Changes in the flavonoid and phenolic acid contents and antioxidant activity of red leaf lettuce (Lollo Rosso) due to cultivation under plastic films varying in ultraviolet transparency

Red leaf lettuce (Lollo Rosso) was grown under three types of plastic films that varied in transparency to UV radiation (designated as UV block, UV low, and UV window). Flavonoid composition was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), total phenolics by the Folin-Ciocalteu assay, and antioxiclant capacity by the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay. Exposure to increased levels of UV radiation during cultivation caused the leaves to redden and increased concentrations of total phenols and the main flavonoids, quercetin and cyanidin glycosides, as well as luteolin conjugates and phenolic acids. The total phenol content increased from 1.6 mg of gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g of fresh weight (FW) for lettuce grown under UV block film to 2.9 and 3.5 mg of GAE/g of FW for lettuce grown under the UV low and UV window films. The antioxiclant activity was also higher in lettuce exposed to higher levels of UV radiation with ORAC values of 25.4 and 55.1 mu mol of Trolox equivalents/g of FW for lettuce grown under the UV block and UV window films, respectively. The content of phenolic acids, quantified as caffeic acid, was also different, ranging from 6.2 to 11.1 mu mol/g of FW for lettuce cultivated under the lowest and highest UV exposure plastic films, respectively. Higher concentrations of the flavonoid glycosides were observed with increased exposure to UV radiation, as demonstrated by the concentrations of aglycones after hydrolysis, which were cyanidin (ranging from 165 to 793 mu g/g), quercetin (ranging from 196 to 880,mu g/g), and luteolin (ranging from 19 to 152 mu g/g). The results demonstrate the potential of the use of UV-transparent plastic as a means of increasing beneficial flavonoid content of red leaf lettuce when the crop is grown in polytunnels.

Changes in the flavonoid and phenolic acid contents and antioxidant activity of red leaf lettuce (Lollo Rosso) due to cultivation under plastic films varying in ultraviolet transparency

Red leaf lettuce (Lollo Rosso) was grown under three types of plastic films that varied in transparency to UV radiation (designated as UV block, UV low, and UV window). Flavonoid composition was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), total phenolics by the Folin-Ciocalteu assay, and antioxiclant capacity by the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay. Exposure to increased levels of UV radiation during cultivation caused the leaves to redden and increased concentrations of total phenols and the main flavonoids, quercetin and cyanidin glycosides, as well as luteolin conjugates and phenolic acids. The total phenol content increased from 1.6 mg of gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g of fresh weight (FW) for lettuce grown under UV block film to 2.9 and 3.5 mg of GAE/g of FW for lettuce grown under the UV low and UV window films. The antioxiclant activity was also higher in lettuce exposed to higher levels of UV radiation with ORAC values of 25.4 and 55.1 mu mol of Trolox equivalents/g of FW for lettuce grown under the UV block and UV window films, respectively. The content of phenolic acids, quantified as caffeic acid, was also different, ranging from 6.2 to 11.1 mu mol/g of FW for lettuce cultivated under the lowest and highest UV exposure plastic films, respectively. Higher concentrations of the flavonoid glycosides were observed with increased exposure to UV radiation, as demonstrated by the concentrations of aglycones after hydrolysis, which were cyanidin (ranging from 165 to 793 mu g/g), quercetin (ranging from 196 to 880,mu g/g), and luteolin (ranging from 19 to 152 mu g/g). The results demonstrate the potential of the use of UV-transparent plastic as a means of increasing beneficial flavonoid content of red leaf lettuce when the crop is grown in polytunnels.

Effects of sulphur nutrition during potato cultivation on the formation of acrylamide and aroma compounds during cooking

Lack of sulphur nutrition during potato cultivation has been shown to have profound effects on tuber composition, affecting in particular the concentrations of free asparagine, other amino acids and sugars. This is important because free asparagine and sugars react at high temperatures to form acrylamide, a suspect carcinogen. Free amino acids and sugars also form a variety of other compounds associated with colour and flavour. In this study the volatile aroma compounds formed in potato flour heated at 180 °C for 20 min were compared for three varieties of potato grown, with and without sulphur fertiliser. Approximately 50 compounds were quantified in the headspace extracts of the heated flour, of which over 40 were affected by sulphur fertilisation and/or variety. Many of the 41 compounds found at higher concentrations in the sulphur-deficient flour were Strecker aldehydes and compounds formed from their condensation, whereas only one compound, benzaldehyde, behaved in the same way as did acrylamide and was found at higher concentrations in the sulphur-sufficient flour. The reasons for these effects are discussed.

Tillage and herbicide treatments with inter-row cultivation influence weed densities and yield of three industrial crops

Field experiments were conducted in northern Greece in 2003 and 2004 to evaluate effects of tillage regimes (moldboard plowing, chisel plowing, and rotary tilling), cropping sequences(continuous cotton, cotton-sugar beet rotation,and continuous tobacco) and herbicide treatments with inter-row hand hoeing on weed population densities. Total weed densities were not affected by tillage treatment except that of barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli), which increased only in moldboard plowing treated plots during 2003. Redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus)and black nightshade (Solanum nigrum) densities were reduced in continuous cotton, while purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus), E. crus-galli, S. nigrum, and johnsongras(Sorghum halepense) densities were reduced in tobacco. A. retroflexus and S. nigrum were effectively controlled by all herbicide treatments with inter-row hand hoeing,whereas E. crus-galli was effectively reduced by herbicides applied to cotton and tobacco. S. halepense density reduction was a result of herbicide applied to tobacco with inter-row hand hoeing. Yield of all crops was higher under moldboard plowing and herbicide treatments. Pre-sowing and pre-emergence herbicide treatments in cotton and pre-transplant in tobacco integrated with inter-row cultivation resulted in efficient control of annual weed species and good crop yields. These observations are of practical relevance to crop selection by farmers in order to maintain weed populations at economically acceptable densities through the integration of various planting dates, sustainable herbicide use and inter-row cultivation; tools of great importance in integrated weed management systems. Keywords: cropping sequence, herbicide, integrated weed management, inter-row cultivation,tillage.

Cashew cultivation, access to land and food security in Brong-Ahafo Region, Ghana: Preventing the intergenerational transmission of poverty

This research aimed to investigate the implications of changing agricultural land use from food production towards increased cashew cultivation for food security and poverty alleviation in Jaman North District, Brong-Ahafo Region of Ghana. Based on qualitative, participatory research with a total of 60 participants, the research found that increased cashew production had led to improvements in living standards for many farmers and their children over recent years. Global demand for cashew is projected to continue to grow rapidly in the immediate future and cashew-growing areas of Ghana are well placed to respond to this demand. Cashew farmers however were subject to price fluctuations in the value of Raw Cashew Nuts (RCN) due to unequal power relations with intermediaries and export buyer companies and global markets, in addition to other vulnerabilities that constrained the quality and quantity of cashew and food crops they could produce. The expansion of cashew plantations was leading to pressure on the remaining family lands available for food crop production, which community members feared could potentially compromise the food security of rural communities and the land inheritance of future generations.

Long-term cultivation-independent microbial diversity analysis demonstrates that bacterial communities infecting the adult cystic fibrosis lung show stability and resilience.

Whilst not true in all cases, the microbial communities that chronically infect the airways of patients with CF can vary little over a year despite antibiotic perturbation. The species present tended to vary more between than within subjects, suggesting that each CF airway infection is unique, with relatively stable and resilient bacterial communities. The inverse relationship between community richness and disease severity is similar to findings reported in other mucosal infections.

Efficient animal-serum free 3D cultivation method for adult human neural crest-derived stem cell therapeutics

Due to their broad differentiation potential and their persistence into adulthood, human neural crest-derived stem cells (NCSCs) harbour great potential for autologous cellular therapies, which include the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and replacement of complex tissues containing various cell types, as in the case of musculoskeletal injuries. The use of serum-free approaches often results in insufficient proliferation of stem cells and foetal calf serum implicates the use of xenogenic medium components. Thus, there is much need for alternative cultivation strategies. In this study we describe for the first time a novel, human blood plasma based semi-solid medium for cultivation of human NCSCs. We cultivated human neural crest-derived inferior turbinate stem cells (ITSCs) within a blood plasma matrix, where they revealed higher proliferation rates compared to a standard serum-free approach. Three-dimensionality of the matrix was investigated using helium ion microscopy. ITSCs grew within the matrix as revealed by laser scanning microscopy. Genetic stability and maintenance of stemness characteristics were assured in 3D cultivated ITSCs, as demonstrated by unchanged expression profile and the capability for self-renewal. ITSCs pre-cultivated in the 3D matrix differentiated efficiently into ectodermal and mesodermal cell types, particularly including osteogenic cell types. Furthermore, ITSCs cultivated as described here could be easily infected with lentiviruses directly in substrate for potential tracing or gene therapeutic approaches. Taken together, the use of human blood plasma as an additive for a completely defined medium points towards a personalisable and autologous cultivation of human neural crest-derived stem cells under clinical grade conditions.

Improved method for ex ovo-cultivation of developing chicken embryos for human stem cell xenografts

The characterization of human stem cells for the usability in regenerative medicine is particularly based on investigations regarding their differentiation potential in vivo. In this regard, the chicken embryo model represents an ideal model organism. However, the access to the chicken embryo is only achievable by windowing the eggshell resulting in limited visibility and accessibility in subsequent experiments. On the contrary, ex ovo-culture systems avoid such negative side effects. Here, we present an improved ex ovo-cultivation method enabling the embryos to survive 13 days in vitro. Optimized cultivation of chicken embryos resulted in a normal development regarding their size and weight. Our ex ovo-approach closely resembles the development of chicken embryos in ovo, as demonstrated by properly developed nervous system, bones, and cartilage at expected time points. Finally, we investigated the usability of our method for trans-species transplantation of adult stem cells by injecting human neural crest-derived stem cells into late Hamburger and Hamilton stages (HH26-HH28/E5-E6) of ex ovo-incubated embryos. We demonstrated the integration of human cells allowing experimentally easy investigation of the differentiation potential in the proper developmental context. Taken together, this ex ovo-method supports the prolonged cultivation of properly developing chicken embryos enabling integration studies of xenografted mammalian stem cells at late developmental stages.

Prolonged cultivation of hippocampal neural precursor cells shifts their differentiation potential and selects for aneuploid cells

Neural precursor cells (NPCs) are lineage-restricted neural stem cells with limited self-renewal, giving rise to a broad range of neural cell types such as neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. Despite this developmental potential, the differentiation capacity of NPCs has been controversially discussed concerning the trespassing lineage boundaries, for instance resulting in hematopoietic competence. Assessing their in vitro plasticity, we isolated nestin+/Sox2+, NPCs from the adult murine hippocampus. In vitro-expanded adult NPCs were able to form neurospheres, self-renew, and differentiate into neuronal, astrocytic, and oligodendrocytic cells. Although NPCs cultivated in early passage efficiently gave rise to neuronal cells in a directed differentiation assay, extensively cultivated NPCs revealed reduced potential for ectodermal differentiation. We further observed successful differentiation of long-term cultured NPCs into osteogenic and adipogenic cell types, suggesting that NPCs underwent a fate switch during culture. NPCs cultivated for more than 12 passages were aneuploid (abnormal chromosome numbers such as 70 chromosomes). Furthermore, they showed growth factor-independent proliferation, a hallmark of tumorigenic transformation. In conclusion, our findings substantiate the lineage restriction of NPCs from adult mammalian hippocampus. Prolonged cultivation results, however, in enhanced differentiation potential, which may be attributed to transformation events leading to aneuploid cells.

Occurrence and characterization of injuries caused by Mycotretus apicalis Lacordaire, 1842 (Coleoptera: Erotylidae) on cultivation of Pleurotus sajor-caju

When carrying out experiments on the production of the edible mushroom Pleurotus sajor-caju in the Laboratory of Edible Mushrooms, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, Brazil, in the second half of 2007, the presence of beetles later identified as belonging to the species Mycotretus apicalis was verified. This is the first recorded instance of this insect in cultures of P. sajor-caju in Brazil. The larvae and adults of this insect feed on the fruiting bodies of commercial harvests, resulting in reduction in mushroom quality. To provide evaluation of the injuries caused by these insects, substrates colonized by P. sajor-caju were infested with 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 insects per block of substrate being the qualitative and quantitative losses then noted. Despite the lack of an observed decrease in biological efficiency, the injuries caused by these insects affected the commercial quality of the mushrooms, which may result in economic losses. The results showed that infestations of 32 insects per 0.8 kg of substrate led to a depreciation in the prices of mushrooms meant to be sold.

Outdoor performance of forest seedlings pre-cultivated under artificial lights : effects of the light spectra used for pre-cultivation on the future establishment and development

Forest nurseries are essential for producing good quality seedlings, thus being a key element in the reforestation process. With increasing climate change awareness, nursery managers are looking for new tools that can help reduce the effects of their operations on the environment. The ZEPHYR project, funded by the European Commission under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), has the objective of finding new alternatives for nurseries by developing innovative zero-impact technologies for forest plant production. Due to their direct relationship to the energy consumption of the nurseries, one of the main elements addressed are the grow lights used for the pre-cultivation. New LED luminaires with a light spectrum tailored to the seedlings’ needs are being studied and compared against the traditional fluorescent lamps. Seedlings of Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris were grown under five different light spectra (one fluorescent and 4 LED) during 5 weeks with a photoperiod of 16 hours at 100 μmol∙m-2∙s-1 and 60% humidity. In order to evaluate if these seedlings were able cope with real field stress conditions, a forest field trial was also designed. The terrain chosen was a typical planting site in mid-Sweden after clear-cutting. Two vegetation periods after the outplanting, the seedlings that were pre-cultivated under the LED lamps have performed at least as well as those that were grown under fluorescent lights. These results show that there is a good  potential for lightning substitution in forestry nurseries.

Imagery cultivation vs. noise reduction : shamanic-like journeying as a psi-conducive alternative to the Ganzfeld protocol

Historically, psi effects have been linked to altered states of consciousness (ASCs; Bem and Honorton, 1994). In this context, arguably the most widely used technique is the Ganzfeld. However, in recent times, scholars (e.g., Alvarado, 1998; Braud, 2005; Scimeca, Boca, and Iannuzzo, 2001) have formulated cogent arguments that cast doubt on whether the Ganzfeld is, in fact, an ASC that is psi-conducive. Consequently, it may prove prudent to investigate other conditions that induce ostensible ASCs that are purportedly psi-conducive, and it would be wise to get feedback from test participants in these states. In this theoretical paper, we propose that psi effects may be enhanced (i.e., strengthened) using a shamanic-like treatment. On that basis, we argue that parapsychologists must go beyond the assumption that psi effects are optimised under conditions that are inherently passive procedures, and foster techniques that require cognitive action from test participants.

Perfecting nature : Friedrich Nietzsche's ideal and politics of cultivation

What I have called the Ideal of Cultivation is a fundamental ethical principle of civilisation, originated by aristocratic warriors in Greek antiquity who held that the true purpose of humanity is to perfect nature

It was then professed that individuals and even entire peoples could consciously develop and improve themselves in a way that was thought to obey the original lawful impulses of nature, a process which was likened to those of agriculture and animal husbandry.

Subsequently the cognate idea of a politics of cultivation arose which deemed that society should be organised specifically to produce more virtuous or perfect human types. Given their fundamental association with Hellenism both ideas have been revisited constantly in the intellectual history of the west, and most notably during the great secular periods, the Renaissance and Enlightenment when active attempts were made to retrieve the ideals of antiquity. Both ideas were particularly pervasive in the German enlightenment, the Aufklärung, and were assimilated by the succeeding Romantic generation.

In nineteenth century Germany, when interest in these ideas was quickly waning, the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche acquired an unswerving attachment to them and made the service of them his life's work.

The intention of this essay is to trace methodically the appearance of the Ideal of Cultivation in Nietzsche's philosophy and politics, and to outline his responses to a world which was abandoning the principles in which he deeply believed. This essay should be regarded as a case study in the long history of a fundamental ethical idea rather than one about the philosopher Nietzsche.