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Structural, rheological and functional properties of galactose-rich pectic polysaccharide fraction from leek
No full textAn acid-extracted polysaccharide from alchohol-insoluble solids of leek was obtained. The sugar composition indicated that galactose and galacturonic acid were the major sugars, followed by small amounts of rhamnose and arabinose. The fraction contained a relatively high methyl-esterified homogalacturonan next to rhamnogalacturonan type I decorated with galactose-rich side chains. The fraction consisted of three high Mw populations, covering the range of 10–100 kDa. Enzymatic fingerprinting was performed with HG/RG-I degrading enzymes to elucidate the structure. The oligomers were analysed using LC-HILIC-MS, HPAEC, and MALDI-TOF MS. The data revealed the presence of GalA sequences, having different patterns of methyl-esterification, RG-I composed of unbranched segments and segments heavily substituted with β-(1→4)-linked galactan chains of varying length. The rheological study showed the shear-thinning, weak thixotropic, anti-thixotropic, and non-Newtonian behavior of the polysaccharide. The pectin exhibited higher water holding capacity than oil-holding capacity and the fraction did form stable foams at high concentration.</p
Joint action malnutrition in the elderly (MaNuEL) knowledge hub: summary of project findings
No full textPurpose: The Joint Action Malnutrition in the Elderly (MaNuEL) Knowledge Hub was established to extend scientific knowledge, strengthen evidence-based practice, build a sustainable, transnational network of experts and harmonize research and clinical practice in the field of protein–energy malnutrition in older persons. This paper aims to summarize the main scientific results achieved during the 2-year project and to outline the recommendations derived. Methods: 22 research groups from seven countries (Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Spain, The Netherlands and New Zealand) worked together on 6 relevant domains of malnutrition—i.e. prevalence, screening, determinants, treatment, policy measures and education for health care professionals—making use of existing datasets, evidence and expert knowledge. Results: Four systematic reviews, six secondary data analyses of existing cohort and intervention studies, two web-based surveys and one Delphi study were performed. In addition, a scoring system to rate malnutrition screening tools and a theoretical framework on the aetiology of malnutrition in older persons were developed. Based on these activities and taking existing evidence into consideration, 13 clinical practice, 9 research and 4 policy recommendations were developed. The MaNuEL Toolbox was created and made available to effectively distribute and disseminate the MaNuEL results and recommendations. Conclusions: The MaNuEL Knowledge Hub successfully achieved its aims. Results and recommendations will support researchers, healthcare professionals, policy-makers as well as educational institutes to advance their efforts in tackling the increasing problem of protein–energy malnutrition in the older population.</p
Ty-1, a universal resistance gene against geminiviruses that is compromised by co-replication of a betasatellite
No full textTomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV), a begomovirus, causes large yield losses and breeding for resistance is an effective way to combat this viral disease. The resistance gene Ty-1 codes for an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and has recently been shown to enhance transcriptional gene silencing of TYLCV. Whereas Ty-1 was earlier shown to also confer resistance to a bipartite begomovirus, here it is shown that Ty-1 is probably generic to all geminiviruses. A tomato Ty-1 introgression line, but also stable transformants of susceptible tomato cv. Moneymaker and Nicotiana benthamiana (N. benthamiana) expressing the Ty-1 gene, exhibited resistance to begomoviruses as well as to the distinct, leafhopper-transmitted beet curly top virus, a curtovirus. Stable Ty-1 transformants of N. benthamiana and tomato showed fewer symptoms and reduced viral titres on infection compared to wild-type plants. TYLCV infections in wild-type N. benthamiana plants in the additional presence of a betasatellite led to increased symptom severity and a consistent, slightly lowered virus titre relative to the high averaged levels seen in the absence of the betasatellite. On the contrary, in Ty-1 transformed N. benthamiana viral titres increased in the presence of the betasatellite. The same was observed when these Ty-1-encoding plants were challenged with TYLCV and a potato virus X construct expressing the RNA interference suppressor protein βC1 encoded by the betasatellite. The resistance spectrum of Ty-1 and the durability of the resistance are discussed in light of antiviral RNA interference and viral counter defence strategies.</p
Liberalizing rural-to-urban construction land transfers in China : Distribution effects
No full textChina's land market is characterized by a dual urban-rural system, with the government in control of rural-urban land transfers. In recent years, different types of pilot projects have been implemented to experiment with liberalizing markets for rural-urban construction land transfers. The objective of this study is to gain insights into the distributional effects of three different types of land liberalization rules by making a comparative analysis of three pilot projects carried out under each of these liberalization rules. We find that transfers facing more liberalized rules result in higher shares of land revenue flowing to the rural sector and thereby reduce the ruralurban income gap. But direct transfers between rural and urban land users also contribute to growing income inequality within the rural sector, as households living in urban fringes benefit relatively more from such transfers. A tradable quota system can reduce the impact of location on the price of land, and thereby contribute to a more equal distribution of the revenues of rural-urban land transfers within the rural sector
How farmers’ characteristics influence spontaneous spreading of stone bunds in the highlands of Ethiopia: a case study in the Girar Jarso woreda
No full textThis study aims to identify key differences between farmers who spontaneously implement stone bunds (i.e. farmers implementing stone bunds by their own initiative) and farmers who do not. Data were collected in the Girar Jarso woreda in the central highlands of Ethiopia, through a household survey with 80 farmers: 40 with spontaneously implemented stone bunds and 40 without. Independent samples t test, principal component analysis and regression analysis were used to analyse the data. Results show that five key-factors explain differences between the two groups of farmers: (1) readiness to change, (2) available resources, (3) social capital, (4) type of family, and (5) commitment. These factors together explain 73% of the variance in the data set and show that particularly characteristics related to the farmer’s intrinsic motivation play a crucial role to spontaneously implement and integrate stone bunds into the farming system. Furthermore, results show that young farmers are most committed to soil conservation: they are often intrinsically motivated dynamic farmers who are ready to change their future and improve productivity and food security. The study suggests that government extension programmes should therefore focus more on these young and dynamic farmers and foster their readiness to change. This implies that extension workers and government officials should better understand the crucial role of farmers’ intrinsic motivation when dealing with sustainable land management, and also reformulate extension strategies and messages. This is particularly important when developing a scaling-up strategy that helps to sustainably increase agricultural production and achieve food security of small-holder farmers in Ethiopia
Data-driven process redesign: anticipatory shipping in agro-food supply chains
No full textAnticipatory shipping uses historical order and customer data to predict future orders and accordingly ship products to the nearest distribution centres before customers actually place the orders. It is a method to meet the increasing customer requirements on delivery service and simultaneously to reduce operational costs. This paper presents a case of anticipatory shipping in the context of agro-food supply chains. The challenge in these chains is the product perishability that leads to product obsolescence in the case of un-balanced supply and demand. This study introduces a data-driven approach that integrates product quality characteristics in data analytics to identify suitable products for anticipatory shipping at the strategic level. It also proposes process redesigns concerning production and transportation at the operational level to realise anticipatory shipping. Finally, using historical data from a Dutch floriculture supplier as input for a multi-agent simulation, the proposed approach and process redesigns are verified. The simulation output shows that anticipatory shipping could increase delivery service level up to 35.3% and reduce associated costs up to 9.3%.</p
Genome-wide association study for insect bite hypersensitivity susceptibility in horses revealed novel associated loci on chromosome 1
No full textEquine insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is a pruritic skin allergy caused primarily by biting midges, Culicoides spp. IBH susceptibility has polygenic inheritance and occurs at high frequencies in several horse breeds worldwide, causing increased costs and reduced welfare of affected horses. The aim of this study was to identify and validate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with equine IBH susceptibility. After quality control, 33,523 SNPs were included in a Bayesian genome-wide association study on 177 affected and 178 unaffected Icelandic horses. We report associated regions in E. caballus (ECA) 1, 3, 15 and 18, overlapping with known IBH QTLs in horses, and novel regions containing several genes, together explaining 11.46% of the total genetic variance. For validation, three SNPs on ECA 1 and ECA X (explaining the largest percentage of genetic variance) within 1-mb genomic windows for IBH were genotyped in an independent population of 280 Exmoor ponies. The associated genomic region (152–153 mb) on ECA 1 was confirmed in Exmoor ponies and contains the AQR gene involved in splicing processes and a long non-coding RNA. This study confirms the polygenic nature of IBH susceptibility and suggests a role of transcriptional regulatory mechanisms (e.g., alternative splicing) for IBH predisposition in these horse breeds.</p
Quality Improvement in African Food Supply Chains: Determinants of Farmer Performance
No full textThe integration of smallholders in modern value chains in sub-Saharan Africa is an important pathway for improving income and farmer livelihoods. Connected to demographic shifts, rapid urbanization, and the emergence of a middle class, there is a demand for higher product quality. In order to access these modern markets, smallholders need to enhance the quality of their products. However, factors that determine smallholders’ decision to invest in quality upgrading are not well understood. Using cross-sectional data from the Ethiopian barley sector, we analyse the factors that explain smallholders’ decision to improve quality. We find that socioeconomic, institutional and market factors affect the decision to improve quality. Our study contributes to the understanding of the determinants of quality upgrading at the micro-level of the economics of quality production, and thus of rural development.</p
Fostering the development of climate services through Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) for agriculture applications
No full textTo better understand and manage climate risks in climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture, it is essential to have access to consistent and reliable data and information products. Tailoring these products to the needs of the users they want to serve facilitate informed decision-making and downstream applications. This requires an in-depth understanding of users' needs and the context in which these users operate. Considering the diversity of the economic sectors and their actors it is extremely challenging if not outright impossible to promote the emergence of climate services without empowering a plethora of intermediate users who can act as one of the steps in a potential long knowledge brokers chain that connect the climate data providers and the end-users. In this context, Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) has been designed around the Climate Data Store (CDS), a unique entry point to a huge variety of quality-controlled climate data and high-level utilities to process that data to develop user-driven applications. Through the Sectoral Information System, C3S has then developed a series of sector specific applications, which show how the infrastructure can be used to address specific users’ needs. This paper presents the key elements of the CDS and selected cases of sectoral application of C3S in agriculture.</p
Relative preference for wooden nests affects nesting behaviour of broiler breeders
No full textOptimising nest design for broiler breeders has benefits for both the animals and the producers. The welfare of the hens will increase by providing preferred housing, while also reducing eggs laid outside the nests. These floor eggs cause economic losses by compromised automatic egg collection and reduced saleability and hatchability. Attractiveness of nests can involve factors such as seclusion, material and microclimate. In this study, four nest box designs were offered in a relative preference test: a plastic control nest, a plastic nest with a partition to divide the nest in two areas, a plastic nest with a ventilator underneath to create air flow inside the nest and a wooden nest. Six groups of 100 hens and 9 roosters had access to these four nests in a randomised location during the ages of 20 to 34 weeks. Nest and floor eggs were collected five days a week. Camera images from inside the nests made during the ages of 24–25 weeks and 26–27 weeks were analysed for behaviour. This included general activity, nest inspections, nest visits and social interactions. At 32 weeks of age the wooden nests were closed, and the subsequent response of the hens was monitored in terms of number of eggs. We found a clear preference in number of eggs for the wooden nest (69.3 ± 1.0%) compared to the control nest (15.1 ± 0.8%), partition nest (10.2 ± 0.5%) and the ventilator nest (5.4 ± 0.4%; p<0.0001 for difference between all nest designs). The preference for the wooden nest was also reflected in an increased time spent sitting, together with fewer nest inspections and visits per egg laid in the wooden nest. The preference for the wooden nest led to crowding, which caused an increased amount of piling, nest displacement, aggression and head shaking. The fact that the hens were willing to accept the crowded circumstances in these nests, underlines the strength of this preference. After the wooden nests were closed, the hens chose a new nest based on a combination of nest design and location. The control nest was still preferred over the other two plastic designs, although the neighbouring nests were overall preferred to the non-neighbouring nests. This study shows how the material used for nests is an important factor in suitability and should therefore be taken into account when designing nests.</p