Synergistic interplay between melatonin and hydrogen sulfide enhances cadmium-induced oxidative stress resistance in stock (Matthiola incana L.).

Ornamental crops particularly cut flowers are considered sensitive to heavy metals (HMs) induced oxidative stress condition. Melatonin (MLT) is a versatile phytohormone with the ability to mitigate abiotic stresses induced oxidative stress in plants. Similarly, signaling molecules such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S) have emerged as potential options for resolving HMs related problems in plants. The mechanisms underlying the combined application of MLT and H2S are not yet explored. Therefore, we evaluated the ability of individual and combined applications of MLT (100 µM) and H2S in the form of sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS), a donor of H2S, (1.5 mM) to alleviate cadmium (Cd) stress (50 mg L-1) in stock (Matthiola incana L.) plants by measuring various morpho-physiological and biochemical characteristics. The results depicted that Cd-stress inhibited growth, photosynthesis and induced Cd-associated oxidative stress as depicted by excessive ROS accumulation. Combined application of MLT and H2S efficiently recovered all these attributes. Furthermore, Cd stress-induced oxidative stress markers including electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde, and hydrogen peroxide are partially reversed in Cd-stressed plants by MLT and H2S application. This might be attributed to MLT or H2S induced antioxidant plant defense activities, which effectively reduce the severity of oxidative stress indicators. Overall, MLT and H2S supplementation, favorably regulated Cd tolerance in stock; yet, the combined use had a greater effect on Cd tolerance than the independent application.

Effects of altering diet carbohydrate profile and physical form on zoo-housed giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata.

Unlike wild giraffe that primarily consume low starch browse, the preference of zoo-housed giraffe for consuming supplemental feeds over forage could increase the risk of digestive disorders such as ruminal acidosis. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of modifying a supplemental feed's non-fibre carbohydrate profile and physical form on nutritional, behavioural, and blood measures of giraffe in a zoological setting. Six non-lactating, adult, female reticulated giraffes were used in a two-pen modified reversal study using two dietary treatments in seven 21-day periods with data collected on days 15-21. Dietary treatments were a control feed comprised of commercially available products used at the time as the giraffe feed (GF) and an unpelleted experimental feed (EF). On a dry matter basis, GF and EF, respectively, contained 17.0% and 17.4% crude protein, 14.2% and 1.5% starch, 14.9% and 21.3% ethanol-soluble carbohydrates, 22.9% and 26.0% acid detergent fibre (ADF) and 9.50% and 14.9% ND-soluble fibre (NDSF), with modulus of fineness values of 3.62 and 4.82. Supplemental feeds, alfalfa hay, salt, and water were available for ad libitum consumption. Significance was declared at p ≤ 0.05. Intakes of hay, supplemental feeds, and total feed did not differ by diet (p > 0.28), though intakes of starch (0.93 and 0.12 kg; p = 0.05) and ADF (1.83 and 2.23 kg; p = 0.04) differed between GF and EF respectively. Giraffe behaviour values (min/48 h) were greater with EF for total eating (p = 0.04); diets were not detected as different for engagement in oral stereotypes (GF = 433, EF = 318 min/48 h; p = 0.22). Blood glucose was higher on GF than EF (99.0 and 82.3 mg/dL; p = 0.03). The lower EF blood glucose value is more similar to ranges reported for domesticated ruminants. No differences were detected for changes in body weight or body condition score in the 21-day periods (p > 0.32). Modification of supplemental feed carbohydrate profile and physical form can influence behaviour and blood glucose values of zoo-housed giraffe.

High stocking rates effects in continuous season long grazing reduces the contribution of microbial necromass to soil organic carbon in a semi-arid grassland in Inner Mongolia.

Livestock grazing strongly influences the accumulation of soil organic carbon (SOC) in grasslands. However, whether the changes occurring in SOC content under different intensities of continuous summer long grazing are associated with the changes in microbially-derived necromass C remains unclear. Here, we established a sheep grazing experiment in northern China in 2004 with four different stocking rates. Soil samples were collected after 17 years of grazing and analyzed for physical, chemical, and microbial characteristics. Grazing decreased SOC and microbial necromass carbon (MNC). Notably, grazing also diminished contributions of MNC to SOC. MNC declined with decreasing plant carbon inputs with degradation of the soil environment. Direct reductions in microbial necromass C, which indirectly reduced SOC, resulted from reduced in plant C inputs and microbial abundance and diversity. Our study highlights the key role of stocking rate in governing microbial necromass C and SOC and the complex relationships these variables.

Identifying sources of variation in added sugar intake for Alaska Native children using a hair biomarker.

Sugars from sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are an important risk factor for tooth decay. The study goal was to determine if there was variation in added sugar intake across communities and between and within households. In this cross-sectional study, intakes of total sugar, added sugar, and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) were estimated for 282 Alaska Native children ages 0-10 years from 131 households in three Yukon-Kuskokwim (YK) Delta communities using biomarker equations based on hair carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios previously developed for the Yup'ik population. ANOVA was used to assess associations between each predictor (community and household) and outcome (estimated total sugars, added sugars, and SSB intake). Between- and within-household variation was estimated using a linear mixed-effects model with a random intercept for households with three or more children. There was no significant difference in mean estimated total sugar (p = 0.29), added sugar (p = 0.24), or SSB intake (p = 0.40) across communities. Significant variations were observed between and within households, with within-household variation amounting to 59% of the between-household variation. Added sugar intake in Alaska Native children from the three study communities is higher than the recommended maximum, and the variation is greater within households than between households.

Biosynthesis of fragrance 2-phenylethanol from sugars by Pseudomonas putida.

BACKGROUND: Petrochemicals contribute to environmental issues, with concerns ranging from energy consumption and carbon emission to pollution. In contrast, microbial biorefineries offer eco-friendly alternatives. The solvent-tolerant Pseudomonas putida DOT-T1E serves as a suitable host for producing aromatic compounds, specifically L-phenylalanine and its derivative, 2-phenylethanol (2-PE), which find widespread applications in various industries. RESULTS: This study focuses on enhancing 2-PE production in two L-phenylalanine overproducing strains of DOT-T1E, namely CM12-5 and CM12-5Δgcd (xylABE), which grow with glucose and glucose-xylose, respectively. To synthesize 2-PE from L-phenylalanine, these strains were transformed with plasmid pPE-1, bearing the Ehrlich pathway genes, and it was found higher 2-PE production with glucose (about 50-60 ppm) than with xylose (< 3 ppm). To understand the limiting factors, we tested the addition of phenylalanine and intermediates from the Ehrlich and shikimate pathways. The results identified intracellular L-phenylalanine as a key limiting factor for 2-PE production. To overcame this limitation, a chorismate mutase/prephenate dehydratase variant-insentive to feedback inhibition by aromatic amino acids-was introduced in the producing strains. This led to increased L-phenylalanine production and subsequently produced more 2-PE (100 ppm). Random mutagenesis of the strains also produced strains with higher L-phenylalanine titers and increased 2-PE production (up to 120 ppm). The improvements resulted from preventing dead-end product accumulation from shikimate and limiting the catabolism of potential pathway intermediates in the Ehrlich pathway. The study explored agricultural waste substrates, such as corn stover, sugarcane straw and corn-syrup as potential C sources. The best results were obtained using 2G substrates at 3% (between 82 and 100 ppm 2-PE), with glucose being the preferred sugar for 2-PE production among the monomeric sugars in these substrates. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study offer strategies to enhance phenylalanine production, a key substrate for the synthesis of aromatic compounds. The ability of P. putida DOT-T1E to thrive with various C-sources and its tolerance to substrates, products, and potential toxicants in industrial wastes, are highlighted. The study identified and overcome possible bottlenecks for 2-PE production. Ultimately, the strains have potential to become efficient microbial platforms for synthesizing 2-PE from agro-industrial waste materials.

Low Nitrogen Input Mitigates Quantitative but Not Qualitative Reconfiguration of Leaf Primary Metabolism in Brassica napus L. Subjected to Drought and Rehydration.

In the context of climate change and the reduction of mineral nitrogen (N) inputs applied to the field, winter oilseed rape (WOSR) will have to cope with low-N conditions combined with water limitation periods. Since these stresses can significantly reduce seed yield and seed quality, maintaining WOSR productivity under a wide range of growth conditions represents a major goal for crop improvement. N metabolism plays a pivotal role during the metabolic acclimation to drought in Brassica species by supporting the accumulation of osmoprotective compounds and the source-to-sink remobilization of nutrients. Thus, N deficiency could have detrimental effects on the acclimation of WOSR to drought. Here, we took advantage of a previously established experiment to evaluate the metabolic acclimation of WOSR during 14 days of drought, followed by 8 days of rehydration under high- or low-N fertilization regimes. For this purpose, we selected three leaf ranks exhibiting contrasted sink/source status to perform absolute quantification of plant central metabolites. Besides the well-described accumulation of proline, we observed contrasted accumulations of some "respiratory" amino acids (branched-chain amino acids, lysineand tyrosine) in response to drought under high- and low-N conditions. Drought also induced an increase in sucrose content in sink leaves combined with a decrease in source leaves. N deficiency strongly decreased the levels of major amino acids and subsequently the metabolic response to drought. The drought-rehydration sequence identified proline, phenylalanine, and tryptophan as valuable metabolic indicators of WOSR water status for sink leaves. The results were discussed with respect to the metabolic origin of sucrose and some amino acids in sink leaves and the impact of drought on source-to-sink remobilization processes depending on N nutrition status. Overall, this study identified major metabolic signatures reflecting a similar response of oilseed rape to drought under low- and high-N conditions.

Physiological and Proteomic Analyses of mtn1 Mutant Reveal Key Players in Centipedegrass Tiller Development.

Tillering directly determines the seed production and propagation capacity of clonal plants. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in the tiller development of clonal plants are still not fully understood. In this study, we conducted a proteome comparison between the tiller buds and stem node of a multiple-tiller mutant mtn1 (more tillering number 1) and a wild type of centipedegrass. The results showed significant increases of 29.03% and 27.89% in the first and secondary tiller numbers, respectively, in the mtn1 mutant compared to the wild type. The photosynthetic rate increased by 31.44%, while the starch, soluble sugar, and sucrose contents in the tiller buds and stem node showed increases of 13.79%, 39.10%, 97.64%, 37.97%, 55.64%, and 7.68%, respectively, compared to the wild type. Two groups comprising 438 and 589 protein species, respectively, were differentially accumulated in the tiller buds and stem node in the mtn1 mutant. Consistent with the physiological characteristics, sucrose and starch metabolism as well as plant hormone signaling were found to be enriched with differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) in the mtn1 mutant. These results revealed that sugars and plant hormones may play important regulatory roles in the tiller development in centipedegrass. These results expanded our understanding of tiller development in clonal plants.

Chitosan from Mushroom Improves Drought Stress Tolerance in Tomatoes.

Chitosan is a derivative of chitin that is one of the most abundant biopolymers in nature, found in crustacean shells as well as in fungi cell walls. Most of the commercially available chitosans are produced from the exoskeletons of crustaceans. The extraction process involves harsh chemicals, has limited potential due to the seasonal and limited supply and could cause allergic reactions. However, chitosan has been shown to alleviate the negative effect of environmental stressors in plants, but there is sparse evidence of how chitosan source affects this bioactivity. The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of chitosan from mushroom in comparison to crustacean chitosan in enhancing drought stress tolerance in tomato plants (cv. MicroTom). Chitosan treatment was applied through foliar application and plants were exposed to two 14-day drought stress periods at vegetative and fruit set growth stages. Phenotypic (e.g., fruit number and weight), physiological (RWC) and biochemical-stress-related markers (osmolytes, photosynthetic pigments and malondialdehyde) were analyzed at different time points during the crop growth cycle. Our hypothesis was that this drought stress model will negatively impact tomato plants while the foliar application of chitosan extracted from either crustacean or mushroom will alleviate this effect. Our findings indicate that drought stress markedly decreased the leaf relative water content (RWC) and chlorophyll content, increased lipid peroxidation, and significantly reduced the average fruit number. Chitosan application, regardless of the source, improved these parameters and enhanced plant tolerance to drought stress. It provides a comparative study of the biostimulant activity of chitosan from diverse sources and suggests that chitosan sourced from fungi could serve as a more sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to the current chitosan from crustaceans.

Amino Sugar-Enriched Fraction of Korean Red Ginseng Extract Induces the Priming Step of NLRP3 Inflammasome.

Intracellular protein complexes, known as inflammasomes, activate caspase-1 and induce the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, namely interleukin (IL)-1ß and -18. Korean Red Ginseng extract (RGE) is a known immunomodulator and a potential candidate for the regulation of inflammasomes. The saponins, such as ginsenosides, of RGE inhibit inflammasome signaling, while non-saponin substances containing amino sugars promote the priming step, up-regulating inflammasome components (pro-IL-1ß, NLRP3, caspase-1, and Asc). In this study, the amino sugar-enriched fraction (ASEF), which increases only non-saponin components, including amino sugars, without changing the concentration of saponin substances, was used to investigate whether saponin or non-saponin components of RGE would have a greater impact on the priming step. When murine macrophages were treated with ASEF, the gene expression of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1α, TNFα, IL-6, and IL-10) increased. Additionally, ASEF induced the priming step but did not affect the inflammasome activation step, such as the secretion of IL-1ß, cleavage of caspase-1, and formation of Asc pyroptosome. Furthermore, the upregulation of gene expression of inflammasome components by ASEF was blocked by inhibitors of Toll-like receptor 4 signaling. Maltol, the main constituent of ASEF, promoted the priming step but inhibited the activation step of the inflammasome, while arginine, sugars, arginine-fructose-glucose, and fructose-arginine, the other main constituents of ASEF, had no effect on either step. Thus, certain amino sugars in RGE, excluding maltol, are believed to be the components that induce the priming step. The priming step that prepares the NLRP3 inflammasome for activation appears to be induced by amino sugars in RGE, thereby contributing to the immune-boosting effects of RGE.

D-Allulose Reduces Hypertrophy and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Induced by Palmitic Acid in Murine 3T3-L1 Adipocytes.

Natural rare sugars are an alternative category of sweeteners with positive physiologic and metabolic effects both in in vitro and animal models. D-allulose is a D-fructose epimer that combines 70% sucrose sweetness with the advantage of an extremely low energy content. However, there are no data about the effect of D-allulose against adipose dysfunction; thus, it remains to be confirmed whether D-allulose is useful in the prevention and in treatment of adipose tissue alterations. With this aim, we evaluated D-allulose's preventive effects on lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 murine adipocytes exposed to palmitic acid (PA), a trigger for hypertrophic adipocytes. D-allulose in place of glucose prevented adipocyte hypertrophy and the activation of adipogenic markers C/EBP-ß and PPARγ induced by high PA concentrations. Additionally, D-allulose pretreatment inhibited the NF-κB pathway and endoplasmic reticulum stress caused by PA, through activation of the Nrf2 pathway. Interestingly, these effects were also observed as D-allulose post PA treatment. Although our data need to be confirmed through in vivo models, our findings suggest that incorporating D-allulose as a glucose substitute in the diet might have a protective role in adipocyte function and support a unique mechanism of action in this sugar as a preventive or therapeutic compound against PA lipotoxicity through the modulation of pathways connected to lipid transport and metabolism.

Galactosamine and mannosamine are integral parts of bacterial and fungal extracellular polymeric substances.

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are produced by microorganisms and interact to form a complex matrix called biofilm. In soils, EPS are important contributors to the microbial necromass and, thus, to soil organic carbon (SOC). Amino sugars (AS) are used as indicators for microbial necromass in soil, although the origin of galactosamine and mannosamine is largely unknown. However, indications exist that they are part of EPS. In this study, two bacteria and two fungi were grown in starch medium either with or without a quartz matrix to induce EPS production. Each culture was separated in two fractions: one that directly underwent AS extraction (containing AS from both biomass and EPS), and another that first had EPS extracted, followed then by AS determination (exclusively containing AS from EPS). We did not observe a general effect of the quartz matrix neither of microbial type on AS production. The quantified amounts of galactosamine and mannosamine in the EPS fraction represented on average 100% of the total amounts of these two AS quantified in cell cultures, revealing they are integral parts of the biofilm. In contrast, muramic acid and glucosamine were also quantified in the EPS, but with much lower contribution rates to total AS production, of 18% and 33%, respectively, indicating they are not necessarily part of EPS. Our results allow a meaningful ecological interpretation of mannosamine and galactosamine data in the future as indicators of microbial EPS, and also attract interest of future studies to investigate the role of EPS to SOC and its dynamics.

Australian Black Summer smoke signal on Antarctic aerosol collected between New Zealand and the Ross Sea.

Open biomass burning (BB) events are a well-known primary aerosol source, resulting in the emission of significant amount of gaseous and particulate matter and affecting Earth's radiation budget. The 2019-2020 summer, known as "Australian Black Summer", showed exceptional duration and intensity of seasonal wildfires, triggered by high temperatures and severe droughts. Since increasing megafires are predicted due to expected climate changes, it is critical to study the impact of BB aerosol on a large scale and evaluate related transport processes. In this study, five aerosol samples (total suspended particles with a diameter >1 µm) were collected during the XXXV Italian Expedition in Antarctica on board of the R/V Laura Bassi from 6th of January to 16th of February 2020, along the sailing route from Lyttelton harbor (New Zealand) to Terra Nova Bay (Antarctica). Levoglucosan and its isomers have been analyzed as markers of BB, together with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), sucrose and alcohol sugars. Ionic species and carboxylic acids have been analyzed to support the identification of aerosol sources and its aging. Results showed high levoglucosan concentrations (325-1266 pg m-3) during the campaign, suggesting the widespread presence of smoke in the region, because of huge wildfire releases. Backward trajectories indicated the presence of long-range atmospheric transport from South America, probably carrying wildfires plume, in agreement with literature. Regional sources have been suggested for PAHs, particularly for 3-4 rings' compounds; monosaccharides, sucrose, arabitol, and mannitol were related to marine and biogenic contributions. In a warming climate scenario, more frequent and extensive wildfire episodes are expected in Australia, potentially altering albedo, aerosol radiative properties, and cloud interactions. Therefore, it is crucial to strengthens the investigations on the regional climatic effects of these events in Antarctica.

Identification of potato varieties suitable for cold storage and reconditioning: A safer alternative to anti-sprouting chemicals for potato sprouting control.

Low temperature storage as an alternative to anti-sprouting chemicals in potato storage may induce reducing sugars (RS) accumulation (i.e. glucose and fructose) in potato tubers. This phenomenon is called "cold induced sweetening" (CIS) and occurs in certain varieties. CIS leads to a decrease in the organoleptic qualities and darkening of processed potato and the accumulation of toxic molecules such as acrylamide. To identify potato varieties suitable for storage at low temperatures, we screened six commercial processing varieties: Lady Claire (LC), Verdi, Kiebitz (KB), Pirol, Agria and Markies for their CIS characteristics and sprout-forming potential after storage at 4 °C and 8 °C. Our findings reveal that 4 °C storage allows for efficient sprout reduction in all six tested varieties for up to 4.5 months of storage. Three CIS-resistant varieties, namely Verdi, Lady Claire and Kiebitz, were identified as able to be stored for up to four months at 4 °C with limited increase in glucose content. Conversely, Pirol, Agria and Markies showed an increase in glucose content with a decrease in storage temperature and can be considered as CIS-susceptible varieties. After processing into crisps, the CIS-susceptible varieties displayed poor crisp color quality (brown to black color crisps) after storage for two months at 4 °C compared to the storage at 8 °C, whereas the CIS-resistant varieties had good crisp color quality (pale yellow color crisps) after storage at both 4 and 8 °C. Interestingly, the trends of total RS and/or glucose content in the CIS-resistant and in the CIS-susceptible varieties were correlated with the trends in Vacuolar Invertase (VInv) gene expression for most varieties, as well as with the trends in acrylamide content after processing. In addition, reconditioning of Markies variety after storage at 4 °C by gradually increasing the temperature to 15 °C resulted in a significant decrease of VInv transcript levels (reduction of 80 %), acrylamide content (reduction of 75 %) and glucose content when compared to a storage at 4 °C without reconditioning. Those results demonstrate that the reconditioning technique is a key factor for a sustainable potato storage and for improving the quality of processed potatoes.

Process Development for the Enzymatic Gram-Scale Production of the Unnatural Nucleotide Sugar UDP-6-azido-GalNAc.

Azido sugars hold great promise as substrates in numerous click-chemistry applications. However, the synthesis of activated azido sugars is limited by cost and complexity. Conventional chemical activation methods are intricate and time-consuming. In response, we have developed a process for the large-scale production of UDP-6-azido-GalNAc through enzymatic nucleotide sugar synthesis on a gram scale. Our optimization strategies encompassed refining the process parameters of an enzyme cascade featuring NahK from Bifidobacterium longum and AGX1 from Homo sapiens. Using the repetitive-batch-mode technology, we synthesized up to 2.1 g of UDP-6-azido-GalNAc, achieving yields up to 97% in five consecutive batch cycles using a single enzyme batch. The synthesis process demonstrated to have total turnover numbers (TTNs) between 4.4-4.8 g of product per gram of enzyme (gP/gE) and STYs ranging from 1.7-2.4 g per liter per hour (g*L-1*h-1). By purification of a product solution pool containing 2.6 g (4.1 mmol) UDP-6-azido-GalNAc, 2.1 g (2,122.1 mg) UDP-6-azido-GalNAc (sodium salt) with a purity of 99.96 % (HPLC) were obtained. The overall recovery after purification was 81 % (3.32 mmol). Our work establishes a robust production platform for the gram-scale synthesis of unnatural nucleotide sugars, opening new avenues for applications in glycan engineering.

NMR sugar-profile in genuine grape must.

The wine market has always faced the problem of fraud, including the addition of exogenous sugar solutions to grape musts to increase the final alcohol content. Since in some countries the practice of chaptalization is prohibited (except by adding concentrated must) it is necessary to broaden the analytical techniques that allow the identification of this type of fraud. The aim of this study was to define an NMR-based sugar profile of genuine grape must to set concentration limits for each sugar as parameters of authenticity. Glucose, fructose, together with eleven minor sugars were quantified in 82 genuine Italian grape musts, developing an analytical procedure based on highly selective chemical shift filters followed by TOCSY. Alongside the characteristic myo- and scyllo-inositol, significant contents of mannose, galactose, and trehalose were also found. Otherwise, maltose, rhamnose, arabinose, sucrose and lactose are present in lower concentrations and show great concentration variability.

Sources of free sugar in the diet of Saudi children.

Introduction: Data concerning sources of free sugar (FS) in the diet of Saudi children are limited. Identification of the top sources of FS would permit to develop tailored interventions that aid in meeting the recommendations of the World Health Organization for FS (≤ 25 g/day). This study aimed to investigate sources of FS in children's diet. Methods: A cross-sectional data of healthy children ages between 6 and 12 years who reside in Saudi Arabia were gathered from their mothers using online platforms (WhatsApp, Facebook, and X) (n = 424; 210 boys and 214 girls). An interview was conducted through the phone with the mother and her child to collect data pertaining FS intake using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Results: The primary sources of FS were Sweetened Beverages, followed by Sugars, Sweet Bakery Products, Other Desserts, and Candies, of which the added sugar consisted mostly of its total sugar. The consumption of FS coming from solid food sources for the highest quartile of children almost doubled the amount of FS coming from liquid food sources. Compared to boys, girls in the top quartile of FS intake consumed significantly higher amounts of solid sugars (p = 0.030). Only the intake of FS coming from Sweetened Beverages was associated negatively with age of children (p = 0.032). Discussion: Public health interventions should emphasize the necessity of reducing the consumption of the top sources of FS to practically achieve the recommendations of FS intake.

[Effects of thinning on accumulation of soil microbial residue carbon of Picea asperata plantations in sub-alpine region of western Sichuan, China]. / 间伐对川西亚高山云杉人工林土壤微生物残体碳积累的影响.

Microbial residues are an important component of soil organic carbon (SOC). It is unclear how long-term thinning affects the accumulation characteristics of microbial residue carbon (C). We analyzed the differences in soil physicochemical properties, microbial communities, extracellular enzyme activities, and microbial residue C in topsoil (0-10 cm) and subsoil (20-30 cm) in Picea asperata plantation of non-thinned (control, 4950 trees·hm-2) and thinned for 14 years (1160 trees·hm-2) stands, aiming to reveal the regulatory mechanism of thinning on microbial residue C accumulation. The results showed that thinning significantly increased SOC content, total nitrogen content, available phosphorus content, the proportion of particulate organic C, soil water content, C-cycle hydrolase, and acid phosphatase activities, but significantly reduced the proportion of mineral-associated organic C. Thinning significantly affected the content of fungal and microbial residue C, and the contribution of microbial residue C to SOC, and these effects were independent of soil layer. The content of fungal and microbial residue C was 25.0% and 24.5% higher under thinning treatments. However, thinning significantly decreased the contribution of microbial residue C to SOC by 12.3%, indicating an increase in the proportion of plant-derived C in SOC. Stepwise regression analysis showed that total nitrogen and soil water content were key factors influencing fungal and micro-bial residue C accumulation. In summary, thinning promoted microbial residue C sequestration by altering soil pro-perties and changed the composition of SOC sources.

Socioenvironmental sugar promotion and geographical inequalities in dental health of 5-year-old children in England.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between socioenvironmental sugar promotion and geographical inequalities in the prevalence of dental caries amongst 5-year-olds living across small areas within England. METHODS: Ecological data from the National Dental Epidemiology Programme (NDEP) 2018-2019, comprising information on the percentage of 5-year-olds with tooth decay (≥1 teeth that are decayed into dentine, missing due to decay, or filled), and untreated tooth decay (≥1 decayed but untreated teeth), in lower-tier local authorities (LAs) of England. These were analysed for association with a newly developed Index of Sugar-Promoting Environments Affecting Child Dental Health (ISPE-ACDH). The index quantifies sugar-promoting determinants within a child's environment and provides standardized scores for the index, and its component domains that is, neighbourhood-, school- and family-environment, with the highest scores representing the highest levels of sugar promotion in lower-tier LAs (N = 317) of England. Linear regressions, including unadjusted models separately using index and each domain, and models adjusted for domains were built for each dental outcome. RESULTS: Participants lived across 272 of 317 lower-tier LAs measured within the index. The average percentage of children with tooth decay and untreated tooth decay was 22.5 (SD: 8.5) and 19.6 (SD: 8.3), respectively. The mean index score was (0.1 [SD: 1.01]). Mean domain scores were: neighbourhood (0.02 [SD: 1.03]), school (0.1 [SD: 1.0]), and family (0.1 [SD: 0.9]). Unadjusted linear regressions indicated that the LA-level percentage of children with tooth decay increased by 5.04, 3.71, 4.78 and 5.24 with increased scores of the index, and neighbourhood, school and family domains, respectively. An additional model, adjusted for domains, showed that this increased percentage predicted by neighbourhood domain attenuated to 1.37, and by family domain it increased to 6.33. Furthermore, unadjusted models indicated that the LA-level percentage of children with untreated tooth decay increased by 4.72, 3.42, 4.45 and 4.97 with increased scores of the index, and neighbourhood, school, and family domains, respectively. The model, adjusted for domains, showed that this increased percentage predicted by neighbourhood domain attenuated to 1.24 and by family domain rose to 6.47. School-domain was not significantly associated with either outcome in adjusted models. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals that socioenvironmental sugar promotion, particularly within neighbourhood- and family-environments, may contribute to geographical inequalities in dental caries in children. Further research involving data on individual-level dental outcomes and confounders is required.

Are all sugars equal? Role of the food source in physiological responses to sugars with an emphasis on fruit and fruit juice.

High (free) sugar intakes can increase self-reported energy intake and are associated with unfavourable cardiometabolic health. However, sugar source may modulate the effects of sugars due to several mechanisms including the food matrix. The aim of this review was to assess the current state of evidence in relation to food source effects on the physiological responses to dietary sugars in humans relevant to cardiometabolic health. An additional aim was to review potential mechanisms by which food sources may influence such responses. Evidence from meta-analyses of controlled intervention trials was used to establish the balance of evidence relating to the addition of sugars to the diet from sugar-sweetened beverages, fruit juice, honey and whole fruit on cardiometabolic outcomes. Subsequently, studies which have directly compared whole fruit with fruit juices, or variants of fruit juices, were discussed. In summary, the sources of sugars can impact physiological responses, with differences in glycaemic control, blood pressure, inflammation, and acute appetite. Longer-term effects and mechanisms require further work, but initial evidence implicates physical structure, energy density, fibre, potassium and polyphenol content, as explanations for some of the observed responses.

Potential Interest of Oxalis pes-caprae L., a Wild Edible Plant, for the Food and Pharmaceutical Industries.

(1) Background: Oxalis pes-caprae L. is a plant considered within the group of so-called Wild Edible Plants (WEPs). The particularity of these plants is that they grow only with the natural resources at their disposal. Unfortunately, these types of plants are undervalued, being regularly uprooted from the fields. (2) Methods: Therefore, this study aimed to valorize the Oxalis pes-caprae plant, analyzing the proximate composition (sugars, organic acids, minerals, amino acids profile, fatty acids content, and volatile profile) of the plant shoots (flower, leaves, and stem) to demonstrate the full potential of this WEP. (3) Results: The results showed that Oxalis pes-caprae can be considered a natural source of minerals; furthermore, 19 essential and non-essential amino acids were found. Regarding the fatty acid profile, flowers are an important source of linoleic acid, and leaves present a high amount of α-linolenic acid. (4) Conclusions: Therefore, this research provides new information that reaffirms the capacity of Oxalis pes-caprae L. (WEP) to be a plant with great future progression due to its nutritional quality since it could be used in the food, nutritional, or pharmaceutical fields. Further research must be conducted to assay the biomass production and the costs of recommending farmers not to destroy this plant in their fields.