Effects of genotype and harvest year on content and composition of dietary fibre in rye (Secale cereale L) grain

The aim of this study was to measure the variation in dietary fibre (DF) content and composition among different rye varieties grown in the same location in three successive years and to estimate the contributions of genotype and harvest year to this variation. The study included grain from 19 different varieties of rye, of which seven varieties were analysed in all three years. The content of total DF in all samples ranged from 147 to 209 g kg^?1 dry matter (dm), with 34–66 g kg^?1 being water‐extractable (WE) DF and 108–159 g kg^?1 being water‐unextractable (WUE) DF. The main DF component was arabinoxylan (AX) with a content of 80–121 g kg^?1 dm, of which 26–41 g kg^?1 dm was WE AX. The ratio of arabinose to xylose (ara/xyl) of total AX ranged from 0.59 to 0.69. The content of β‐glucan was 13–22 g kg^?1 dm and that of fructan was 45–64 g kg^?1 dm. Analysis of the data from seven varieties and three harvest years showed a highly significant influence of harvest year on most DF components. Significant genotype effects were found for the contents of total DF, total AX, β‐glucan and fructan and for the ara/xyl ratio of total and WUE AX. Estimation of variance components showed that yearly variations in the contents of total DF, total AX, WUE DF, WUE AX and β‐glucan were generally higher (27–55% of total variance) than genotype effects (14–19%). The ara/xyl ratio of total and WUE AX showed a high influence of genotype (46 and 43% respectively). Non‐adapted rye varieties with small kernel size had the highest contents of total DF and total AX. The content of β‐glucan was positively correlated with kernel weight (r = 0.68), whereas no overall correlation was found between kernel size and the content of DF. As a conclusion, the variation in DF content and composition in this study was significantly influenced by both harvest year and rye genotype. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry     

Microbes versus microbes: control of pathogens in the food chain

Foodborne illness continues as a considerable threat to public health. Despite improved hygiene management systems and increased regulation, pathogenic bacteria still contaminate food, causing sporadic cases of illness and disease outbreaks worldwide. For many centuries, microbial antagonism has been used in food processing to improve food safety. An understanding of the mode of action of this microbial antagonism has been gained in recent years and potential applications in food and feed safety are now being explored. This review focuses on the potential opportunities presented, and the limitations, of using microbial antagonism as a biocontrol mechanism to reduce contamination along the food chain; including animal feed as its first link. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry     

Improved solubility of proteins from white and red clover – inhibition of redox enzymes

New alternative protein sources are needed. Clover grasses as white clover (WC) and red clover (RC) may provide a novel protein source to achieve high-quality food protein. To prevent protein oxidation, endogenous oxidative enzymes as polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidases were inhibited with sulphite. RC showed higher PPO activity than WC. Low sulphite inhibited the PPO activity in both species, but browning still occurred in RC. Sulphite did not affect the polyphenol (PP) content in WC, rather suggesting peroxidase than PPO activity. In RC juice, the PP content increased in a dose-dependent manner with increasing sulphite. High sulphite impaired browning and increased the content of soluble rubisco in RC, mainly by increasing the content of native rubisco. In vitro digestibility of RC protein increased with increasing sulphite. In conclusion, sulphite inhibited oxidative enzymes and increased the quality of protein extracted from WC and RC.     

Isobutane/2-butene alkylation on dealuminated H EMT and H FAU

The alkylation of isobutane with 2-butene on dealuminated hexagonal H EMT and dealuminated cubic faujasite H FAU with Si/Al ratios of 5–6 was studied at 80°C and compared with results obtained for the as-synthesized and calcined parent material with Si/Al ratios of 3.5. In both cases, the dealuminated samples favour an improved profile with respect to the alkylate yield and selectivity after 3 h reaction time, with dealuminated H EMT as the superior system. The alkylate composition consisted of 76% and about 70% C₈ paraffins for dealuminated H EMT and dealuminated H FAU, respectively. Within the C₈ fractions the three trimethylpentanes (TMP) 2,3,3-, 2,3,4- and 2,2,4-TMP were the dominating product compounds in all tests, whereas a higher content of dimethylhexanes (DMH) was observed for the H FAUs, both dealuminated and parent material. However, among the four trimethylpentanes (2,2,3-, 2,2,4-, 2,3,3- and 2,3,4-TMP) usually the 2,3,3-TMP and 2,3,4-TMP were the main compounds formed, at least for the dealuminated samples. Oligomerization was suppressed by using the dealuminated samples, however, increasing amounts of C₈ olefins after about one half of the monitored reaction time was observed for the H FAUs. By contrast, the H EMTs exhibited much less formation of C₈ olefins (and on a constant level) even after 300 min reaction time. The deactivated samples showed mainly formation of paraffinic coke.     

Coping with job stress and burnout in the human services.

Conducted a mail survey of 141 human service workers (aged 25–65 yrs) to investigate the effects of coping on psychological strain and burnout produced by job stress. The survey assessed job stressors and coping strategies with open-ended questions and measured strain using closed-ended alienation, satisfaction, and symptom scales. Because previous research suggested that individual coping responses do not alleviate strain produced by job stress, the survey elicited information on group coping (social support) and on coping strategies initiated by agencies. Job stress was associated with high levels of strain, and group coping with low levels, but individual responses had little effect. Although Ss identified many strategies that agencies could use to reduce stress and strain, actual use of such strategies was slight. Because men and women worked in the same jobs, no sex differences in individual coping were predicted and none were found; women, however, reported more social support than men. There was no evidence for moderating (interaction) effects of stress and coping on strain. Results suggest that social service agencies should take actions to reduce stress among employees. (57 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Immunoaffinity chromatography purification and characterisation of pea trypsin inhibitors

Trypsin inhibitors from pea (Pisum sativum (L) cultivar Progreta grown in Denmark) have been isolated and shown to consist of at least nine pea proteinase inhibitors (PPI) with inhibitor activity toward both trypsin and chymotrypsin. The isoelectric points of the inhibitors were in the range 4.9–7.8. From this PPI mixture at least four inhibitors were isolated by immunoaflinity chromatography on a column containing immobilised monoclonal antibody (mAb) with inhibitor specificity. The PPI isolated by immunoaffinity chromatography were further separated by HPLC, and subsequent SDS-PAGE analysis showed molecular weights for four of the PPI in the range 11.3–14.2 kD. Their pI were determined by isoelectric focusing, mAbs were used for immunochemical characterisation and their amino acid composition showed a high (14.7–21%) content of cysteine. Tryptophan was not present in any of the isolated PPI. The data now obtained support the resemblance of PPI with inhibitors of the Bowman-Birk class and the differences in immunochemical properties of the various PPI indicate that pea has at least two gene loci coding for the inhibitors.     

The latent structure of schizotypy: I. Premorbid indicators of a taxon of individuals at risk for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.

A taxometric analysis (R. R. Golden & P. E. Meehl, 1979) was conducted to test the hypotheses that liability for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders is dichotomously distributed and that this liability can be detected premorbidly with behavioral indicators analogous to many of the criteria for schizotypal personality disorder. Behaviors were assessed in 207 offspring of schizophrenic mothers and 104 matched offspring of normal parents in 1962, when participants' mean age was 15 years. Diagnoses on the basis of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd ed., rev.; American Psychiatric Association, 1987) were made in 1986–1989, when participants were nearly through the risk period for developing schizophrenia. The aggregation of indicators was consistent with a bimodal latent liability distribution. Membership in the schizotypal class was a sensitive and specific predictor of the emergence of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders in adulthood. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Managing Urban Lakes: An Integrating Experience

The degradation of seven urban lakes in the Municipality of Concepcio n is a direct result of the local institutional quagmire in which no one body is responsible for the problems that contributed to the lakes' eutrophication,including haphazardland use, inadequate stormwater and deficient sewage infrastructure and the absence of community awareness related to environmentalissues. An intersectoral work group addressing 'Restoration and Development of Urban Lakes' has been established, making progress on various critical fronts: improving water quality, regularizing land use, sustaining a public information campaign and promoting environmental education. Institutional arrangementshave been put into place and financial alternatives have been implemented by local fund raising.     

Low birth weight: rate and risk factors in the Guédianwaye district (suburb of Dakar, Senegal)

The authors report the results of a six months survey about the low weight of birth (L.W.B.) in the district of Guédiawaye, suburb of Dakar. The purpose is to determine the rate of L.W.B. in two main maternity hospitals of that locality and the associated risk factors. It is a survey with a control group. This survey results in a 10.7% rate, according to the data of another retrospective survey in the same maternity hospitals in 1992 (10.03%). The risk factors are mainly: celibacy, primiparity, an associated pathology with the pregnancy, the physical strain of mothers correlated to the income and to the previous L.W.B.