Wild Ungulate Farming Systems and Product Quality

Veterinary Research Communications -     

Early post mortem expression of genes related to tenderization in two Italian Simmental young bulls' skeletal muscles differing in contractile type

The early post mortem expression of eight genes potentially involved in meat ageing process and the tenderness of two Italian Simmental young bulls' (Bos taurus) skeletal muscles differing in their contractile type were evaluated. Samples of Longissimus lumborum (LL) and Infraspinatus (IS) muscles were collected from 17 bulls. The messenger RNA (mRNA) abundances of calpain‐1, calpain‐2, calpastatin, caspase 3, caspase 9, heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27), Hsp40 and Hsp70 were detected by quantitative PCR. The myosin heavy chain‐slow and ‐fast isoform content, the pH_48h and the lipid content of the muscles were in line with the contractile and metabolic type. In comparison with the fast LL, the slow IS showed a lower calpain‐1/calpastatin mRNA content ratio after slaughtering and a higher Warner‐Bratzler Initial Yield value after 7 days of ageing. Hsp27 and Hsp70 mRNA abundances were significantly lower in LL than IS, highlighting their potential role in the ageing process of bovine muscles.     

Characterisation of phenolic resin and nanoclay admixture and its effect on impreg wood

Wood Science and Technology - Bulking treatment with low molecular weight phenol formaldehyde (LmwPF) resin has been found to successfully enhance the properties of low-density wood but emit higher...     

Activities of soil enzymes in fields continuously cultivated with cassava,sugarcane, and pineapple in middle terrace areas of Lampung Province,South Sumatra,Indonesia

Changes in the activities of soil enzymes (acid and alkaline phosphatases, β-glucosidase, and arylsulfatase) associated with continuous cultivation of cassava, sugarcane, and pineapple were studied in middle terrace areas of Lampung Province, South Sumatra, Indonesia. Soil samples were collected from fields continuously cultivated with cassava for the period ranging from 0 to 10 y, with sugarcane from 0 to 20 y, and with pineapple from 0 to 10 y. Continuous cultivation did not show conspicuous effects on soil pH, and contents of total N, organic C, and available P as well as soil enzymatic activities. However, the changes in the activities of the soil enzymes generally showed a significant relationship with the contents of soil organic C and total N.     

Waterlogging tolerance in lentil (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lens culinaris</Emphasis> Medik. subsp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">culinaris</Emphasis>) germplasm associated with geographic origin

Variation in response to climatic and edaphic factors has resulted in the geographic differentiation and specific adaptation of lentil germplasm to its environment. The germination of lentil seeds can be affected by waterlogging caused by relay sowing into standing rice crops. Consequently, there is a demand for waterlogging-adapted lentil genotypes, particularly at germination. This experimentation investigated the effects of waterlogging at germination on a germplasm collection. Firstly, two contrasting genotypes, ATC 70876 and Nugget, were waterlogged for six durations (0, 3, 6, 9, 14 and 21 days) in a pot soil system in the glasshouse. Six days of waterlogging was the duration for germination where genotypes showed the largest contrast in germination rate; therefore, this duration was applied to a larger number (127) of genotypes from 11 countries in a screening trial. Finally, all 127 genotypes were grown in pots in the open to phenotype morphological traits (seed size, above-ground biomass, time to flower and maturity). There was significant variation among genotypes, and those originating from Bangladesh had the highest germination at 21.2 %. The heritability of germination on waterlogged soil among genotypes was intermediate at H² = 44.8 %. Correlations between morphological and physiological traits showed that the capability of seeds to germinate on waterlogged soil was negatively correlated to time to maturity (r = ?0.643). It was concluded that genotypes from Bangladesh are adapted to waterlogging at germination. With an intermediate heritability for germination under waterlogging conditions, selection for relay sowing through waterlogging tolerance at germination is practicable.     

Comparison of three processing methods for laminated bamboo timber production

Three processing techniques, split-squaring(SS),V-grooving(VG), and split-edging(SE), were evaluated and compared in terms of their processing time and recovery. Semantan bamboo(Gigantochloa scortechinii Gamble) was used as a raw material and the results showed that the VG-method required the longest processing time(32.1 min), followed by the SS-method(18.2 min), and the SE-method(17.9 min). However, the VG-method showed the highest recovery(82.0%) compared to the SS-method and SE-method, 31.0 and 49.4%, respectively. When both processing time and recovery factors were combined with the same weighing factor, the highest value was recorded with the VG-method(49.1), while the SE-method had values of 31.1 and the SS-method 12.8. The results suggest that the VG-method is the best option. However, the V-grooving machine is still a prototype and therefore the SE-method could be an alternative option until the improved V-grooving machine is available.     

Crustacean-acanthocephalan interaction and host cell-mediated immunity: parasite encapsulation and melanization

Host-parasite interactions of Pomphorhynchus laevis (Müller, 1776) in naturally infected amphipod, Echinogammarus stammeri (Karaman), from the Brenta River (northern Italy) are described. A fully developed acanthocephalan larva occupies a large portion of an amphipod's haemocoelic space; thus, the parasite frequently induces displacement of host digestive tract and other internal organs. However, no apparent damage to the host's internal structures was observed. Within the haemocoel of E. stammeri, each larva of P. laevis is surrounded with a membranous layer, formed by microvilli, which maintains intimate contact with the amphipod's internal organs and haemocytes. Three types of circulatory haemocytes were identified based upon their distinct appearance: hyaline cell, semi-granular cell and granular cell. Echinogammarus stammeri haemocytes surrounded acanthocephalan larvae and in some instances a partially and/or totally melanized P. laevis larva was noticed. Interestingly, no melanized larvae were found in E. stammeri parasitized with other acanthocephalans namely Echinorhynchus truttae (Schrank, 1788), Polymorphus minutus (Goeze, 1782) and Acanthocephalus clavula (Dujardin, 1845).     

Screening of In-Vitro Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Activity of Sargassum ilicifolium Crude Lipid Extracts from Different Coastal Areas in Indonesia

Sargassum brown seaweed is reported to exhibit several biological activities which promote human health, such as anticancer, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activity. This study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity of crude lipid extracts of Sargassum ilicifolium obtained from four different coastal areas in Indonesia, namely Awur Bay–Jepara (AB), Pari Island–Seribu Islands (PI), Sayang Heulang Beach–Garut (SHB), and Ujung Genteng Beach–Sukabumi (UGB). Results showed that treatment of RAW 264.7 macrophage cells with UGB and AB crude lipid extracts (12.5–50 µg/mL) significantly suppressed the nitric oxide production after lipopolysaccharide stimulation, both in pre-incubated and co-incubated cell culture model. The anti-inflammatory effect was most marked in the pre-incubated cell culture model. Both two crude lipid extracts showed 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and high ferric reducing antioxidant power, which were amounted to 36.93–37.87 µmol Trolox equivalent/g lipid extract and 681.58–969.81 µmol FeSO₄/g lipid extract, respectively. From this study, we can conclude that crude lipid extract of tropical S. ilicifolium can be further developed as a source of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agent.