No abstract

Curcumin, a natural polyphenolic compound, offers a wide range of pharmacological benefits such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer. The oil-in-water nanoemulsions containing curcumin were obtained by high pressure homogenization and effects of various emulsifiers (Tween-80, lecithin, whey protein isolate and acacia) and different surfactant-to-oil ratios (SOR) on physicochemical characteristics, physical stability and storage stability of curcumin loaded nanoemulsions were evaluated in this study. The result showed that smaller particle size, better physical and storage stabilities and higher curcumin content were found in curcumin loaded nanoemulsions stabilized with Tween-80 and lecithin. Compared with nanoemulsions prepared with lecithin, nanoemulsions fabricated with Tween-80 exhibited better uniformity and distribution as demonstrated by microscopic observations. It was found that SOR was positively correlated with particle size but negatively correlated with curcumin content in the emulsion droplets. Neither the emulsifier nor SOR values were found to have significant effects on zeta-potentials of the droplets. This result implied that curcumin loaded nanoemulsions prepared with Tween-80 and higher SOR values helped curcumin to achieve better physical stability and storage stability.

No abstract

Genomic prediction of nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) has not been studied in perennial grass species exposed to low N stress. The experiment was designed to conduct genomic prediction of physiological traits and NUE in 184 global accessions of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) in response to the normal (7.5 mM) and low (0.75 mM) N supply. Significant variations in plant height (ΔHT), leaf fresh weight (LFW), leaf dry weight (LDW), chlorophyll index (Chl), chlorophyll fluorescence, leaf N and carbon (C) content, C/N ratio and NUE were observed in accessions after 21 days of both N treatments in a greenhouse, but to a greater extent under low N stress. Six genomic prediction models (BayesC, BL, BRR, RRBLUP, RKHS, RF) produced similar prediction accuracy of traits within the normal N or low N treatment, but prediction accuracy differed between the two N treatments. ΔHT, LFW, LDW, and C were slightly better predicted under the normal N with an average r = 0.26 in comparison with r = 0.22 under low N, while prediction accuracy for Chl, N, C/N, and NUE was significantly improved under low N stress with an average r = 0.45, compared to the r = 0.26 under normal N. The population panel contained three population structures, which generally had no effect on prediction accuracy. The moderate prediction accuracy for N, C and NUE under low N stress is promising, which indicates a feasible way that may be used to assess valuable germplasm for further conducting genomic prediction of NUE for enhancing breeding programs of perennial grass species grown under N-deficient conditions.

A natural feed of fresh seaweed and sixteen diets designed by L16 (43) orthogonal array were formulated to contain differentlevels of protein (200, 250 g, 300, 350 g/kg), α-Vitamin E (VE) (0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5 g/kg) and Vitamin E (VC) (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 g/kg) to evaluate the effects of dietary protein, VE, VC and their combination on growth and gonadal development of hybrid male abalone (Haliotis fulgens ×H. discus hannai ). Each diet was randomly assigned to triplicate groups of 18 abalones (34.27±2.93 g) that were stocked in sea cages for eight weeks. Results showed that the maximum weight gain (WG) and speci c growth rate (SGR) were obtained in hybrid male abalone fed D10 diets. The highest gonad somatic index (GSI) value was found in the D14 diet. Moreover, the ANOVA results showed that only dietary protein could signi cantly affect the GSI of hybrid male abalones (P < 0.05). The mRNA expression of vasa in the testis of D14 abalone was the lowest. Abalones fed the D14 diet had higher testosterone level and sperm in testis than those fed other diets. In conclusion, protein of 300 g/kg, VE of 0.1 g/kg and VC of 1.5 g/kg (D10) and protein of 350 g/kg, VE of 0.1 g/kg and VC of 1 g/kg (D14) might be the optimal combinations in the diet for growth and gonadal development of hybrid male abalones respectively.