Plasma levels of six carotenoids in nine European countries: report from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)     

Al-Delaimy WK  van Kappel AL  Ferrari P  Slimani N  Steghens JP  Bingham S  Johansson I  Wallström P  Overvad K  Tjønneland A  Key TJ  Welch AA  Bueno-de-Mesquita HB  Peeters PH  Boeing H  Linseisen J  Clavel-Chapelon F  Guibout C  Navarro C  Quirós JR  Palli D  Celentano E  Trichopoulou A  Benetou V  Kaaks R  Riboli E 《Public health nutrition》2004,7(6):713-722

BACKGROUND: In addition to their possible direct biological effects, plasma carotenoids can be used as biochemical markers of fruit and vegetable consumption for identifying diet-disease associations in epidemiological studies. Few studies have compared levels of these carotenoids between countries in Europe. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to assess the variability of plasma carotenoid levels within the cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). METHODS: Plasma levels of six carotenoids--alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin--were measured cross-sectionally in 3043 study subjects from 16 regions in nine European countries. We investigated the relative influence of gender, season, age, body mass index (BMI), alcohol intake and smoking status on plasma levels of the carotenoids. RESULTS: Mean plasma level of the sum of the six carotenoids varied twofold between regions (1.35 micromol l(-1) for men in Malm?, Sweden vs. 2.79 micromol l(-1) for men in Ragusa/Naples, Italy; 1.61 micromol l(-1) for women in The Netherlands vs. 3.52 micromol l(-1) in Ragusa/Naples, Italy). Mean levels of individual carotenoids varied up to fourfold (alpha-carotene: 0.06 micromol l(-1) for men in Murcia, Spain vs. 0.25 micromol l(-1) for vegetarian men living in the UK). In multivariate regression analyses, region was the most important predictor of total plasma carotenoid level (partial R(2)=27.3%), followed by BMI (partial R(2)=5.2%), gender (partial R(2)=2.7%) and smoking status (partial R(2)=2.8%). Females had higher total carotenoid levels than males across Europe. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma levels of carotenoids vary substantially between 16 different regions in Italy, Greece, Spain, France, Germany, the UK, Sweden, Denmark and The Netherlands. Compared with region of residence, the other demographic and lifestyle factors and laboratory measurements have limited predictive value for plasma carotenoid levels in Europe.  相似文献   

Nitrate Dynamics in Shallow Groundwater and the Potential for Transport to Off-Site Water Bodies     

Rasiah  V.  Armour  J. D.  Yamamoto  T.  Mahendrarajah  S.  Heiner  D. H. 《Water, air, and soil pollution》2003,147(1-4):183-202

Large quantities of the nitrate leaching below the crop root-zone, particularly during the wet season, in the tropical Far North Queensland (FNQ) of Australia, may be entering off and on-site the water bodies. The objectives of this study were to (i) provide quantitative information on NO₃-N in the shallow fluctuating groundwater (GW) that develops during the rainy season (January through May) in the Johnstone River Catchment (JRC) of FNQ and (ii) determine whether this NO₃-N is potentially transportable to creeks/streams. The NO₃-N concentration and GW table heights were monitored, at least at weekly intervals, in 6 piezometers, installed to 8.5–12.0 m depth in 6 different soil types under fertilized sugarcane (Saccharum Officinarum-S) in the JRC during the 1999 rainy season.Depending on the location of piezometers on the landscape and time of water sampling, the GW table fluctuated between from 1.5 to 11.5 m abovethe piezometer bottom. The NO₃-N concentration in the fluctuating GW also showed spatio-temporal dynamics and it ranged from 0.60 to 3.70 mg L^-1. The NO₃-N adsorbed at anion exchanges sites, up to 10 m depth, ranged from 154 to 3956 kg ha^-1, compared with 21 kgha^-1 under rainforest. In the fluctuating GW, the NO₃-N concentration increased with increasing GW table height and the NO₃-N adsorbed at anion exchange sites (R² = 0.96). The NO₃-N load in the GW ranged from 40 to 110 kg ha^-1 and it increased with increasing GW table and GW NO₃-N concentration. The estimated N-load in the GW that was discharged into creeks/streams when the GW receded ranged from 21 to 81 kg ha^-1. The results provide evidence that a(i) a major proportion of the NO₃-N that was leaching below the sugarcane root-zone entered the shallow GW that developed during the rainy season, and (ii) a significant proportion of the NO₃-N inthe GW was transported to creeks/streams when the GW table receded.  相似文献   

Dynamics of maize (Zea mays L.) leaf straw mineralization as affected by the presence of soil and the availability of nitrogen     

Martin Potthoff  Jens Dyckmans  Heiner Flessa  Friedrich Beese 《Soil biology & biochemistry》2005,37(7):1259-1266

An incubation experiment was carried out with maize (Zea mays L.) leaf straw to analyze the effects of mixing the residues with soil and N amendment on the decomposition process. In order to distinguish between soil effects and nitrogen effects for both the phyllospheric microorganisms already present on the surface of maize straw and soil microorganisms the N amendment was applied in two different placements: directly to the straw or to the soil. The experiment was performed in dynamic, automated microcosms for 22 days at 15 °C with 7 treatments: (1) untreated soil, (2) non-amended maize leaf straw without soil, (3) N amended maize leaf straw without soil, (4) soil mixed with maize leaf straw, (5) N amended soil, (6) N amended soil mixed with maize leaf straw, and (7) soil mixed with N amended maize leaf straw. ¹⁵NH₄¹⁵NO₃ (5 at%) was added. Gas emissions (CO₂, ¹³CO₂ and N₂O) were continuously recorded throughout the experiment. Microbial biomass C, biomass N, ergosterol, δ¹³C of soil organic C and of microbial biomass C as well as ¹⁵N in soil total N, mineral N and microbial biomass N were determined in soil samples at the end of the incubation. The CO₂ evolution rate showed a lag-phase of two days in the non-amended maize leaf straw treatment without soil, which was completely eliminated when mineral N was added. The addition of N generally increased the CO₂ evolution rate during the initial stages of maize leaf straw decomposition, but not the cumulative CO₂ production. The presence of soil caused roughly a 50% increase in cumulative CO₂ production within 22 days in the maize straw treatments due to a slower decrease of CO₂ evolution after the initial activity peak. Since there are no limitations of water or N, we suggest that soil provides a microbial community ensuring an effective succession of straw decomposing microorganisms. In the treatments where maize and soil was mixed, 75% of microbial biomass C was derived from maize. We concluded that this high contribution of maize using microbiota indicates a strong influence of organisms of phyllospheric origin to the microbial community in the soil after plant residues enter the soil.  相似文献   

Physics. Coherent power booster     

Linke H 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》2003,299(5608):841-842

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Efficiency of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rz1</Emphasis>-based rhizomania resistance and molecular studies on BNYVV isolates from sugar beet cultivation in Greece     

Ourania Pavli  Marcel Prins  Rob Goldbach  George N. Skaracis 《European journal of plant pathology / European Foundation for Plant Pathology》2011,130(2):133-142

A survey was carried out to investigate the current situation concerning rhizomania disease incidence in sugar beet cultivation of Greece. A systematic field evaluation over locations and years revealed a consistent disease severity pattern according to favourable agroclimatic conditions and pointed to the so far effectiveness of the Rz1 gene-based resistance, as no major disease outbreaks were observed. Molecular analyses aiming at the characterization of the type and genetic diversity of the virus further confirmed the widespread occurrence of BNYVV in the country, as evidenced by RT-PCR amplification of all five known genomic molecules and nested-PCR assays. None of the isolates contained an RNA 5, typically found in pathotype P. On the basis of RFLP patterns, all BNYVV isolates analysed were classified as pathotype A. Sequence determination of the full-length RNA 3-encoded p25 protein, responsible for symptom development, revealed amino acid motifs ACHG/VCHG in the hypervariable region aa_67–70. The presence of valine in position 67 did not appear associated with increased pathogenicity and resistance breaking properties, as earlier reported.  相似文献   

Property rights distribution and entrepreneurial rent-seeking in Romanian forestry: a perspective of private forest owners     

Liviu Nichiforel  Heiner Schanz 《European Journal of Forest Research》2011,130(3):369-381

In the framework of a broader political economics approach, this paper intends to enhance the understanding of the role of rent-seeking practices in the delineation of clear property rights in forestry. The research background is provided by the institutional changes occurring in the Romanian forestry sector as a consequence of the transition period and the accession to the European Union. The entrepreneurial approach to rent-seeking requires clarifications of the perspective under which private forest owners are analysed in order to position this study within ongoing discussions regarding the role of rent-seeking and its social impact. The conceptual framework employed distinguishes between rents resulting from entrepreneurship in conventional production functions and rents resulting from institutional entrepreneurship. A typology of entrepreneurial rent-seeking is developed for further understanding of the effects resulting from changes in the institutional setting of property rights. Using a qualitative approach, in the form of a case study, the research reveals perspectives of Romanian forest owners regarding barriers to production inherent in the current distribution of rights. Despite the extent of perceived profit-seeking barriers, owners’ entrepreneurial rent-seeking actions intended to change property rights in their favour appear limited and constrained. Hence, identified hypotheses regarding the institutional context dependency of entrepreneurial rent-seeking provide the basis for the future empirical identification of the role of institutional entrepreneurship within the forest production system.  相似文献   

Emission rates of N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O and CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> from soils with different organic matter content from three long-term fertilization experiments—a laboratory study     

Nadine Jäger  Claus Florian Stange  Bernard Ludwig  Heiner Flessa 《Biology and Fertility of Soils》2011,47(5):483-494

Increasing organic matter stocks in soils reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂), but they may also promote emissions of nitrous oxide (N₂O) by providing substrates for nitrification and denitrification and by increasing microbial O₂ consumption. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of fertilization history, which had resulted in different soil organic matter stocks on (1) the emission rates of N₂O and CO₂ at a constant soil moisture content of 60% water-holding capacity, (2) the short-term fluxes of N₂O and CO₂ following the application of different fertilizers (KNO₃ vs. farmyard manure from cattle) and (3) the response to a simulated heavy rainfall event, which increased soil moisture to field capacity. Soil samples from different treatments of three long-term fertilization experiments in Germany (Methau, Spröda and Bad Lauchstädt) were incubated in a laboratory experiment with continuous determination of N₂O and CO₂ emissions and a monitoring of soil mineral N. The long-term fertilization treatments included application of mineral N (Methau and Spröda), farmyard manure + mineral N (Methau and Spröda), farmyard manure deposition in excess (Bad Lauchstädt) and nil fertilization (Bad Lauchstädt). Long-term addition of farmyard manure increased the soil organic C (SOC) content by 55% at Methau (silt loam), by 17% at Spröda (sandy loam) and by 88% at Bad Lauchstädt (silt loam; extreme treatment which does not represent common agricultural management). Increased soil organic matter stocks induced by long-term application of farmyard manure at Methau and Spröda resulted in slightly increased N₂O emissions at a soil moisture content of 60% water-holding capacity. However, the effect of fertilization history and SOC content on N₂O emissions was small compared to the short-term effects induced by the current fertilizer application. At Bad Lauchstädt, high N₂O emissions from the treatment without fertilization for 25 years indicate the importance of a sustainable soil organic matter management to maintain soil structure and soil aeration. Emissions of N₂O following the application of nitrate and farmyard manure differed because of their specific effects on soil nitrate availability and microbial oxygen consumption. At a soil moisture content of 60% water-holding capacity, fertilizer-induced emissions were higher for farmyard manure than for nitrate. At field capacity, nitrate application induced the highest emissions. Our results indicate that feedback mechanisms of soil C sequestration on N₂O emissions have to be considered when discussing options to increase soil C stocks.  相似文献   

Effect of fertilization history on short-term emission of CO2 and N2O after the application of different N fertilizers – a laboratory study     

Nadine Jäger  Andreas Duffner  Bernard Ludwig  Heiner Flessa 《Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science》2013,59(2):161-171

Increasing organic carbon (OC) stocks in soils reduce atmospheric CO₂, but may also cause enhanced N₂O emissions. The objective of this study was to determine whether there are any differences in N₂O and CO₂ emissions from sandy arable soils with different soil OC and total nitrogen stocks due to the annual application of either farmyard manure (S-FYM) or mineral fertilizer (S-MIN) over 27 years. A laboratory incubation was performed to test the short-term effects of the application of different fertilizers [farmyard manure (FYM), KNO₃ (MIN) and biogas waste (BW)] on N₂O and CO₂ emissions. The CO₂ emission rates indicated that OC availability in the soil was higher after BW application than after FYM application. N₂O emission for 53 days following fertilizer application amounted to 0.01% (MIN), 0.21% (FYM) and 24% (BW) of the total amount of N applied. The high emissions induced by BW were attributed to the combination of a high availability of OC and ammonium in the fermented waste. Fertilization history, which caused higher soil OC stocks in S-FYM, did not influence N₂O emissions. The results suggest that characterization of C and N pools in organic fertilizers is required to assess their impact on N₂O emissions.  相似文献   

Shrinkage potential and pore shrinkage capacity of differently developed volcanic ash soils under pastures in southern Chile          下载免费PDF全文

Steffen Beck‐Broichsitter  Heiner Fleige  Marc‐Oliver Goebel  José Dörner  Jörg Bachmann  Rainer Horn 《植物养料与土壤学杂志》2016,179(6):799-808

The drying process of volcanic ash soils often results in the formation of shrinkage cracks with consequences for their physical properties (i.e., decrease of water retention capacity) and land use management. This study presents the soil water characteristics and shrinkage behaviour (shrinkage phases in terms of void and moisture ratio), the shrinkage potential (COLE index), and the pore shrinkage capacity (PSI) for 5 and 20 cm depth of a Haplic Arenosol (tephric) and two Silandic Andosols under pasture management along a soil gradient from the Andean mountains to the coastal range in southern Chile. The main focus of the presented study is on the effect of soil development in conjunction with the weathering of volcanic ash soils on the shrinkage properties. The water retention and shrinkage curves were continuously determined for undisturbed soil samples (100 cm³) during a drying process under laboratory conditions. In addition, the shrinkage curve data were modelled to distinguish different shrinkage zones. The results suggest that the investigated soil properties vary depending on soil development. The more developed Andosols had higher total porosities (up to 70 cm³ cm^?3) than the less developed Arenosol. The shrinkage behaviour of the Haplic Arenosol showed a wide structural shrinkage phase, whereas the Silandic Andosols revealed a more pronounced proportional shrinkage phase, which is related to the pore size distribution. In addition, wide and narrow coarse pores of the Haplic Arenosol and medium and fine pores of the Silandic Andosols determine the shrinkage potential (COLE) and the pore shrinkage capacity, respectively. The finer‐grained and organic matter‐rich Andosols indicate a higher COLE index (> 0.03–0.09) compared to the Arenosol (≤ 0.03). The pore shrinkage index (PSI) of the total pores (TP) varied significantly (P < 0.05) with values of 0.042–0.149 in 5 cm depth and 0.04–0.091 in 20 cm depth of sites 1–3, respectively.In summary, the shrinkage potential and pore shrinkage capacity are positively correlated to the organic carbon content and decrease with increasing dry bulk density. The study points out a higher risk of soil degradation due to irreversible drying processes for the more clayey and allophane containing Andosols than the Arenosol.  相似文献   

Canine CD4(+)CD8(+) double positive T cells in peripheral blood have features of activated T cells     

D Bismarck  N Schütze  P Moore  M Büttner  G Alber  HV Buttlar 《Veterinary immunology and immunopathology》2012,149(3-4):157-166

In dogs a CD4(+)CD8(+) double positive T cell subpopulation exists that has not been phenotypically defined yet. We demonstrate that canine CD4(+)CD8(+) T cells are mature CD1a(-) and TCRαβ(+) T cells. To analyse the activation potential of CD4(+)CD8(+) T cells, PBMC from dogs vaccinated against canine distemper virus (CDV) were re-stimulated with CDV. Upon antigen-specific stimulation, the CD4(+)CD8(+) T cell fraction increases and consists nearly exclusively of proliferated cells. Similarly, other features of activated effector/memory T cells such as up-regulation of CD25 and MHC-II as well as down-regulation of CD62L (L-selectin) were observed in CD4(+)CD8(+) T cells after stimulation. Canine CD4(+)CD8(+) T cells are less abundant, but more heterogeneous than porcine ones, comprising a small proportion expressing the β chain of CD8 in addition to the CD8α chain, like human CD4(+)CD8(+) T cells. In summary, this analysis provides the basis for functional characterisation of the in vivo relevance of CD4(+)CD8(+) T cells in T-cell mediated immunity.  相似文献