Examination of the persistency of milk fatty acid composition responses to fish oil and sunflower oil in the diet of dairy cows

Based on the potential benefits of cis-9, trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) for human health, there is a need to develop effective strategies for enhancing milk fat CLA concentrations. Levels of cis-9, trans-11 CLA in milk can be increased by supplements of fish oil (FO) and sunflower oil (SO), but there is considerable variation in the response. Part of this variance may reflect time-dependent ruminal adaptations to high levels of lipid in the diet, which lead to alterations in the formation of specific biohydrogenation intermediates. To test this hypothesis, 16 late lactation Holstein-British Friesian cows were used in a repeated measures randomized block design to examine milk fatty acid composition responses to FO and SO in the diet over a 28-d period. Cows were allocated at random to corn silage-based rations (8 per treatment) containing 0 (control) or 45 g of oil supplement/ kg of dry matter consisting (1:2; wt/wt) of FO and SO (FSO), and milk composition was determined on alternate days from d 1. Compared with the control, the FSO diet decreased mean dry matter intake (21.1 vs. 17.9 kg/d), milk fat (47.7 vs. 32.6 g/kg), and protein content (36.1 vs. 33.3 g/kg), but had no effect on milk yield (27.1 vs. 26.4 kg/d). Reductions in milk fat content relative to the FSO diet were associated with increases in milk trans-10 18: 1, trans-10, cis-12 CLA, and trans-9, cis-11 CLA concentrations (r(2) = 0.74, 0.57, and 0.80, respectively). Compared with the control, the FSO diet reduced milk 4: 0 to 18: 0 and cis 18:1 content and increased trans 18:1, trans 18:2, cis-9, trans-11 CLA, 20: 5 n-3, and 22: 6 n-3 concentrations. The FSO diet caused a rapid elevation in milk cis-9, trans-11 CLA content, reaching a maximum of 5.37 g/100 g of fatty acids on d 5, but these increases were transient, declining to 2.35 g/100 g of fatty acids by d 15. They remained relatively constant thereafter. Even though concentrations of trans-11 18: 1 followed the same pattern of temporal changes as cis-9, trans-11 CLA, the total trans 18:1 content of FSO milk was unchanged because of the concomitant increases in the concentration of other isomers (Delta(4-10) and Delta(12-15)), predominantely trans-10 18:1. In conclusion, supplementing diets with FSO enhances milk fat cis-9, trans-11 CLA content, but the high level of enrichment declines because of changes in ruminal biohydrogenation that result in trans-10 replacing trans-11 as the major 18:1 biohydrogenation intermediate formed in the rumen.

Implications for food production, land use and rural development of the European Union's Single Farm Payment: Indications from a survey of farmers' intentions in Germany, Portugal and the UK

The 2003 reform of the European Union's (EU) Common Agricultural Policy introduced a decoupled income support for farmers called the Single Farm Payment (SFP). Concerns were raised about possible future land use and production changes and their impact on rural communities. Here, such concerns are considered against the workings of the SFP in three EU Member States. Various quantitative studies that have determined the likely impact of the SFP within the EU and the study countries are reviewed. We present the results of a farm survey conducted in the study countries in which farmers' responses to a decoupling scenario similar to the SFP were sought. We found that little short-term change was proposed in the three, rather different, study countries with only 30% of the farmers stating that they would alter their mix of farm activities. Furthermore, less than 30% of all respondents in each country would idle any land under decoupling. Of those who would adopt a new activity, the most popular choices were forestry, woodland and non-food crops. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An integrated assessment of carbon dioxide capture and storage in the UK

Geological carbon dioxide storage (CCS) has the potential to make a significant contribution to the decarbonisation of the UK. Amid concerns over maintaining security, and hence diversity, of supply, CCS could allow the continued use of coal, oil and gas whilst avoiding the CO2 emissions currently associated with fossil fuel use. This project has explored some of the geological, environmental, technical, economic and social implications of this technology. The UK is well placed to exploit CCS with a large offshore storage capacity, both in disused oil and gas fields and saline aquifers. This capacity should be sufficient to store CO2 from the power sector (at current levels) for a least one century, using well understood and therefore likely to be lower-risk, depleted hydrocarbon fields and contained parts of aquifers. It is very difficult to produce reliable estimates of the (potentially much larger) storage capacity of the less well understood geological reservoirs such as non-confined parts of aquifers. With the majority of its large coal fired power stations due to be retired during the next 15 to 20 years, the UK is at a natural decision point with respect to the future of power generation from coal; the existence of both national reserves and the infrastructure for receiving imported coal makes clean coal technology a realistic option. The notion of CCS as a ‘bridging’ or ‘stop-gap’ technology (i.e. whilst we develop ‘genuinely’ sustainable renewable energy technologies) needs to be examined somewhat critically, especially given the scale of global coal reserves. If CCS plant is built, then it is likely that technological innovation will bring down the costs of CO2 capture, such that it could become increasingly attractive. As with any capitalintensive option, there is a danger of becoming ‘locked-in’ to a CCS system. The costs of CCS in our model for UK power stations in the East Midlands and Yorkshire to reservoirs in the North Sea are between £25 and £60 per tonne of CO2 captured, transported and stored. This is between about 2 and 4 times the current traded price of a tonne of CO2 in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. In addition to the technical and economic requirements of the CCS technology, it should also be socially and environmentally acceptable. Our research has shown that, given an acceptance of the severity and urgency of addressing climate change, CCS is viewed favourably by members of the public, provided it is adopted within a portfolio of other measures. The most commonly voiced concern from the public is that of leakage and this remains perhaps the greatest uncertainty with CCS. It is not possible to make general statements concerning storage security; assessments must be site specific. The impacts of any potential leakage are also somewhat uncertain but should be balanced against the deleterious effects of increased acidification in the oceans due to uptake of elevated atmospheric CO2 that have already been observed. Provided adequate long term monitoring can be ensured, any leakage of CO2 from a storage site is likely to have minimal localised impacts as long as leaks are rapidly repaired. A regulatory framework for CCS will need to include risk assessment of potential environmental and health and safety impacts, accounting and monitoring and liability for the long term. In summary, although there remain uncertainties to be resolved through research and demonstration projects, our assessment demonstrates that CCS holds great potential for significant cuts in CO2 emissions as we develop long term alternatives to fossil fuel use. CCS can contribute to reducing emissions of CO2 into the atmosphere in the near term (i.e. peak-shaving the future atmospheric concentration of CO2), with the potential to continue to deliver significant CO2 reductions over the long term.

Comparative and international education: policy transfer, context sensitivity and professional development

This paper examines the intellectual and professional contribution of comparative and international studies to the field of education. It explores the nature of the challenges that are currently being faced, and assesses its potential for the advancement of future teaching, research and professional development. Attention is paid to the place of comparative and international education (CIE)-past and present-in teacher education, in postgraduate studies, and in the realms of policy and practice, theory and research. Consideration is first given to the nature and history of CIE, to its initial contributions to the field of education in the UK, and to its chief mechanisms and sites of production. Influential methodological and theoretical developments are examined, followed by an exploration of emergent questions, controversies and dilemmas that could benefit from sustained comparative analysis in the future. Conclusions consider implications for the place of CIE in the future of educational studies as a whole; for relations between and beyond the 'disciplines of education'; and for the development of sustainable research capacity in this field.

Effect of forage type and proportion of concentrate in the diet on milk fatty acid composition in cows given sunflower oil and fish oil

Based on the potential benefits of cis-9, trans- 11 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) for human health there is a need to develop effective strategies for enhancing milk fat CLA concentrations. In this experiment, the effect of forage type and level of concentrate in the diet on milk fatty acid composition was examined in cows given a mixture of fish oil and sunflower oil. Four late lactation Holstein-British Friesian cows were used in a 4 x 4 Latin-square experiment with a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments and 21-day experimental periods. Treatments consisted of grass (G) or maize (M) silage supplemented with low (L) or high (H) levels of concentrates (65: 35 and 35: 65; forage: concentrate ratio, on a dry matter (DM) basis, respectively) offered as a total mixed ration at a restricted level of intake (20 kg DM per day). Lipid supplements (30 g/kg DM) containing fish oil and sunflower oil (2: 3 w/w) were offered during the last 14 days of each experimental period. Treatments had no effect on total DM intake, milk yield, milk constituent output or milk fat content, but milk protein concentrations were lower (P<0.05) for G than M diets (mean 43.0 and 47.3 g/kg, respectively). Compared with grass silage, milk fat contained higher (P<0.05) amounts Of C-12: 0, C-14: 0, trans C-18:1 and long chain >= C20 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and lower (P<0.05) levels Of C-18:0 and trans C-18:2 when maize silage was offered. Increases in the proportion of concentrate in the diet elevated (P<0.05) C-18:2 (n-6) and long chain >= C20 (n-3) PUFA content, but reduced (P<0.05) the amount Of C-18:3 (n-3). Concentrations of trans-11 C-18:1 in milk were independent of forage type, but tended (P<0.10) to be lower for high concentrate diets (mean 7.2 and 4.0 g/100 g fatty acids, for L and H respectively). Concentrations of trans-10 C-18:1 were higher (P<0.05) in milk from maize compared with grass silage (mean 10.3 and 4.1 g/100 g fatty acids, respectively) and increased in response to high levels of concentrates in the diet (mean 4.1 and 10.3 g/100 g fatty acids, for L and H, respectively). Forage type had no effect (P>0.05) on total milk conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) (2.7 and 2.8 g/100 g fatty acids, for M and G, respectively) or cis-9, trans-11 CLA content (2.2 and 2.4 g/100 g fatty acids). Feeding high concentrate diets tended (P<0.10) to decrease total CLA (3.3 and 2.2 g/100 g fatty acids, for L and H, respectively) and cis-9, trans-11 CLA (2.9 and 1/7 g/100 g fatty acids) concentrations and increase milk trans-9, cis-11 CLA and trans-10, cis-12 CLA content. In conclusion, the basal diet is an important determinant of milk fatty acid composition when a supplement of fish oil and sunflower oil is given.

Effects of copper on the antioxidant activity of olive polyphenols in bulk oil and oil-in-water emulsions

The antioxidant activity and interactions with copper of four olive oil phenolic compounds, namely oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, 3,4- dihydroxyphenylethanol- elenolic acid ( 1), and 3,4- dihydroxyphenyl-ethanolelenolic acid dialdehyde ( 2), in olive oil and oil- in- water emulsions stored at 60 degrees C were studied. All four phenolic compounds significantly extended the induction time of lipid oxidation in olive oil with the order of activity being hydroxytyrosol > compound 1 > compound 2 > oleuropein > alpha- tocopherol; but in the presence of Cu( II), the stability of oil samples containing phenolic compounds decreased by at least 90%, and the antioxidant activity of hydroxytyrosol and compounds 1 and 2 became similar. In oil- in- water emulsions prepared from olive oil stripped of tocopherols, hydroxytyrosol enhanced the prooxidant effect of copper at pH 5.5 but not at pH 7.4. The stability of samples containing copper at pH 5.5 was not significantly different if oleuropein was present from that of the control. Oleuropein at pH 7.4, and compounds 1 and 2 at both pH values tested, reduced the prooxidant effect of copper. The lower stability and the higher reducing capacity of all compounds at pH 7.4 could not explain the higher stability of emulsions containing phenolic compounds at this pH value. However, mixtures containing hydroxytyrosol or oleuropein with copper showed higher 1,1-diphenyl- 2- picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity at pH 7.4 than at pH 5.5. Moreover, the compound 2- copper complex showed higher radical scavenging activity then the uncomplexed compound at pH 5.5. It can be concluded that the formation of a copper complex with radical scavenging activity is a key step in the antioxidant action of the olive oil phenolic compounds in an emulsion containing copper ions.

Antioxidant properties of Teaw (Cratoxylum formosum Dyer) extract in soybean oil and emulsions

The antioxidant activity of an extract from Teaw (Cratoxylum formosum Dyer) leaves was studied in soybean oil and soybean oil-in-water emulsions. Samples containing the extract or reference antioxidants including chlorogenic acid, which comprises 60% of the Teaw extract, were stored at 60 degrees C and analyzed periodically for peroxide value (PV) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) to allow both hydroperoxides and hydroperoxide degradation products to be monitored. Chlorogenic acid and the Teaw extract were more effective than a-tocopherol in inhibiting lipid oxidation in bulk oil but were less effective in an oil-in-water emulsion in accordance with the polar paradox. The PV/TBARS ratio for oil samples containing chlorogenic acid was higher than for alpha-tocopherol and BHT because chlorogenic acid inhibits both hydroperoxide formation by radical scavenging and hydroperoxide decomposition by metal chelation. The importance of the metal-chelating activity in retarding hydroperoxide decomposition was confirmed by studying the decomposition of oil samples containing added ferric ions. The PV/TBARS ratio was higher for citric acid than for (x-tocopherol in the presence of added ferric chloride, but the order was reversed in samples lacking ferric chloride. Samples containing added chlorogenic acid gave the highest PV/TBARS ratios both in the presence and absence of ferric ions. The PV/TBARS ratios for the samples containing antioxidants fell rapidly to lower values in a soybean oil-in-water emulsion than in the soybean oil. This was due to increased hydroperoxide decomposition in the emulsion at the same PV. The Teaw extract contained 12% oil-soluble components, which contributed to a slightly higher oil-water partition coefficient than that of chlorogenic acid. The antioxidant activity of the aqueous phase of the Teaw extract was reduced more than that of chlorogenic acid by partitioning of the oil-soluble components into oil, which showed that the less-polar components contributed to the antioxidant activity of the Teaw extract in aqueous media.

Olive oil and haemostasis

Olive oil is a key component of the traditional Mediterranean diet; a diet that may explain the low rate of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Southern European. (Extra virgin) Olive oil is a good source of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and phenolic compounds, both of which have been investigated for their effects on plasma lipids and lipoproteins, measures of oxidation and factors related to thrombosis. This issue aims to summarise the current understanding of the effects of such dietary components on the haemostatic system and subsequent risk of CVD. To date, evidence suggests that diets rich in MUFA and thus in olive oil attenuate the thrombotic response via a reduction in platelet aggregation and in postprandial FVII levels. Thrombosis is a key event in causing heart attacks and strokes, which if modulated by diet could pose a cost-effective way of reducing CVD incidence in populations that adhere to MUFA/olive oil-rich diets long-term.

The use of gaseous ozone and gas packaging to control populations of Salmonella infantis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa on the skin of chicken portions

Chilled breasts of chicken were inoculated with Salmonella infantis or Pseudomonas aeruginosa and then given one of the following treatments: (i) exposure to gaseous ozone (>2000 ppm for up to 30 min); (ii) storage under 70% CO2:30% N-2; and (iii) exposure to gaseous ozone (>2000 ppm for 15 min) followed by storage under 70% CO2:30% N-2; all storage at 7degreesC. Gaseous ozone reduced the counts of samnonellae by 97(Y,, and pseudomonads by 95%, but indigenous coliforms were unaffected. Under the modified atmosphere, the cell count of S. infantis was reduced by 72% following initial exposure and then stabilised, coliforms grew, but Ps. aeruginosa behaved like S. infantis-initial reduction (58%) followed by stability. Exposure to gaseous ozone followed by gas packaging allowed survival of S. infantis, Ps. aeruginosa and coliforms over 9 days at 7degreesC, but there was no evidence of any sensory deterioration. It is proposed that the latter treatment could, in a modified form perhaps, be used to reduce the contamination of chicken carcasses with salmonellae and improve their shelf-life. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of cleft lip and palate, and the timing of lip repair on mother-infant interactions and infant development

Background: Children with cleft lip and palate are at risk for psychological problems. Difficulties in mother-child interactions may be relevant, and could be affected by the timing of lip repair. Method: We assessed cognitive development, behaviour problems, and attachment in 94 infants with cleft lip (with and without cleft palate) and 96 non-affected control infants at 18 months; mother-infant interactions were assessed at two, six and 12 months. Index infants received either 'early', neonatal, lip repair, or 'late' repair (3-4 months). Results: Index infants did not differ from controls on measures of behaviour problems or attachment, regardless of timing of lip repair; however, infants having late lip repair performed worse on the Bayley Scales of Mental Development; the cognitive development of early repair infants was not impaired. Difficulties in early mother-infant interactions mediated the effects of late lip repair on infant cognitive outcome. Conclusions: Early interaction difficulties between mothers and infants having late repair of cleft lip are associated with poor cognitive functioning at 18 months. Interventions to facilitate mother-infant interactions prior to surgical lip repair should be explored.