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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Brassica vegetables increase and apiaceous vegetables decrease cytochrome P450 1A2 activity in humans: changes in caffeine metabolite ratios in response to controlled vegetable diets.

Induction or inhibition of biotransformation enzymes, enzymes that activate or detoxify numerous xenobiotics, is one mechanism by which vegetables may alter cancer risk. Using a randomized crossover design, we examined the effect of various vegetable diets on cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A2, N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) and xanthine oxidase activity in humans. Men and women, non-smokers, on no medication and 20-40 years of age ate four 6-day controlled diets: basal (vegetable-free) and basal with three botanically defined vegetable groups. Enzyme activities were determined by measuring urinary caffeine metabolite ratios after a 200 mg caffeine dose on the last day of each feeding period. Mean CYP1A2 activity for 19 men and 17 women (least squares means adjusted for sex, GSTM1 genotype, urine volume and feeding period) with basal, brassica, allium and apiaceous vegetable diets differed significantly (P </=ISOdia</= 0. 0005) by diet, irrespective of the caffeine metabolite molar ratio used to describe CYP1A2 activity; brassica vegetables increased (P <0.04) and apiaceous vegetables decreased (P </=ISOdia</= 0.02) activity compared with the basal and allium diets. There was no effect of diet on NAT2 and xanthine oxidase activities and none of the subjects differed by GSTM1 genotype. These results demonstrate that while one vegetable subgroup induces human CYP1A2 activity, another subgroup inhibits it. This points to a complex association between consumption of a typical diet of various vegetables and biotransformation enzyme activities in humans, an association that may be difficult to interpret in observational studies.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

[Patulin in foods of vegetable origin. 2. Several kinds of fruit and vegetables and fruit and vegetable products (author's transl)].

Patulin was found in fruit with spontaneous brown rot (bananas, pineapples, grapes, peaches, apricots) as well as in moldy compots and in sallow-thorn juice. Fruit, vegetables and fruit and vegetable product were artificially infected with Penicillium expansum, P. urticae and Byssochlamys nivea; patulin was subsequently found in peaches, apricots, greengages, bananas, strawberries, honeydew melons, tomatoes, red and green paprika, cucumbers and carrots; in several kinds of compot, in tomato juice and tomato pulp --but not in ketchup. The influence of the temperature on growth and toxin production is different in the various fungal strains; in the temperature range of 5 degrees C to 25 degrees C, however, the possibility of patulin synthesis must nearly always be expected.

Fruit↗
PubMed1996

Vegetal egg cytoplasm promotes gastrulation and is responsible for specification of vegetal blastomeres in embryos of the ascidian Halocynthia roretzi.

An animal-vegetal axis exists in the unfertilized eggs of the ascidian Halocynthia roretzi. The first phase of ooplasmic segregation brings the egg cortex to the vegetal pole very soon after fertilization. In the present study, when 5-8% of the egg cytoplasm in the vegetal pole region was removed between the first and second phase of segregation, most embryos exhibited failure of gastrulation, as reported previously in Styela by Bates and Jeffery (Dev. Biol, 124, 65-76, 1987). The embryos that were deficient in vegetal pole cytoplasm (VC-deficient embryos) developed into permanent blastulae. They consisted for the most part of epidermal cells and most lacked the derivatives of vegetal blastomeres, such as endoderm, muscle and notochord. Removal of cytoplasm from other regions did not affect embryogenesis. The cleavage of the VC-deficient embryos not only exhibited radial symmetry along the animal-vegetal axis but the pattern of the cleavage was also identical in the animal and vegetal hemispheres. Examination of the developmental fates of early blastomeres of VC-deficient embryos revealed that the vegetal blastomeres had assumed the fate of animal cells. These results suggested that the VC-deficient embryos had been totally animalized. When vegetal pole cytoplasm was transplanted to the animal pole or equatorial position of VC-deficient eggs, gastrulation occurred, starting at the site of the transplantation and tissues derived from vegetal blastomeres formed. Therefore, it appears that vegetal pole cytoplasm specifies the site of gastrulation and the cytoplasm is responsible for the specification of vegetal blastomeres. It is suggested that during the second phase of ooplasmic segregation, cytoplasmic factors responsible for gastrulation spread throughout the entire vegetal hemisphere.

Acetylcholinesterase↗
PubMed2006

Determinants of fruit and vegetable intake among 11-year-old schoolchildren in a country of traditionally low fruit and vegetable consumption.

BACKGROUND: Fruit and vegetable consumption is traditionally low in Iceland. The results of the Pro Children cross-Europe survey showed that the consumption was lowest among children in Iceland. The aim of this study was to identify determinants of fruit and vegetable intake among 11-year-old schoolchildren in Iceland. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was performed in Iceland in the autumn of 2003 as a part of the Pro Children cross-Europe survey. The survey was designed to provide information on actual consumption levels of vegetables and fruits by 11-year-old school children and to assess potential determinants of consumption patterns. A total of 1235 Icelandic children (89%) from 32 randomly chosen schools participated. Hierarchical regression analyses were performed to determine the explained variance of the children's fruit and vegetable intake. In these analyses socio-demographic background variables were entered as a first block, perceived physical-environmental variables as a second block, perceived socio-environmental variables as a third block and personal variables as a fourth block. RESULTS: 64% of the children ate fruit less than once a day, and 61% ate vegetables less than once a day. Respectively, 31% and 39% of the variance in children's fruit and vegetable intake was explained by the determinants studied. About 7% and 13% of the variance in fruit and vegetable intake was explained by the perceived physical-environmental determinants, mainly by availability at home. About 18% and 16% of the variance in fruit and vegetable intake was explained by the personal determinants. For both fruit and vegetable intake, the significant personal determinants were preferences, liking, knowledge of recommendations and self-efficacy. CONCLUSION: Interventions to increase fruit and vegetable intake among children should aim at both environmental factors such as greater availability of fruit and vegetables, and personal factors as self-efficacy and knowledge levels concerning nutrition.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1972

Incidence of parasites found on vegetables collected from markets and vegetable gardens in Taegu area.

A parasitic survey on vegetables collected from markets and vegetable gardens in Taegu area was conducted for the discovery of human parasitic eggs and larvae. Three species of vegetable, lettuce (Lactuca sativa), young radish(Raphanus sapivus) and Chinese cabbage (Brassica pekinensis) were selected. All vegetable leaves were washed with a hard brush, and then species of parasites and the approximate mean number of parasitic eggs per 200 grams of vegetable leaves were investigated. When vegetables collected from markets were examined, 5 species of parasite eggs (ascarid, trichurid, Trichostrongylus, Clonorchis and hookworms) and 2 larvae (filariform and rhabditoid ) were found. Furthermore, a number of eggs and larvae of undetermined species were also observed. Of the parasites studied, ascarid egg was found to be highest (49.0%), followed Trichostrongylus egg(18.0%) as well as filariform larva of hookworms (19.7%), and the least often observed was rhabditoid larva of hookworms(0.7%). The recovery rate of parasites among lettuce, young radish and Chinese cabbage collected from markets ranged from 23.2 to 91.9 percent and was similar to that from vegetable gardens, where Chinese cabbage showed the highest (91.1%) and lettuce being next(49.0%) in positivity of ascarid eggs. In the case of filariform larva, the rate of Chinese cabbage was twice as high as that of lettuce and young radish. There was a significant reduction in the rate of filariform larva, suggesting that a single washing of vegetables at the vegetable washing stand would reduce the number of parasites attached to vegetable leaves, when young radish washed at the stand was compared with that unwashed. In the monthly rate of parasites recovered from young radish, there was significant fluctuations between the eggs and filariform larva of hookworms. The mean number of ascarid egg per 200 grams of vegetable was 7.5 in young radishes, 3.1 in lettuces, and 0.5 in Chinese cabbages, in decreasing order. It is noteworthy that young radish contained more than 10 times more than Chinese cabbage. These results would seem to indicate that one of the important routes of infection is due to consumption of pickled young radishes in summer than pickled Chinese cabbages in winter.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1999

Comparison of serum carotenoid responses between women consuming vegetable juice and women consuming raw or cooked vegetables.

The objective of this study was to examine serum concentrations of alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, and beta-cryptoxanthin due to consumption of vegetable juice versus raw or cooked vegetables. Subjects included female breast cancer patients who had undergone surgical resection and who were enrolled in a feasibility study for a trial examining the influence of diet on breast cancer recurrence. A high-vegetable, low-fat diet was the focus of the intervention, and some of the subjects were specifically encouraged to consume vegetable juice. At 12 months, blood samples were collected and analyzed for carotenoid concentrations via high-performance liquid chromatography methodology. Matched analysis and paired t test were conducted on two groups: those who consumed vegetable juice (the juice group) and those who consumed raw or cooked vegetables (no juice group). Serum concentrations of alpha-carotene and lutein were significantly higher in the vegetable juice group than in the raw or cooked vegetable group (P < 0.05 and P = 0.05, respectively). Paired t test analysis did not demonstrate a significant difference in serum values of beta-carotene, lycopene, and beta-cryptoxanthin between subjects consuming juice and those not consuming any juice. These results suggest that alpha-carotene and lutein appear to be more bioavailable in the juice form than in raw or cooked vegetables. Therefore, the food form consumed may contribute to the variability in serum carotenoid response to vegetable and fruit interventions in clinical studies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

[Nitrate accumulation in vegetables and its residual in vegetable fields].

Determinations of 11 kinds, 48 varieties of vegetables were carried out at different seasons. The results showed that nitrate-N concentrations in 20 vegetables reached Pollution Level 4 (NO3(-)-N > 325 mg.kg-1), which accounted for 41.7% of the total number of the sampled vegetables and included all of the leafy, and most of the melon, root, onion and garlic vegetables. Among them, 5 leafy vegetables even exceeded Level 4 (NO3(-)-N > 700 mg.kg-1). Although leafy vegetables were usually apt to heavily accumulate nitrate, most of them were with nitrate-N concentrations lower than Level 3 (NO3(-)-N < 325 mg.kg-1) in leave blades. Further investigation showed that vegetable soils accumulated more nitrates in each layer from 0 cm to 200 cm than did cereal crop soil. The total amount of residual nitrate-N was 1358.8 kg.hm-2 in the 200 cm soil profile of usual vegetable fields, and 1411.8 kg.hm-2 and 1520.9 kg.hm-2 in the 2-yaers and the 5-years long plastic greenhouse fields respectively, however that in the cereal crop fields was only 245.4 kg.hm-2. Nitrate residual in vegetable soils formed serious threats to underground water in vegetable growing areas.

Agriculture↗
PubMed1998

Comparative bio-antimutagenicity of common vegetables and traditional vegetables in Kyoto.

Traditional vegetables in Kyoto are a unique group of vegetables that have been cultivated in limited areas near Kyoto city. We compared the traditional vegetables in Kyoto with common vegetables for the bio-antimutagenicity of their extracts against UV-induced mutation of E. coli B/r WP2. Among the traditional vegetables in Kyoto, Kamo eggplant (Solanaceae) and Katsura oriental pickling melon (Cucurbitaceae) showed higher bio-antimutagenicity and yield in the n-hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions than their common vegetable counterparts. Shishigatani pumpkin (Cucurbitaceae) possessed bio-antimutagenicity in the chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions, but common pumpkin did not. Polyphenolic compounds in the ethyl acetate fraction of plants are known to be related to antimutagenicity. However, the intensity of bio-antimutagenicity was not correlated with the polyphenol content in the ethyl acetate fractions of the present vegetables. In particular, Kamo eggplant possessed both polyphenolic and non-polyphenolic bio-antimutagenic sub-fractions in the ethyl acetate fraction. In the aqueous fraction, taro (Dioscoreaceae) was the most capable among our samples, whether being of common or traditional origin. Consequently, it is considered, that some traditional vegetables in Kyoto are superior to common vegetables in their bio-antimutagenicity and that these could be used as starting materials to identify new bio-antimutagens.

Antimutagenic Agents↗
PubMed1999

Influence of feeding different vegetables on plasma levels of carotenoids, folate and vitamin C. Effect of disruption of the vegetable matrix.

Carotenoids, folate and vitamin C may contribute to the observed beneficial effects of increased vegetable intake. Currently, knowledge on the bioavailability of these compounds from vegetables is limited. We compared the efficacy of different vegetables, at the same level of intake (i.e. 300 g/d), in increasing plasma levels of carotenoids, folate and vitamin C and we investigated if disruption of the vegetable matrix would enhance the bioavailability of these micronutrients. In an incomplete block design, sixty-nine volunteers consumed a control meal without vegetables and three out of four vegetable meals (i.e. broccoli, green peas, whole leaf spinach, chopped spinach; containing between 1.7 and 24.6 mg beta-carotene, 3.8 and 26 mg lutein, 0.22 and 0.60 mg folate and 26 and 93 mg vitamin C) or a meal supplemented with synthetic beta-carotene (33.3 mg). Meals were consumed for 4 d and fasting blood samples were taken at the end of each period. Consumption of the spinach-supplemented meal did not affect plasma levels of beta-carotene, although the beta-carotene content was 10-fold those of broccoli and green peas, which induced significant increases in plasma beta-carotene levels (28 (95% CI 6.4, 55)% and 26 (95% CI 2.6, 54)% respectively). The beta-carotene-supplemented meal increased plasma concentrations of beta-carotene effectively (517 (95% CI 409, 648)%). All vegetable meals increased the plasma concentrations of lutein and vitamin C significantly. Broccoli and green peas were, when expressed per mg carotenoid consumed, also more effective sources of lutein than spinach. A significant increase in plasma folate concentration was found only after consumption of the spinach-supplemented meal, which provided the highest level of folate. Disruption of the spinach matrix increased the plasma responses to both lutein (14 (95% CI 3.7, 25)%) and folate (10 (95% CI 2.2, 18)%), whereas it did not affect the response to beta-carotene. We conclude that the bioavailabilities of beta-carotene and lutein vary substantially among different vegetables and that the bioavailabilities of lutein and folate from spinach can be improved by disruption of the vegetable matrix.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1982

[Sleep in vegetative state patients and recuperated cases from vegetative states (author's transl)].

Twenty-four hours polygraphic recording of EEG, electrooculogram and EMG were performed on 8 vegetative state patients and 4 recuperated cases, and the differences of the sleep pattern between two groups were discussed. It was difficult to divide the sleep pattern into normal four stages, because the frequency of EEG in vegetative state patients were very slow. So we divided it into the following 4 patterns; awake, shallow sleep, deep sleep and REM sleep. The sleep in vegetative state patients was interrupted by short duration and appeared at random during day and night. The amount of sleep in vegetative state patients increased proportion to severity of vegetative state. Rate of shallow sleep of them was high. REM sleep was seen in all the cases, but its cycle and lasting time were different in each case. The rate of shallow sleep prior to REM sleep was lower than normal pattern and the change of sleep state was atypical. Few hump and spindle wave appeared. For the reasons mentioned above, the sleep pattern in vegetative state patients was far from physiological sleep. On the other hand, the sleep in recuperated patients was more similar to the normal pattern than that of vegetative cases, but the rate of shallow sleep was as high as the vegetative cases. REM sleep was irregular and the change of sleep was also atypical. Therefore, the sleep pattern in recuperated patients was also far from physiological sleep, though it was better than that of vegetative cases.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

[Evaluation on environmental quality of Pb, Zn and Cu contents in vegetable plantation soils and vegetables in Hangzhou suburb].

Contents of heavy metals (Pb, Zn, Cu) in soils from 4 main vegetable plantations in Hangzhou suburb were investigated to evaluate environmental quality of heavy metals of soils and vegetables. Different evaluation methods and evaluation standards of heavy metals were used for comparison. Kriging method was applied to study the spatial variability of heavy metals in soil-vegetable system. The distribution maps of the spatial variability of heavy metals in soil-vegetable system in Jianggan District were obtained based on GIS method. The results show that the soils were polluted with Pb, Zn, and Cu using natural background values as evaluation standard. While using National Standard as evaluation standard, the soils were not polluted. Contents of heavy metals in Gongshu District were the highest of four investigated districts. The concentration distribution of heavy metals had different spatial variability. The content of Pb in vegetables was higher than those of Zn and Cu and exceeded the national vegetable sanitation standard. The order for their enrichment coefficients was as follows: Zn> Pb> Cu. The accumulation coefficient for green vegetable was higher than that of Chinese cabbage, indicating green vegetable could easily accumulate heavy metals from soils than Chinese cabbage.

China↗
PubMed2004

Wide Dynamic Range Vegetation Index for remote quantification of biophysical characteristics of vegetation.

The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is widely used for monitoring, analyzing, and mapping temporal and spatial distributions of physiological and biophysical characteristics of vegetation. It is well documented that the NDVI approaches saturation asymptotically under conditions of moderate-to-high aboveground biomass. While reflectance in the red region (rho(red)) exhibits a nearly flat response once the leaf area index (LAI) exceeds 2, the near infrared (NIR) reflectance (PNIR) continue to respond significantly to changes in moderate-to-high vegetation density (LAI from 2 to 6) in crops. However, this higher sensitivity of the rho(NIR) has little effect on NDVI values once the rho(NIR) exceeds 30%. In this paper a simple modification of the NDVI was proposed. The Wide Dynamic Range Vegetation Index, WDRVI = (a * rho(NIR-rho(red))/(a * rho(NIR) + rho(red)), where the weighting coefficient a has a value of 0.1-0.2, increases correlation with vegetation fraction by linearizing the relationship for typical wheat, soybean, and maize canopies. The sensitivity of the WDRVI to moderate-to-high LAI (between 2 and 6) was at least three times greater than that of the NDVI. By enhancing the dynamic range while using the same bands as the NDVI, the WDRVI enables a more robust characterization of crop physiological and phenological characteristics. Although this index needs further evaluation, the linear relationship with vegetation fraction and much higher sensitivity to change in LAI will be especially valuable for precision agriculture and monitoring vegetation status under conditions of moderate-to-high density. It is anticipated that the new index will complement the NDVI and other vegetation indices that are based on the red and NIR spectral bands.

Environmental Monitoring↗
PubMed2005

Outcome and process evaluation of a Norwegian school-randomized fruit and vegetable intervention: Fruits and Vegetables Make the Marks (FVMM).

This study reports the effect of the Fruits and Vegetables Make the Marks intervention, a school-based fruit and vegetable intervention consisting of a home economics classroom component and parental involvement and encouraged participation in the Norwegian School Fruit Programme, all delivered during the school year of 2001-02. Nine randomly chosen schools received the intervention and 10 schools served as control schools. Participating pupils completed questionnaires at baseline (September 2001), at Follow-up 1 (May-June 2002) and at Follow-up 2 (May 2003). A total of 369 pupils (69%; mean age, 11.3 years at baseline) participated in all three surveys. No effect of the intervention was found for intake of fruit and vegetables eaten at school or all day, neither at Follow-up 1 nor at Follow-up 2. On analysing the effects on potential mediators, significant differences between intervention and control groups were found for Awareness of the five-a-day recommendations only. The intervention programme was rated as very good by the teachers, and the pupils reported that they enjoyed it. However, the intervention failed to change fruit and vegetable intake, probably because it did not succeed in changing the pupils' preferences for or the accessibility of fruit and vegetables--the two strongest correlates of children's fruit and vegetable intake.

Child↗
PubMed2006

Heavy metals of vegetables and soils of vegetable bases in Chongqing, Southwest China.

There is a growing concern over environmental and ecological safety in China owing to rapid urbanization and industrialization and increasing reliance on agrochemicals in the last several decades. Excessive accumulation for some essential trace elements (e.g., zinc, copper) or low concentration of toxic elements (e.g., cadmium, lead) in agricultural soils may not only result in environmental contamination but also affect food quality and safety. This study is conducted to investigate eight heavy metal elements (Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Hg, and Pb) of soils and vegetables in twenty vegetable bases in Chongqing, one of the municipalities directly under the jurisdiction of central government. The results shows that soils investigated in this study are heavily contaminated with cadmium and lead, which exceed the national (China) and local (Chongqing) background values. All the study vegetables are below the national sanitary standards for vegetables in China with one exception of lead concentration of vegetables in the district of Dadakou. All the 20 bases in this study can be divided into three groups: group 1 including Rongchang, Wanzhou, Bishan, Yubei, Jiangjin, Wansheng and Fuling, group 2 containing Dadukou, Changshou, Jiulongpo, Ba'nan, Yongchuan and Jiangbei and group 3 comprising Nan'an, Beibei, Shapingba, Dazu, Tongnan, Tongliang and Hechuan. The soil contamination is group III > group I > group II while the order of the plant contamination is reverse.

China↗
PubMed2004

Fruit and vegetable consumption is inversely associated with blood pressure in a Mediterranean population with a high vegetable-fat intake: the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra (SUN) Study.

There is evidence that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables reduces blood pressure (BP). Characteristically, the Mediterranean diet is rich in plant-derived foods and also in fat, but studies conducted in Mediterranean countries to relate diet to BP are scarce. We studied the association between fruit and vegetable consumption and BP in a cross-sectional analysis of 4393 participants in the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra (SUN) Study, an ongoing dynamic cohort study in Spain. Diet was measured using a food-frequency questionnaire previously validated in Spain. Fat represented more than 37 % total energy intake. Subjects were considered to have undiagnosed hypertension if they reported systolic BP > or = 140 mmHg or diastolic BP > or = 90 mmHg, and not a medical diagnosis of hypertension. The adjusted prevalence odds ratio of undiagnosed hypertension (upper v. lowest quintile) was 0.58 (95 % CI 0.36, 0.91; P for trend 0.01) for vegetable consumption and 0.68 (95 % CI 0.43, 1.09; P for trend 0.10) for fruit consumption. Comparing those in the highest quintile of both fruit and vegetable consumption with those in the lowest quintile of both food groups, the prevalence odds ratio was 0.23 (95 % CI 0.10, 0.55; P = 0.001), after adjusting for risk factors for hypertension and other dietary exposures. In a Mediterranean population with an elevated fat consumption, a high fruit and vegetable intake is inversely associated with BP levels.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Use of vegetative furrows to mitigate copper loads and soil loss in runoff from polyethylene (plastic) mulch vegetable production systems.

The transport of runoff with high copper concentrations and sediment loads into adjacent surface waters can have adverse effects on nontarget organisms as a result of increased turbidity and degraded water quality. Runoff from vegetable production utilizing polyethylene mulch can contain up to 35% of applied copper, a widely used fungicide/bactericide that has adverse effects on aquatic organisms. Copper is primarily transported in runoff with suspended particulates; therefore, implementation of management practices that minimize soil erosion will reduce copper loads. Replacing bare-soil furrows with furrows planted in rye (Secale cereale) significantly improved the sustainability of vegetable production with polyethylene mulch and reduced the potential environmental impact of this management practice. Vegetative furrows decreased runoff volume by >40% and soil erosion by >80%. Copper loads with runoff were reduced by 72% in 2001, primarily as a result of reduced soil erosion since more than 88% of the total copper loads were transported in runoff with suspended soil particulates. Tomato yields in both years were similar between the polyethylene mulch plots containing either bare-soil or vegetative furrows. Replacing bare-soil furrows with vegetative furrows greatly reduces the effects of sediments and agrochemicals on sensitive ecosystems while maintaining crop yields.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2005

Phreatophytic vegetation and groundwater fluctuations: a review of current research and application of ecosystem response modeling with an emphasis on great basin vegetation.

Although changes in depth to groundwater occur naturally, anthropogenic alterations may exacerbate these fluctuations and, thus, affect vegetation reliant on groundwater. These effects include changes in physiology, structure, and community dynamics, particularly in arid regions where groundwater can be an important water source for many plants. To properly manage ecosystems subject to changes in depth to groundwater, plant responses to both rising and falling groundwater tables must be understood. However, most research has focused exclusively on riparian ecosystems, ignoring regions where groundwater is available to a wider range of species. Here, we review responses of riparian and other species to changes in groundwater levels in arid environments. Although decreasing water tables often result in plant water stress and reduced live biomass, the converse is not necessarily true for rising water tables. Initially, rising water tables kill flooded roots because most species cannot tolerate the associated low oxygen levels. Thus, flooded plants can also experience water stress. Ultimately, individual species responses to either scenario depend on drought and flooding tolerance and the change in root system size and water uptake capacity. However, additional environmental and biological factors can play important roles in the severity of vegetation response to altered groundwater tables. Using the reviewed information, we created two conceptual models to highlight vegetation dynamics in areas with groundwater fluctuations. These models use flow charts to identify key vegetation and ecosystem properties and their responses to changes in groundwater tables to predict community responses. We then incorporated key concepts from these models into EDYS, a comprehensive ecosystem model, to highlight the potential complexity of predicting community change under different fluctuating groundwater scenarios. Such models provide a valuable tool for managing vegetation and groundwater use in areas where groundwater is important to both plants and humans, particularly in the context of climate change.

Biomass↗
PubMed2001

High linoleic acid, low vegetable, and high oleic acid, high vegetable diets affect platelet activation similarly in healthy women and men.

Upregulation of protein kinase C (PKC), an important enzyme in platelet activation, could be one step toward platelet hyperactivity. PKC activation can be modulated by dietary components in vitro, but few data are available concerning the in vivo effects. In this strictly controlled human dietary intervention, the influence of dietary unsaturated fatty acids and vegetable compounds on platelet activation was investigated. A high linoleic acid diet (10% of energy) with small amounts of vegetables (no berries or apples) was consumed by 9 women and 4 men (24.1 +/- 3.9 y), and was compared with a high oleic acid diet (12% of energy) with considerable amounts of vegetables, berries and apples consumed by 8 women and 4 men (24.2 +/- 5.5 y). Subjects were healthy Finnish volunteers. Compliance with the experimental protocol was good, as indicated by changes in plasma fatty acids and concentrations of vitamin C, beta-carotene and alpha-tocopherol. No differences between groups were seen in indices of platelet activation, including platelet aggregation, total PKC activity and distribution of PKC isoenzymes alpha, beta(II) and delta. The results indicate that in apparently healthy and fairly young subjects with adequate vitamin intakes, diets differing markedly in their amounts of linoleic and oleic acids, and vegetables, berries and apples do not differ in platelet activation.

Antioxidants↗