Content Of Different Species Research Articles

NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF TRANSIENT SOIL TEMPERATURE VARIATION DURING WILDFIRES

In this study, transient behavior of soil temperature during large forest fires is analyzed using the Comsol© software package. The increase in soil temperature during large wildfires can be very critical, especially when oil or gas pipelines have been laid at a certain depth in the soil in or near forests. During forest fires, the temperature of the soil surface can reach extreme levels that penetrate deep into the ground if the fire is not extinguished within a short period of time. This increase in temperature on the soil surface can lead to extremely dangerous situations if the laying depth of the pipeline is not sufficient, since the heat conducted through the soil causes the surface temperature of the pipeline and therefore that of the fluid inside to also reach very high values. This can lead to a sudden rupture of the pipeline and ultimately lead to catastrophic consequences. Although the present study is conservative due to the assumptions made in structuring the numerical model, it is believed to provide invaluable information about the considerations in selecting gas pipeline locations and pipeline laying depths, while also taking into account extreme temperatures due to wildfires, seismic impacts and traffic loads. Future research could include extensive study on the energy content of different species of forest trees, considering their time-dependent heat release rates (HRR) during a forest fire, as well as experimental work if a realistic setup could be designed.

Effect of Milk Sources on Whey Protein and Fractions of Casein

Aim: Milk from Cow, Buffalo and goat was used for the study of isolation and fractionation of casein and whey proteins. Buffalo and goat milk were subjected to physicochemical attribute studies and a detailed protein profile namely total protein, casein fractions α-, β- and κ casein and whey protein were separated by urea fractionation method. The aim of this study was to compare various casein fractions isolated from cows, Buffalo and Goat milk. The method of separating casein into its fractions is based on the solubility of the individual components in urea the solution. The separation of casein fractions was carried out in dissolving molar concentration of urea and the yield of fractions and total protein percentages were calculated. Buffalo and goat milk have comparatively higher total protein and whey protein content as compared to cow milk. Maximum whey proteins found in goat milk (20.58%) whereas cow milk had the lowest whey protein (19.29%). Among casein fractions, α fraction (16.64%) was found maximum in Buffalo milk followed by cow (14.92%) and goat milk (5.42%). The goat milk showed the highest level of β casein (17.81%) whereas, the lowest concentration of β casein was found in cow milk (9.38%). Study Design: A significant contribution to the total milk production of India comes from buffalo milk and goat milk. Despite that, Buffalo milk and goat milk are not being utilized for many products because of difference in composition of different species milk and their inherent problems associated in the production of products. Place and Duration of Study: Karnataka Veterinary Animal and Fisheries Sciences University (KVAFSU), Dairy Science College, Hebbal, Bangalore Karnataka, India Materials: The Goat milk samples were collected from Sinchana Goat and Sheep farm, Marenahalli village (Bengaluru Rural Dist) and Buffalo milk was obtained from Country Delight Pvt. Ltd., J. P. Nagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka. Cow milk used in this investigation was collected from SEDP, Dairy Science College, Hebbal, Bengalore.. All the glassware used was soaked in chromic acid solution, repeatedly washed with water, rinsed with distilled water and dried before use. For microbiological analysis dried test tubes, conical flasks, pipettes were cotton plugged and sterilized in a hot air oven. The chemicals and reagents used in this study were mainly of analytical grade procured from Prince Laboratory Company Pvt. Limited, Bangalore. The protein molecular weight markers used for the electrophoretic study were procured from Bangalore Genei Pvt. Ltd. Methodology: Standard urea fractionation method adopted by Hipp et al was used for isolation and fractionation of caseins. Skim milk was prepared by subjecting whole milk for centrifugation, the skim milk obtained was acidified using 1 % hydrochloric acid at 200 C to obtain casein precipitate. Obtained whole casein was dissolved in 3.3 M urea at pH 7.5 and adjusted to pH 4.6 which precipitates the bulk of α casein and leaving k-caseins into soluble filtrates. Again the supernatant was adjusted to pH 4.9 diluted to 1.0 M urea and warmed to 300 C precipitating the β-caeisn. Further, addition of ammonium sulphate was used to isolate k-casein from the precipitate. Results: The sources of protein had a significant influence on the total casein, casein fractions and whey protein content of different species. The highest quantity of total caseins (34.30g/l) and whey protein (8.87 g/l) were observed in buffalo milk followed by cow (28.52 g/l) and lowest was observed in goat milk (28.45 g/l). Total protein, casein and whey protein contents were greatly affected by the source of milk. Conclusion: The significant effect of source of milk on total protein, casein, its fractions and their yield was observed. highest yield of casein (54.31%) was observed in cow milk than buffalo milk (48.95 %) and lower yield was found in goat milk. Amongst the three species, highest per cent of β casein was noted in goat milk (54.05 %) followed by buffalo (36.03%) and cow milk (34.14%). Recommendation: Rasagulla will be consumed universally by all age groups globally. Thus, the consumption of Rasagulla helps in providing overall nutritional requirements. However, the study has been conducted on a pilot scale. Moreover, commercial production may necessitate huge cost on enzymatic modification of proteins and separation peptides for value addition.

Establishing the Relationship Between Flavonoid Content, Mycorrhization, and Soil Nutritional Content in Different Species of the Genus Passiflora in Colombia.

The genus Passiflora comprises more than 500 species distributed in tropical and semitropical regions. With a great diversity of species, it is estimated that one-third is found in Colombian territory. Besides the food importance, Passiflora species are important sources of biologically active compounds, such as flavonoids. The most important symbiosis between soil fungi and vascular plants related to plant nutrition and tolerance to stress conditions is mycorrhizae. Passiflora species form arbuscular mycorrhizae, with several species of Glomeromycota. This association has been reported to alter the production of secondary metabolites. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the relation between flavonoid content, mycorrhization, and soil nutritional content of Passiflora alata, Passiflora quadrangularis, Passiflora maliformis, and Passiflora ligularis in Colombian crops. The extracts were prepared and analyzed using UPLC/PDA-MS, and total flavonoids were quantified with the method of AlCl3. Soil characteristics, including nutritional content and percentage of colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, were also determined. All variables were analyzed using Spearman's correlation and principal component analysis. Chromatographic analysis of the extracts allowed us to visualize the different flavonoid compositions of each extract, identifying several C-glycosylflavonoids. In this paper, we report for the first time the presence of luteolin-8-C-rhamnosyl-4'-O-glucoside, apigenin-6-C-arabinosyl-7-O-glucoside, and orientin for P. maliformis. Statistical analysis showed a negative correlation between available phosphorus (ρ = -0.90, p = <0.05) and magnesium (Mg) saturation (ρ = -0.70, p = <0.05) on flavonoid content, whereas the calcium magnesium (Ca/Mg) ratio was positively correlated (ρ = 0.70, p = <0.01). There was a nonsignificant correlation between mycorrhization and flavonoid content (ρ = -0.70, p = >0.1). These results contribute to understanding the relationship between flavonoid-mycorrhization-soil nutritional content on Passiflora spp.

Photosynthetic pigments and photoprotective metabolites of Colombian pacific marine macroalgae in response to contrasting ultraviolet-index periods

Tropical macroalgae have developed specific defense mechanisms, synthesizing photoprotective molecules to cope with solar radiations, especially ultraviolet radiation, which hits them intensely. Despite the vast Colombian marine biodiversity, not all the country's coastlines have received the same attention, like the Pacific coast. In this study, we assessed photosynthetic pigments (chlorophylls and carotenoids) and photoprotective compounds (mycosporine-like amino acids - MAAs) in seaweeds from the Colombian Pacific coast. We collected seven species of seaweeds, namely Boodleopsis verticillata, Bostrychia calliptera, B. radicans, B. cf. scorpioides; Catenella impudica, Cladophora graminea and Rhizoclonium riparium, easily found in supralittoral and mangrove ecosystems, at low tide, in contrasting periods of high and low UV index over the year of 2021. The sampling area encompassed a latitudinal gradient (3° S to 6° S) along the Colombian Pacific coast, changing the pattern of the chlorophyll-a and total carotenoid content in different species collected in contrasting UV-index periods. MAAs were quantified using standards (shinorine, porphyra-334, and palythine). This study corroborates the hypothesis that tropical species produce higher concentrations of MAAs in response to UV radiation, with significant differences in the high UV-index period. The highest MAA content (5.68 mg.g−1 DW) was reported in Bostrychia calliptera during the high UV-index period. Ceramiales and Cladophorales species represented a photoprotective potential with at least six different MAAs. Shinorine, palythine and porphyra-334 were quantified; and mycosporine-methylamine-serine and aplysiapalythine C were putatively identified by LC-MS/MS dereplication, this, therefore representing a pioneer study on the chemical composition of Colombian Pacific marine macroalgae.

The Characteristics of Dissolved Organic Matter and Soil Microbial Communities in the Soils of Larix principis-rupprechtii Mayr. Plantations in the Qinling Mountains, China

Soil microorganisms and dissolved organic matter (DOM) play vital roles in nutrient cycling and maintaining plant diversity. The aim of this study was to clarify the relationship between DOM component characteristics and microbial community structure in the soil of Larix principis-rupprechtii Mayr. plantations. We quantified the responses of the soil microbial and DOM characteristics to stand age in a plantation forest ecosystem using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analyses, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy. Three humic-like components and a fulvic-like component were identified from the soil samples, and humic-like substances were the dominant component of the soil DOM of the stands of different ages. The fluorescence index showed that the sources of soil DOM in the stands of different ages throughout the growth stages may be mostly plant residues, with very little contribution from microbial sources. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that stand age and growth season had a significant effect on the contents of the soil PLFA biomarkers of L. principis-rupprechtii Mayr. Additionally, significantly higher contents of different species of soil PLFA biomarkers were observed in the young forest (17a) than in the sapling forest (7a) and half-mature forest (27a), suggesting that stand age differences in the quality and quantity of larch litter and soil physicochemical characteristics affect the microbial community structure. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that changes in the soil DOM quality and components that were driven by growth season and stand age were the major drivers of variations in the soil microbial community structure in the study region. Overall, the seasonal variations in DOM quality and components may contribute to the variability of soil microorganisms, and the soil microbial responses to tree age will depend upon the provisioning of these resources.

Determination and comparison of metal analysis in the species belonging to different families by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)

The consumption of plants and their use for medicinal purposes are increasing day by day. Therefore, knowing the plant contents is important for human health. In this study, metal contents of nineteen species belonging to four different families were determined. Different species belonging to the same genus belonging to these families and metal contents of different parts of the same sample were compared with each other. The metal contents of different species of the same genus have been determined that be different from each other. The metal contents of different parts of the same species were determined that be different from each other. In addition, the Cd and Pb metal content results of the species were compared with the maximum allowable concentration values in raw plant material of the World Health Organization's (WHO). Cd metal content in all species was found to be higher than the value determined by the WHO. Only the Pb metal content of the A3 species was found to be higher than the value determined by WHO.

Astaxanthin from Crustaceans and Their Byproducts: A Bioactive Metabolite Candidate for Therapeutic Application.

In recent years, the food, pharma, and cosmetic industries have shown considerable interest in bioactive molecules of marine origin that show high potential for application as nutraceuticals and therapeutic agents. Astaxanthin, a lipid-soluble and orange-reddish-colored carotenoid pigment, is one of the most investigated pigments. Natural astaxanthin is mainly produced from microalgae, and it shows much stronger antioxidant properties than its synthetic counterpart. This paper aims to summarize and discuss the important aspects and recent findings associated with the possible use of crustacean byproducts as a source of astaxanthin. In the last five years of research on the crustaceans and their byproducts as a source of natural astaxanthin, there are many new findings regarding the astaxanthin content in different species and new green extraction protocols for its extraction. However, there is a lack of information on the amounts of astaxanthin currently obtained from the byproducts as well as on the cost-effectiveness of the astaxanthin production from the byproducts. Improvement in these areas would most certainly contribute to the reduction of waste and reuse in the crustacean processing industry. Successful exploitation of byproducts for recovery of this valuable compound would have both environmental and social benefits. Finally, astaxanthin’s strong biological activity and prominent health benefits have been discussed in the paper.

Extraction and HPLC-ICP-MS Determination of Five Arsenic Species in Rice

Accurate quantitative analysis of the content of different species of arsenic in rice is the key to evaluate its quality. By using high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS), the extraction and analysis methods of five common arsenic species were optimized, including arsenite [As(III)], arsenate [As(V)] and monomethyl arsenic (MMA), dimethyl arsenic (DMA) and arsenicbetaine (AsB). The results showed that a mixed solution of 10 mmol/L anhydrous sodium acetate (CH3CHOONa), 3 mmol/L ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3), 2 mmol/L sodium dihydrogen phosphate (NaH2PO4) and 0.2 mmol/L disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid with a pH value of 10.22~10.27 was used as the flow phase, which can well separate the five species of arsenic in rice. The extraction efficiencies of nitric acid-water, phosphoric acid-water, hydrochloric acid-water, methanol-water, and pure water for five arsenic species in rice were compared, and the extraction solvent concentration, extraction time, auxiliary heating method and other conditions were compared and modified. The results showed that using 1% HNO3 aqueous solution as an extraction reagent, with treatment at a constant temperature of 90 ℃ for 3 hours, has a better extraction effect on arsenic in rice. The recovery rates of the five arsenic species in samples were between 84.24% and 112.75%, the relative standard deviation (RSD) was less than 7.74%, and the detection limits were between 0.2~0.5 µg/L. This study indicates that this method is suitable for the analysis of arsenic species in arsenic-containing rice.

Chemical Screening of Metabolites Profile from Romanian Tuber spp.

Truffles are the rarest species and appreciated species of edible fungi and are well-known for their distinctive aroma and high nutrient content. However, their chemical composition largely depends on the particularities of their grown environment. Recently, various studies investigate the phytoconstituents content of different species of truffles. However, this research is still very limited for Romanian truffles. This study reports the first complete metabolites profiles identification based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ESI-QTOF-MS) of two different types of Romania truffles: Tuber magnatum pico and Tuber brumale. In mass spectra (MS) in positive mode, over 100 metabolites were identified from 14 secondary metabolites categories: amino acids, terpenes, alkaloids, flavonoids, organic acids, fatty acids, phenolic acids, sulfur compounds, sterols, hydrocarbons, etc. Additionally, the biological activity of these secondary metabolite classes was discussed.

RP-HPLC Analysis of Anti-Parkinson’s Drug l-DOPA Content in Mucuna Species from Indian Subcontinent

Genus Mucuna has tremendous value in the Indian Ayurveda, and the species have been used for the management of diseases including Parkinson’s disease. Unfortunately, species other than M. pruriens are neglected for scientific investigation. In the present study, quantification of anti-Parkinson’s drug l-DOPA content using HPLC from eighteen different Mucuna samples from Indian subcontinent comprising nine species, five varieties of M. pruriens and a commercial Mucuna powder from Zandu Pharmaceutical Ltd. (MZP) is carried out. Seeds of eighteen Mucuna accessions were analyzed for l-DOPA content using RP-HPLC. The l-DOPA content from different samples is compared with commonly used M. pruriens var utilis. Moreover, possible correlation of protein and carbohydrate with l-DOPA synthesis is hypothesized. The authors found varying l-DOPA content in different species and varieties; and higher l-DOPA containing species were M. macrocarpa (11.6 ± 0.21%), M. sanjappae (10.81 ± 0.2%) and M. atropurpurea (10.80 ± 0.1%). Some of the M. pruriens accessions contained higher level of l-DOPA including M. pruriens var hirsuta (10.2 ± 0.15%), M. pruriens var utilis (Manipur) (9.9 ± 0.15%) and M. pruriens var pruriens (Aurangabad) (9.41 ± 0.07 and 9.5 ± 0.12%). The species, M. gigentea had the lowest l-DOPA content (3.68 ± 0.17%). The strong correlation between l-DOPA and carbohydrate content (R2 = 0.7997) was observed, whereas insignificant correlation (R2 = 0.0277) between protein and l-DOPA content was observed. Higher anti-Parkinson’s drug l-DOPA-containing species were found from India which can be explored further for better extraction of this immense drug. The present study opens a new avenue for metabolite modeling in plant for commercial production of l-DOPA at industrial level.

Antioxidant activity of different species and varieties of turmeric (Curcuma spp): Isolation of active compounds

There are >80 species of turmeric (Curcuma spp.) and some species have multiple varieties, for example, Curcuma longa (C. longa) has 70 varieties. They could be different in their chemical properties and biological activities. Therefore, we compared antioxidant activity, total phenolic and flavonoid content of different species and varieties of turmeric namely C. longa [variety: Ryudai gold (RD) and Okinawa ukon], C. xanthorrhiza, C. aromatica, C. amada, and C. zedoaria. The antioxidant activity was determined using the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity, oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), reducing power and 2-deoxyribose (2-DR) oxidation assay. Our results suggested that RD contained significantly higher concentrations of total phenolic (157.4 mg gallic acid equivalent/g extract) and flavonoids (1089.5 mg rutin equivalent/g extract). RD also showed significantly higher DPPH radical-scavenging activity (IC50: 26.4 μg/mL), ORAC (14,090 μmol Trolox equivalent/g extract), reducing power absorbance (0.33) and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity (IC50: 7.4 μg/mL). Therefore, RD was chosen for the isolation of antioxidant compounds using silica gel column, Toyopearl HW-40F column, and high-performance liquid chromatography. Structural identification of the compounds was conducted using 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The purified antioxidant compounds were bisabolone-9-one (1), 4-methyllene-5-hydroxybisabola-2,10-diene-9-one (2), turmeronol B (3), 5-hydroxy-1,7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1-hepten-3-one (4), 3-hydroxy-1,7-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-6-hepten-1,5-dione (5), cyclobisdemethoxycurcumin (6), bisdemethoxycurcumin (7), demethoxycurcumin (8) and curcumin (9). The IC50 for DPPH radical-scavenging activity were 474, 621, 234, 29, 39, 257, 198, 47 and 18 μM and hydroxyl radical-scavenging activity were 25.1, 24.4, 20.2, 2.1, 5.1, 17.2, 7.2, 3.3 and 1.5 μM for compound 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, respectively. Our findings suggested that the RD variety of C. longa, developed by the University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan, is a promising source of natural antioxidants.

Age-related and seasonal changes in covalently bound ceramide content in forearm stratum corneum of Japanese subjects: determination of molecular species of ceramides.

The stratum corneum (SC) consists of corneocytes surrounded by a neutral lipid-enriched intercellular matrix. Ceramides represent approximately 50% of intercellular lipids, and play important roles in retaining epidermal water. The SC also contains covalently bound ceramides, which are thought to play a crucial role in the formation of lamellar structures, and are involved in maintaining skin barrier function. A previous report showed that levels of free ceramides in human SC changed with the seasons and age, although whether the content of different species of covalently bound ceramides also underwent such temporal changes was unclear. Here, SC samples were taken from 99 healthy individuals of different ages (24-64years) and during different seasons. The content of different molecular species of covalently bound ceramides in the samples was quantified using HPLC-MS/MS. The levels of total covalently bound ceramides (Total-Cers) significantly decreased approximately 50% in autumn and winter, compared with that of spring and summer. The levels of covalently bound ceramides containing saturated fatty acids (SFA-Cers) in the spring and summer were approximately 2.3-fold higher than that seen in autumn and winter, whereas the level of covalently bound ceramides containing unsaturated fatty acids (USFA-Cers) in spring and summer were approximately 1.6-fold higher than that in autumn and winter. Furthermore, the ratio between SFA-Cers and USFA-Cers was significantly lower in spring and summer than in autumn and winter. The levels of SFA-Cers, but not USFA-Cers, were significantly lower in individuals ≥ 50years old compared to those who are 30- and 40-years old in the spring. Our study showed for the first time that, similar to free ceramides, the level of covalently bound ceramides changed with the seasons. However, age-related changes in covalently bound ceramide content were limited in that only the amount of SFA-Cers in the spring was lower in older individuals.

The influence of environmental features in the content of mycosporine-like amino acids in red marine algae along the Brazilian coast.

Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAA) are ultraviolet screen substances synthesized by marine algae. The physiological function of these substances is related to cellular protection against UV radiation and as a protective mechanism against oxidative stress. These substances can be found mainly in the ocean, among red seaweeds. Its concentration in organisms has been related to ultraviolet radiation and availability of inorganic nitrogen in the environment. We start our study of MAA content in different species to understand if environmental conditions influence the concentration of MAAs in red seaweeds. The Brazilian coast presents abiotic factors that interact to create different physical-chemical features in the environment. We collected 441 samples from 39 species of red seaweed easily found in the intertidal zone, in low tide, during the summer of 2015. The sampling encompassed a latitudinal gradient (3° S to 28°5' S) at 23 points along the coast. We quantified and identified the content of MAAs in species through the method of high performance liquid chromatography. We detected for the first time the occurrence of MAAs in certain species of red algae that have not been reported to contain MAAs before. We confirmed that some environmental factors influenced the content of MAAs. Enhanced MAA contents, for example, were found in environments with a basic pH, a high ultraviolet index, and high concentrations of phosphate and nitrate. Salinity, dissolved oxygen and variations of sea surface temperature also influenced, in a secondary way, MAA content in algae in their natural environments.

Convergent evolution of Y chromosome gene content in flies

Sex-chromosomes have formed repeatedly across Diptera from ordinary autosomes, and X-chromosomes mostly conserve their ancestral genes. Y-chromosomes are characterized by abundant gene-loss and an accumulation of repetitive DNA, yet the nature of the gene repertoire of fly Y-chromosomes is largely unknown. Here we trace gene-content evolution of Y-chromosomes across 22 Diptera species, using a subtraction pipeline that infers Y genes from male and female genome, and transcriptome data. Few genes remain on old Y-chromosomes, but the number of inferred Y-genes varies substantially between species. Young Y-chromosomes still show clear evidence of their autosomal origins, but most genes on old Y-chromosomes are not simply remnants of genes originally present on the proto-sex-chromosome that escaped degeneration, but instead were recruited secondarily from autosomes. Despite almost no overlap in Y-linked gene content in different species with independently formed sex-chromosomes, we find that Y-linked genes have evolved convergent gene functions associated with testis expression. Thus, male-specific selection appears as a dominant force shaping gene-content evolution of Y-chromosomes across fly species.

Estimation of vegetation carbon storage and density of forests at tree layer in Tibet, China.

The estimation of vegetation carbon storage and density of forests at tree layer in Tibet Autonomous Region was calculated based on the eighth forest inventory data using the biomass inventory method, as well as other attributes like tree trunk density and carbon content of different species. The results showed that the total carbon storage at tree layer in Tibet forest ecosystem was 1.067×109 t and the average carbon density was 72.49 t·hm-2. The carbon storage at tree layer of different stands was in the order of arbor forest > scattered wood > sparse forest > alluvial tree. The carbon storage of different forest types at tree layer were in the order of shelterbelt > special purpose forest > timber forest > firewood forest. The proportion of the first mentioned two was 88.5%, and the average carbon density of different forest types at tree layer was 88.09 t·hm-2. The carbon sto-rage and its distribution area at tree layer in different forest groups were in the same order, followed by mature forest > over mature forest > near mature forest > middle aged forest > young forest. The carbon storage in mature forests accounted for 50% of the total carbon storage at tree layer in diffe-rent forest groups. The carbon storage at tree layer in different forest groups increased first and then decreased with the increase of stand ages.

Profile of phenolic and organic acids, antioxidant properties and ergosterol content in cultivated and wild growing species of Agaricus

Among the Agaricus genus, both cultivated and wild growing species can be found. In the study, the profile of phenolic compounds and organic acids, as well as ergosterol content of different species of edible Agaricus, was estimated together with a comparison of their ability to scavenge DPPH radicals. The investigation was carried out on seven strains of Agaricus bisporus (one brown and six white), Agaricus blazei, Agaricus arvensis, Agaricus bitorquis, Agaricus campestris and Agaricus silvaticus. Before analysis, the samples were dried. Among nine organic acids detected in Agaricus species, oxalic, lactic and succinic acids were the most abundant. The profile was very heterogeneous with A. silvaticus, A. camperstis and A. arvensis found to be the species richest in organic acids. The phenolic profile revealed only phenolic acids, among which gallic, caffeic and ferulic were detected in all species. The dominant were gallic, trans-cinnamic and chlorogenic acids. The highest sum of phenolic acids and total phenolic content was found in A. brasiliensis. Antiradical of the extracts against DPPH radical was as follows: A. bitorquis > A. arvensis > A. brasiliensis > brown A. bisporus > A. campestris > A. silvaticus > white A. bisporus. The lowest EC50 value was estimated for A. brasiliensis and A. arvensis. A correlation was confirmed between antioxidant activity and phenolic acids. Ergosterol content reached the highest level in A. silvaticus and A. campestris. The investigation emphasizes the value of Agaricus species as a source of different bioactive compounds including phenolic compounds and organic acids.

Cyanogenic Toxicity and Human Health

Cyanogenic glycosides are naturally occurring compounds and are classified as secondary plant metabolites have been produced by many plant species. Hydrogen cyanide remains a product of enzymatic hydrolysis and thus a matter of concern when consumed fresh or raw. Bamboo shoot is one such species which liberates cyanide upon hydrolysis of Taxiphyllin. Literature on the toxicity aspect of bamboo shoots is scattered and very few studies report its significance, determination of toxic levels and ways to eliminate the toxic content to make it safe for consumption. With this background, this paper tries to reflect light on the safety aspect of bamboo shoots which cannot be neglected when we say bamboo shoots are nutritious vegetables. Therefore compiled and comprehensive information has been provided on the cyanogenic content in different species of bamboo shoots, fate of metabolism of Taxiphyllin and its degradation, health implications of cyanide poisoning and ways to eliminate it from shoots.

Variability in morpho-physiological traits and antioxidant potential of Rubus species in Central Himalayan Region

Exploration expeditions have been conducted to collect the untapped genetic diversity of Raspberries (Rubus spp.) available in Central Himalayan Region (CHR). Nine species of genus Rubus growing in CHR have been collected from altitudinal range of 1200–2070m asl. Collected germplasm has been characterized and conserved in the field gene bank at an altitude of 1480m asl. Considerable variability has been found in growth parameters, flowering, fruiting traits and antioxidant potential. Number of branches plant−1 varied from 5.8–10.2, terminal leaf length 5.69–8.90cm, terminal leaf width 2.23–9.81cm, terminal leaf petiole length 1.02–4.98cm, petal length 0.43–1.44cm, petal width 0.32–0.97cm, canopy per plant 12320.2–73317.3cm2, flower diameter 0.53–3.26cm, number of trusses plant−1 38–115, number of flowers truss−1 10.4–15.2, number of vesicles per fruit 23–82, fruit length 0.46–1.55cm, fruit width 0.46–1.11cm, fruit weight 0.422–2.212g, fruit volume 1.132–2.471cc and TSS of ready to eat fruits varied 8.33–12.20 °Brix. Collected germplasm has been evaluated for variability in antioxidant potential to find out antioxidant rich genotypes for commercialization. Total anthocyanin content in different species ranged from 0.36–0.86gkg−1 fresh weight (FW), total phenols were found to vary 0.818–1.32gkg−1 FW. Similarly, ascorbic acid content ranged 0.092–0.166gkg−1 FW, trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) of ready to eat fruits was found to vary 2.23–4.21 TE g−1 FW, ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) varied 14.563–35.965μM FRAP, ascorbic acid–phenol ratio of different Rubus species was found to vary 0.4237–0.7980. Indigenous technical knowledge associated with utilization of Rubus spp. in CHR was also gathered which may be utilized for research, for application in medicine and therapeutics. Available untapped genetic diversity may be utilized in breeding programmes as well as for cultivation as rich source of antioxidants.

Bound Water Content and Pore Size Distribution in Swollen Cell Walls Determined by NMR Technology

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation time distributions can provide detailed information about the moisture in wood. In this paper, the bound water content and pore size distributions in swollen cell wall of two kinds of softwoods (Pinus sylvestris and Cunninghamia lanceolata) and three kinds of hardwoods (Populus sp., Fraxinus excelsior L., and Ochroma lagopus) were determined by NMR cryoporometry. The total bound water content of swollen cell wall almost exceeds 35%, based on dry mass, which is obviously higher than the fiber saturation point (FSP) (appr. 30%) measured by the extrapolation method. The bound water content of different species is consistent with the hypothesis that with the decrease of basic density, the more bound water could be contained in wood. The proportion of the pore diameter smaller than 1.59 nm is higher than 70%, and the proportion of the pore diameter larger than 4 nm is no more than 10%.

Low Cost Alternative Fuel from Biomass

A major challenge for next decades is development of competitive renewable energy sources, highly needed to compensate fossil fuels reserves and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Among different possibilities, which are currently under investigation, there is the exploitation of unicellular algae for production of biofuels and biodiesel in particular. Microalgae have the ability of accumulating large amount of lipids within their cells which can be exploited as feedstock for the production of biodiesel. The lipid content of different species of microalgae can range from 30%-70% of their dry weight. In this project a microalgae with lipid content of 60.095% was used. This means that 26gms of oil was obtained from 42gms of microalgae sample from which 17.624gm of biodiesel (FAME) was found at the end of transesterification. Algae biofuels avoid some of the previous drawbacks associated with crop-based biofuels as the algae do not compete with food crops. The favorable growing conditions found in many developing countries has led to a great deal of speculation about their potentials for reducing oil imports, stimulating rural economies, and even tackling hunger and poverty. Strong research efforts are however still needed to fulfill this potential and optimize cultivation systems and biomass harvesting.