Dynamics of slow-moving landslides from permanent scatterer analysis

High-resolution interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) permanent scatterer data allow us to resolve the rates and variations in the rates of slow-moving landslides. Satellite-to-ground distances (range changes) on landslides increase at rates of 5 to 7 millimeters per year, indicating average downslope sliding velocities from 27 to 38 millimeters per year. Time-series analysis shows that displacement occurs mainly during the high-precipitation season; during the 1997-1998 El Ni?o event, rates of range change increased to as much as 11 millimeters per year. The observed nonlinear relationship of creep and precipitation rates suggests that increased pore fluid pressures within the shallow subsurface may initiate and accelerate these features. Changes in the slope of a hill resulting from increases in the pore pressure and lithostatic stress gradients may then lead to landslides.     

Serotonin transporter genetic variation and the response of the human amygdala

A functional polymorphism in the promoter region of the human serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) has been associated with several dimensions of neuroticism and psychopathology, especially anxiety traits, but the predictive value of this genotype against these complex behaviors has been inconsistent. Serotonin [5- hydroxytryptamine, (5-HT)] function influences normal fear as well as pathological anxiety, behaviors critically dependent on the amygdala in animal models and in clinical studies. We now report that individuals with one or two copies of the short allele of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) promoter polymorphism, which has been associated with reduced 5-HTT expression and function and increased fear and anxiety-related behaviors, exhibit greater amygdala neuronal activity, as assessed by BOLD functional magnetic resonance imaging, in response to fearful stimuli compared with individuals homozygous for the long allele. These results demonstrate genetically driven variation in the response of brain regions underlying human emotional behavior and suggest that differential excitability of the amygdala to emotional stimuli may contribute to the increased fear and anxiety typically associated with the short SLC6A4 allele.     

Surgical resolution of uterine prolapse in three pet rabbits

This report describes a surgical technique for resolution of uterine prolapse in rabbits. Three pet rabbits presented within 24 hours of parturition with a red mass protruding from the vagina, which was diagnosed as uterine prolapse. In the first case, an attempt to reduce the prolapse by manual compression was ineffective. A laparotomy was used to apply internal uterine traction while simultaneously using gentle external pressure with cotton-tip applicators and resulted in successful resolution. After repositioning, an ovariohysterovaginectomy was performed in all three rabbits. All rabbits recovered uneventfully. Laparotomic repositioning of the uterus and ovariohysterovaginectomy, not previously described in rabbits, was easy to perform and permitted resolution of uterine prolapse.     

Cytobrushing of the oral mucosa as a possible tool for early detection of testudinid herpesvirus in Horsfield’s tortoises with nonspecific clinical signs

Forty-five Horsfield’s tortoises (Testudo horsfieldii; syn. Agrionemys horfieldii, Russian tortoise) belonging to different owners had decreased appetite and respiratory issues. Twenty-nine tortoises had epiphora, dyspnea, and white necrotic diphtheroid oral plaques (group G1). Ten of the remaining 16 tortoises had serious dehydration, appetite disorder, and depression (G2). The last 6 tortoises had only decreased appetite and moderate conjunctival discharge (G3). During the physical examination of all 45 tortoises, a cytologic sample and an oral swab for herpesvirus and Mycoplasma agassizii PCR testing were taken. In 20 of 29 specimens from G1, in 8 of 16 from G2, and 0 of 6 from G3, the cytologic exam revealed intranuclear acidophilic inclusion bodies, multinucleate cellular syncytia, and further abnormalities caused by herpesviral infection. Moreover, all 45 tested subjects were found to be positive for testudinid herpesvirus 1; 2 were positive for M. agassizii. This prospective study suggests that Horsfield’s tortoises with such signs would benefit from this screening procedure, given that it was effective in a significant proportion of infected and symptomatic animals, and no negative effects were seen.     

Evaluation of ‘di Romagna’ and ‘Frenchgrey’ shallots for quality characters connected to bulb colourand volatile oil content and composition

Local landraces of shallot from the Romagna region(Northern Italy) and North-western France, called Scalogno di Romagna and French grey,respectively, have recently been evaluated for morphological,biochemical and molecular characters. These populations appeared very different from common shallots and onions, so were re-classified as Allium oschaninii O.Fedtsch., whereas almost no variability was observed within these types. Four di Romagna and three French accessions were grown in Italy, and further evaluated for quality characters such asbulb colour and volatile oil content and composition. Colour was measured by means of a tristimulus colorimeter. Volatile oil was extracted by hydrodistillation and its components separated and identified by GC/MS. Colour parameters differentiated thedi Romagna from the French greyaccessions. Essential oil composition differed from what has been reported for most other Alliums, by a lower amount of1-propenyl- substituents. No individual oil component allowed a good differentiation of the two geographic origins.However, the French and di Romagna accessions were perfectly separated by the discriminant analysis of oil composition.Minor 1-propenyl- components seemed more critical for discrimination. The shallot types examined seemed biochemically differentiatedfrom Allium cepa. Variation in the examined quality characters was detected both between the two provenances and among the accessions of common geographic origin.     

Effect of antioxidant protection of must on volatile compounds and aroma shelf life of Falanghina (Vitis vinifera L.) wine

Two vinification methods involving different degrees of antioxidant protection of Falanghina must during prefermentative steps, and referred as HAMP (high antioxidant must protection) and LAMP (low antioxidant must protection), were compared in terms of fermentation performances of four different yeast strains, composition of the volatile fraction of wines at the end of alcoholic fermentation, and shelf life of wines during storage. The use of HAMP technology resulted in wines with lower volatile acidity and higher concentrations of medium-chain fatty acid ethyl esters, acetates, and volatile fatty acids. For two of the four strains a lower concentration of isoamyl alcohol was also observed. HAMP wines also revealed increased shelf life because of the higher concentration of odor active esters at the end of storage and better preservation of varietal aromas.     

Phenolic antioxidants and the protection of low density lipoprotein from peroxynitrite-mediated oxidations at physiologic CO2

Dietary phenolic antioxidants have been shown to prevent LDL modifications mediated by several physiologic oxidants including peroxynitrite. However, more recent data demonstrated that CO(2) affected the fate of peroxynitrite in biological fluids and significantly reduced peroxynitrite scavenging by polyphenols, raising doubts concerning their antioxidant activity. We found that the oxidation of LDL lipids mediated by peroxynitrite decreased in the presence of bicarbonate, while Trp oxidation and 3-nitroTyr formation increased, suggesting a redirection of peroxynitrite reactivity toward the protein moiety. We therefore evaluated the protective activity of some phenolic antioxidants (quercetin, oleuropein, resveratrol, (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, tyrosol, alpha- and gamma-tocopherol, ascorbate) on peroxynitrite-mediated oxidation of LDL aromatic residues. Some of these phenols protected LDL Trp from oxidation better than ascorbate or alpha-tocopherol, although protection at 100 microM did not exceed 30-40%. However, the same phenolic antioxidants were more active in inhibiting 3-nitroTyr formation and those with a catechin structure provided significant protection (IC(50%) 40-50 microM). Red wine, a polyphenol-rich beverage, showed a protective effect comparable to that of the most active phenolic antioxidants. Direct EPR studies showed that bicarbonate significantly increased the peroxynitrite-dependent formation of O-semiquinone radicals in red wine, supporting the hypothesis that polyphenols are efficient scavengers of radicals formed by peroxynitrite/CO(2). Ascorbate was a poor inhibitor of peroxynitrite/CO(2)-induced LDL tyrosine nitration, but the simultaneous addition to the most active polyphenols halved their IC(50%). In conclusion, although cooperation with other antioxidants can further decrease the IC(50%) of polyphenolics, as demonstrated for ascorbate, their antioxidant activity appears to occur at concentrations at least 1 order of magnitude higher than their bioavailability.     

Phenotypic and genetic relationships between yield components in maize

Summary Physiological components of kernel development — LAG period, effective filling period duration (EFPD) and grain filling rate (GFR) — ear moisture release (U), ear size (row number and kernels per row), days from emergence to silking and number of leaves, were examinated on 45 F₁ hybrids (10×10 diallel cross) in order to study their genetic relationships with yield. Combining ability analysis revealed that all trait variability derived mainly from g.c.a. effects. LAG period and EFPD were the traits most affected by genotype-environment interaction.Covariation analysis (path method) based on mean phenotypic values and on g.c.a. effects yielded similar information. It is shown that GFR and EFPD are both related to plant yield, but GFR made the most important contribution. On the contrary, a significant relationship between yield and LAG was not detected. Ear size components were also positively related to yield and had negative effects on GFR. These results indicate that, for our material, the dry matter accumulation rate is the main limiting factor of yield.Considering s.c.a. effects, kernel number per row made the most important contribution.     

Effect of chelating and antioxidant agents on morphology and DNA methylation in freeze-drying rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) spermatozoa

Freeze-drying (FD) has been exhaustively tried in several mammalian species as an alternative technique to sperm cryopreservation, but few studies have been done in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). The main objective of this study was to compare the protective effect of various antioxidants added to EDTA medium on structural and functional components of FD rabbit spermatozoa and on their status of global DNA methylation. FD media used were composed of basic FD medium (10 mM Tris-HCl buffer and 50 mM NaCl) supplemented with either 50 mM EDTA alone (EDTA) or added with 105 µM of rosmarinic acid (RA, EDTA-RA) or 10 µM of melatonin (MLT, EDTA-MLT). The effect of each medium on the preservation of FD spermatozoon structure was evaluated with light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Global DNA methylation was quantified in all FD sperm samples as well as in fresh spermatozoa. Morphologically, fracture points were evidenced in the neck, mid and principal piece of the spermatozoon tail. No differences in spermatozoon fracture points were evidenced among FD treatments: intact spermatozoa were the largest (p < .01) category, whereas the most frequent (p < .01) injury was the neck fracture, resulting in tailless heads. At SEM, the head of spermatozoa showed a well-conserved shape and intact membrane in all treatments. DNA methylation status was the same in all FD treatments. In conclusion, supplementation of EDTA, EDTA-RA and EDTA-MLT during FD preserved rabbit sperm morphological integrity and methylation status as well. Therefore, the difficulty of getting viable offspring using FD semen is likely unrelated to the impact of the lyophilization process on DNA methylation and morphology of lyophilized spermatozoa.     

Hydrolysis of wine aroma precursors during malolactic fermentation with four commercial starter cultures of Oenococcus oeni

The ability of four commercial preparations of Oenococcus oeni lactic acid bacteria (EQ 54, Lalvin OSU, Uvaferm Alpha, and Lalvin 31) to hydrolyze wine aroma precursors was evaluated by measuring the concentration of free and bound aroma compounds at the end of malolactic fermentation carried out in model wines containing a mixture of glycosides extracted from Muscat wine. At pH 3.4 there was a decrease in glycosylated compounds matched by a concomitant increase in free forms in all starter cultures tested. When malolactic fermentation was carried out at pH 3.2, a significant decrease in the ability to hydrolyze aroma precursors was observed for two of the cultures tested (Uvaferm Alpha and Lalvin 31). Large differences in the extent of hydrolysis and in the specificity of this activity toward specific aroma precursors were observed and appeared to be related to the chemical structure of the aglycon as well as to individual characteristics of each starter culture. The amounts of glycosylated aroma compounds released during malolactic fermentation suggest that O. oeni can alter the sensory characteristics of wine through the hydrolysis of aroma precursors.