Effect of thinning on above-ground biomass accumulation in a Douglas-fir plantation in southern Italy

We investigated the effects of a long-term thinning experiment on the distribution of above-ground biomass of Douglas-fir(Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.]Franco var. menziesii) in a plantation in southern Italy.Allometric equations were used to estimate biomass and partitioning to stem and crown compartments. Variation in biomass stock estimated with allometric equations were evaluated according to seven thinning treatments: geometric-systematic(1 row every 3), selective(light-moderate-heavy), mixed systematic-selective(1 row every 4, 1 row every 5), unthinned(control). Over the experimental period of 13 years, current annual increments of carbon were lower(3.4 Mg ha~(-1)year~(-1)) in control plots than in treated plots. At age 30, plots subjected to light selective thinning showed higher values of above-ground biomass(249.7 Mg ha~(-1)). The biomass harvested with this treatment was 29.3 Mg ha~(-1), and the mean annual increment of carbon over 13 years was 4.8 Mg ha~(-1). Our results showed that light thinning stimulated increase in carbon stock, with a minimal loss of carbon during the treatment and a current annual increment of carbon higher than in control sub-plots and sub-plots thinned using systematic methods. This treatment yielded least carbon emissions and we affirm it has discrete global warming mitigation potential.     

Numerical approach to modelling pulse-mode soil flushing on a Pb-contaminated soil

Purpose

Soil flushing can represent a suitable technology in remediation of soils, sediments and sludge contaminated by persistent species (e.g. toxic metal). This paper presents a model specifically developed to evaluate the feasibility of chelating agent-enhanced flushing. The model, here applied to the remediation of real Pb-contaminated soils, was conceived also to simulate an innovative pulse-mode soil flushing technique.

Materials and methods

The soil flushing application was firstly carried out through columns laboratory experiments. Columns were filled with a real Pb-contaminated soil (3,000 mg kg^?1 of dry soil) and flushing was operated in a pulse mode with different chelating agent dosages (3 and 4.3 mmol kg^?1soil). Experimental results were used to calibrate and validate the developed reactive transport model that accounts for transport of ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and EDTA–Pb chelate complexes, Pb residual concentration on soil and the reduction in permeability by soil dissolution. Determination of hydrodynamic and hydro-dispersive parameters was carried out through a numerical approach incorporating the use of neural network as interpolating function of breakthrough data obtained by a tracer test.

Results and discussion

The EDTA dosage strongly influenced the efficiency in Pb extraction and soil permeability. Cumulative extractions of Pb were found to be 20 and 29 % for the EDTA concentrations of 3 and 4.3 mmol/kg of dry soil, respectively. The soil dissolution caused a significant flow rate decrease, as a consequence of the increase in chelating agent concentration. Therefore the recovery phase duration increased from 738 to 2,080 h. The ability of the model in simulating all the examined phenomena is confirmed by a good fit with experimental results in terms of (a) soil permeability reduction, (b) eluted Pb and (c) residual Pb in the soil.

Conclusions

Results highlighted as the model, supported by a preliminary and careful characterization of the soil, can be useful to assess the feasibility of the flushing treatment (avoiding soil clogging) and to address the choice of the operating parameters (flow rate, chelating agent dosage and application method). On the basis of the present research results, a protocol is suggested for in situ soil pulse–flushing application.     

Antioxidant activity of capsinoids

Hot peppers are a good source of dietary antioxidants, encompassing, apart from widespread compounds (flavonoids, phenolic acids, carotenoids, vitamin A, ascorbic acid, tocopherols), also specific constituents such as the pungent capsaicinoids (capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, and related analogues). We have shown that capsinoids also show remarkable antioxidant activity. These benign analogues of capsaicin could protect linoleic acid against free radical attack in simple in vitro systems, inhibiting both its autoxidation and its iron- or EDTA-mediated oxidation. These properties were retained in some simple synthetic analogues (vanillyl nonanoate and its dimerization products). Capsiate, dihydrocapsiate, and their analogues were devoid of pro-oxidant activity and showed a highly significant antioxidant activity in all systems investigated. Vanillyl nonanoate, a simple capsinoid mimic, was also tested on cell cultures for cytotoxic activity and the capacity to inhibit FeCl(3)-induced oxidation.     

Tetraploid and hexaploid wheats express identical isoforms of nsLTP1

Nonspecific lipid-transfer proteins (nsLTPs) have been recognized as allergens in several plant species among which are cereals important in human nutrition. In this report, we purified a 9600 +/- 1 Da protein from both soft wheat and farro bran. Mass spectrometric analyses revealed that these proteins are identical, belong to the nsLTP1 class, and have high sequence homology with nsLTP1 isolated from other cereal species. Their identification was further supported by the ability of the soft wheat nsLTP1 to transfer pyrene-labeled lipids between donor and acceptor membranes. The results are discussed in view of the increasing diffusion on the markets of bran-rich products.     

Differential scanning calorimetry evidence of the enhancement of beta-sitosterol absorption across biological membranes mediated by beta-cyclodextrins

beta-Sitosterol is a plant sterol that has received much attention because of its effectiveness in reducing the absorption of dietary cholesterol, as well as in offering protection from cardiovascular diseases and cancer development. Thus, the knowledge of the interaction of beta-sitosterol with biological membranes can help in understanding its mechanism of action. In the present paper, the differential scanning calorimetry technique has been used to study the interaction of beta-sitosterol with a biomembrane model constituted by dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine multilamellar vesicles. Furthermore, kinetic experiments have been carried out to follow the uptake of beta-sitosterol by biomembranes and the effect of beta-cyclodextrins on such a process. Our results indicate that opportune concentrations of beta-cyclodextrins improve the uptake of beta-sitosterol by phospholipid membranes.     

Comparison of the volatile constituents in cold-pressed bergamot oil and a volatile oil isolated by vacuum distillation

The vacuum distillation of bergamot peels furnishes a high-quality essential oil that is totally bergapten-free. This oil was compared with that produced by distillation of cold-pressed oils and those commercially available. The oil obtained by vacuum distillation of the bergamot vegetable matrix shows a composition quite similar to that of the cold-pressed oil. It also displays qualitative characteristics that are superior with respect to those normally observed for essential oils isolated by distillation of cold-pressed oils. Oils isolated by the method presented here can constitute ideal candidates in producing foods, for example, Earl Grey tea, and cosmetic preparations.     

Flumequine Uptake and the Aquatic Duckweed, Lemna minor L.

Phytotoxicity of Flumequine (F) on the aquatic duckweed, Lemna minor L., and plant drug uptake were evaluated by a simple ecotoxicological test. Flumequine, at all concentrations between 50 and 1000 μg L^-1 tested, affected the plant growth: leaves and roots were damaged, but duckweed continued to grow on a five weeks period. Furthermore, increasing drug concentrations decreased the chlorophyll b content in plants. These effects depend on F uptake by plants, which is quite high (from 0.72 to 13.93 μg g^-1 plant dry weight). Based on this activity, Lemna can be taken into consideration as a tool for in situ remediation of drug contaminated waters: the presence of Lemna significantly lower the F concentration in culture media on a five weeks period. Results strongly support its remediation capability.     

SSR-based identification key of cultivars of Olea europaea L. diffused in Southern-Italy

Olive (Olea europaea L.) is an important fruit species in Italy and Mediterranean basin constituted by a wide germplasm with a large number of cultivars present in all the Mediterranean area. SSRs are becoming the markers of choice for variability studies in olives as they are simple to perform, transferable, hypervariable, highly polymorphic and show a high information content.Olive genetic diversity was studied using 16 SSR markers on 30 cultivars diffused in Southern-Italy. Resolving Power (RP) and Power of Discrimination (PD) were calculated to evaluate the efficiency of the SSR markers investigated in studies of cultivars fingerprinting. Based on their high efficiency, two SSR markers, UDO43 and DCA16 were chosen to set up an identification key to distinguish the entire set of cultivars, confirming the high biodiversity of the Southern-Italian olive germplasm and the suitability of SSR markers in studies of cultivar diagnosis.     

Idiopathic mucosal penile squamous papillomas in dogs

A new papillomatous clinical entity is described affecting the penile mucosa of dogs. The animals, 11 male dogs of different breeds, ageing from 6 to 13 years, were presented for genital mass and occasional haematuria. Surgical incision of the prepuce skin of the anaesthetized dogs showed the presence of single pedunculated, soft, pink-red, cauliflower-like masses arising from the penile mucosa, with diameter ranging from 2 to 8 cm. In all cases, histopathological examination of the excised masses showed normal epithelial differentiation with digitiform expansion of all the layers and elongated rete ridges slanted towards the periphery of the lesion. Evidence of ballooning degeneration or basophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies was not found. Both immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction techniques failed to reveal papillomavirus. According to the histological World Health Organization classification of papillomatous lesions and due to the lack of evidence of a viral origin the masses were identified as idiopathic mucosal penile squamous papillomas. Urinary problems resolved after surgical excision, haematuria was therefore considered secondary to ulceration of the papillated masses.