Natural fermentation of plant tissues as environmental remediation materials to improve soil and enhance plant resistance to cadmium stress

Cadmium (Cd) pollution poses a serious threat to various ecosystems, and phytoremediation is an alternate method for developing the soil health. To better utilize phytoremediation for Cd-contaminated soil remediation, the ginkgo leaves, pine needles, and Eucommia bark were mixed and naturally fermented to obtain Ginkgo biloba–Pinus massoniana–Eucommia ulmoides (GPE) Jiaosu and Jiaosu residue, whose effects on Broussonetia papyrifera planted in Cd-contaminated soil were evaluated. The results showed that the contents of the protein, phenolic, vitamin E, and alcohol of GPE Jiaosu were 4400 ± 0.46, 0.22 ± 0.01, 0.88 ± 0.24, and 4.63 ± 0.25 μL/mL, accordingly, with fine antioxidant activity. The soil pH, electrical conductivity content, organic carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen, available phosphorus, and Cd concentration were all significantly (p < 0.05) modified. The chlorophyll content of B. papyrifera was increased by using Jiaosu residue in 12 hours, while the promotion effect of Jiaosu appeared in the later stage (60 days). The Cd tolerance physiological indexes such as malondialdehyde content and antioxidant enzymes' activity were all regulated. Applying the Jiaosu residue, the Cd in stems was decreased by 72.61% under 1000 mg/kg Cd treatment. These results suggested that GPE Jiaosu and Jiaosu residue can improve the properties of Cd-contaminated soil, promote the Cd tolerance of B. papyrifera, and affect the Cd migration. The current study provides a new bioremediation method using the Jiaosu and Jiaosu residue as Cd environmental remediation materials in a recyclable pathway, which is a circular and healthy development concept that integrates economic, ecological, and social significance.     

Influence of prebrining treatments on microbial and biochemical changes during the baceman stage in Indonesian kecap (soy sauce) production

Prior to the baceman stage or brine fermentation in Indonesian kecap (soy sauce) production, the soybeans undergo a number of treatments, such as soaking, cooking and a fungal solid state fermentation (bungkil stage). The influence of these prebrining steps on the baceman stage was investigated. Acidification during soaking inhibited bacterial growth during the solid state fermentation, causing lower initial numbers of bacteria in and a slower acidification of the baceman. Cooking time influenced the softness of the beans and thus fungal growth during the bungkil stage. Increasing the cooking time from 1 to 3 h resulted in a better solubility of macromolecules and gave higher final concentrations of fermentation products and formol nitrogen in baceman. When cooking time was increased from 3 to 5 h only slight differences could be observed. Length of the bungkil stage had some minor influences; the amount of fermentation products and residual monosaccharides decreased by 16% when the length was increased from 2 to 7 d. The highest amounts of formol nitrogen were found with 5 d of bungkil fermentation. The addition of rice flour showed that the absence of yeast fermentation in baceman is related to the lack of sugars after the previous lactic acid fermentation. In addition to yeast fermentation, the growth of fungi during the bungkil stage was also positively influenced by the addition of rice flour. Sun drying and crumbling bungkil caused lower enzyme activities and resulted in lower amounts of formol nitrogen and glycerol. Growth of Pediococcus halophilus during the baceman stage was faster when bungkil was sun dried, although the final concentrations of fermentation products were lower due to a lower content of amino acids which resulted in less buffering. Increasing the amount of bungkil added to salty water caused a similar increase in formol nitrogen and fermentation products.     

Cholecystokinin modulates isoproterenol induced changes in rat parotid gland

1. Parotid gland secretory function and activity of several enzymes involved in intracellular second messenger signalling were measured in rats receiving 0.5 ml i.p. injections of saline (control), isoproterenol, CCK or both drugs.2. Isoproterenol caused a 2.5-fold increase in parotid gland wet weight compared to control. Chronic administration of CCK alone has no effect on gland weight. A combination of CCK and isoproterenol did not alter the hypertrophy of the gland observed with isoproterenol alone.3. Isoproterenol administration caused a 74% decrease in parotid gland amylase enzyme activity. While CCK alone did not influence the enzyme activity, it depressed amylase mRNA steady state levels and had an additive effect on further decreasing mRNA levels when administered in combination with β-agonist.4. Phospholipase C registered an increase ranging from 22 to 38% in all experimental groups as compared to control.5. Parotid gland protein kinase C and PdtIns 3-kinase activity were not altered in response to CCK alone, but in combination with isoproterenol, appeared to moderate β-agonist signal transduction responses.     

Screening for strains of Aspergillus oryzae that degrade carbamide for use in sake brewing

We screened 65 strains of Aspergillus oryzae for ones that degraded carbamide, Two strains, IFO 5238 and IFO 30113, were selected and used to prepare rice koji. Sake made with the rice koji prepared with these strains had less than half (less than 15 ppm) of the carbamide in sake made with rice koji prepared with commercial spores of A. oryzae.     

Elimination of caffeine interference in high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of cotinine in human plasma

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method with ultraviolet photometric detection for the determination of cotinine in human plasma was described. The use of a 30-cm reversed-phase column and of a mobile phase consisting of water—methanol—0.1 M sodium acetate—acetonitrile (72:21:5.6:1.4, v/v), pH 4.1, eliminated caffeine interference. A simplified solid-phase extraction procedure was also performed for plasma samples.     

Use of group-specific antibodies to detect fecal progesterone metabolites during the estrous cycle of cows

Progesterone is metabolized to pregnanediones and hydroxylated pregnanes prior to its fecal excretion. Therefore, use of progesterone antibodies underestimates the actual amount of fecal metabolites. To improve the methodology of noninvasive fecal progesterone metabolite analysis, enzymeimmunoassays (EIA) using group-specific antibodies against 5-reduced 20-oxo-pregnane-C3-conjugates were developed. Fecal and milk samples were collected at 1- to 2-d intervals during the morning and evening milking throughout 1 estrous cycle in dairy cows (n = 12). Six immunoreactive metabolites were detected in the feces with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), eluting as 5α- and 5β-reduced pregnanes containing a 20-oxo-group (20-oxo-pregnanes). Fecal samples of 3 cows were analyzed by 3 EIAs using antibodies against 4-pregnene-6α-ol-3,20-dione 6HS:BSA (6HS-progesterone), 5α-pregnane-3β-ol-20-one 3HS:BSA and 5β-pregnane-3β-ol-20-one 3HS:BSA, respectively. The follicular and luteal phases were identifiable with each EIA. Luteal phase values and the differences between mean follicular (Days 0 to 2 and 19 to 21) and luteal phase (Days 10 to 16) values obtained with the 5-pregnane EIAs were 3- to 4-fold higher than with the 6HS-progesterone EIA. Since results with the former 2 EIAs were almost identical, the remaining samples were only analyzed by the EIA for 5β-pregnane-3α-ol-20-one. Fecal 20-oxo-pregnane concentrations were parallel to milk progesterone values, but had a lag time of about 0.5 d; the coefficient of correlation (P < 0.001) was 0.76 (y = 155.2 × + 37.2). Fecal 20-oxo-pregnane concentrations during the follicular and luteal phase were 39.5 ± 2.2 and 341 ± 15.2 ng/g feces, respectively. In conclusion, fecal 20-oxo-pregnanes are significantly correlated to milk progesterone concentrations. They consist of several metabolites and compared to a 6HS-progesterone antibody, their evaluation was improved using antibodies against 5-reduced pregnanes.     

不同林龄刺槐叶功能性状差异及其与土壤养分的关系

对不同林龄刺槐群落叶功能性状差异及其与土壤养分的关系进行研究,分析刺槐对黄土丘陵区土壤环境的适应策略.结果表明: 随林龄的增大,刺槐比叶面积、叶面积、叶片含水量、叶全氮含量及叶有机碳含量呈先增大后减小的变化趋势,且在30年林龄时达到最大值,分别为279.18 cm²·g^-1、12.33 cm²、0.09%、33.01 g·kg^-1、523.08 g·kg^-1.随林龄的增大,叶组织密度、叶全磷含量、叶厚度及气孔密度呈增大趋势,气孔长度及气孔宽度呈减小趋势.主成分分析表明,叶面积、比叶面积、叶全磷含量、叶片含水量、叶厚度及气孔密度均为刺槐叶功能性状随林龄变化的主要指标.各指标间呈一定的相关性,这表明刺槐能改变自身的形态结构,形成最佳功能组合以适应环境的变化.影响叶面积、叶片含水量、比叶面积及气孔长度的主要土壤因子是土壤全氮含量,影响气孔宽度、叶组织密度、叶厚度、叶全磷含量、叶全氮含量及气孔密度的主要土壤因子是土壤有机碳含量,这表明土壤全氮含量和有机碳含量是影响不同林龄刺槐叶功能性状的主要土壤因子.随林龄的增大,刺槐群落土壤养分得到改善,进而影响刺槐叶功能性状.不同林龄刺槐叶功能性状的差异反映出刺槐具有较强的叶片形态可塑性,有利于其适应黄土丘陵区的土壤环境.