Inheritance of unique fruit and foliage color mutation in NuMex pinata.
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The inheritance of mature fruit color in peppers (Capsicum spp.) is controlled by several genes. However, the inheritance of the transition of colors the fruit undergo during ripening has not been described extensively. The authors describe the inheritance of a unique gene which affects foliage color and fruit color transition occurring in the jalapeno cultivar NuMex Pinata. The gene responsible is designated the tra gene. (+info)
Heritability estimates for octyl acetate and octyl butyrate in the mature fruit of the wild parsnip.
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The aliphatic esters octyl acetate and octyl butyrate occur as major components of essential oils in the vittae, or oil tubes, of the wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa). We determined phenotypic variation and narrow-sense heritabilities of these octyl esters in wild parsnip fruits from 30 maternal families. The mean octyl acetate content was 1.56 microg/mg dry fruit (0.08-5.51 microg/mg dry fruit) and the mean octyl butyrate content was 4.28 microg/mg dry fruit (1.28-14.22 microg/ mg dry fruit). Narrow-sense heritabilities for each ester's content were calculated by analysis of half-sib families (HS) and parent-offspring regression (OP). Heritabilities were 0.389 (HS) and 0.654 (OP) for octyl acetate and 0.670 (HS) and 0.626 (OP) for octyl butyrate. The amounts of the esters were phenotypically correlated with each other and with the linear furanocoumarins bergapten and xanthotoxin, phototoxic compounds that co-occur in the vittae with the esters. Ester amounts were not genetically correlated, indicating that these compounds could respond independently to selection pressures. These octyl esters may serve as carrier solvents that enhance penetration of these furanocoumarins into herbivore integuments and gut walls. (+info)
Chloroplast inheritance and DNA variation in sweet, sour, and ground cherry.
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Sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) is an allotetraploid and both sweet cherry (P avium L.) and ground cherry (P. fruticosa Pall.) are the proposed progenitor species. The study investigated the maternal species origin(s) of sour cherry using chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) markers and a diverse set of 22 sweet, 25 sour, and 7 ground cherry selections. Two cpDNA restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) and one polymerase chain reaction (PCR) fragment length polymorphism were identified among the 54 selections. The three polymorphisms considered together resolved four haplotypes. Analysis of sour cherry progeny indicated that the chloroplast genome is maternally inherited and therefore appropriate to use in determining maternal phylogenetic relationships. Ground cherry was found more likely than sweet cherry to be the maternal progenitor species of sour cherry since 23 of 25 of the sour cherry selections had the most prevalent ground cherry haplotype. However, the other two sour cherry selections tested had the most prevalent sweet cherry haplotype and a wild French sweet cherry selection had the most prevalent ground cherry haplotype. The results underscore the importance of using diverse Prunus germplasm to investigate phylogenetic relationships. (+info)
Urinary isoflavonoid and lignan excretion on a Western diet: relation to soy, vegetable, and fruit intake.
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Dietary isoflavone and lignan phytoestrogens are potential chemopreventive agents. This has led to a need to monitor exposure to these compounds in human populations and to determine which components of a mixed diet contribute to the exposure. Typically, urinary isoflavonoid excretion is associated with soy consumption and that of lignans is associated with whole grains. However, other plant foods are known to contain phytoestrogen precursors. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between urinary isoflavonoid and lignan excretion and intakes of vegetables and fruits (V&F). Isoflavonoids (genistein, daidzein, O-desmethylangolensin, and equol) and lignans (enterolactone, enterodiol, and matairesinol) were measured in urine collected for 3 days from 49 male and 49 female volunteers (age, 18-37 years) reporting a wide range of habitual V&F intakes. Dietary intakes were assessed using 5-day diet records and a food frequency questionnaire. V&F groupings (total V&F, total V, total F, soyfoods, and V&F grouped by botanical families) were used to assess the relationship between V&F intake and urinary isoflavonoid and lignan excretion. Pearson correlations were performed. Intake of soyfoods was correlated significantly with urinary genistein (r = 0.40; P = 0.0001), O-desmethylangolensin (r = 0.37; P = 0.0002), daidzein (r = 034; P = 0.0007), and the sum of isoflavonoids (r = 0.39; P = 0.0001). There was no association between equol excretion and soy intake or between the isoflavonoids and any other V&F groupings. In addition, isoflavonoid excretion was correlated positively with intake of high-fat and processed meats, particularly among men who did not consume soy. This suggests that, even in the United States, on a Western diet, soyfoods are the primary contributors to isoflavone intake; however, additional "hidden sources" of soy may also contribute to exposure. In contrast, a variety of fiber-containing foods contributed to lignan excretion; the sum of the urinary lignans, enterodiol, enterolactone, and matairesinol, was associated with intake of total F (r = 0.27; P = 0.008), total V&F (r = 0.25; P = 0.01), soyfoods (r = 0.28; P = 0.006), and dietary fiber (r = 0.36; P = 0.0003). Overall, urinary phytoestrogens (isoflavonoids + lignans) were significantly higher in "high" compared with "low" V&F consumers. Compared with the "low" V&F group, the "high" group consumed diets that were, on average, higher in fiber and carbohydrate and soyfoods and lower in fat; thus, the urinary phytoestrogens may also be a useful marker of healthier dietary patterns. (+info)
Micronutrient antioxidants and smoking.
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Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor in such human diseases as cardiovascular disease (especially atherosclerosis), lung cancer (the leading world-wide cancer killer), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). An avalanche of studies has suggested that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables is associated with decreased risk for atherosclerosis and cancer. However, the dietary intake of fruits and vegetables, as well as antioxidant micronutrients, is decreased in smokers. This, along with evidence of increased utilization of ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol, possibly on the basis of increased oxidative stress, contributes to the low plasma antioxidant concentrations seen in many smokers. This review addresses selected mechanistic considerations of this relationship. (+info)
Increasing vegetable and fruit intake: randomized intervention and monitoring in an at-risk population.
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High vegetable and fruit (V&F) consumption has been associated with a lower risk of several cancers. However, little is known about the ability of individuals to increase their intakes markedly. In this 1-year randomized, controlled diet intervention study of men and women with a recent history of adenomas, the intervention group (n = 100) was asked to increase V&F intake to at least eight servings per day; the control group (n = 101) continued eating their usual diet. End-point measures included V&F intake assessed by 3-day diet records, plasma carotenoids, serum lipids, urinary sodium and potassium, and body weight. The intervention group increased their daily V&F intake an average of 5.5 servings over 1 year; the control group had an average decrease of 0.5 servings per day (P < 0.001). Plasma total carotenoids, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, and lutein/zeaxanthin were each statistically significantly elevated over baseline (11-54%) in the intervention group compared with the control group over the duration of follow-up (P < 0.001). Urinary potassium excretion was elevated 14% over baseline in the intervention group compared with no change in the control group (P < 0.001). Modest decreases in the intervention but not the control group were observed for total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Plasma lycopene, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, body weight, and urinary sodium were not affected by the intervention. V&F intake was significantly increased in this motivated population at higher risk of colon cancer and maintained for at least 12 months, as assessed using diet records and an ensemble of biomarkers. (+info)
Diet and bladder cancer: a meta-analysis of six dietary variables.
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In 1996, more than 300,000 new cases of bladder cancer were diagnosed worldwide. Besides tobacco smoking, occupation, and other factors, diet may play a role in causation of this illness. The authors performed a meta-analytical review of epidemiologic studies linking six dietary factors to bladder cancer. These factors include retinol, beta-carotene, fruits, vegetables, meat, and fat. Increased risks of bladder cancer were associated with diets low in fruit intake (relative risk (RR) = 1.40, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08, 1.83), and slightly increased risks were associated with diets low in vegetable intake (RR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.34). Elevated risks were identified for diets high in fat intake (RR = 1.37, 95% CI: 1.16, 1.62) but not for diets high in meat intake (RR = 1.08, 95% CI: 0.82, 1.42). No increased risks were found for diets low in retinol (RR = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.83, 1.23) or beta-carotene (RR = 1.10, 95% CI: 0.93, 1.30) intake. These results suggest that a diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in fat intake may help prevent bladder cancer, but the individual dietary constituents that reduce the risks remain unknown. (+info)
The impact of health communication and enhanced laboratory-based surveillance on detection of cyclosporiasis outbreaks in California.
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We investigated the timing of diagnosis, influence of media information on testing for Cyclospora, and the method used to identify cases during eight cyclosporiasis outbreaks in California in spring of 1997. We found that Internet information, media reports, and enhanced laboratory surveillance improved detection of these outbreaks. (+info)