Analysis of Phytochemical Composition and Chemoprotective Capacity of Rocket (Eruca sativa and Diplotaxis tenuifolia) Leafy Salad Following Cultivation in Different Environments

Consumption of green leafy vegetables is associated with reduced risk of several types of cancer and cardiovascular disease. These beneficial effects are attributed to a range of phytochemicals including flavonoids and glucosinolates, both of which are found in high levels in Brassicaceous crops. Rocket is the general name attributed to cultivars of Eruca sativa and Diplotaxis tenufolia, known as salad rocket and wild rocket, respectively. We have shown that different light levels during the cultivation period of these crops have a significant impact on the levels of flavonoids present in the crop at harvest, with over 15-fold increase achieved in quercetin, isorhamnetin, and cyanidin in high light conditions. Postharvest storage further affects the levels of both flavonoids and glucosinolates, with cyanidin increasing during shelf life and some glucosinolates, such as glucoiberverin, being reduced over the same storage period. In vitro assays using human colon cell lines demonstrate that glucosinolate-rich extracts of Eruca sativa cv. Sky, but not Diplotaxis tenufolia cv. Voyager, confer significant resistance to oxidative stress on the cells, which is indicative of the chemoprotective properties of the leaves from this species. Our findings indicate that both pre and postharvest environment and genotypic selection, when developing new lines of Brassicaceous vegetables, are important considerations with the goal of improving human nutrition and health.

Effects of corn silage derived from a genetically modified variety containing two Transgenes on feed intake, milk production, and composition, and the absence of detectable Transgenic deoxyribonucleic acid in milk in holstein dairy cows

The objectives were to compare the chemical composition, nutritive value, feed intake, milk production and composition, and presence in milk of transgenic DNA and the encoded protein Cry1Ab when corn silages containing 2 transgenes (2GM: herbicide tolerance: mepsps and insect resistance: cry1Ab) were fed as part of a standard total mixed ration (TMR) compared with a near isogenic corn silage ( C) to 8 multiparous lactating Holstein dairy cows in a single reversal design study. Cows were fed a TMR ration ad libitum and milked twice daily. Diets contained [ dry matter (DM) basis] 45% corn silage, 10% alfalfa hay, and 45% concentrate (1.66 Mcal of net energy for lactation/kg of DM, 15.8% crude protein, 35% neutral detergent fiber, and 4.1% fat). Each period was 28-d long. During the last 4 d of each period, feed intake and milk production data were recorded and milk samples taken for compositional analysis, including the presence of transgenic DNA and Cry1Ab protein. There was no significant difference in the chemical composition between C and 2GM silages, and both were within the expected range (37.6% DM, 1.51 Mcal of net energy for lactation/kg, 8.6% crude protein, 40% neutral detergent fiber, 19.6% acid detergent fiber, pH 3.76, and 62% in vitro DM digestibility). Cows fed the 2GM silage produced milk with slightly higher protein (3.09 vs. 3.00%), lactose ( 4.83 vs. 4.72%) and solids-not-fat (8.60 vs. 8.40%) compared with C. However, the yield (kg/d) of milk (36.5), 3.5% fat-corrected milk (34.4), fat (1.151), protein (1.106), lactose (1.738), and solids-not-fat ( 3.094), somatic cell count (log(10): 2.11), change in body weight (+ 7.8 kg), and condition score (+ 0.09) were not affected by type of silage, indicating no overall production difference. All milk samples were negative for the presence of transgenic DNA from either trait or the Cry1Ab protein. Results indicate that the 2GM silage modified with 2 transgenes did not affect nutrient composition of the silages and had no effect on animal performance and milk composition. No transgenic DNA and Cry1Ab protein were detected in milk.

Chemical composition and fermentation characteristics of grain and different parts of the stover from maize land races harvested at different growing periods in two zones of central Mexico

The objective of this work was to determine the rumen fermentation characteristics of maize land races used as forage in central Mexico. In vitro gas production (ml per 200 mg dry matter (DM)) incubations were carried out, and cumulative gas volumes were fitted to the Krishnamoorthy et al. (1991) model. The trial used a split-plot design with cultivation practices associated with maize colour (COL) as the main plot with three levels: white, yellow and black maize; growing periods (PER) were the split plots where PER1, PER2 and PER3 represented the first, second and third periods, respectively and two contrasting zones (Z1 = valley and Z2 = mountain) were used as blocking factors. The principal effects observed were associated with the maturity of the plants and potential gas production increased (P < 0.05) in stems (PER 1 = 51.8, PER2 = 56.3, PER3 = 58.4 ml per 200 mg DM) and in whole plant (PER 1 = 60.9, PER2 = 60.8, PER3= 70.9 ml per 200 mg DM). An inverse effect was observed with fermentation rates in leaves (P < 0.01) with 0.061, 0.053 and 0.0509 (per h) and in whole plant (P < 0.05) with 0.068, 0.057, 0.050 (per h) in PER1, PER2 and PER3 respectively. The digestibility of the neutral-detergent fibre (NDF) decreased with maturity especially in leaves (P < 0.05) with values of 0.71, 0.67 and 0.66 g/kg; in rachis (P < 0.01) 0.75, 0.72, and 0.65 in PER1, PER2 and PER3 respectively. The NDF content in leaves in leaves (668, 705 and 713 g/kg DM for PER1, PER2 and PER3, respectively), stems (580, 594 and 644 g/kg DM) and, husk (663, 774 and, 808 g/kg DM) increased (P < 0.05) with increasing plant maturity, rachis were significantly different between periods (P < 0.01). The structure with-the best nutritive characteristics was the husk, because it had the lowest fibre contents, especially in acid-detergent lignin, with values of 22.6, 28.6 and 37.6 g/kg DM in PER1, PER2 and PER3, respectively.

Chemical composition and in vitro fermentation of tannin-rich tree fruits

Dry and mature tree fruits are a potential source of protein for goats in the semi-arid areas of southern Africa, but their chemical composition and feeding value is largely unknown. This study presents the chemical composition and in vitro fermentation of indehiscent whole fruits and separated seed and hull fractions from Acacia nilotica, Acacia erubescens, Acacia sieberiana, Acacia erioloba, Piliostigma thonningii and Dichrostachys cinerea trees. Results indicate that the N contents of whole fruits ranged between 13.5 g/kg DM (A. nilotica) and 27.1 g/kg DM (A. erubescens). Seeds had a higher N content than hulls for all tree species. A. nilotica, D. cinerea and P thonningii fruits had high levels of extractable phenolics (758, 458 and 299 g/kg DM, respectively). Soluble phenolics (SPh) and ytterbium precipitable phenolics (YbPh) levels were negatively correlated to in vitro gas production but positively correlated to in vitro organic matter degradability (iOMD). Partition factors for whole fruits at 48 h ranged between 3.6 mg/ml for A. erioloba and 7.8 mg/ml for A. nilotica. Seeds of A. erioloba, A. erubescens and P thonningii were consistently fermented more efficiently throughout the incubation period compared to their whole fruits or hulls. Estimating in vitro degradability of phenolic-rich substrates through filtration procedures can give erroneous results due to the loss of soluble phenolics, which are not necessarily degradable. The feeding value of fruits from D. cinerea and A. nilotica tree species may be reduced due to the presence of high levels of phenolics. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical composition and in vitro ruminal fermentation of common tree forages in the semi-arid rangelands of Swaziland

Browse plants play an important role in providing feed for livestock in semi-arid rangelands of Africa. Chemical composition and in vitro ruminal fermentation of leaves collected from Acacia burkei, Acacia tortilis, Acacia nilotica, Dichrostachys cinerea and Ehretia obtusifolia in communal grazing lands in the lowveld of Swaziland is presented. Leaves were collected from trees located on two soil types (i.e., lithosol and vertisol) in the communal land but it had no effect on the chemical composition of tree leaves. The NDFom and ADFom content were highest in D. cinerea and A. burkei and lowest in E. obtusifolia and A. nilotica. Crude protein (CP) contents ranged between 108 g/kg and 122 g/kg DM. D. cinerea had the highest Ca and Mg content, while A. tortilis had the lowest. There were marked variations in K level amongst browse species, with A. tortilis (9.1 g/kg DM) having the highest value. The P, Zn and Fe did not differ between browse species. Soil type and tree species interaction impacted in vitro fermentation parameters. Extent of fermentation, as measured by 48 h cumulative gas production, and organic matter degradability was highest in E. obtusifolia leaves and lowest in D. cinerea leaves within soil type. Fermentation efficiency, as measured by partitioning factors, was highest in A. nilotica leaves. Leaves of E. obtusifolia could be a valuable supplementary feedstuff for ruminant livestock due to its in vitro fermentation characteristics as well as low fibre and moderate CP levels. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical composition and reactivity of water on clean and oxygen-covered Pd{111}

The chemical composition and dissociation behaviour of water adsorbed on clean and oxygen pre-covered Pd{111} was studied using high-resolution time-resolved and temperature-programmed X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. We find that water remains intact at all temperatures up to desorption on the clean surface and at high oxygen coverage(0.69 ML) when a surface oxide is formed. The highest desorption peaks occur at 163 K from the clean surface and at 172 K from the surface oxide. At the intermediate coverage of 0.20 ML oxygen reacts with coadsorbed water at 155 K, to generate a mixed H2O/OH layer exhibiting a (root 3- x root 3)R30 degrees diffraction pattern, which is stable up to 177 K. The measured ratio between intact water and the hydroxyl species in this layer varies between 1.5 and 2 depending on temperature. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Changes in milk composition and processing properties during the spring flush period

The period, known to UK farmers and processors as the "spring flush", when the cows' diet changes from dry feed to spring pasture, has long been established as a time of change in milk properties and processing characteristics. Although it is believed to be a time when problems in processing are most likely to occur (e.g. milk that does not form clots or forms weak gels during cheesemaking), there is little evidence in the literature of detailed changes in milk composition and their impact on product manufacture. In this study, a range of physicochemical properties were analysed in milk collected from five commercial dairy herds before, during and after the spring flush period of 2006. In particular, total and ionic calcium contents of milk were studied in relation to other parameters including rennet clotting, acid gel properties, heat coagulation, alcohol stability, micelle size and zeta potential. Total divalent cations were significantly reduced from 35.4 to 33.4 mmol.L-1 during the study, while ionic calcium was reduced from 1.48 to 1.40 mmol.L-1 over the same period. Many parameters varied significantly between the sample dates. However, there was no evidence to suggest that any of the milk samples would have been unsuitable for processing - e.g. there were no samples that did not form clots with chymosin within a reasonable time or formed especially weak rennet or acid gels. A number of statistically significant correlations were found within the data, including ionic calcium concentration and pH; rennet clotting time (RCT) and micelle diameter; and RCT and ethanol stability. Overall, while there were clear variations in milk composition and properties over this period, there was no evidence to support the view that serious processing problems are likely during the change from dry feed to spring pasture.

Proteomic profiling of neuromas reveals alterations in protein composition and local protein synthesis in hyper-excitable nerves

Neuropathic pain may arise following peripheral nerve injury though the molecular mechanisms associated with this are unclear. We used proteomic profiling to examine changes in protein expression associated with the formation of hyper-excitable neuromas derived from rodent saphenous nerves. A two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis ( 2D-DIGE) profiling strategy was employed to examine protein expression changes between developing neuromas and normal nerves in whole tissue lysates. We found around 200 proteins which displayed a > 1.75-fold change in expression between neuroma and normal nerve and identified 55 of these proteins using mass spectrometry. We also used immunoblotting to examine the expression of low-abundance ion channels Nav1.3, Nav1.8 and calcium channel alpha 2 delta-1 subunit in this model, since they have previously been implicated in neuronal hyperexcitability associated with neuropathic pain. Finally, S(35)methionine in vitro labelling of neuroma and control samples was used to demonstrate local protein synthesis of neuron-specific genes. A number of cytoskeletal proteins, enzymes and proteins associated with oxidative stress were up-regulated in neuromas, whilst overall levels of voltage-gated ion channel proteins were unaffected. We conclude that altered mRNA levels reported in the somata of damaged DRG neurons do not necessarily reflect levels of altered proteins in hyper-excitable damaged nerve endings. An altered repertoire of protein expression, local protein synthesis and topological re-arrangements of ion channels may all play important roles in neuroma hyper-excitability.

Chemical composition and reactivity of water on hexagonal Pt-group metal surfaces

The dissociation behaviour and valence-electronic structure of water adsorbed on clean and oxygen-covered Ru{0001}, Rh{111}, Pd{111}, Ir{111} and Pt{111} surfaces has been studied by high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy with the aim of identifying similarities and trends within the Pt-group metals. On average, we find higher reactivity for the 4d metals (Ru, Rh, Pd) as compared to 5d (Ir, Pt), which is correlated with characteristic shifts in the 1b(1) and 3a(1) molecular orbitals of water. Small amounts of oxygen (<0.2 ML) induce dissociation of water on all five surfaces, for higher coverages (>0.25 ML) only intact water is observed. Under UHV conditions these higher coverages can only be reached on the 4d metals, the 5d metals are, therefore, not passivated.