A sensitivity analysis of VELFEEM, the Finite Element Ecological Model for the lagoon of Venice, has been performed in order to test the responses of the model to changes in external input regimes. The model is obtained by internally coupling a hydrodynamic model, an energetic model, and an ecological model. The hydrodynamics are simulated using SHYFEM, a barotropic bi-dimensional model based o...

B. rALANCE is a fundamental part of nature's law. But man's activities have a way of upsetting nature's balance and usually.it takes a serious unbalance to make us see the situation and try to correct it. Our increased concern over our own diets exemplifies an unbalance. The variety of foods that comprise the average normal diet should provide enough of the essential minerals and vitamins to me...

The relationships between diet and metabolites as well as element profiles in healthy centenarians are important but remain inconclusive. Therefore, to test the interesting hypothesis that there would be distinctive features of metabolites and element profiles in healthy centenarians, and that these would be associated with nutrient intake; the short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), total bile acids ...

Total sulfur data of various agricultural and food items from the lab of the author, have been compiled to develop an understanding of sulfur levels and ecological cycling in Austria. As sulfur level is not an included factor among the quality criteria of soil and fertilizer composition, the database is rather small. Problems in analytical determinations of total sulfur, in particular digestion...

Food-drug interactions are defined as alterations of pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics of a drug or nutritional element or a compromise in nutritional status as a result of the addition of a drug. Elderly patients are particularly at risk because more than 30% of all the prescription drugs are taken by this population. Failure to identify and properly manage drug-nutrient interactions can le...

Sunflower plants were grown on soil contaminated with several levels of Cd (from 0.3 to 15 mg Cd kg/soil). Cd and nutrient (Cu, Zn, Fe, Ca, K, Mg) contents were evaluated in root and aboveground biomass during the vegetative growth period (from the emergence of the cotyledon leaves to the flower bud phase). An overall increase of Cd content was found in the plants during the growing cycle. Sign...

Nutrition is a key environmental factor that is particularly involved in the pathogenesis and progression of several polygenic, diet-related diseases. Nutrigenomics refers to the interaction between nutrition and the human genome. Dietary fatty acids interact with multiple nutrient-sensitive transcription factors. This explains the molecular basis of some of the health effects associated with a...

Optimizing root system architecture can overcome yield limitations in crop plants caused by water or nutrient shortages. Classic breeding approaches are difficult because the trait is governed by many genes and is difficult to score. We generated transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants with enhanced root-specific degradation of the hormone cytokinin, a negative re...

UV-B radiation effects on nutrient concentrations in above-ground organs of maize were investigated at silking and maturity at different levels of applied nitrogen under field conditions. The experiment simulated a 20% stratospheric ozone depletion over Portugal. At silking, UV-B increased N, K, Ca, and Zn concentrations, whereas at maturity Ca, Mg, Zn, and Cu increased and N, P and Mn decrease...

Selenium is an essential element for humans, animals and some species of microorganisms. In higher plants, however, the role of selenium is still unclear. Because selenium enrichment may influence the nutrient balance of plants, a study was done to test the effects of selenite-Se (Na2SeO3⋅5H2O) on selected macronutrients content in maize (Zea mays L. var. saccharata Kcke. cv. Z3ota Kar3owa) see...