Ultrafast laser-driven microlens to focus and energy-select mega-electron volt protons

We present a technique for simultaneous focusing and energy selection of high-current, mega-electron volt proton beams with the use of radial, transient electric fields (10(7) to 10(10) volts per meter) triggered on the inner walls of a hollow microcylinder by an intense subpicosecond laser pulse. Because of the transient nature of the focusing fields, the proposed method allows selection of a desired range out of the spectrum of the polyenergetic proton beam. This technique addresses current drawbacks of laser-accelerated proton beams, such as their broad spectrum and divergence at the source.     

Active oxygen detoxifying enzymes and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase in the ethylene-induced chilling tolerance in citrus fruit

The effects of applying ethylene (2 microL x L(-)(1)) during cold storage of Fortune mandarins on the development of chilling-induced peel damage and on changes in the activities of the enzymes of the antioxidant system, superoxide dismutase, catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase, and glutathione reductase, and on phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) have been investigated. Chilling damage was reduced by applying ethylene during fruit storage at 1.5 degrees C. PAL activity increased in response to cold stress and was higher in fruit held under ethylene than under air during the whole storage period, whereas CAT was temporarily higher in ethylene-treated fruit. In contrast, the activities of the other enzymes were not increased by ethylene. The global results suggest that the ethylene-induced chilling tolerance in Fortune mandarins might be due to increased PAL and CAT activities.     

The Monitoring of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) in Natural Water and Synthetic Solutions: An Assessment of the Performance of the Dgt and Dpc Methods

The technique of diffusive gradients in thin films or diffusive gradient in thin films (DGT) has been used in this work for the in situ measurement of labile Cr(III) and Cr(VI) species. Direct measurement of Cr(VI) was also carried out in parallel with a field-based colourimetric technique based on the EPA 7196 diphenyl-carbohydrazide (DPC) method. The efficiency of the DGT and DPC methods were tested (a) in the laboratory, using synthetic solutions in the presence of realistic concentrations of Cr, humic substances (HS), and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), and (b) in the field, in river water affected by effluents discharged by the tannery industry. The main advantage of the DGT method is that it allows the in situ separation of labile species of Cr(III) and Cr(VI), though there are still uncertainties about its performance in field conditions. The DPC method proved to be a fast, accurate, and relatively economical option for the field-based determination of Cr(VI). Sample acidification and ageing of unacidified samples from contaminated aquatic environments, produced significant errors in the determination of ‘dissolved’ Cr. The concentration of Cr(VI) determined by either the DGT or the DPC method exceeds recommended international guidelines.     

Extraction,semi-quantification,and fast on-line identification of oligopeptides in Grana Padano cheese by HPLC-MS

Sixteen samples of Grana Padano cheese aged from 2 to 33 months were analyzed by HPLC-MS. The extraction process involved the use of diluted HCl, thus avoiding a strong deproteinizing agent (TCA), and allowing to maintain in solution also very lipophilic peptides. The molecular mass of the most abundant peptides were determined by electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry. A new method was developed based on the small fragmentation peaks arising from in-source fragmentation and from software analysis of the known casein sequences, which in many cases allowed the direct on-line identification of the oligopeptide sequences. Several new peptides never previously reported were identified, some of which containing bioactive sequences, consistently with what was described in the literature. Semiquantification of peptides at the different stages of aging was also performed by using a suitable internal standard, providing new insights into the evolution of the oligopeptide fraction during aging.     

Chemical and cellular antioxidant activity of phytochemicals purified from olive mill waste waters

The isolation and identification of a phytocomplex from olive mill waste waters (OMWW) was achieved. The isolated phytocomplex is made up of the following three phenolic compounds: hydroxytyrosol (3,4-DHPEA), tyrosol (p-HPEA) and the dialdehydic form of decarboxymethyl elenolic acid, linked with (3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethanol (3,4-DHPEA-EDA). The purification of this phytocomplex was reached by partial dehydration of the OMWW, followed by liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate and middle pressure liquid chromatography (MPLC) on a Sephadex LH-20 column. The phytocomplex accounted for 6% of the total phenolic content of the OMWW. The phytocomplex and individual compounds were tested for antioxidant capacity by the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) method. The ORAC phytocomplex produced 10,000 ORAC units/g dry weight, whereas the cellular antioxidant activity, measured by the cellular antioxidant activity in red blood cell (CAA-RBC) method, demonstrated that the phytocomplex and all of the components are able to permeate the cell membrane thus exhibiting antioxidant activity inside the red blood cells. Our phytocomplex could be employed in the formulation of fortified foods and nutraceuticals, with the goal to obtain substantial health protective effects due to the suitable combination of the component molecules.     

Mapping and modeling forest tree volume using forest inventory and airborne laser scanning

In this paper, we present a study on the efficiency of multi-return LIDAR (Light Detection Ranging) data in the estimation of forest stem volume over a multi-layered forest area in the Italian Alps. The goals of this paper are (1) to verify the usefulness of multi-return LIDAR data compared to single-return data in forest volume estimation and (2) to define the optimal resolution of a stem volume distribution raster map over the investigated area. To achieve these goals, raw data were segmented into a net, and different cell dimensions were investigated to maximize the relationship between the LIDAR data and the ground-truth information. Twenty predicting variables (e.g., mean height, coefficient of variation) have been extracted from multi-return LIDAR data, and a multiple linear regression analysis has been used for predicting tree stem volume. Experimental results found that the optimal resolutions of the net square cells were 40 m. The analysis indicated that in a mixed multi-layered forest, characterized by a complex vertical structure, the correct selection of the map spatial resolution and the inclusion of the secondary-return data were important factors for improving the effectiveness of the laser scanning approach in forest inventories. The experimental tests showed that the chosen model is effective for the estimation of stem volume over the analyzed area, providing good results on all the three considered validation methods.     

In vitro modulation of caprine monocyte immune functions by ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids

The in vitro effects of the ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA) on phagocytosis and the extracellular respiratory burst in caprine monocytes were assessed. Blood monocytes incubated with increasing concentrations of EPA or DHA (25–200 μM) demonstrated increased phagocytosis compared to unexposed monocytes. Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was not markedly affected in the presence of EPA and DHA, except at 200 μM, at which concentrations monocyte viability was also reduced.     

Effectiveness of cervical hemilaminectomy in canine Hansen Type I and Type II disc disease: a retrospective study

Medical records of 41 dogs, including 15 small breed dogs (<15 kg) and 26 large breed dogs (>15 kg), with cervical intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) that underwent a hemilaminectomy were reviewed. Dogs were diagnosed using myelography, computed tomography/myelography, or MRI, and dogs were classified as having either Hansen Type I disc extrusion or Hansen Type II disc protrusion located ventrally, ventrolaterally, or laterally within the cervical spinal canal. The most common clinical presentation was ambulatory tetraparesis and/or lameness (44%). The most affected sites for cervical IVDD were between the sixth and seventh cervical vertebrae (C6-C7; 78% of Hansen Type II discs) and C2-C3 (86% of Hansen Type I discs). Treatment was effective in 88% of dogs. Five large breed dogs (12%) did not improve. In dogs with a Hansen Type I disc extrusion, clinical signs improved in 96% of the cases. In dogs with a Hansen Type II disc protrusion, an excellent and good outcome was seen in 47% and 32% of cases, respectively. Outcome was significantly better for small breed dogs and dogs with Hansen Type I disc disease compared with large breed dogs and dogs with Hansen Type II disc disease.