Biofortification of maize with micronutrients by Spirulina

AbstractThe aim of the present work was to examine the effect of the application of Spirulina platensis post-extraction residues enriched with Zn(II), Mn(II), Cu(II) via biosorption as micronutrient fertilizer for the biofortification of maize grains with micronutrients in field tests. As a nominal dose 2.5 kg ha-1 of zinc, 1.0 kg ha-1 of manganese and 0.5 kg ha-1 of copper were applied. The preparation was applied also in higher doses (150%, 200%) to investigate agronomic biofortification of maize grains.In field trials, obtained grain yield (7.2 Mg ha-1 for Spirulina 100%) was higher than in control group (6.2 Mg ha-1) and commercial reference product (6.6 Mg ha-1). For the same dose of micronutrients, their bioavailability was higher for bio-preparations than for reference fertilizer. The highest content of micronutrients delivered to plants (2.15 mg kg-1 – Cu, 7.07 mg kg-1 – Mn, 29.0 mg kg-1 – Zn) was observed for maize grains fertilized with preparation of Spirulina 150%, which signifies that biofortified maize grain was obtained. Corn grains biofortified with micronutrients can be used as staple food or feed preventing from micronutrient malnutrition. The application of micronutrient biocomponents based on Spirulina biomass allows to manufacture a valuable fertilizer with bioavailable micronutrients.

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Biofortification of maize grains with micronutrients by enriched biomass of blackcurrant seeds

Open Chemistry ◽

10.1515/chem-2015-0133 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Mateusz Samoraj ◽

Łukasz Tuhy ◽

Sylwia Baśladyńska ◽

Katarzyna Chojnacka

Keyword(s):

Crop Yield ◽

Reference Product ◽

Field Tests ◽

Control Group ◽

Commercial Fertilizer ◽

Yield And Quality ◽

Nominal Dose ◽

Higher Doses ◽

Micronutrient Fertilizer ◽

Different Doses

AbstractEffect of the application of blackcurrant seed post-extraction residues (BS) enriched via biosorption with Zn(II), Mn(II) and Cu(II) was examined in field tests on maize. As a nominal dose (100%), 2.5 kg of zinc, 1 kg of manganese and 0.5 kg of copper per hectare, were applied. The preparation was applied, also, in higher doses (150%, 200%).Crop yield and quality were assessed and multielemental analysis of grains was conducted. Grain yield obtained for maize treated with different doses of micronutrients (7.3 and 7.2 Mg ha-1 for BS 100% and BS 200%, respectively) was higher than in control group (6.2 Mg ha-1) and similar to a commercial reference product (7.1 Mg ha-1).Bioavailability of micronutrients from BS was shown to be higher than from reference commercial fertilizer. The highest content of micronutrients delivered to plants was observed for groups fertilized with BS in nominal dose of micronutrients (1.79, 7.08 and 28.55 mg kg-1 for Cu, Mn and Zn, respectively). The content of each micronutrient was 5.6% (Cu) 12.1% (Mn) and 12.6% (Zn) higher than in untreated group and 8.9% (Cu) 9.7% (Mn) and 8.7% (Zn) higher than commercial reference micronutrient fertilizer. New biocomponents are cheap and biodegradable carriers of nutrients which can be released in controlled way.

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Pro-oxidant effects of a high α-tocopherol dose on kidney antioxidant biomarkers and histopathological aspects

International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research ◽

10.1024/0300-9831/a000512 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 87 (3-4) ◽

pp. 179-190

Author(s):

Amel Kanane ◽

Fayrouz Rouaki ◽

Mohamed Brahim Errahmani ◽

Abdenour Laraba ◽

Hayet Mesbah ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sunflower Oil ◽

Antioxidant Status ◽

Basal Diet ◽

Inflammatory Cells ◽

Significant Rise ◽

Control Group ◽

Histopathological Changes ◽

Group 5 ◽

Oxidant Effect ◽

Higher Doses

Abstract. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of α-tocopherol supplementation at two doses (600 and 1200 mg × kg–1) on kidney antioxidant status and the histopathological changes in Wistar rats after 12 weeks of exposure at different diets. Forty rats has been divided into 4 groups of 10 rats each, the control group received basal diet with 5 % fresh sunflower oil (FSO), the second group: 5 % oxidized sunflower oil (OSO), the third group: 5 % OSO supplemented with 600 mg × kg–1 α-tocopherol and the fourth group: 5 % OSO supplemented with 1200 mg × kg–1 α-tocopherol. In OSO groups, the results showed highly significant increases of LPO (from 31.3 ± 0.9 to 53.8 ± 1.2 nmol of MDA formed/min/mg protein, p < 0.0001) with a significant decrease (p < = 0.001) of the antioxidant enzymatic activities (CAT, SOD, GPX, GR and G6PDH), body weight (339 ± 9 to 290 ± 3 g) and α-tocopherol levels (13.6 ± 0.6 to 6.5 ± 0.4 μg/mg protein). In OSO groups with 600 mg × kg–1 α-tocopherol, an antioxidant effect was found, reflected by a return of the parameters to values similar to those of the control group. However, higher doses of α-tocopherol (1200 mg × kg–1) induced a depletion of antioxidant status, α-tocopherol levels (6.0 ± 0.3 μg/mg protein, p < 0.001) and a very highly significant rise (p < 0.0001) of LPO content (54.86 ± 0.01 nmol of MDA formed/min/mg protein). The kidney tissues also showed changes in glomerular, severe inflammatory cells infiltration, and formation of novel vessels. So, we can conclude that the oxidative stress is attenuated by a moderate administration of 600 mg × kg–1 α-tocopherol, while a pro-oxidant effect occurs at 1200 mg × kg–1 α-tocopherol.

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Skeletal Muscle Metabolomic Responses to Endurance and Resistance Training in Rats under Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18041645 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 1645

Author(s):

Xiangyu Liu ◽

Xiong Xue ◽

Junsheng Tian ◽

Xuemei Qin ◽

Shi Zhou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Resistance Exercise ◽

Endurance Exercise ◽

Field Tests ◽

Treadmill Running ◽

Control Group ◽

Mild Stress ◽

Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress ◽

Sprague Dawley ◽

Exercise Interventions ◽

Sprague Dawley Rats

The objectives of this study were to compare the antidepressant effects between endurance and resistance exercise for optimizing interventions and examine the metabolomic changes in different types of skeletal muscles in response to the exercise, using a rat model of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced depression. There were 32 male Sprague-Dawley rats randomly divided into a control group (C) and 3 experimental groups: CUMS control (D), endurance exercise (E), and resistance exercise (R). Group E underwent 30 min treadmill running, and group R performed 8 rounds of ladder climbing, 5 sessions per week for 4 weeks. Body weight, sucrose preference, and open field tests were performed pre and post the intervention period for changes in depressant symptoms, and the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles were sampled after the intervention for metabolomic analysis using the 1H-NMR technique. The results showed that both types of exercise effectively improved the depression-like symptoms, and the endurance exercise appeared to have a better effect. The levels of 10 metabolites from the gastrocnemius and 13 metabolites from the soleus of group D were found to be significantly different from that of group C, and both types of exercise had a callback effect on these metabolites, indicating that a number of metabolic pathways were involved in the depression and responded to the exercise interventions.

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Replacing Maize Grain with Ancient Wheat Lines By-Products in Organic Laying Hens’ Diet Affects Intestinal Morphology and Enzymatic Activity

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13126554 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (12) ◽

pp. 6554

Author(s):

Nicola Francesco Addeo ◽

Basilio Randazzo ◽

Ike Olivotto ◽

Maria Messina ◽

Francesca Tulli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alkaline Phosphatase ◽

Enzymatic Activity ◽

Laying Hens ◽

Triticum Aestivum L ◽

Treated Group ◽

Intestinal Morphology ◽

Control Group ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Maize Grain ◽

By Products

The effects of replacement of maize grain with ancient wheat by-products on intestinal morphometry and enzymatic activity in laying hens was studied. Eighty hens were divided into two groups (40 each, 8 replicates, 5 hens/replicate) fed two isoproteic and isoenergetic diets. In the treated group, part of the maize was replaced by a mix of ancient grains (AGs) middling, in a 50:50 ratio of Triticum aestivum L. var. spelta (spelt) and Triticum durum dicoccum L. (emmer wheat). The AG diet affected the weight of all the large intestine tracts, decreasing the weight of caeca (p < 0.01) and increasing those of colon (p < 0.01), rectum and cloaca (p < 0.05). Villus height in the AG group was higher (p < 0.01) than the control for the duodenum and jejunum, while for the ileum, the control group showed the highest values (p < 0.01). The submucosa thickness was higher (p < 0.01) in the control group for the duodenum and ileum, while the jejunum for the AG group showed the highest (p < 0.05) submucosa thickness. The crypts depth was higher (p < 0.01) in the control group for the duodenum and ileum. Enzyme activity was enhanced by AGs (p < 0.01) in the duodenum. Regarding the jejunum, sucrase-isomaltase and alkaline phosphatase had higher activity (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively) in the AG group. In the ileum, sucrase-isomaltase showed higher activity (p < 0.01) in the control group, while alkaline phosphatase showed the highest values (p < 0.05) in the AG group. Overall, results suggested that the dietary inclusion of AGs exerted positive effects in hens, showing an improved intestinal function.

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Modified Humic Substances as Soil Conditioners: Laboratory and Field Trials

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11010150 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 150

Author(s):

Natalia A. Kulikova ◽

Alexander B. Volikov ◽

Olga I. Filippova ◽

Vladimir A. Kholodov ◽

Nadezhda V. Yaroslavtseva ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Humic Substances ◽

Soil Aggregates ◽

Field Tests ◽

Performance Testing ◽

Field Trials ◽

Soil Conditioner ◽

Model Soil ◽

Substrate Induced Respiration ◽

And Performance ◽

Survival Of Seedlings

The paper is devoted to the development and performance testing of a soil conditioner based on leonardite humic substances (LHS) modified with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES). The modified HS were obtained by adding APTES to LHS solution at different mass ratios of LHS and APTES, followed by the investigation of siloxane structures using 31Si NMR spectroscopy. The Urbic Technosol was used as a model soil. The size and amount of water-stable soil aggregates were estimated using wet sieving and laser diffraction, respectively. Toxicity was evaluated by monitoring microbial substrate-induced respiration (SIR) and seedling bioassay. Laboratory column experiments demonstrated an increase in water-stability of the 3–5 mm soil aggregates after LHS-APTES application. Field tests showed an increase in the average weighted diameter of micro aggregates (from 59 to 73 μm) and water-stable macroaggregates (from 1.6 to 2.9 mm) due to the LHS-APTES amendment. A substantial increase in SIR from 5 to 9 mg CO2 (kg h)−1 was detected. Better survival of seedlings was observed. The obtained beneficial results indicate that APTES-modified HS can be successfully used as a soil conditioner. The formation of extended siloxane networks was suggested as the main mechanism of the observed improvement in the structure of the amended soils.

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Effects of Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH-γ-Isomer, Lindane) Intoxication on the Proliferation and Apoptosis in Rat Testes

Acta Veterinaria Brno ◽

10.2754/avb200978040615 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 78 (4) ◽

pp. 615-620 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Hayati Yuksel ◽

Erkan Karadas ◽

Hikmet Keles ◽

Hasan Huseyin Demirel

Keyword(s):

Germ Cell ◽

Germ Cells ◽

Male Rats ◽

Control Group ◽

High Dose ◽

Histopathological Changes ◽

Proliferation And Apoptosis ◽

Group A ◽

Higher Doses ◽

Group 1

In this study, experimentally lindane-induced histopathological changes and proliferation and/or apoptosis in germ cells in the rat testes were investigated. A total of 40 healthy fertile 3-month-old male rats were used. Animals were divided into 4 groups, each containing 10 rats. Group 1 (control) was given only pure olive oil, Groups 2, 3 and 4 were administered lindane at 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg/bw, respectively, by gastric gavage for 30 days. Microscopically, degenerative changes were observed in the lindane-treated groups. For proliferative activity PCNA immunolabelling and for germ cells apoptosis TUNEL methods were performed. Although a strong PCNA positivity in the control group was observed, a gradual decrease was noted in the lindane-treated groups especially at higher doses. Significant increases of apoptosis were seen in the lindane-treated groups compared to the control group. A decrease in testosterone concentrations was observed in lindane-treated groups compared to the control group. The study indicates that high-dose lindane intoxication contributes to the suppression of spermatogenesis through a reduction of germ cell proliferation and an increase of germ cell death in rat testes.

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Comparison of Water and Gas Tracers Field Breakthrough

10.2118/205863-ms ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Hsieh Chen ◽

Sehoon Chang ◽

Gawain Thomas ◽

Wei Wang ◽

Afnan Mashat ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mass Spectrometry ◽

Gas Phase ◽

Detection Method ◽

Tracer Tests ◽

Field Tests ◽

Field Trials ◽

Breakthrough Curves ◽

Detection Methods ◽

Reservoir Conditions ◽

Gas Tracer

Abstract We are developing new classes of barcoded advanced tracers, which, compared to present commercial offerings, can be optically detected in an automated fashion. The eventual goal for the advanced tracers is to deploy cost-effective, ubiquitous, long-term, and full-field tracer tests in supporting large-scale waterflooding optimization for improved oil recovery. In this paper, we compare model predictions to breakthrough data from two field tests of advanced tracers in a pilot during water alternating gas (WAG) cycles, where gas tracer tests have recently been performed as well. Two advanced tracer injections were performed at the test site. For the first injection, only a dipicolinic acid based advanced tracer (DPA) was injected. For the second injection, DPA and a phenanthroline- based advanced tracer, 4,7-bis(sulfonatophenyl)-1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxylic acid (BSPPDA), was injected in conjunction with a commercially available fluorobenzoic acid-based tracer (FBA) to benchmark their performance. Produced water samples were collected weekly for tracer analysis. Both newly developed 2D-high performance liquid chromatography/time-resolved fluorescence optical detection method (2D-HPLC/TRF) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) were used to construct the breakthrough curves for the advanced tracers. In parallel, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to detect FBA tracer. Gas tracer tests have been performed on the same field. Since DPA, BSPPDA and FBA tracers were water tracers as designed, they were expected to appear in between gas tracer breakthroughs, and we observed exactly that for BSPPDA and FBA. Unexpectedly, the DPA predominantly appeared along with gas tracer breakthroughs, suggesting its favorable compatibility with the gas phase. We suspect the presence of some gas components rendered the medium more acidic, which likely protonates DPA molecules, thereby alters its hydrophilicity. A wealth of information could be gathered from the field tests. First, all tracers survived not only the harsh reservoir conditions but also the irregular WAG injections. Their successful detection from the producers suggested robustness of these materials for reservoir applications. Second, the breakthrough curves of the BSPPDA tracers using optical detection method were very similar to those of FBA tracers detected by GC-MS, substantiating the competency of our in-house materials and detection methods to the present commercial offerings. Finally, even though DPA has passed prior lab tests as a good water tracer, its high solubility to gas phase warrants further investigation. This paper summarizes key results from two field trials of the novel barcoded advanced tracers, of which both the tracer materials and detection methods are new to the industry. Importantly, the two co- injected advanced tracers showed opposite correlations to the gas tracers, highlighting the complex physicochemical interactions in reservoir conditions. Nevertheless, the information collected from the field trials is invaluable in enabling further design and utilization of the advanced tracers in fulfilling their wonderful promises.

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A randomized clinical trial of oral steroids for ulnar neuropathy in type 1 and type 2 leprosy reactions

Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria ◽

10.1590/s0004-282x2008000600016 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 66 (4) ◽

pp. 861-867 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

José Antonio Garbino ◽

Marcos da Cunha Lopes Virmond ◽

Somei Ura ◽

Manoel Henrique Salgado ◽

Bernard Naafs

Keyword(s):

Motor Nerve ◽

Clinical Score ◽

Ulnar Neuropathy ◽

Control Group ◽

Spontaneous Pain ◽

Oral Steroids ◽

Leprosy Patients ◽

Higher Doses

BACKGROUND: Steroids regimens in leprosy neuropathies are still controversial in botth types of reactions. METHOD: For this trial, 21 patients with ulnar neuropathy were selected from 163 leprosy patients, 12 with type 1 reaction (T1R) and nine with type 2 (T2R). One experimental group started with prednisone 2 mg/kg/day and the control group with 1 mg/kg/day. A clinical score based on tests for spontaneous pain, nerve palpation, sensory and muscle function was used. Neurophysiological evaluation consisted on the motor nerve conduction of the ulnar nerve in three segments. Student "t" test for statistical analysis was applied on the results: before treatment, first week, first month and sixth month, between each regimen and types of reaction. CONCLUSION: In both reactions during the first month higher doses of steroids produced better results but, earlier treatment with lower dose was as effective. Short periods of steroid, 1 mg/Kg/day at the beginning and,tapering to 0,5 mg/Kg/day or less in one month turned out to be efficient in T2R.

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Wen-Dan Decoction Improves Negative Emotions in Sleep-Deprived Rats by Regulating Orexin-A and Leptin Expression

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1155/2014/872547 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 ◽

pp. 1-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Fengzhi Wu ◽

Yuehan Song ◽

Feng Li ◽

Xin He ◽

Jie Ma ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Prefrontal Cortex ◽

Blood Serum ◽

Leptin Receptor ◽

Negative Emotions ◽

Field Tests ◽

Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽

Control Group ◽

Orexin A ◽

Therapeutic Mechanisms ◽

Leptin Expression

Wen-Dan Decoction (WDD), a formula of traditional Chinese medicine, has been clinically used for treating insomnia for approximately 800 years. However, the therapeutic mechanisms of WDD remain unclear. Orexin-A plays a key role in the sleep-wake cycle, while leptin function is opposite to orexin-A. Thus, orexin-A and leptin may be important factors in sleep disorders. In this study, 48 rats were divided into control, model, WDD-treated, and diazepam-treated groups. The model of insomnia was produced by sleep deprivation (SD) for 14 days. The expressions of orexin-A, leptin, and their receptors in blood serum, prefrontal cortex, and hypothalamus were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunohistochemistry, and real time PCR. Open field tests showed that SD increased both crossing movement (Cm) and rearing-movement (Rm) times. Orexin-A and leptin levels in blood serum increased after SD but decreased in brain compared to the control group. mRNA expressions of orexin receptor 1 and leptin receptor after SD were decreased in the prefrontal cortex but were increased in hypothalamus. WDD treatment normalized the behavior and upregulated orexin-A, leptin, orexin receptor 1 and leptin receptor in brain. The findings suggest that WDD treatment may regulate SD-induced negative emotions by regulating orexin-A and leptin expression.

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Managing Bees for Delivering Biological Control Agents and Improved Pollination in Berry and Fruit Cultivation

Sustainable Agriculture Research ◽

10.5539/sar.v4n3p89 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 4 (3) ◽

pp. 89 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Heikki M. T. Hokkanen ◽

Ingeborg Menzler-Hokkanen ◽

Marja-Leena Lahdenpera

Keyword(s):

Crop Protection ◽

Field Tests ◽

Weather Conditions ◽

Field Studies ◽

Field Trials ◽

Marketable Yield ◽

Dissemination Activity ◽

Grey Mold ◽

Commercial Farms ◽

Disease Pressure

Targeted precision biocontrol and improved pollination were studied Europe-wide in the EU ERA-NET CORE ORGANIC 2 project BICOPOLL (Biocontrol and Pollination). A case study was conducted on the management of strawberry grey mold Botrytis cinerea, with the biocontrol fungus, Gliocladium catenulatum, vectored by honey bees or bumble bees. A joint field trial carried out in five countries targeted strawberry cultivations in open field, and included four treatments: untreated control, chemical fungicide, entomovectored biocontrol, and chemical and biocontrol combined. In organic fields, no pesticide treatments were included. The proportion of moldy berries, and/or the marketable yield of healthy berries were recorded from each treatment, along with other parameters of local interest. A pilot study was started in Finland in 2006, and, by 2012, large commercial farms were using entomovectoring. In 2012, field trials were started in Estonia and in Italy, and in 2013-14, these experiments were expanded to Slovenia and Turkey. In total, 26 field tests were conducted using entomovectoring and Gliocladium catenulatum (Prestop® Mix) on strawberry, with five additional trials on raspberry. Efficacy results have been excellent throughout the field studies. The results show crop protection equalling or exceeding that provided by a full chemical fungicide program, under all weather conditions, and over a wide geographical range (from Finland to Turkey). Under heavy disease pressure, entomovectoring provided on average a 47% disease reduction, which was the same as multiple fungicide sprays. Under light disease pressure, biocontrol decreased grey mold by an average of 66%, which was greater than fungicide sprays. The concept has proven to be effective on strawberries, raspberries, pears, apples, blueberries, cherries, and grapes. A conservative estimate for Finland is that over 500 ha of strawberry cultivation currently use the technique (≈15% of the strawberry growing area). To make full use of the entomovectoring technique, organic berry and fruit growers are encouraged to (i) keep bees, or to hire the service from local beekeepers for entomovectoring; and (ii) manage vegetation within and around the target crop to support the activity of bees and other pollinators, which can help to disseminate the beneficial microbial populations within the crop. Beekeepers are encouraged to (i) market pollination and biocontrol services to fruit and berry growers, and (ii) ensure that all operations are effective in mananging bees and their microbe dissemination activity. Biocontrol product manufacturers are encouraged to further develop products and their formulations specifically for entomovectoring, because current formulations are suboptimal as they are initially optimized for other uses (e.g., mixing into the soil).

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