Differences in Thermal Stability of Glucosinolates in Five Brassica Vegetables

The thermal stability of individual glucosinolates within five different Brassica vegetables was studied at 100°C for different incubation times up to 120 minutes. Three vegetables that were used in this study were Brassica oleracea (red cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts) and two were Brassica rapa (pak choi and Chinese cabbage). To rule out the influence of enzymatic breakdown, myrosinase was inactivated prior to the thermal treatments. The stability of three glucosinolates that occurred in all five vegetables (gluconapin, glucobrassicin and 4-methoxyglucobrassicin) varied considerably between the different vegetables. The degradation could be modeled by first order kinetics. The rate constants obtained varied between four to twenty fold between the five vegetables. Brussels sprouts showed the highest degradation rates for all three glucosinolates. The two indole glucosinolates were most stable in red cabbage, while gluconapin was most stable in broccoli. These results indicate the possibilities for plant breeding to select for cultivars in which glucosinolates are more stable during processin

Chimerism of the tomato plant after seed irradiation with fast neutrons.

Sideshoots below the second truss of M1 plants of irradiated Moneymaker were rooted as cuttings and their progeny and those of the first 2 trusses of the mother plants were examined for the distribution of morphological and colour mutation. Seeds collected from the lowest parts of the plant produced most mutant seedlings; physiological reasons for this are discussed. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission

Effects of light and temperature on lettuce seedlings.

In the first of 2 experiments lettuces were grown either under natural light conditions in the glasshouse in December and January or under 8- or 16-h daylengths, with several temperature regimes, and the leaf area per plant was measured after 22 and 45 days. Under natural light growth during the first 22 days was slight but subsequent growth was greatest with a light/dark temperature regime of 13/13 deg C, followed by one of 17/17 deg . With an 8-h day growth with diurnally changing temperatures was much greater than with constant ones, the best results being obtained with a regime of 25/17 deg . With a 16-h day the effect of diurnal temperature was much less marked and a constant high temperature regime of 21/21 deg gave better results than one of 25/17 deg . In the second experiment the plants were grown for 4 weeks under the same temperature regimes with 8- or 16-h daylengths, but the light intensity was varied by placing the plants at 2 vertical distances from the overhead lamps and all plants receiving a 16-h daylength were shaded by cheesecloth. The best results were obtained with a 16-h daylength with the plants placed close to the lamps; the effects of temperature were not so marked, but regimes of 25/17, 21/13 or 17/17 deg were the most satisfactory. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission

Radiation-induced easy peeling and oblong fruit mutants of the tomato.

The genetics of two radiation-induced mutants of cv. Moneymaker, "easy peeling" and "oblong fruit with strong skin", were studied. Both were governed by a single recessive gene. The combination of both traits was achieved by crossing, but it was impossible to break the association between oblong fruit and strong skin. Hybrid easy peeling material with round or oblong fruit shape was selected for yield and improvements up to 30% over Moneymaker were reached under experimental conditions. The easy peeling trait may be of interest both for the canning industry and for fresh consumption.-Univ. Wageningen & Neth. Inst. atomic Sci. Agric. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission

Preparation and properties of new oxygen ion conductors for use at low temperatures

Two new systems, Bi2O3---Er2O3 and ZrO2---Y2O3(CaO)---Bi2O3 were investigated. The first system has a homogeneous cubic, fluorite phase between 17.5 and 45.5 mol % Er2O3 and can be sintered to densities near 95% at 1200 K. At temperatures between 700 K and 1000 K the highest value of the a.c. oxygen ion conduction in this system is twice as much as the highest value found in the literature. In the second system concentrations of 1–3 mol % Bi2O3 act as an excellent sintering aid for ZrO2---Y2O3 and ZrO2---CaO samples which can be sintered to densities higher than 95% at temperatures of 1350 K. During this procedure a liquid ZrO2---Bi2O3 phase exists from which Bi2O3 partly evaporates with increasing sintering time. The oxygen ion conduction is little affected by the Bi2O3-rich second phase. The influence of annealing procedures up to 1570 K on the conduction in the ZrO2---Y2O3---Bi2O3 system is small despite weight losses up to 4%

Temperature, light and the tomato

In good illumination, six tomato varieties all responded to an increase in day or/and night temperature by faster stem and fruit growth, earlier but smaller fruit yield with fewer fruits in shorter and lighter clusters, and a reduction in root, stem and leaf weight. Optimum temperatures for moderate growth and high fruit yield were 20°-23° C during the day and 11°-17° C during the night. The night temperature should be at least 6°C lower than during the day.In poor illumination, plants responded to an increase in light intensity or day length by higher dry weight and leaves that were less thin and darker green; leaf dry weight increased more than leaf area. Cluster size and consequently yield was the first feature to suffer considerably by light reduction. Extra artificial light in winter before planting out gave faster growth and sturdier plants which flowered and fruited earlier than controls. The less the illumination, the more important the correct day and night temperatures. Emphasis was laid on balance between vegetative and generative growth, which was determined by the ratio of light and temperature, which in itself determined the balance between photosynthesis, and growth and respiration.<p/

Prognosis and course of work-participation in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain: a 12-month follow-up cohort study

AbstractOBJECTIVE:To investigate the clinical course of, and prognostic factors for, work-participation in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain.METHODS:A total of 1,608 patients with chronic non-specific low back pain received a multidisciplinary therapy and were evaluated at baseline and 2-, 5- and 12-month follow-ups. Recovery was defined as absolute recovery if the patient worked 90% of his contract hours at follow-up. Potential factors were identified using multivariable logistic regression analysis.RESULTS:Patients reported a mean increase in work-participation from 38% at baseline to 82% after 12 months. Prognostic factors for ≥ 90% work-participation at 5 months were being married (odds ratio (OR) 1.72 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.12-2.65)), male (OR 1.99 (95% CI 1.24-3.20)), a higher score on disability (OR 1.00 (95% CI 0.997-1.02)) and physical component scale (Short-Form 36 (SF-36)) (OR 1.05 (95% CI 1.02-1.07)), previous rehabilitation (OR 1.85 (95% CI 1.14-2.98)), not receiving sickness benefits (OR 0.52 (95% CI 0.24-1.10)) and more work-participation (OR 4.86 (95% CI 2.35-10.04)). More work-participation (OR 5.22 (95% CI 3.47-7.85)) and male sex (OR 1.79 (95% CI 1.25-2.55)) were also prognostic factors at 12-month follow-up.CONCLUSION:At 12 months 52% of patients reported ≥ 90% work-participation. The strongest prognostic factor was more work-participation at baseline for the recovery of chronic non-specific low back pai