Growth, yield and development of strawberry cv. 'Elsanta' under novel photoselective film clad greenhouses

Film greenhouse claddings are typically used to protect horticultural crops from low temperature and high rainfall conditions. However, a range of novel plastic films have been developed which filter specific radiation wavelengths with the aim of providing the grower with greater control of crop growth and development. A replicated experiment was conducted in 8 small experimental greenhouses, covered with different photoselective films characterised by a range of red/far-red ratios and PAR transmissions to study their effects on the growth, yield and quality of the strawberry cv. 'Elsanta'. Marketable yield per plant was 51% greater under the film with the highest light transmission (control) compared with the lower light transmission films. Similarly, unmarketable fruit number and average non-marketable individual fruit weight per plant was lowest under films with higher light transmissions and higher under lower light transmission films. Cropping duration was longer under films with high R/FR. Also plants under high R/FR were more compact (due to shorter petiole lengths) compared to plants grown under low R/FR. The results are discussed in relation to the increased use of photoselective films in protected horticulture and the need for higher quality fruit and vegetables.

Electrochemical deposition of praseodymium oxide on tin-doped indium oxide as a thin sensing film

Fabrication of a thin praseodymium oxide film is of great technological interest in sensor, semiconducting, and ceramic industries. It is shown for the first time that an ultrathin layer of praseodymium oxide can be deposited on tin-doped indium oxide surface (ITO) by applying a negative sweeping voltage (cathodic electrodeposition) to the aqueous solution containing Pr(NO3)(3) and H2O2 using cyclic voltammetry, followed by annealing the film at 500 S C for 1 h. X-ray diffraction suggested that the predominant phase of the film is Pr6O11 and atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy characterizations indicated that this film is assembled with a monolayer coverage of spherical praseodymium oxide nanoparticles packed closely on the ITO surface. AC impedance measurements of the thin Pr6O11 film on ITO also revealed that the composite material displays a much higher electrical conductivity compared to the pure ITO. As a result, the material could suitably be used as a new chemical sensor. (c) 2006 The Electrochemical Society.

Synthesis and fabrication of a thin film containing silica-encapsulated face-centered tetragonal FePt nanoparticles

Self-assembly of monodisperse, silica-encapsulated, face-centered tetragonal FePt nanoparticles forms closely packed 2D arrays (see figure). Placing monodisperse FePt nanoparticles in silica nanocapsules allows the transition from a disordered face-centered cubic phase to a ferromagnetic crystalline face-centered tetragonal structure at elevated temperature without severe sintering. These materials are potential candidates for the generation of ultrahigh-density magnetic recording media.

Film-forming polymers containing in the main-chain dibenzo crown ethers with aliphatic (C-10-C-16), aliphatic-aromatic, or oxyindole spacers

Novel, linear, soluble, high-molecular-weight, film-forming polymers and copolymers in which main-chain crown ether units alternate with aliphatic (C-10-C-16) units have been obtained for the first time from aromatic electrophilic substitution reactions of crown ethers by aliphatic dicarboxylic acids followed by reduction of the carbonyl groups. The crown ether unit is dibenzo-18-crown-6, dibenzo-21-crown-7, dibenzo-24-crown-8, or dibenzo-30-crown-10; the aliphatic spacer is derived from a dicarboxylic acid (sebacic, 1,12-dodecanedicarboxylic, hexadecanedioic or 1,4-phenylenediacetic acids). The reactions were performed at 35 degrees C in a mixture of methanesulfonic acid (MSA) with phosphorus pentoxide, 12:1 (w/w), (Eaton's reagent). The carbonyl groups in the polyketones obtained were completely reduced to methylene linkages by treatment at room temperature with triethylsilane in a mixture of trifluoroacetic acid and dichloromethane. Polymers containing in the main chain crown ethers alternating with oxyindole fragments were prepared by one-pot condensation of crown ethers with isatin in a medium of Eaton's reagent. A possible reaction mechanism is suggested. According to IR and NMR analyses, the polyacylation reactions lead to the formation of isomeric (syn/anti-substituted) crown ether units in the main chain. The polymers obtained were soluble in the common organic solvents, and flexible transparent films could be cast from the solutions. DSC and X-ray studies of the polymers with "symmetrical" crown ethers reveal the presence of the endotherms corresponding to the supramolecular assemblies.

The air distribution index as an indicator for energy consumption and performance of ventilation systems

This paper deals with the energy consumption and the evaluation of the performance of air supply systems for a ventilated room involving high- and low-level supplies. The energy performance assessment is based on the airflow rate, which is related to the fan power consumption by achieving the same environmental quality performance for each case. Four different ventilation systems are considered: wall displacement ventilation, confluent jets ventilation, impinging jet ventilation and a high level mixing ventilation system. The ventilation performance of these systems will be examined by means of achieving the same Air Distribution Index (ADI) for different cases. The widely used high-level supplies require much more fan power than those for low-level supplies for achieving the same value of ADI. In addition, the supply velocity, hence the supply dynamic pressure, for a high-level supply is much larger than for low-level supplies. This further increases the power consumption for high-level supply systems. The paper considers these factors and attempts to provide some guidelines on the difference in the energy consumption associated with high and low level air supply systems. This will be useful information for designers and to the authors' knowledge there is a lack of information available in the literature on this area of room air distribution. The energy performance of the above-mentioned ventilation systems has been evaluated on the basis of the fan power consumed which is related to the airflow rate required to provide equivalent indoor environment. The Air Distribution Index (ADI) is used to evaluate the indoor environment produced in the room by the ventilation strategy being used. The results reveal that mixing ventilation requires the highest fan power and the confluent jets ventilation needs the lowest fan power in order to achieve nearly the same value of ADI.

Building operational energy consumption of Chongqing and its exergy assessment

Building energy consumption(BEC) accounting and assessment is fundamental work for building energy efficiency(BEE) development. In existing Chinese statistical yearbook, there is no specific item for BEC accounting and relevant data are separated and mixed with other industry consumption. Approximate BEC data can be acquired from existing energy statistical yearbook. For BEC assessment, caloric values of different energy carriers are adopted in energy accounting and assessment field. This methodology obtained much useful conclusion for energy efficiency development. While the traditional methodology concerns only on the energy quantity, energy classification issue is omitted. Exergy methodology is put forward to assess BEC. With the new methodology, energy quantity and quality issues are both concerned in BEC assessment. To illustrate the BEC accounting and exergy assessment, a case of Chongqing in 2004 is shown. Based on the exergy analysis, BEC of Chongqing in 2004 accounts for 17.3% of the total energy consumption. This result is quite common to that of traditional methodology. As far as energy supply efficiency is concerned, the difference is highlighted by 0.417 of the exergy methodology to 0.645 of the traditional methodology.

Urbanisation and its impact on building energy consumption and efficiency in China

The People's Republic of China and its 1.3 billion people have experienced a rapid economic growth in the past two decades. China's urbanisation ratio rose from around 20% in the early 1980s to 45% in 2007 [China Urban Research Committee. Green building. Beijing: Chinese Construction Industrial Publish House; 2008. ISBN 978-7-112-09925-2.]. The large volume and rapid speed of building construction rarely have been seen in global development and cause substantial pressure on resources and the environment. Government policy makers and building professionals, including architects, building engineers, project managers and property developers, should play an important role in enhancing the planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of the building energy efficiency process in forming the sustainable urban development. This paper addresses the emerging issues relating to building energy consumption and building energy efficiency due to the fast urbanisation development in China.

Moderate Champagne consumption promotes an acute improvement in acute endothelial-independent vascular function in healthy human volunteers

Epidemiological studies have suggested an inverse correlation between red wine consumption and the incidence of CVD. However, Champagne wine has not been fully investigated for its cardioprotective potential. In order to assess whether acute and moderate Champagne wine consumption is capable of modulating vascular function, we performed a randomised, placebo-controlled, cross-over intervention trial. We show that consumption of Champagne wine, but not a control matched for alcohol, carbohydrate and fruit-derived acid content, induced an acute change in endothelium-independent vasodilatation at 4 and 8 h post-consumption. Although both Champagne wine and the control also induced an increase in endothelium-dependent vascular reactivity at 4 h, there was no significant difference between the vascular effects induced by Champagne or the control at any time point. These effects were accompanied by an acute decrease in the concentration of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-9), a significant decrease in plasma levels of oxidising species and an increase in urinary excretion of a number of phenolic metabolites. In particular, the mean total excretion of hippuric acid, protocatechuic acid and isoferulic acid were all significantly greater following the Champagne wine intervention compared with the control intervention. Our data suggest that a daily moderate consumption of Champagne wine may improve vascular performance via the delivery of phenolic constituents capable of improving NO bioavailability and reducing matrix metalloproteinase activity.

Effects of enhanced consumption of fruit and vegetables on plasma antioxidant status and oxidative resistance of LDL in smokers supplemented with fish oil

Objective: To determine whether consumption of five portions of fruit and vegetables per day reduces the enhancement of oxidative stress induced by consumption of fish oil. Subjects: A total of 18 free-living healthy smoking volunteers, aged 18-63 y, were recruited by posters and e-mail in The University of Reading, and by leaflets in local shops. Design: A prospective study. Setting: Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition, School of Food Biosciences, The University of Reading, Whiteknights PO Box 226, Reading RG6 6AP, UK. Intervention: All subjects consumed a daily supplement of 4 x 1 g fish oil capsules for 9 weeks. After 3 weeks, they consumed an additional five portions of fruits and vegetables per day, and then they returned to their normal diet for the last 3 weeks of the study. Fasting blood samples were taken at the ends of weeks 0, 3, 6 and 9. Results: The plasma concentrations of ascorbic acid, lutein, beta-cryptoxanthin, alpha-carotene and beta-carotene all significantly increased when fruit and vegetable intake was enhanced (P<0.05). Plasma concentrations of α-tocopherol, retinol and uric acid did not change significantly during the period of increased fruit and vegetable consumption. Plasma oxidative stability, assessed by the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay, also increased from weeks 3-6 (P<0.001) but not in association with increases in measured antioxidants. Lag phase before oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) significantly decreased in the first 3 weeks of the study, reflecting the incorporation of EPA and DHA into LDL (P<0.0001). Subsequent enhanced fruit and vegetable consumption significantly reduced the susceptibility of LDL to oxidation (P<0.005). Conclusion: Fish oil reduced the oxidative stability of plasma and LDL, but the effects were partially offset by the increased consumption of fruit and vegetables.

Consumption of soy isoflavones does not affect plasma total homocysteine or asymmetric dimethylarginine concentrations in healthy postmenopausal women

Postmenopausal women are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease because many risk factors are aggravated by menopause. Phytoestrogens may modulate risk factors favorably, involving mechanisms similar to estrogen. The effect of phytoestrogens on the atherogenic amino acids homocysteine and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) was investigated in a controlled intervention study in healthy postmenopausal women. A multicenter, double-blind, crossover intervention trial in 89 postmenopausal women from Denmark, Germany, and the UK was performed. Subjects consumed fruit cereal bars with or without soy isoflavones (50 mg/d) for 8 wk each with an 8-wk washout period in between. Urinary phytoestrogens increased significantly after isoflavone intervention (P < 0.001). lsoflavone supplementation did not affect plasma total homocysteine or ADMA. For homocysteine, changes from baseline were 0.32 mu mol/L (range: -0.31-0.92; 95% Cl 0.13-0.72), and 0.29 mu mol/L (range: 0.45-1.09;95% Cl 0.01-0.63, P = 0.286) for isoflavone treatment and placebo, respectively. For ADMA concentrations, changes from baseline were -0.02 mu mol/L (range: -0.08-0.03; 95% Cl -0.04-0.01, and 0.00 mu mol/L (range: 0,05-0.03: 95% Cl -0.03-0.01, P = 0.397) for isoflavone treatment and placebo, respectively, There was no association between plasma total homocysteine and ADMA. Changes from baseline in plasma ADMA and folate were negatively correlated (r= -0.18, P = 0.017). These results challenge the overall health effect of isoflavone supplementation in healthy postmenopausal women.

Effects of consumption of probiotics and prebiotics on serum lipid levels in humans

The objective of this article is to review existing studies concerning the effects of probiotics and prebiotics on serum cholesterol concentrations, with particular attention on the possible mechanisms of their action. Although not without exception, results from animal and human studies suggest a moderate cholesterol-lowering action of dairy products fermented with appropriate strain(s) of lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria. Mechanistically, probiotic bacteria ferment food-derived indigestible carbohydrates to produce short-chain fatty acids in the gut, which can then cause a decrease in the systemic levels of blood lipids by inhibiting hepatic cholesterol synthesis and/or redistributing cholesterol from plasma to the liver. Furthermore, some bacteria may interfere with cholesterol absorption from the gut by deconjugating bile salts and therefore affecting the metabolism of cholesterol, or by directly assimilating cholesterol. For prebiotic substances, the majority of studies have been done with the fructooligosaccharides inulin and oligofructose, and although convincing lipid-lowering effects have been observed in animals, high dose levels had to be used. Reports in humans are few in number. In studies conducted in normal-lipidemic subjects, two reported no effect of inulin or oligofructose on serum lipids, whereas two others reported a significant reduction in serum triglycerides (19 and 27%, respectively) with more modest changes in serum total and LDL cholesterol. At present, data suggest that in hyperlipidemic subjects, any effects that do occur result primarily in reductions in cholesterol, whereas in normal lipidemic subjects, effects on serum triglycerides are the dominant feature.

Effects of chronic and acute fruit and vegetable juice consumption on cardiovascular disease risk factors

Diets low in fruit and vegetables are reportedly responsible for 2.7 million deaths annually from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and certain cancers. A daily fruit and vegetable intake of five 80 g portions is recommended for chronic disease prevention. However, in the UK, average adult consumption is less than three portions. It is suggested that fruit juice should only count as one portion. However, fruit juices are a beneficial source of phytochemicals. The preliminary results of two randomized, controlled, crossover, dietary intervention studies investigating the effects of chronic and acute consumption of fruit and vegetable puree and juice based drinks (FVPJ) on bioavailability, antioxidant status, vascular reactivity, and risk factors for CVD are reported. In the first study, 39 volunteers consumed 200 ml FVPJ, or fruit-flavoured control, daily for six weeks. In the second study, 24 volunteers consumed 400 mL FVPJ, or sugar-matched control, on the morning of the study day. Blood and urine samples were collected throughout both studies and real-time measurements of vascular tone were performed using laser Doppler imaging with iontophoresis. Overall, the studies showed that the fruit and vegetable puree and juice based drink increased dietary phytochemicals. There was a trend towards increased vasodilation following both acute and chronic fruit juice consumption. Measurements of antioxidant status, oxidative stress and other cardiovascular disease risk factors are currently being determined.

Effects of chronic and acute consumption of fruit- and vegetable-puree-based drinks on vasodilation, risk factors for CVD and the response as a result of the eNOS G298T polymorphism

The average UK adult consumes less than three portions of fruit and vegetables daily, despite evidence to suggest that consuming five portions daily could help prevent chronic diseases. It is recommended that fruit juice should only count as one of these portions, as juicing removes fibre and releases sugars. However, fruit juices contain beneficial compounds such as vitamin C and flavonoids and could be a useful source of dietary phytochemicals. Two randomised controlled cross-over intervention studies investigating the effects of chronic and acute consumption of commercially-available fruit- and vegetable-puree-based drinks (FVPD) on bioavailability, antioxidant status and CVD risk factors are described. Blood and urine samples were collected during both studies and vascular tone was measured using laser Doppler imaging. In the chronic intervention study FVPD consumption was found to significantly increase dietary carotenoids (P = 0.001) and vitamin C (P = 0.003). Plasma carotenoids were increased (P = 0.001), but the increase in plasma vitamin C was not significant. There were no significant effects on oxidative stress, antioxidant status and other CVD risk factors. In the acute intervention study FVPD were found to increase total plasma nitrate and nitrite (P = 0.001) and plasma vitamin C (P = 0.002). There was no effect on plasma lipids or uric acid, but there was a lower glucose and insulin peak concentration after consumption of the FVPD compared with the sugar-matched control. There was a trend towards increased vasodilation following both chronic and acute FVPD consumption. All volunteers were retrospectively genotyped for the eNOS G298T polymorphism and the effect of genotype on the measurements is discussed. Overall, there was a non-significant trend towards increased endothelium-dependent vasodilation following both acute and chronic FVPD consumption. However, there was a significant time x treatment effect (P < 0.05) of acute FVPD consumption in individuals with the GG variant of the eNOS gene.