COMBINATIONS AND WATERING REGIMES ON PHYSIOLOGICAL AND ANTI-FUNGAL PROPERTIES OF SIPHONOCHILUS AETHIOPICUS.

PubMed

S, Xego; L, Kambizi; F, Nchu

2017-01-01

Production of medicinal plants in controlled environments, particularly hydroponic technology, provides opportunities for high quality biomass accumulation and optimizes production of secondary metabolites. Applying special watering regimes in combination with efficient soil draining is an encouraging new tool for the production of pharmaceutical relevant plants. The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the effect of substrate combinations and watering regimes on nutrient uptake, anti- F. oxysporum activity and secondary metabolite profile of S. aethiopicus . Coir was used as the main component for the preparation of media in different combinations; TI (Coir + vermiculite + perlite + bark), T2 (Coir + bark), T3 (Coir + perlite) and T4 (Coir + vermiculite). Plants in different treatments were grown under two watering regimes: 3 and 5-days watering intervals. At 9 weeks post treatment, plants were harvested, oven dried and tissue nutrient content, anti- F. oxysporum activity and secondary metabolites were analyzed. The results showed that there were significant differences ( P < 0.05) on the uptake of P, K, N, Mg, Fe, Cu, B and NH4 - .The highest mean values for most nutrients were obtained in treatments under 3-days interval. Acetone extracts of S. aethiopicus under 5-days interval were the most bioactive against F. oxysporum . The MIC values obtained are relatively lower for the rhizomes, ranging from 0.078 - 0.3125 mg/ml compared to the higher MIC values (0.375 - 0.75 mg/ml) obtained in the leaves. LC-MS analysis of acetone extracts revealed the presence of phytochemicals such as caffeic acid, quercetin, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, rutin, kaempferol, epicatechin, naringenin, hesperetin and protocatechuic acid. The antimicrobial activity and/or the phytochemical profile of the crude extracts were affected by watering regimes.

Production of ligninolytic enzymes and some diffusible antifungal compounds by white-rot fungi using potato solid wastes as the sole nutrient source.

PubMed

Schalchli, H; Hormazábal, E; Rubilar, O; Briceño, G; Mutis, A; Zocolo, G J; Diez, M C

2017-10-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the synthesis of ligninolytic enzymes and some diffusible antifungal compounds by white-rot fungi (WRF) using peels or discarded potato as the sole nutrient source. The strain Trametes hirsuta Ru-513 highlighted for its laccase activity (595 ± 33 U l -1 ), which is able to decolourize 87% of an anthraquinone dye using potato peels as the sole nutritional support. A native polyacrylamide gel of laccase proteins showed the presence of two isoenzymes, corresponding to proteins of 56 and 67 kDa, which were detected by SDS-PAGE. The antifungal activity of ethyl acetate extracts was evaluated by the agar diffusion method, where Anthracophyllum discolor Sp4 and Inonotus sp. Sp2 showed the highest inhibition zones of Mucor miehei. The fungal extracts also inhibited Fusarium oxysporum and Botrytis cinerea growth, with inhibition zones of up to 18 mm. The extract with the highest antifungal activity, from A. discolor Sp4 grown in discarded potato medium, was analysed using a gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer. Among the identified compounds, chlorinated aromatic compounds and veratryl alcohol were the most abundant compounds. The results revealed the relevance of potato waste valorization for the sustainable production of ligninolytic enzymes and antifungal compounds. This study reports the synthesis of ligninolytic enzymes and diffusible antifungal compounds by WRF using potato wastes as the sole nutrient source and suggests a relationship between the enzymatic activity and the synthesis of antifungal compounds. These compounds and the synthesis of halogen compounds by WRF using agro-industrial wastes have been poorly studied before. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Genetic diversity for grain nutrients in wild emmer wheat: potential for wheat improvement

PubMed Central

Chatzav, Merav; Peleg, Zvi; Ozturk, Levent; Yazici, Atilla; Fahima, Tzion; Cakmak, Ismail; Saranga, Yehoshua

2010-01-01

Background and Aims Micronutrient malnutrition, particularly zinc and iron deficiency, afflicts over three billion people worldwide due to low dietary intake. In the current study, wild emmer wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccoides), the progenitor of domesticated wheat, was tested for (1) genetic diversity in grain nutrient concentrations, (2) associations among grain nutrients and their relationships with plant productivity, and (3) the association of grain nutrients with the eco-geographical origin of wild emmer accessions. Methods A total of 154 genotypes, including wild emmer accessions from across the Near Eastern Fertile Crescent and diverse wheat cultivars, were characterized in this 2-year field study for grain protein, micronutrient (zinc, iron, copper and manganese) and macronutrient (calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and sulphur) concentrations. Key Results Wide genetic diversity was found among the wild emmer accessions for all grain nutrients. The concentrations of grain zinc, iron and protein in wild accessions were about two-fold greater than in the domesticated genotypes. Concentrations of these compounds were positively correlated with one another, with no clear association with plant productivity, suggesting that all three nutrients can be improved concurrently with no yield penalty. A subset of 12 populations revealed significant genetic variation between and within populations for all minerals. Association between soil characteristics at the site of collection and grain nutrient concentrations showed negative associations between soil clay content and grain protein and between soil-extractable zinc and grain zinc, the latter suggesting that the greatest potential for grain nutrient minerals lies in populations from micronutrient-deficient soils. Conclusions Wild emmer wheat germplasm offers unique opportunities to exploit favourable alleles for grain nutrient properties that were excluded from the domesticated wheat gene pool. PMID:20202969

Selective separation of trivalent f-ions using 1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxamide ligands in ionic liquids

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dehaudt, Jeremy; Williams, Neil J.; Shkrob, Ilya A.

1,10-Phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxamide complexants decorated with alkyl chains and imidazolium cations have been studied for extraction of trivalent f-ions into imidazolium ionic liquids. The dicationic complexants are shown to extract Am over Eu with separation factors > 50 and high extraction efficiencies. Lastly, the different size selectivities for lanthanide ions were observed for these two types of the complexants, highlighting the importance of the positive charge in controlling both extraction efficiencies and extraction selectivities.

Selective separation of trivalent f-ions using 1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxamide ligands in ionic liquids

DOE PAGES

Dehaudt, Jeremy; Williams, Neil J.; Shkrob, Ilya A.; ...

2016-06-13

1,10-Phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxamide complexants decorated with alkyl chains and imidazolium cations have been studied for extraction of trivalent f-ions into imidazolium ionic liquids. The dicationic complexants are shown to extract Am over Eu with separation factors > 50 and high extraction efficiencies. Lastly, the different size selectivities for lanthanide ions were observed for these two types of the complexants, highlighting the importance of the positive charge in controlling both extraction efficiencies and extraction selectivities.

Characteristics and antioxidant of Ulva intestinalis sulphated polysaccharides extracted with different solvents.

PubMed

Peasura, Napassorn; Laohakunjit, Natta; Kerdchoechuen, Orapin; Wanlapa, Sorada

2015-11-01

Ulva intestinalis, a tubular green seaweed, is a rich source of nutrient, especially sulphated polysaccharides. Sulphated polysaccharides from U. intestinalis were extracted with distilled water, 0.1N HCl, and 0.1N NaOH at 80°C for 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24h to study the effect of the extraction solvent and time on their chemical composition and antioxidant activity. Different types of solvents and extraction time had a significant influence on the chemical characteristics and antioxidant activity (p<0.05). Monosaccharide composition and FT-IR spectra analyses revealed that sulphated polysaccharides from all solvent extractions have a typical sugar backbone (glucose, rhamnose, and sulphate attached at C-2 or C-3 of rhamnose). Sulphated polysaccharides extracted with acid exhibited greater antioxidant activity than did those extracted with distilled water and alkali. The results indicated that solvent extraction could be an efficacious method for enhancing antioxidant activity by distinct molecular weight and chemical characteristic of sulphated polysaccharides. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Remediation of lead-contaminated soil with non-toxic biodegradable natural ligands extracted from soybean.

PubMed

Lee, Yong-Woo; Kim, Chulsung

2012-01-01

Bench-scale soil washing studies were performed to evaluate the potential application of non-toxic, biodegradable extracted soybean-complexing ligands for the remediation of lead-contaminated soils. Results showed that, with extracted soybean-complexing ligands, lead solubility extensively increased when pH of the solution was higher than 6, and approximately 10% (500 mg/kg) of lead was removed from a rifle range soil. Two potential primary factors controlling the effectiveness of lead extraction from lead-contaminated soils with natural ligands are adsorption of extracted aqueous lead ions onto the ground soybean and the pH of the extraction solution. More complexing ligands were extracted from the ground soybean as the reaction pH increased. As a result, significantly higher lead extraction efficiency was observed under basic environments. In addition, less adsorption onto soybean was observed when the pH of the solution was higher than 7. Among two available Lewis base functional groups in the extracted soybean-complexing ligands such as carboxylate and the alpha-amino functional groups, the non-protonated alpha-amino functional groups may play an important role for the dissolution of lead from lead-contaminated soil through the formation of soluble lead--ligand complexes.

Nutrient Recovery of Plant Leachates Under Thermal, Biological, and Photocatalytic Pretreatments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wong, Les

2015-01-01

Nutrient recovery has always been a problem for long distance and long-term space missions. To allow humans to man these missions, a steady source of oxygen, water, and food are necessary for survival beyond Earth's atmosphere. Plants are currently an area of interest since they are capable of providing all three resources for life sustainability. We are currently interested in nutrient recovery for future plant growth and simple aqueous leachate extractions can recover some of the nutrients. However, leaching plants also removes water-soluble organic plant wastes, which inhibits plant growth if not separated properly. To combat the issues with waste and maximize nutrient recovery, we are attempting to pre-treat the plant matter using biological, thermal, and photocatalytic methods before subjecting the solution with variable-strength acid digestion. For the biological method, the inoculums: mixed heterotrophic/nitrifying bioreactor effluent and Trichoderma vessei are used in an attempt to liberate more nutrients from the plant matter. For the thermal method, plants are subjected to varying temperatures at different retention times to determine nutrient recovery. Lastly, the photocatalytic method utilizes TiO (sub 2)'s oxidizing abilities under specific pHs and retention times to reduce organic wastes and improve nutrient gains. A final acid digestion serves to liberate nutrients even further in order to maximize recovery. So far, we have tested ideal acid digestion variables for practicality and performance in our experiments. We found that a low retention time of 10 minutes and a high acid concentration of 0.1 and 1 mole HCl were the most effective at nutrient recovery. For space travel purposes, 0.1 mole currently looks like a viable acid digestion to use since it is relatively effective and sustainable from a mass and energy balance if acid recovery can be performed on waste brines. Biological pretreatments do not look to be too effective and the thermal and photocatalytic methods may be preferred since they show a potential to recover more than 70 percent of the nutrients.

Biological activity of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni and their relationship to health.

PubMed

Ruiz-Ruiz, Jorge Carlos; Moguel-Ordoñez, Yolanda Beatriz; Segura-Campos, Maira Rubi

2017-08-13

The leaves of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni has nutrients and phytochemicals, which make it an adequate source for the extraction and production of functional food ingredients. Preclinical and clinical studies suggest therapeutic and pharmacological applications for stevia and their extracts because they are not toxic and exhibit several biological activities. This review presents the biological activity of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni and their relationship to antidiabetic, anticariogenic, antioxidant, hypotensive, antihypertensive, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antitumor activities. Consumption and adverse effects were also reviewed.

Microstructural and associated chemical changes during the composting of a high temperature biochar: Mechanisms for nitrate, phosphate and other nutrient retention and release.

PubMed

Joseph, Stephen; Kammann, Claudia I; Shepherd, Jessica G; Conte, Pellegrino; Schmidt, Hans-Peter; Hagemann, Nikolas; Rich, Anne M; Marjo, Christopher E; Allen, Jessica; Munroe, Paul; Mitchell, David R G; Donne, Scott; Spokas, Kurt; Graber, Ellen R

2018-03-15

Recent studies have demonstrated the importance of the nutrient status of biochar and soils prior to its inclusion in particular agricultural systems. Pre-treatment of nutrient-reactive biochar, where nutrients are loaded into pores and onto surfaces, gives improved yield outcomes compared to untreated biochar. In this study we have used a wide selection of spectroscopic and microscopic techniques to investigate the mechanisms of nutrient retention in a high temperature wood biochar, which had negative effects on Chenopodium quinoa above ground biomass yield when applied to the system without prior nutrient loading, but positive effects when applied after composting. We have compared non-composted biochar (BC) with composted biochar (BCC) to elucidate the differences which may have led to these results. The results of our investigation provide evidence for a complex series of reactions during composting, where dissolved nutrients are first taken up into biochar pores along a concentration gradient and through capillary action, followed by surface sorption and retention processes which block biochar pores and result in deposition of a nutrient-rich organomineral (plaque) layer. The lack of such pretreatment in the BC samples would render it reactive towards nutrients in a soil-fertilizer system, making it a competitor for, rather than provider of, nutrients for plant growth. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Interactive effects of nutrient additions and predation on infaunal communities

USGS Publications Warehouse

Posey, M.H.; Alphin, T.D.; Cahoon, L.; Lindquist, D.; Becker, M.E.

1999-01-01

Nutrient additions represent an important anthropogenic stress on coastal ecosystems. At moderate levels, increased nutrients may lead to increased primary production and, possibly, to increased biomass of consumers although complex trophic interactions may modify or mask these effects. We examined the influence of nutrient additions and interactive effects of trophic interactions (predation) on benthic infaunal composition and abundances through small-scale field experiments in 2 estuaries that differed in ambient nutrient conditions. A blocked experimental design was used that allowed an assessment of direct nutrient effects in the presence and absence of predation by epibenthic predators as well as an assessment of the independent effects of predation. Benthic microalgal production increased with experimental nutrient additions and was greater when infaunal abundances were lower, but there were no significant interactions between these factors. Increased abundances of one infaunal taxa, Laeonereis culveri, as well as the grazer feeding guild were observed with nutrient additions and a number of taxa exhibited higher abundances with predator exclusion. In contrast to results from freshwater systems there were no significant interactive effects between nutrient additions and predator exclusion as was predicted. The infaunal responses observed here emphasize the importance of both bottom-up (nutrient addition and primary producer driven) and top-down (predation) controls in structuring benthic communities. These processes may work at different spatial and temporal scales, and affect different taxa, making observation of potential interactive effects difficult.

Estimation of the dietary nutrient profile of free-roaming feral cats: possible implications for nutrition of domestic cats.

PubMed

Plantinga, Esther A; Bosch, Guido; Hendriks, Wouter H

2011-10-01

Cats are strict carnivores and in the wild rely on a diet solely based on animal tissues to meet their specific and unique nutritional requirements. Although the feeding ecology of cats in the wild has been well documented in the literature, there is no information on the precise nutrient profile to which the cat's metabolism has adapted. The present study aimed to derive the dietary nutrient profile of free-living cats. Studies reporting the feeding habits of cats in the wild were reviewed and data on the nutrient composition of the consumed prey items obtained from the literature. Fifty-five studies reported feeding strategy data of cats in the wild. After specific exclusion criteria, twenty-seven studies were used to derive thirty individual dietary nutrient profiles. The results show that feral cats are obligatory carnivores, with their daily energy intake from crude protein being 52 %, from crude fat 46 % and from N-free extract only 2 %. Minerals and trace elements are consumed in relatively high concentrations compared with recommended allowances determined using empirical methods. The calculated nutrient profile may be considered the nutrient intake to which the cat's metabolic system has adapted. The present study provides insight into the nutritive, as well as possible non-nutritive aspects of a natural diet of whole prey for cats and provides novel ways to further improve feline diets to increase health and longevity.

Nutrient chemotaxis suppression of a diffusive instability in bacterial colony dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arouh, Scott; Levine, Herbert

2000-07-01

Bacteria grown on a semisolid agar surface have been observed to form branching patterns as the colony envelope propagates outward. The fundamental cause of this instability relates to the need for limited nutrient to diffuse towards the colony. Here, we investigate the effect on this instability of allowing the bacteria to move chemotactically in response to the nutrient gradient. Our results show that this additional effect has a tendency to suppress the instability. Our calculations are done within the context of a simple ``cutoff'' model of colony dynamics, but presumably remain valid for more complex and hence more realistic approaches.

Constituents of the Rhizomes of Boesenbergia pandurata and Their Antiausterity Activities against the PANC-1 Human Pancreatic Cancer Line.

PubMed

Nguyen, Nhan Trung; Nguyen, Mai Thanh Thi; Nguyen, Hai Xuan; Dang, Phu Hoang; Dibwe, Dya Fita; Esumi, Hiroyasu; Awale, Suresh

2017-01-27

Human pancreatic cancer cell lines have a remarkable tolerance to nutrition starvation, which enables them to survive under a tumor microenvironment. The search for agents that preferentially inhibit the survival of cancer cells under low nutrient conditions represents a novel antiausterity strategy in anticancer drug discovery. In this investigation, a methanol extract of the rhizomes of Boesenbergia pandurata showed potent preferential cytotoxicity against PANC-1 human pancreatic cancer cells under nutrient-deprived conditions, with a PC 50 value of 6.6 μg/mL. Phytochemical investigation of this extract led to the isolation of 15 compounds, including eight new cyclohexene chalcones (1-8). The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by NMR spectroscopic data analysis. Among the isolated compounds obtained, isopanduratin A1 (14) and nicolaioidesin C (15) exhibited potent preferential cytotoxicity against PANC-1 human pancreatic cancer cells under nutrition-deprived conditions, with PC 50 values of 1.0 and 0.84 μM, respectively.

Nutrient fluxes at the landscape level and the R* rule

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ju, Shu; DeAngelis, Donald L.

2010-01-01

Nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems involves not only the vertical recycling of nutrients at specific locations in space, but also biologically driven horizontal fluxes between different areas of the landscape. This latter process can result in net accumulation of nutrients in some places and net losses in others. We examined the effects of such nutrient-concentrating fluxes on the R* rule, which predicts that the species that can survive in steady state at the lowest level of limiting resource, R*, can exclude all competing species. To study the R* rule in this context, we used a literature model of plant growth and nutrient cycling in which both nutrients and light may limit growth, with plants allocating carbon and nutrients between foliage and roots according to different strategies. We incorporated the assumption that biological processes may concentrate nutrients in some parts of the landscape. We assumed further that these processes draw nutrients from outside the zone of local recycling at a rate proportional to the local biomass density. Analysis showed that at sites where there is a sufficient biomass-dependent accumulation of nutrients, the plant species with the highest biomass production rates (roughly corresponding to the best competitors) do not reduce locally available nutrients to a minimum concentration level (that is, minimum R*), as expected from the R* rule, but instead maximize local nutrient concentration. These new results require broadening of our understanding of the relationships between nutrients and vegetation competition on the landscape level. The R* rule is replaced by a more complex criterion that varies across a landscape and reduces to the R* rule only under certain limiting conditions.

Context-dependent effects of nutrient loading on the coral-algal mutualism.

PubMed

Shantz, Andrew A; Burkepile, Deron E

2014-07-01

Human-mediated increases in nutrient availability alter patterns of primary production, impact species diversity, and threaten ecosystem function. Nutrients can also alter community structure by disrupting the relationships between nutrient-sharing mutualists that form the foundation of communities. Given their oligotrophic nature and the dependence of reef-building corals on symbiotic relationships, coral reefs may be particularly vulnerable to excess nutrients. However, individual studies suggest complex, even contradictory, relationships among nutrient availability, coral physiology, and coral growth. Here, we used meta-analysis to establish general patterns of the impact of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) on coral growth and photobiology. Overall, we found that over a wide range of concentrations, N reduced coral calcification 11%, on average, but enhanced metrics of coral photobiology, such as photosynthetic rate. In contrast, P enrichment increased average calcification rates by 9%, likely through direct impacts on the calcification process, but minimally impacted coral photobiology. There were few synergistic impacts of combined N and P on corals, as the nutrients impact corals via different pathways. Additionally, the response of corals to increasing nutrient availability was context dependent, varying with coral taxa and morphology, enrichment source, and nutrient identity. For example, naturally occurring enrichment from fish excretion increased coral growth, while human-mediated enrichment tended to decrease coral growth. Understanding the nuances of the relationship between nutrients and corals may allow for more targeted remediation strategies and suggest how other global change drivers such as overfishing and climate change will shape how nutrient availability impacts corals.

Arbuscular Mycorrhiza Stimulates Biological Nitrogen Fixation in Two Medicago spp. through Improved Phosphorus Acquisition

PubMed Central

Püschel, David; Janoušková, Martina; Voříšková, Alena; Gryndlerová, Hana; Vosátka, Miroslav; Jansa, Jan

2017-01-01

Legumes establish root symbioses with rhizobia that provide plants with nitrogen (N) through biological N fixation (BNF), as well as with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi that mediate improved plant phosphorus (P) uptake. Such complex relationships complicate our understanding of nutrient acquisition by legumes and how they reward their symbiotic partners with carbon along gradients of environmental conditions. In order to disentangle the interplay between BNF and AM symbioses in two Medicago species (Medicago truncatula and M. sativa) along a P-fertilization gradient, we conducted a pot experiment where the rhizobia-treated plants were either inoculated or not inoculated with AM fungus Rhizophagus irregularis ‘PH5’ and grown in two nutrient-poor substrates subjected to one of three different P-supply levels. Throughout the experiment, all plants were fertilized with 15N-enriched liquid N-fertilizer to allow for assessment of BNF efficiency in terms of the fraction of N in the plants derived from the BNF (%NBNF). We hypothesized (1) higher %NBNF coinciding with higher P supply, and (2) higher %NBNF in mycorrhizal as compared to non-mycorrhizal plants under P deficiency due to mycorrhiza-mediated improvement in P nutrition. We found a strongly positive correlation between total plant P content and %NBNF, clearly documenting the importance of plant P nutrition for BNF efficiency. The AM symbiosis generally improved P uptake by plants and considerably stimulated the efficiency of BNF under low P availability (below 10 mg kg-1 water extractable P). Under high P availability (above 10 mg kg-1 water extractable P), the AM symbiosis brought no further benefits to the plants with respect to P nutrition even as the effects of P availability on N acquisition via BNF were further modulated by the environmental context (plant and substrate combinations). As a response to elevated P availability in the substrate, the extent of root length colonization by AM fungi was reduced, the turning points occurring at about 8 and 10 mg kg-1 water extractable P for M. sativa and M. truncatula, respectively. Our results indicated competition for limited C resource between the two kinds of microsymbionts and thus degradation of AM symbiotic functioning under ample P supply. PMID:28396674

Advanced Effect of Moringa oleifera Bioconversion by Rhizopus oligosporus on the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis: Preliminary Study

PubMed Central

Hur, Sang-sun; Choi, Suk-won; Lee, Dong-ryul; Park, Jong-hwan

2018-01-01

This study was conducted to determine if topical application of Moringa oleifera extracts and its bioconversion product fermented by Rhizopus oligosporus has therapeutic properties enhancement for treatment of atopic dermatitis. Rhizopus oligosporus (KCCM 11232P) was used to ferment Moringa leaves' extracts in this study. Comparison of organic acids and flavonols in Moringa simple extracts and their fermented product by HPLC analysis revealed that concentration of organic acids and flavonols of bioconversion product was lower than that of hot water extracts. The fermentation process is used as a nutrient for isolation of each component by microorganisms and growth of microorganisms. The results demonstrated that MF extracts effectively reduced clinical features based on macrography, scratching count, and severity scores, as well as model's serum IgE level, including histopathological analyses. PMID:29576799

Microbial community structures in high rate algae ponds for bioconversion of agricultural wastes from livestock industry for feed production.

PubMed

Mark Ibekwe, A; Murinda, Shelton E; Murry, Marcia A; Schwartz, Gregory; Lundquist, Trygve

2017-02-15

Dynamics of seasonal microbial community compositions in algae cultivation ponds are complex. However, there is very limited knowledge on bacterial communities that may play significant roles with algae in the bioconversion of manure nutrients to animal feed. In this study, water samples were collected during winter, spring, summer, and fall from the dairy lagoon effluent (DLE), high rate algae ponds (HRAP) that were fed with diluted DLE, and municipal waste water treatment plant (WWTP) effluent which was included as a comparison system for the analysis of total bacteria, Cyanobacteria, and microalgae communities using MiSeq Illumina sequencing targeting the 16S V4 rDNA region. The main objective was to examine dynamics in microbial community composition in the HRAP used for the production of algal biomass. DNA was extracted from the different sample types using three commercially available DNA extraction kits; MoBio Power water extraction kit, Zymo fungi/bacterial extraction kit, and MP Biomedicals FastDNA SPIN Kit. Permutational analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) using distance matrices on each variable showed significant differences (P=0.001) in beta-diversity based on sample source. Environmental variables such as hydraulic retention time (HRT; P<0.031), total N (P<0.002), total inorganic N (P<0.002), total P (P<0.002), alkalinity (P<0.002), pH (P<0.022), total suspended solid (TSS; P<0.003), and volatile suspended solids (VSS; P<0.002) significantly affected microbial communities in DLE, HRAP, and WWTP. Of the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) identified to phyla level, the dominant classes of bacteria identified were: Cyanobacteria, Alpha-, Beta-, Gamma-, Epsilon-, and Delta-proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Planctomycetes. Our data suggest that microbial communities were significantly affected in HRAP by different environmental variables, and care must be taken in extraction procedures when evaluating specific groups of microbial communities for specific functions. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Disentangling Early Stone Age palimpsests: determining the functional independence of hominid- and carnivore-derived portions of archaeofaunas.

PubMed

Egeland, Charles P; Pickering, Travis Rayne; Domínguez-Rodrigo, Manuel; Brain, C K

2004-11-01

Determining the extent to which hominid- and carnivore-derived components of fossil bone palimpsests formed independently of each other can provide valuable information to paleoanthropologists interested in reconstructing the foraging adaptations of hominids. Because stone tool cutmarks, hammerstone percussion marks, and carnivore tooth marks are usually only imparted on bone during nutrient extraction from a carcass, these bone surface modifications are particularly amenable to the types of analyses that might meet this goal. This study compares the percentage of limb bone specimens that preserve evidence of both hominid- and carnivore-imparted bone damage from actualistic control samples and several Plio-Pleistocene archaeofaunas, including new data from Swartkrans Member 3 (South Africa). We argue that this procedure, which elucidates the degree of hominid-carnivore independence in assemblage formation, will allow researchers to extract for focused analyses high integrity components (hominid and carnivore) from presumably low integrity sites. Comparisons suggest that the hominid- and carnivore-derived components from sites in Olduvai Gorge Bed II (Tanzania), the ST Site Complex at Peninj (Tanzania), and Swartkrans Member 3 formed largely independent of each other, while data from the FLK 22 Zinjanthropus (FLK Zinj) site (Olduvai Gorge Bed I) indicate significant interdependence in assemblage formation. This contrast suggests that some Early Stone Age assemblages (e.g., the Olduvai Gorge Bed II sites, the Peninj ST Site Complex, and Swartkrans Member 3) are probably more useful than others (e.g., FLK Zinj) for assessing the maximal carcass-acquiring abilities of early hominids; in such assemblages as those in the former set, sole hominid-contribution is more confidently discerned and isolated for analysis than in assemblages such as FLK Zinj.

Extraction Behaviors of Heavy Rare Earths with Organophosphoric Extractants: The Contribution of Extractant Dimer Dissociation, Acid Ionization, and Complexation. A Quantum Chemistry Study.

PubMed

Jing, Yu; Chen, Ji; Chen, Li; Su, Wenrou; Liu, Yu; Li, Deqian

2017-03-30

Heavy rare earths (HREs), namely Ho 3+ , Er 3+ , Tm 3+ , Yb 3+ and Lu 3+ , are rarer and more exceptional than light rare earths, due to the stronger extraction capacity for 100 000 extractions. Therefore, their incomplete stripping and high acidity of stripping become problems for HRE separation by organophosphoric extractants. However, the theories of extractant structure-performance relationship and molecular design method of novel HRE extractants are still not perfect. Beyond the coordination chemistry of the HRE-extracted complex, the extractant dimer dissociation, acid ionization, and complexation behaviors can be crucial to HRE extraction and reactivity of ionic species for understanding and further improving the extraction performance. To address the above issues, three primary fundamental processes, including extractant dimer dissociation, acid ionization, and HRE complexation, were identified and investigated systematically. The intrinsic extraction performances of HRE cations with four acidic organophosphoric extractants (P507, P204, P227 and Cyanex 272) were studied by using relativistic energy-consistent 4f core pseudopotentials, combined with density functional theory and a solvation model. Four acidic organophosphoric extractants have been qualified quantitatively from microscopic structures to chemical properties. It has been found that the Gibbs free energy changes of the overall extraction process (sequence: P204 > P227 > P507 > Cyanex 272) and their differences as a function of HREs (sequence: Ho/Er > Er/Tm > Tm/Yb > Yb/Lu) are in good agreement with the experimental maximum extraction capacities and separation factors. These results could provide an important approach to evaluate HRE extractants by the comprehensive consideration of dimer dissociation, acid ionization, and complexation processes. This paper also demonstrates the importance of the P-O bond, the P-C bond, isomer substituent, and solvation effects on the structure-performance relationship that can be used to guide molecular designs of HRE extraction in future.

Effect of L-carnitine supplementation on growth performance, nutrient utilization, and nitrogen balance of broilers fed with animal fat.

PubMed

Murali, P; George, S K; Ally, K; Dipu, M T

2015-04-01

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of L-carnitine supplementation on growth performance, nutrient utilization and nitrogen balance in broilers fed with animal fat. 80 day-old Cobb commercial broiler chicks were randomly assigned into two dietary treatment groups with four replicates of ten chicks each. The diets were isonitrogenous and isocaloric. The birds in both the control (T1) and treatment group (T2) were fed with a diet having 5% animal fat, while the treatment group (T2) was supplemented with 900 mg of L-carnitine. The birds were fed with standard broiler starter ration up to 4 weeks of age and finisher ration up to 6 weeks of age. The average body weight (g), cumulative feed intake (g) and cumulative feed conversion ratio belonging to groups T1 and T2 at 6(th) week of age were 2091.25 and 2151.11, 3976.49 and 4171.68, 1.97 and 1.96 respectively. The percentage availability of the nutrients of two experimental rations T1 and T2 was 68.23 and 68.00 for dry matter, 58.72 and 55.98 for crude protein, 73.85 and 71.35 for ether extract, 34.19 and 33.86 for crude fiber, 79.18 and 79.59 for nitrogen free extract, 70.24 and 70.03 for energy efficiency and nitrogen balance (g/day) were 2.35 and 2.39, respectively. This study suggests that the supplementation of 900 mg L-carnitine in diet with added animal fat had no effect on growth performance, nutrient utilization, and nitrogen balance of broilers.

Effects of blend of canola oil and palm oil on nutrient intake and digestibility, growth performance, rumen fermentation and fatty acids in goats.

PubMed

Adeyemi, Kazeem Dauda; Sazili, Awis Qurni; Ebrahimi, Mahdi; Samsudin, Anjas Asmara; Alimon, Abd Rasak; Karim, Roselina; Karsani, Saiful Anuar; Sabow, Azad Behnan

2016-09-01

The study examined the effects of blend of 80% canola oil and 20% palm oil (BCPO) on nutrient intake and digestibility, growth performance, rumen fermentation and fatty acids (FA) in goats. Twenty-four Boer bucks were randomly assigned to diets containing 0, 4 and 8% BCPO on a dry matter basis, fed for 100 days and slaughtered. Diet did not affect feed efficiency, growth performance, intake and digestibility of all nutrients except ether extract. Intakes and digestibilities of ether extract, unsaturated fatty acids (FA) and total FA were higher (P < 0.05) while digestibility of C18:0 was lower (P < 0.05) in oil-fed goats than the control goats. Total volatile FA, acetate, butyrate, acetate/propionate ratio and methane decreased (P < 0.05) with increasing BCPO but propionate, NH3 -N and rumen pH did not differ between diets. Ruminal concentration of C18:0, n-3 FA and total FA increased (P < 0.05) while C12:0, C14:0, C15:0 and n-6 FA decreased with increasing BCPO. Analysis of the FA composition of Triceps brachii muscle showed that concentrations of C16:0, C14:0 and C18:2n-6 were lower (P < 0.05) while C18:1n-9, C18:3n-3 and C20:5n-3 were higher in oil-fed goats compared with control goats. Dietary BCPO altered muscle lipids without having detrimental effects on nutrient intake and digestibility and growth performance in goats. © 2015 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Impact of 100% Fruit Juice Consumption on Diet and Weight Status of Children: An Evidence-based Review.

PubMed

Crowe-White, Kristi; O'Neil, Carol E; Parrott, J Scott; Benson-Davies, Sue; Droke, Elizabeth; Gutschall, Melissa; Stote, Kim S; Wolfram, Taylor; Ziegler, Paula

2016-01-01

Consumption of 100% fruit juice remains controversial for its potential adverse impact on weight and displacement of essential foods in the diets of children. A systematic review of the literature published from 1995-2013 was conducted using the PubMed database to evaluate associations between intake of 100% fruit juice and weight/adiposity and nutrient intake/adequacy among children of 1 to 18 years of age. Weight status outcome measures included body mass index (BMI), BMI z-score, ponderal index, obesity, weight gain, adiposity measures, and body composition. Nutrient outcome measures included intake and adequacy of shortfall nutrients. Data extraction and analysis was conducted according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Evidence Analysis Process. Twenty-two studies on weight status provided evidence that did not support an association between 100% fruit juice consumption and weight/adiposity in children after controlling for energy intake. Limited evidence from eight studies suggests that children consuming 100% fruit juice have higher intake and adequacy of dietary fiber, vitamin C, magnesium, and potassium. Differences in methodology and study designs preclude causal determination of 100% fruit juice as sole influencer of weight status or nutrient intake/adequacy of shortfall nutrients. In context of a healthy dietary pattern, evidence suggests that consumption of 100% fruit juice may provide beneficial nutrients without contributing to pediatric obesity.

Effects of Prey Macronutrient Content on Body Composition and Nutrient Intake in a Web-Building Spider

PubMed Central

Hawley, Jesse; Simpson, Stephen J.; Wilder, Shawn M.

2014-01-01

The nutritional composition of diets can vary widely in nature and have large effects on the growth, reproduction and survival of animals. Many animals, especially herbivores, will tightly regulate the nutritional composition of their body, which has been referred to as nutritional homeostasis. We tested how experimental manipulation of the lipid and protein content of live prey affected the nutrient reserves and subsequent diet regulation of web-building spiders, Argiope keyserlingi. Live locusts were injected with experimental solutions containing specific amounts of lipid and protein and then fed to spiders. The nutrient composition of the spiders' bodies was directly related to the nutrient composition of the prey on which they fed. We then conducted an experiment where spiders were fed either high lipid or high protein prey and subsequently provided with two large unmanipulated locusts. Prior diet did not affect the amount or ratio of lipid and protein ingested by spiders when feeding on unmanipulated prey. Argiope keyserlingi were flexible in the storage of lipid and protein in their bodies and did not bias their extraction of nutrients from prey to compensate for previously biased diets. Some carnivores, especially those that experience frequent food limitation, may be less likely to strictly regulate their body composition than herbivores because food limitation may encourage opportunistic ingestion and assimilation of nutrients. PMID:24911958

mTor Regulates Lysosomal ATP-sensitive Two-Pore Na+ Channel to Adapt to Metabolic State

PubMed Central

Navarro, Betsy; Seo, Young-jun; Aranda, Kimberly; Shi, Lucy; Battaglia-Hsu, Shyuefang; Nissim, Itzhak; Clapham, David E.; Ren, Dejian

2014-01-01

SUMMARY Survival in the wild requires organismal adaptations to the availability of nutrients. Endosomes and lysosomes are key intracellular organelles that couple nutrition and metabolic status to cellular responses, but how they detect cytosolic ATP levels is not well understood. Here we identify an endolysosomal ATP-sensitive Na+ channel (lysoNaATP). The channel is a complex formed by Two-Pore Channels (TPC1 and TPC2), ion channels previously thought to be gated by nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP), and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). The channel complex detects nutrient status, becomes constitutively open upon nutrient removal and mTOR translocation off the lysosomal membrane, and controls the lysosome's membrane potential, pH stability, and the amino acid homeostasis. Mutant mice lacking lysoNaATP have much reduced exercise endurance after fasting. Thus, TPCs are a new ion channel family that couple the cell's metabolic state to endolysosomal function and are crucial for physical endurance during food restriction. PMID:23394946

Drug-nutrient interactions in enteral feeding: a primary care focus.

PubMed

Varella, L; Jones, E; Meguid, M M

1997-06-01

Drug and nutrient interactions are complex and can take many forms, including malabsorption of either the drug or the nutrient component. Some drugs can stimulate or suppress appetite, whereas others can cause nausea and vomiting resulting in inadequate nutritional intake. Absorption of drugs is a complex process that can be affected by the physical characteristics of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) as well. Depending on the physical properties of a drug, it may be absorbed in a limited area of the GIT or more diffusely along much of the entire length. Many diseases and conditions are also known to affect the GIT either directly or indirectly. Dietary factors also need to be considered when the "food" is an enteral formula. The widespread use of enteral tubes requires that consideration be given to patients receiving both enteral feedings and medication concurrently. The location of a tube in the gastrointestinal tract, as well as the problems involved in crushing and administering solid dosage forms, creates a unique set of problems.

Cheating on the mutualistic contract: nutritional gain through seed predation in the frugivorous bat Chiroderma villosum (Phyllostomidae).

PubMed

Wagner, Insa; Ganzhorn, Jörg U; Kalko, Elisabeth K V; Tschapka, Marco

2015-04-01

Most frugivorous bats are efficient seed dispersers, as they typically do not damage seeds and transport them over long distances. In contrast, bats of the phyllostomid genus Chiroderma cheat fig trees by acting more as seed predators than as seed dispersers. The bats initially separate seeds from fruit pulp in the mouth. After extracting the juice from the fruit pulp, they thoroughly chew the seeds and spit out small seed fragments in a pellet. Consequently, the faeces contain almost no viable seeds. We compared the nutrient content of intact fig seeds with ejecta and faecal samples from both Chiroderma villosum and the 'conventional' frugivorous bat Artibeus watsoni. We show that C. villosum can extract nutrients from the seeds, especially protein and fat. The processing time of figs showed no significant difference between the two bat species. Food-choice experiments showed that C. villosum preferred fig species with more seeds over those with fewer seeds. This preference, in combination with the specialized seed-chewing behaviour, leads to an increased nutrient intake per fig. This unique strategy enables C. villosum to satisfy its nutritional requirements with a lower number of figs than other species, which decreases the amount of energy necessary for foraging flights as well as the predation risk during foraging. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Element Pool Changes within a Scrub-Oak Ecosystem after 11 Years of Exposure to Elevated CO2

PubMed Central

Duval, Benjamin D.; Dijkstra, Paul; Drake, Bert G.; Johnson, Dale W.; Ketterer, Michael E.; Megonigal, J. Patrick; Hungate, Bruce A.

2013-01-01

The effects of elevated CO2 on ecosystem element stocks are equivocal, in part because cumulative effects of CO2 on element pools are difficult to detect. We conducted a complete above and belowground inventory of non-nitrogen macro- and micronutrient stocks in a subtropical woodland exposed to twice-ambient CO2 concentrations for 11 years. We analyzed a suite of nutrient elements and metals important for nutrient cycling in soils to a depth of ∼2 m, in leaves and stems of the dominant oaks, in fine and coarse roots, and in litter. In conjunction with large biomass stimulation, elevated CO2 increased oak stem stocks of Na, Mg, P, K, V, Zn and Mo, and the aboveground pool of K and S. Elevated CO2 increased root pools of most elements, except Zn. CO2-stimulation of plant Ca was larger than the decline in the extractable Ca pool in soils, whereas for other elements, increased plant uptake matched the decline in the extractable pool in soil. We conclude that elevated CO2 caused a net transfer of a subset of nutrients from soil to plants, suggesting that ecosystems with a positive plant growth response under high CO2 will likely cause mobilization of elements from soil pools to plant biomass. PMID:23717607

Sex-specific interactions of microbial symbioses on cricket dietary selection

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The nutrients found in prey and non-prey foods, and relative digestibility of these foods, has a major influence on diet selection by omnivorous insects. Many insects have developed symbiotic relationships with gut bacteria to help with extracting nutrition from non-prey diets. Gryllus pennsylvanicu...

A comparison of processed and fresh squeezed ‘Hamlin’ orange juice - nutrients and phytonutrients

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

‘Hamlin’ orange juices were extracted using one of following methods: 1) freshly squeezed with a commercial food service squeezer (fresh), 2) freshly squeezed + pasteurized (fresh/pasteurized), and 3) processed with industrial extractor and pasteurized (processed). Samples were taken directly after ...

Recovering the dynamics of root growth and development using novel image acquisition and analysis methods

PubMed Central

Wells, Darren M.; French, Andrew P.; Naeem, Asad; Ishaq, Omer; Traini, Richard; Hijazi, Hussein; Bennett, Malcolm J.; Pridmore, Tony P.

2012-01-01

Roots are highly responsive to environmental signals encountered in the rhizosphere, such as nutrients, mechanical resistance and gravity. As a result, root growth and development is very plastic. If this complex and vital process is to be understood, methods and tools are required to capture the dynamics of root responses. Tools are needed which are high-throughput, supporting large-scale experimental work, and provide accurate, high-resolution, quantitative data. We describe and demonstrate the efficacy of the high-throughput and high-resolution root imaging systems recently developed within the Centre for Plant Integrative Biology (CPIB). This toolset includes (i) robotic imaging hardware to generate time-lapse datasets from standard cameras under infrared illumination and (ii) automated image analysis methods and software to extract quantitative information about root growth and development both from these images and via high-resolution light microscopy. These methods are demonstrated using data gathered during an experimental study of the gravitropic response of Arabidopsis thaliana. PMID:22527394

Recovering the dynamics of root growth and development using novel image acquisition and analysis methods.

PubMed

Wells, Darren M; French, Andrew P; Naeem, Asad; Ishaq, Omer; Traini, Richard; Hijazi, Hussein I; Hijazi, Hussein; Bennett, Malcolm J; Pridmore, Tony P

2012-06-05

Roots are highly responsive to environmental signals encountered in the rhizosphere, such as nutrients, mechanical resistance and gravity. As a result, root growth and development is very plastic. If this complex and vital process is to be understood, methods and tools are required to capture the dynamics of root responses. Tools are needed which are high-throughput, supporting large-scale experimental work, and provide accurate, high-resolution, quantitative data. We describe and demonstrate the efficacy of the high-throughput and high-resolution root imaging systems recently developed within the Centre for Plant Integrative Biology (CPIB). This toolset includes (i) robotic imaging hardware to generate time-lapse datasets from standard cameras under infrared illumination and (ii) automated image analysis methods and software to extract quantitative information about root growth and development both from these images and via high-resolution light microscopy. These methods are demonstrated using data gathered during an experimental study of the gravitropic response of Arabidopsis thaliana.

Effects of upland disturbance and instream restoration on hydrodynamics and ammonium uptake in headwater streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roberts, B.J.; Mulholland, P.J.; Houser, J.N.

2007-01-01

Delivery of water, sediments, nutrients, and organic matter to stream ecosystems is strongly influenced by the catchment of the stream and can be altered greatly by upland soil and vegetation disturbance. At the Fort Benning Military Installation (near Columbus, Georgia), spatial variability in intensity of military training results in a wide range of intensities of upland disturbance in stream catchments. A set of 8 streams in catchments spanning this upland disturbance gradient was selected for investigation of the impact of disturbance intensity on hydrodynamics and nutrient uptake. The size of transient storage zones and rates of NH4+ uptake in all study streams were among the lowest reported in the literature. Upland disturbance did not appear to influence stream hydrodynamics strongly, but it caused significant decreases in instream nutrient uptake. In October 2003, coarse woody debris (CWD) was added to 1/2 of the study streams (spanning the disturbance gradient) in an attempt to increase hydrodynamic and structural complexity, with the goals of enhancing biotic habitat and increasing nutrient uptake rates. CWD additions had positive short-term (within 1 mo) effects on hydrodynamic complexity (water velocity decreased and transient storage zone cross-sectional area, relative size of the transient storage zone, fraction of the median travel time attributable to transient storage over a standardized length of 200 m, and the hydraulic retention factor increased) and nutrient uptake (NH4+ uptake rates increased). Our results suggest that water quality in streams with intense upland disturbances can be improved by enhancing instream biotic nutrient uptake capacity through measures such as restoring stream CWD. ?? 2007 by The North American Benthological Society.

Effects of internal phosphorus loadings and food-web structure on the recovery of a deep lake from eutrophication

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lepori, Fabio; Roberts, James J.

2017-01-01

We used monitoring data from Lake Lugano (Switzerland and Italy) to assess key ecosystem responses to three decades of nutrient management (1983–2014). We investigated whether reductions in external phosphorus loadings (Lext) caused declines in lake phosphorus concentrations (P) and phytoplankton biomass (Chl a), as assumed by the predictive models that underpinned the management plan. Additionally, we examined the hypothesis that deep lakes respond quickly to Lext reductions. During the study period, nutrient management reduced Lext by approximately a half. However, the effects of such reduction on P and Chl a were complex. Far from the scenarios predicted by classic nutrient-management approaches, the responses of P and Chl a did not only reflect changes in Lext, but also variation in internal P loadings (Lint) and food-web structure. In turn, Lint varied depending on basin morphometry and climatic effects, whereas food-web structure varied due to apparently stochastic events of colonization and near-extinction of key species. Our results highlight the complexity of the trajectory of deep-lake ecosystems undergoing nutrient management. From an applied standpoint, they also suggest that [i] the recovery of warm monomictic lakes may be slower than expected due to the development of Lint, and that [ii] classic P and Chl a models based on Lext may be useful in nutrient management programs only if their predictions are used as starting points within adaptive frameworks.

An In Vitro TORC1 Kinase Assay That Recapitulates the Gtr-Independent Glutamine-Responsive TORC1 Activation Mechanism on Yeast Vacuoles

PubMed Central

Tanigawa, Mirai

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Evolutionarily conserved target of rapamycin (TOR) complex 1 (TORC1) responds to nutrients, especially amino acids, to promote cell growth. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, various nitrogen sources activate TORC1 with different efficiencies, although the mechanism remains elusive. Leucine, and perhaps other amino acids, was reported to activate TORC1 via the heterodimeric small GTPases Gtr1-Gtr2, the orthologues of the mammalian Rag GTPases. More recently, an alternative Gtr-independent TORC1 activation mechanism that may respond to glutamine was reported, although its molecular mechanism is not clear. In studying the nutrient-responsive TORC1 activation mechanism, the lack of an in vitro assay hinders associating particular nutrient compounds with the TORC1 activation status, whereas no in vitro assay that shows nutrient responsiveness has been reported. In this study, we have developed a new in vitro TORC1 kinase assay that reproduces, for the first time, the nutrient-responsive TORC1 activation. This in vitro TORC1 assay recapitulates the previously predicted Gtr-independent glutamine-responsive TORC1 activation mechanism. Using this system, we found that this mechanism specifically responds to l-glutamine, resides on the vacuolar membranes, and involves a previously uncharacterized Vps34-Vps15 phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase complex and the PI-3-phosphate [PI(3)P]-binding FYVE domain-containing vacuolar protein Pib2. Thus, this system was proved to be useful for dissecting the glutamine-responsive TORC1 activation mechanism. PMID:28483912

Wetland management reduces sediment and nutrient loading to the upper Mississippi River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kreiling, Rebecca M.; Schubauer-Berigan, Joseph P.; Richardson, William B.; Bartsch, Lynn; Hughes, Peter E.; Strauss, Eric A.

2013-01-01

Restored riparian wetlands in the Upper Mississippi River basin have potential to remove sediment and nutrients from tributaries before they flow into the Mississippi River. For 3 yr we calculated retention efficiencies of a marsh complex, which consisted of a restored marsh and an adjacent natural marsh that were connected to Halfway Creek, a small tributary of the Mississippi. We measured sediment, N, and P removal through a mass balance budget approach, N removal through denitrification, and N and P removal through mechanical soil excavation. The marsh complex had average retention rates of approximately 30 Mg sediment ha−1 yr−1, 26 kg total N ha−1 yr−1, and 20 kg total P ha−1 yr−1. Water flowed into the restored marsh only during high-discharge events. Although the majority of retention occurred in the natural marsh, portions of the natural marsh were hydrologically disconnected at low discharge due to historical over-bank sedimentation. The natural marsh removed >60% of sediment, >10% of P, and >5% of N loads (except the first year, when it was a N source). The marsh complex was a source of NH4+ and soluble reactive P. The average denitrification rate for the marsh complex was 2.88 mg N m−2 h−1. Soil excavation removed 3600 Mg of sediment, 5.6 Mg of N, and 2.7 Mg of P from the restored marsh. The marsh complex was effective in removing sediment and nutrients from storm flows; however, retention could be increased if more water was diverted into both restored and natural marshes before entering the river.

User's Guide for the Agricultural Non-Point Source (AGNPS) Pollution Model Data Generator

USGS Publications Warehouse

Finn, Michael P.; Scheidt, Douglas J.; Jaromack, Gregory M.

2003-01-01

BACKGROUND Throughout this user guide, we refer to datasets that we used in conjunction with developing of this software for supporting cartographic research and producing the datasets to conduct research. However, this software can be used with these datasets or with more 'generic' versions of data of the appropriate type. For example, throughout the guide, we refer to national land cover data (NLCD) and digital elevation model (DEM) data from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at a 30-m resolution, but any digital terrain model or land cover data at any appropriate resolution will produce results. Another key point to keep in mind is to use a consistent data resolution for all the datasets per model run. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) developed the Agricultural Nonpoint Source (AGNPS) pollution model of watershed hydrology in response to the complex problem of managing nonpoint sources of pollution. AGNPS simulates the behavior of runoff, sediment, and nutrient transport from watersheds that have agriculture as their prime use. The model operates on a cell basis and is a distributed parameter, event-based model. The model requires 22 input parameters. Output parameters are grouped primarily by hydrology, sediment, and chemical output (Young and others, 1995.) Elevation, land cover, and soil are the base data from which to extract the 22 input parameters required by the AGNPS. For automatic parameter extraction, follow the general process described in this guide of extraction from the geospatial data through the AGNPS Data Generator to generate input parameters required by the pollution model (Finn and others, 2002.)

Source and Cycling of Trace Metals and Nutrients in a Microbial Coalbed Methane System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Earll, M. M.; Barnhart, E. P.; Ritter, D.; Vinson, D. S.; Orem, W. H.; Vengosh, A.; McIntosh, J. C.

2015-12-01

The source and cycling of trace metals and nutrients in coalbed methane (CBM) systems are controlled by both geochemical processes, such as dissolution or precipitation, and biological mediation by microbial communities. CBM production by the microbes is influenced by trace metals and macronutrients such as nitrogen (N) and phosphate (P). Previous studies have shown the importance of these nutrients to both enhance and inhibit methane production; however, it's not clear whether they are sourced from coal via in-situ biodegradation of organic matter or transported into the seams with groundwater recharge. To address this knowledge gap, trace metal and nutrient geochemistry and the organic content of solid coal and associated groundwater will be investigated across a hydrologic gradient in CBM wells in the Powder River Basin, MT. Sequential dissolution experiments (chemical extraction of organic and inorganic constituents) using 8 core samples of coal and sandstone will provide insight into the presence of trace metals and nutrients in coalbeds, the associated minerals present, and their mobilization. If significant concentrations of N, P, and trace metals are present in core samples, in-situ sourcing of nutrients by microbes is highly probable. The biogeochemical evolution of groundwater, as it relates to trace metal and nutrient cycling by microbial consortia, will be investigated by targeting core-associated coal seams from shallow wells in recharge areas to depths of at least 165 m and across a 28 m vertical profile that include overburden, coal, and underburden. If microbial-limiting trace metals and nutrients are transported into coal seams with groundwater recharge, we would expect to see higher concentrations of trace metals and nutrients in recharge areas compared to deeper coalbeds. The results of this study will provide novel understanding of where trace metals and nutrients are sourced and how they are cycled in CBM systems.

Advances in the understanding of nutrient dynamics and management in UK agriculture.

PubMed

Dungait, Jennifer A J; Cardenas, Laura M; Blackwell, Martin S A; Wu, Lianhai; Withers, Paul J A; Chadwick, David R; Bol, Roland; Murray, Philip J; Macdonald, Andrew J; Whitmore, Andrew P; Goulding, Keith W T

2012-09-15

Current research on macronutrient cycling in UK agricultural systems aims to optimise soil and nutrient management for improved agricultural production and minimise effects on the environment and provision of ecosystem services. Nutrient use inefficiencies can cause environmental pollution through the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and of soluble and particulate forms of N, P and carbon (C) in leachate and run-off into watercourses. Improving nutrient use efficiencies in agriculture calls for the development of sustainable nutrient management strategies: more efficient use of mineral fertilisers, increased recovery and recycling of waste nutrients, and, better exploitation of the substantial inorganic and organic reserves of nutrients in the soil. Long-term field experimentation in the UK has provided key knowledge of the main nutrient transformations in agricultural soils. Emerging analytical technologies, especially stable isotope labelling, that better characterise macronutrient forms and bioavailability and improve the quantification of the complex relationships between the macronutrients in soils at the molecular scale, are augmenting this knowledge by revealing the underlying processes. The challenge for the future is to determine the relationships between the dynamics of N, P and C across scales, which will require both new modelling approaches and integrated approaches to macronutrient cycling. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Socioeconomic Indicators Are Independently Associated with Nutrient Intake in French Adults: A DEDIPAC Study

PubMed Central

Si Hassen, Wendy; Castetbon, Katia; Cardon, Philippe; Enaux, Christophe; Nicolaou, Mary; Lien, Nanna; Terragni, Laura; Holdsworth, Michelle; Stronks, Karien; Hercberg, Serge; Méjean, Caroline

2016-01-01

Studies have suggested differential associations of specific indicators of socioeconomic position (SEP) with nutrient intake and a cumulative effect of these indicators on diet. We investigated the independent association of SEP indicators (education, income, occupation) with nutrient intake and their effect modification. This cross-sectional analysis included 91,900 French adults from the NutriNet-Santé cohort. Nutrient intake was estimated using three 24-h records. We investigated associations between the three SEP factors and nutrient intake using sex-stratified analysis of covariance, adjusted for age and energy intake, and associations between income and nutrient intake stratified by education and occupation. Low educated participants had higher protein and cholesterol intakes and lower fibre, vitamin C and beta-carotene intakes. Low income individuals had higher complex carbohydrate intakes, and lower magnesium, potassium, folate and vitamin C intakes. Intakes of vitamin D and alcohol were lower in low occupation individuals. Higher income was associated with higher intakes of fibre, protein, magnesium, potassium, beta-carotene, and folate among low educated persons only, highlighting effect modification. Lower SEP, particularly low education, was associated with lower intakes of nutrients required for a healthy diet. Each SEP indicator was associated with specific differences in nutrient intake suggesting that they underpin different social processes. PMID:26978393

Socioeconomic Indicators Are Independently Associated with Nutrient Intake in French Adults: A DEDIPAC Study.

PubMed

Si Hassen, Wendy; Castetbon, Katia; Cardon, Philippe; Enaux, Christophe; Nicolaou, Mary; Lien, Nanna; Terragni, Laura; Holdsworth, Michelle; Stronks, Karien; Hercberg, Serge; Méjean, Caroline

2016-03-10

Studies have suggested differential associations of specific indicators of socioeconomic position (SEP) with nutrient intake and a cumulative effect of these indicators on diet. We investigated the independent association of SEP indicators (education, income, occupation) with nutrient intake and their effect modification. This cross-sectional analysis included 91,900 French adults from the NutriNet-Santé cohort. Nutrient intake was estimated using three 24-h records. We investigated associations between the three SEP factors and nutrient intake using sex-stratified analysis of covariance, adjusted for age and energy intake, and associations between income and nutrient intake stratified by education and occupation. Low educated participants had higher protein and cholesterol intakes and lower fibre, vitamin C and beta-carotene intakes. Low income individuals had higher complex carbohydrate intakes, and lower magnesium, potassium, folate and vitamin C intakes. Intakes of vitamin D and alcohol were lower in low occupation individuals. Higher income was associated with higher intakes of fibre, protein, magnesium, potassium, beta-carotene, and folate among low educated persons only, highlighting effect modification. Lower SEP, particularly low education, was associated with lower intakes of nutrients required for a healthy diet. Each SEP indicator was associated with specific differences in nutrient intake suggesting that they underpin different social processes.

Nitrogen and phosphorus in the Upper Mississippi River: Transport, processing, and effects on the river ecosystem

USGS Publications Warehouse

Houser, J.N.; Richardson, W.B.

2010-01-01

Existing research on nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) in the Upper Mississippi River (UMR) can be organized into the following categories: (1) Long-term changes in nutrient concentrations and export, and their causes; (2) Nutrient cycling within the river; (3) Spatial and temporal patterns of river nutrient concentrations; (4) Effects of elevated nutrient concentrations on the river; and (5) Actions to reduce river nutrient concentrations and flux. Nutrient concentration and flux in the Mississippi River have increased substantially over the last century because of changes in land use, climate, hydrology, and river management and engineering. As in other large floodplain rivers, rates of processes that cycle nitrogen and phosphorus in the UMR exhibit pronounced spatial and temporal heterogeneity because of the complex morphology of the river. This spatial variability in nutrient processing creates clear spatial patterns in nutrient concentrations. For example, nitrate concentrations generally are much lower in off-channel areas than in the main channel. The specifics of in-river nutrient cycling and the effects of high rates of nutrient input on UMR have been less studied than the factors affecting nutrient input to the river and transport to the Gulf of Mexico, and important questions concerning nutrient cycling in the UMR remain. Eutrophication and resulting changes in river productivity have only recently been investigated the UMR. These recent studies indicate that the high nutrient concentrations in the river may affect community composition of aquatic vegetation (e. g., the abundance of filamentous algae and duckweeds), dissolved oxygen concentrations in off-channel areas, and the abundance of cyanobacteria. Actions to reduce nutrient input to the river include changes in land-use practices, wetland restoration, and hydrological modifications to the river. Evidence suggests that most of the above methods can contribute to reducing nutrient concentration in, and transport by, the UMR, but the impacts of mitigation efforts will likely be only slowly realized. ?? USGS, US Government 2010.

Association of arsenic with nutrient elements in rice plants.

PubMed

Duan, Guilan; Liu, Wenju; Chen, Xueping; Hu, Ying; Zhu, Yongguan

2013-06-01

Rice is the main cereal crop that feeds half of the world's population, and two thirds of the Chinese population. Arsenic (As) contamination in paddy soil and irrigation water elevates As concentration in rice grains, thus rice consumption is an important As intake route for populations in south and south-east Asia, where rice is the staple food. In addition to direct toxicity of As to human, As may limit the accumulation of micro-nutrients in rice grains, such as selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn). These micro-nutrients are essential for humans, while mineral deficiencies, especially iron (Fe) and Zn, are prevalent in China. Therefore, it is important to understand the interactions between As and micro-nutrients in rice plants, which is the principal source of these nutrients for people on rice diets. In addition, during the processes of As uptake, translocation and transformation, the status of macro-nutrients (e.g. silicon (Si), phosphors (P), sulfur (S)) are important factors affecting As dynamics in soil-plant systems and As accumulation in rice grains. Recently, synchrotron-based spectroscopic techniques have been applied to map the distribution of As and nutrient elements in rice plants, which will aid to understand how As are accumulated, complexed and transported within plants. This paper reviews the interactions between As and macro-nutrients, as well as micro-nutrients in rice plants.

Chlorophyll fluorescence as a tool for nutrient status identification in rapeseed plants.

PubMed

Kalaji, Hazem M; Bąba, Wojciech; Gediga, Krzysztof; Goltsev, Vasilij; Samborska, Izabela A; Cetner, Magdalena D; Dimitrova, Stella; Piszcz, Urszula; Bielecki, Krzysztof; Karmowska, Kamila; Dankov, Kolyo; Kompała-Bąba, Agnieszka

2018-06-01

In natural conditions, plants growth and development depends on environmental conditions, including the availability of micro- and macroelements in the soil. Nutrient status should thus be examined not by establishing the effects of single nutrient deficiencies on the physiological state of the plant but by combinations of them. Differences in the nutrient content significantly affect the photochemical process of photosynthesis therefore playing a crucial role in plants growth and development. In this work, an attempt was made to find a connection between element content in (i) different soils, (ii) plant leaves, grown on these soils and (iii) changes in selected chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters, in order to find a method for early detection of plant stress resulting from the combination of nutrient status in natural conditions. To achieve this goal, a mathematical procedure was used which combines principal component analysis (a tool for the reduction of data complexity), hierarchical k-means (a classification method) and a machine-learning method-super-organising maps. Differences in the mineral content of soil and plant leaves resulted in functional changes in the photosynthetic machinery that can be measured by chlorophyll a fluorescent signals. Five groups of patterns in the chlorophyll fluorescent parameters were established: the 'no deficiency', Fe-specific deficiency, slight, moderate and strong deficiency. Unfavourable development in groups with nutrient deficiency of any kind was reflected by a strong increase in F o and ΔV/Δt 0 and decline in φ Po , φ Eo δ Ro and φ Ro . The strong deficiency group showed the suboptimal development of the photosynthetic machinery, which affects both PSII and PSI. The nutrient-deficient groups also differed in antenna complex organisation. Thus, our work suggests that the chlorophyll fluorescent method combined with machine-learning methods can be highly informative and in some cases, it can replace much more expensive and time-consuming procedures such as chemometric analyses.

Hypothalamic nutrient sensing activates a forebrain-hindbrain neuronal circuit to regulate glucose production in vivo.

PubMed

Lam, Carol K L; Chari, Madhu; Rutter, Guy A; Lam, Tony K T

2011-01-01

Hypothalamic nutrient sensing regulates glucose production, but the neuronal circuits involved remain largely unknown. Recent studies underscore the importance of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the dorsal vagal complex in glucose regulation. These studies raise the possibility that hypothalamic nutrient sensing activates a forebrain-hindbrain NMDA-dependent circuit to regulate glucose production. We implanted bilateral catheters targeting the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH) (forebrain) and dorsal vagal complex (DVC) (hindbrain) and performed intravenous catheterizations to the same rat for infusion and sampling purposes. This model enabled concurrent selective activation of MBH nutrient sensing by either MBH delivery of lactate or an adenovirus expressing the dominant negative form of AMPK (Ad-DN AMPK α2 [D¹⁵⁷A]) and inhibition of DVC NMDA receptors by either DVC delivery of NMDA receptor blocker MK-801 or an adenovirus expressing the shRNA of NR1 subunit of NMDA receptors (Ad-shRNA NR1). Tracer-dilution methodology and the pancreatic euglycemic clamp technique were performed to assess changes in glucose kinetics in the same conscious, unrestrained rat in vivo. MBH lactate or Ad-DN AMPK with DVC saline increased glucose infusion required to maintain euglycemia due to an inhibition of glucose production during the clamps. However, DVC MK-801 negated the ability of MBH lactate or Ad-DN AMPK to increase glucose infusion or lower glucose production. Molecular knockdown of DVC NR1 of NMDA receptor via Ad-shRNA NR1 injection also negated MBH Ad-DN AMPK to lower glucose production. Molecular and pharmacological inhibition of DVC NMDA receptors negated hypothalamic nutrient sensing mechanisms activated by lactate metabolism or AMPK inhibition to lower glucose production. Thus, DVC NMDA receptor is required for hypothalamic nutrient sensing to lower glucose production and that hypothalamic nutrient sensing activates a forebrain-hindbrain circuit to lower glucose production.

Complex interactions between autotrophs in shallow marine and freshwater ecosystems: implications for community responses to nutrient stress.

PubMed

Havens, K E; Hauxwell, J; Tyler, A C; Thomas, S; McGlathery, K J; Cebrian, J; Valiela, I; Steinman, A D; Hwang, S J

2001-01-01

The relative biomass of autotrophs (vascular plants, macroalgae, microphytobenthos, phytoplankton) in shallow aquatic ecosystems is thought to be controlled by nutrient inputs and underwater irradiance. Widely accepted conceptual models indicate that this is the case both in marine and freshwater systems. In this paper we examine four case studies and test whether these models generally apply. We also identify other complex interactions among the autotrophs that may influence ecosystem response to cultural eutrophication. The marine case studies focus on macroalgae and its interactions with sediments and vascular plants. The freshwater case studies focus on interactions between phytoplankton, epiphyton, and benthic microalgae. In Waquoit Bay, MA (estuary), controlled experiments documented that blooms of macroalgae were responsible for the loss of eelgrass beds at nutrient-enriched locations. Macroalgae covered eelgrass and reduced irradiance to the extent that the plants could not maintain net growth. In Hog Island Bay, VA (estuary), a dense lawn of macroalgae covered the bottom sediments. There was reduced sediment-water nitrogen exchange when the algae were actively growing and high nitrogen release during algal senescence. In Lakes Brobo (West Africa) and Okeechobee (FL), there were dramatic seasonal changes in the biomass and phosphorus content of planktonic versus attached algae, and these changes were coupled with changes in water level and abiotic turbidity. Deeper water and/or greater turbidity favored dominance by phytoplankton. In Lake Brobo there also was evidence that phytoplankton growth was stimulated following a die-off of vascular plants. The case studies from Waquoit Bay and Lake Okeechobee support conceptual models of succession from vascular plants to benthic algae to phytoplankton along gradients of increasing nutrients and decreasing under-water irradiance. The case studies from Hog Island Bay and Lake Brobo illustrate additional effects (modified sediment-water nutrient fluxes, allelopathy or nutrient release during plant senescence) that could play a role in ecosystem response to nutrient stress.

Benchmarking successional progress in a quantitative food web.

PubMed

Boit, Alice; Gaedke, Ursula

2014-01-01

Central to ecology and ecosystem management, succession theory aims to mechanistically explain and predict the assembly and development of ecological communities. Yet processes at lower hierarchical levels, e.g. at the species and functional group level, are rarely mechanistically linked to the under-investigated system-level processes which drive changes in ecosystem properties and functioning and are comparable across ecosystems. As a model system for secondary succession, seasonal plankton succession during the growing season is readily observable and largely driven autogenically. We used a long-term dataset from large, deep Lake Constance comprising biomasses, auto- and heterotrophic production, food quality, functional diversity, and mass-balanced food webs of the energy and nutrient flows between functional guilds of plankton and partly fish. Extracting population- and system-level indices from this dataset, we tested current hypotheses about the directionality of successional progress which are rooted in ecosystem theory, the metabolic theory of ecology, quantitative food web theory, thermodynamics, and information theory. Our results indicate that successional progress in Lake Constance is quantifiable, passing through predictable stages. Mean body mass, functional diversity, predator-prey weight ratios, trophic positions, system residence times of carbon and nutrients, and the complexity of the energy flow patterns increased during succession. In contrast, both the mass-specific metabolic activity and the system export decreased, while the succession rate exhibited a bimodal pattern. The weighted connectance introduced here represents a suitable index for assessing the evenness and interconnectedness of energy flows during succession. Diverging from earlier predictions, ascendency and eco-exergy did not increase during succession. Linking aspects of functional diversity to metabolic theory and food web complexity, we reconcile previously disjoint bodies of ecological theory to form a complete picture of successional progress within a pelagic food web. This comprehensive synthesis may be used as a benchmark for quantifying successional progress in other ecosystems.

Ecotoxicological evaluation of diesel-contaminated soil before and after a bioremediation process.

PubMed

Molina-Barahona, L; Vega-Loyo, L; Guerrero, M; Ramírez, S; Romero, I; Vega-Jarquín, C; Albores, A

2005-02-01

Evaluation of contaminated sites is usually performed by chemical analysis of pollutants in soil. This is not enough either to evaluate the environmental risk of contaminated soil nor to evaluate the efficiency of soil cleanup techniques. Information on the bioavailability of complex mixtures of xenobiotics and degradation products cannot be totally provided by chemical analytical data, but results from bioassays can integrate the effects of pollutants in complex mixtures. In the preservation of human health and environment quality, it is important to assess the ecotoxicological effects of contaminated soils to obtain a better evaluation of the healthiness of this system. The monitoring of a diesel-contaminated soil and the evaluation of a bioremediation technique conducted on a microcosm scale were performed by a battery of ecotoxicological tests including phytotoxicity, Daphnia magna, and nematode assays. In this study we biostimulated the native microflora of soil contaminated with diesel by adding nutrients and crop residue (corn straw) as a bulking agent and as a source of microorganisms and nutrients; in addition, moisture was adjusted to enhance diesel removal. The bioremediation process efficiency was evaluated directly by an innovative, simple phytotoxicity test system and the diesel extracts by Daphnia magna and nematode assays. Contaminated soil samples were revealed to have toxic effects on seed germination, seedling growth, and Daphnia survival. After biostimulation, the diesel concentration was reduced by 50.6%, and the soil samples showed a significant reduction in phytotoxicity (9%-15%) and Daphnia assays (3-fold), confirming the effectiveness of the bioremediation process. Results from our microcosm study suggest that in addition to the evaluation of the bioremediation processes efficiency, toxicity testing is different with organisms representative of diverse phylogenic levels. The integration of analytical, toxicological and bioremediation data is necessary to properly assess the ecological risk of bioremediation processes. (c) 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Benchmarking Successional Progress in a Quantitative Food Web

PubMed Central

Boit, Alice; Gaedke, Ursula

2014-01-01

Central to ecology and ecosystem management, succession theory aims to mechanistically explain and predict the assembly and development of ecological communities. Yet processes at lower hierarchical levels, e.g. at the species and functional group level, are rarely mechanistically linked to the under-investigated system-level processes which drive changes in ecosystem properties and functioning and are comparable across ecosystems. As a model system for secondary succession, seasonal plankton succession during the growing season is readily observable and largely driven autogenically. We used a long-term dataset from large, deep Lake Constance comprising biomasses, auto- and heterotrophic production, food quality, functional diversity, and mass-balanced food webs of the energy and nutrient flows between functional guilds of plankton and partly fish. Extracting population- and system-level indices from this dataset, we tested current hypotheses about the directionality of successional progress which are rooted in ecosystem theory, the metabolic theory of ecology, quantitative food web theory, thermodynamics, and information theory. Our results indicate that successional progress in Lake Constance is quantifiable, passing through predictable stages. Mean body mass, functional diversity, predator-prey weight ratios, trophic positions, system residence times of carbon and nutrients, and the complexity of the energy flow patterns increased during succession. In contrast, both the mass-specific metabolic activity and the system export decreased, while the succession rate exhibited a bimodal pattern. The weighted connectance introduced here represents a suitable index for assessing the evenness and interconnectedness of energy flows during succession. Diverging from earlier predictions, ascendency and eco-exergy did not increase during succession. Linking aspects of functional diversity to metabolic theory and food web complexity, we reconcile previously disjoint bodies of ecological theory to form a complete picture of successional progress within a pelagic food web. This comprehensive synthesis may be used as a benchmark for quantifying successional progress in other ecosystems. PMID:24587353

Detection of Anomalies in Citrus Leaves Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS).

PubMed

Sankaran, Sindhuja; Ehsani, Reza; Morgan, Kelly T

2015-08-01

Nutrient assessment and management are important to maintain productivity in citrus orchards. In this study, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was applied for rapid and real-time detection of citrus anomalies. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy spectra were collected from citrus leaves with anomalies such as diseases (Huanglongbing, citrus canker) and nutrient deficiencies (iron, manganese, magnesium, zinc), and compared with those of healthy leaves. Baseline correction, wavelet multivariate denoising, and normalization techniques were applied to the LIBS spectra before analysis. After spectral pre-processing, features were extracted using principal component analysis and classified using two models, quadratic discriminant analysis and support vector machine (SVM). The SVM resulted in a high average classification accuracy of 97.5%, with high average canker classification accuracy (96.5%). LIBS peak analysis indicated that high intensities at 229.7, 247.9, 280.3, 393.5, 397.0, and 769.8 nm were observed of 11 peaks found in all the samples. Future studies using controlled experiments with variable nutrient applications are required for quantification of foliar nutrients by using LIBS-based sensing.

Temperature and Nutrient Effects on Periphyton Associated Bacterial Communities in Continuous Flow-Through Estuarine Mesocosms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houghton, K.; James, J. B.; Devereux, R.; Friedman, S. D.

2016-02-01

Nutrient pollution is a leading cause of water quality impairments and degraded aquatic ecosystem condition. Reliable and reproducible indicators of ecosystem condition are needed to help manage nutrient pollution. The diatom component of periphyton has been used as a water quality indicator due to identifiable cell morphology and existence of relationships between nutrient concentration and diatom community composition. However, morphological identification of diatoms requires highly specialized personnel, is very time consuming, and can produce variable results, suggesting the need for alternative methods that are less expensive and more reproducible. DNA sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene is well documented and provides genus-level resolution of the community structure. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of nutrient loading and temperature on periphyton-associated bacterial communities using standard periphytometer techniques and next generation sequencing technologies. Continuous flow mesocosms were established in an eight tank system consisting of two temperature conditions (10°C and 20°C) and four nutrient conditions (1x to 6x ambient concentrations). Experimental conditions were replicated in July/August 2013 and September 2013. Replicate DNA samples were extracted and the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced using universal Bacterial primers. Initial analyses revealed strong differences in community structure based on temperature (p < 0.01, R = 0.997) and sampling month (p < 0.01, R = 0.993) while no significant differences were detected between nutrient treatments. These results suggest that the method can detect changes in periphyton associated bacterial communities based on temperature but a more refined approach, as might be based on functional genes instead of structural genes, may be needed to differentiate nutrient effects.

A Review of the Extraction and Determination Methods of Thirteen Essential Vitamins to the Human Body: An Update from 2010.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuan; Zhou, Wei-E; Yan, Jia-Qing; Liu, Min; Zhou, Yu; Shen, Xin; Ma, Ying-Lin; Feng, Xue-Song; Yang, Jun; Li, Guo-Hui

2018-06-19

Vitamins are a class of essential nutrients in the body; thus, they play important roles in human health. The chemicals are involved in many physiological functions and both their lack and excess can put health at risk. Therefore, the establishment of methods for monitoring vitamin concentrations in different matrices is necessary. In this review, an updated overview of the main pretreatments and determination methods that have been used since 2010 is given. Ultrasonic assisted extraction, liquid⁻liquid extraction, solid phase extraction and dispersive liquid⁻liquid microextraction are the most common pretreatment methods, while the determination methods involve chromatography methods, electrophoretic methods, microbiological assays, immunoassays, biosensors and several other methods. Different pretreatments and determination methods are discussed.

Maternal nutrition and birth outcomes.

PubMed

Abu-Saad, Kathleen; Fraser, Drora

2010-01-01

In this review, the authors summarize current knowledge on maternal nutritional requirements during pregnancy, with a focus on the nutrients that have been most commonly investigated in association with birth outcomes. Data sourcing and extraction included searches of the primary resources establishing maternal nutrient requirements during pregnancy (e.g., Dietary Reference Intakes), and searches of Medline for "maternal nutrition"/[specific nutrient of interest] and "birth/pregnancy outcomes," focusing mainly on the less extensively reviewed evidence from observational studies of maternal dietary intake and birth outcomes. The authors used a conceptual framework which took both primary and secondary factors (e.g., baseline maternal nutritional status, socioeconomic status of the study populations, timing and methods of assessing maternal nutritional variables) into account when interpreting study findings. The authors conclude that maternal nutrition is a modifiable risk factor of public health importance that can be integrated into efforts to prevent adverse birth outcomes, particularly among economically developing/low-income populations.

Implications of bioactive solute transfer from hosts to parasitic plants.

PubMed

Smith, Jason D; Mescher, Mark C; De Moraes, Consuelo M

2013-08-01

Parasitic plants--which make their living by extracting nutrients and other resources from other plants--are important components of many natural ecosystems; and some parasitic species are also devastating agricultural pests. To date, most research on plant parasitism has focused on nutrient transfer from host to parasite and the impacts of parasites on host plants. Far less work has addressed potential effects of the translocation of bioactive non-nutrient solutes-such as phytohormones, secondary metabolites, RNAs, and proteins-on the development and physiology of parasitic plants and on their subsequent interactions with other organisms such as insect herbivores. A growing number of recent studies document the transfer of such molecules from hosts to parasites and suggest that they may have significant impacts on parasite physiology and ecology. We review this literature and discuss potential implications for management and priorities for future research. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Morphodynamics of a growing microbial colony driven by cell death

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Pushpita; Levine, Herbert

2017-11-01

Bacterial cells can often self-organize into multicellular structures with complex spatiotemporal morphology. In this work, we study the spatiotemporal dynamics of a growing microbial colony in the presence of cell death. We present an individual-based model of nonmotile bacterial cells which grow and proliferate by consuming diffusing nutrients on a semisolid two-dimensional surface. The colony spreads by growth forces and sliding motility of cells and undergoes cell death followed by subsequent disintegration of the dead cells in the medium. We model cell death by considering two possible situations: In one of the cases, cell death occurs in response to the limitation of local nutrients, while the other case corresponds to an active death process, known as apoptotic or programmed cell death. We demonstrate how the colony morphology is influenced by the presence of cell death. Our results show that cell death facilitates transitions from roughly circular to highly branched structures at the periphery of an expanding colony. Interestingly, our results also reveal that for the colonies which are growing in higher initial nutrient concentrations, cell death occurs much earlier compared to the colonies which are growing in lower initial nutrient concentrations. This work provides new insights into the branched patterning of growing bacterial colonies as a consequence of complex interplay among the biochemical and mechanical effects.

Speciation and distribution of arsenic and localization of nutrients in rice grains

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lombi, E.; Scheckel, K.G.; Pallon, J.

2012-09-05

Arsenic (As) contamination of rice grains and the generally low concentration of micronutrients in rice have been recognized as a major concern for human health. Here, we investigated the speciation and localization of As and the distribution of (micro)nutrients in rice grains because these are key factors controlling bioavailability of nutrients and contaminants. Bulk total and speciation analyses using high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC)-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES) was complemented by spatially resolved microspectroscopic techniques ({mu}-XANES, {mu}-X-ray fluorescence ({mu}-XRF) and particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE)) to investigate both speciation and distribution of As andmore » localization of nutrients in situ. The distribution of As and micronutrients varied between the various parts of the grains (husk, bran and endosperm) and was characterized by element-specific distribution patterns. The speciation of As in bran and endosperm was dominated by As(III)-thiol complexes. The results indicate that the translocation from the maternal to filial tissues may be a bottleneck for As accumulation in the grain. Strong similarities between the distribution of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn) and phosphorus (P) and between zinc (Zn) and sulphur (S) may be indicative of complexation mechanisms in rice grains.« less

Water Quality Indicators Guide [and Teacher's Handbook]: Surface Waters.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Terrell, Charles R.; Perfetti, Patricia Bytnar

This guide aids in finding water quality solutions to problems from sediment, animal wastes, nutrients, pesticides, and salts. The guide allows users to learn the fundamental concepts of water quality assessment by extracting basic tenets from geology, hydrology, biology, ecology, and wastewater treatment. An introduction and eight chapters are…

Extraction and recovery of phosphorus from pig manure using the quick wash process

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Land disposal of manure is a challenging environmental problem in areas with intense confined pig production. Due to nutrient imbalance, manure applied to soil at optimal nitrogen rates for crop growth can promote soil phosphorus (P) surplus and potential pollution of water resources. Although manur...

[Study on molecular recognition technology in active constituents extracted and isolated from Aconitum pendulum].

PubMed

Ma, Xue-Qin; Li, Guo-Shan; Fu, Xue-Yan; Ma, Jing-Zu

2011-03-01

To investigate CD molecular recognition technology applied in active constituents extracted and isolated from traditional Chinese medicine--Aconitum pendulum. The inclusion constant and form probability of the inclusion complex of Aconitum pendulum with p-CD was calculated by UV spectra method. The active constituents of Aconitum pendulum were extracted and isolated by molecular recognition technology. The inclusion complex was identified by UV. The chemical constituents of Aconitum pendulum and inclusion complex was determined by HPLC. The analgesic effects of inclusion complex was investigated by experiment of intraperitoneal injection of acetic acid in rats. The inclusion complex was identified and confirmed by UV spectra method, the chemical components of inclusion complex were simple, and the content of active constituents increased significantly, the analgesic effects of inclusion complex was well. The molecular recognition technology can be used for extracting and isolating active constituents of Aconitum pendulum, and the effects are obvious.

Short term spatio-temporal variability of soil water-extractable calcium and magnesium after a low severity grassland fire in Lithuania.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pereira, Paulo; Martin, David

2014-05-01

Fire has important impacts on soil nutrient spatio-temporal distribution (Outeiro et al., 2008). This impact depends on fire severity, topography of the burned area, type of soil and vegetation affected, and the meteorological conditions post-fire. Fire produces a complex mosaic of impacts in soil that can be extremely variable at small plot scale in the space and time. In order to assess and map such a heterogeneous distribution, the test of interpolation methods is fundamental to identify the best estimator and to have a better understanding of soil nutrients spatial distribution. The objective of this work is to identify the short-term spatial variability of water-extractable calcium and magnesium after a low severity grassland fire. The studied area is located near Vilnius (Lithuania) at 54° 42' N, 25° 08 E, 158 masl. Four days after the fire, it was designed in a burned area a plot with 400 m2 (20 x 20 m with 5 m space between sampling points). Twenty five samples from top soil (0-5 cm) were collected immediately after the fire (IAF), 2, 5, 7 and 9 months after the fire (a total of 125 in all sampling dates). The original data of water-extractable calcium and magnesium did not respected the Gaussian distribution, thus a neperian logarithm (ln) was applied in order to normalize data. Significant differences of water-extractable calcium and magnesium among sampling dates were carried out with the Anova One-way test using the ln data. In order to assess the spatial variability of water-extractable calcium and magnesium, we tested several interpolation methods as Ordinary Kriging (OK), Inverse Distance to a Weight (IDW) with the power of 1, 2, 3 and 4, Radial Basis Functions (RBF) - Inverse Multiquadratic (IMT), Multilog (MTG), Multiquadratic (MTQ) Natural Cubic Spline (NCS) and Thin Plate Spline (TPS) - and Local Polynomial (LP) with the power of 1 and 2. Interpolation tests were carried out with Ln data. The best interpolation method was assessed using the cross validation method. Cross-validation was obtained by taking each observation in turn out of the sample pool and estimating from the remaining ones. The errors produced (observed-predicted) are used to evaluate the performance of each method. With these data, the mean error (ME) and root mean square error (RMSE) were calculated. The best method was the one which had the lower RMSE (Pereira et al. in press). The results shown significant differences among sampling dates in the water-extractable calcium (F= 138.78, p< 0.001) and extractable magnesium (F= 160.66; p< 0.001). Water-extractable calcium and magnesium was high IAF decreasing until 7 months after the fire, rising in the last sampling date. Among the tested methods, the most accurate to interpolate the water-extractable calcium were: IAF-IDW1; 2 Months-IDW1; 5 months-OK; 7 Months-IDW4 and 9 Months-IDW3. In relation to water-extractable magnesium the best interpolation techniques were: IAF-IDW2; 2 Months-IDW1; 5 months- IDW3; 7 Months-TPS and 9 Months-IDW1. These results suggested that the spatial variability of these water-extractable is variable with the time. The causes of this variability will be discussed during the presentation. References Outeiro, L., Aspero, F., Ubeda, X. (2008) Geostatistical methods to study spatial variability of soil cation after a prescribed fire and rainfall. Catena, 74: 310-320. Pereira, P., Cerdà, A., Úbeda, X., Mataix-Solera, J. Arcenegui, V., Zavala, L. Modelling the impacts of wildfire on ash thickness in a short-term period, Land Degradation and Development, (In Press), DOI: 10.1002/ldr.2195

Through form to function: root hair development and nutrient uptake

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gilroy, S.; Jones, D. L.

2000-01-01

Root hairs project from the surface of the root to aid nutrient and water uptake and to anchor the plant in the soil. Their formation involves the precise control of cell fate and localized cell growth. We are now beginning to unravel the complexities of the molecular interactions that underlie this developmental regulation. In addition, after years of speculation, nutrient transport by root hairs has been demonstrated clearly at the physiological and molecular level, with evidence for root hairs being intense sites of H(+)-ATPase activity and involved in the uptake of Ca(2+), K(+), NH(4)(+), NO(3)(-), Mn(2+), Zn(2+), Cl(-) and H(2)PO(4)(-).

The Boring Billion, a slingshot for Complex Life on Earth.

PubMed

Mukherjee, Indrani; Large, Ross R; Corkrey, Ross; Danyushevsky, Leonid V

2018-03-13

The period 1800 to 800 Ma ("Boring Billion") is believed to mark a delay in the evolution of complex life, primarily due to low levels of oxygen in the atmosphere. Earlier studies highlight the remarkably flat C, Cr isotopes and low trace element trends during the so-called stasis, caused by prolonged nutrient, climatic, atmospheric and tectonic stability. In contrast, we suggest a first-order variability of bio-essential trace element availability in the oceans by combining systematic sampling of the Proterozoic rock record with sensitive geochemical analyses of marine pyrite by LA-ICP-MS technique. We also recall that several critical biological evolutionary events, such as the appearance of eukaryotes, origin of multicellularity & sexual reproduction, and the first major diversification of eukaryotes (crown group) occurred during this period. Therefore, it appears possible that the period of low nutrient trace elements (1800-1400 Ma) caused evolutionary pressures which became an essential trigger for promoting biological innovations in the eukaryotic domain. Later periods of stress-free conditions, with relatively high nutrient trace element concentration, facilitated diversification. We propose that the "Boring Billion" was a period of sequential stepwise evolution and diversification of complex eukaryotes, triggering evolutionary pathways that made possible the later rise of micro-metazoans and their macroscopic counterparts.

Capacity of biochar application to maintain energy crop productivity: soil chemistry, sorghum growth, and runoff water quality effects.

PubMed

Schnell, Ronnie W; Vietor, Donald M; Provin, Tony L; Munster, Clyde L; Capareda, Sergio

2012-01-01

Pyrolysis of crop biomass generates a by-product, biochar, which can be recycled to sustain nutrient and organic C concentrations in biomass production fields. We evaluated effects of biochar rate and application method on soil properties, nutrient balance, biomass production, and water quality. Three replications of eight sorghum [ (L.) Moench] treatments were installed in box lysimeters under greenhouse conditions. Treatments comprised increasing rates (0, 1.5, and 3.0 Mg ha) of topdressed or incorporated biochar supplemented with N fertilizer or N, P, and K fertilizer. Simulated rain was applied at 21 and 34 d after planting, and mass runoff loss of N, P, and K was measured. A mass balance of total N, P, and K was performed after 45 d. Returning 3.0 Mg ha of biochar did not affect sorghum biomass, soil total, or Mehlich-3-extractable nutrients compared to control soil. Yet, biochar contributed to increased concentration of dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) and mass loss of total phosphorus (TP) in simulated runoff, especially if topdressed. It was estimated that up to 20% of TP in topdressed biochar was lost in surface runoff after two rain events. Poor recovery of nutrients during pyrolysis and excessive runoff loss of nutrients for topdressed biochar, especially K, resulted in negative nutrient balances. Efforts to conserve nutrients during pyrolysis and incorporation of biochar at rates derived from annual biomass yields will be necessary for biochar use in sustainable energy crop production. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

The TORC1-Regulated CPA Complex Rewires an RNA Processing Network to Drive Autophagy and Metabolic Reprogramming.

PubMed

Tang, Hong-Wen; Hu, Yanhui; Chen, Chiao-Lin; Xia, Baolong; Zirin, Jonathan; Yuan, Min; Asara, John M; Rabinow, Leonard; Perrimon, Norbert

2018-05-01

Nutrient deprivation induces autophagy through inhibiting TORC1 activity. We describe a novel mechanism in Drosophila by which TORC1 regulates RNA processing of Atg transcripts and alters ATG protein levels and activities via the cleavage and polyadenylation (CPA) complex. We show that TORC1 signaling inhibits CDK8 and DOA kinases, which directly phosphorylate CPSF6, a component of the CPA complex. These phosphorylation events regulate CPSF6 localization, RNA binding, and starvation-induced alternative RNA processing of transcripts involved in autophagy, nutrient, and energy metabolism, thereby controlling autophagosome formation and metabolism. Similarly, we find that mammalian CDK8 and CLK2, a DOA ortholog, phosphorylate CPSF6 to regulate autophagy and metabolic changes upon starvation, revealing an evolutionarily conserved mechanism linking TORC1 signaling with RNA processing, autophagy, and metabolism. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using high-frequency sensors to identify hydroclimatological controls on storm-event variability in catchment nutrient fluxes and source zone activation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blaen, Phillip; Khamis, Kieran; Lloyd, Charlotte; Krause, Stefan

2017-04-01

At the river catchment scale, storm events can drive highly variable behaviour in nutrient and water fluxes, yet short-term dynamics are frequently missed by low resolution sampling regimes. In addition, nutrient source contributions can vary significantly within and between storm events. Our inability to identify and characterise time dynamic source zone contributions severely hampers the adequate design of land use management practices in order to control nutrient exports from agricultural landscapes. Here, we utilise an 8-month high-frequency (hourly) time series of streamflow, nitrate concentration (NO3) and fluorescent dissolved organic matter concentration (FDOM) derived from optical in-situ sensors located in a headwater agricultural catchment. We characterised variability in flow and nutrient dynamics across 29 storm events. Storm events represented 31% of the time series and contributed disproportionately to nutrient loads (43% of NO3 and 36% of CDOM) relative to their duration. Principal components analysis of potential hydroclimatological controls on nutrient fluxes demonstrated that a small number of components, representing >90% of variance in the dataset, were highly significant model predictors of inter-event variability in catchment nutrient export. Hysteresis analysis of nutrient concentration-discharge relationships suggested spatially discrete source zones existed for NO3 and FDOM, and that activation of these zones varied on an event-specific basis. Our results highlight the benefits of high-frequency in-situ monitoring for characterising complex short-term nutrient dynamics and unravelling connections between hydroclimatological variability and river nutrient export and source zone activation under extreme flow conditions. These new process-based insights are fundamental to underpinning the development of targeted management measures to reduce nutrient loading of surface waters.

Effect of Binding Components in Complex Sample Matrices on Recovery in Direct Immersion Solid-Phase Microextraction: Friends or Foe?

PubMed

Alam, Md Nazmul; Pawliszyn, Janusz

2018-02-20

The development of matrix compatible coatings for solid-phase microextraction (SPME) has enabled direct extraction of analytes from complex sample matrices. The direct immersion (DI) mode of SPME when utilized in conjunction with such extraction phases facilitates extraction of a wide range of analytes from complex matrices without the incurrence of fouling or coating saturation. In this work, mathematical models and computational simulations were employed to investigate the effect of binding components present in complex samples on the recovery of small molecules varying in logP for extractions carried out using the direct immersion approach. The presented findings corroborate that the studied approach indeed enables the extraction of both polar and nonpolar analytes from complex matrices, provided a suitable sorbent is employed. Further results indicated that, in certain cases, the kinetics of extraction of a given analyte in its free form might be dependent on the desorption kinetics of their bound form from matrix components, which might lower total recoveries of analytes with high affinity for the matrix. However, the binding of analytes to matrix components also enables SPME to extract a balanced quantity of different logP analytes, facilitated by multiphase equilibria, with a single extraction device.

A botulinum neurotoxin-like function of Potentilla chinensis extract that inhibits neuronal SNARE complex formation, membrane fusion, neuroexocytosis, and muscle contraction.

PubMed

Jung, Chang-Hwa; Choi, Jin-Kyu; Yang, Yoosoo; Koh, Hyun-Ju; Heo, Paul; Yoon, Kee-Jung; Kim, Sehyun; Park, Won-Seok; Shing, Hong-Ju; Kweon, Dae-Hyuk

2012-09-01

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are popularly used to treat various diseases and for cosmetic purposes. They act by blocking neurotransmission through specific cleavage of soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins. Recently, several polyphenols were shown to interfere with SNARE complex formation by wedging into the hydrophobic core interface, thereby leading to reduced neuroexocytosis. In order to find industrially-viable plant extract that functions like BoNT, 71 methanol extracts of flowers were screened and BoNT-like activity of selected extract was evaluated. After evaluating the inhibitory effect of 71 flower methanol extracts on SNARE complex formation, seven candidates were selected and they were subjected to SNARE-driven membrane fusion assay. Neurotransmitter release from neuronal PC12 cells and SNARE complex formation inside the cell was also evaluated. Finally, the effect of one selected extract on muscle contraction and digit abduction score was determined. The extract of Potentilla chinensis Ser. (Rosaceae)(Chinese cinquefoil) flower inhibited neurotransmitter release from neuronal PC12 cells by approximately 90% at a concentration of 10 μg/mL. The extract inhibited neuroexocytosis by interfering with SNARE complex formation inside cells. It reduced muscle contraction of phrenic nerve-hemidiaphragm by approximately 70% in 60 min, which is comparable to the action of the Ca²⁺-channel blocker verapamil and BoNT type A. While BoNT blocks neuroexocytosis by cleaving SNARE proteins, the Potentilla chinensis extract exhibited the same activity by inhibiting SNARE complex formation. The extract paralyzed muscle as efficiently as BoNT, suggesting the potential versatility in cosmetics and therapeutics.

Ghrelin, the proglucagon-derived peptides and peptide YY in nutrient homeostasis.

PubMed

Dong, Charlotte X; Brubaker, Patricia L

2012-12-01

Dysregulation of nutrient homeostasis is implicated in the current epidemics of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The maintenance of homeostasis in the setting of repeated cycles of feeding and fasting occurs through complex interactions between metabolic, hormonal and neural factors. Although pancreatic islets, the liver, muscle, adipocytes and the central nervous system are all key players in this network, the gastrointestinal tract is the first tissue exposed to ingested nutrients and thus has an important role. This Review focuses on several of the endocrine hormones released by the gastrointestinal tract prior to or during nutrient ingestion that have key roles in maintaining energy balance. These hormones include the gastric orexigenic hormone, ghrelin, and the distal L cell anorexigenic and metabolic hormones, glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1, GLP-2, oxyntomodulin and peptide YY. Each of these hormones exerts a distinct set of biological actions to maintain nutrient homeostasis, the properties of which are currently, or might soon be, exploited in the clinic for the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Kurtosis-Based Blind Source Extraction of Complex Non-Circular Signals with Application in EEG Artifact Removal in Real-Time

PubMed Central

Javidi, Soroush; Mandic, Danilo P.; Took, Clive Cheong; Cichocki, Andrzej

2011-01-01

A new class of complex domain blind source extraction algorithms suitable for the extraction of both circular and non-circular complex signals is proposed. This is achieved through sequential extraction based on the degree of kurtosis and in the presence of non-circular measurement noise. The existence and uniqueness analysis of the solution is followed by a study of fast converging variants of the algorithm. The performance is first assessed through simulations on well understood benchmark signals, followed by a case study on real-time artifact removal from EEG signals, verified using both qualitative and quantitative metrics. The results illustrate the power of the proposed approach in real-time blind extraction of general complex-valued sources. PMID:22319461

Food waste as nutrient source in heterotrophic microalgae cultivation.

PubMed

Pleissner, Daniel; Lam, Wan Chi; Sun, Zheng; Lin, Carol Sze Ki

2013-06-01

Glucose, free amino nitrogen (FAN), and phosphate were recovered from food waste by fungal hydrolysis using Aspergillus awamori and Aspergillus oryzae. Using 100g food waste (dry weight), 31.9 g glucose, 0.28 g FAN, and 0.38 g phosphate were recovered after 24h of hydrolysis. The pure hydrolysate has then been used as culture medium and nutrient source for the two heterotrophic microalgae Schizochytrium mangrovei and Chlorella pyrenoidosa, S. mangrovei and C. pyrenoidosa grew well on the complex food waste hydrolysate by utilizing the nutrients recovered. At the end of fermentation 10-20 g biomass were produced rich in carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Results of this study revealed the potential of food waste hydrolysate as culture medium and nutrient source in microalgae cultivation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Selective Extraction of Uranium from Liquid or Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Farawila, Anne F.; O'Hara, Matthew J.; Wai, Chien M.

2012-07-31

Current liquid-liquid extraction processes used in recycling irradiated nuclear fuel rely on (1) strong nitric acid to dissolve uranium oxide fuel, and (2) the use of aliphatic hydrocarbons as a diluent in formulating the solvent used to extract uranium. The nitric acid dissolution process is not selective. It dissolves virtually the entire fuel meat which complicates the uranium extraction process. In addition, a solvent washing process is used to remove TBP degradation products, which adds complexity to the recycling plant and increases the overall plant footprint and cost. A liquid or supercritical carbon dioxide (l/sc -CO2) system was designed tomore » mitigate these problems. Indeed, TBP nitric acid complexes are highly soluble in l/sc -CO2 and are capable of extracting uranium directly from UO2, UO3 and U3O8 powders. This eliminates the need for total acid dissolution of the irradiated fuel. Furthermore, since CO2 is easily recycled by evaporation at room temperature and pressure, it eliminates the complex solvent washing process. In this report, we demonstrate: (1) A reprocessing scheme starting with the selective extraction of uranium from solid uranium oxides into a TBP-HNO3 loaded Sc-CO2 phase, (2) Back extraction of uranium into an aqueous phase, and (3) Conversion of recovered purified uranium into uranium oxide. The purified uranium product from step 3 can be disposed of as low level waste, or mixed with enriched uranium for use in a reactor for another fuel cycle. After an introduction on the concept and properties of supercritical fluids, we first report the characterization of the different oxides used for this project. Our extraction system and our online monitoring capability using UV-Vis absorbance spectroscopy directly in sc-CO2 is then presented. Next, the uranium extraction efficiencies and kinetics is demonstrated for different oxides and under different physical and chemical conditions: l/sc -CO2 pressure and temperature, TBP/HNO3 complex used, reductant or complexant used for selectivity, and ionic liquids used as supportive media. To complete the extraction and recovery cycle, we then demonstrate uranium back extraction from the TBP loaded sc-CO2 phase into an aqueous phase and the characterization of the uranium complex formed at the end of this process. Another aspect of this project was to limit proliferation risks by either co-extracting uranium and plutonium, or by leaving plutonium behind by selectively extracting uranium. We report that the former is easily achieved, since plutonium is in the tetravalent or hexavalent oxidation state in the oxidizing environment created by the TBP-nitric acid complex, and is therefore co-extracted. The latter is more challenging, as a reductant or complexant to plutonium has to be used to selectively extract uranium. After undertaking experiments on different reducing or complexing systems (e.g., AcetoHydroxamic Acid (AHA), Fe(II), ascorbic acid), oxalic acid was chosen as it can complex tetravalent actinides (Pu, Np, Th) in the aqueous phase while allowing the extraction of hexavalent uranium in the sc-CO2 phase. Finally, we show results using an alternative media to commonly used aqueous phases: ionic liquids. We show the dissolution of uranium in ionic liquids and its extraction using sc-CO2 with and without the presence of AHA. The possible separation of trivalent actinides from uranium is also demonstrated in ionic liquids using neodymium as a surrogate and diglycolamides as the extractant.« less

Economic development influences on sediment-bound nitrogen and phosphorus accumulation of lakes in China.

PubMed

Ni, Zhaokui; Wang, Shengrui

2015-12-01

China has been confronted with serious water quality deterioration concurrent with rapid socioeconomic progress during the past 40 years. Consequently, knowledge about economic growth and lake water quality dynamics is important to understand eutrophication processes. Objectives were to (i) reconstruct historical nutrient accumulation and the basin economic progress on burial flux (BF); (ii) determine forms and structures of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in sediment and water using six cores in three of the most severely eutrophic lake areas in China (i.e., Eastern Plain, Yunnan-Guizhou Plain, and Inner Mongolia-Xinjiang regions). Results suggest that BFs of total nitrogen (TN) continued to increase in sediment, whereas total phosphorus (TP) levels were consistent or only slightly increased, except in highly polluted lakes during the past decades. Similar results were observed for concentrations of nutrients in water (i.e., increased N/P). This historical distribution pattern was correlated to long-term fertilization practices of farmers in the watershed (N fertilization exceeds that of P) and was contingent upon pollution control policies (e.g., emphasized P whereas N was ignored). Vertical profiles of BFs indicated that lake nutrient accumulation included three stages in China. Nutrient accumulation started in the 1980s, accelerated from the 1990s, and then declined after 2000. Before the 1980s, nutrients were relatively low and stable, with nutrient inputs being controlled by natural processes. Thereafter, N- and P-bound sediments dramatically increased due to the increasing influence of anthropogenic processes. Nutrients were primarily derived from industries and domestic sewage. After 2000, BFs of nutrients were steady and even decreased, owing to implementation of watershed load reduction policies. The decreasing NaOH-extracted P (Fe/Al-P) and increasing organic phosphorus (OP) indicated that the source of exogenous pollution underwent a shift. Inputs of nutrients were predominantly from agricultural and domestic sewage, whereas industrial pollution has been gradually controlled in most of the watersheds. Historical nutrient dynamics suggest that the economy of China is growing at the expense of its aquatic ecological environments. Therefore, more attention to nutrient export to groundwater resulting from economic development is important for further aquatic ecosystem deterioration and eutrophication in China.

Behaviour of aluminium in forest soils with different lithology and herb vegetation cover.

PubMed

Hubová, Petra; Tejnecký, Václav; Češková, Michaela; Borůvka, Luboš; Němeček, Karel; Drábek, Ondřej

2018-04-01

The aim of this study was to determine the content, distribution and behaviour of Al in soils under beech forest with different parent rock, and to assess the role of herbaceous vegetation on soil Al behaviour. We hypothesize that the contents of elements in the soil sorption complex (Al etc.) are strongly influenced by vegetation cover. Also, low molecular mass organic acids (LMMOA) can be considered as an indicator of soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition and vegetation litter turnover. Speciation of LMMOA, nutrition content (PO 4 3- , Ca 2+ , K + ) and element composition in aqueous extracts were determined by means of ion chromatography and inductively coupled plasma - optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) respectively. Active and exchangeable pH, sorption characteristics and exchangeable Al (Al ex ) were determined in BaCl 2 extracts by ICP-OES. Elemental composition of parent rocks was assessed by means of X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. Herb-poor localities showed lower pH, less nutrients (PO 4 3- , Ca 2+ , K + ), less LMMOA, a larger stock of SOM and greater cation exchange capacity. There was also lower mobilisation of Al in organic horizons, which explains the larger pools of Al. Generally, we can conclude that LMMOA, and thus soil vegetation cover, play an important role in the Al soil cycle. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Morinda citrifolia leaf enhanced performance by improving angiogenesis, mitochondrial biogenesis, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory & stress responses.

PubMed

Mohamad Shalan, Nor Aijratul Asikin; Mustapha, Noordin M; Mohamed, Suhaila

2016-12-01

Morinda citrifolia fruit, (noni), enhanced performances in athletes and post-menopausal women in clinical studies. This report shows the edible noni leaves water extract enhances performance in a weight-loaded swimming animal model better than the fruit or standardized green tea extract. The 4weeks study showed the extract (containing scopoletin and epicatechin) progressively prolonged the time to exhaustion by threefold longer than the control, fruit or tea extract. The extract improved (i) the mammalian antioxidant responses (MDA, GSH and SOD2 levels), (ii) tissue nutrient (glucose) and metabolite (lactate) management, (iii) stress hormone (cortisol) regulation; (iv) neurotransmitter (dopamine, noradrenaline, serotonin) expressions, transporter or receptor levels, (v) anti-inflammatory (IL4 & IL10) responses; (v) skeletal muscle angiogenesis (VEGFA) and (v) energy and mitochondrial biogenesis (via PGC, UCP3, NRF2, AMPK, MAPK1, and CAMK4). The ergogenic extract helped delay fatigue by enhancing energy production, regulation and efficiency, which suggests benefits for physical activities and disease recovery. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microbial enhancement of compost extracts based on cattle rumen content compost - characterisation of a system.

PubMed

Shrestha, Karuna; Shrestha, Pramod; Walsh, Kerry B; Harrower, Keith M; Midmore, David J

2011-09-01

Microbially enhanced compost extracts ('compost tea') are being used in commercial agriculture as a source of nutrients and for their perceived benefit to soil microbiology, including plant disease suppression. Rumen content material is a waste of cattle abattoirs, which can be value-added by conversion to compost and 'compost tea'. A system for compost extraction and microbial enhancement was characterised. Molasses amendment increased bacterial count 10-fold, while amendment based on molasses and 'fish and kelp hydrolysate' increased fungal count 10-fold. Compost extract incubated at 1:10 (w/v) dilution showed the highest microbial load, activity and humic/fulvic acid content compared to other dilutions. Aeration increased the extraction efficiency of soluble metabolites, and microbial growth rate, as did extraction of compost without the use of a constraining bag. A protocol of 1:10 dilution and aerated incubation with kelp and molasses amendments is recommended to optimise microbial load and fungal-to-bacterial ratio for this inoculum source. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Separation of Active Compounds from Food by-Product (Cocoa Shell) Using Subcritical Water Extraction.

PubMed

Jokić, Stela; Gagić, Tanja; Knez, Željko; Šubarić, Drago; Škerget, Mojca

2018-06-11

Large amounts of residues are produced in the food industries. The waste shells from cocoa processing are usually burnt for fuel or used as a mulch in gardens to add nutrients to soil and to suppress weeds. The objectives of this work were: (a) to separate valuable compounds from cocoa shell by applying sustainable green separation process—subcritical water extraction (SWE); (b) identification and quantification of active compounds, sugars and sugar degradation products in obtained extracts using HPLC; (c) characterization of the antioxidant activity of extracts; (d) optimization of separation process using response surface methodology (RSM). Depending on applied extraction conditions, different concentration of theobromine, caffeine, theophylline, epicatechin, catechin, chlorogenic acid and gallic acid were determined in the extracts obtained by subcritical water. Furthermore, mannose, glucose, xylose, arabinose, rhamnose and fucose were detected as well as their important degradation products such as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF), furfural, levulinic acid, lactic acid and formic acid.

Role of P450 monooxygenases in the degradation of the endocrine-disrupting chemical nonylphenol by the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium.

PubMed

Subramanian, Venkataramanan; Yadav, Jagjit S

2009-09-01

The white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium extensively degraded the endocrine disruptor chemical nonylphenol (NP; 100% of 100 ppm) in both nutrient-limited cultures and nutrient-sufficient cultures. The P450 enzyme inhibitor piperonyl butoxide caused significant inhibition (approximately 75%) of the degradation activity in nutrient-rich malt extract (ME) cultures but no inhibition in defined low-nitrogen (LN) cultures, indicating an essential role of P450 monooxygenase(s) in NP degradation under nutrient-rich conditions. A genome-wide analysis using our custom-designed P450 microarray revealed significant induction of multiple P450 monooxygenase genes by NP: 18 genes were induced (2- to 195-fold) under nutrient-rich conditions, 17 genes were induced (2- to 6-fold) in LN cultures, and 3 were induced under both nutrient-rich and LN conditions. The P450 genes Pff 311b (corresponding to protein identification number [ID] 5852) and Pff 4a (protein ID 5001) showed extraordinarily high levels of induction (195- and 167-fold, respectively) in ME cultures. The P450 oxidoreductase (POR), glutathione S-transferase (gst), and cellulose metabolism genes were also induced in ME cultures. In contrast, certain metabolic genes, such as five of the peroxidase genes, showed partial downregulation by NP. This study provides the first evidence for the involvement of P450 enzymes in NP degradation by a white rot fungus and the first genome-wide identification of specific P450 genes responsive to an environmentally significant toxicant.

Role of P450 Monooxygenases in the Degradation of the Endocrine-Disrupting Chemical Nonylphenol by the White Rot Fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium▿

PubMed Central

Subramanian, Venkataramanan; Yadav, Jagjit S.

2009-01-01

The white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium extensively degraded the endocrine disruptor chemical nonylphenol (NP; 100% of 100 ppm) in both nutrient-limited cultures and nutrient-sufficient cultures. The P450 enzyme inhibitor piperonyl butoxide caused significant inhibition (∼75%) of the degradation activity in nutrient-rich malt extract (ME) cultures but no inhibition in defined low-nitrogen (LN) cultures, indicating an essential role of P450 monooxygenase(s) in NP degradation under nutrient-rich conditions. A genome-wide analysis using our custom-designed P450 microarray revealed significant induction of multiple P450 monooxygenase genes by NP: 18 genes were induced (2- to 195-fold) under nutrient-rich conditions, 17 genes were induced (2- to 6-fold) in LN cultures, and 3 were induced under both nutrient-rich and LN conditions. The P450 genes Pff 311b (corresponding to protein identification number [ID] 5852) and Pff 4a (protein ID 5001) showed extraordinarily high levels of induction (195- and 167-fold, respectively) in ME cultures. The P450 oxidoreductase (POR), glutathione S-transferase (gst), and cellulose metabolism genes were also induced in ME cultures. In contrast, certain metabolic genes, such as five of the peroxidase genes, showed partial downregulation by NP. This study provides the first evidence for the involvement of P450 enzymes in NP degradation by a white rot fungus and the first genome-wide identification of specific P450 genes responsive to an environmentally significant toxicant. PMID:19542331

Alteration of biochar characteristics through Post Production Treatments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, Hans-Peter; Kammann, Claudia; Glaser, Bruno

2013-04-01

The application of pure, untreated biochar to temperate soils does not lead to substantial increase in soil fertility and plant growth. Moreover, the application of 10 tonnes or more of biochar per hectare is not economically viable on most farms. To be more efficient in improving soil fertility, increasing SOM and ecosystem services, new methods of using biochar in farm settings need to be developed. To improve the effect of biochar on plant growth, biochar can be enhanced by (1) adding nutrients, (2) inoculating it with beneficial microorganisms, (3) improving its surface reactivity and thus its sorption dynamic, (4) increasing its porous volume, and/or (5) fostering the creation of biochar-mineral-organic complexes. These supplementary biochar enhancements can be achieved through different methods of feedstock blending and biochar post-production treatment which can be classified according to the resulting surface alteration of biochar: 1. Addition of nutrients, MOs, minerals in liquid solution which get soaked into the biochar pores without or with only slight surface alteration, resulting in enriched biochar. 2. Physico-chemical activation (treatment with acids, vapours, toasting with minerals …) resulting in alteration of the surface, pore volume and functional groups. 3. Bio-chemical activation through the interaction of biochar with organic compounds, minerals, nutrients and microorganisms in a biological very active environment, resulting in the complexation of biochar, minerals and organic compounds. Whereas physico-chemical activation is a highly technical process and has to be done by professional biochar producers, bio-chemical activation and enrichment can be done very efficiently by the farmer himself. On-farm enrichment and activation of biochar help to close the organic nutrient cycles of the farm, improving agronomic system efficiency and thus becoming economically viable. Adding biochar to highly labile organic matter like manure, sludge or compost improves decomposition and complexation, and helps to stabilize their nutrients and carbon. The combination of biochar and lacto-acid-bacteria in silage, feed, bedding and liquid manure treatment decreases methane and ammonia emissions, increases the feed-energy balance, and boosts animal health. On every step of this cascading use of biochar in animal husbandry, the biochar becomes more oxidized, more activated and more enriched with nutrients. When finally applied to the soil, biochar acts as carrier for nutrients and thus works to improve soil fertility. Much more research is needed in the field of biochar post-treatment and into each of the different possible farm uses. Nevertheless, sufficient serious research has already been done and published, enabling us to judge the importance of post-treating biochar to improve its agronomic performance and value.

Recovery and purification of cholesterol from cholesterol-β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex using ultrasound-assisted extraction.

PubMed

Li, Yong; Chen, Youliang; Li, Hua

2017-01-01

Response surface methodology was used to optimize ultrasound-assisted ethanol extraction (UAE) of cholesterol from cholesterol-β-cyclodextrin (C-β-CD) inclusion complex prepared from duck yolk oil. The best extraction conditions were solvent-solid ratio 10mL/g, ultrasonic power 251W, extraction temperature 56°C and sonication time 36min. Under these conditions, the highest cholesterol extraction yield and cholesterol content obtained 98.12±0.25% and 43.38±0.61mg/g inclusion complex, respectively. As compared with Reflux extraction and Soxhlet extraction, the UAE was more efficient and economical. To increase the purity of crude cholesterol extraction, silica gel column chromatography and crystallization were carried out. Finally, cholesterol was obtained at 95.1% purity, 71.7% recovery and 22.0% yield. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nutrient loading and consumers: Agents of change in open-coast macrophyte assemblages

PubMed Central

Nielsen, Karina J.

2003-01-01

Human activities are significantly altering nutrient regimes and the abundance of consumers in coastal ecosystems. A field experiment in an open-coast, upwelling ecosystem showed that small increases in nutrients increased the biomass and evenness of tide pool macrophytes where consumer abundance and nutrient loading rates were low. Consumers, when abundant, had negative effects on the diversity and biomass of macrophytes. Nutrient loading increases and consumers are less abundant and efficient as wave exposure increases along open coastlines. Experimentally reversing the natural state of nutrient supply and consumer pressure at a wave-protected site to match wave-exposed sites caused the structure of the macrophyte assemblage to converge on that found naturally in wave-exposed pools. The increases in evenness and abundance were driven by increases in structurally complex functional groups. In contrast, increased nutrient loading in semienclosed marine or estuarine ecosystems is typically associated with declines in macrophyte diversity because of increases in structurally simple and opportunistic functional groups. If nutrient concentration of upwelled waters changes with climatic warming or increasing frequency of El Niños, as predicted by some climate models, these results suggest that macrophyte abundance and evenness along wave-swept open-coasts will also change. Macrophytes represent a significant fraction of continental shelf production and provide important habitat for many marine species. The combined effects of shifting nutrient regimes and overexploitation of consumers may have unexpected consequences for the structure and functioning of open-coast communities. PMID:12796509

Nutrient loading and consumers: agents of change in open-coast macrophyte assemblages.

PubMed

Nielsen, Karina J

2003-06-24

Human activities are significantly altering nutrient regimes and the abundance of consumers in coastal ecosystems. A field experiment in an open-coast, upwelling ecosystem showed that small increases in nutrients increased the biomass and evenness of tide pool macrophytes where consumer abundance and nutrient loading rates were low. Consumers, when abundant, had negative effects on the diversity and biomass of macrophytes. Nutrient loading increases and consumers are less abundant and efficient as wave exposure increases along open coastlines. Experimentally reversing the natural state of nutrient supply and consumer pressure at a wave-protected site to match wave-exposed sites caused the structure of the macrophyte assemblage to converge on that found naturally in wave-exposed pools. The increases in evenness and abundance were driven by increases in structurally complex functional groups. In contrast, increased nutrient loading in semienclosed marine or estuarine ecosystems is typically associated with declines in macrophyte diversity because of increases in structurally simple and opportunistic functional groups. If nutrient concentration of upwelled waters changes with climatic warming or increasing frequency of El Niños, as predicted by some climate models, these results suggest that macrophyte abundance and evenness along wave-swept open-coasts will also change. Macrophytes represent a significant fraction of continental shelf production and provide important habitat for many marine species. The combined effects of shifting nutrient regimes and overexploitation of consumers may have unexpected consequences for the structure and functioning of open-coast communities.

Long-term impact of wildfire on soils exposed to different fire severities. A case study in Cadiretes Massif (NE Iberian Peninsula).

PubMed

Francos, Marcos; Úbeda, Xavier; Pereira, Paulo; Alcañiz, Meritxell

2018-02-15

Wildfires affect ecosystems depending on the fire regime. Long-term studies are needed to understand the ecological role played by fire, especially as regards its impact on soils. The aim of this study is to monitor the long-term effects (18years) of a wildfire on soil properties in two areas affected by low and high fire severity regimes. The properties studied were total nitrogen (TN), total carbon (TC), C/N ratio, soil organic matter (SOM) and extractable calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na) and potassium (K). The study was carried out in three phases: short- (immediately after the wildfire), medium- (seven years after the wildfire) and long-term (18years after the wildfire). The results showed that in both fire regimes TN decreased with time, TC and SOM were significantly lower in the burned plots than they were in the control in the medium- and long-terms. C/N ratio was significantly lower at short-term in low wildfire severity area. Extractable Ca and Mg were significantly higher in control plot than in the burned plots in the medium-term. In the long-term, extractable Ca and Mg were significantly lower in the area exposed to a high severity burning. No differences were identified in the case of extractable Na between plots on any of the sampling dates, while extractable K was significantly higher in the plot exposed to low wildfire than it was in the control. Some restoration measures may be required after the wildfire, especially in areas affected by high severity burning, to avoid the long-term impacts on the essential soil nutrients of TC, SOM, extractable Ca and Mg. This long-term nutrient depletion is attributable to vegetation removal, erosion, leaching and post-fire vegetation consumption. Soils clearly need more time to recover from wildfire disturbance, especially in areas affected by high severity fire regimes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Beaver-mediated lateral hydrologic connectivity, fluvial carbon and nutrient flux, and aquatic ecosystem metabolism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wegener, Pam; Covino, Tim; Wohl, Ellen

2017-06-01

River networks that drain mountain landscapes alternate between narrow and wide valley segments. Within the wide segments, beaver activity can facilitate the development and maintenance of complex, multithread planform. Because the narrow segments have limited ability to retain water, carbon, and nutrients, the wide, multithread segments are likely important locations of retention. We evaluated hydrologic dynamics, nutrient flux, and aquatic ecosystem metabolism along two adjacent segments of a river network in the Rocky Mountains, Colorado: (1) a wide, multithread segment with beaver activity; and, (2) an adjacent (directly upstream) narrow, single-thread segment without beaver activity. We used a mass balance approach to determine the water, carbon, and nutrient source-sink behavior of each river segment across a range of flows. While the single-thread segment was consistently a source of water, carbon, and nitrogen, the beaver impacted multithread segment exhibited variable source-sink dynamics as a function of flow. Specifically, the multithread segment was a sink for water, carbon, and nutrients during high flows, and subsequently became a source as flows decreased. Shifts in river-floodplain hydrologic connectivity across flows related to higher and more variable aquatic ecosystem metabolism rates along the multithread relative to the single-thread segment. Our data suggest that beaver activity in wide valleys can create a physically complex hydrologic environment that can enhance hydrologic and biogeochemical buffering, and promote high rates of aquatic ecosystem metabolism. Given the widespread removal of beaver, determining the cumulative effects of these changes is a critical next step in restoring function in altered river networks.

Wetland management reduces sediment and nutrient loading to the upper Mississippi river.

PubMed

Kreiling, Rebecca M; Schubauer-Berigan, Joseph P; Richardson, William B; Bartsch, Lynn A; Hughes, Peter E; Cavanaugh, Jennifer C; Strauss, Eric A

2013-01-01

Restored riparian wetlands in the Upper Mississippi River basin have potential to remove sediment and nutrients from tributaries before they flow into the Mississippi River. For 3 yr we calculated retention efficiencies of a marsh complex, which consisted of a restored marsh and an adjacent natural marsh that were connected to Halfway Creek, a small tributary of the Mississippi. We measured sediment, N, and P removal through a mass balance budget approach, N removal through denitrification, and N and P removal through mechanical soil excavation. The marsh complex had average retention rates of approximately 30 Mg sediment ha yr, 26 kg total N ha yr, and 20 kg total P ha yr. Water flowed into the restored marsh only during high-discharge events. Although the majority of retention occurred in the natural marsh, portions of the natural marsh were hydrologically disconnected at low discharge due to historical over-bank sedimentation. The natural marsh removed >60% of sediment, >10% of P, and >5% of N loads (except the first year, when it was a N source). The marsh complex was a source of NH and soluble reactive P. The average denitrification rate for the marsh complex was 2.88 mg N m h. Soil excavation removed 3600 Mg of sediment, 5.6 Mg of N, and 2.7 Mg of P from the restored marsh. The marsh complex was effective in removing sediment and nutrients from storm flows; however, retention could be increased if more water was diverted into both restored and natural marshes before entering the river. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Design, development and validation of software for modelling dietary exposure to food chemicals and nutrients.

PubMed

McNamara, C; Naddy, B; Rohan, D; Sexton, J

2003-10-01

The Monte Carlo computational system for stochastic modelling of dietary exposure to food chemicals and nutrients is presented. This system was developed through a European Commission-funded research project. It is accessible as a Web-based application service. The system allows and supports very significant complexity in the data sets used as the model input, but provides a simple, general purpose, linear kernel for model evaluation. Specific features of the system include the ability to enter (arbitrarily) complex mathematical or probabilistic expressions at each and every input data field, automatic bootstrapping on subjects and on subject food intake diaries, and custom kernels to apply brand information such as market share and loyalty to the calculation of food and chemical intake.

Extraction and characterization of ternary complexes between natural organic matter, cations, and oxyanions from a natural soil.

PubMed

Peel, Hannah R; Martin, David P; Bednar, Anthony J

2017-06-01

Natural organic matter (NOM) can have a significant influence on the mobility and fate of inorganic oxyanions, such as arsenic and selenium, in the environment. There is evidence to suggest that interactions between NOM and these oxyanions are facilitated by bridging cations (primarily Fe 3+ ) through the formation of ternary complexes. Building on previous work characterizing ternary complexes formed in the laboratory using purified NOM, this study describes the extraction and characterization of intact ternary complexes directly from a soil matrix. The complexes are stable to the basic extraction conditions (pH 12) and do not appear to change when the pH of the extract is adjusted back to neutral. The results suggest that ternary complexes between NOM, cations, and inorganic oxyanions exist in natural soils and could play a role in the speciation of inorganic oxyanions in environmental matrices. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Analysis of the Physiological and Molecular Responses of Dunaliella salina to Macronutrient Deprivation

PubMed Central

Lv, Hexin; Cui, Xianggan; Wahid, Fazli; Xia, Feng; Zhong, Cheng; Jia, Shiru

2016-01-01

The halotolerant chlorophyte Dunaliella salina can accumulate up to 10% of its dry weight as β-carotene in chloroplasts when subjected to adverse conditions, including nutrient deprivation. However, the mechanisms of carotenoid biosynthesis are poorly understood. Here, the physiological and molecular responses to the deprivation of nitrogen (-N), sulfur (-S), phosphorus (-P) and different combinations of those nutrients (-N-P, -N-S, -P-S and -N-P-S) were compared to gain insights into the underlying regulatory mechanisms of carotenoid biosynthesis. The results showed that both the growth and photosynthetic rates of cells were decreased during nutrient deprivation, accompanied by lipid globule accumulation and reduced chlorophyll levels. The SOD and CAT activities of the cells were altered during nutrient deprivation, but their responses were different. The total carotenoid contents of cells subjected to multiple nutrient deprivation were higher than those of cells subjected to single nutrient deprivation and non-stressed cells. The β-carotene contents of cells subjected to -N-P, -N-S and -N-P-S were higher than those of cells subjected to single nutrient deprivation. Cells subjected to sulfur deprivation accumulated more lutein than cells subjected to nitrogen and phosphorous deprivation. In contrast, no cumulative effects of nutrient deprivation on the transcription of genes in the carotenogenic pathway were observed because MEP and carotenogenic pathway genes were up-regulated during single nutrient deprivation but were downregulated during multiple nutrient deprivation. Therefore, we proposed that the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway of D. salina is regulated at both the transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels and that a complex crosstalk occurs at the physiological and molecular levels in response to the deprivation of different nutrients. PMID:27023397

Real-time nutrient monitoring in rivers: adaptive sampling strategies, technological challenges and future directions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blaen, Phillip; Khamis, Kieran; Lloyd, Charlotte; Bradley, Chris

2016-04-01

Excessive nutrient concentrations in river waters threaten aquatic ecosystem functioning and can pose substantial risks to human health. Robust monitoring strategies are therefore required to generate reliable estimates of river nutrient loads and to improve understanding of the catchment processes that drive spatiotemporal patterns in nutrient fluxes. Furthermore, these data are vital for prediction of future trends under changing environmental conditions and thus the development of appropriate mitigation measures. In recent years, technological developments have led to an increase in the use of continuous in-situ nutrient analysers, which enable measurements at far higher temporal resolutions than can be achieved with discrete sampling and subsequent laboratory analysis. However, such instruments can be costly to run and difficult to maintain (e.g. due to high power consumption and memory requirements), leading to trade-offs between temporal and spatial monitoring resolutions. Here, we highlight how adaptive monitoring strategies, comprising a mixture of temporal sample frequencies controlled by one or more 'trigger variables' (e.g. river stage, turbidity, or nutrient concentration), can advance our understanding of catchment nutrient dynamics while simultaneously overcoming many of the practical and economic challenges encountered in typical in-situ river nutrient monitoring applications. We present examples of short-term variability in river nutrient dynamics, driven by complex catchment behaviour, which support our case for the development of monitoring systems that can adapt in real-time to rapid environmental changes. In addition, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of current nutrient monitoring techniques, and suggest new research directions based on emerging technologies and highlight how these might improve: 1) monitoring strategies, and 2) understanding of linkages between catchment processes and river nutrient fluxes.

Aerosols in atmospheric chemistry and biogeochemical cycles of nutrients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanakidou, Maria; Myriokefalitakis, Stelios; Tsigaridis, Kostas

2018-06-01

Atmospheric aerosols have complex and variable compositions and properties. While scientific interest is centered on the health and climatic effects of atmospheric aerosols, insufficient attention is given to their involvement in multiphase chemistry that alters their contribution as carriers of nutrients in ecosystems. However, there is experimental proof that the nutrient equilibria of both land and marine ecosystems have been disturbed during the Anthropocene period. This review study first summarizes our current understanding of aerosol chemical processing in the atmosphere as relevant to biogeochemical cycles. Then it binds together results of recent modeling studies based on laboratory and field experiments, focusing on the organic and dust components of aerosols that account for multiphase chemistry, aerosol ageing in the atmosphere, nutrient (N, P, Fe) emissions, atmospheric transport, transformation and deposition. The human-driven contribution to atmospheric deposition of these nutrients, derived by global simulations using past and future anthropogenic emissions of pollutants, is put into perspective with regard to potential changes in nutrient limitations and biodiversity. Atmospheric deposition of nutrients has been suggested to result in human-induced ecosystem limitations with regard to specific nutrients. Such modifications favor the development of certain species against others and affect the overall functioning of ecosystems. Organic forms of nutrients are found to contribute to the atmospheric deposition of the nutrients N, P and Fe by 20%–40%, 35%–45% and 7%–18%, respectively. These have the potential to be key components of the biogeochemical cycles since there is initial proof of their bioavailability to ecosystems. Bioaerosols have been found to make a significant contribution to atmospheric sources of N and P, indicating potentially significant interactions between terrestrial and marine ecosystems. These results deserve further experimental and modeling studies to reduce uncertainties and understand the feedbacks induced by atmospheric deposition of nutrients to ecosystems.

Fish extinctions alter nutrient recycling in tropical freshwaters.

PubMed

McIntyre, Peter B; Jones, Laura E; Flecker, Alexander S; Vanni, Michael J

2007-03-13

There is increasing evidence that species extinctions jeopardize the functioning of ecosystems. Overfishing and other human influences are reducing the diversity and abundance of fish worldwide, but the ecosystem-level consequences of these changes have not been assessed quantitatively. Recycling of nutrients is one important ecosystem process that is directly influenced by fish. Fish species vary widely in the rates at which they excrete nitrogen and phosphorus; thus, altering fish communities could affect nutrient recycling. Here, we use extensive field data on nutrient recycling rates and population sizes of fish species in a Neotropical river and Lake Tanganyika, Africa, to evaluate the effects of simulated extinctions on nutrient recycling. In both of these species-rich ecosystems, recycling was dominated by relatively few species, but contributions of individual species differed between nitrogen and phosphorus. Alternative extinction scenarios produced widely divergent patterns. Loss of the species targeted by fishermen led to faster declines in nutrient recycling than extinctions in order of rarity, body size, or trophic position. However, when surviving species were allowed to increase after extinctions, these compensatory responses had strong moderating effects even after losing many species. Our results underscore the complexity of predicting the consequences of extinctions from species-rich animal communities. Nevertheless, the importance of exploited species in nutrient recycling suggests that overfishing could have particularly detrimental effects on ecosystem functioning.

Characterization of Pseudomonas putida Genes Responsive to Nutrient Limitation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Syn, Chris K.; Magnuson, Jon K.; Kingsley, Mark T.

2004-06-01

The low bioavailability of nutrients and oxygen in the soil environment has hampered successful expression of biodegradation/biocontrol genes that are driven by promoters highly active during routine laboratory conditions of high nutrient- and oxygen-availability. Hence, in the present study, expression of the gus-tagged genes in 12 Tn5-gus mutants of the soil microbe Pseudomonas putida PNL-MK25 was examined under various conditions chosen to mimic the soil environment: low carbon, phosphate, nitrate, or oxygen, and in the rhizosphere. Based on their expression profiles, three nutrient-responsive mutant (NRM) strains, NRM5, NRM7, and NRM17, were selected for identification of the tagged genes. In themore » mutant strain NRM5, expression of the glutamate dehydrogenase (gdhA) gene was increased between 4.9- to 26.4-fold under various low nutrient conditions. In NRM7, expression of the novel NADPH:quinone oxidoreductase-like (nql) gene was consistently amongst the highest and was synergistically upregulated by low nutrient and anoxic conditions. The cyoD gene in NRM17, which encodes the fourth subunit of the cytochrome o ubiquinol oxidase complex, had decreased expression in low nutrient conditions but its absolute expression levels was still amongst the highest. Additionally, it was independent of oxygen availability, in contrast to that in E. coli.« less

Characterizing Low Molecular Weight Organic Matter in Arctic Polygonal Tundra Soils to Identify Biogeochemical Hotspots Using a Dual-Separation, High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ladd, M.; Wullschleger, S. D.; Iversen, C. M.; Hettich, R.

2016-12-01

Reliably modeling biogeochemical processes (e.g. decomposition, plant-microbial competition for nutrients) across spatial or temporal scales requires elucidating the chemical composition of low molecular weight (LMW) dissolved soil organic matter (DOM). Our understanding is limited, however, by the wide-ranging physicochemical properties and high fluxes of these compounds, posing major challenges in detection, isolation, and quantification. Here, we developed and evaluated a sensitive, non-targeted approach to characterize LMW DOM in the Arctic, a unique system that is warming at a rate twice that of the global average and may have significant feedbacks to global C and N cycles. Soil cores were collected from a continuous permafrost, polygonal tundra landscape near Barrow, Alaska (71° 16' N) and sectioned into 5 cm increments. Water and salt extracts from each section were filtered and injected onto C18 reversed-phase or zwitterionic-type hydrophilic interaction chromatography (ZIC-pHILIC) columns for separation. LMW DOM profiles were obtained using high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), and unique features, known and unknown, were characterized by LC retention time, accurate mass (m/z), and molecular fragmentation pattern. Coupling two orthogonal chromatographic separations with HRMS enabled the characterization of hundreds of analytes in a single measurement providing enhanced, high-throughput coverage of LMW DOM from soil extracts. The complexity and relative/absolute intensities of LMW DOM features (e.g. organic acids, amino sugars, peptides) varied across polygon type (high- or low-centered), extract condition, and with depth, providing an information-rich, molecular signal of LMW DOM availability across scales. Comprehensively profiling this complex mixture of small molecules of both biotic and abiotic origin provides a chemical signature of biological function, allowing for more reliable predictions of how discrete, molecular-scale processes may control landscape dynamics. In the Arctic, this platform can be leveraged to identify biogeochemical hotspots to gain insight into to how warming temperatures will impact microbial dynamics and CO2 and CH4 fluxes from these systems.

Growing media [Chapter 5

Treesearch

Douglass F. Jacobs; Thomas D. Landis; Tara Luna

2009-01-01

Selecting the proper growing medium is one of the most important considerations in nursery plant production. A growing medium can be defined as a substance through which roots grow and extract water and nutrients. In native plant nurseries, a growing medium can consist of native soil but is more commonly an "artificial soil" composed of materials such as peat...

Evaluation of H3A for determination of plant available P vs. FeAIO strips

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for plant growth but in excess is a source of environmental pollution. Fertilizer additions of P are recommended based on soil tests; however, the commonly applied P extractants are often applied outside of their design criteria (specifically soil pH). As a resu...

Modeling the relationship between extractable chlorophyll and SPAD-502 readings for endangered plant species research

Treesearch

Tracy S. Hawkins; Emile S. Gardiner; Greg S. Comer

2009-01-01

Handheld chlorophyll meters have proven to be useful tools for rapid, nondestructive assessment of chlorophyll and nutrient status in various agricultural and arborescent plant species. We proposed that a SPAD-502 chlorophyll meter would provide valuable information when monitoring life cycle changes and intraspecific variation in...

Impact of biomass harvesting on forest soil productivity in the northern Rocky Mountains

Treesearch

Woongsoon Jang; Christopher R. Keyes; Deborah Page-Dumroese

2015-01-01

Biomass harvesting extracts an increased amount of organic matter from forest ecosystems over conventional harvesting. Since organic matter plays a critical role in forest productivity, concerns of potential negative long-term impacts of biomass harvesting on forest productivity (i.e., changing nutrient/water cycling, aggravating soil properties, and compaction) have...

Riga-Fede disease and neonatal teeth.

PubMed

Costacurta, M; Maturo, P; Docimo, R

2012-01-01

The aim of this study is to present a case of Riga-Fede disease (RFD). RFD is a benign and uncommon mucosal disorder, characterized by an ulceration of the tongue, often caused by repetitive traumatic injuries due to backward and forward movements of the tongue over the mandibular anterior incisors. RFD is most commonly associated with the eruption of primary lower incisor in older infants or natal-neonatal teeth in newborns. A 2-month-old female infant was referred to our Paediatric Dentistry Unit for ulceration (13 mm diameter) on the ventral surface of the tongue and neonatal teeth. The extraction of neonatal teeth was selected as treatment of choice, over more conservative treatments, for the rapid resolution of the lesion and for the limited risk of inadequate nutrients intake. The extracted teeth underwent a macroscopic/microscopic examination. The complete healing of the lesion took 4 weeks; subsequently, the infant, revised at the 1-year follow-up visit. Early detection of RFD is recommended because such lesions properly may induce deformity or mutilation of tongue, dehydration, inadequate nutrients intake by the infant and growth retardation.

Extraction methods and food uses of a natural red colorant from dye sorghum.

PubMed

Akogou, Folachodé Ug; Kayodé, Ap Polycarpe; den Besten, Heidy Mw; Linnemann, Anita R

2018-01-01

The interest in stable natural colorants for food applications continues to grow. A red pigment extracted from the leaf sheaths of a sorghum variety (Sorghum bicolor) with a high content of apigeninidin is widely used as a biocolorant in processed foods in West Africa. This study compared the colour and anthocyanin composition from traditional extraction methods to determine options for improvement and use of the red biocolorant from dye sorghum in the food sector. Sorghum biocolorant was commonly applied in fermented and heated foods. Traditional extraction methods predominantly differed in two aspects, namely the use of an alkaline rock salt (locally known as kanwu) and the temperature of the extraction water. Cool extraction using the alkaline ingredient was more efficient than hot alkaline and hot aqueous extractions in extracting anthocyanins. The apigeninidin content was three times higher in the cool and hot alkaline extracts than in the aqueous extract. Cool and hot alkaline extractions at pH 8-9 were the most efficient methods for extracting apigeninidin from dye sorghum leaf sheaths. Broader use of the sorghum biocolorant in foods requires further research on its effects on nutrient bioavailability and antioxidant activity. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Environmental Stress-mediated EPS Production Shape Microbial Activity on Various Hydrated Rough Surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, G.; Liu, L.; Chen, G.

2016-12-01

The complex environmental physical and chemical processes and interplay with the associating biological responses are keys to understanding the environmental microbiology ensconced in environmental remediation, water quality control, food safety, nutrient cycling, and etc., yet remain poorly understood. Using experimental micromodels, we study how environmental conditions (e.g., hydration fluctuation, nutrient limitation, pH variation, etc.) affect microbial extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) production and their configuration within various hydrated surfaces, and impacts on microbial motility, surface attachment, aggregation, and other bioremediation activities. To elucidate the potential mechanisms underlying the complex bio-physicochemical processes, we developed an individual-based and spatio-temporally resolved modeling platform that explicitly considers microscale aqueous-phase configuration and nutrient transport/diffusion and associated biophysical processes affecting individual microbial cell life history. We quantitatively explore the effects of the above microscale environmental processes on bio-physicochemical interactions affecting microbial growth, motility, surface attachment and aggregation, and shaping population interactions and functions. Simulation scenarios of microbial induced pollutant (e.g., roxarsone) biotransformation on various hydrated rough surfaces will also be present.

SU-8 based microdevices to study self-induced chemotaxis in 3D microenvironments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayuso, Jose; Monge, Rosa; Llamazares, Guillermo; Moreno, Marco; Agirregabiria, Maria; Berganzo, Javier; Doblaré, Manuel; Ochoa, Iñaki; Fernandez, Luis

2015-05-01

Tissues are complex three-dimensional structures in which cell behaviour is frequently guided by chemotactic signals. Although starvation and nutrient restriction induce many different chemotactic processes, the recreation of such conditions in vitro remains difficult when using standard cell culture equipment. Recently, microfluidic techniques have arisen as powerful tools to mimic such physiological conditions. In this context, microfluidic three-dimensional cell culture systems require precise control of cell/hydrogel location because samples need to be placed within a microchamber without obstruction of surrounding elements. In this article, SU-8 is studied as structural material for the fabrication of complex cell culture devices due to its good mechanical properties, low gas permeability and sensor integration capacity. In particular, this manuscript presents a SU-8 based microdevice designed to create “self-induced” medium starvation, based on the combination of nutrient restriction and natural cell metabolism. Results show a natural migratory response towards nutrient source, showing how cells adapt to their own microenvironment modifications. The presented results demonstrate the SU-8 potential for microdevice fabrication applied to cell culture.

How to Set up an Effective Food Tax? Comment on “Food Taxes: A New Holy Grail?”

PubMed Central

Bonnet, Céline

2013-01-01

Whereas public information campaigns have failed to reverse the rising trend in obesity, economists support food taxes as they suggest they can force individuals to change their eating behavior and make the agro-food industry think more about healthy food products. Excise taxes based on the unhealthy nutrient content would be more effective since they impact more on unhealthy food products than VAT (value-added-tax) taxes. Taxes based only on junk food products would avoid perverse effects on healthy nutrient. However, as eating behavior of consumers is complex, a modeling analysis would allow to assess unexpected effects on other unhealthy nutrients or products. PMID:24596873

How to Set up an Effective Food Tax? Comment on "Food Taxes: A New Holy Grail?".

PubMed

Bonnet, Céline

2013-09-01

Whereas public information campaigns have failed to reverse the rising trend in obesity, economists support food taxes as they suggest they can force individuals to change their eating behavior and make the agro-food industry think more about healthy food products. Excise taxes based on the unhealthy nutrient content would be more effective since they impact more on unhealthy food products than VAT (value-added-tax) taxes. Taxes based only on junk food products would avoid perverse effects on healthy nutrient. However, as eating behavior of consumers is complex, a modeling analysis would allow to assess unexpected effects on other unhealthy nutrients or products.

Local kernel nonparametric discriminant analysis for adaptive extraction of complex structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Quanbao; Wei, Fajie; Zhou, Shenghan

2017-05-01

The linear discriminant analysis (LDA) is one of popular means for linear feature extraction. It usually performs well when the global data structure is consistent with the local data structure. Other frequently-used approaches of feature extraction usually require linear, independence, or large sample condition. However, in real world applications, these assumptions are not always satisfied or cannot be tested. In this paper, we introduce an adaptive method, local kernel nonparametric discriminant analysis (LKNDA), which integrates conventional discriminant analysis with nonparametric statistics. LKNDA is adept in identifying both complex nonlinear structures and the ad hoc rule. Six simulation cases demonstrate that LKNDA have both parametric and nonparametric algorithm advantages and higher classification accuracy. Quartic unilateral kernel function may provide better robustness of prediction than other functions. LKNDA gives an alternative solution for discriminant cases of complex nonlinear feature extraction or unknown feature extraction. At last, the application of LKNDA in the complex feature extraction of financial market activities is proposed.

Enhanced efficiency fertilisers: a review of formulation and nutrient release patterns.

PubMed

Timilsena, Yakindra Prasad; Adhikari, Raju; Casey, Phil; Muster, Tim; Gill, Harsharn; Adhikari, Benu

2015-04-01

Fertilisers are one of the most important elements of modern agriculture. The application of fertilisers in agricultural practices has markedly increased the production of food, feed, fuel, fibre and other plant products. However, a significant portion of nutrients applied in the field is not taken up by plants and is lost through leaching, volatilisation, nitrification, or other means. Such a loss increases the cost of fertiliser and severely pollutes the environment. To alleviate these problems, enhanced efficiency fertilisers (EEFs) are produced and used in the form of controlled release fertilisers and nitrification/urease inhibitors. The application of biopolymers for coating in EEFs, tailoring the release pattern of nutrients to closely match the growth requirement of plants and development of realistic models to predict the release pattern of common nutrients have been the foci of fertiliser research. In this context, this paper intends to review relevant aspects of new developments in fertiliser production and use, agronomic, economic and environmental drives for enhanced efficiency fertilisers and their formulation process and the nutrient release behaviour. Application of biopolymers and complex coacervation technique for nutrient encapsulation is also explored as a promising technology to produce EEFs. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Predictable communities of soil bacteria in relation to nutrient concentration and successional stage in a laboratory culture experiment.

PubMed

Song, Woojin; Kim, Mincheol; Tripathi, Binu M; Kim, Hyoki; Adams, Jonathan M

2016-06-01

It is difficult to understand the processes that structure immensely complex bacterial communities in the soil environment, necessitating a simplifying experimental approach. Here, we set up a microcosm culturing experiment with soil bacteria, at a range of nutrient concentrations, and compared these over time to understand the relationship between soil bacterial community structure and time/nutrient concentration. DNA from each replicate was analysed using HiSeq2000 Illumina sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. We found that each nutrient treatment, and each time point during the experiment, produces characteristic bacterial communities that occur predictably between replicates. It is clear that within the context of this experiment, many soil bacteria have distinct niches from one another, in terms of both nutrient concentration, and successional time point since a resource first became available. This fine niche differentiation may in part help to explain the coexistence of a diversity of bacteria in soils. In this experiment, we show that the unimodal relationship between nutrient concentration/time and species diversity often reported in communities of larger organisms is also evident in microbial communities. © 2015 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Uranium extraction by complexation with siderophores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahamonde Castro, Cristina

One of the major concerns of energy production is the environmental impact associated with the extraction of natural resources. Nuclear energy fuel is obtained from uranium, an abundant and naturally occurring element in the environment, but the currently used techniques for uranium extraction leave either a significant fingerprint (open pit mines) or a chemical residue that alters the pH of the environment (acid or alkali leaching). It is therefore clear that a new and greener approach to uranium extraction is needed. Bioleaching is one potential alternative. In bioleaching, complexants naturally produced from fungi or bacteria may be used to extract the uranium. In the following research, the siderophore enterobactin, which is naturally produced by bacteria to extract and solubilize iron from the environment, is evaluated to determine its potential for complexing with uranium. To determine whether enterobactin could be used for uranium extraction, its acid dissociation and its binding strength with the metal of interest must be determined. Due to the complexity of working with radioactive materials, lanthanides were used as analogs for uranium. In addition, polyprotic acids were used as structural and chemical analogs for the siderophore during method development. To evaluate the acid dissociation of enterobactin and the subsequent binding constants with lanthanides, three different analytical techniques were studied including: potentiometric titration, UltraViolet Visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometry and Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC). After evaluation of three techniques, a combination of ITC and potentiometric titrations was deemed to be the most viable way for studying the siderophore of interest. The results obtained from these studies corroborate the ideal pH range for enterobactin complexation to the lanthanide of interest and pave the way for determining the strength of complexation relative to other naturally occurring metals. Ultimately, this fundamental research enhances our current understanding of heavy metal complexation to naturally occurring complexants, which may enhance the metals mobility in the environment or potentially be used as a greener alternative in uranium extraction or remediation.

Transcriptional analysis of the conidiation pattern shift of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium acridum in response to different nutrients.

PubMed

Wang, Zhenglong; Jin, Kai; Xia, Yuxian

2016-08-09

Most fungi, including entomopathogenic fungi, have two different conidiation patterns, normal and microcycle conidiation, under different culture conditions, eg, in media containing different nutrients. However, the mechanisms underlying the conidiation pattern shift are poorly understood. In this study, Metarhizium acridum undergoing microcycle conidiation on sucrose yeast extract agar (SYA) medium shifted to normal conidiation when the medium was supplemented with sucrose, nitrate, or phosphate. By linking changes in nutrients with the conidiation pattern shift and transcriptional changes, we obtained conidiation pattern shift libraries by Solexa/Illumina deep-sequencing technology. A comparative analysis demonstrated that the expression of 137 genes was up-regulated during the shift to normal conidiation, while the expression of 436 genes was up-regulated at the microcycle conidiation stage. A comparison of subtractive libraries revealed that 83, 216, and 168 genes were related to sucrose-induced, nitrate-induced, and phosphate-induced conidiation pattern shifts, respectively. The expression of 217 genes whose expression was specific to microcycle conidiation was further analyzed by the gene expression profiling via multigene concatemers method using mRNA isolated from M. acridum grown on SYA and the four normal conidiation media. The expression of 142 genes was confirmed to be up-regulated on standard SYA medium. Of these 142 genes, 101 encode hypothetical proteins or proteins of unknown function, and only 41 genes encode proteins with putative functions. Of these 41 genes, 18 are related to cell growth, 10 are related to cell proliferation, three are related to the cell cycle, three are related to cell differentiation, two are related to cell wall synthesis, two are related to cell division, and seven have other functions. These results indicate that the conidiation pattern shift in M. acridum mainly results from changes in cell growth and proliferation. The results indicate that M. acridum shifts conidiation pattern from microcycle conidiation to normal conidiation when there is increased sucrose, nitrate, or phosphate in the medium during microcycle conidiation. The regulation of conidiation patterning is a complex process involving the cell cycle and metabolism of M. acridum. This study provides essential information about the molecular mechanism of the induction of the conidiation pattern shift by single nutrients.

Irrigation and weed control alter soil microbiology and nutrient availability in North Carolina Sandhill peach orchards.

PubMed

Zhang, Yi; Wang, Liangju; Yuan, Yongge; Xu, Jing; Tu, Cong; Fisk, Connie; Zhang, Weijian; Chen, Xin; Ritchie, David; Hu, Shuijin

2018-02-15

Orchard management practices such as weed control and irrigation are primarily aimed at maximizing fruit yields and economic profits. However, the impact of these practices on soil fertility and soil microbiology is often overlooked. We conducted a two-factor experimental manipulation of weed control by herbicide and trickle irrigation in a nutrient-poor peach (Prunus persica L. cv. Contender) orchard near Jackson Springs, North Carolina. After three and eight years of treatments, an array of soil fertility parameters were examined, including soil pH, soil N, P and cation nutrients, microbial biomass and respiration, N mineralization, and presence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Three general trends emerged: 1) irrigation significantly increased soil microbial biomass and activity, 2) infection rate of mycorrhizal fungi within roots were significantly higher under irrigation than non-irrigation treatments, but no significant difference in the AMF community composition was detected among treatments, 3) weed control through herbicides reduced soil organic matter, microbial biomass and activity, and mineral nutrients, but had no significant impacts on root mycorrhizal infection and AMF communities. Weed-control treatments directly decreased availability of soil nutrients in year 8, especially soil extractable inorganic N. Weed control also appears to have altered the soil nutrients via changes in soil microbes and altered net N mineralization via changes in soil microbial biomass and activity. These results indicate that long-term weed control using herbicides reduces soil fertility through reducing organic C inputs, nutrient retention and soil microbes. Together, these findings highlight the need for alternative practices such as winter legume cover cropping that maintain and/or enhance organic inputs to sustain the soil fertility. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Growth and Lead Accumulation Capacity of Lemna minor and Spirodela polyrhiza (Lemnaceae): Interactions with Nutrient Enrichment

PubMed Central

Aksoy, Ahmet

2010-01-01

A study to understand the biological effects of samples prepared with lead and the effects of lead were conducted on Lemna minor L. and Spirodela polyrhiza (L.) Schleid. This study was intended to test the hypothesis that nutrient enrichment (P, NO3−–N and SO42−) enhances the metal tolerance of floating macrophytes. The plants were exposed to Pb concentrations 0, 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 mg l−1 for a period of 1, 3, 5, and 7 days. L. minor accumulated 561 mg g−1 dry weight (dw) Pb, and S. polyrhiza accumulated 330 mg g−1 dw Pb after 7 days, whereas in the groups enriched with nutrients, L. minor accumulated 128.7 mg g−1 Pb and S. polyrhiza accumulated 68.7 mg g−1 dw Pb after 7 days. Relative growth rates and photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoid) were measured in L. minor and S. polyrhiza exposed to different Pb concentrations under laboratory conditions. Relative growth rates were negatively correlated with metal exposure, but nutrient addition was found to suppress this effect. Photosynthetic pigment levels were found negatively correlated with metal exposure, and nutrient addition attenuated chlorophyll decrease in response to metal exposure. Metal and nutrient concentration in water decreased throughout the experiments. The study concluded that nutrient enrichment increases the tolerance of L. minor and S. polyrhiza to metals, that L. minor and S. polyrhiza are suitable candidates for the phytoremediation of low-level lead pollution, and that L. minor was more effective in extracting lead than was S. polyrhiza. PMID:21258435

Lignans from the root of Wikstroemia indica and their cytotoxic activity against PANC-1 human pancreatic cancer cells.

PubMed

Chang, Hang; Wang, Yuwei; Gao, Xue; Song, Zehai; Awale, Suresh; Han, Na; Liu, Zhihui; Yin, Jun

2017-09-01

Six new compounds, wikstronin A (1), wikstronin B (2), wikstresinol (3), acetylwikstresinol (4), bis-5',5'-(+)-matairesinol (5), bis-5,5'-(+)-matairesinol (6), together with 20 known compounds (7-26) were isolated from the CH 2 Cl 2 extract of roots of Wikstroemia indica. Structures of compounds 1-6 were determined by extensive NMR and CD spectroscopic analysis. In vitro preferential cytotoxicity of all the isolates was evaluated against a PANC-1 human pancreatic cell line. Compounds 8 and 12 displayed mild preferential cytotoxicity in the nutrient-deprived medium (NDM) and without causing toxicity in normal nutrient-rich conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) and domestic horse (Equus caballus) hindgut microflora demonstrate similar fermentation responses to grape seed extract supplementation in vitro.

PubMed

Huntley, N F; Naumann, H D; Kenny, A L; Kerley, M S

2017-10-01

The domestic horse is used as a nutritional model for rhinoceros maintained under human care. The validity of this model for browsing rhinoceros has been questioned due to high prevalence of iron overload disorder (IOD) in captive black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis), which is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Iron chelators, such as tannins, are under investigation as dietary supplements to ameliorate or prevent IOD in prone species. Polyphenolic compounds variably affect microbial fermentation, so the first objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of grape seed extract (GSE; a concentrated source of condensed tannins; CT) on black rhinoceros hindgut fermentation. Equine nutrition knowledge is used to assess supplements for rhinoceros; therefore, the second objective was to evaluate the domestic horse model for black rhinoceros fermentation and compare fermentation responses to GSE using a continuous single-flow in vitro culture system. Two replicated continuous culture experiments were conducted using horse and black rhinoceros faeces as inoculum sources comparing four diets with increasing GSE inclusion (0.0%, 1.3%, 2.7% and 4.0% of diet dry matter). Diet and GSE polyphenolic compositions were determined, and sodium sulphite effect on neutral detergent fibre extraction of CT-containing forages was tested. Increasing GSE inclusion stimulated microbial growth and fermentation, and proportionally increased diet CT concentration and iron-binding capacity. Horse and black rhinoceros hindgut microflora nutrient digestibility and fermentation responses to GSE did not differ, and results supported equine fermentation as an adequate model for microbial fermentation in the black rhinoceros. Interpretation of these results is limited to hindgut fermentation and further research is needed to compare foregut digestibility and nutrient absorption between these two species. Supplementation of GSE in black rhinoceros diets up to 4% is unlikely to adversely affect hindgut nutrient digestibility or microbial viability and fermentation. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Electrothermal atomisation atomic absorption conditions and matrix modifications for determining antimony, arsenic, bismuth, cadmium, gallium, gold, indium, lead, molybdenum, palladium, platinum, selenium, silver, tellurium, thallium and tin following back-extraction of organic aminohalide extracts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, J.R.

1986-01-01

A multi-element organic-extraction and back-extraction procedure, that had been developed previously to eliminate matrix interferences in the determination of a large number of trace elements in complex materials such as geological samples, produced organic and aqueous solutions that were complex. Electrothermal atomisation atomic absorption conditions and matrix modifications have been developed for 13 of the extracted elements (Ag, As, Au, Bi, Cd, Ga, In, Pb, Sb, Se, Sn, Te and Tl) that enhance sensitivity, alleviate problems resulting from the complex solutions and produce acceptable precision. Platinum, Pd and Mo can be determined without matrix modification directly on the original unstripped extracts.

EPS forces in Bacillus subtilis biofilms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Wenbo; Angelini, Thomas; Tsai, Shih-Ming; Nixon, Ryan

2014-03-01

Bacteria have evolved to congregate in complex communities known as biofilms. The structure that holds a biofilm together is a matrix called extracellular polymeric substance (EPS). It has been observed in previous studies that EPS up-regulation occurs when the nutrient levels fall below a threshold concentration; this increase in EPS concentration produces an osmotic pressure that forces the colony to spread outward. This osmotic pressure may drive nutrient uptake, but the stresses generated by the EPS matrix has never been measured. Here we present measurements of the forces exerted by a biofilm on its supporting substrate and on its fluid nutrients. In our experiments, we use a technique analogous to traction force microscopy to measure strain in agar nutrient substrates imposed by Bacillus subtilis biofilms. By running additional test to measure the permeability and elastic modulus of the agar, we can estimate the pressure generated by the biofilm.

A novel coupled system of non-local integro-differential equations modelling Young's modulus evolution, nutrients' supply and consumption during bone fracture healing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Yanfei; Lekszycki, Tomasz

2016-10-01

During fracture healing, a series of complex coupled biological and mechanical phenomena occurs. They include: (i) growth and remodelling of bone, whose Young's modulus varies in space and time; (ii) nutrients' diffusion and consumption by living cells. In this paper, we newly propose to model these evolution phenomena. The considered features include: (i) a new constitutive equation for growth simulation involving the number of sensor cells; (ii) an improved equation for nutrient concentration accounting for the switch between Michaelis-Menten kinetics and linear consumption regime; (iii) a new constitutive equation for Young's modulus evolution accounting for its dependence on nutrient concentration and variable number of active cells. The effectiveness of the model and its predictive capability are qualitatively verified by numerical simulations (using COMSOL) describing the healing of bone in the presence of damaged tissue between fractured parts.

[Defining of wheat growth management zones based on remote sensing and geostatistics].

PubMed

Huang, Yan; Zhu, Yan; Ma, Meng-Li; Wang, Hang; Cao, Wei-Xing; Tian, Yong-Chao

2011-02-01

Taking the winter wheat planting areas in Rugao City and Haian County of Jiangsu Province as test objects, the clustering defining of wheat growth management zones was made, based on the spatial variability analysis and principal component extraction of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data calculated from the HJ-1A/B CCD images (30 m resolution) at different growth stages of winter wheat, and of the soil nutrient indices (total nitrogen, organic matter, available phosphorus, and available potassium). The results showed that the integration of the NDVI at heading stage with above-mentioned soil nutrient indices produced the best results of wheat growth management zone defining, with the variation coefficients of NDVI and soil nutrient indices in each defined zone ranged in 4.5% -6.1% and 3.3% -87.9%, respectively. However, the variation coefficients were much larger when the wheat growth management zones were defined individually by NDVI or by soil nutrient indices, suggesting that the newly developed defining method could reduce the variability within the defined management zones and improve the crop management precision, and thereby, contribute to the winter wheat growth management and process simulation at regional scale.

Optimization of carrageenan-based jelly products added with nutrients for reducing osteoporosis risks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Athaillah, Zatil Afrah; Eviana, Irma; Pudjiraharti, Sri; Haryono, Agus

2017-11-01

Osteoporosis is a main concern, particularly in aging populations and more specifically in elderly women. Introducing functional foods that contains nutrients that have been scientifically proven to bring beneficial effects for bone metabolism is one of potential mechanism to reduce its prevalence. In this study, optimization of jelly products containing the necessary nutrients was conducted. We investigated the effect of adding skim milk, at particular concentrations, to gelling temperature of the sol, syneresis of the gels, and texture profile of the gels. Furthermore, green tea and ginger extract were added to the formulation and consumer preference on color and taste was analyzed. Our findings demonstrated that no significant difference in gelling temperature and syneresis was found as skim milk concentration was increased from 0.64 to 2.51%. Texture profile analysis data suggested that adding skim milk contributed to increased firmness, toughness, stringiness, and initial stiffness of the gels. In general, panellist could accept both color and taste of green tea and ginger jellies, as the median values were between 6 and 7 in the 9-point rating hedonic scale. These findings suggested that addition of nutrients beneficial for bone health can be conducted to jelly products with good sensory acceptance.

Uptake of perfluorinated compounds by plants grown in nutrient solution.

PubMed

García-Valcárcel, A I; Molero, E; Escorial, M C; Chueca, M C; Tadeo, J L

2014-02-15

The uptake rates of three perfluorinated carboxylates and three perfluorinated sufonates by a grass (B diandrus) grown in nutrient solution at two different perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) concentrations were assessed. Grass can be ingested by grazing animals causing the PFCs to enter the food chain, which is a pathway of human exposure to these compounds. A rapid and miniaturized method was developed to determine PFCs in plants, based on a matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) extraction procedure followed by quantitation by HPLC-MS/MS with an MQL in the range from 1 to 9 ng/g. An increase of PFCs levels in plant was observed along the exposure time. Differences in uptake for studied perfluorinated carboxylates were found, showing a decrease with carbon chain length (from 3027 to 1,167 ng/g at the end of assay), whereas no significant differences in absorption were obtained between perfluorinated sulfonates (about 1,700 ng/g). Initially, higher PFC transfer factors (ratio between concentration in plant and concentration in initial nutrient solution) were obtained for plants growing in the nutrient solution at the highest PFC concentration, but these factors became similar with time to plants exposed to the lowest concentration. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The GATOR1 Complex Regulates Metabolic Homeostasis and the Response to Nutrient Stress in Drosophila melanogaster.

PubMed

Wei, Youheng; Reveal, Brad; Cai, Weili; Lilly, Mary A

2016-12-07

TORC1 regulates metabolism and growth in response to a large array of upstream inputs. The evolutionarily conserved trimeric GATOR1 complex inhibits TORC1 activity in response to amino acid limitation. In humans, the GATOR1 complex has been implicated in a wide array of pathologies including cancer and hereditary forms of epilepsy. However, the precise role of GATOR1 in animal physiology remains largely undefined. Here, we characterize null mutants of the GATOR1 components nprl2, nprl3, and iml1 in Drosophila melanogaster We demonstrate that all three mutants have inappropriately high baseline levels of TORC1 activity and decreased adult viability. Consistent with increased TORC1 activity, GATOR1 mutants exhibit a cell autonomous increase in cell growth. Notably, escaper nprl2 and nprl3 mutant adults have a profound locomotion defect. In line with a nonautonomous role in the regulation of systemic metabolism, expressing the Nprl3 protein in the fat body, a nutrient storage organ, and hemocytes but not muscles and neurons rescues the motility of nprl3 mutants. Finally, we show that nprl2 and nprl3 mutants fail to activate autophagy in response to amino acid limitation and are extremely sensitive to both amino acid and complete starvation. Thus, in Drosophila, in addition to maintaining baseline levels of TORC1 activity, the GATOR1 complex has retained a critical role in the response to nutrient stress. In summary, the TORC1 inhibitor GATOR1 contributes to multiple aspects of the development and physiology of Drosophila. Copyright © 2016 Wei et al.

In vitro azadirachtin production by hairy root cultivation of Azadirachta indica in nutrient mist bioreactor.

PubMed

Srivastava, Smita; Srivastava, A K

2012-01-01

Azadirachtin, a well-known biopesticide is a secondary metabolite conventionally extracted from the seeds of Azadirachta indica. The present study involved in vitro azadirachtin production by developing hairy roots of A. indica via Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated transformation of A. indica explants. Liquid culture of hairy roots was established in shake flask to study the kinetics of growth and azadirachtin production. A biomass production of 13.3 g/L dry weight (specific growth rate of 0.7 day(-1)) was obtained after 25 days of cultivation period with an azadirachtin yield of 3.3 mg/g root biomass. To overcome the mass transfer limitation in conventionally used liquid-phase reactors, batch cultivation of hairy roots was carried out in gas-phase reactors (nutrient spray and nutrient mist bioreactor) to investigate the possible scale-up of A. indica hairy root culture. The nano-size nutrient mist particles generated from the nozzle of the nutrient mist bioreactor could penetrate till the inner core of the inoculated root matrix, facilitating uniform growth during high-density cultivation of hairy roots. A biomass production of 9.8 g/L dry weight with azadirachtin accumulation of 2.8 mg/g biomass (27.4 mg/L) could be achieved in 25 days of batch cultivation period, which was equivalent to a volumetric productivity of 1.09 mg/L per day of azadirachtin.

Trace elements and nutrients adsorption onto nano-maghemite in a contaminated-soil solution: A geochemical/statistical approach.

PubMed

Martínez-Fernández, Domingo; Bingöl, Deniz; Komárek, Michael

2014-07-15

Two experiments were carried out to study the competition for adsorption between trace elements (TEs) and nutrients following the application of nano-maghemite (NM) (iron nano-oxide; Fe2O3) to a soil solution (the 0.01molL(-1) CaCl2 extract of a TEs-contaminated soil). In the first, the nutrients K, N, and P were added to create a set of combinations: potential availability of TEs during their interaction with NM and nutrients were studied. In the second, response surface methodology was used to develop predictive models by central composite design (CCD) for competition between TEs and the nutrients K and N for adsorption onto NM. The addition of NM to the soil solution reduced specifically the concentrations of available As and Cd, but the TE-adsorption capacity of NM decreased as the P concentration increased. The CCD provided more concise and valuable information, appropriate to estimate the behavior of NM sequestering TEs: according to the suggested models, K(+) and NH4(+) were important factors for Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, and Zn adsorption (Radj(2)=95%, except for Zn with Radj(2)=87%). The obtained information and models can be used to predict the effectiveness of NM for the stabilization of TEs, crucial during the phytoremediation of contaminated soils. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chelant-enhanced washing of CCA-contaminated soil: Coupled with selective dissolution or soil stabilization.

PubMed

Beiyuan, Jingzi; Lau, Abbe Y T; Tsang, Daniel C W; Zhang, Weihua; Kao, Chih-Ming; Baek, Kitae; Ok, Yong Sik; Li, Xiang-Dong

2018-01-15

Remediation of CCA-contaminated soil (Cr, Cu, and As) by biodegradable chelant-enhanced washing (EDDS, S,S-ethylene-diamine-disuccinic-acid) needs further enhancement. This study investigated the effectiveness of coupling with pre-treatment by selective dissolution and post-treatment by soil amendments, respectively. Three groups of reagents (reductants, alkaline solvents, and organic ligands) were adopted in the pre-treatment to dissolve the oxide minerals before EDDS extraction. In the post-treatment, soil amendments (coal fly ash (CFA), acid mine drainage sludge (AMDS), green waste compost (GWC)), and their mixtures) were used for a 2-month stabilization after 2-h EDDS washing. Multi-endpoint evaluation was performed by assessing the chemical state, leachability, mobility, bioaccessibility, and plant-availability of residual metal(loid)s as well as the cytotoxicity, enzyme activities, and available nutrients of the treated soils. Pre-treatment by dithionite-citrate-bicarbonate significantly enhanced extraction efficiency, but also increased the leachability of As and Cr and bioaccessibility of Cr in the treated soils. While sodium hydroxide removed the majority of As without increasing its leachability and bioaccessibility, it increased the cytotoxicity and inhibited the acid phosphatase activity. Post-treatment with AMDS and CFA effectively controlled the mobility and leachability of residual As and Cr after EDDS washing. However, destabilized Cu was only marginally immobilized by GWC due to strong Cu-EDDS complexation. The bioaccessibility and phytoavailability of Cu was primarily reduced by EDDS washing, while those of As and Cr could be attenuated by AMDS and CFA. This study indicates that coupling chemical extraction with subsequent soil amendment plays complementary roles in mitigating effects of residual metal(loid)s and improving environmental quality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Coral-Associated Bacterial Diversity Is Conserved across Two Deep-Sea Anthothela Species

PubMed Central

Lawler, Stephanie N.; Kellogg, Christina A.; France, Scott C.; Clostio, Rachel W.; Brooke, Sandra D.; Ross, Steve W.

2016-01-01

Cold-water corals, similar to tropical corals, contain diverse and complex microbial assemblages. These bacteria provide essential biological functions within coral holobionts, facilitating increased nutrient utilization and production of antimicrobial compounds. To date, few cold-water octocoral species have been analyzed to explore the diversity and abundance of their microbial associates. For this study, 23 samples of the family Anthothelidae were collected from Norfolk (n = 12) and Baltimore Canyons (n = 11) from the western Atlantic in August 2012 and May 2013. Genetic testing found that these samples comprised two Anthothela species (Anthothela grandiflora and Anthothela sp.) and Alcyonium grandiflorum. DNA was extracted and sequenced with primers targeting the V4–V5 variable region of the 16S rRNA gene using 454 pyrosequencing with GS FLX Titanium chemistry. Results demonstrated that the coral host was the primary driver of bacterial community composition. Al. grandiflorum, dominated by Alteromonadales and Pirellulales had much higher species richness, and a distinct bacterial community compared to Anthothela samples. Anthothela species (A. grandiflora and Anthothela sp.) had very similar bacterial communities, dominated by Oceanospirillales and Spirochaetes. Additional analysis of core-conserved bacteria at 90% sample coverage revealed genus level conservation across Anthothela samples. This core included unclassified Oceanospirillales, Kiloniellales, Campylobacterales, and genus Spirochaeta. Members of this core were previously recognized for their functional capabilities in nitrogen cycling and suggest the possibility of a nearly complete nitrogen cycle within Anthothela species. Overall, many of the bacterial associates identified in this study have the potential to contribute to the acquisition and cycling of nutrients within the coral holobiont. PMID:27092120

Comparative Analysis of State Fish Consumption Advisories Targeting Sensitive Populations

PubMed Central

Scherer, Alison C.; Tsuchiya, Ami; Younglove, Lisa R.; Burbacher, Thomas M.; Faustman, Elaine M.

2008-01-01

Objective Fish consumption advisories are issued to warn the public of possible toxicological threats from consuming certain fish species. Although developing fetuses and children are particularly susceptible to toxicants in fish, fish also contain valuable nutrients. Hence, formulating advice for sensitive populations poses challenges. We conducted a comparative analysis of advisory Web sites issued by states to assess health messages that sensitive populations might access. Data sources We evaluated state advisories accessed via the National Listing of Fish Advisories issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Data extraction We created criteria to evaluate advisory attributes such as risk and benefit message clarity. Data synthesis All 48 state advisories issued at the time of this analysis targeted children, 90% (43) targeted pregnant women, and 58% (28) targeted women of childbearing age. Only six advisories addressed single contaminants, while the remainder based advice on 2–12 contaminants. Results revealed that advisories associated a dozen contaminants with specific adverse health effects. Beneficial health effects of any kind were specifically associated only with omega-3 fatty acids found in fish. Conclusions These findings highlight the complexity of assessing and communicating information about multiple contaminant exposure from fish consumption. Communication regarding potential health benefits conferred by specific fish nutrients was minimal and focused primarily on omega-3 fatty acids. This overview suggests some lessons learned and highlights a lack of both clarity and consistency in providing the breadth of information that sensitive populations such as pregnant women need to make public health decisions about fish consumption during pregnancy. PMID:19079708

Reduction of orthophosphates loss in agricultural soil by nano calcium sulfate.

PubMed

Chen, Dong; Szostak, Paul; Wei, Zongsu; Xiao, Ruiyang

2016-01-01

Nutrient loss from soil, especially phosphorous (P) from farmlands to natural water bodies via surface runoff or infiltration, have caused significant eutrophication problems. This is because dissolved orthophosphates are usually the limiting nutrient for algal blooms. Currently, available techniques to control eutrophication are surprisingly scarce. Calcium sulfate or gypsum is a common soil amendment and has a strong complexation to orthophosphates. The results showed that calcium sulfate reduced the amount of water extractable P (WEP) through soil incubation tests, suggesting less P loss from farmlands. A greater decrease in WEP occurred with a greater dosage of calcium sulfate. Compared to conventional coarse calcium sulfate, nano calcium sulfate further reduced WEP by providing a much greater specific surface area, higher solubility, better contact with the fertilizer and the soil particles, and superior dispersibility. The enhancement of the nano calcium sulfate for WEP reduction is more apparent for a pellet- than a powdered- fertilizer. At the dosage of Ca/P weight ratio of 2.8, the WEP decreased by 31±5% with the nano calcium sulfate compared to 20±5% decrease with the coarse calcium sulfate when the pellet fertilizer was used. Computation of the chemical equilibrium speciation shows that calcium hydroxyapatite has the lowest solubility. However, other mineral phases such as hydroxydicalcium phosphate, dicalcium phosphate dihydrate, octacalcium phosphate, and tricalcium phosphate might form preceding to calcium hydroxyapatite. Since calcium sulfate is the major product of the flue gas desulfurization (FGD) process, this study demonstrates a potential beneficial reuse and reduction of the solid FGD waste. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Molecular Fingerprinting of Cyanobacteria from River Biofilms as a Water Quality Monitoring Tool

PubMed Central

Loza, Virginia; Perona, Elvira

2013-01-01

Benthic cyanobacterial communities from Guadarrama River (Spain) biofilms were examined using temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE), comparing the results with microscopic analyses of field-fixed samples and the genetic characterization of cultured isolates from the river. Changes in the structure and composition of cyanobacterial communities and their possible association with eutrophication in the river downstream were studied by examining complex TGGE patterns, band extraction, and subsequent sequencing of 16S rRNA gene fragments. Band profiles differed among sampling sites depending on differences in water quality. The results showed that TGGE band richness decreased in a downstream direction, and there was a clear clustering of phylotypes on the basis of their origins from different locations according to their ecological requirements. Multivariate analyses (cluster analysis and canonical correspondence analysis) corroborated these differences. Results were consistent with those obtained from microscopic observations of field-fixed samples. According to the phylogenetic analysis, morphotypes observed in natural samples were the most common phylotypes in the TGGE sequences. These phylotypes were closely related to Chamaesiphon, Aphanocapsa, Pleurocapsa, Cyanobium, Pseudanabaena, Phormidium, and Leptolyngbya. Differences in the populations in response to environmental variables, principally nutrient concentrations (dissolved inorganic nitrogen and soluble reactive phosphorus), were found. Some phylotypes were associated with low nutrient concentrations and high levels of dissolved oxygen, while other phylotypes were associated with eutrophic-hypertrophic conditions. These results support the view that once a community has been characterized and its genetic fingerprint obtained, this technique could be used for the purpose of monitoring rivers. PMID:23263954

Coral-associated bacterial diversity is conserved across two deep-sea Anthothela species

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lawler, Stephanie N.; Kellogg, Christina A.; France, Scott C; Clostio, Rachel W; Brooke, Sandra D.; Ross, Steve W.

2016-01-01

Cold-water corals, similar to tropical corals, contain diverse and complex microbial assemblages. These bacteria provide essential biological functions within coral holobionts, facilitating increased nutrient utilization and production of antimicrobial compounds. To date, few cold-water octocoral species have been analyzed to explore the diversity and abundance of their microbial associates. For this study, 23 samples of the family Anthothelidae were collected from Norfolk (n = 12) and Baltimore Canyons (n = 11) from the western Atlantic in August 2012 and May 2013. Genetic testing found that these samples comprised two Anthothela species (Anthothela grandiflora and Anthothela sp.) and Alcyonium grandiflorum. DNA was extracted and sequenced with primers targeting the V4-V5 variable region of the 16S rRNA gene using 454 pyrosequencing with GS FLX Titanium chemistry. Results demonstrated that the coral host was the primary driver of bacterial community composition. Al. grandiflorum, dominated by Alteromonadales and Pirellulales had much higher species richness, and a distinct bacterial community compared to Anthothela samples. Anthothela species (A. grandiflora and Anthothela sp.) had very similar bacterial communities, dominated by Oceanospirillales and Spirochaetes. Additional analysis of core-conserved bacteria at 90% sample coverage revealed genus level conservation across Anthothela samples. This core included unclassified Oceanospirillales, Kiloniellales, Campylobacterales, and genus Spirochaeta. Members of this core were previously recognized for their functional capabilities in nitrogen cycling and suggest the possibility of a nearly complete nitrogen cycle within Anthothela species. Overall, many of the bacterial associates identified in this study have the potential to contribute to the acquisition and cycling of nutrients within the coral holobiont.

SOIL RX

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Technical product bulletin: aka BIO-REGEN HYDROCARBON, this bioremediation agent (microbiological culture, nutrient additive) used in oil spill cleanups is a liquid formulation of humic acid, hydrocarbon-oxidizing bacteria, and amino acid complex.

Next-generation non-starch polysaccharide-degrading, multi-carbohydrase complex rich in xylanase and arabinofuranosidase to enhance broiler feed digestibility.

PubMed

Cozannet, Pierre; Kidd, Michael T; Montanhini Neto, Roberto; Geraert, Pierre-André

2017-08-01

This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of a multi-carbohydrase complex (MCC) rich in xylanase (Xyl) and arabinofuranosidase (Abf) on overall broiler feed digestibility in broilers. Energy utilization and digestibility of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), protein, starch, fat, and insoluble and soluble fibers were measured using the mass-balance method. The experiment was carried out on 120 broilers (3-week-old chickens). Broilers were distributed over 8 treatments to evaluate the effect of the dietary arabinoxylan content and nutrient density with and without MCC (Rovabio® Advance). The graded content of arabinoxylan (AX) was obtained using different raw materials (wheat, rye, barley, and dried distillers' wheat). Diet-energy density was modified with added fat. Measurements indicated that nutrient density and AX content had a significant effect on most digestibility parameters. Apparent metabolizable energy (AME) was significantly increased (265 kcal kg-1) by MCC. The addition of MCC also resulted in significant improvement in the digestibility of all evaluated nutrients, with average improvements of 3.0, 3.3, 3.2, 3.0, 6.2, 2.9, 5.8, and 3.8% units for DM, OM, protein, starch, fat, insoluble and soluble fibers, and energy utilization, respectively. The interaction between MCC and diet composition was significant for the digestibility of OM, fat, protein, and energy. Nutrient digestibility and diet AME were negatively correlated with AX content (P < 0.001). However, the addition of MCC resulted in a reduction of this negative effect (P < 0.001). The AME of diets with and without the addition of MCC were successfully predicted by the diet digestible nutrient (i.e., starch, protein, fat, insoluble and soluble fibers) content with and without MCC (R2 = 0.87; RSD = 78 kcal kg-1). This study confirms that the presence of AX in wheat-based diets and wheat-based diets with other cereals and cereal by-products reduces nutrient digestibility in broiler chickens. Furthermore, the dietary addition of MCC, which is rich in Xyn and Abf, reduced deleterious effect of fiber and improved overall nutrient digestibility in broiler diets. © 2017 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Only low methane production and emission in degraded peat extraction sites after rewetting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agethen, Svenja; Waldemer, Carolin; Knorr, Klaus-Holger

2015-04-01

In Central Europe rewetting of bogs after peat extraction is a wide spread technique to halt secondary aerobic decomposition and to reestablish plant species such as Sphagnum spp. and Eriophorum spp. that initialize accumulation of organic carbon in peat. Before extraction, such sites are often used for agriculture causing the aerobic degradation of peat and mobilization of phosphorus, ammonia, and dissolved organic matter (DOM). In nutrient poor ecosystems such as bogs, additional supply of P and N does not only trigger the establishment of uncharacteristic vegetation but also the formation of more labile plant litter and DOM that is readily degradable. Therefore, after rewetting and the development of anoxic conditions especially in initial stages high methane (CH4) emissions are reported for these systems compared to pristine bogs. Regarding the potential of methane production and emissions we investigated three common practices to prepare extraction fields for restoration (years since rewetting): i) Filling of drainage ditches, passive rewetting (1 site, Altendorfer Moor, Stade, NW-Germany, ca. 20 yr.), ii) Removal of upper 30 cm peat layer, removed peat used for construction of polder dikes (2 sites, Königsmoor, Leer, NW-Germany, 2 and 3 yr.), iii) Removal upper peat layer down to 50 cm grown peat, not extracted peat used as polder walls (2 sites, Benthullener Moor, Wardenburg, NW-Germany, 3 and 7 yr.). In each site two vegetated replicate mesocosms (diam. 30 cm, depth 40 cm) were sampled and placed in a greenhouse from May-October 2014 to maintain the water table at surface level. Pore water concentrations of ions, fermentation products and DOM, DOM electron acceptor capacity (EAC), soil gas concentrations of CO2, CH4 and H2, gas fluxes as well as element composition and organic matter quality of DOM and SOM were analyzed. We found out that practice i) with least efforts of nutrient removal in the peat produced the highest CH4 emissions (3.5 mmol m-2 d-1) although still within the range of northern pristine bogs. Also practice ii) showed still inputs of external nutrients and labile DOM, but CH4 production was not yet developed (0.23 and 0.07 mmol m-2 d-1). Practice iii) was most effective in nutrient removal, but only in the 7 yr. site little methane (in the 3 yr. site 0.025 vs. 0.41 mmol m-2 d-1in the 7 yr. site) was emitted. The emissions were well in accord with soil gas concentrations, maximum values for CH4 in practice i) were 115 μmol L-1, 2-5 μmol L-1 in practice ii) and 0.5 vs. 16 μmol L-1 in practice iii). Only small concentrations of inorganic electron acceptors such as sulfate imply the importance of organic matter as electron acceptor. The results show that restored bogs on former strongly degraded extraction fields do not necessarily act as exceptionally high CH4 sources. Contrary to other findings in early stages of rewetting CH4 emissions can also be very low until other electron acceptors are exhausted and methanogens become effective competitors for substrates which happens in the order of years.

Involvement of Small RNAs in Phosphorus and Sulfur Sensing, Signaling and Stress: Current Update

PubMed Central

Kumar, Smita; Verma, Saurabh; Trivedi, Prabodh K.

2017-01-01

Plants require several essential mineral nutrients for their growth and development. These nutrients are required to maintain physiological processes and structural integrity in plants. The root architecture has evolved to absorb nutrients from soil and transport them to other parts of the plant. Nutrient deficiency affects several physiological and biological processes in plants and leads to reduction in crop productivity and yield. To compensate this adversity, plants have developed adaptive mechanisms to enhance the acquisition, conservation, and mobilization of these nutrients under deficient or adverse conditions. In addition, plants have evolved an intricate nexus of complex signaling cascades, which help in nutrient sensing and uptake as well as to maintain nutrient homeostasis. In recent years, small non-coding RNAs such as micro RNAs (miRNAs) and endogenous small interfering RNAs have emerged as important component in regulating plant stress responses. A set of these small RNAs (sRNAs) have been implicated in regulating various processes involved in nutrient uptake, assimilation, and deficiency. In response to phosphorus (P) and sulphur (S) deficiencies, role of sRNAs, miR395 and miR399, have been identified to be instrumental; however, many more miRNAs might be involved in regulating the plant response to these nutrient stresses. These sRNAs modulate expression of target genes in response to P and S deficiencies and regulate their uptake and utilization for proper growth and development of the plant. This review summarizes the current understanding of uptake, sensing, and signaling of P and S and highlights the regulatory role of sRNAs in adaptive responses to these nutrient stresses in plants. PMID:28344582

Complex formation of sericoside with hydrophilic cyclodextrins: improvement of solubility and skin penetration in topical emulsion based formulations.

PubMed

Rode, T; Frauen, M; Müller, B W; Düsing, H J; Schönrock, U; Mundt, C; Wenck, H

2003-03-01

The main objective of this study was to devise novel methods for improving the solubility of the anti-inflammatory triterpenoid sericoside, the main component of Terminalia sericea extract, thus enabling its incorporation into topical formulations. Sericoside was stabilized by complex formation with hydrophilic derivatives of beta- and gamma-cyclodextrins in a molar ratio of 1.0:1.1. The complex of extract and cyclodextrin was equilibrated in water at 25 degrees C for approximately 24 h. The dehydrated complexes of T. sericea extract and cyclodextrin were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetry analysis and X-ray diffraction. Complex formation with beta-cyclodextrin as well as gamma-cyclodextrin derivatives was detectable using these three analytical tools; however, only complexes with gamma-cyclodextrin derivatives showed stability upon storage after incorporation into topical o/w or w/o formulations. Furthermore, a T. sericea extract/gamma-cyclodextrin complex incorporated in an o/w formulation resulted in a 2.6-fold higher percutaneous penetration of sericoside in in vitro excised pig skin as compared to pure T. sericea extract. For the first time, the virtually insoluble anti-inflammatory active sericoside was incorporated into a topical emulsion based formulation in a stable manner, resulting in efficient skin penetration. Copyright 2003 Elsevier Science B.V.

A simple model of variable residence time flow and nutrient transport in the chalk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackson, Bethanna M.; Wheater, Howard S.; Mathias, Simon A.; McIntyre, Neil; Butler, Adrian P.

2006-10-01

SummaryA basic problem of modelling flow and transport in Chalk catchments arises from the existence of a deep unsaturated zone, with complex interactions between flow in fractures and water held in the fine pores of the rock matrix. The response of the water table to major infiltration episodes is rapid (of the order of days). However, chemical signals are strongly damped, suggesting that this water is of varying age, with a corresponding mixed history of nutrient loading. Clearly this effect should be represented in any model of nutrients in Chalk systems. The applicability of simplified physically-based model formulations to represent the dual response in an integrated way has been investigated by a variety of researchers, but it has been shown that these approximations break down in application to the Chalk. Mathias et al. [Mathias, S., Butler, A.P., Jackson, B.M., Wheater, H.S., this issue. Characterising flow in the Chalk unsaturated zone. In: Wheater, H.S., Peach, D., Neal, C, editors, Hydrology on LOCAR in the Pang/Lambourn, special issue of J. Hydrol, doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2006.04.010] present a dual permeability model that explains the observed response, but such complex formulations are not readily incorporated in catchment-scale nutrient models. This paper reviews previous approaches to modelling the Chalk and then presents a pragmatic approach, with transport of solute and water through the unsaturated zone treated separately, and combined at the water table. Varying residence times are included through considering the distance between the water table and the soil surface, and the history of nutrient application at the surface. If an average rate of downwards migration of the nutrients is assumed, it is possible to derive a travel time distribution of nitrate transport to the water table using a DTM (digital terrain model) map of elevation and information on groundwater levels. This distribution can then be implemented through difference equations. The rationale behind the model and the resulting algorithm is described, and the algorithm then applied to a hypothetical case study of nutrient loading located in the Lambourn, a groundwater-dominated Chalk catchment in Southern England. Simulated groundwater concentrations are very similar in magnitude and variability to observed Chalk groundwater series, suggesting that this simple conceptual model may well be able to capture the dominant responses of nutrient transport through the Chalk.

Chemical composition and antioxidant activities of some indigenous spices consumed in Nigeria.

PubMed

Ene-Obong, Henrietta; Onuoha, NneOla; Aburime, Lilian; Mbah, Obioma

2018-01-01

The chemical compositions and antioxidant capacities of seven spices consumed in Southern Nigeria were determined. They were purchased from majors markets in the study area. Edible portions of the spices were ground into fine powder and their nutrient and phytochemical compositions determined using standard methods. Antioxidant activity were determined on aqueous extract using standard assays, namely, 1,1-diphenyl-2picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical ability and ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP). The spices were rich in macro-and micro-nutrients. Ricinodendron heudelotii had the highest protein (30.6%) and fat (24.6%) contents. Tetrapleura tetraptera had the least fat content. The total phenol, flavonoid and vitamin C contents differed significantly (p<0.001) from each other. Aframomum citratum had the highest amount of total phenol, flavonoid and DPPH scavenging ability, while Afrostyrax lepidophyllus had the best FRAP. The spices have good nutrient profile and antioxidant potentials. Their increased consumption is recommended and use as functional foods needs to be exploited. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of microbial processes on gas generation under expected WIPP repository conditions: Annual report through 1992

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Francis, A.J.; Gillow, J.B.

1993-09-01

Microbial processes involved in gas generation from degradation of the organic constituents of transuranic waste under conditions expected at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) repository are being investigated at Brookhaven National Laboratory. These laboratory studies are part of the Sandia National Laboratories -- WIPP Gas Generation Program. Gas generation due to microbial degradation of representative cellulosic waste was investigated in short-term (< 6 months) and long-term (> 6 months) experiments by incubating representative paper (filter paper, paper towels, and tissue) in WIPP brine under initially aerobic (air) and anaerobic (nitrogen) conditions. Samples from the WIPP surficial environment and undergroundmore » workings harbor gas-producing halophilic microorganisms, the activities of which were studied in short-term experiments. The microorganisms metabolized a variety of organic compounds including cellulose under aerobic, anaerobic, and denitrifying conditions. In long-term experiments, the effects of added nutrients (trace amounts of ammonium nitrate, phosphate, and yeast extract), no nutrients, and nutrients plus excess nitrate on gas production from cellulose degradation.« less

Blade motion and nutrient flux to the kelp, Eisenia arborea.

PubMed

Denny, Mark; Roberson, Loretta

2002-08-01

Marine algae rely on currents and waves to replenish the nutrients required for photosynthesis. The interaction of algal blades with flow often involves dynamic reorientations of the blade surface (pitching and flapping) that may in turn affect nutrient flux. As a first step toward understanding the consequences of blade motion, we explore the effect of oscillatory pitching on the flux to a flat plate and to two morphologies of the kelp Eisenia arborea. In slow flow (equivalent to a water velocity of 2.7 cm s(-1)), pitching increases the time-averaged flux to both kelp morphologies, but not to the plate. In fast flow (equivalent to 20 cm s(-1) in water), pitching has negligible effect on flux regardless of shape. For many aspects of flux, the flat plate is a reliable model for the flow-protected algal blade, but predictions made from the plate would substantially underestimate the flux to the flow-exposed blade. These measurements highlight the complexities of flow-related nutrient transport and the need to understand better the dynamic interactions among nutrient flux, blade motion, blade morphology, and water flow.

Nutrient-substituted hydroxyapatites: synthesis and characterization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Golden, D. C.; Ming, D. W.

1999-01-01

Incorporation of Mg, S, and plant-essential micronutrients into the structure of synthetic hydroxyapatite (HA) may be advantageous for closed-loop systems, such as will be required on Lunar and Martian outposts, because these apatites can be used as slow-release fertilizers. Our objective was to synthesize HA with Ca, P, Mg, S, Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, Mo, B, and Cl incorporated into the structure, i.e., nutrient-substituted apatites. Hydroxyapatite, carbonate hydroxyapatite (CHA), nutrient-substituted hydroxyapatite (NHA), and nutrient-substituted carbonate hydroxyapatite (NCHA) were synthesized by precipitating from solution. Chemical and mineralogical analysis of precipitated samples indicated a considerable fraction of the added cations were incorporated into HA, without mineral impurities. Particle size of the HA was in the 1 to 40 nm range, and decreased with increased substitution of nutrient elements. The particle shape of HA was elongated in the c-direction in unsubstituted HA and NHA but more spherical in CHA and NCHA. The substitution of cations and anions in the HA structure was confirmed by the decrease of the d[002] spacing of HA with substitution of ions with an ionic radius less than that of Ca or P. The DTPA-extractable Cu ranged from 8 to 8429 mg kg-1, Zn ranged from 57 to 1279 mg kg-1, Fe from 211 to 2573 mg kg-1, and Mn from 190 to 1719 mg kg-1, depending on the substitution level of each element in HA. Nutrient-substituted HA has the potential to be used as a slow-release fertilizer to supply micronutrients, S, and Mg in addition to Ca and P.

Soil Nutrient Stocks in Sub-Saharan Africa: Modeling Soil Nutrients Using Machine Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cooper, M. W.; Hengl, T.; Shepherd, K.; Heuvelink, G. B. M.

2017-12-01

We present the results of our work modeling 15 target soil nutrients at 250 meter resolution across Sub-Saharan Africa. We used a large stack of GIS layers as covariates, including layers on topography, climate, geology, hydrology and land cover. As training data we used ca. 59,000 soil samples harmonized across a number of projects and datasets, and we modeled each nutrient using an ensemble of random forest and gradient boosting algorithms, implemented using the R packages ranger and xgboost. Using cross validation, we determined that significant models can be produced for organic Carbon, total (organic) Nitrogen, total Phosphorus, and extractable Phosphorous, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Sulfur, Sodium, Iron, Manganese, Zinc, Copper, Aluminum and Boron, with an R-square value between 40 and 95%. The main covariates explaining spatial distribution of nutrients were precipitation and land form parameters. However, we were unable to significantly predict Sulfur, Phosphorus and Boron as these could not be correlated with any environmental covariates we used. Although the accuracy of predictions looks promising, our predictions likely suffer from the significant spatial clustering of the sampling locations, as well as a lack of more detailed data on geology and parent material at a continental scale. These results will contribute to targeting agricultural investments and interventions, as well as targeting restoration efforts and estimating yield potential and yield gaps. These results were recently published in the journal Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems (DOI: 10.1007/s10705-017-9870-x) and the maps are available for download under the ODC Open Database License.

Chapter 5. Damage, effects, and importance of dwarf mistletoes

Treesearch

B. W. Geils; F. G. Hawksworth

2002-01-01

All dwarf mistletoes are parasites that extract water, nutrients, and carbohydrates from the infected host; they are also pathogens that alter host physiology and morphology (Gill and Hawksworth 1961, Hawksworth and Wiens 1996). Disease or direct effects are reductions in diameter and height increment, survival, reproduction, and quality; witches’ brooms are formed in...

Characteristics and degradation of carbon and phosphorus from aquatic macrophytes in lakes: insights from solid-state 13C NMR and solution 31P NMR spectroscopy

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Water extractable organic matter (WEOM) derived from macrophytes plays an important role in biogeochemical cycling of nutrients, including carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in lakes. However, reports of their composition and degradation in natural waters are scarce. Therefore, compositions...

Data set on the effects of conifer control and slash burning on soil carbon, total N, organic matter and extractable micro-nutrients

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Conifer control in sagebrush steppe of the western United States causes various levels of site disturbance influencing vegetation recovery and resource availability. The data presented in this article are growing season availability of soil micronutrients and levels of total soil carbon, organic ma...

Ak-Chin Indian Community Biomass Feasiiblity Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mark A. Moser, RCM Digesters, Inc.; Mark Randall, Daystar Consulting, LLC; Leonard S. Gold, Ak-Chin Energy Services & Utility Strategies Consulting Group

2005-12-31

Study of the conversion of chicken litter to biogas for the production of energy. There was an additional requirement that after extracting the energy from the chicken litter the nutrient value of the raw chicken litter had to be returned to the Ak-Chin Farms for use as fertilizer in a form and delivery method acceptable to the Farm.

Obligate biotrophy features unraveled by the genomic analysis of the rust fungi, Melampsora larici-populina and Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Rust fungi are some of the most devastating pathogens of crop plants. They are obligate biotrophs, which extract nutrients only from living plant tissues and cannot grow apart from their hosts. Their lifestyle has slowed the dissection of molecular mechanisms underlying host invasion and avoidance...

Disponibilidade de nutrientes na fitomassa produzida por cultivares de milho (Zea mays L.) de diferentes niveis tecnologicos

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Macronutrient uptake, accumulation, and exportation can be affected by corn genetic selection. The objectives of this study were to quantify macronutrient extraction and to evaluate C/P and C/N ratio. The experiment was established at Rolândia County, Paraná State. Ten corn varieties divided into pa...

Pathways of nutrient loading and impacts on plant diversity in a New York peatland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Drexler, J.Z.; Bedford, B.L.

2002-01-01

Nutrient loading is a subtle, yet serious threat to the preservation of high diversity wetlands such as peatlands. Pathways of nutrient loading and impacts on plant diversity in a small peatland in New York State, USA were determined by collecting and analyzing a suite of hydrogeological, hydro-chemical, soil, and vegetation data. Piezometer clusters within an intensive network constituted hydro-chemical sampling points and focal points for randomly selected vegetation quadrats and soil-coring locations. Hydrogeological data and nutrient analyses showed that P and K loading occurred chiefly by means of overland flow from an adjacent farm field, whereas N loading occurred predominantly through ground-water flow from the farm field. Redundancy analysis and polynomial regression showed that nutrients, particularly total P in peat, total K in peat, extractable NH4-N, and NO3-N flux in ground water, were strongly negatively correlated with plant diversity measures at the site. No other environmental variables except vegetation measures associated with eutrophication demonstrated such a strong relationship with plant diversity. Nitrate loading over 4 mg m -2 day-1 was associated with low plant diversity, and Ca fluxes between 80 and 130 mg m-2 day-1 were associated with high plant diversity. Areas in the site with particularly low vascular plant and bryophyte species richness and Shannon-Wiener diversity (H') occurred adjacent to the farm field and near a hillside spring. High H' and species richness of vascular plants and bryophytes occurred in areas that were further removed from agriculture, contained no highly dominant vegetation, and were situated directly along the ground-water flow paths of springs. These areas were characterized by relatively constant water levels and consistent, yet moderate fluxes of base cations and nutrients. Overall, this study demonstrates that knowledge of site hydrogeology is crucial for determining potential pathways of nutrient loading and for developing relationships between nutrient inflows and wetland plant diversity. ?? 2002, The Society of Wetland Scientists.

Changes in soil carbon and nutrients following 6 years of litter removal and addition in a tropical semi-evergreen rain forest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanner, Edmund Vincent John; Sheldrake, Merlin W. A.; Turner, Benjamin L.

2016-11-01

Increasing atmospheric CO2 and temperature may increase forest productivity, including litterfall, but the consequences for soil organic matter remain poorly understood. To address this, we measured soil carbon and nutrient concentrations at nine depths to 2 m after 6 years of continuous litter removal and litter addition in a semi-evergreen rain forest in Panama. Soils in litter addition plots, compared to litter removal plots, had higher pH and contained greater concentrations of KCl-extractable nitrate (both to 30 cm); Mehlich-III extractable phosphorus and total carbon (both to 20 cm); total nitrogen (to 15 cm); Mehlich-III calcium (to 10 cm); and Mehlich-III magnesium and lower bulk density (both to 5 cm). In contrast, litter manipulation did not affect ammonium, manganese, potassium or zinc, and soils deeper than 30 cm did not differ for any nutrient. Comparison with previous analyses in the experiment indicates that the effect of litter manipulation on nutrient concentrations and the depth to which the effects are significant are increasing with time. To allow for changes in bulk density in calculation of changes in carbon stocks, we standardized total carbon and nitrogen on the basis of a constant mineral mass. For 200 kg m-2 of mineral soil (approximately the upper 20 cm of the profile) about 0.5 kg C m-2 was "missing" from the litter removal plots, with a similar amount accumulated in the litter addition plots. There was an additional 0.4 kg C m-2 extra in the litter standing crop of the litter addition plots compared to the control. This increase in carbon in surface soil and the litter standing crop can be interpreted as a potential partial mitigation of the effects of increasing CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere.

Solid-state fermentation of Jatropha seed cake for optimization of lipase, protease and detoxification of anti-nutrients in Jatropha seed cake using Aspergillus versicolor CJS-98.

PubMed

Veerabhadrappa, Mohankumar Bavimane; Shivakumar, Sharath Belame; Devappa, Somashekar

2014-02-01

This study focused on the solid-state fermentation of Jatropha seed cake (JSC), a byproduct generated after biodiesel production. Presence of anti-nutritional compounds and toxins restricts its application in livestock feed. The disposal of the JSC is a major environmental problem in the future, due to the generation of huge quantity of JSC after biodiesel extraction. Hence the JSC was assessed for its suitability as substrate for production and optimization of lipase and protease from Aspergillus versicolor CJS-98 by solid-state fermentation (SSF). The present study was also focused on the biodetoxification of anti-nutrients and toxins in JSC. The SSF parameters were optimized for maximum production of lipase and protease. Under the optimized conditions, the JSC supplemented with maltose and peptone (2%), adjusted to pH 7.0, moisture content 40%, inoculated with 1 × 10(7) spores per 5 g cake and incubated at 25°C, produced maximum lipase, 1288 U/g and protease, 3366 U/g at 96 h. The anti-nutrients like phytic acid (6.08%), tannins (0.37%), trypsin inhibitors (697.5 TIU/g), cyanogenic glucosides (692.5 μg/100 g), and lectins (0.309 mg/ml), were reduced to 1.70%, 0.23%, 12.5 TIU/g, 560.6 μg/100 g and 0.034 mg/ml respectively. The main toxic compound phorbol esters content in the JSC was reduced from 0.083% to 0.015% after SSF. Our results indicate that viability of SSF to utilize the huge amount of seed cake generated after extraction of biodiesel, for production of industrial enzymes and biodetoxification of anti-nutrients, toxins. Copyright © 2013 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Proteomic Analysis of Fusarium solani Isolated from the Asian Longhorned Beetle, Anoplophora glabripennis

PubMed Central

Scully, Erin D.; Hoover, Kelli; Carlson, John; Tien, Ming; Geib, Scott M.

2012-01-01

Wood is a highly intractable food source, yet many insects successfully colonize and thrive in this challenging niche. Overcoming the lignin barrier of wood is a key challenge in nutrient acquisition, but full depolymerization of intact lignin polymers has only been conclusively demonstrated in fungi and is not known to occur by enzymes produced by insects or bacteria. Previous research validated that lignocellulose and hemicellulose degradation occur within the gut of the wood boring insect, Anoplophora glabripennis (Asian longhorned beetle), and that a fungal species, Fusarium solani (ATCC MYA 4552), is consistently associated with the larval stage. While the nature of this relationship is unresolved, we sought to assess this fungal isolate's ability to degrade lignocellulose and cell wall polysaccharides and to extract nutrients from woody tissue. This gut-derived fungal isolate was inoculated onto a wood-based substrate and shotgun proteomics using Multidimensional Protein Identification Technology (MudPIT) was employed to identify 400 expressed proteins. Through this approach, we detected proteins responsible for plant cell wall polysaccharide degradation, including proteins belonging to 28 glycosyl hydrolase families and several cutinases, esterases, lipases, pectate lyases, and polysaccharide deacetylases. Proteinases with broad substrate specificities and ureases were observed, indicating that this isolate has the capability to digest plant cell wall proteins and recycle nitrogenous waste under periods of nutrient limitation. Additionally, several laccases, peroxidases, and enzymes involved in extracellular hydrogen peroxide production previously implicated in lignin depolymerization were detected. In vitro biochemical assays were conducted to corroborate MudPIT results and confirmed that cellulases, glycosyl hydrolases, xylanases, laccases, and Mn- independent peroxidases were active in culture; however, lignin- and Mn- dependent peroxidase activities were not detected While little is known about the role of filamentous fungi and their associations with insects, these findings suggest that this isolate has the endogenous potential to degrade lignocellulose and extract nutrients from woody tissue. PMID:22496740

Bioleaching of spent Zn-Mn or Ni-Cd batteries by Aspergillus species.

PubMed

Kim, Min-Ji; Seo, Ja-Yeon; Choi, Yong-Seok; Kim, Gyu-Hyeok

2016-05-01

This research explores the recovery of metals from spent Zn-Mn or Ni-Cd batteries by a bioleaching using six Aspergillus species. Two different nutrients, malt extract and sucrose, were used to produce different types of organic acids. Oxalic acid and citric acid were shown to be the dominant organic acid in malt extract and sucrose media, respectively. In the bioleaching, the metal removal was higher in sucrose media than malt extract. All species, except A. niger KUC5254, showed more than 90% removal of metals from Zn-Mn battery. For Ni-Cd battery, more than 95% of metals was extracted by A. niger KUC5254 and A. tubingensis KUC5037. As a result, A. tubingensis KUC5037 which is a non-ochratoxigenic fungus was considered to have the greatest potential for improving the safety and efficiency of the bioleaching. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Separation of compounds with multiple -OH groups from dilute aqueous solutions via complexation with organoboronate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chow, Tina Kuo Fung

1992-05-01

The complexing extractant agent investigated in this work is 3-nitrophenylboronic acid (NPBA) in its anionic form (NPB). NPBA and Aliquat 336 (quaternary amine) is dissolved in 2-ethyl-l-hexanol, and the extractant is contacted with aq. NaOH. Solutes investigated were 1,2-propanediol, glycerol, fructose, sorbitol and lactic acid. Batch extraction experiments were performed at 25°C. Partition coefficients, distribution ratios and loadings are reported for varying concentrations of solute and NPB. All solutes complexed with NPB -, with all complexes containing only one NPB - per complex. The 1:1 complexation constants for the solutes glycerol, fructose and sorbitol follow trends similar to complexation withmore » B(OH) 4 - (aq.), i.e. the complexation constants increase with increasing number of -OH groups available for complexation. Assumption of 1:1 complex is not valid for 1, 2-propanediol, which showed overloading (more than one mole of solute complexed to one mole NPB -) at higher concentrations. The -OH group on the NPB - which is left uncomplexed after one solute molecule had bound to the other two -OH groups may be responsible for the overloading. Overloading is also observed in extraction of tactic acid, but through a different mechanism. It was found that TOMA + can extract lactic acid to an extent comparable to the uptake of lactic acid by NPB -. The complexation is probably through formation of an acid-base ion pair. Losses of NPBA into the aqueous phase could lead to problems, poor economics in industrial separation processes. One way of overcoming this problem would be to incorporate the NPBA onto a solid support.« less

Separation of compounds with multiple -OH groups from dilute aqueous solutions via complexation with organoboronate. [1,2-propanediol

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chow, Tina Kuo Fung.

1992-05-01

The complexing extractant agent investigated in this work is 3-nitrophenylboronic acid (NPBA) in its anionic form (NPB). NPBA and Aliquat 336 (quaternary amine) is dissolved in 2-ethyl-l-hexanol, and the extractant is contacted with aq. NaOH. Solutes investigated were 1,2-propanediol, glycerol, fructose, sorbitol and lactic acid. Batch extraction experiments were performed at 25{degree}C. Partition coefficients, distribution ratios and loadings are reported for varying concentrations of solute and NPB. All solutes complexed with NPB{sup {minus}}, with all complexes containing only one NPB{sup {minus}} per complex. The 1:1 complexation constants for the solutes glycerol, fructose and sorbitol follow trends similar to complexation withmore » B(OH){sub 4}{sup {minus}} (aq.), i.e. the complexation constants increase with increasing number of {minus}OH groups available for complexation. Assumption of 1:1 complex is not valid for 1, 2-propanediol, which showed overloading (more than one mole of solute complexed to one mole NPB{sup {minus}}) at higher concentrations. The {minus}OH group on the NPB{sup {minus}} which is left uncomplexed after one solute molecule had bound to the other two {minus}OH groups may be responsible for the overloading. Overloading is also observed in extraction of tactic acid, but through a different mechanism. It was found that TOMA{sup +} can extract lactic acid to an extent comparable to the uptake of lactic acid by NPB{sup {minus}}. The complexation is probably through formation of an acid-base ion pair. Losses of NPBA into the aqueous phase could lead to problems, poor economics in industrial separation processes. One way of overcoming this problem would be to incorporate the NPBA onto a solid support.« less

Changes in microbial and nutrient composition associated with rumen content compost incubation.

PubMed

Shrestha, Karuna; Shrestha, Pramod; Adetutu, Eric M; Walsh, Kerry B; Harrower, Keith M; Ball, Andrew S; Midmore, David J

2011-02-01

Physico-chemical and microbiological investigations were carried out on rumen content material composted for nine months, fresh vermicasts (obtained after passing the same compost through the guts of a mixture of three species of earthworms: Eisenia fetida, Lumbricus rubellus and Perionyx excavates) and microbially enhanced extracts derived from rumen compost, vermicast and vermicast leachate incubated for up to 48 h. Compared to composted rumen contents, vermicast was only improved in terms of microbial biomass C, while vermicast leached extract was significantly higher in NH(4)(+)-N,PO(4)(-)-P, humic acid, bacterial counts and total microbial activity compared to rumen compost extract. Although no difference between treatments was observed in genetic diversity as indicated by DGGE analysis, community level functional diversity of vermicast leached extract (Biolog™) was higher than that of composted rumen contents, vermicast and rumen compost extract indicating an enhancement of microbial activity rather than diversity due to liquid incubation. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Visualizing land-use and management complexity within biogeochemical cycles of an agricultural landscape

Treesearch

Kai Nils Nitzsche; Gernot Verch; Katrin Premke; Arthur Gessler; Zachary Kayler

2016-01-01

Crop fields are cultivated across continuities of soil, topography, and local climate that drive biological processes and nutrient cycling at the landscape scale; yet land management and agricultural research are often performed at the field scale, potentially neglecting the context of the surrounding landscape. Adding to this complexity is the overlap of ecosystems...

Sequencing the fungal tree of life

Treesearch

F. Martin; D. Cullen; D. Hibbett; A. Pisabarro; J.W. Spatafora; S.E. Baker; I.V. Grigoriev

2011-01-01

Terrestrial ecosystems host a complex array of interacting communities, with thousands of species of animals, plants, fungi and bacteria. In soils, this complex web of life is responsible for the cycling of carbon (C), for water and nutrients, for soil quality and for plant nutrition and health. To predict future changes of these threatened ecosystems and to fully...

Cooperation through Competition-Dynamics and Microeconomics of a Minimal Nutrient Trade System in Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis.

PubMed

Schott, Stephan; Valdebenito, Braulio; Bustos, Daniel; Gomez-Porras, Judith L; Sharma, Tripti; Dreyer, Ingo

2016-01-01

In arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis, fungi and plants exchange nutrients (sugars and phosphate, for instance) for reciprocal benefit. Until now it is not clear how this nutrient exchange system works. Here, we used computational cell biology to simulate the dynamics of a network of proton pumps and proton-coupled transporters that are upregulated during AM formation. We show that this minimal network is sufficient to describe accurately and realistically the nutrient trade system. By applying basic principles of microeconomics, we link the biophysics of transmembrane nutrient transport with the ecology of organismic interactions and straightforwardly explain macroscopic scenarios of the relations between plant and AM fungus. This computational cell biology study allows drawing far reaching hypotheses about the mechanism and the regulation of nutrient exchange and proposes that the "cooperation" between plant and fungus can be in fact the result of a competition between both for the same resources in the tiny periarbuscular space. The minimal model presented here may serve as benchmark to evaluate in future the performance of more complex models of AM nutrient exchange. As a first step toward this goal, we included SWEET sugar transporters in the model and show that their co-occurrence with proton-coupled sugar transporters results in a futile carbon cycle at the plant plasma membrane proposing that two different pathways for the same substrate should not be active at the same time.

Overview of Malabsorption

MedlinePlus

... cause. Normally, foods are digested and nutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals) are absorbed into the ... the pancreas. However, some of these tests are complex, time-consuming, and invasive. In one test, a ...

Monte-Carlo Simulations of Drug Delivery on Biofilms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buldum, Alper; Simpson, Andrew

2013-03-01

The focus of this work is on biofilms that grow in the lungs of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. A discrete model which describes the nutrient and biomass as discrete particles is created. Diffusion of the nutrient, consumption of the nutrient by microbial particles, and growth and decay of microbial particles are simulated using stochastic processes. Our model extends the complexity of the biofilm system by including the conversion and reversion of living bacteria into a hibernated state, known as persister bacteria. Another new contribution is the inclusion of antimicrobial in two forms: an aqueous solution and encapsulated in biodegradable nanoparticles. The bacteria population growth and spatial variation of drugs and their effectiveness are investigated in this work. Supported by NIH

Trophic state, eutrophication and nutrient criteria in streams.

PubMed

Dodds, Walter K

2007-12-01

Trophic state is the property of energy availability to the food web and defines the foundation of community integrity and ecosystem function. Describing trophic state in streams requires a stoichiometric (nutrient ratio) approach because carbon input rates are linked to nitrogen and phosphorus supply rates. Light determines the source of carbon. Cross system analyses, small experiments and ecosystem level manipulations have recently advanced knowledge about these linkages, but not to the point of building complex predictive models that predict all effects of nutrient pollution. Species diversity could indicate the natural distribution of stream trophic status over evolutionary time scales. Delineation of factors that control trophic state and relationships with biological community properties allows determination of goals for management of stream biotic integrity.

Global Membrane Protein Interactome Analysis using In vivo Crosslinking and Mass Spectrometry-based Protein Correlation Profiling*

PubMed Central

Larance, Mark; Kirkwood, Kathryn J.; Tinti, Michele; Brenes Murillo, Alejandro; Ferguson, Michael A. J.; Lamond, Angus I.

2016-01-01

We present a methodology using in vivo crosslinking combined with HPLC-MS for the global analysis of endogenous protein complexes by protein correlation profiling. Formaldehyde crosslinked protein complexes were extracted with high yield using denaturing buffers that maintained complex solubility during chromatographic separation. We show this efficiently detects both integral membrane and membrane-associated protein complexes,in addition to soluble complexes, allowing identification and analysis of complexes not accessible in native extracts. We compare the protein complexes detected by HPLC-MS protein correlation profiling in both native and formaldehyde crosslinked U2OS cell extracts. These proteome-wide data sets of both in vivo crosslinked and native protein complexes from U2OS cells are freely available via a searchable online database (www.peptracker.com/epd). Raw data are also available via ProteomeXchange (identifier PXD003754). PMID:27114452

RECOVERY OF URANIUM FROM PITCHBLENDE

DOEpatents

Ruehle, A.E.

1958-06-24

The decontamination of uranium from molybdenum is described. When acid solutions containing uranyl nitrate are contacted with ether for the purpose of extracting the uranium values, complex molybdenum compounds are coextracted with the uranium and also again back-extracted from the ether with the uranium. This invention provides a process for extracting uranium in which coextraction of molybdenum is avoided. It has been found that polyhydric alcohols form complexes with molybdenum which are preferentially water-soluble are taken up by the ether extractant to only a very minor degree. The preferred embodiment of the process uses mannitol, sorbitol or a mixture of the two as the complexing agent.

Differences of cadmium absorption and accumulation in selected vegetable crops.

PubMed

Ni, Wu-Zhong; Yang, Xiao-E; Long, Xin-Xian

2002-07-01

A pot experiment and a sandy culture experiment grown with three vegetable crops of Chinese cabbage (B. chinensis L., cv. Zao-Shu 5), winter greens (B. var. rosularis Tsen et Lee, cv. Shang-Hai-Qing) and celery (A. graveolens L. var. dulce DC., cv. Qing-Qin) were conducted, respectively. The initial soil and four incubated soils with different extractable Cd (0.15, 0.89, 1.38, 1.84 and 2.30 mg Cd/kg soil) were used for the pot experiment. Five treatments were designed (0, 0.0625, 0.125, 0.250 and 0.500 mg Cd/L) in nutrient solution in the sandy culture experiment. Each treatment in pot and sandy culture experiments was trireplicated. The objectives of the study were to examine Cd accumulation in edible parts of selected vegetable crops, its correlation with Cd concentrations in vegetable garden soil or in nutrient solution, and evaluate the criteria of Cd pollution in vegetable garden soil and in nutrient solution based on the hygienic limit of Cd in vegetables. Cadmium concentrations in edible parts of the three selected vegetable crops were as follows: 0.01-0.15 mg/kg fresh weight for Chinese cabbage, 0.02-0.17 mg/kg fresh weight for winter greens, and 0.02-0.24 mg/kg fresh weight for celery in the pot experiment, and 0.1-0.4 mg/kg fresh weight for Chinese cabbage, 0.1-1.4 mg/kg fresh weight for winter greens, and 0.05-0.5 mg/kg fresh weight for celery in the pot experiment (except no-Cd treatment). The order of the three test vegetable crops for cadmium accumulation in the edible parts was celery > winter greens > Chinese cabbage in both the pot experiment and the sandy culture experiment. Cadmium accumulation in edible parts or roots of the vegetable crops increased with increasing of cadmium concentration in the medium (soil or nutrient solution). And cadmium concentrations in edible parts of the test vegetable crops were significantly linearly related to the Cd levels in the growth media (soil and nutrient solution). Based on the regression equations established and the limit of cadmium concentration in vegetable products, the thresholds of Cd concentration in the growth medium evaluated was as follows: 0.5 mg/kg soil of extractable Cd for soil and 0.02 mg/L for nutrient solution. The high capacity for cadmium accumulation in the edible parts of different vegetable crops together with the absence of visual symptoms implies a potential danger for humans.

Improvement of dermal parameters in aged skin after oral use of a nutrient supplement

PubMed Central

Addor, Flávia Alvim Sant’Anna; Cotta Vieira, Juliana; Abreu Melo, Camila Sirieiro

2018-01-01

Purpose Skin aging is a progressive and degenerative process caused by a decrease in the physiological functions of the skin tissue. In addition, environmental factors as well as concomitant diseases and lifestyle (nutrition, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, etc) negatively impact the aging process. An association between oral administration of collagen peptides combined with vitamin C and extracts of Hibiscus sabdariffa and Aristotelia chilensis (Delphynol®) (Eximia Firmalize Age complex®) on dermal thickness was studied and the improvement in aging signs was evaluated. Patients and methods Female adult patients received an oral nutritional supplement containing collagen peptides, vitamin C, H. sabdariffa, and A. chilensis (Delphynol) in a sachet and were instructed to consume 1 sachet diluted in 200 mL of water once daily for 12 weeks. They were evaluated clinically, by high frequency ultrasound and cutometry. Results There was a significant improvement of firmness and elasticity and an increase in dermal thickness by ultrasound after 3 months of use. Conclusion The association of collagen peptides, vitamin C, H. sabdariffa and A. chilensis (Delphynol) could improve the signs of dermal skin aging. PMID:29750046

Complex seasonal patterns of primary producers at the land-sea interface

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cloern, J.E.; Jassby, A.D.

2008-01-01

Seasonal fluctuations of plant biomass and photosynthesis are key features of the Earth system because they drive variability of atmospheric CO 2, water and nutrient cycling, and food supply to consumers. There is no inventory of phytoplankton seasonal cycles in nearshore coastal ecosystems where forcings from ocean, land and atmosphere intersect. We compiled time series of phytoplankton biomass (chlorophyll a) from 114 estuaries, lagoons, inland seas, bays and shallow coastal waters around the world, and searched for seasonal patterns as common timing and amplitude of monthly variability. The data revealed a broad continuum of seasonal patterns, with large variability across and within ecosystems. This contrasts with annual cycles of terrestrial and oceanic primary producers for which seasonal fluctuations are recurrent and synchronous over large geographic regions. This finding bears on two fundamental ecological questions: (1) how do estuarine and coastal consumers adapt to an irregular and unpredictable food supply, and (2) how can we extract signals of climate change from phytoplankton observations in coastal ecosystems where local-scale processes can mask responses to changing climate? ?? 2008 Blackwell Publishing Ltd/CNRS.

Alterations in Gut Microbiota and Immunity by Dietary Fat.

PubMed

Yang, Bo Gie; Hur, Kyu Yeon; Lee, Myung Shik

2017-11-01

Gut microbiota play critical physiological roles in energy extraction from the intestine and in the control of systemic immunity, as well as local intestinal immunity. Disturbance of gut microbiota leads to the development of several diseases, such as colitis, inflammatory bowel diseases, metabolic disorders, cancer, etc. From a metabolic point of view, the gut is a large metabolic organ and one of the first to come into contact with dietary fats. Interestingly, excessive dietary fat has been incriminated as a primary culprit of metabolic syndrome and obesity. After intake of high-fat diet or Western diet, extensive changes in gut microbiota have been observed, which may be an underlying cause of alterations in whole body metabolism and nutrient homeostasis. Here, we summarize recent data on changes in the gut microbiota and immunity associated with dietary fat, as well as their relationships with the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome. These findings may provide insight into the understanding of the complex pathophysiology related to the development of metabolic diseases and offer an opportunity to develop novel candidates for therapeutic agents. © Copyright: Yonsei University College of Medicine 2017.

A contemporary decennial global sample of changing agricultural field sizes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, E.; Roy, D. P.

2011-12-01

In the last several hundred years agriculture has caused significant human induced Land Cover Land Use Change (LCLUC) with dramatic cropland expansion and a marked increase in agricultural productivity. The size of agricultural fields is a fundamental description of rural landscapes and provides an insight into the drivers of rural LCLUC. Increasing field sizes cause a subsequent decrease in the number of fields and therefore decreased landscape spatial complexity with impacts on biodiversity, habitat, soil erosion, plant-pollinator interactions, diffusion of disease pathogens and pests, and loss or degradation in buffers to nutrient, herbicide and pesticide flows. In this study, globally distributed locations with significant contemporary field size change were selected guided by a global map of agricultural yield and literature review and were selected to be representative of different driving forces of field size change (associated with technological innovation, socio-economic conditions, government policy, historic patterns of land cover land use, and environmental setting). Seasonal Landsat data acquired on a decadal basis (for 1980, 1990, 2000 and 2010) were used to extract field boundaries and the temporal changes in field size quantified and their causes discussed.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Frank, Edward; Pegallapati, Ambica K.; Davis, Ryan

The Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) Multi-year Program Plan (MYPP) describes the bioenergy objectives pursued by BETO, the strategies for achieving those objectives, the current state of technology (SOT), and a number of design cases that explore cost and operational performance required to advance the SOT towards middle and long term goals (MYPP, 2016). Two options for converting algae to biofuel intermediates were considered in the MYPP, namely algal biofuel production via lipid extraction and algal biofuel production by thermal processing. The first option, lipid extraction, is represented by the Combined Algae Processing (CAP) pathway in whichmore » algae are hydrolyzed in a weak acid pretreatment step. The treated slurry is fermented for ethanol production from sugars. The fermentation stillage contains most of the lipids from the original biomass, which are recovered through wet solvent extraction. The process residuals after lipid extraction, which contain much of the original mass of amino acids and proteins, are directed to anaerobic digestion (AD) for biogas production and recycle of N and P nutrients. The second option, thermal processing, comprises direct hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of the wet biomass, separation of aqueous, gas, and oil phases, and treatment of the aqueous phase with catalytic hydrothermal gasification (CHG) to produce biogas and to recover N and P nutrients. The present report describes a life cycle analysis of energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the CAP and HTL options for the three scenarios just described. Water use is also reported. Water use during algal biofuel production comes from evaporation during cultivation, discharge to bleed streams to control pond salinity (“blowdown”), and from use during preprocessing and upgrading. For scenarios considered to date, most water use was from evaporation and, secondarily, from bleed streams. Other use was relatively small at the level of fidelity being modeled now.« less

Effects of added chelated trace minerals, organic selenium, yeast culture, direct-fed microbials, and Yucca schidigera extract in horses: II. Nutrient excretion and potential environmental impact.

PubMed

Gordon, M E; Edwards, M S; Sweeney, C R; Jerina, M L

2013-08-01

The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that an equine diet formulated with chelated trace minerals, organic selenium, yeast culture, direct-fed microbials (DFM) and Yucca schidigera extract would decrease excretion of nutrients that have potential for environmental impact. Horses were acclimated to 100% pelleted diets formulated with (ADD) and without (CTRL) the aforementioned additives. Chelated sources of Cu, Zn, Mn, and Co were included in the ADD diet at a 100% replacement rate of sulfate forms used in the CTRL diet. Additionally, the ADD diet included organic selenium yeast, DFM, and Yucca schidigera extract. Ten horses were fed the 2 experimental diets during two 42-d periods in a crossover design. Total fecal and urine collection occurred during the last 14 d of each period. Results indicate no significant differences between Cu, Zn, Mn, and Co concentrations excreted via urine (P > 0.05) due to dietary treatment. There was no difference between fecal Cu and Mn concentrations (P > 0.05) based on diet consumed. Mean fecal Zn and Co concentrations excreted by horses consuming ADD were greater than CTRL (P < 0.003). Differences due to diet were found for selenium fecal (P < 0.0001) and urine (P < 0.0001) excretions, with decreased concentrations found for horses consuming organic selenium yeast (ADD). In contrast, fecal K (%) was greater (P = 0.0421) for horses consuming ADD, whereas concentrations of fecal solids, total N, ammonia N, P, total ammonia, and fecal output did not differ between dietary treatments (P > 0.05). In feces stockpiled to simulate a crude composting method, no differences (P > 0.05) due to diet were detected for particle size, temperature, moisture, OM, total N, P, phosphate, K, moisture, potash, or ammonia N (P > 0.05). Although no difference (P = 0.2737) in feces stockpile temperature due to diet was found, temperature differences over time were documented (P < 0.0001). In conclusion, the addition of certain chelated mineral sources, organic Se yeast, DFM, and Yucca schidigera extract did not decrease most nutrient concentrations excreted. Horses consuming organic selenium as part of the additive diet had lower fecal and urine Se concentrations, as well as greater fecal K concentrations.

Effect of ionizing radiation on the physiological activities of ethanol extract from hizikia fusiformis cooking drips.

PubMed

Kim, Hyun-Joo; Choi, Jong-il; Kim, Duk-Jin; Kim, Jae-Hun; Soo Chun, Byeong; Hyun Ahn, Dong; Sun Yook, Hong; Byun, Myung-Woo; Kim, Mi-Jung; Shin, Myung-Gon; Lee, Ju-Woon

2009-01-01

Although the byproduct from Hizikia fusiformis industry had many nutrients, it is being wasted. In this study, the physiological activities of cooking drip extracts from H. fusiformis (CDHF) were determined to investigate the effect of a gamma and an electron beam irradiations. DPPH radical scavenging activity and tyrosinase and ACE inhibition effects of the gamma and electron beam irradiated CDHF extracts were increased with increasing irradiation dose. These were reasoned by the increase in the content of the total polyphenolic compound of CDHF by the gamma and electron beam irradiation. There were no differences for the radiation types. These results show that ionizing radiation could be used for enhancing the functional activity of CDHF which is a major by-product in Hizikia fusiformis processing, in various applications.

Temperature and Nutrients Interact to Control Nitrogen Fixation in a Subalpine Stream: An Experimental Examination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marcarelli, A. M.

2005-05-01

To test the importance of factors controlling N-fixation in subalpine streams, I conducted a stream-side mesocosm experiment with epilithic communities and nutrient diffusing substrates (NDS) to test how temperature and nutrients interact to influence algal communities. Within two days, warm temperature (18°C) stimulated N-fixation by Calothrix in the epilithic community 2X above cold temperature (13°C), indicating a strong physiological response. Community responses measured on NDS indicated that cold-water diatoms dominated by day 45 in the cold treatment, while diatoms containing N-fixing endosymbionts dominated only in warm treatments with added phosphorus. There was a significant interaction between nutrient supply and temperature on N-fixation rates in the experiment. On nutrient controls, warm temperature boosted fixation 2X above cold temperature, but when P was added, temperature increased fixation 20X. This study indicates that N-fixation is stimulated both by temperature and nutrients in this stream, but the magnitude of response to phosphorus was much greater than to temperature. Furthermore, our results support the hypothesis that biological characteristics in streams, including community structure and biogeochemical processes, can be altered in complex ways by disturbances like grazing and logging that alter multiple controlling factors simultaneously.

Improving Nutrient Release of Wall-disruption Bee Pollen with a Combination of Ultrasonication and High Shear Technique.

PubMed

Wu, Wei; Wang, Kai; Qiao, Jiangtao; Dong, Jie; Li, Zhanping; Zhang, Hongcheng

2018-06-22

Bee pollen, collected by honey bees, contains a substantial amount of nutrients and has a high nutritive value. However, a high level of nutrients can be difficult to be digested and absorbed due to the complex wall of bee pollen. We observed that amino acids were mostly distributed inside cell wall of lotus bee pollen, rape bee pollen, apricot bee pollen, wuweizi bee pollen and camellia bee pollen, using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS). Thus, five species of bee pollen were wall-disrupted with a combination of ultrasonication and high shear technique (US-HS). After the treatment, bee pollen walls were entirely broken into fragments, and a high number of nutrients were released. The contents of amino acids, fatty acids, protein, crude fat, reducing sugar, β-carotene, calcium, iron, zinc, selenium obviously increased after wall-disruption. Overall, our study demonstrates that US-HS can disrupt bee pollen wall to release nutrients. Therefore, further studies are being conducted to compare the digestibility and absorptivity of pollen nutrients before and after wall-disruption. Additionally, TOF-SIMS seems to be a reliable mapping technique for determining the distribution of food ingredients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Contrary seasonal changes of rates of nutrient uptake, organ mass, and voluntary food intake in red deer (Cervus elaphus)

PubMed Central

Beiglböck, Christoph; Burmester, Marion; Guschlbauer, Maria; Lengauer, Astrid; Schröder, Bernd; Wilkens, Mirja; Breves, Gerhard

2015-01-01

Northern ungulates acclimatize to winter conditions with restricted food supply and unfavorable weather conditions by reducing energy expenditure and voluntary food intake. We investigated in a study on red deer whether rates of peptide and glucose transport in the small intestines are also reduced during winter as part of the thrifty phenotype of winter-acclimatized animals, or whether transport rates are increased during winter in order to exploit poor forage more efficiently. Our results support the latter hypothesis. We found in a feeding experiment that total energy intake was considerably lower during winter despite ad libitum feeding. Together with reduced food intake, mass of visceral organs was significantly lower and body fat reserves were used as metabolic fuel in addition to food. However, efficacy of nutrient absorption seemed to be increased simultaneously. Extraction of crude protein from forage was higher in winter animals, at any level of crude protein intake, as indicated by the lower concentration of crude protein in feces. In line with these in vivo results, Ussing chamber experiments revealed greater electrogenic responses to both peptides and glucose in the small intestines of winter-acclimatized animals, and peptide uptake into jejunal brush-border membrane vesicles was increased. We conclude that reduced appetite of red deer during winter avoids energy expenditure for unproductive search of scarcely available food and further renders the energetically costly maintenance of a large gut and visceral organs unnecessary. Nevertheless, extraction of nutrients from forage is more efficient in the winter to attenuate an inevitably negative energy balance. PMID:26017492

Proximate nutrient analyses of four species of submerged aquatic vegetation consumed by Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) compared to romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. longifolia).

PubMed

Siegal-Willott, Jessica L; Harr, Kendal; Hayek, Lee-Ann C; Scott, Karen C; Gerlach, Trevor; Sirois, Paul; Reuter, Mike; Crewz, David W; Hill, Richard C

2010-12-01

Free-ranging Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) consume a variety of sea grasses and algae. This study compared the dry matter (DM) content, proximate nutrients (crude protein [CP], ether-extracted crude fat [EE], nonfiber carbohydrate [NFC], and ash), and the calculated digestible energy (DE) of sea grasses (Thalassia testudinum, Halodule wrightii, and Syringodium filiforme) collected in spring, summer, and winter, and an alga (Chara sp.) with those of romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. longifolia). Neutral-detergent fiber (NDF), acid-detergent fiber (ADF), and lignin (L) measured after ash-extraction were also compared. Results of statistical tests (C = 0.01) revealed DM content was higher in aquatic vegetation than in lettuce (P = 0.0001), but NDF and ADF were up to threefold greater, EE (P = 0.00001) and CP (P = 0.00001) were 2-9 times less, and NFC (P = 0.0001) was 2-6 times lower in sea grass than in lettuce, on a DM basis. Chara was lower in NDF, ADF, L, EE, CP, and NFC relative to lettuce on a DM basis. Ash content (DM basis) was higher (P = 0.0001), and DE was 2-6 times lower in aquatic vegetation than in lettuce. Sea grass rhizomes had lower L and higher ash contents (DM basis) than sea grass leaves. Based on the nutrient analyses, romaine lettuce and sea grasses are not equivalent forages, which suggests that the current diet of captive Florida manatees should be reassessed.

Use of condensed tannin extract from quebracho trees to reduce methane emissions from cattle.

PubMed

Beauchemin, K A; McGinn, S M; Martinez, T F; McAllister, T A

2007-08-01

Our objective was to determine if condensed tannin extract from quebracho trees (Schinopsis quebracho-colorado; red quebracho) could be used to reduce enteric methane emissions from cattle. The experiment was designed as a repeated 3 x 3 Latin square (4 squares) with 3 treatments (0, 1, and 2% of dietary DM as quebracho tannin extract) and 3 28-d periods. Six spayed Angus heifers (238 +/- 13.3 kg of initial BW) and 6 Angus steers (207 +/- 8.2 kg of initial BW) were each assigned to 2 squares. The measured condensed tannin content of the extract was 91%, and the basal diet contained 70% forage (DM basis). Feeding quebracho tannin extract had no effect on BW, ADG, or nutrient intakes. Furthermore, it had no effect on DM, energy, or fiber (ADF and NDF) digestibility, but apparent digestibility of CP decreased linearly (P < 0.001) by 5 and 15% with 1 and 2% quebracho tannin extract, respectively. There were no effects of quebracho tannin extract on methane emissions (g/d, g/kg of DM, % of GE intake, or % of DE intake). Feeding up to 2% of the dietary DM as quebracho tannin extract failed to reduce enteric methane emissions from growing cattle, although the protein-binding effect of the quebracho tannin extract was evident.

Administration Dependent Antioxidant Effect of Carica papaya Seeds Water Extract

PubMed Central

Panzarini, Elisa; Dwikat, Majdi; Mariano, Stefania; Vergallo, Cristian; Dini, Luciana

2014-01-01

Carica papaya is widely used in folk medicine as herbal remedy to prevent, protect against, and cure several diseases. These curative properties are based on the presence in different parts of the plant of phytochemical nutrients with antioxidant effect. Seeds are the less exploited part; thus this study is aimed at assessing the antioxidant activities of the C. papaya seeds water extract against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) oxidative stress in human skin Detroit 550 fibroblasts. C. papaya seeds water extract is not toxic and acts as a potent free radical scavenger, providing protection to Detroit 550 fibroblasts that underwent H2O2 oxidative stress. Data show that (i) the maximum protective effect is achieved by the simultaneous administration of the extract with 1 mM H2O2; (ii) the extract in presence of an oxidative stress does not increase catalase activity and prevents the release of cytochrome C and the inner mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Δψ m) loss; (iii) the extract is more efficient than vitamin C to hamper the oxidative damage; (iv) the purified subfractions of the seeds water extract exert the same antioxidant effect of whole extract. In conclusion, C. papaya seeds water extract is potentially useful for protection against oxidative stress. PMID:24795765

Nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics in inflammatory bowel diseases.

PubMed

Gruber, Lisa; Lichti, Pia; Rath, Eva; Haller, Dirk

2012-10-01

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are chronically relapsing, immune-mediated disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. A major challenge in the treatment of IBD is the heterogenous nature of these pathologies. Both, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are of multifactorial etiology and feature a complex interaction of host genetic susceptibility and environmental factors such as diet and gut microbiota. Genome-wide association studies identified disease-relevant single-nucleotide polymorphisms in approximately 100 genes, but at the same time twin studies also clearly indicated a strong environmental impact in disease development. However, attempts to link dietary factors to the risk of developing IBD, based on epidemiological observations showed controversial outcomes. Yet, emerging high-throughput technologies implying complete biological systems might allow taking nutrient-gene interactions into account for a better classification of patient subsets in the future. In this context, 2 new scientific fields, "nutrigenetics" and "nutrigenomics" have been established. "Nutrigenetics," studying the effect of genetic variations on nutrient-gene interactions and "Nutrigenomics," describing the impact of nutrition on physiology and health status on the level of gene transcription, protein expression, and metabolism. It is hoped that the integration of both research areas will promote the understanding of the complex gene-environment interaction in IBD etiology and in the long-term will lead to personalized nutrition for disease prevention and treatment. This review briefly summarizes data on the impact of nutrients on intestinal inflammation, highlights nutrient-gene interactions, and addresses the potential of applying "omic" technologies in the context of IBD.

Divergent functional isoforms drive niche specialisation for nutrient acquisition and use in rumen microbiome.

PubMed

Rubino, Francesco; Carberry, Ciara; M Waters, Sinéad; Kenny, David; McCabe, Matthew S; Creevey, Christopher J

2017-04-01

Many microbes in complex competitive environments share genes for acquiring and utilising nutrients, questioning whether niche specialisation exists and if so, how it is maintained. We investigated the genomic signatures of niche specialisation in the rumen microbiome, a highly competitive, anaerobic environment, with limited nutrient availability determined by the biomass consumed by the host. We generated individual metagenomic libraries from 14 cows fed an ad libitum diet of grass silage and calculated functional isoform diversity for each microbial gene identified. The animal replicates were used to calculate confidence intervals to test for differences in diversity of functional isoforms between microbes that may drive niche specialisation. We identified 153 genes with significant differences in functional isoform diversity between the two most abundant bacterial genera in the rumen (Prevotella and Clostridium). We found Prevotella possesses a more diverse range of isoforms capable of degrading hemicellulose, whereas Clostridium for cellulose. Furthermore, significant differences were observed in key metabolic processes indicating that isoform diversity plays an important role in maintaining their niche specialisation. The methods presented represent a novel approach for untangling complex interactions between microorganisms in natural environments and have resulted in an expanded catalogue of gene targets central to rumen cellulosic biomass degradation.

Environmental Nutrient Supply Directly Alters Plant Traits but Indirectly Determines Virus Growth Rate

PubMed Central

Lacroix, Christelle; Seabloom, Eric W.; Borer, Elizabeth T.

2017-01-01

Ecological stoichiometry and resource competition theory both predict that nutrient rates and ratios can alter infectious disease dynamics. Pathogens such as viruses hijack nutrient rich host metabolites to complete multiple steps of their epidemiological cycle. As the synthesis of these molecules requires nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), environmental supply rates, and ratios of N and P to hosts can directly limit disease dynamics. Environmental nutrient supplies also may alter virus epidemiology indirectly by changing host phenotype or the dynamics of coinfecting pathogens. We tested whether host nutrient supplies and coinfection control pathogen growth within hosts and transmission to new hosts, either directly or through modifications of plant tissue chemistry (i.e., content and stoichiometric ratios of nutrients), host phenotypic traits, or among-pathogen interactions. We examined two widespread plant viruses (BYDV-PAV and CYDV-RPV) in cultivated oats (Avena sativa) grown along a range of N and of P supply rates. N and P supply rates altered plant tissue chemistry and phenotypic traits; however, environmental nutrient supplies and plant tissue content and ratios of nutrients did not directly alter virus titer. Infection with CYDV-RPV altered plant traits and resulted in thicker plant leaves (i.e., higher leaf mass per area) and there was a positive correlation between CYDV-RPV titer and leaf mass per area. CYDV-RPV titer was reduced by the presence of a competitor, BYDV-PAV, and higher CYDV-RPV titer led to more severe chlorotic symptoms. In our experimental conditions, virus transmission was unaffected by nutrient supply rates, co-infection, plant stoichiometry, or plant traits, although nutrient supply rates have been shown to increase infection and coinfection rates. This work provides a robust test of the role of plant nutrient content and ratios in the dynamics of globally important pathogens and reveals a more complex relationship between within-host virus growth and alterations of plant traits. A deeper understanding of the differential effects of environmental nutrient supplies on virus epidemiology and ecology is particularly relevant given the rapid increase of nutrients flowing into Earth's ecosystems as a result of human activities. PMID:29163408

Combined in situ effects of metals and nutrients on marine biofilms: Shifts in the diatom assemblage structure and biological traits.

PubMed

Belando, M D; Marín, A; Aboal, M; García-Fernández, A J; Marín-Guirao, L

2017-01-01

The effects of multiple stressors on marine diatom assemblages are still poorly understood. The interactive effects of metals and nutrients were assessed in two coastal biofilms grown at a reference site and a historically contaminated site. The biofilms were exposed in situ to pulse exposures of metals (Zn and Pb) and nutrients (N and P) individually and in combination to mimic patterns of discharge in the study area. The reference community's structure (composition and abundance of taxa) was modified after metals and/or nutrients exposure, but each stressor acted in different way. Irrespective of the stressors or scenario, the abundance of the dominant species Opephora krumbeinii declined, and it is proposed as sensitive species. Nutrient supply favoured the proliferation of certain species with high nutrient tolerances (Fragilaria famelica, Tabularia ktenoeides), whereas metals promoted the colonisation of metal-tolerant species, e.g., Berkeleya fennica, Opephora marina. Simultaneous exposure induced an amplification of levels of accumulated metals, chlorophyll a and EPS contents and triggered the succession of species towards tolerant species with specific growth. Metals seemed to act as a selective factor of metal-tolerant species, and nutrients favoured the proliferation of those species forming zig-zag colonies (Neosynedra provincialis), mucous tubes (Berkeleya spp.) and motile diatoms (Navicula salinicola, Nitzschia incognita), resulting in biofilms with a more complex architecture. The diatom communities from the historically contaminated site were more resistant to pulse exposure, but metals or nutrients loads induced overproduction of mucilage. We propose that growth forms may complement taxonomic approaches and provide a quick and easy way to detect community changes related to metal and nutrient pollution. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of dietary tannins on total and extractable nutrients from manure.

PubMed

Halvorson, J J; Kronberg, S L; Hagerman, A E

2017-08-01

The effects of condensed tannins on N dynamics in ruminants have been a topic of research for some time, but much less work has focused on their impacts on other nutrients in manure. A 4 × 4 Latin square trial was used to determine if intake of sericea lespedeza (; SL; a condensed tannin source), at 0, 10, 20, or 40% of the diet (as-fed basis), would affect concentrations of nutrients in manure and patterns of total excretion when offered with alfalfa (; ALF) to sheep. With SL additions, average daily manure production increased linearly ( ≤ 0.01), from 40 to 50% of the diet mass. The concentrations of total C, total N, soluble P, total and soluble Na, total and soluble S, total and soluble Mn, and total and soluble B in feces increased ( ≤ 0.05) while soluble N, total Ca, total and soluble Mg, soluble Zn, total and soluble Fe, total and soluble Cu decreased ( ≤ 0.02). Total P, total and soluble K, soluble Ca, and total Zn were less affected ( > 0.05). Comparing diets containing 0 to 40% SL, average daily outputs of total C, total N, soluble P, soluble K, total and soluble Na, and total Mn increased linearly ( ≤ 0.01) by 42.0, 71.2, 93.3, 45.2, 111, 148, and 52.4 percentage points, respectively. Total K, total and soluble S, soluble Mn, and total and soluble B increased quadratically ( ≤ 0.02) by 26.1, 52.3, 26.7, 147, 100, and 19.5 percentage points, respectively. Conversely, outputs of soluble Zn and total Fe decreased linearly ( ≤ 0.01), by -51.5 and -24.8 percentage points, while total Ca, total and soluble Mg, soluble Fe, and soluble Cu decreased quadratically ( ≤ 0.05) by -15.7, -12.3, -40.0, -89.9, and -60.3 percentage points, respectively. Outputs of soluble N, total P, soluble Ca, total Zn, and total Cu remained unchanged ( ≥ 0.14). Ratios of manure outputs to feed inputs for C, N, K, and B increased ( ≤ 0.02) but those for P and Mg were unchanged ( ≥ 0.10). Ratios of soluble to total manure outputs (S:O) increased ( ≤ 0.01) for P, Ca, Na, Mn; decreased ( ≤ 0.05) for N, S, Mg, Zn, Fe, Cu, and B; and were unaffected by treatment ( ≤ 0.16) for K. Decreasing S:O ratios are consistent with the formation of complexes that adsorb these nutrients to insoluble fiber fractions of manure and could thus affect mineralization rates. This study suggests that dietary tannins, found in forages like SL, can alter the concentrations, total excretion rates and throughput efficiency of nutrients in manure.

Thermodynamic Insight into the Solvation and Complexation Behavior of U(VI) in Ionic Liquid: Binding of CMPO with U(VI) Studied by Optical Spectroscopy and Calorimetry.

PubMed

Wu, Qi; Sun, Taoxiang; Meng, Xianghai; Chen, Jing; Xu, Chao

2017-03-06

The complexation of U(VI) with octylphenyl-N,N-diisobutylcarbamoylmethylphosphine oxide (CMPO, denoted as L) in ionic liquid (IL) C 4 mimNTf 2 was investigated by UV-vis absorption spectrophotometry and isothermal titration calorimetry. Spectro-photometric titration suggests that three successive complexes, UO 2 L j 2+ (j = 1-3), formed both in "dry" (water content < 250 ppm) and "wet" (water content ≈ 12 500 ppm) ionic liquid. However, the thermodynamic parameters are distinctly different in the two ILs. In dry IL, the complexation strength between CMPO and U(VI) is much stronger, with stability constants of the respective complexes more than 1 order of magnitude higher than that in wet IL. Energetically, the complexation of U(VI) with CMPO in dry IL is mainly driven by negative enthalpies. In contrast, the complexation in wet IL is overwhelmingly driven by highly positive entropies as a result of the release of a large amount of water molecules from the solvation sphere of U(VI). Moreover, comparisons between the fitted absorption spectra of complexes in wet IL and that of extractive samples from solvent extraction have identified the speciation involved in the extraction of U(VI) by CMPO in ionic liquid. The results from this study not only offer a thermodynamic insight into the complexation behavior of U(VI) with CMPO in IL but also provide valuable information for understanding the extraction behavior in the corresponding solvent extraction system.

Physicochemical and phytochemical properties of cold and hot water extraction from Hibiscus sabdariffa.

PubMed

Ramirez-Rodrigues, Milena M; Plaza, Maria L; Azeredo, Alberto; Balaban, Murat O; Marshall, Maurice R

2011-04-01

Hibiscus cold (25 °C) and hot (90 °C) water extracts were prepared in various time-temperature combinations to determine equivalent extraction conditions regarding their physicochemical and phytochemical properties. Equivalent anthocyanins concentration was obtained at 25 °C for 240 min and 90 °C for 16 min. Total phenolics were better extracted with hot water that also resulted in a higher antioxidant capacity in these extracts. Similar polyphenolic profiles were observed between fresh and dried hibiscus extracts. Hibiscus acid and 2 derivatives were found in all extracts. Hydroxybenzoic acids, caffeoylquinic acids, flavonols, and anthocyanins constituted the polyphenolic compounds identified in hibiscus extracts. Two major anthocyanins were found in both cold and hot extracts: delphynidin-3-sambubioside and cyanidin-3-sambubioside. In general, both cold and hot extractions yielded similar phytochemical properties; however, under cold extraction, color degradation was significantly lower and extraction times were 15-fold longer. Hibiscus beverages are prepared from fresh or dried calyces by a hot extraction and pasteurized, which can change organoleptic, nutritional, and color attributes. Nonthermal technologies such as dense phase carbon dioxide may maintain their fresh-like color, flavor, and nutrients. This research compares the physicochemical and phytochemical changes resulting from a cold and hot extraction of fresh and dried hibiscus calyces and adds to the knowledge of work done on color, quality attributes, and antioxidant capacity of unique tropical products. In addition, the research shows how these changes could lead to alternative nonthermal processes for hibiscus.

Procedures of determining organic trace compounds in municipal sewage sludge-a review.

PubMed

Lindholm-Lehto, Petra C; Ahkola, Heidi S J; Knuutinen, Juha S

2017-02-01

Sewage sludge is the largest by-product generated during the wastewater treatment process. Since large amounts of sludge are being produced, different ways of disposal have been introduced. One tempting option is to use it as fertilizer in agricultural fields due to its high contents of inorganic nutrients. This, however, can be limited by the amount of trace contaminants in the sewage sludge, containing a variety of microbiological pollutants and pathogens but also inorganic and organic contaminants. The bioavailability and the effects of trace contaminants on the microorganisms of soil are still largely unknown as well as their mixture effects. Therefore, there is a need to analyze the sludge to test its suitability before further use. In this article, a variety of sampling, pretreatment, extraction, and analysis methods have been reviewed. Additionally, different organic trace compounds often found in the sewage sludge and their methods of analysis have been compiled. In addition to traditional Soxhlet extraction, the most common extraction methods of organic contaminants in sludge include ultrasonic extraction (USE), supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), and pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) followed by instrumental analysis based on gas or liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry.

[Response of fine roots to soil nutrient spatial heterogeneity].

PubMed

Wang, Qingcheng; Cheng, Yunhuan

2004-06-01

The spatial heterogeneity is the complexity and variation of systems or their attributes, and the heterogeneity of soil nutrients is ubiquitous in all natural ecosystems. The scale of spatial heterogeneity varies considerably among different ecosystems, from tens of centimeters to hundred meters. Some of the scales can be detected by individual plant. Because the growth of individual plants can be strongly influenced by soil heterogeneity, it follows that the inter-specific competition should also be affected. During the long process of evolution, plants developed various plastic responses with their root system, including morphological, physiological and mycorrhizal plasticity, to maximize the nutrient acquisition from heterogeneous soil resources. Morphological plasticity, an adjustment in root system spatial allocation and architecture in response to spatial heterogeneous distribution of available soil resources, has been most intensively studied, and root proliferation in nutrient rich patches has been certified for many species. The species that do respond may have an increased rate of nutrient uptake, leading to a competitive advantage. Scale and precision are two important features employed in describing the size and foraging behavior of root system. It was hypothesized that scale and precision is negatively related, i. e., the species with high scale of root system tend to be a less precise forager. The outcomes of different research work have been diverse, far from reaching a consensus. Species with high scale are not necessarily less precise in fine root allocation, and vice versa. The proliferation of fine root in enriched micro-sites is species dependent, and also affected by other factors, such as patch attributes (size and nutrients concentration), nutrients, and overall soil fertility. Beside root proliferation in nutrient enriched patches, plants can also adapt themselves to the heterogeneous soil environment by altering other root characteristics such as fine root diameter, branch angle, length, and spatial architecture of root system. Physiological and mycorrhizal plasticity can add some influence on the morphological plasticity to some extent, but they are less studied. Roots located in different patches can quickly regulate their nutrient uptake kinetics within different nutrient patches, and increase overall nutrient uptake. Physiological response may, to certain extent, reduce morphological response, and is meaningful for plant growth on soils with frequently changing spatial and temporal heterogeneity. Mycorrhizal plasticity has been least studied so far. Some researches revealed that mycorrhiza, rather than fine root, proliferated in enriched patches. But, it is not the case with other studies. The proliferation of mycorrhiza within enriched patches is more profitable in term of carbon invest. The effect of fine root proliferation on nutrient uptake is complex, depending on ion mobility and whether or not neighboring plant exists. The influence of root plasticity on the growth of plants is species specific. Some species (sensitive species) gain growth benefit, while others don't. The ability of an individual plant to response to heterogeneous resources has significant effect on its competitive ability and its fate within the community, and eventually shapes the composition and structure of the community.

Complex I Disorders: Causes, Mechanisms, and Development of Treatment Strategies at the Cellular Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valsecchi, Federica; Koopman, Werner J. H.; Manjeri, Ganesh R.; Rodenburg, Richard J.; Smeitink, Jan A. M.; Willems, Peter H. G. M.

2010-01-01

Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) represents the final step in the conversion of nutrients into cellular energy. Genetic defects in the OXPHOS system have an incidence between 1:5,000 and 1:10,000 live births. Inherited isolated deficiency of the first complex (CI) of this system, a multisubunit assembly of 45 different proteins,…

Semi-solid state bioremediation of CCA-treated wood using malted barley as a nutrient source

Treesearch

Carol A. Clausen

2002-01-01

Bioremediation processes for recovery and reuse of CCA-treated wood invariably increase the cost of any secondary products manufactured from the remediated fiber. Microbial remediation using either bacteria or fungi has been shown to remove heavy metals from CCA-treated southern yellow pine (SYP). In a two-step remediation process utilizing oxalic acid extraction and...

Groundwater availability mediates the ecosystem effects of an invasion of Prosopis pallida

Treesearch

Bruce D. Dudley; Flint Hughes; Rebecca Ostertag

2014-01-01

Groundwater levels in arid environments are dropping worldwide due to human extraction, and precipitation events are predicted to become rarer and more intense in many arid areas with global climate change. These changes will likely alter both primary productivity and plant–soil nutrient cycles. To better understand the nature of such alterations, we examined effects...

The micro and macro of nutrients across biological scales.

PubMed

Warne, Robin W

2014-11-01

During the past decade, we have gained new insights into the profound effects that essential micronutrients and macronutrients have on biological processes ranging from cellular function, to whole-organism performance, to dynamics in ecological communities, as well as to the structure and function of ecosystems. For example, disparities between intake and organismal requirements for specific nutrients are known to strongly affect animal physiological performance and impose trade-offs in the allocations of resources. However, recent findings have demonstrated that life-history allocation trade-offs and even microevolutionary dynamics may often be a result of molecular-level constraints on nutrient and metabolic processing, in which limiting reactants are routed among competing biochemical pathways. In addition, recent work has shown that complex ecological interactions between organismal physiological states such as exposure to environmental stressors and infectious pathogens can alter organismal requirements for, and, processing of, nutrients, and even alter subsequent nutrient cycling in ecosystems. Furthermore, new research is showing that such interactions, coupled with evolutionary and biogeographical constraints on the biosynthesis and availability of essential nutrients and micronutrients play an important, but still under-studied role in the structuring and functioning of ecosystems. The purpose of this introduction to the symposium "The Micro and Macro of Nutrient Effects in Animal Physiology and Ecology" is to briefly review and highlight recent research that has dramatically advanced our understanding of how nutrients in their varied forms profoundly affect and shape ecological and evolutionary processes. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Nutritional Geometry of Resource Scarcity: Effects of Lean Seasons and Habitat Disturbance on Nutrient Intakes and Balancing in Wild Sifakas

PubMed Central

Irwin, Mitchell T.; Raharison, Jean-Luc; Raubenheimer, David R.; Chapman, Colin A.; Rothman, Jessica M.

2015-01-01

Animals experience spatial and temporal variation in food and nutrient supply, which may cause deviations from optimal nutrient intakes in both absolute amounts (meeting nutrient requirements) and proportions (nutrient balancing). Recent research has used the geometric framework for nutrition to obtain an improved understanding of how animals respond to these nutritional constraints, among them free-ranging primates including spider monkeys and gorillas. We used this framework to examine macronutrient intakes and nutrient balancing in sifakas (Propithecus diadema) at Tsinjoarivo, Madagascar, in order to quantify how these vary across seasons and across habitats with varying degrees of anthropogenic disturbance. Groups in intact habitat experience lean season decreases in frugivory, amounts of food ingested, and nutrient intakes, yet preserve remarkably constant proportions of dietary macronutrients, with the proportional contribution of protein to the diet being highly consistent. Sifakas in disturbed habitat resemble intact forest groups in the relative contribution of dietary macronutrients, but experience less seasonality: all groups’ diets converge in the lean season, but disturbed forest groups largely fail to experience abundant season improvements in food intake or nutritional outcomes. These results suggest that: (1) lemurs experience seasonality by maintaining nutrient balance at the expense of calories ingested, which contrasts with earlier studies of spider monkeys and gorillas, (2) abundant season foods should be the target of habitat management, even though mortality might be concentrated in the lean season, and (3) primates’ within-group competitive landscapes, which contribute to variation in social organization, may vary in complex ways across habitats and seasons. PMID:26061401

Bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of fresh and processed white cauliflower.

PubMed

Ahmed, Fouad A; Ali, Rehab F M

2013-01-01

Brassica species are very rich in health-promoting phytochemicals, including phenolic compounds, vitamin C, and minerals. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of different blanching (i.e., water and steam) and cooking (i.e., water boiling, steam boiling, microwaving, and stir-frying) methods on the nutrient components, phytochemical contents (i.e., polyphenols, carotenoids, flavonoid, and ascorbic acid), antioxidant activity measured by DPPH assay, and phenolic profiles of white cauliflower. Results showed that water boiling and water blanching processes had a great effect on the nutrient components and caused significant losses of dry matter, protein, and mineral and phytochemical contents. However, steam treatments (blanching and cooking), stir-frying, and microwaving presented the lowest reductions. Methanolic extract of fresh cauliflower had significantly the highest antioxidant activity (68.91%) followed by the extracts of steam-blanched, steam-boiled, stir-fried, and microwaved cauliflower 61.83%, 59.15%, 58.93%, and 58.24%, respectively. HPLC analysis revealed that the predominant phenolics of raw cauliflower were protocatechuic acid (192.45), quercetin (202.4), pyrogallol (18.9), vanillic acid (11.90), coumaric acid (6.94), and kaempferol (25.91) mg/100 g DW, respectively.

Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Fresh and Processed White Cauliflower

PubMed Central

Ahmed, Fouad A.; Ali, Rehab F. M.

2013-01-01

Brassica species are very rich in health-promoting phytochemicals, including phenolic compounds, vitamin C, and minerals. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of different blanching (i.e., water and steam) and cooking (i.e., water boiling, steam boiling, microwaving, and stir-frying) methods on the nutrient components, phytochemical contents (i.e., polyphenols, carotenoids, flavonoid, and ascorbic acid), antioxidant activity measured by DPPH assay, and phenolic profiles of white cauliflower. Results showed that water boiling and water blanching processes had a great effect on the nutrient components and caused significant losses of dry matter, protein, and mineral and phytochemical contents. However, steam treatments (blanching and cooking), stir-frying, and microwaving presented the lowest reductions. Methanolic extract of fresh cauliflower had significantly the highest antioxidant activity (68.91%) followed by the extracts of steam-blanched, steam-boiled, stir-fried, and microwaved cauliflower 61.83%, 59.15%, 58.93%, and 58.24%, respectively. HPLC analysis revealed that the predominant phenolics of raw cauliflower were protocatechuic acid (192.45), quercetin (202.4), pyrogallol (18.9), vanillic acid (11.90), coumaric acid (6.94), and kaempferol (25.91) mg/100 g DW, respectively. PMID:24171164

Potential of lees from wine, beer and cider manufacturing as a source of economic nutrients: An overview.

PubMed

Pérez-Bibbins, B; Torrado-Agrasar, A; Salgado, J M; Oliveira, R Pinheiro de Souza; Domínguez, J M

2015-06-01

Lees are the wastes generated during the fermentation and aging processes of different industrial activities concerning alcoholic drinks such as wine, cider and beer. They must be conveniently treated to avoid uncontrolled dumping which causes environmental problems due to their high content of phenols, pesticides, heavy metals, and considerable concentrations of nitrogen, phosphate and potassium as well as high organic content. The companies involved must seek alternative environmental and economic physicochemical and biological treatments for their revalorization consisting in the recovery or transformation of the components of the lees into high value-added compounds. After describing the composition of lees and market of wine, beer and cider industries in Spain, this work aims to review the recent applications of wine, beer and cider lees reported in literature, with special attention to the use of lees as an endless sustainable source of nutrients and the production of yeast extract by autolysis or cell disruption. Lees and/or yeast extract can be used as nutritional supplements with potential exploitation in the biotechnological industry for the production of natural compounds such as xylitol, organic acids, and biosurfactants, among others. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimization of Xylanase Production from Penicillium sp.WX-Z1 by a Two-Step Statistical Strategy: Plackett-Burman and Box-Behnken Experimental Design

PubMed Central

Cui, Fengjie; Zhao, Liming

2012-01-01

The objective of the study was to optimize the nutrition sources in a culture medium for the production of xylanase from Penicillium sp.WX-Z1 using Plackett-Burman design and Box-Behnken design. The Plackett-Burman multifactorial design was first employed to screen the important nutrient sources in the medium for xylanase production by Penicillium sp.WX-Z1 and subsequent use of the response surface methodology (RSM) was further optimized for xylanase production by Box-Behnken design. The important nutrient sources in the culture medium, identified by the initial screening method of Placket-Burman, were wheat bran, yeast extract, NaNO3, MgSO4, and CaCl2. The optimal amounts (in g/L) for maximum production of xylanase were: wheat bran, 32.8; yeast extract, 1.02; NaNO3, 12.71; MgSO4, 0.96; and CaCl2, 1.04. Using this statistical experimental design, the xylanase production under optimal condition reached 46.50 U/mL and an increase in xylanase activity of 1.34-fold was obtained compared with the original medium for fermentation carried out in a 30-L bioreactor. PMID:22949884

Optimization of Xylanase production from Penicillium sp.WX-Z1 by a two-step statistical strategy: Plackett-Burman and Box-Behnken experimental design.

PubMed

Cui, Fengjie; Zhao, Liming

2012-01-01

The objective of the study was to optimize the nutrition sources in a culture medium for the production of xylanase from Penicillium sp.WX-Z1 using Plackett-Burman design and Box-Behnken design. The Plackett-Burman multifactorial design was first employed to screen the important nutrient sources in the medium for xylanase production by Penicillium sp.WX-Z1 and subsequent use of the response surface methodology (RSM) was further optimized for xylanase production by Box-Behnken design. The important nutrient sources in the culture medium, identified by the initial screening method of Placket-Burman, were wheat bran, yeast extract, NaNO(3), MgSO(4), and CaCl(2). The optimal amounts (in g/L) for maximum production of xylanase were: wheat bran, 32.8; yeast extract, 1.02; NaNO(3), 12.71; MgSO(4), 0.96; and CaCl(2), 1.04. Using this statistical experimental design, the xylanase production under optimal condition reached 46.50 U/mL and an increase in xylanase activity of 1.34-fold was obtained compared with the original medium for fermentation carried out in a 30-L bioreactor.

Preparation and characterization of a suite of ephedra-containing standard reference materials.

PubMed

Sharpless, Katherine E; Anderson, David L; Betz, Joseph M; Butler, Therese A; Capar, Stephen G; Cheng, John; Fraser, Catharine A; Gardner, Graeme; Gay, Martha L; Howell, Daniel W; Ihara, Toshihide; Khan, Mansoor A; Lam, Joseph W; Long, Stephen E; McCooeye, Margaret; Mackey, Elizabeth A; Mindak, William R; Mitvalsky, Staci; Murphy, Karen E; NguyenPho, Agnes; Phinney, Karen W; Porter, Barbara J; Roman, Mark; Sander, Lane C; Satterfield, Mary B; Scriver, Christine; Sturgeon, Ralph; Thomas, Jeanice Brown; Vocke, Robert D; Wise, Stephen A; Wood, Laura J; Yang, Lu; Yen, James H; Ziobro, George C

2006-01-01

The National Institute of Standards and Technology, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research and Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, and the National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements, are collaborating to produce a series of Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) for dietary supplements. A suite of ephedra materials is the first in the series, and this paper describes the acquisition, preparation, and value assignment of these materials: SRMs 3240 Ephedra sinica Stapf Aerial Parts, 3241 E. sinica Stapf Native Extract, 3242 E. sinica Stapf Commercial Extract, 3243 Ephedra-Containing Solid Oral Dosage Form, and 3244 Ephedra-Containing Protein Powder. Values are assigned for ephedrine alkaloids and toxic elements in all 5 materials. Values are assigned for other analytes (e.g., caffeine, nutrient elements, proximates, etc.) in some of the materials, as appropriate. Materials in this suite of SRMs are intended for use as primary control materials when values are assigned to in-house (secondary) control materials and for validation of analytical methods for the measurement of alkaloids, toxic elements, and, in the case of SRM 3244, nutrients in similar materials.

Effect of ambient temperature on nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance in sheep fed brown-midrib maize silage.

PubMed

Gorniak, Tobias; Meyer, Ulrich; Südekum, Karl-Heinz; Dänicke, Sven

2014-01-01

The aim of the experiment was to determine the impact of heat stress on nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance in sheep fed silages differing in fibre quality. The digestibility trial was conducted at three different ambient temperatures (15°C, 25°C and 35°C for 24 h/d). The tested brown-midrib maize (Bm) silage had a higher nutrient digestibility, except for ether extract (EE) and a higher metabolisable energy (ME) content than the control maize (Con) silage. Nitrogen (N) excretion with faeces was higher but N excretion with urine was lower for sheep fed Bm silage, subsequently N balance did not differ between the two silages. Temperature had no effect on nutrient digestibility, except for crude protein (CP), but N excretion with urine was lower at elevated temperatures. A diet by temperature interaction was found for dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) digestibility. When the ambient temperature increased from 15°C to 25°C, the DM and OM digestibility increased in animals fed Con silage, but decreased in animals fed Bm silage. Concomitantly, ME estimated from digestible nutrients was higher for Bm than for Con at 15°C, but no differences were found at 25°C and 35°C. Effects of diet by temperature interaction, furthermore, were observed for EE and CP digestibility. Therefore, forage quality has to be considered when feeding heat-stressed animals.

Impact of Salt and Nutrient Content on Biofilm Formation by Vibrio fischeri.

PubMed

Marsden, Anne E; Grudzinski, Kevin; Ondrey, Jakob M; DeLoney-Marino, Cindy R; Visick, Karen L

2017-01-01

Vibrio fischeri, a marine bacterium and symbiont of the Hawaiian bobtail squid Euprymna scolopes, depends on biofilm formation for successful colonization of the squid's symbiotic light organ. Here, we investigated if culture conditions, such as nutrient and salt availability, affect biofilm formation by V. fischeri by testing the formation of wrinkled colonies on solid media. We found that V. fischeri forms colonies with more substantial wrinkling when grown on the nutrient-dense LBS medium containing NaCl relative to those formed on the more nutrient-poor, seawater-salt containing SWT medium. The presence of both tryptone and yeast extract was necessary for the production of "normal" wrinkled colonies; when grown on tryptone alone, the colonies displayed a divoting phenotype and were attached to the agar surface. We also found that the type and concentration of specific seawater salts influenced the timing of biofilm formation. Of the conditions assayed, wrinkled colony formation occurred earliest in LBS(-Tris) media containing 425 mM NaCl, 35 mM MgSO4, and 5 mM CaCl2. Pellicle formation, another measure of biofilm development, was also enhanced in these growth conditions. Therefore, both nutrient and salt availability contribute to V. fischeri biofilm formation. While growth was unaffected, these optimized conditions resulted in increased syp locus expression as measured by a PsypA-lacZ transcriptional reporter. We anticipate these studies will help us understand how the natural environment of V. fischeri affects its ability to form biofilms and, ultimately, colonize E. scolopes.

Application of microalgae hydrolysate as a fermentation medium for microbial production of 2-pyrone 4,6-dicarboxylic acid.

PubMed

Htet, April N; Noguchi, Mana; Ninomiya, Kazuaki; Tsuge, Yota; Kuroda, Kosuke; Kajita, Shinya; Masai, Eiji; Katayama, Yoshihiro; Shikinaka, Kazuhiro; Otsuka, Yuichiro; Nakamura, Masaya; Honda, Ryo; Takahashi, Kenji

2018-06-01

Actual biomass of microalgae was tested as a fermentation substrate for microbial production of 2-pyrone 4,6-dicarboxylic acid (PDC). Acid-hydrolyzed green microalgae Chlorella emersonii (algae hydrolysate) was diluted to adjust the glucose concentration to 2 g/L and supplemented with the nutrients of Luria-Bertani (LB) medium (tryptone 10 g/L and yeast extract 5 g/L). When the algae hydrolysate was used as a fermentation source for recombinant Escherichia coli producing PDC, 0.43 g/L PDC was produced with a yield of 20.1% (mol PDC/mol glucose), whereas 0.19 g/L PDC was produced with a yield of 8.6% when LB medium supplemented with glucose was used. To evaluate the potential of algae hydrolysate alone as a fermentation medium for E. coli growth and PDC production, the nutrients of LB medium were reduced from the algae hydrolysate medium. Interestingly, 0.17 g/L PDC was produced even without additional nutrient, which was comparable to the case using pure glucose medium with nutrients of LB medium. When using a high concentration of hydrolysate without additional nutrients, 1.22 g/L PDC was produced after a 24-h cultivation with the yield of 16.1%. Overall, C. emersonii has high potential as cost-effective fermentation substrate for the microbial production of PDC. Copyright © 2018 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Production of ethanol from a mixture of waste paper and kitchen waste via a process of successive liquefaction, presaccharification, and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation.

PubMed

Nishimura, Hiroto; Tan, Li; Kira, Noriko; Tomiyama, Shigeo; Yamada, Kazuo; Sun, Zhao-Yong; Tang, Yue-Qin; Morimura, Shigeru; Kida, Kenji

2017-09-01

Efficient ethanol production from waste paper requires the addition of expensive nutrients. To reduce the production cost of ethanol from waste paper, a study on how to produce ethanol efficiently by adding kitchen waste (potentially as a carbon source, nutrient source, and acidity regulator) to waste paper was performed and a process of successive liquefaction, presaccharification, and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (L+PSSF) was developed. The individual saccharification performances of waste paper and kitchen waste were not influenced by their mixture. Liquefaction of kitchen waste at 90°C prior to presaccharification and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (PSSF) was essential for efficient ethanol fermentation. Ethanol at concentrations of 46.6 or 43.6g/l was obtained at the laboratory scale after fermentation for 96h, even without pH adjustment and/or the addition of extra nutrients. Similarly, ethanol at a concentration of 45.5g/l was obtained at the pilot scale after fermentation for 48h. The ethanol concentration of L+PSSF of the mixture of waste paper and kitchen waste was comparable to that of PSSF of waste paper with added nutrients (yeast extract and peptone) and pH adjustment using H 2 SO 4 , indicating that kitchen waste is not only a carbon source but also an excellent nutrient source and acidity regulator for fermentation of the mixture of waste paper and kitchen waste. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Calculating radiation exposures during use of (14)C-labeled nutrients, food components, and biopharmaceuticals to quantify metabolic behavior in humans.

PubMed

Kim, Seung-Hyun; Kelly, Peter B; Clifford, Andrew J

2010-04-28

(14)C has long been used as a tracer for quantifying the in vivo human metabolism of food components, biopharmaceuticals, and nutrients. Minute amounts (< or =1 x 10 (-18) mol) of (14)C can be measured with high-throughput (14)C-accelerator mass spectrometry (HT (14)C-AMS) in isolated chemical extracts of biological, biomedical, and environmental samples. Availability of in vivo human data sets using a (14)C tracer would enable current concepts of the metabolic behavior of food components, biopharmaceuticals, or nutrients to be organized into models suitable for quantitative hypothesis testing and determination of metabolic parameters. In vivo models are important for specification of intake levels for food components, biopharmaceuticals, and nutrients. Accurate estimation of the radiation exposure from ingested (14)C is an essential component of the experimental design. Therefore, this paper illustrates the calculation involved in determining the radiation exposure from a minute dose of orally administered (14)C-beta-carotene, (14)C-alpha-tocopherol, (14)C-lutein, and (14)C-folic acid from four prior experiments. The administered doses ranged from 36 to 100 nCi, and radiation exposure ranged from 0.12 to 5.2 microSv to whole body and from 0.2 to 3.4 microSv to liver with consideration of tissue weighting factor and fractional nutrient. In comparison, radiation exposure experienced during a 4 h airline flight across the United States at 37000 ft was 20 microSv.

Extraction of U(VI) from oxalate solutions using tetradecylammonium oxalate (in Russian)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kuzina, M.G.; Lipovskii, A.A.

1973-07-01

The extraction of U(VI) from oxalate solutions at various pH values was studied. It was shown that, as a function of the extractant and uranium concentration ratios, the latter was extracted in the form of different acido and hydroxyacido complexes. With excess extractant, the compounds were (R/sub 4/N)/ sub 2/UO/sub 2/Ox/sub 2/ at lo w pH values of the aqueous solution and (R/sub 4/ N)/sub 2/UO/sub 2/Ox(OH)/sub 2/ at h igh values. When there was a deficit of the extractant, different hydroxyacido complexes were formed. (tr-auth)

Social network extraction based on Web: 1. Related superficial methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khairuddin Matyuso Nasution, Mahyuddin

2018-01-01

Often the nature of something affects methods to resolve the related issues about it. Likewise, methods to extract social networks from the Web, but involve the structured data types differently. This paper reveals several methods of social network extraction from the same sources that is Web: the basic superficial method, the underlying superficial method, the description superficial method, and the related superficial methods. In complexity we derive the inequalities between methods and so are their computations. In this case, we find that different results from the same tools make the difference from the more complex to the simpler: Extraction of social network by involving co-occurrence is more complex than using occurrences.

Mass balance of metal species in supercritical fluid extraction using sodium diethyldithiocarbamate and dibutylammonium dibutyldithiocarbamate.

PubMed

Wang, Joanna Shaofen; Chiu, Kong-Hwa

2006-03-01

The objective of this work is to track the amount of metal complexes distributed in the extraction cell, collection vial, and tubing used in supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) systems after progressive removal of metal ions in supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2). Sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (NaDDC) and dibutylammonium dibutyldithiocarbamate (DBDC) ligands were used to form complexes with Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn and CO(2)/5% methanol as a supercritical fluid. The mass balance of metal complexes were obtained before and after extraction, and metals in different locations in the system were flushed out using an organic solvent and nitric acid (HNO3). These results infer that the stability constant (beta) of the metal-ligand complex has a strong correlation with SFE. Because of the composition of the stainless-steel cell, Fe, Cr, and Ni or other trace elements in the cell might interfere with the mass balance of metal complexes in SFE due to an exchange mechanism taking place between the cell and the sample.

Toward a universal mass-momentum transfer relationship for predicting nutrient uptake and metabolite exchange in benthic reef communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falter, James L.; Lowe, Ryan J.; Zhang, Zhenlin

2016-09-01

Here we synthesize data from previous field and laboratory studies describing how rates of nutrient uptake and metabolite exchange (mass transfer) are related to form drag and bottom stresses (momentum transfer). Reanalysis of this data shows that rates of mass transfer are highly correlated (r2 ≥ 0.9) with the root of the bottom stress (τbot0.4) under both waves and currents and only slightly higher under waves (~10%). The amount of mass transfer that can occur per unit bottom stress (or form drag) is influenced by morphological features ranging anywhere from millimeters to meters in scale; however, surface-scale roughness (millimeters) appears to have little effect on actual nutrient uptake by living reef communities. Although field measurements of nutrient uptake by natural reef communities agree reasonably well with predictions based on existing mass-momentum transfer relationships, more work is needed to better constrain these relationships for more rugose and morphologically complex communities.

Nutrient transport in the mammary gland: calcium, trace minerals and water soluble vitamins.

PubMed

Montalbetti, Nicolas; Dalghi, Marianela G; Albrecht, Christiane; Hediger, Matthias A

2014-03-01

Milk nutrients are secreted by epithelial cells in the alveoli of the mammary gland by several complex and highly coordinated systems. Many of these nutrients are transported from the blood to the milk via transcellular pathways that involve the concerted activity of transport proteins on the apical and basolateral membranes of mammary epithelial cells. In this review, we focus on transport mechanisms that contribute to the secretion of calcium, trace minerals and water soluble vitamins into milk with particular focus on the role of transporters of the SLC series as well as calcium transport proteins (ion channels and pumps). Numerous members of the SLC family are involved in the regulation of essential nutrients in the milk, such as the divalent metal transporter-1 (SLC11A2), ferroportin-1 (SLC40A1) and the copper transporter CTR1 (SLC31A1). A deeper understanding of the physiology and pathophysiology of these transporters will be of great value for drug discovery and treatment of breast diseases.

Bioavailability of riverine dissolved organic matter to phytoplankton in the marine coastal waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jurgensone, Iveta; Aigars, Juris

2012-07-01

Nutrient inputs from catchments with intensive agriculture are mostly dominated by inorganic nutrients, whereas the contribution of organic nutrients from catchments with natural forests can be considerable but there is a pooere understanding of this nutrient source. Consequently this study investigated spring, summer and autumn phytoplankton community responses to enrichment by riverine dissolved organic matter (DOM). Dissolved organic substances were extracted from the Daugava River, fractionated into three molecular size classes: 1) 5-100 kDa, 2) 100-1000 kDa, and 3) >1000 kDa, and added to a microcosm with natural assemblages from the Gulf of Riga. During the spring the phytoplankton community was dominated (97%) by diatoms and the species composition did not change over the course of the experiment. Specific species and functional groups of the summer and autumn phytoplankton communities responded positively to these treatments. Small-celled cyanobacteria and Monoraphidium contortum responded to almost all size fractions of DOM for the summer and autumn experiments. Oocystis spp. characteristic for the summer and Chaetoceros wighamii, Cyclotella spp., Thalassiosira baltica for the autumn responded to treatment by two and three size classes of organic substances, respectively, while Merismopedia spp. shifted from one food source to another during the summer experiment.

Multiscale visualization of the structural and characteristic changes of sewage sludge biochar oriented towards potential agronomic and environmental implication

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jining; Lü, Fan; Zhang, Hua; Shao, Liming; Chen, Dezhen; He, Pinjing

2015-01-01

Sewage sludge biochars were obtained at different pyrolysis temperatures from 300°C to 900°C and their macro- and microscale properties were analyzed. The biochar's plant-available nutrients and humus-like substances in the water-extractable phase and fixed nutrients in the solid fraction were evaluated for their potential agronomic implications. FT-IR, Raman, XRD, XPS, and SEM techniques were used to investigate the chemical structure, functional groups, and microcrystal structure on the surface of the biochar. The results revealed minor chemical changes and dramatic mass loss in the biochar obtained at 300–500°C, whereas significant chemical changes in the biochar were obtained at 600–900°C. The concentrations of plant-available nutrients as well as fulvic- and humic-acid-like materials decreased in the biochar samples obtained at higher temperatures. These results implied that the biochar samples pyrolyzed at 300–500°C could be a direct nutrient source and used to neutralize alkaline soil. The surface area and porosity of the biochar samples increased with temperature, which increased their adsorption capacity. Rearrangement occurred at higher temperature 600–900°C, resulting in the biochar becoming increasingly polyaromatic and its graphite-like carbon becoming organized. PMID:25802185

Ceramic Hollow Fibre Constructs for Continuous Perfusion and Cell Harvest from 3D Hematopoietic Organoids

PubMed Central

Tahlawi, Asma; Li, Kang

2018-01-01

Tissue vasculature efficiently distributes nutrients, removes metabolites, and possesses selective cellular permeability for tissue growth and function. Engineered tissue models have been limited by small volumes, low cell densities, and invasive cell extraction due to ineffective nutrient diffusion and cell-biomaterial attachment. Herein, we describe the fabrication and testing of ceramic hollow fibre membranes (HFs) able to separate red blood cells (RBCs) and mononuclear cells (MNCs) and be incorporated into 3D tissue models to improve nutrient and metabolite exchange. These HFs filtered RBCs from human umbilical cord blood (CB) suspensions of 20% RBCs to produce 90% RBC filtrate suspensions. When incorporated within 5 mL of 3D collagen-coated polyurethane porous scaffold, medium-perfused HFs maintained nontoxic glucose, lactate, pH levels, and higher cell densities over 21 days of culture in comparison to nonperfused 0.125 mL scaffolds. This hollow fibre bioreactor (HFBR) required a smaller per-cell medium requirement and operated at cell densities > 10-fold higher than current 2D methods whilst allowing for continuous cell harvest through HFs. Herein, we propose HFs to improve 3D cell culture nutrient and metabolite diffusion, increase culture volume and cell density, and continuously harvest products for translational cell therapy biomanufacturing protocols. PMID:29760729

Whole-Transcriptome Analysis of Verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli O157:H7 (Sakai) Suggests Plant-Species-Specific Metabolic Responses on Exposure to Spinach and Lettuce Extracts

PubMed Central

Crozier, Louise; Hedley, Pete E.; Morris, Jenny; Wagstaff, Carol; Andrews, Simon C.; Toth, Ian; Jackson, Robert W.; Holden, Nicola J.

2016-01-01

Verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) can contaminate crop plants, potentially using them as secondary hosts, which can lead to food-borne infection. Currently, little is known about the influence of the specific plant species on the success of bacterial colonization. As such, we compared the ability of the VTEC strain, E. coli O157:H7 ‘Sakai,’ to colonize the roots and leaves of four leafy vegetables: spinach (Spinacia oleracea), lettuce (Lactuca sativa), vining green pea (Pisum sativum), and prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola), a wild relative of domesticated lettuce. Also, to determine the drivers of the initial response on interaction with plant tissue, the whole transcriptome of E. coli O157:H7 Sakai was analyzed following exposure to plant extracts of varying complexity (spinach leaf lysates or root exudates, and leaf cell wall polysaccharides from spinach or lettuce). Plant extracts were used to reduce heterogeneity inherent in plant–microbe interactions and remove the effect of plant immunity. This dual approach provided information on the initial adaptive response of E. coli O157:H7 Sakai to the plant environment together with the influence of the living plant during bacterial establishment and colonization. Results showed that both the plant tissue type and the plant species strongly influence the short-term (1 h) transcriptional response to extracts as well as longer-term (10 days) plant colonization or persistence. We show that propagation temperature (37 vs. 18°C) has a major impact on the expression profile and therefore pre-adaptation of bacteria to a plant-relevant temperature is necessary to avoid misleading temperature-dependent wholescale gene-expression changes in response to plant material. For each of the plant extracts tested, the largest group of (annotated) differentially regulated genes were associated with metabolism. However, large-scale differences in the metabolic and biosynthetic pathways between treatment types indicate specificity in substrate utilization. Induction of stress-response genes reflected the apparent physiological status of the bacterial genes in each extract, as a result of glutamate-dependent acid resistance, nutrient stress, or translational stalling. A large proportion of differentially regulated genes are uncharacterized (annotated as hypothetical), which could indicate yet to be described functional roles associated with plant interaction for E. coli O157:H7 Sakai. PMID:27462311

Transgenic Petunia with the Iron(III)-Phytosiderophore Transporter Gene Acquires Tolerance to Iron Deficiency in Alkaline Environments

PubMed Central

Murata, Yoshiko; Itoh, Yoshiyuki; Iwashita, Takashi; Namba, Kosuke

2015-01-01

Iron is an essential nutrient for all plants. However, terrestrial plants often suffer from iron deficiency in alkaline soil due to its extremely low solubility. Alkaline soil accounts for about 30% of all cultivated ground in the world. Plants have evolved two distinct strategies, I and II, for iron uptake from the soil. Dicots and non-graminaceous monocots use Strategy I, which is primarily based on the reduction of iron(III) to iron(II) and the uptake of iron(II) by the iron-regulated transporter, IRT1. In contrast, graminaceous plants use Strategy II to efficiently acquire insoluble iron(III). Strategy II comprises the synthesis and secretion of iron-chelating phytosiderophores, such as mugineic acids and the Yellow Stripe 1 transporter proteins of the iron(III)-phytosiderophore complex. Barley, which exhibits the highest tolerance to iron deficiency in alkaline soil among graminaceous plants, utilizes mugineic acids and the specific iron(III)-mugineic acids transporter, HvYS1. In this study, we established the transgenic plant Petunia hybrida, which originally had only Strategy I, by introducing the HvYS1 transporter gene derived from barley. When the transgenic plants were grown hydroponically in media containing the iron(III)-2′-deoxymugineic acid complex, free 2′-deoxymugineic acid and its iron(III) complex were detected in the root extract of the transgenic plant by electrospray ionization-Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. The growth of the transgenic petunia was significantly better than that of the control host in alkaline conditions. Consequently, the transgenic plant acquired a significantly enhanced tolerance to alkaline hydroponic media in the presence of the iron(III)-2′-deoxymugineic acid complex. Furthermore, the flower color of the transgenic plant deepened. The results showed that iron-phytosiderophore complexes and their transporters can potentially be utilized to overcome the worldwide iron uptake problems to diverse plant species that are found in areas with alkaline conditions. PMID:25781941

Transgenic petunia with the iron(III)-phytosiderophore transporter gene acquires tolerance to iron deficiency in alkaline environments.

PubMed

Murata, Yoshiko; Itoh, Yoshiyuki; Iwashita, Takashi; Namba, Kosuke

2015-01-01

Iron is an essential nutrient for all plants. However, terrestrial plants often suffer from iron deficiency in alkaline soil due to its extremely low solubility. Alkaline soil accounts for about 30% of all cultivated ground in the world. Plants have evolved two distinct strategies, I and II, for iron uptake from the soil. Dicots and non-graminaceous monocots use Strategy I, which is primarily based on the reduction of iron(III) to iron(II) and the uptake of iron(II) by the iron-regulated transporter, IRT1. In contrast, graminaceous plants use Strategy II to efficiently acquire insoluble iron(III). Strategy II comprises the synthesis and secretion of iron-chelating phytosiderophores, such as mugineic acids and the Yellow Stripe 1 transporter proteins of the iron(III)-phytosiderophore complex. Barley, which exhibits the highest tolerance to iron deficiency in alkaline soil among graminaceous plants, utilizes mugineic acids and the specific iron(III)-mugineic acids transporter, HvYS1. In this study, we established the transgenic plant Petunia hybrida, which originally had only Strategy I, by introducing the HvYS1 transporter gene derived from barley. When the transgenic plants were grown hydroponically in media containing the iron(III)-2'-deoxymugineic acid complex, free 2'-deoxymugineic acid and its iron(III) complex were detected in the root extract of the transgenic plant by electrospray ionization-Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. The growth of the transgenic petunia was significantly better than that of the control host in alkaline conditions. Consequently, the transgenic plant acquired a significantly enhanced tolerance to alkaline hydroponic media in the presence of the iron(III)-2'-deoxymugineic acid complex. Furthermore, the flower color of the transgenic plant deepened. The results showed that iron-phytosiderophore complexes and their transporters can potentially be utilized to overcome the worldwide iron uptake problems to diverse plant species that are found in areas with alkaline conditions.

Improvement of the ethanol productivity in a high gravity brewing at pilot plant scale.

PubMed

Dragone, Giuliano; Silva, Daniel P; de Almeida e Silva, João Batista; de Almeida Lima, Urgel

2003-07-01

A 23 full factorial design was used to study the influence of different experimental variables, namely wort gravity, fermentation temperature and nutrient supplementation, on ethanol productivity from high gravity wort fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae (lager strain), under pilot plant conditions. The highest ethanol productivity (0.69 g l(-1) h(-1)) was obtained at 20 degrees P [degrees P is the weight of extract (sugar) equivalent to the weight of sucrose in a 100 g solution at 20 degrees C], 15 degrees C, with the addition of 0.8% (w/v) yeast extract, 24 mg l(-1) ergosterol and 0.24% (v/v) Tween 80.

Modelling potential production of macroalgae farms in UK and Dutch coastal waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Molen, Johan; Ruardij, Piet; Mooney, Karen; Kerrison, Philip; O'Connor, Nessa E.; Gorman, Emma; Timmermans, Klaas; Wright, Serena; Kelly, Maeve; Hughes, Adam D.; Capuzzo, Elisa

2018-02-01

There is increasing interest in macroalgae farming in European waters for a range of applications, including food, chemical extraction for biofuel production. This study uses a 3-D numerical model of hydrodynamics and biogeochemistry to investigate potential production and environmental effects of macroalgae farming in UK and Dutch coastal waters. The model included four experimental farms in different coastal settings in Strangford Lough (Northern Ireland), in Sound of Kerrera and Lynn of Lorne (north-west Scotland) and in the Rhine plume (the Netherlands), as well as a hypothetical large-scale farm off the UK north Norfolk coast. The model could not detect significant changes in biogeochemistry and plankton dynamics at any of the farm sites averaged over the farming season. The results showed a range of macroalgae growth behaviours in response to simulated environmental conditions. These were then compared with in situ observations where available, showing good correspondence for some farms and less good correspondence for others. At the most basic level, macroalgae production depended on prevailing nutrient concentrations and light conditions, with higher levels of both resulting in higher macroalgae production. It is shown that under non-elevated and interannually varying winter nutrient conditions, farming success was modulated by the timings of the onset of increasing nutrient concentrations in autumn and nutrient drawdown in spring. Macroalgae carbohydrate content also depended on nutrient concentrations, with higher nutrient concentrations leading to lower carbohydrate content at harvest. This will reduce the energy density of the crop and thus affect its suitability for conversion into biofuel. For the hypothetical large-scale macroalgae farm off the UK north Norfolk coast, the model suggested high, stable farm yields of macroalgae from year to year with substantial carbohydrate content and limited environmental effects.

Stoichiometric vs hydroclimatic controls on soil biogeochemical processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manzoni, Stefano; Porporato, Amilcare

2010-05-01

Soil nutrient cycles are controlled by both stoichiometric constraints (e.g., carbon to nutrient ratios) and hydroclimatic conditions (e.g., soil moisture and temperature). Both controls tend to act in a nonlinear manner and give rise to complex dynamics in soil biogeochemistry at different space-time scales. We first review the theoretical basis of soil biogeochemical models, looking for the general principles underlying these models across space-time scales and scientific disciplines. By comparing more than 250 models, we show that similar kinetic and stoichiometric laws, formulated to mechanistically represent the complex biochemical constraints to decomposition, are common to most models, providing a basis for their classification. Moreover, a historic analysis reveals that the complexity (e.g., phase space dimension, model architecture) and degree and number of nonlinearities generally increased with date, while they decreased with increasing spatial and temporal scale of interest. Soil biogeochmical dynamics may be suitable conceptualized using a number of compartments (e.g., decomposers, organic substrates, inorganic ions) interacting among each other at rates that depend (nonlinearly) on climatic drivers. As a consequence, hydroclimatic-induced fluctuations at the daily scale propagate through the various soil compartments leading to cascading effects ranging from short-term fluctuations in the smaller pools to long-lasting changes in the larger ones. Such cascading effects are known to occur in dryland ecosystems, and are increasingly being recongnized to control the long-term carbon and nutrient balances in more mesic ecosystems. We also show that separating biochemical from climatic impacts on organic matter decomposition results in universal curves describing data of plant residue decomposition and nutrient mineralization across the globe. Future extensions to larger spatial scales and managed ecosystems are also briefly outlined. It is critical that future modeling efforts carefully account for the scale-dependence of their mathematical formulations, especially when applied to a wide range of scales.

Production of Antilisterial Bacteriocins from Lactic Acid Bacteria in Dairy-Based Media: A Comparative Study.

PubMed

Ünlü, Gülhan; Nielsen, Barbara; Ionita, Claudia

2015-12-01

One hundred and eight strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were screened for bacteriocin production by the modified deferred antagonism and agar well diffusion methods. When the modified deferred antagonism method was employed, 82 LAB strains showed inhibitory action against Listeria monocytogenes v7 ½a, whereas 26 LAB strains expressed no inhibition. Only 12 LAB strains exhibited inhibitory activity when the agar well diffusion method was used, 11 of which had been previously recognized as bacteriocin production positive (Bac(+)). Lactobacillus viridescens NRRL B-1951 was determined, for the first time, to produce an inhibitory compound with a proteinaceous nature. The inhibitory activity was observed in the presence of lipase, α-chymotrypsin, and trypsin, but no inhibition zone could be detected in the presence of proteinase K, indicating the proteinaceous nature of the inhibitory compound. The inhibitory compound was active against Lact. sake ATCC 15521 and Lact. plantarum NCDO 995. Bacteriocin production by the Bac(+) LAB strains was assessed in Lactobacillus MRS Broth as well as in dairy-based media such as nonfat milk, demineralized whey powder, and cheddar cheese whey supplemented with complex nutrient sources that are rich in nitrogen. Lact. sake ATCC 15521 and L. monocytogenes CWD 1002, CWD 1092, CWD 1157, CWD 1198, and v7 ½a were used as indicators. The inhibitory activities of the bacteriocins varied depending on the indicator strains and the growth media used. The LAB indicator strains were found to be more sensitive to inhibition by bacteriocins when compared to the listerial indicator strains. Among the listerial indicators, L. monocytogenes CWD 1002 and CWD 1198 were the most sensitive strains to the bacteriocins investigated in this study. Media composition had a significant influence on bacteriocin production and activity. When compared to demineralized whey powder medium and cheddar cheese whey medium supplemented with whey protein concentrate, cheddar cheese whey medium supplemented with complex nutrient sources such as yeast extract, polypeptone, proteose peptone nr. 3, or soytone appeared to be more supportive of bacteriocin production.

New insights into biogeochemical processing gained from sub-daily river monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halliday, S. J.; Wade, A. J.; Skeffington, R. A.; Bowes, M.; Palmer-Felgate, E.; Loewenthal, M.; Jarvie, H.; Neal, C.; Reynolds, B.; Gozzard, E.; Newman, J.

2012-12-01

This talk will focus on the insights obtained from sub-daily hydrochemical monitoring for a sustained time periods (> 1 year), at multiple sites within a catchment and across different catchment types. Sub-daily instream hydrochemical dynamics were investigated, using non-stationary time-series analysis techniques, for two catchments representative of upland and lowland UK. The River Hafren at Plynlimon, mid-Wales drains an upland catchment where half the land cover is unmanaged moorland and the other half is first generation plantation forestry. The Hafren was monitored at two sites on a 7-hourly basis, between March 2007 and January 2009, using a Xian automatic sampler. The River Enborne, Berkshire, southeast England, is a rural lowland catchment, impacted by agricultural runoff, and septic tank and sewage treatment works discharges. The Enborne was monitored on an hourly basis between November 2009 and February 2012, using in situ field deployable analytical equipment to measure: Total Reactive Phosphorus (TRP: Systea Micromac C), Nitrate (Hach-Lange Nitratax), pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity and water temperature (YSI 6600 Multi-parameter sonde). The results reveal complex diurnal patterns which exhibit seasonal changes in phase and amplitude, and are influenced by both flow conditions and nutrient sources. The comparison of the upland and lowland nitrate time series highlights how the different nitrogen sources within each system results in marked differences in the seasonal and diurnal dynamics, with a seasonal maximum in winter and a single peak diurnal cycle in the upland system, compared to a summer maximum and a two peak diurnal cycle in the lowland system. The analysis of TRP and nitrate concentrations in the Enborne catchment, in combination with flow, pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity and water temperature, allowed the main processes controlling the observed sub-daily nutrient dynamics to be investigated. The different monitoring approaches adopted revealed the complexities involved in the accurate extraction of diurnal dynamics under lower frequency sampling, and the inherent issues of aliasing. Monitoring for 2 years also allowed an initial assessment of the inter-annual variability in the observed dynamics.

Regeneratory characteristics of complex extract and isolated diterpene alkaloids of Aconitum baikalense.

PubMed

Nesterova, Yu V; Povetieva, T N; Suslov, N I; Zhdanov, V V; Hrichkova, T Yu; Udut, E V; Chaykovskiy, A S; Gaydamovich, N N; Andreeva, T I; Dygai, A M

2012-02-01

The effects of complex extract from Aconitum baikalense on reparative regeneration of a plane dorsal skin wound were studied. Treatment with Aconitum baikalense tincture stimulated reparation and skin regeneration. The effects of the Aconitum baikalense alkaloids on functional activity of fibroblast precursors were studied in vitro by cultural methods. Mesaconitine, hypaconitine, songorine, napelline, and 12-epinapelline N-oxide significantly stimulated the growth of colonies from fibroblast precursors. This indicated direct stimulation of fibroblasts by aconite alkaloids, which could be a mechanism of reparative activity of the complex extract.

Enhancing to method for extracting Social network by the relation existence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elfida, Maria; Matyuso Nasution, M. K.; Sitompul, O. S.

2018-01-01

To get the trusty information about the social network extracted from the Web requires a reliable method, but for optimal resultant required the method that can overcome the complexity of information resources. This paper intends to reveal ways to overcome the constraints of social network extraction leading to high complexity by identifying relationships among social actors. By changing the treatment of the procedure used, we obtain the complexity is smaller than the previous procedure. This has also been demonstrated in an experiment by using the denial sample.

Cooperation through Competition—Dynamics and Microeconomics of a Minimal Nutrient Trade System in Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis

PubMed Central

Schott, Stephan; Valdebenito, Braulio; Bustos, Daniel; Gomez-Porras, Judith L.; Sharma, Tripti; Dreyer, Ingo

2016-01-01

In arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis, fungi and plants exchange nutrients (sugars and phosphate, for instance) for reciprocal benefit. Until now it is not clear how this nutrient exchange system works. Here, we used computational cell biology to simulate the dynamics of a network of proton pumps and proton-coupled transporters that are upregulated during AM formation. We show that this minimal network is sufficient to describe accurately and realistically the nutrient trade system. By applying basic principles of microeconomics, we link the biophysics of transmembrane nutrient transport with the ecology of organismic interactions and straightforwardly explain macroscopic scenarios of the relations between plant and AM fungus. This computational cell biology study allows drawing far reaching hypotheses about the mechanism and the regulation of nutrient exchange and proposes that the “cooperation” between plant and fungus can be in fact the result of a competition between both for the same resources in the tiny periarbuscular space. The minimal model presented here may serve as benchmark to evaluate in future the performance of more complex models of AM nutrient exchange. As a first step toward this goal, we included SWEET sugar transporters in the model and show that their co-occurrence with proton-coupled sugar transporters results in a futile carbon cycle at the plant plasma membrane proposing that two different pathways for the same substrate should not be active at the same time. PMID:27446142

[Association between hematopoietic nutrient intake and the origin of nutritional anemia in women of childbearing age in Colombia].

PubMed

Manjarrés, Luz Mariela; Díaz, Abel; Carriquiry, Alicia

2012-01-01

Compare the nutritional origin of anemia by sociodemographic variables and analyze its association with deficient hematopoietic nutrient intake. The database of Colombia's 2005 National Survey of Nutritional Status was used. The data were obtained through complex representative sampling of the population and processed using SPSS v.15. Anemic women of childbearing age were selected and divided into two groups according to serum ferritin levels. Their customary hematopoietic nutrient intake and risk of deficiency were determined. The proportions of anemia types were compared by sociodemographic variables using the F-distribution, the Rao-Scott second order correction (P < 0.05). The association between the origin of the anemia and classification of the nutrient was analyzed using the odds ratio (OR). 595 women. Non-hypoferric anemia (67.2%) predominated, with no statistical difference by sociodemographic variable, except in the Pacific region (hypoferric anemia, 52.1%). The prevalence of deficiency in the customary intake of hematopoietic nutrients was high. There was no significant association between the deficit in consumption and the origin of the anemia. Non-hypoferric anemia was most common, with no difference by sociodemographic indicators except in the Pacific region. All the women were at high risk of deficiency in their customary hematopoietic nutrient intake, but a statistically significant association between the deficiency and the origin of the nutritional anemia was not observed. Programs to improve nutrient intake and a continued search for causes of nutritional anemia other than iron deficiency are justified.

Developing methanogenic microbial consortia from diverse coal sources and environments

DOE PAGES

Fuertez, John; Boakye, Richard; McLennan, John; ...

2017-08-18

Biogenic gas production is a promising alternative or supplement to conventional methane extraction from coalbeds. Adsorbed and free gas, generated over geologic time, can be supplemented with biogenic gas during short-term engineering operations. There are two generic protocols for doing this. The first is to contact the coal with nutrients to support native bacterial development. The second approach is to inject appropriately cultured ex-situ consortia into subsurface coal accumulations. Research has mainly focused on the former: in-situ stimulation of native microbial communities with added nutrients. Relatively few studies have been conducted on the strategies for enriching ex-situ microbial populations undermore » initial atmospheric exposure for subsequent injection into coal seams to stimulate biodegradation, and methanogenesis. In order to evaluate the feasibility of ex-situ cultivation, natural microbial populations were collected from various hydrocarbon-rich environments and locations characterized by natural methanogenesis. Different rank coals (i.e., lignite, sub-bituminous, bituminous), complex hydrocarbon sources (i.e., oil shale, waxy crude), hydrocarbon seeps, and natural biogenic environments were incorporated in the sampling. Three levels of screening (down-selection to high grade the most productive consortia) allowed selection of microbial populations, favorable nutrient amendments, sources of the microbial community, and quantification of methane produced from various coal types. Incubation periods of up to twenty-four weeks were evaluated at 23 °C. Headspace concentrations of CH 4 and CO 2 were analyzed by gas chromatography. After a two-week incubation period of the most promising microbes, generated headspace gas concentrations reached 873,400 ppm (154 sft 3/ton or 4.8 scm 3/g) for methane and 176,370 ppm (31 sft 3/ton or 0.9 scm 3/g) for carbon dioxide. Rudimentary statistical assessments – variance analysis (ANOVA) of a single factor - were used to identify trends and levels of significance or impact of the consortia enrichment. We then demonstrated that microbial communities from coal and lake sediments can be enriched and adapted to effectively generate methane under initial atmospheric exposure. The development and enrichment of these methanogenic consortia is described.« less

Developing methanogenic microbial consortia from diverse coal sources and environments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fuertez, John; Boakye, Richard; McLennan, John

Biogenic gas production is a promising alternative or supplement to conventional methane extraction from coalbeds. Adsorbed and free gas, generated over geologic time, can be supplemented with biogenic gas during short-term engineering operations. There are two generic protocols for doing this. The first is to contact the coal with nutrients to support native bacterial development. The second approach is to inject appropriately cultured ex-situ consortia into subsurface coal accumulations. Research has mainly focused on the former: in-situ stimulation of native microbial communities with added nutrients. Relatively few studies have been conducted on the strategies for enriching ex-situ microbial populations undermore » initial atmospheric exposure for subsequent injection into coal seams to stimulate biodegradation, and methanogenesis. In order to evaluate the feasibility of ex-situ cultivation, natural microbial populations were collected from various hydrocarbon-rich environments and locations characterized by natural methanogenesis. Different rank coals (i.e., lignite, sub-bituminous, bituminous), complex hydrocarbon sources (i.e., oil shale, waxy crude), hydrocarbon seeps, and natural biogenic environments were incorporated in the sampling. Three levels of screening (down-selection to high grade the most productive consortia) allowed selection of microbial populations, favorable nutrient amendments, sources of the microbial community, and quantification of methane produced from various coal types. Incubation periods of up to twenty-four weeks were evaluated at 23 °C. Headspace concentrations of CH 4 and CO 2 were analyzed by gas chromatography. After a two-week incubation period of the most promising microbes, generated headspace gas concentrations reached 873,400 ppm (154 sft 3/ton or 4.8 scm 3/g) for methane and 176,370 ppm (31 sft 3/ton or 0.9 scm 3/g) for carbon dioxide. Rudimentary statistical assessments – variance analysis (ANOVA) of a single factor - were used to identify trends and levels of significance or impact of the consortia enrichment. We then demonstrated that microbial communities from coal and lake sediments can be enriched and adapted to effectively generate methane under initial atmospheric exposure. The development and enrichment of these methanogenic consortia is described.« less

Perennial Antarctic lake ice: an oasis for life in a polar desert

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Priscu, J. C.; Fritsen, C. H.; Adams, E. E.; Giovannoni, S. J.; Paerl, H. W.; McKay, C. P.; Doran, P. T.; Gordon, D. A.; Lanoil, B. D.; Pinckney, J. L.

1998-01-01

The permanent ice covers of Antarctic lakes in the McMurdo Dry Valleys develop liquid water inclusions in response to solar heating of internal aeolian-derived sediments. The ice sediment particles serve as nutrient (inorganic and organic)-enriched microzones for the establishment of a physiologically and ecologically complex microbial consortium capable of contemporaneous photosynthesis, nitrogen fixation, and decomposition. The consortium is capable of physically and chemically establishing and modifying a relatively nutrient- and organic matter-enriched microbial "oasis" embedded in the lake ice cover.

Perennial Antarctic lake ice: an oasis for life in a polar desert.

PubMed

Priscu, J C; Fritsen, C H; Adams, E E; Giovannoni, S J; Paerl, H W; McKay, C P; Doran, P T; Gordon, D A; Lanoil, B D; Pinckney, J L

1998-06-26

The permanent ice covers of Antarctic lakes in the McMurdo Dry Valleys develop liquid water inclusions in response to solar heating of internal aeolian-derived sediments. The ice sediment particles serve as nutrient (inorganic and organic)-enriched microzones for the establishment of a physiologically and ecologically complex microbial consortium capable of contemporaneous photosynthesis, nitrogen fixation, and decomposition. The consortium is capable of physically and chemically establishing and modifying a relatively nutrient- and organic matter-enriched microbial "oasis" embedded in the lake ice cover.

Characterization and Placement of Wetlands for Integrated ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Constructed wetlands have been recognized as an efficient and cost-effective conservation practice to protect water quality through reducing the transport of sediments and nutrients from upstream croplands to downstream water bodies. The challenge resides in targeting the strategic location of wetlands within agricultural watersheds to maximize the reduction in nutrient loads while minimizing their impact on crop production. Furthermore, agricultural watersheds involve complex interrelated processes requiring a systems approach to evaluate the inherent relationships between wetlands and multiple sediment/nutrient sources (sheet, rill, ephemeral gully, channels) and other conservation practices (filter strips). This study describes new capabilities of the USDA’s Annualized Agricultural Non-Point Source pollutant loading model, AnnAGNPS. A developed AnnAGNPS GIS-based wetland component, AgWet, is introduced to identify potential sites and characterize individual artificial or natural wetlands at a watershed scale. AgWet provides a simplified, semi-automated, and spatially distributed approach to quantitatively evaluate wetlands as potential conservation management alternatives. AgWet is integrated with other AnnAGNPS components providing seamless capabilities of estimating the potential sediment/nutrient reduction of individual wetlands. This technology provides conservationists the capability for improved management of watershed systems and support for nutrient

Mathematical morphology-based shape feature analysis for Chinese character recognition systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pai, Tun-Wen; Shyu, Keh-Hwa; Chen, Ling-Fan; Tai, Gwo-Chin

1995-04-01

This paper proposes an efficient technique of shape feature extraction based on the application of mathematical morphology theory. A new shape complexity index for preclassification of machine printed Chinese Character Recognition (CCR) is also proposed. For characters represented in different fonts/sizes or in a low resolution environment, a more stable local feature such as shape structure is preferred for character recognition. Morphological valley extraction filters are applied to extract the protrusive strokes from four sides of an input Chinese character. The number of extracted local strokes reflects the shape complexity of each side. These shape features of characters are encoded as corresponding shape complexity indices. Based on the shape complexity index, data base is able to be classified into 16 groups prior to recognition procedures. The performance of associating with shape feature analysis reclaims several characters from misrecognized character sets and results in an average of 3.3% improvement of recognition rate from an existing recognition system. In addition to enhance the recognition performance, the extracted stroke information can be further analyzed and classified its own stroke type. Therefore, the combination of extracted strokes from each side provides a means for data base clustering based on radical or subword components. It is one of the best solutions for recognizing high complexity characters such as Chinese characters which are divided into more than 200 different categories and consist more than 13,000 characters.

Effect of B-complex vitamins on the antifatigue activity and bioavailability of ginsenoside Re after oral administration.

PubMed

Chen, Yin Bin; Wang, Yu Fang; Hou, Wei; Wang, Ying Ping; Xiao, Sheng Yuan; Fu, Yang Yang; Wang, Jia; Zheng, Si Wen; Zheng, Pei He

2017-04-01

Both ginsenoside Re and B-complex vitamins are widely used as nutritional supplements. They are often taken together so as to fully utilize their antifatigue and refreshing effects, respectively. Whether actually a drug-nutrient interaction exists between ginsenoside Re and B-complex vitamins is still unknown. The objective of this study was to simultaneously investigate the effect of B-complex vitamins on the antifatigue activity and bioavailability of ginsenoside Re after their oral administration. The study results will provide valuable theoretical guidance for the combined utilization of ginseng and B-complex vitamins. Ginsenoside Re with or without B-complex vitamins was orally administered to mice to evaluate its antifatigue effects and to rats to evaluate its bioavailability. The antifatigue activity was evaluated by the weight-loaded swimming test and biochemical parameters, including hepatic glycogen, plasma urea nitrogen, and blood lactic acid. The concentration of ginsenoside Re in plasma was determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. No antifatigue effect of ginsenoside Re was noted when ginsenoside Re in combination with B-complex vitamins was orally administered to mice. B-complex vitamins caused to a reduction in the bioavailability of ginsenoside Re with the area under the concentration-time curve from zero to infinity markedly decreasing from 11,830.85 ± 2,366.47 h·ng/mL to 890.55 ± 372.94 h·ng/mL. The results suggested that there were pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic drug-nutrient interactions between ginsenoside Re and B-complex vitamins. B-complex vitamins can significantly weaken the antifatigue effect and decrease the bioavailability of ginsenoside Re when simultaneously administered orally.

Multiple soil nutrient competition between plants, microbes, and mineral surfaces: model development, parameterization, and example applications in several tropical forests

DOE PAGES

Zhu, Q.; Riley, W. J.; Tang, J.; ...

2016-01-18

Soil is a complex system where biotic (e.g., plant roots, micro-organisms) and abiotic (e.g., mineral surfaces) consumers compete for resources necessary for life (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus). This competition is ecologically significant, since it regulates the dynamics of soil nutrients and controls aboveground plant productivity. Here we develop, calibrate and test a nutrient competition model that accounts for multiple soil nutrients interacting with multiple biotic and abiotic consumers. As applied here for tropical forests, the Nutrient COMpetition model (N-COM) includes three primary soil nutrients (NH 4 +, NO 3 − and PO x; representing the sum of PO 4 3−, HPOmore » 4 2− and H 2PO 4 −) and five potential competitors (plant roots, decomposing microbes, nitrifiers, denitrifiers and mineral surfaces). The competition is formulated with a quasi-steady-state chemical equilibrium approximation to account for substrate (multiple substrates share one consumer) and consumer (multiple consumers compete for one substrate) effects. N-COM successfully reproduced observed soil heterotrophic respiration, N 2O emissions, free phosphorus, sorbed phosphorus and NH 4 + pools at a tropical forest site (Tapajos). The overall model uncertainty was moderately well constrained. Our sensitivity analysis revealed that soil nutrient competition was primarily regulated by consumer–substrate affinity rather than environmental factors such as soil temperature or soil moisture. Our results also imply that under strong nutrient limitation, relative competitiveness depends strongly on the competitor functional traits (affinity and nutrient carrier enzyme abundance). We then applied the N-COM model to analyze field nitrogen and phosphorus perturbation experiments in two tropical forest sites (in Hawaii and Puerto Rico) not used in model development or calibration. Under soil inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus elevated conditions, the model accurately replicated the experimentally observed competition among nutrient consumers. Although we used as many observations as we could obtain, more nutrient addition experiments in tropical systems would greatly benefit model testing and calibration. In summary, the N-COM model provides an ecologically consistent representation of nutrient competition appropriate for land BGC models integrated in Earth System Models.« less

Lake nutrient stoichiometry is less predictable than nutrient concentrations at regional and sub-continental scales.

PubMed

Collins, Sarah M; Oliver, Samantha K; Lapierre, Jean-Francois; Stanley, Emily H; Jones, John R; Wagner, Tyler; Soranno, Patricia A

2017-07-01

Production in many ecosystems is co-limited by multiple elements. While a known suite of drivers associated with nutrient sources, nutrient transport, and internal processing controls concentrations of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) in lakes, much less is known about whether the drivers of single nutrient concentrations can also explain spatial or temporal variation in lake N:P stoichiometry. Predicting stoichiometry might be more complex than predicting concentrations of individual elements because some drivers have similar relationships with N and P, leading to a weak relationship with their ratio. Further, the dominant controls on elemental concentrations likely vary across regions, resulting in context dependent relationships between drivers, lake nutrients and their ratios. Here, we examine whether known drivers of N and P concentrations can explain variation in N:P stoichiometry, and whether explaining variation in stoichiometry differs across regions. We examined drivers of N:P in ~2,700 lakes at a sub-continental scale and two large regions nested within the sub-continental study area that have contrasting ecological context, including differences in the dominant type of land cover (agriculture vs. forest). At the sub-continental scale, lake nutrient concentrations were correlated with nutrient loading and lake internal processing, but stoichiometry was only weakly correlated to drivers of lake nutrients. At the regional scale, drivers that explained variation in nutrients and stoichiometry differed between regions. In the Midwestern U.S. region, dominated by agricultural land use, lake depth and the percentage of row crop agriculture were strong predictors of stoichiometry because only phosphorus was related to lake depth and only nitrogen was related to the percentage of row crop agriculture. In contrast, all drivers were related to N and P in similar ways in the Northeastern U.S. region, leading to weak relationships between drivers and stoichiometry. Our results suggest ecological context mediates controls on lake nutrients and stoichiometry. Predicting stoichiometry was generally more difficult than predicting nutrient concentrations, but human activity may decouple N and P, leading to better prediction of N:P stoichiometry in regions with high anthropogenic activity. © 2017 by the Ecological Society of America.

Lake nutrient stoichiometry is less predictable than nutrient concentrations at regional and sub-continental scales

USGS Publications Warehouse

Collins, Sarah M.; Oliver, Samantha K.; Lapierre, Jean-Francois; Stanley, Emily H.; Jones, John R.; Wagner, Tyler; Soranno, Patricia A.

2017-01-01

Production in many ecosystems is co-limited by multiple elements. While a known suite of drivers associated with nutrient sources, nutrient transport, and internal processing controls concentrations of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) in lakes, much less is known about whether the drivers of single nutrient concentrations can also explain spatial or temporal variation in lake N:P stoichiometry. Predicting stoichiometry might be more complex than predicting concentrations of individual elements because some drivers have similar relationships with N and P, leading to a weak relationship with their ratio. Further, the dominant controls on elemental concentrations likely vary across regions, resulting in context dependent relationships between drivers, lake nutrients and their ratios. Here, we examine whether known drivers of N and P concentrations can explain variation in N:P stoichiometry, and whether explaining variation in stoichiometry differs across regions. We examined drivers of N:P in ~2,700 lakes at a sub-continental scale and two large regions nested within the sub-continental study area that have contrasting ecological context, including differences in the dominant type of land cover (agriculture vs. forest). At the sub-continental scale, lake nutrient concentrations were correlated with nutrient loading and lake internal processing, but stoichiometry was only weakly correlated to drivers of lake nutrients. At the regional scale, drivers that explained variation in nutrients and stoichiometry differed between regions. In the Midwestern U.S. region, dominated by agricultural land use, lake depth and the percentage of row crop agriculture were strong predictors of stoichiometry because only phosphorus was related to lake depth and only nitrogen was related to the percentage of row crop agriculture. In contrast, all drivers were related to N and P in similar ways in the Northeastern U.S. region, leading to weak relationships between drivers and stoichiometry. Our results suggest ecological context mediates controls on lake nutrients and stoichiometry. Predicting stoichiometry was generally more difficult than predicting nutrient concentrations, but human activity may decouple N and P, leading to better prediction of N:P stoichiometry in regions with high anthropogenic activity.

Multiple soil nutrient competition between plants, microbes, and mineral surfaces: model development, parameterization, and example applications in several tropical forests

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhu, Q.; Riley, W. J.; Tang, J.

Soil is a complex system where biotic (e.g., plant roots, micro-organisms) and abiotic (e.g., mineral surfaces) consumers compete for resources necessary for life (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus). This competition is ecologically significant, since it regulates the dynamics of soil nutrients and controls aboveground plant productivity. Here we develop, calibrate and test a nutrient competition model that accounts for multiple soil nutrients interacting with multiple biotic and abiotic consumers. As applied here for tropical forests, the Nutrient COMpetition model (N-COM) includes three primary soil nutrients (NH 4 +, NO 3 − and PO x; representing the sum of PO 4 3−, HPOmore » 4 2− and H 2PO 4 −) and five potential competitors (plant roots, decomposing microbes, nitrifiers, denitrifiers and mineral surfaces). The competition is formulated with a quasi-steady-state chemical equilibrium approximation to account for substrate (multiple substrates share one consumer) and consumer (multiple consumers compete for one substrate) effects. N-COM successfully reproduced observed soil heterotrophic respiration, N 2O emissions, free phosphorus, sorbed phosphorus and NH 4 + pools at a tropical forest site (Tapajos). The overall model uncertainty was moderately well constrained. Our sensitivity analysis revealed that soil nutrient competition was primarily regulated by consumer–substrate affinity rather than environmental factors such as soil temperature or soil moisture. Our results also imply that under strong nutrient limitation, relative competitiveness depends strongly on the competitor functional traits (affinity and nutrient carrier enzyme abundance). We then applied the N-COM model to analyze field nitrogen and phosphorus perturbation experiments in two tropical forest sites (in Hawaii and Puerto Rico) not used in model development or calibration. Under soil inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus elevated conditions, the model accurately replicated the experimentally observed competition among nutrient consumers. Although we used as many observations as we could obtain, more nutrient addition experiments in tropical systems would greatly benefit model testing and calibration. In summary, the N-COM model provides an ecologically consistent representation of nutrient competition appropriate for land BGC models integrated in Earth System Models.« less

Multiple soil nutrient competition between plants, microbes, and mineral surfaces: model development, parameterization, and example applications in several tropical forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Q.; Riley, W. J.; Tang, J.; Koven, C. D.

2016-01-01

Soil is a complex system where biotic (e.g., plant roots, micro-organisms) and abiotic (e.g., mineral surfaces) consumers compete for resources necessary for life (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus). This competition is ecologically significant, since it regulates the dynamics of soil nutrients and controls aboveground plant productivity. Here we develop, calibrate and test a nutrient competition model that accounts for multiple soil nutrients interacting with multiple biotic and abiotic consumers. As applied here for tropical forests, the Nutrient COMpetition model (N-COM) includes three primary soil nutrients (NH4+, NO3- and POx; representing the sum of PO43-, HPO42- and H2PO4-) and five potential competitors (plant roots, decomposing microbes, nitrifiers, denitrifiers and mineral surfaces). The competition is formulated with a quasi-steady-state chemical equilibrium approximation to account for substrate (multiple substrates share one consumer) and consumer (multiple consumers compete for one substrate) effects. N-COM successfully reproduced observed soil heterotrophic respiration, N2O emissions, free phosphorus, sorbed phosphorus and NH4+ pools at a tropical forest site (Tapajos). The overall model uncertainty was moderately well constrained. Our sensitivity analysis revealed that soil nutrient competition was primarily regulated by consumer-substrate affinity rather than environmental factors such as soil temperature or soil moisture. Our results also imply that under strong nutrient limitation, relative competitiveness depends strongly on the competitor functional traits (affinity and nutrient carrier enzyme abundance). We then applied the N-COM model to analyze field nitrogen and phosphorus perturbation experiments in two tropical forest sites (in Hawaii and Puerto Rico) not used in model development or calibration. Under soil inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus elevated conditions, the model accurately replicated the experimentally observed competition among nutrient consumers. Although we used as many observations as we could obtain, more nutrient addition experiments in tropical systems would greatly benefit model testing and calibration. In summary, the N-COM model provides an ecologically consistent representation of nutrient competition appropriate for land BGC models integrated in Earth System Models.