Plant species richness can provide a range of benefits to the soil, since mixtures of species with contrasting functional traits enhance soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks. However, there is still limited information on the impact of increased plant species richness on tropical forage systems. This study evaluated whether increasing plant species affects soil quality attributes and forage yield in a tropical ecosystem. The experiment consisted of five treatments: 1) very low—single grass (Urochloa brizantha); 2) low – grass intercropped with cowpea; 3) medium – MIX with grass intercropped with cowpea and buckwheat; 4) high – MIX with grass intercropped with cowpea, buckwheat and forage radish; and 5) very high – MIX with grass intercropped with cowpea, buckwheat, forage turnip and sunflower. Increasing species richness altered root mass without reducing forage yield. Compared with the very low richness treatment, the very high richness significantly increased microbial biomass carbon (C) (130
Insect-derived proteins have emerged as promising sustainable alternatives to conventional edible proteins, owing to their low greenhouse gas emissions, high feed conversion efficiency, reduced water requirements, and cost-effectiveness. This study investigated the extraction of proteins from the larval biomass of two fly species through alkaline solubilization followed by isoelectric precipitation. The resulting protein isolates were characterized in terms of protein content and extraction yield, infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, amino acid composition, in vitro digestibility, and antioxidant capacity. The highest protein content was obtained from Musca domestica (59.7
In the present study, the effect of 6-((4-fluorophenyl) selanyl)-9H-purine (FSP) was tested against memory impairment and sensitivity to nociception induced by intracerebroventricular injection of amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ) (25–35 fragment), 3 nmol/3 μl/per site in mice. Memory impairment was determined by the object recognition task (ORT) and nociception by the Von-Frey test (VFT). Aβ caused neuroinflammation with upregulation of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) (in hippocampus), nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and the proinflammatory cytokines interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in cerebral cortex and hippocampus. Additionally, Aβ increased oxidant levels and lipid peroxidation in cerebral cortex and hippocampus, but decreased heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and peroxiredoxin-1 (Prdx1) expression in the hippocampus. Anti-neuroinflammatory effects of FSP were demonstrated by a decrease in the expression of GFAP and NF-κB in the hippocampus, as well as a decrease in proinflammatory cytokines in both the hippocampus and cerebral cortex FSP protected against oxidative stress by decreasing oxidant levels and lipid peroxidation and by increasing HO-1 and Prdx1 expressions in the hippocampus of mice. Moreover, FSP prevented the activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2) in the hippocampus of mice induced by Aβ. In conclusion, treatment with FSP attenuated memory impairment, nociception sensitivity by decreasing oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease.
Considering the growing risks posed by an unhealthy lifestyle, as well as the fundamental importance of health and well-being for us and our children, we are asking about the role of (school) education, reducing these risks and promoting health and an active lifestyle for all. Therefor we discuss first the content-related aspects of education: An adequate health concept has to concretize the bio-psycho-social nature of the human-being and to address a respective active (salutogenic) and not passive (pathogenic) approach to health-promotion. Secondly, we discuss the role of education in health promotion: Health has to be understood as ability rather than as a property, condition and therefor depends to a large extent on a high quality of education. This quality takes up the idea of enlightenment, maturity, and the classical German “Bildung”, and is directed to self-regulated health-behavior and not only by upbringing the respective passive behavioral components. Essential contents and principles of this modern health-education are presented. The text ends with some theoretical as well as practical conclusions for designing a health promoting school.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of contaminants of emerging concern (CEC), such as pesticides, human and veterinary pharmaceuticals, and hormones, in the Uruguay River - southern Brazil, and their possible effects on Astyanax spp. biochemical biomarkers. Three sampling sites were selected: one in the center of the middle Uruguay River, designated SB, and the others upstream (DMC) and downstream (URU) of the central site. Water samples for pesticides and pharmaceuticals analysis were collected monthly for one year. Water samples for physicochemical and microbiological analysis, sediments for pesticide analysis, and fish samples for biochemical biomarker and pesticide bioaccumulation analyses were collected seasonally. 17 pesticides, 13 pharmaceuticals, and 01 hormone were detected in the water samples. 04 pesticides were detected in sediments and 03 in fish muscle. Biochemical biomarkers showed significant differences between collection sites; however, seasonality was the main factor contributing to biomarker responses. Water pH and temperature were the variables with the greatest influence on the biomarkers, followed by the pesticides thiamethoxam, carbendazim, and tebuconazole. Furthermore, the combined analysis of these variables (pH, temperature, thiamethoxam, carbendazim, and tebuconazole) presents a synergistic effect on biomarkers in Astyanax spp. Therefore, the middle Uruguay River is contaminated with different classes of CEC, which, together with natural seasonal fluctuations, can exacerbate adverse effects on the ecosystem. Finally, this study demonstrates the need for shared water management measures among countries with international rivers.
