Prediction of milled maize fumonisin contamination by multispectral image analysis

Mycotoxin contamination is a major concern to the maize industry worldwide. Despite the several strategies that have been exploited in an attempt to reduce the severity of this problem, during conducive years, severely contaminated lots are still introduced in the maize processing chain affecting the general quality and safety of the product. As chemical analysis is laborious, time consuming and equipment dependent, more convenient methods are needed for the early identification of contaminated lots. Here a novel approach based on image analysis that provides fast response with minimal equipment and effort is presented. Maize samples were grounded and imaged under 10 different LED lights with emission centered at wavelengths ranging from 720 to 940 nm. The digital images were converted into matrices of data to compute comparative indexes. A three layers feed-forward neural network was trained to predict mycotoxin content from the calculated indexes. The results showed a significant correlation between predictions from image analysis and the concentration of the mycotoxin fumonisin as determined by chemical analysis. The technique developed produces reliable contamination estimates within few minutes and can be readily used to assist lot selection in various steps of the maize processing chain.     

Application of a low-cost RGB sensor to detect basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) nutritional status at pilot scale level

Precision Agriculture - In this work, basil plants were fertilized with 0, 2.5 mM and 10 mM nitrogen (with different NO3?/NH4+ ratios), and then monitored using a low-power...     

Compositional and tissue modifications induced by the natural fermentation process in table olives

Olive fruits contain high concentrations of phenols that include phenolic acids, phenolic alcohols, flavonoids, and secoiridoids. The final concentration of phenols is strongly affected by brine conditions. The factors involved in modification by brine are still partially unknown and can include hydrolysis of secoiridoid glucosides and the release of hydrolyzed products. In this study olives from various Italian cultivars were processed by natural fermentation (e.g., without a preliminary treatment of olives with NaOH) using a selected Lactobacillus strain. Processed olives are characterized by a low phenolic concentration of phenols, consisting mainly of phenyl alcohols, verbascoside, and the dialdehydic form of decarboxymethylelenolic acid linked to (3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethanol (3,4-DHPEA-EDA), whereas a high level of phenols occurs in olive brine from all the cultivars studied. Olives of the Coratina cultivar, control and with fermentation by Lactobacillus pentosus 1MO, were analyzed in a frozen hydrated state by cryo scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis, on both surface and transversal freeze-fracture planes. Structural modifications, found in olives after fermentation, may explain the phenol release in brine.     

The status of the world's land and marine mammals: diversity, threat, and knowledge

Knowledge of mammalian diversity is still surprisingly disparate, both regionally and taxonomically. Here, we present a comprehensive assessment of the conservation status and distribution of the world's mammals. Data, compiled by 1700+ experts, cover all 5487 species, including marine mammals. Global macroecological patterns are very different for land and marine species but suggest common mechanisms driving diversity and endemism across systems. Compared with land species, threat levels are higher among marine mammals, driven by different processes (accidental mortality and pollution, rather than habitat loss), and are spatially distinct (peaking in northern oceans, rather than in Southeast Asia). Marine mammals are also disproportionately poorly known. These data are made freely available to support further scientific developments and conservation action.     

Detection of genes encoding for virulence and adherence factors in Escherichia coli isolated in slaughtered Sarda breed sheep

In order to investigate the pathogenic profile of Escherichia coli hosted in “Sarda” sheep, autochthonous race present in Sardinia, thirty-seven E. coli strains collected from different sources (fleeces, carcass swabs and gut mucosa) of pre-chill slaughtered sheep (ewes and lambs) were serotyped using pheno- and genotypic methods. Furthermore, the presence of genes encoding for virulence factors and mediating for localized mucosal adherence factors was investigated, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) characterization was performed.     

Vaccination Trials Against Bovine Herpesvirus-1

Veterinary Research Communications -     

A comparison of coprological, serological and molecular methods for the diagnosis of horse infection with Anoplocephala perfoliata (Cestoda, Cyclophyllidea)

Anoplocephala perfoliata (Cestoda, Cyclophyllidea), the commonest intestinal tapeworm of horses, can cause colic, intussusceptions, ileal impactions and intestinal perforations. Common diagnostic techniques for A. perfoliata infection, i.e. coprology and serology, show inherent limitations in terms of sensitivity and specificity and new approaches are thus required. Hence, the present study compared the reliability of coprological, serological (i.e. ELISA) and molecular (i.e. nested PCR) methods in detecting A. perfoliata infection in naturally infected horses and in horses treated with a combination of ivermectin and praziquantel. Of 42 horses subjected to coprological examination, 16 and 26 resulted negative and positive, respectively for the presence of A. perfoliata eggs at the coprological examination. The 26 coprologically positive animals were also positive by nested PCR. Fifteen out of the 16 horses coprologically negative were negative at the molecular assay, while one yielded a PCR product detectable on an agarose gel. Eighteen out of 26 positive horses were treated with a combination of ivermectin 18.7 mg/g and praziquantel 140.3mg/g and resulted subsequently negative by coprology and nested PCR performed 2 weeks after treatment. All infected and untreated animals had a high ELISA test optical density indicating high infection intensity and associated risk of colic. However, high optical density values were also obtained in four horses post-treatment and in three horses that were negative on molecular and coprological analysis. The results of the present work indicate that the nested PCR assay represents a valid method for the specific molecular detection of A. perfoliata in faecal samples collected from naturally infected horses and may have advantages over coprological and serological approaches for diagnosing A. perfoliata infection.