Vegetables are very important sources of protein and minerals. Some of them even have medicinal properties recognized traditionally. Despite the large number of studies carried out on various vegetables and vegetable ...Vegetables are very important sources of protein and minerals. Some of them even have medicinal properties recognized traditionally. Despite the large number of studies carried out on various vegetables and vegetable crops, very few have scientifically explored the usefulness of S. macrocarpon. This study identified the main groups of chemicals and mineral elements to explain any medicinal or nutritional value. It has also identified some toxic elements contained in this vegetable. Phytochemical screening was carried out on the leaves and fruits of S. macrocarpon. Some mineral elements were determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium) while protein, phosphorous, iron, copper, zinc and toxic metals (lead, cadmium) were determined by Molecular Absorption Spectrophotometry. Fat, ash, moisture and vitamins were sought. The study showed that the leaves of S. macrocarpon were more nutritious than fruits (P macrocarpon require that the consumption of vegetables should be as varied as possible and that the fruit may be consumed with caution. In addition, constraints about vegetable cultivation in Cotonou could lead to research findings that could help provide techniques for producing healthy vegetables.Vitamins A and K1 were found in both parts of this vegetable very rich in water while vitamin E has not been detected. S. macrocarpon also contains lipids at various levels.展开更多
Two field studies were carried out using Solanum macrocarpon and Solanum scabrum to investigate the effects of planting methods and seed density required for optimum biomass yield and nutrient content in southwest Nig...Two field studies were carried out using Solanum macrocarpon and Solanum scabrum to investigate the effects of planting methods and seed density required for optimum biomass yield and nutrient content in southwest Nigeria. Two planting methods (drilling and broadcasting), and two seed densities (4 and 8 table spoon full) were investigated as a 2×2×3 factorial experiment in randomized complete block design and replicated three times. Four seed spoons gave 25.78 kg seeds ha-1 for S. macrocarpon and 20.67 kg·seeds·ha-1 for S. scabrum. Significant highest S. macrocarpon shoots (2.75 kg·m-2) and Ca, K, Fe and Zn contents and S. scabrum (2.95 kg·m-2) and Zn content, were obtained with drilling and four spoons of seeds compared with broadcasting and 8 spoons of seeds. This treatment gave average values for N, P, K, Mg, Ca, Na, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Ca/P and Na/K ratio were 2.79%, 0.03%, 3.37%, 1.64%, 0.02%, 300 mg·kg-1, 100 mg·kg-1, 300 mg·kg-1, 8 mg·kg-1, 1.22 and 0.008 for S. macrocarpon and 2.05%, 0.27%, 5.81%, 3.27%, 2.91%, 0.09%, 280 mg·kg-1, 52.99 mg·kg-1, 359.35 mg·kg-1 and 22.42 mg·kg-1, 11.63 and 0.016 for S. scabrum. It was concluded that planting in drilling made weeding, fertilizer application, irrigation and harvesting more effective rather than by broadcasting, and four spoons of seeds per 9 m-2 produced deep green and broader leaves and balanced nutrient contents than eight spoons of seeds.展开更多
The Rio Grande variety of tomato is widely grown because of its high productivity during the cold and dry seasons, and its resistance to Verticillium wilt (caused by Fusarium oxysporium) and to stem canker (Alternaria...The Rio Grande variety of tomato is widely grown because of its high productivity during the cold and dry seasons, and its resistance to Verticillium wilt (caused by Fusarium oxysporium) and to stem canker (Alternaria). Grafting tomato onto compatible rootstocks resistant to these diseases offers a better potential to overcome soil-borne diseases, abiotic stresses, improve growth, yield and fruit quality. However, in Cameroon, there is little or no information on grafting between Rio Grande tomato and selected eggplant rootstocks. The objectives of this study were: 1) To determine the compatibility between Rio tomato grafting and a popular local eggplant (Nkeya) rootstock;2) To verify the effect of grafting on flowering time;3) To evaluate the effect of eggplant rootstocks on growth, fruit shelf life and fruit quality of Rio tomatoes. The trial was conducted in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications. Rio Grande (To) was the ungrafted treatment used as a control. To/Ko, To/To and To/Nk were the grafted treatments eventually transplanted to the field. Growth data were subjected to analysis of variance using SPSS software. Descriptive analyses were performed for the other parameters. The results revealed that, 1) The cleft grafting method used was successful with success rate varying between 90 and 100%;2) Grafting influenced flowering date (DAT, p = 0.05) as well as tomato growth parameters including stem height (H, 1.49 × 10<sup>-10</sup> p 0.00014) and collar diameter (SD, 4 × 10<sup>-1</sup><sup>4</sup> p 0.009). The To/To treatment was significantly different from the ungrafted cultivar To, which had no significant difference in stem diameter. A significant difference in plant height was also observed between the ungrafted treatment To and the To/Ko and To/Nk treatments. In addition, only the collar diameter of To/Nk was different from To. Also, there was no significant difference between To/To and To, but a significant difference between To/Ko and To/Nk compared to To. Conversely, grafting improved the lifespan of To/Ko. Ultimately, the grafting method used was successful, but further studies are needed to overcome the problem of graft incompatibility in order to improve the agronomic performance of grafted plants.展开更多
Urinary tract infection （UTI） is one of the most common childhood infections. Permanent renal cortical scarring may occur in affected children, especially with recurrent UTIs, leading to long-term complications such...Urinary tract infection （UTI） is one of the most common childhood infections. Permanent renal cortical scarring may occur in affected children, especially with recurrent UTIs, leading to long-term complications such as hypertension and chronic renal failure. To prevent such damage, several interventions to prevent UTI recurrences have been tried. The most established and accepted prevention at present is low dose long-term antibiotic prophylaxis. However it has a risk of break through in-fections, adverse drug reactions and also the risk of developing antibiotic resistance. The search is therefore on-going to fnd a safer, effective and acceptable alter-native. A recent meta-analysis did not support routine circumcision for normal boys with no risk factors. Vacci-nium Macrocarpon （cranberry）, commonly used against UTI in adult women, is also effective in reducing the number of recurrences and related antimicrobial use in children. Sodium pentosanpolysulfate, which prevents bacterial adherence to the uroepithelial cells in animal models, has shown conflicting results in human trials. When combined with antibiotic, Lactobacillus acidophilus （LA-5） and Bifidobacterium, by blocking the in vitro attachment of uropathogenic bacteria to uroepithelial cells, significantly reduce in the incidence of febrile UTIs. Deliberate colonization of the human urinary tract of patients with recurrent UTI with Escherichia-coli （E. coli ） 83972 has resulted in subjective beneft and less UTI requiring treatment. The non-pathogenic E. coli isolate NU14 DeltawaaL is a candidate to develop live-attenuated vaccine for the treatment and prevention of acute and recurrent UTI. Diagnosing and treating dysfunctional elimination syndromes decrease the incidence of recurrent UTI. A meta-analysis found the lack of robust prospective randomized controlled trials limited the strength of the established guidelines for surgical management of vesicoureteral reflux. In conclusion, several interventions, other than antibiotic prophylaxis, for the prevention of recurrent UTI have been tried and, although showing some promise, they do not provide so far a definitive effective answer. Finding suitable alternatives still requires further high quality research of those seemingly promising interven-tions.展开更多
A volunteer was given cranberry juice cocktail (CJC) or water to drink, and urine was collected at 2 and 8 hours after consumption, in order to quantitatively determine whether adhesion forces were changed for the vol...A volunteer was given cranberry juice cocktail (CJC) or water to drink, and urine was collected at 2 and 8 hours after consumption, in order to quantitatively determine whether adhesion forces were changed for the volunteer after CJC consumption. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to measure adhesion forces between bacteria and a silicon nitride tip. Forces between Escherichia coli or Staphylococcus aureus and the AFM tip were lower in the urine after the volunteer consumed CJC, compared to drinking water. A steric model was applied to the AFM data, in order to quantify how the urine changed the properties of the bacterial surfaces. There was a small decrease in the equilibrium length of surface molecules on the bacteria when in the post-CJC urine, compared to the post-water urine. However, these changes were not statistically significant. We hypothesize that post-CJC urine imparts subtle changes on the molecules of the bacterial surfaces, and that these changes lead to the reduction in adhesion with the AFM probe.展开更多
Cranberry,the fruit of Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton,is becoming popular all over the world,due to its pleasant taste,nutraceutical value and biological activities.For a long time,98%of its yield has been from America.S...Cranberry,the fruit of Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton,is becoming popular all over the world,due to its pleasant taste,nutraceutical value and biological activities.For a long time,98%of its yield has been from America.Since being introduced to China as an import in recent decades,cranberry has become a rapid success in the food industry even with the high transportation cost.Recently,V.macrocarpon was cultivated in the Northeast of China,and the area of cultivation has increased dramatically.Therefore,it is important to systematically determine the useful compounds and their activity in this“Made-in-China”cranberry.In the present study,the content of total phenolics,anthocyanins,proanthocyanidins,sugars and organic acids was determined.Our results demonstrated that domestic cranberry is a rich source of phenolics,anthocyanins,proanthocyanidins,sugars and organic acids.Analysis of the chemical composition of an acidic ethanol extract by UPLC-QTOF-MS identified 21 compounds as well as the contents determination of catechin and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside using RPHPLC.Furthermore,cranberry extract was tested for its anti-bacterial activity against five clinically important pathogens,as well as its inhibitory effect on the proliferation and migration of cancer cells in vitro.Our results demonstrated that cranberry produced in Chinese cultivation areas is a rich source of bioactive compounds and exhibited in vitro anti-microbial and anti-tumor activities.Our work provides essential information about the quality of domestic cranberry and facilitates the development of related industries.展开更多
While phytoplasma infections in plants are known to affect their interactions with aboveground herbivores,the impact of different genotypes on these infections and their effects on belowground herbivores remains large...While phytoplasma infections in plants are known to affect their interactions with aboveground herbivores,the impact of different genotypes on these infections and their effects on belowground herbivores remains largely unexplored.In cranberry(Vaccinium macrocarpon),infection by the phytoplasma Candidatus Phytoplasma sp.subgroup 16SrIII-Y leads to false blossom disease.This study investigates whether cranberry infection by this phytoplasma affects the performance and feeding behavior of a foliar feeder(spongy moth,Lymantria dispar)and a root feeder(oriental beetle,Anomala orientalis).Using phytoplasma-infected and uninfected cranberries of two genotypes(“Ben Lear”and“Crimson Queen”),the survival,growth and consumption of L.dispar and A.orientalis larvae were measured.To assess the effects on plant morphological and chemical traits,we also examined the impact of phytoplasma infection on shoot and root growth,carbon and nitrogen content,and the levels of defensive compounds such as proanthocyanidins(PACs).Results indicate that larvae of L.dispar and A.orientalis generally showed larger size and more efficient tissue consumption on infected plants,with these effects varying by cranberry genotype,possibly due to differences in phytoplasma titer.Phytoplasma infection was associated with stunted growth,elevated nitrogen content,and lower PAC levels in both shoots and roots of infected cranberry plants compared to uninfected ones.These findings indicate that phytoplasma infection potentially manipulates plant chemical composition by increasing nutrient levels and decreasing defensive compounds,enhancing herbivore performance both above and belowground.This study sheds light on the intricate interplay among plants,phytoplasma infection,and insect herbivore communities.展开更多
Culturable fungal population diversity and succession was investigated in developing cranberry ovaries of fruit rot-resistant and rot-susceptible cranberry selections,from flower through mature fruit.Fungi were recove...Culturable fungal population diversity and succession was investigated in developing cranberry ovaries of fruit rot-resistant and rot-susceptible cranberry selections,from flower through mature fruit.Fungi were recovered in culture from 1185 of 1338 ovary tissues collected from June to September,yielding 2255 isolates that represented 42 morphotaxa.During the season,species richness varied from 2 to 17 and 2 to 18 in rot-resistant and rotsusceptible selections,respectively,increasing from wk1 to wk10 and then gradually declining to wk14.Shannon-Wiener diversity index varied from 0.27 to 2.32 in rotresistant and 0.18 to 2.38 in rot-susceptible,and Pielou’s evenness index varied from 0.11 to 0.63 and 0.06 to 0.64 in rot-resistant and rot-susceptible selections,respectively,confirming that diversity of fungi in developing ovaries was similar among rot-resistant and rot-susceptible selections,but varied among sampling time points.Principal component analysis grouped samples collected at the same sampling time point together regardless of rot susceptibility of the selections,and detected the predominant fungal species associated with each stage of development.Successional changes were observed in populations of endophytic,pathogenic and saprophytic fungi throughout the season as ovaries matured.展开更多
文摘Vegetables are very important sources of protein and minerals. Some of them even have medicinal properties recognized traditionally. Despite the large number of studies carried out on various vegetables and vegetable crops, very few have scientifically explored the usefulness of S. macrocarpon. This study identified the main groups of chemicals and mineral elements to explain any medicinal or nutritional value. It has also identified some toxic elements contained in this vegetable. Phytochemical screening was carried out on the leaves and fruits of S. macrocarpon. Some mineral elements were determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium) while protein, phosphorous, iron, copper, zinc and toxic metals (lead, cadmium) were determined by Molecular Absorption Spectrophotometry. Fat, ash, moisture and vitamins were sought. The study showed that the leaves of S. macrocarpon were more nutritious than fruits (P macrocarpon require that the consumption of vegetables should be as varied as possible and that the fruit may be consumed with caution. In addition, constraints about vegetable cultivation in Cotonou could lead to research findings that could help provide techniques for producing healthy vegetables.Vitamins A and K1 were found in both parts of this vegetable very rich in water while vitamin E has not been detected. S. macrocarpon also contains lipids at various levels.
文摘Two field studies were carried out using Solanum macrocarpon and Solanum scabrum to investigate the effects of planting methods and seed density required for optimum biomass yield and nutrient content in southwest Nigeria. Two planting methods (drilling and broadcasting), and two seed densities (4 and 8 table spoon full) were investigated as a 2×2×3 factorial experiment in randomized complete block design and replicated three times. Four seed spoons gave 25.78 kg seeds ha-1 for S. macrocarpon and 20.67 kg·seeds·ha-1 for S. scabrum. Significant highest S. macrocarpon shoots (2.75 kg·m-2) and Ca, K, Fe and Zn contents and S. scabrum (2.95 kg·m-2) and Zn content, were obtained with drilling and four spoons of seeds compared with broadcasting and 8 spoons of seeds. This treatment gave average values for N, P, K, Mg, Ca, Na, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Ca/P and Na/K ratio were 2.79%, 0.03%, 3.37%, 1.64%, 0.02%, 300 mg·kg-1, 100 mg·kg-1, 300 mg·kg-1, 8 mg·kg-1, 1.22 and 0.008 for S. macrocarpon and 2.05%, 0.27%, 5.81%, 3.27%, 2.91%, 0.09%, 280 mg·kg-1, 52.99 mg·kg-1, 359.35 mg·kg-1 and 22.42 mg·kg-1, 11.63 and 0.016 for S. scabrum. It was concluded that planting in drilling made weeding, fertilizer application, irrigation and harvesting more effective rather than by broadcasting, and four spoons of seeds per 9 m-2 produced deep green and broader leaves and balanced nutrient contents than eight spoons of seeds.
文摘The Rio Grande variety of tomato is widely grown because of its high productivity during the cold and dry seasons, and its resistance to Verticillium wilt (caused by Fusarium oxysporium) and to stem canker (Alternaria). Grafting tomato onto compatible rootstocks resistant to these diseases offers a better potential to overcome soil-borne diseases, abiotic stresses, improve growth, yield and fruit quality. However, in Cameroon, there is little or no information on grafting between Rio Grande tomato and selected eggplant rootstocks. The objectives of this study were: 1) To determine the compatibility between Rio tomato grafting and a popular local eggplant (Nkeya) rootstock;2) To verify the effect of grafting on flowering time;3) To evaluate the effect of eggplant rootstocks on growth, fruit shelf life and fruit quality of Rio tomatoes. The trial was conducted in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications. Rio Grande (To) was the ungrafted treatment used as a control. To/Ko, To/To and To/Nk were the grafted treatments eventually transplanted to the field. Growth data were subjected to analysis of variance using SPSS software. Descriptive analyses were performed for the other parameters. The results revealed that, 1) The cleft grafting method used was successful with success rate varying between 90 and 100%;2) Grafting influenced flowering date (DAT, p = 0.05) as well as tomato growth parameters including stem height (H, 1.49 × 10<sup>-10</sup> p 0.00014) and collar diameter (SD, 4 × 10<sup>-1</sup><sup>4</sup> p 0.009). The To/To treatment was significantly different from the ungrafted cultivar To, which had no significant difference in stem diameter. A significant difference in plant height was also observed between the ungrafted treatment To and the To/Ko and To/Nk treatments. In addition, only the collar diameter of To/Nk was different from To. Also, there was no significant difference between To/To and To, but a significant difference between To/Ko and To/Nk compared to To. Conversely, grafting improved the lifespan of To/Ko. Ultimately, the grafting method used was successful, but further studies are needed to overcome the problem of graft incompatibility in order to improve the agronomic performance of grafted plants.
文摘Urinary tract infection （UTI） is one of the most common childhood infections. Permanent renal cortical scarring may occur in affected children, especially with recurrent UTIs, leading to long-term complications such as hypertension and chronic renal failure. To prevent such damage, several interventions to prevent UTI recurrences have been tried. The most established and accepted prevention at present is low dose long-term antibiotic prophylaxis. However it has a risk of break through in-fections, adverse drug reactions and also the risk of developing antibiotic resistance. The search is therefore on-going to fnd a safer, effective and acceptable alter-native. A recent meta-analysis did not support routine circumcision for normal boys with no risk factors. Vacci-nium Macrocarpon （cranberry）, commonly used against UTI in adult women, is also effective in reducing the number of recurrences and related antimicrobial use in children. Sodium pentosanpolysulfate, which prevents bacterial adherence to the uroepithelial cells in animal models, has shown conflicting results in human trials. When combined with antibiotic, Lactobacillus acidophilus （LA-5） and Bifidobacterium, by blocking the in vitro attachment of uropathogenic bacteria to uroepithelial cells, significantly reduce in the incidence of febrile UTIs. Deliberate colonization of the human urinary tract of patients with recurrent UTI with Escherichia-coli （E. coli ） 83972 has resulted in subjective beneft and less UTI requiring treatment. The non-pathogenic E. coli isolate NU14 DeltawaaL is a candidate to develop live-attenuated vaccine for the treatment and prevention of acute and recurrent UTI. Diagnosing and treating dysfunctional elimination syndromes decrease the incidence of recurrent UTI. A meta-analysis found the lack of robust prospective randomized controlled trials limited the strength of the established guidelines for surgical management of vesicoureteral reflux. In conclusion, several interventions, other than antibiotic prophylaxis, for the prevention of recurrent UTI have been tried and, although showing some promise, they do not provide so far a definitive effective answer. Finding suitable alternatives still requires further high quality research of those seemingly promising interven-tions.
文摘A volunteer was given cranberry juice cocktail (CJC) or water to drink, and urine was collected at 2 and 8 hours after consumption, in order to quantitatively determine whether adhesion forces were changed for the volunteer after CJC consumption. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to measure adhesion forces between bacteria and a silicon nitride tip. Forces between Escherichia coli or Staphylococcus aureus and the AFM tip were lower in the urine after the volunteer consumed CJC, compared to drinking water. A steric model was applied to the AFM data, in order to quantify how the urine changed the properties of the bacterial surfaces. There was a small decrease in the equilibrium length of surface molecules on the bacteria when in the post-CJC urine, compared to the post-water urine. However, these changes were not statistically significant. We hypothesize that post-CJC urine imparts subtle changes on the molecules of the bacterial surfaces, and that these changes lead to the reduction in adhesion with the AFM probe.
基金This study was financially supported by“Liaoning Provincial Engineering Platform of the Development and Utilization of Endangered and Geo-authentic Medicinal Herbs”and“Propagation of Cranberry and the Establishment of Germplasm Resource Nursery(YZ2018ZR01)”.
文摘Cranberry,the fruit of Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton,is becoming popular all over the world,due to its pleasant taste,nutraceutical value and biological activities.For a long time,98%of its yield has been from America.Since being introduced to China as an import in recent decades,cranberry has become a rapid success in the food industry even with the high transportation cost.Recently,V.macrocarpon was cultivated in the Northeast of China,and the area of cultivation has increased dramatically.Therefore,it is important to systematically determine the useful compounds and their activity in this“Made-in-China”cranberry.In the present study,the content of total phenolics,anthocyanins,proanthocyanidins,sugars and organic acids was determined.Our results demonstrated that domestic cranberry is a rich source of phenolics,anthocyanins,proanthocyanidins,sugars and organic acids.Analysis of the chemical composition of an acidic ethanol extract by UPLC-QTOF-MS identified 21 compounds as well as the contents determination of catechin and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside using RPHPLC.Furthermore,cranberry extract was tested for its anti-bacterial activity against five clinically important pathogens,as well as its inhibitory effect on the proliferation and migration of cancer cells in vitro.Our results demonstrated that cranberry produced in Chinese cultivation areas is a rich source of bioactive compounds and exhibited in vitro anti-microbial and anti-tumor activities.Our work provides essential information about the quality of domestic cranberry and facilitates the development of related industries.
基金supported by funds from the New Jersey Blueberry and Cranberry Research Council and a Hatch project(No.NJ08550)to C.R-S.
文摘While phytoplasma infections in plants are known to affect their interactions with aboveground herbivores,the impact of different genotypes on these infections and their effects on belowground herbivores remains largely unexplored.In cranberry(Vaccinium macrocarpon),infection by the phytoplasma Candidatus Phytoplasma sp.subgroup 16SrIII-Y leads to false blossom disease.This study investigates whether cranberry infection by this phytoplasma affects the performance and feeding behavior of a foliar feeder(spongy moth,Lymantria dispar)and a root feeder(oriental beetle,Anomala orientalis).Using phytoplasma-infected and uninfected cranberries of two genotypes(“Ben Lear”and“Crimson Queen”),the survival,growth and consumption of L.dispar and A.orientalis larvae were measured.To assess the effects on plant morphological and chemical traits,we also examined the impact of phytoplasma infection on shoot and root growth,carbon and nitrogen content,and the levels of defensive compounds such as proanthocyanidins(PACs).Results indicate that larvae of L.dispar and A.orientalis generally showed larger size and more efficient tissue consumption on infected plants,with these effects varying by cranberry genotype,possibly due to differences in phytoplasma titer.Phytoplasma infection was associated with stunted growth,elevated nitrogen content,and lower PAC levels in both shoots and roots of infected cranberry plants compared to uninfected ones.These findings indicate that phytoplasma infection potentially manipulates plant chemical composition by increasing nutrient levels and decreasing defensive compounds,enhancing herbivore performance both above and belowground.This study sheds light on the intricate interplay among plants,phytoplasma infection,and insect herbivore communities.
基金supported by the United States Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Research Initiative(SCRI)2008-51180-04878(NV)grant,New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station and Ocean Spray Cranberries,Inc.
文摘Culturable fungal population diversity and succession was investigated in developing cranberry ovaries of fruit rot-resistant and rot-susceptible cranberry selections,from flower through mature fruit.Fungi were recovered in culture from 1185 of 1338 ovary tissues collected from June to September,yielding 2255 isolates that represented 42 morphotaxa.During the season,species richness varied from 2 to 17 and 2 to 18 in rot-resistant and rotsusceptible selections,respectively,increasing from wk1 to wk10 and then gradually declining to wk14.Shannon-Wiener diversity index varied from 0.27 to 2.32 in rotresistant and 0.18 to 2.38 in rot-susceptible,and Pielou’s evenness index varied from 0.11 to 0.63 and 0.06 to 0.64 in rot-resistant and rot-susceptible selections,respectively,confirming that diversity of fungi in developing ovaries was similar among rot-resistant and rot-susceptible selections,but varied among sampling time points.Principal component analysis grouped samples collected at the same sampling time point together regardless of rot susceptibility of the selections,and detected the predominant fungal species associated with each stage of development.Successional changes were observed in populations of endophytic,pathogenic and saprophytic fungi throughout the season as ovaries matured.
