<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cornus mas</Emphasis> (L.) Fruit as a Potential Source of Natural Health-Promoting Compounds: Physico-Chemical Characterisation of Bioactive Components

Interest in new sources of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds has recently become a major research issue, with the cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) receiving particular attention for its significant amounts of phenolic compounds and vitamins, which exhibit a wide range of biological and pharmacological properties. This study was aimed at increasing knowledge regarding the cornelian cherry in Italy through the analysis of biologically active substances in the locally available genotype “Chieri”. Spectrophotometric methods were applied to evaluate antioxidant activity, total anthocyanin content and total polyphenolic content. Identification and quantification of the main phytochemical compounds (polyphenols, monoterpenes, organic acids and vitamin C) was performed via high performance liquid chromatography coupled to a diode array detector. C. mas extracts showed high levels of total soluble solids and low acidity. High amounts of phenolic secondary metabolites were observed, with particular reference to anthocyanins (134.71 mg_C3G/100 g_FW), which confer remarkable nutraceutical properties to the analysed samples. These results highlight the potential of C. mas fruits as a good source of natural antioxidants, suggesting their use as a functional food. Future studies should focus on identifying other specific phytochemical compounds and the genetic traits of local varieties in order to improve cornelian cherry cultivars for food and medicine production.     

Soil quality index for cacao cropping systems

The soil quality index (SQI) for cacao cropping systems was developed to meet the nutritional criteria of the crop, the environmental safety of the cropping sites and the increasing demand for the production and quality of cocoa. Available water function (AWF), root growth function (RGF), mineral nutrition of plants function (MNF) and environmental safety function (ESF) for potentially toxic elements were included in the additive model of SQI for cacao cropping systems. In this study, over 66% of the cacao fields cropping sites were classified as regular SQI with a range of scores between 0.42 and 0.61. The field cropping site with the highest score (0.73) characterized as typic Alitic Red-Yellow Argisol was rated with high SQI. In contrast, the field cropping sites characterized as abrupt Cohesive Dystrophic Red-Yellow Argisol (0.29), typic Dystrophic Haplic Cambisol (0.39), and latosolic Dystrophic Yellow Argisol (0.40) were rated with low SQI. MNF and AWF were the functions that most contributed to the increase or decrease of SQI scores. The SQI adapted expressed the agro-environmental reality of cacao cropping systems of Bahia, Brazil, and this could be a versatile tool to subsidize the adequate soil management of cacao plantations around the world.     

Effect of water temperature and light intensity on swim bladder inflation and growth of red sea bream <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pagrus major</Emphasis> larvae

This study aimed to examine the effect of different water temperatures and light intensities on swim bladder inflation (SBI) and growth of red sea bream Pagrus major larvae to improve rearing techniques for this species. Two sets of experiments were conducted: different rearing temperatures were used in experiment 1 (19, 21, 23, and 25 °C), and different light intensities in experiment 2 (250, 1000, 4000, and 16,000 lx). Water temperature did not affect SBI frequency, but SBI initiation was accelerated at higher temperature, i.e., it was initiated on 3 days post-hatching (dph) at 25 °C and on 6 dph at 19 °C, suggesting that the promotion period for SBI, which needs a surface skimmer to be  run, also accelerated with increasing temperature in red sea bream larviculture. A higher temperature also significantly promoted larval growth, although the notochord of larvae at SBI initiation was shorter at higher temperatures. Light intensity had no effect on either the initiation or the frequency of SBI. However, light intensity of 250 lx significantly reduced early larval growth compared to light intensities higher than 1000 lx. These results indicate that light at an intensity greater than 1000 lx at the water surface is suitable for the early larviculture of red sea bream.     

From biology to management of Savi's pine vole (Microtus savii)

Savi's pine vole (Microtus savii) is a rodent species of the Cricetidae family, inhabiting southern European agroecosystems. It is considered to be the main cause of rodent‐attributed damage in Italy. To achieve an effective management, detailed knowledge of this species is needed. However, the available information about this species is fragmentary and incomplete. In this paper, the existing knowledge of Savi's pine vole taxonomy, reproduction, population dynamics, habitat and food preferences is reviewed in order to organise available information and identify priority areas of future research. Some of the changes in farming practices that have occurred in recent decades may have increased the impact of Savi's pine vole populations in crop fields. To manage this pest species effectively, an integrated strategy is recommended (involving habitat management, trapping and, when appropriate, the use of rodenticides). The apparent lack of cyclical population outbreaks and the relatively small litter size and long gestation and interpartum period of this species suggest that it could be more manageable than other vole species, while its strict herbivorous diet, stable population size in open habitats and wide distribution seem to indicate it as an ideal model species for risk assessment studies. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry     

Grain,pellet and wax block bait take by the house mouse (Mus musculus) and non‐target species: implications for mouse eradications on coral cay islands

Introduced rodents have been eradicated from large numbers of offshore islands using toxic baits; however, toxic baits have been linked with negative impacts on non‐target species. The present study assessed the bait take of target (house mouse, Mus musculus) and non‐target (buff banded rail, Rallus philippensis) animals on Northwest and Heron Islands in the Great Barrier Reef. Three non‐toxic bait formulations (wax block, pellet and grain) were tested and each was applied at 1 kg ha^?1 in six treatment grids. The tracks of animals visiting the baits were identified using 30 tracking stations per treatment grid. A tracking station consisted of a track‐board placed in the centre of a sand‐pad. Mean bait take differed significantly between the formulations: birds took more grain bait than wax block bait; mice took more wax block than grain bait. Both mice and birds were equally selective of pellet bait. Thus, the findings indicate that wax blocks are the most suitable formulation for future baiting programs to eradicate mice on these and other islands.     

A rare autosomal recessive condition,congenital erythropoietic porphyria,found in the canefield rat Rattus sordidus Gould 1858

Congenital erythropoietic porphyria (CEP) is a rare autosomal recessive condition that has been reported in humans and in some animals, in which uroporphyrin 1 is deposited in the bones, teeth and urine, resulting in pink coloration and fluorescence of the tissues and urine under long‐wave ultraviolet (UV) light. We observed red teeth in nine of 450 canefield rats (Rattus sordidus) captured in a small, isolated patch of sugarcane in Tully, north Queensland, Australia. The skeletons of these animals were excised and were found to be bright red under normal day light. Under UV light, the skeleton had a bright red fluorescence. It is plausible that the canefield rat population in this isolated patch of sugarcane is small and inbreeding might have occurred, resulting in incidences of the autosomal recessive genes that cause CEP. The canefield rat can be used as an animal model for research into porphyria.     

Sedative effects of intramuscular alfaxalone in pet guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus)

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy and side effects of alfaxalone administered intramuscularly (IM) as a sedative agent in guinea pigs undergoing survey radiographs.

Immunomodulatory Effects of Dietary β‐glucan and Vitamin C in Nile Tilapia,Oreochromis niloticus L., Subjected to Cold‐induced Stress or Bacterial Challenge

To determine the dietary β‐glucan and vitamin C levels that would enable the fish to cope with different stress, 252 tilapia (16.86 ± 0.24 g) were distributed in thirty six 250‐L aquaria and fed experimental diets for 60 d. Diets were supplemented with β‐glucan (0.1, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8%) and vitamin C (400 and 600 mg/kg diet) and distributed in a factorial design that included a control diet (0 β‐glucan/125 mg vitamin C/kg). After growth performance analyses, a group of 108 fish were subjected to cold‐induced stress and another to Aeromonas hydrophila infection. Hematological and immunological parameters were determined before and after the stress. Growth performance was not affected. Red blood cells, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, total plasma protein, albumin : globulin ratio and leukocytes, lymphocytes, neutrophils, and monocytes were affected (P < 0.05) by stress and/or diets. The control diet resulted in higher post‐infection cortisol (P < 0.05). Liver vitamin C was directly proportional to dietary vitamin C (P < 0.05). The production of hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide was also affected by diets and/or bacterial challenge (P < 0.05). In total, 0.1–0.2% β‐glucan and 600 mg/kg vitamin C increased fish resistance to stress and 0.8% β‐glucan resulted in reduced immune responses regardless of the vitamin C supplementation level.     

Pomegranate fruit components modulate human thrombin

Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is an important source of polyphenols with assessed antioxidant properties. The aims of this study were: (i) the characterization of the monomeric phenolic variability on each isolated fruit component (endocarp, mesocarp, aril); (ii) the study on the effect of pomegranate fruit components on human thrombin amidolytic activity. Collectively, our data show that pomegranate components contain bioactive metabolites (mainly ellagic acid) and suggest a potential role for the pomegranate extract in the regulation of a number of physio-pathological processes involving thrombin (or thrombin-like proteinase).     

Production,Characterization and Biocompatibility of Marine Collagen Matrices from an Alternative and Sustainable Source: The Sea Urchin Paracentrotus lividus

Collagen has become a key-molecule in cell culture studies and in the tissue engineering field. Industrially, the principal sources of collagen are calf skin and bones which, however, could be associated to risks of serious disease transmission. In fact, collagen derived from alternative and riskless sources is required, and marine organisms are among the safest and recently exploited ones. Sea urchins possess a circular area of soft tissue surrounding the mouth, the peristomial membrane (PM), mainly composed by mammalian-like collagen. The PM of the edible sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus therefore represents a potential unexploited collagen source, easily obtainable as a food industry waste product. Our results demonstrate that it is possible to extract native collagen fibrils from the PM and produce suitable substrates for in vitro system. The obtained matrices appear as a homogeneous fibrillar network (mean fibril diameter 30–400 nm and mesh < 2 μm) and display remarkable mechanical properties in term of stiffness (146 ± 48 MPa) and viscosity (60.98 ± 52.07 GPa·s). In vitro tests with horse pbMSC show a good biocompatibility in terms of overall cell growth. The obtained results indicate that the sea urchin P. lividus can be a valuable low-cost collagen source for mechanically resistant biomedical devices.