Oligomeric Ellagitannins of Epilobium Angustifolium : Quantification and Bioactivity Assessment

Over the past few years there has been a growing body of evidence highlighting the fact that tannin-rich fodders could be beneficial to animal welfare as well as to the environment, by decreasing methane emissions from ruminants. However, the immense variety of tannin structures that exist within the plant kingdom has rendered difficult the study of their precise modes of action. Yet, understanding the structure-activity relationships that underlie the bioactivities of tannins would permit a targeted selection of optimal forages and thereby a more effective use of these natural resources. This work focuses on one particular aspect of the structure-activity relationships of ellagitannins: the degree of oligomerization. A series of oligomeric ellagitannins (ETs) isolated form fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium) was utilized to address the question of how the oligomeric size might affect the bioactivities of ellagitannins. First, a method was developed to quantify these ETs using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-DAD-MS/MS). This method was then applied to investigate the distribution pattern of ETs and other phenolics within the plant and among several plant populations. Substantial differences were observed between leaves, flowers and stems but the interpopulational variability remained relatively low. The second part of this work was dedicated to the assessment of the relationships between oligomer size and bioactivity using in vitro assays. Oligomeric ETs were tested on an in vitro model of ruminal fermentation and on the adult stage of an intestinal nematode of goats and sheep. It was found that oligomeric ETs inhibited fiber degradation in a size-dependent manner. Their ability to specifically inhibit methanogenesis and protein degradation, however, reached an optimum with the trimer and the tetramer. The same optimum was also observed with the in vitro anthelmintic activity.Siirretty Doriast

Large variability of proanthocyanidin content and composition in sainfoin (onobrychis viciifolia)

Proanthocyanidins (PAs) in sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) are of interest to ameliorate the sustainability of livestock production. However, sainfoin forage yield and PA concentrations, as well as their composition, require optimization. Individual plants of 27 sainfoin accessions from four continents were analyzed with LC-ESI-QqQ-MS/MS for PA concentrations and simple phenolic compounds. Large variability existed in PA concentrations (23.0–47.5 mg g–1 leaf dry matter (DM)), share of prodelphinidins (79–96%), and mean degree of polymerization (11–14) among, but also within, accessions. PAs were mainly located in leaves (26.8 mg g–1 DM), whereas stems had less PAs (7.8 mg g–1 DM). Overall, high-yielding plants had lower PA leaf concentrations (R2 = 0.16, P < 0.001) and fewer leaves (R2 = 0.66, P < 0.001). However, the results show that these two trade-offs between yield and bioactive PAs can be overcome

FaceTuneGAN: Face Autoencoder for Convolutional Expression Transfer Using Neural Generative Adversarial Networks

In this paper, we present FaceTuneGAN, a new 3D face model representation decomposing and encoding separately facial identity and facial expression. We propose a first adaptation of image-toimage translation networks, that have successfully been used in the 2D domain, to 3D face geometry. Leveraging recently released large face scan databases, a neural network has been trained to decouple factors of variations with a better knowledge of the face, enabling facial expressions transfer and neutralization of expressive faces. Specifically, we design an adversarial architecture adapting the base architecture of FUNIT and using SpiralNet++ for our convolutional and sampling operations. Using two publicly available datasets (FaceScape and CoMA), FaceTuneGAN has a better identity decomposition and face neutralization than state-of-the-art techniques. It also outperforms classical deformation transfer approach by predicting blendshapes closer to ground-truth data and with less of undesired artifacts due to too different facial morphologies between source and target

Benefits of condensed tannins in forage legumes fed to ruminants:Importance of structure, concentration, and diet composition

Condensed tannins (CTs) account for up to 20% of the dry matter in forage legumes used as ruminant feeds. Beneficial animal responses to CTs have included improved growth, milk and wool production, fertility, and reduced methane emissions and ammonia volatilization from dung or urine. Most important is the ability of such forages to combat the effects of gastrointestinal parasitic nematodes. Inconsistent animal responses to CTs were initially attributed to concentration in the diet, but recent research has highlighted the importance of their molecular structures, as well as concentration, and also the composition of the diet containing the CTs. The importance of CT structural traits cannot be underestimated. Interdisciplinary research is the key to unraveling the relationships between CT traits and bioactivities and will enable future on-farm exploitation of these natural plant compounds. Research is also needed to provide plant breeders with guidelines and screening tools to optimize CT traits, in both the forage and the whole diet. In addition, improvements are needed in the competitiveness and agronomic traits of CT-containing legumes and our understanding of options for their inclusion in ruminant diets. Farmers need varieties that are competitive in mixed swards and have predictable bioactivities. This review covers recent results from multidisciplinary research on sainfoin (Onobrychis Mill. spp.) and provides an overview of current developments with several other tanniniferous forages. Tannin chemistry is now being linked with agronomy, plant breeding, animal nutrition, and parasitology. The past decade has yielded considerable progress but also generated more questions — an enviable consequence of new knowledge

Industrial chicory genome gives insights into the molecular timetable of anther development and male sterility

Industrial chicory (Cichorium intybus var. sativum) is a biannual crop mostly cultivated for extraction of inulin, a fructose polymer used as a dietary fiber. F1 hybrid breeding is a promising breeding strategy in chicory but relies on stable male sterile lines to prevent self-pollination. Here, we report the assembly and annotation of a new industrial chicory reference genome. Additionally, we performed RNA-Seq on subsequent stages of flower bud development of a fertile line and two cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) clones. Comparison of fertile and CMS flower bud transcriptomes combined with morphological microscopic analysis of anthers, provided a molecular understanding of anther development and identified key genes in a range of underlying processes, including tapetum development, sink establishment, pollen wall development and anther dehiscence. We also described the role of phytohormones in the regulation of these processes under normal fertile flower bud development. In parallel, we evaluated which processes are disturbed in CMS clones and could contribute to the male sterile phenotype. Taken together, this study provides a state-of-the-art industrial chicory reference genome, an annotated and curated candidate gene set related to anther development and male sterility as well as a detailed molecular timetable of flower bud development in fertile and CMS lines

Benefits of Condensed Tannins in Forage Legumes Fed to Ruminants: Importance of Structure, Concentration, and Diet Composition

Condensed tannins (CTs) account for up to 20% of the dry matter in forage legumes used as ruminant feeds. Beneficial animal responses to CTs have included improved growth, milk and wool production, fertility, and reduced methane emissions and ammonia volatilization from dung or urine. Most important is the ability of such forages to combat the effects of gastrointestinal parasitic nematodes. Inconsistent animal responses to CTs were initially attributed to concentration in the diet, but recent research has highlighted the importance of their molecular structures, as well as concentration, and also the composition of the diet containing the CTs. The importance of CT structural traits cannot be underestimated. Interdisciplinary research is the key to unraveling the relationships between CT traits and bioactivities and will enable future on-farm exploitation of these natural plant compounds. Research is also needed to provide plant breeders with guidelines and screening tools to optimize CT traits, in both the forage and the whole diet. In addition, improvements are needed in the competitiveness and agronomic traits of CT-containing legumes and our understanding of options for their inclusion in ruminant diets. Farmers need varieties that are competitive in mixed swards and have predictable bioactivities. This review covers recent results from multidisciplinary research on sainfoin (Onobrychis Mill. spp.) and provides an overview of current developments with several other tanniniferous forages. Tannin chemistry is now being linked with agronomy, plant breeding, animal nutrition, and parasitology. The past decade has yielded considerable progress but also generated more questions-an enviable consequence of new knowledge

Hypominéralisations incisivo-molaires (MIH) chez l'enfant (rôle des dioxines)

LILLE2-BU Santé-Recherche (593502101) / SudocLILLE2-UFR Odontologie (593502202) / SudocPARIS-BIUM (751062103) / SudocSudocFranceF

Isolation, characterisation and quantification of the main oligomeric macrocyclic ellagitannins in Epilobium angustifolium by ultra-high performance chromatography with diode array detection and electrospray tandem mass spectrometry

Abstract Tannins have beneficial effects in animal nutrition as they are able to decrease methane emission in ruminants and exert anthelminthic activity against intestinal nematodes. However, tannins can have very diverse structures and therefore, different activities. In order to enhance the research in tannin-rich forages we need tools which are able to quantify tannins individually. In this study we isolated and characterised the main tellimagrandin I (TI)-based oligomeric ellagitannins (ETs) from Epilobium angustifolium (willowherb) and developed a UHPLC-DAD&ndash;ESI-MS/MS method to quantify them in plant extracts. The mass spectrometer was operated in Multiple Reaction Monitoring mode to enable the selective detection of dimeric to heptameric ETs from the plant extract. The method proved to be sensitive, with limits of detection ranging from 0.1 to 1.3 &mu;g mL&minus;1. The stability test showed a good repeatability with an inter-run deviation of the results from 0.1 to 5%, except for the pentamer and hexamer where it reached 8%. The method was then successfully applied to evaluate the distribution of those ETs in the plant. This work also provides the first time evidence of the presence of tetrameric to heptameric TI in willowherb.</p

Quantifying exposure of bumblebee (Bombus spp.) queens to pesticide residues when hibernating in agricultural soils

Exposure to pesticides is a major threat to bumblebee (Bombus spp.) health. In temperate regions, queens of many bumblebee species hibernate underground for several months, putting them at potentially high risk of exposure to soil contaminants. The extent to which bumblebees are exposed to residues in agricultural soils during hibernation is currently unknown, which limits our understanding of the full pesticide exposome for bumblebees throughout their lifecycle. To generate field exposure estimates for overwintering bumblebee queens to pesticide residues, we sampled soils from areas corresponding to suitable likely hibernation sites at six apple orchards and 13 diversified farms throughout Southern Ontario (Canada) in fall 2019-2020. Detectable levels of pesticides were found in 65 of 66 soil samples analysed for multi-pesticide residues (UPLC-MS/MS). A total of 53 active ingredients (AIs) were detected in soils, including 27 fungicides, 13 insecticides, and 13 herbicides. Overall, the frequency of detection, residue levels (median = 37.82 vs. 2.20 ng/g), and number of pesticides per sample (mean = 12 vs. 4 AIs) were highest for orchard soils compared to soils from diversified farms. Ninety-one percent of samples contained multiple residues (up to 29 different AIs per sample), including mixtures of insecticides and fungicides that might lead to synergistic effects. Our results suggest that when hibernating in agricultural areas, bumblebee queens are very likely to be exposed to a wide range of pesticide residues in soil, including potentially harmful levels of insecticides (e.g., cyantraniliprole up to 148.82 ng/g). Our study indicates the importance of empirically testing the potential effects of pesticide residues in soils for hibernating bumblebee queens, using field exposure data such as those generated here. The differences in potential exposure that we detected between cropping systems can also be used to better inform regulations that govern the use of agricultural pesticides, notably in apple orchards