A metabolomic approach to the evaluation of the origin of extra virgin olive oil: a convenient statistical treatment of mass spectrometric analytical data

The selection of suitable markers from the secondary metabolism of lipoxygenase, in experimental olive oils produced from drupes harvested in different areas of the Italian Calabria region and of Tunisia, allows an easy discrimination between each cluster of samples. The origin of the foodstuff can be ascertained even when the distances between the production zones are very close to each other as in Calabria. Olive oils produced from irrigated and nonirrigated farms in Tunisia were also clearly distinguishable. The markers were detected by chemical ionization mass spectrometry with an ion trap gas chromatography-mass spectrometry apparatus. The quantitative data of Calabrian olive oil samples were subjected to linear discriminant analysis, whereas the Tunisian data were treated by means of other two statistical tools, i.e., the Kruskal-Wallis test and the Wald-Wolfowitz test.     

Pharmacokinetics, intraoperative effect and postoperative analgesia of tramadol in cats

Tramadol is a synthetic codeine analogue used as an analgesic in human and veterinary medicine, but not approved for use in cats. Tramadol (2 mg/kg) was administered intravenously (IV) as preoperative analgesic in 12 cats (6 males) undergoing surgical gonadectomy. The pharmacokinetic profile of the drug and its O-desmethyl metabolite were determined in 8 animals (4 males), while intraoperative effects and postoperative analgesia, estimated by subjective pain score (0–24), were evaluated in all. Mean intraoperative isoflurane consumption was reduced, but hypoventilation was not observed. Sex-related differences were not observed, particularly in terms of postoperative analgesia: rescue analgesic was never administered. Concentrations of the active O-desmethyl metabolite were persistently high in all the animals. Considering the results obtained in this study, tramadol, at the dose of 2 mg/kg IV, did not produce any evident intraoperative cardiorespiratory side effects and with additional investigation may prove to be an appropriate intraoperative analgesic in cats undergoing gonadectomy.     

Severe cardiovascular depression in a cat following a mandibular nerve block with bupivacaine

ObservationsA 12 year old cat was presented for anaesthesia to remove a mandibular squamous cell carcinoma. After intramuscular premedication with dexmedetomidine and methadone, anaesthesia was induced with alfaxalone, administered intravenously (IV) to effect, and maintained with isoflurane vaporized in oxygen, following oro-tracheal intubation. Approximately 5 minutes after performing a mandibular nerve block with 1.16 mg kg^?1 of bupivacaine, the cat developed severe cardiovascular depression. Anaesthetic delivery was discontinued and cardiopulmonary resuscitation instituted. Drug administration consisted of atropine (0.02 mg kg^?1 IV, repeated three times), followed by atipamezole (0.08 mg kg^?1 IV). Dobutamine was subsequently administered (1 μg kg^?1 minute^?1 IV) until cardiovascular performance was considered satisfactory. During recovery from anaesthesia the cat exhibited seizure-like activity, which was controlled by a variable rate infusion of propofol. The cat made an uneventful recovery following discontinuation of propofol infusion, without residual neurological signs, and the surgical procedure was postponed.ConclusionsThis clinical report describes successful management of cardiovascular and neurological complications following a mandibular nerve block with bupivacaine in a cat. Although treatment was successful, the role played by the drugs administered during resuscitation remains uncertain.     

Seroepidemiological and clinical survey of feline immunodeficiency virus infection in northern Italy

Four hundred and thirty-nine feline serum samples from cats with different living conditions in the north of Italy were tested for antibodies to feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and for antigen of Feline Leukemia Virus by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A Western blot technique was also used on the positive sera in order to confirm the presence of specific antibodies to FIV. The Western blot enabled the detection of a false positive serum. The prevalence of FIV infection in this population was 12.5% and among the seropositive cats a greater proportion was male (74.5%) than female (25.5%). A correlation between the clinical status and the evolution of the pathology is described together with a score based on the severity of the stomatitis in infected cats. The Western blot patterns of positive samples were then compared with the stage of the pathology. Statistical analysis on the distribution of FIV in stray cats, cats with garden and courtyard access and strictly house-confined cats showed a highly significant risk of the infection in the first group.     

Approaches for Modification of Starch Composition in Durum Wheat

Manipulation of starch composition in cereals and particularly in wheat is receiving increasing attention due to recognition of its important role in food and nonfood applications. The amylose/ amylopectin ratio influences the physicochemical properties of starches and nutritional value of derived end products. Identification of the key enzymes involved in the starch biosynthetic pathway has opened new avenues for altering the amylose and amylopectin content in durum and bread wheat. The granule bound starch synthases (GBSSI), or waxy proteins, are the enzymes responsible for amylose synthesis in storage tissues; amylopectin is produced by the concerted action of different enzymes, including starch synthases (SS), branching (SBE), and debranching enzymes (DBE). By altering the level of key enzymes involved in the regulation of starch synthesis, it is possible to generate novel starches with unique functional properties. In this respect, both low and high amylose starches are particularly interesting because they are associated with industrial and processing properties as well as with human health and nutrition. So far, major attention has addressed the manipulation of starch composition in bread wheat, whereas durum wheat has been investigated to a much lesser extent. Approaches currently available to alter amylose/amylopectin ratio and tailor starch composition in durum wheat are presented.     

Influence of olive maturity stage and geographical origin on some minor components in virgin olive oil of the chemlali variety

Minor compounds such as sterols, aliphatic alcohols, tocopherols, and chlorophylls in virgin olive oil from Chemlali cultivar were analyzed during the maturity process. The study concerns oils from the following three different olive growing areas of Tunisia: Sfax, Sidi Bouzid, and Enfidha. Analytical results showed that both the maturity process and the olive provenances influence the evolution of the content of these compounds.     

Plant response to biowaste soluble hydrolysates in hibiscus grown under limiting nutrient availability

Biostimulants are substances promoting plant growth, quality and stress resistance. The present work aimed to investigate whether soluble hydrolysates from biowaste performed as biostimulants. Hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos L. subsp. palustris) plants were subjected to four treatments: standard fertilization, low fertilization (LF), and LF with added soluble digestate or soluble compost. Plant performance indicators were biomass accumulation, biometric parameters, leaf gaseous exchanges and elemental composition, and nitrogen (N)-use efficiency. LF negatively affected most of the investigated parameters. However, plants treated with biowaste-derived products performed better than untreated low-fertilized plants (+21 to 145% for biomass accumulation and biometric parameters, and carbon assimilation rate) and for many parameters reached values comparable to those showed by standard-fertilized plants or even higher, as in the case of Potassium (K), Silicon (Si), and Molybdenum (Mo) leaf content, and N use efficiency. Therefore, the tested soluble hydrolysates demonstrated to have biostimulant properties in hibiscus grown under nutritional stress.