Performance of a small-scale chipper for professional rural contractors

The study determined the productivity, fuel consumption and product quality obtained with a new tractor OWered drum chipper, designed to reduce the gap between industrial chippers and small-scale chippers. The machine as tested with poplar logs and beech slabs, considered as representative of the raw material commonly used for ergy wood production. After accounting for accessory work and delays, productivity of green chips ranged between and 6 tons per scheduled machine hour, which was very good for a tractor-powered unit. Specific fuel consumption f oven-dry chips varied between 2.5 and 3.0 L per ton, or 0.6 L per m_3. These figures compared favourably with those btained from previous studies of both smaller and bigger chippers. Chip quality was very good. Samples contained no versize particles, qualifying for use in small-scale plants. The average size of beech chips was significantly larger than r poplar chips, possibly due to the higher strength of beech wood.     

The Effects of Temperature, Age, and Acclimation to Salinity on the Survival of Farfantepenaeus paulensis Postlarvae

Abstract.— Salinity tolerance limits during the ontogenetic development of Farfantepenaeus paulensis postlarvae (PL) were determined at different temperatures. Initially, PL 10, 20, 30, 40, 60 and 80 maintained in 30 ppt (parts per thousand) salinity, 22‐25 C, were directly transferred to 15 combinations of salinity (2, 5, 10, 20 and 30 ppt) and temperature (15, 20 and 30 C) for 96 h. Irrespective of age or salinity, higher survival rates were registered at 25 C. PL 10 suffered high mortality, especially at low salinities combined with low (15 C) or high (30 C) temperatures. From PL 20 to PL 40, an increase in survival was observed in all combinations. For PL 60 and 80, tolerance to low salinity was reduced, suggesting that PL have a maximum age by which they are able to develop adaptability to low salinities. In general, the effect of temperature contributed more significantly to mortality in PL 10 and PL 30, but its influence decreased afterwards. From PL 40, salinity becomes the main factor determining mortality. In order to examine the effects of acclimation to salinity on the tolerance limits, a second set of experiments was performed with PL 5, 10, 15 and 25 acclimated to 2, 5, 10, 20 and 30 ppt, 25 C, over a 5‐d period. Postlarvae were then transferred to different salinity levels (2, 5, 10, 20 and 30 ppt) and kept for 96 h. High mortality of PL 10 occurred after direct transfer from high to intermediate/low salinity levels. Although the acclimation to salinity increased survival, it was still poor. An increase in the salinity tolerance was observed from PL 15 to 30, even with no acclimation. Results indicate that PL 10 do not have a fully developed osmoregulatory capacity to cope with low and/or abrupt changes of salinity. It is recommended that non‐acclimated PL 10 should only be released in environments with salinity at or above 20 ppt. If acclimation is carried out, PL may be released in salinities above 10 ppt. The release of PL 10 in salinities below 5 ppt may result in mortality rates of up to 70%. The best age for the release of non‐acclimated F. paulensis PL in environments with low and/ or wide fluctuations of salinity would he PL 15‐30.     

Reactivation of caprine herpesvirus 1 in latently infected goats

The authors report CapHV.1 reactivation in two latently infected adult goats treated with dexamethasone (DMS) (4.40 mg/kg BW) for 6 days. Virus was reisolated from vaginal swabs from the 3rd to the 12th day post-treatment with DMS and from nasal swabs for 2 days (6th and 7th day post-treatment). The animals also showed an increase of neutralizing antibody (SN) titer to CapHV.1 3 weeks after the end of treatment with DMS.     

Kisspeptin in the early post–partum of the dairy cow

Recently, a new molecule, kisspeptin (Kp), and in particular Kisspeptin 10 (Kp10), was implicated in stimulating the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis. The aim of this study was to evaluate circulating Kp10 levels in the early post–partum period of the dairy cow. Blood samples were collected from 40 dairy cows, at 10 (T10), 12 (T12), 14 (T14) and 16 (T16) days after calving. Progesterone (P4) levels were evaluated using ELISA, and levels of oestrogens (E2) and Kp were evaluated using a radio‐immunologic method. After an initial plateau, Kp10 significantly increased at T14 and decreased at T16. The P4 and E2 mean serum values remained in the physiological range. It is likely that Kp10 enhanced hypothalamic GnRH release as well as pituitary gonadotropin secretion, thus promoting follicular growth and the increase in E2 levels, which might have further enhanced Kp10 release through a positive feedback loop. To our best knowledge, this is the first report on the range of Kp10 blood concentration during the early post–partum period in the dairy cow. The results of our study will increase our current understanding of the complex neuro‐endocrine crosstalk underlying the resumption of ovarian cyclicity in the dairy cow.     

Partition behavior of virgin olive oil phenolic compounds in oil-brine mixtures during thermal processing for fish canning

The chemical modifications and partitioning toward the brine phase (5% salt) of major phenol compounds of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) were studied in a model system formed by sealed cans filled with oil-brine mixtures (5:1, v/v) simulating canned-in-oil food systems. Filled cans were processed in an industrial plant using two sterilization conditions commonly used during fish canning. The partitioning of phenolic compounds toward brine induced by thermal processing was studied by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of the phenol fraction extracted from oils and brine. Hydroxytyrosol (1), tyrosol (2), and the complex phenolic compounds containing 1 and 2 (i.e., the dialdehydic form of decarboxymethyl oleuropein aglycon 3, the dialdehydic form of decarboxymethyl ligstroside aglycon 4, and the oleuropein aglycon 6) decreased in the oily phase after sterilization with a marked partitioning toward the brine phase. The increase of the total amount of 1 and 2 after processing, as well as the presence of elenolic acid 7 released in brine, revealed the hydrolysis of the ester bond of hydrolyzable phenolic compounds 3, 4, and 6 during thermal processing. Both phenomena (partitioning toward the water phase and hydrolysis) contribute to explain the loss of phenolic compounds exhibited by EVOO used as filling medium in canned foods, as well as the protection of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in canned-in-EVOO fish products.     

Delta-viniferin,a resveratrol dehydrodimer: one of the major stilbenes synthesized by stressed grapevine leaves

Delta-viniferin is a resveratrol dehydrodimer, an isomer of epsilon-viniferin. This compound has been reported as a molecule produced in vitro by the oxidative dimerization of resveratrol by plant peroxidases or fungal laccases. It was also recently identified in wines and in grape cell cultures. We have now identified this dimer by NMR, high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD), and HPLC-mass spectrometry (MS) in grapevine leaves infected by Plasmopara viticola (downy mildew) or UV-C irradiated. Its concentration was higher than that of epsilon-viniferin and constitutes one of the most important phytoalexins derived from resveratrol.     

Systemic and local immune response in pigs intradermally and intramuscularly injected with inactivated Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae vaccines

The systemic and respiratory local immune response induced by the intradermal administration of a commercial inactivated Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae whole-cell vaccine (Porcilis^® MHYO ID ONCE – MSD AH) in comparison with two commercial vaccines administered via the intramuscular route and a negative control (adjuvant only) was investigated. Forty conventional M. hyopneumoniae-free pigs were randomly assigned to four groups (ten animals each): Group A = intradermal administration of the test vaccine by using the needle-less IDAL^® vaccinator at a dose of 0.2 ml; Group B = intramuscular administration of a commercially available vaccine (vaccine B); Group C = intramuscular administration of the adjuvant only (2 ml of X-solve adjuvant); Group D = intramuscular administration of a commercially available vaccine (vaccine D). Pigs were vaccinated at 28 days of age. Blood and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid samples were collected at vaccination (blood only), 4 and 8 weeks post-vaccination. Serum and BAL fluid were tested for the presence of antibodies by ELISA test. Peripheral blood monomorphonuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated to quantify the number of IFN-γ secreting cells by ELISpot. Moreover, cytokine gene expression from the BAL fluid was performed. Total antibodies against M. hyopneumoniae and specific IgG were detected in serum of intradermally and intramuscularly (vaccine B only) vaccinated pigs at 4 and 8 weeks post-vaccination. M. hyopneumoniae specific IgA were detected in BAL fluid from vaccinated animals (Groups A and B) but not from controls and animals vaccinated with the bacterin D (p < 0.05). Significantly higher gene expression of IL-10 was observed in the BAL fluid at week 8 post-vaccination in the intradermally vaccinated pigs (p < 0.05). The results support that the intradermal administration of an adjuvanted bacterin induces both systemic and mucosal immune responses. Moreover, the intramuscularly administered commercial vaccines each had a different ability to stimulate the immune response both systemically and locally.     

Antispasmodic saponins from bulbs of red onion, Allium cepa L. var. Tropea

A phytochemical analysis of the polar extract from the red bulbs of Allium cepa L. var. Tropea, typical of Calabria, a southern region of Italy, was performed extensively for the first time, leading to the isolation of four new furostanol saponins, named tropeoside A1/A2 (1a/1b) and tropeoside B1/B2 (3a/3b), along with the respective 22-O-methyl derivatives (2a/2b and 4a/4b), almost certainly extraction artifacts. High concentrations of ascalonicoside A1/A2 (5a/5b) and ascalonicoside B (6), previously isolated from Allium ascalonicum Hort., were also found. This is the first report of furostanol saponins in this A. cepa variety. The chemical structures of the new compounds were established through a combination of extensive nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry and chemical analyses. High concentrations of quercetin, quercetin 4(I)-glucoside, taxifolin, taxifolin 7-glucoside, and phenylalanine were also isolated. The new saponins were found to possess antispasmodic activity in the guinea pig isolated ileum; such an effect might contribute to explaining the traditional use of onion in the treatment of disturbances of the gastrointestinal tract.     

Characterization and pathogenicity of Pestalotiopsis uvicola causing black leaf spot on carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) in Italy

During spring 2013, several carob plants (Ceratonia siliqua L.), showing symptoms of necrotic black lesions on leaves, were observed in Capri Island, Southern Italy. Acervuli, producing conidia with septa and appendages, appeared in the centre of the lesions. In this report, the identification of the causal agent of this disease was made applying Koch’s postulates. Morphological characteristics of colony (colour and mycelium appearance) and conidia (size, shape, number of septa, length and number of apical and basal appendages) were characterized to identify the pathogen. Moreover, for a rapid and unambiguous identification of the fungal species, the internal transcribed spacers, comprising the 5.8 rDNA gene (ITS1-5.8-ITS2), were amplified by PCR, using the genomic DNA extracted from the isolated colonies, and sequenced. The fungus isolated was ascribed to the species Pestalotiopsis uvicola (Speg.) Bissett. Phylogenetic analysis, performed with sequences present in GenBank database, showed that carob isolates clustered with P. uvicola isolates from North America and Italy, separately from Australian, Indian and Chinese isolates. P. uvicola isolates were pathogenic when artificially inoculated on carob leaves. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of P. uvicola on carob.