Associations of dietary dark-green and deep-yellow vegetables and fruits with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: modification by smoking

Smoking has been positively and fruit and vegetable intake has been negatively associated with cervical cancer, the second most common cancer among women worldwide. However, a lower consumption of fruits and reduced serum carotenoids have been observed among smokers. It is not known whether the smoking effect on the risk of cervical neoplasia is modified by a low intake of fruits and vegetables. The present study examined the combined effects of tobacco smoking and diet using a validated FFQ and serum carotenoid and tocopherol levels on cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3 (CIN3) risk in a hospital-based case-control study conducted in Sao Paulo, Brazil, between 2003 and 2005. The sample comprised 231 incident, histologically confirmed cases of CIN3 and 453 controls. A low intake (<= 39 g) of dark-green and deep-yellow vegetables and fruits without tobacco smoking had a lesser effect on CIN3 (OR 1.14; 95% CI 0.49, 2.65) than among smokers with higher intake (>= 40 g; OR 1.83; 95% CI 0.73, 4.62) after adjusting for confounders. The OR for the joint exposure of tobacco smoking and low intake of vegetables and fruits was greater (3.86; 95% CI 1.74, 8.57; P for trend < 0.001) compared with non-smokers with higher intake after adjusting for confounding variables and human papillomavirus status. Similar results were observed for total fruit, serum total carotene (including beta-, alpha-and gamma-carotene) and tocopherols. These findings suggest that the effect of nutritional factors on CIN3 is modified by smoking.

Supercritical CO(2) extraction of carotenoids from pitanga fruits (Eugenia uniflora L.)

Supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO(2)) extraction was employed to extract carotenoids from the freeze-dried pulp of pitanga fruits (Eugenia uniflora L.), an exotic fruit, rich in carotenoids and still little explored commercially. The SC-CO(2) extraction was carried out at two temperatures, 40 and 60 degrees C, and seven pressures, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350 and 400 bar. The carotenoids were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography connected to photodiode array and mass spectrometry detectors. Lycopene, rubixanthin and P-cryptoxanthin were the main carotenoids present in the freeze-dried pitanga pulp, whereas beta-cryptoxanthin concentration was negligible in the SC-CO(2) extracts, for all the investigated state conditions. The maximum recovery of carotenoids was obtained at 60 degrees C and 250 bar, extracting 55% of the total carotenoid content, 74% of the rubixanthin and 78% of the lycopene from the pulp. Under these state conditions, the total carotenoid concentration in the extract was 5474 mu g/g, represented by 66% lycopene and 32% rubixanthin. The experimental state conditions produced different SC-CO(2) extracts with respect to the extraction yield and concentration of different carotenoids, indicating that the supercritical carbon dioxide was selective in the extraction of the pitanga carotenoids as a function of temperature and pressure. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of N supply on the accumulation of photosynthetic pigments and photoprotectors in Gracilaria tenuistipitata (Rhodophyta) cultured under UV radiation

We have studied the effects of nitrate supply under photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) plus ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure on photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a and carotenoids), photoprotective UV screen mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs), and photosynthetic parameters, including the maximum quantum yield (F(v)/F(m)) and electron transport rate (ETR) on the red agarophyte Gracilaria tenuistipitata. Apical tips of G. tenuistipitata were cultivated under ten different concentrations of NO(3)(-) for 7 days. It has been shown that G. tenuistipitata cultured under laboratory conditions has the ability to accumulate high amounts of MAAs following a nitrate concentration-dependent manner under PAR+UVR. Two MAAs were identified, shinorine and porphyra-334. The relative concentration of the first increased under high concentrations of nitrate, while the second one decreased. The presence of antheraxanthin is reported for the first time in this macro-algae, which also contains zeaxanthin, lutein, and beta-carotene. The accumulation of pigments, photoprotective compounds, and photosynthetic parameters of G. tenuistipitata is directly related to N availability. All variables decreased under low N supplies and reached constant maximum values with supplements higher than 0.5 mM NO(3)(-). Our results suggest a high potential to acclimation and photoprotection against stress factors (including high PAR and UVR) directly related to N availability for G. tenuistipitata.

Spider-fed bromeliads: seasonal and interspecific variation in plant performance

Background and Aims Several animals that live on bromeliads can contribute to plant nutrition through nitrogen provisioning (digestive mutualism). The bromeliad-living spider Psecas chapoda (Salticidae) inhabits and breeds on Bromelia balansae in regions of South America, but in specific regions can also appear on Ananas comosus (pineapple) plantations and Aechmea distichantha. Methods Using isotopic and physiological methods in greenhouse experiments, the role of labelled ((15)N) spider faeces and Drosophila melanogaster flies in the nutrition and growth of each host plant was evaluated, as well as seasonal variation in the importance of this digestive mutualism. Key Results Spiders contributed 0.6 +/- 0.2% (mean +/- s.e.; dry season) to 2.7 +/- 1% (wet season) to the total nitrogen in B. balansae, 2.4 +/- 0.4% (dry) to 4.1 +/- 0.3% (wet) in An. comosus and 3.8 +/- 0.4% (dry) to 5 +/- 1% (wet) in Ae. distichantha. In contrast, flies did not contribute to the nutrition of these bromeliads. Chlorophylls and carotenoid concentrations did not differ among treatments. Plants that received faeces had higher soluble protein concentrations and leaf growth (RGR) only during the wet season. Conclusions These results indicate that the mutualism between spiders and bromeliads is seasonally restricted, generating a conditional outcome. There was interspecific variation in nutrient uptake, probably related to each species` performance and photosynthetic pathways. Whereas B. balansae seems to use nitrogen for growth, Ae. distichantha apparently stores nitrogen for stressful nutritional conditions. Bromeliads absorbed more nitrogen coming from spider faeces than from flies, reinforcing the beneficial role played by predators in these digestive mutualisms.

Desiccation tolerance in Pleurostima purpurea (Velloziaceae)

Previous works suggested that Pleurostima purpurea (Velloziaceae-Barbacenioideae) shows a remarkable capacity to endure desiccation of its vegetative tissues. P. purpurea occurs in monocotyledons mats on soil islands in the Pao de Acucar (Sugar Loaf) one of the most recognizable rock outcrops of the world, in Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil. Mats of P. purpurea occur in cliffs by the sea some meters above the tidal zone. Although living in rock outcrops almost devoid of any soil cover, P. purpurea seems to occur preferably on less exposed rock faces and slightly shady sites. Usually, less extreme adaptations to drought would be expected in plants with the habitat preference of P. purpurea. Relying on this observation, we argue if a combination of different strategies of dealing with low water availability can be found in P. purpurea as on other desiccation tolerant angiosperms. This study aims to examine the occurrence of desiccation tolerant behavior in P. purpurea together with the expression of drought avoidance mechanisms during dehydration progression. For this, it was analyzed the gas exchanges, leaf pigments and relative leaf water content during desiccation and rehydration of cultivated mature individuals. P. purpurea behaved like typical drought avoiders under moderated drought condition with stomatal closure occurring around a relative leaf water content up to 90%. During this process, it was observed a delay in the leaf relative water content (RWC(leaf)) decrease comparing to the plant-soil relative water content (RWC(plant-soil)). As soil dehydration worsened, gas exchanges restrictions progressed until a lack of activity which characterizes anabiosis. The loss of chlorophyll occurs before the end of total dehydration, characterizing the presence of poikilochlorophylly. The chlorophyll degradation follows the RWC(leaf) decrease, which achieved the minimum average value of 17% without incurring in leaf abscission. The chlorophyll re-synthesis seems to start well after the full rehydration of the leaf. During all of this process, carotenoid content remained stable. These results are coherent with a combination of drought avoidance and desiccation tolerance in P. purpurea which seems to be coherent with the amplitude of water availability in the rock outcrop habitat where it occurs, suggesting that the periods of water availability are sufficiently long for the success of the costly desiccation tolerant behavior but too short to make a typical drought avoider species win the competition for exploring the rock outcrop substrate where P. purpurea occurs.