Global nuts and local mangoes: a critical reading of the UNDP Growing Sustainable Business Initiative in Kenya

This article provides a conceptual and empirical assessment of UN brokered partnerships that seek to deepen or create inclusive and sustainable agricultural supply chains in sub-Saharan Africa. More specifically it appraises the decision-making mechanisms, processes of partnership brokerage and project implementation within the UNDP Growing Sustainable Business Initiative (GSB) in Kenya. The paper argues that the lack of bottom-up participation in decision-making mechanisms and the predominantly economic imperatives driving the GSB partnership projects have failed to reach out to the partnerships’ intended beneficiaries—Kenyan small producers of nuts and mangoes. In conclusion it is suggested that opening up the GSB platform might hold the promise of reconciling sustainable business models with (some) poverty reduction

New Insights into the Phylogeny and Molecular Classification of Nicotinamide Mononucleotide Deamidases

Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) deamidase is one of the key enzymes of the bacterial pyridine nucleotide cycle (PNC). It catalyzes the conversion of NMN to nicotinic acid mononucleotide, which is later converted to NAD+ by entering the Preiss-Handler pathway. However, very few biochemical data are available regarding this enzyme. This paper represents the first complete molecular characterization of a novel NMN deamidase from the halotolerant and alkaliphilic bacterium Oceanobacillus iheyensis (OiPncC). The enzyme was active over a broad pH range, with an optimum at pH 7.4, whilst maintaining 90 % activity at pH 10.0. Surprisingly, the enzyme was quite stable at such basic pH, maintaining 61 % activity after 21 days. As regard temperature, it had an optimum at 65 °C but its stability was better below 50 °C. OiPncC was a Michaelian enzyme towards its only substrate NMN, with a Km value of 0.18 mM and a kcat/Km of 2.1 mM-1 s-1. To further our understanding of these enzymes, a complete phylogenetic and structural analysis was carried out taking into account the two Pfam domains usually associated with them (MocF and CinA). This analysis sheds light on the evolution of NMN deamidases, and enables the classification of NMN deamidases into 12 different subgroups, pointing to a novel domain architecture never before described. Using a Logo representation, conserved blocks were determined, providing new insights on the crucial residues involved in the binding and catalysis of both CinA and MocF domains. The analysis of these conserved blocks within new protein sequences could permit the more efficient data curation of incoming NMN deamidases

Drama and discounting in the relational dynamics of corporate social responsibility

Employing theoretical resources from Transactional Analysis (TA) and drawing from interviews with managers dealing with social or environmental issues in their role, we explain how CSR activity provides a context for dramas in which actors may ignore, or discount aspects of self, others, and the contexts of their work as they maintain and reproduce the roles of Rescuers, Persecutors and Victims. In doing so, we add to knowledge about CSR by providing an explanation for how the contradictions of CSR are avoided in practice even when actors may be aware of them. Specifically, we theorise how CSR work can produce dramatic stories where adversity is apparently overcome, whilst little is actually achieved at the social level. We also add to the range of psychoanalytic tools used to account for organisational behaviours, emphasising how TA can explain the relational dynamics of CSR

Croton schiedeanus Schltd prevents experimental hypertension in rats induced by nitric oxide deficit

Croton schiedeanus Schltd (N.V.: "almizclillo") is a plant used in traditional medicine as an antihypertensive in Colombia. It contains flavonoid, diterpenoid and fenilbutanoid metabolites that have vasodilatation effects linked to the NO/cGMP pathway. This work aimed to assess the capacity of a 96% EtOH extract to prevent the hypertension induced by nitric oxide (NO) deficiency in rats. The NO synthase inhibitor L-NAME (10 mg/kg/d, i.p) was administered during five weeks to three groups of rats (6-7 animals): C. Schiedeanus (200 mg/kg/d, p.o), enalapril (reference, 10 mg/kg/d, p.o) and vehicle (control: olive oil 1 ml/kg/d, p.o). In addition, the blank group received only vehicle. The arterial blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) were measured daily for six weeks. After sacrificing the animals, the aortic rings were isolated, contraction was triggered with phenylephrine (PE 10-6 M) and relaxant responses were achieved with cumulative concentrations of acetylcholine (ACh, 10-10 - 10-4 M). L-NAME increased the systolic arterial pressure in the control group, attaining mean values of 131 mm Hg at week 5, whereas the C. schiedeanus, enalapril and blank groups maintained blood pressure under 100 mm Hg. The capacity of PE to contract aortic rings was greater in the C. schiedeanus, enalapril and blank groups than in the control group (2157, 2005, 1910 and 1646 mg, respectively). The pEC50 values for ACh were as follows: C. Schiedeanus (6.89) >enalapril (6.39) > blank (5.68) > control (5.09). These results give support to C. Schiedeanus as a natural antihypertensive source

Novel casein-derived ingredient with antihypertensive activity

Trabajo presentado al IDF World Dairy Summit - United Dairy World celebrado en Berlín (Alemania) del 20 al 24 de septiembre de 2009.AGL2007-65035; AGL2008-01713; CENIT-DEV-MET-FUN; CONSOLIDER INGENIO 2010 FUN-C-FOOD CSD 2007-063; CAM S-0505/AGR/0153.Peer Reviewe

Novel casein-derived peptides with antihypertensive activity

In this study, we report novel casein-derived peptide sequences with angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory activity and antihypertensive activity demonstrated in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). The peptides were obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis of total isoelectric casein with pepsin. To identify ACE-inhibitory peptides, the casein hydrolysate was fractionated by semi-preparative high performance liquid chromatography, and 44 (CN) peptides contained in the active fractions were sequenced by using an ion trap mass spectrometer. Among the identified peptides, three sequences, that corresponded to αs1-CN f(90-94) (RYLGY), αs1-CN f(143-149) (AYFYPEL), and αS2-CN f(89-95) (YQKFPQY), showed IC50 values as low as 0.71 μm, 6.58 μm, and 20.08 μm, respectively. These three peptides also exerted antihypertensive activity when they were orally administered to SHR at a dose of 5 mg kg-1 of body weight. The activity of peptides RYLGY and AYFYPEL in SHR was similar to that found for tripeptide VPP when orally administered at the same dose. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.This work has received financial support from the projects AGL2007-65035, and Consolider Ingenio 2010, FUN-C-Food CSD2007-063 from the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and project S-0505/AGR/0153 from Comunidad de Madrid. M. M. Contreras was the recipient of a fellowship of the I3P Programme from the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas.Peer Reviewe