Variability of wood properties in two wild cherry clonal trials

There has been an increase in wild cherry cultivation over recent decades, revealing a need for improvements in planting material to be used for the production of high quality timber. To date, trial tests have been carried out mainly on growth and tree architectural traits, while no investigations have focused on wood properties. The present study investigated the variability of the growth traits and the physical and mechanical properties of wild cherry wood, both within the tree, within and among clones and between sites. The aims of the study are to provide useful information on the genetics of wood traits in valuable hardwoods and to discuss how within-tree variation can affect early selection of genotypes. The results suggest that site was the most important source of variation in growth traits and in the proportion of heartwood, although differences among clones were highly significant. The number of sapwood rings was very homogeneous both between sites and among clones. Concerning the wood traits, most variation was detected within the tree, rather than within or among clones or between sites. Within tree variability seems to be mainly due to heartwood/sapwood presence. However, since there is a high correlation between heartwood and sapwood properties, a quite efficient selection made on the basis of sapwood should provide an efficient means of selecting heartwood traits.     

Exploring the metabolome of seminal plasma in two different horse types: Light versus draft stallions

The application of the ‘omics’ studies in the field of animal reproduction has been aimed at identifying novel biomarkers of fertility since the last few years. When assessing reproductive efficiency in horses, breed should also be taken into account as it can influence semen quality and fertility. Considering the growing interest in metabolomic analysis to evaluate male fertility, we aimed to investigate the metabolomic profile of seminal plasma in two different horse breeds. Twelve healthy stallions, n.6 American Quarter Horse (AQH) and n.6 Italian Draft Horse (IDH) stallions, regularly used for artificial insemination, were included in the study. Two semen collections, performed 30-day apart, were considered for the assessment of semen parameters including gel-free volume, spermatozoa (spz) concentration, spz progressive motility and seminal plasma analysis by ¹H-NMR.Semen characteristics differed between IDH and AQH (p < .05) as well as the first cycle conception rate that was higher in AQH than IDH (p = .001). Metabolomic analysis quantified 56 molecules in equine seminal plasma, with 11 metabolites showing different concentrations in IDH compared to AQH (p < .05).This study provided evidence of differences in seminal plasma metabolites' concentrations between studied horse types, highlighting specific metabolomic fingerprints characterizing AQH and IDH sperm.     

Gamma delta T‐cell large granular lymphocyte lymphoma in a dog

A 2‐year and 6‐month‐old female neutered Labrador Retriever with Horner syndrome, megaesophagus, and a mediastinal mass was referred to the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals of the Royal Veterinary College. A large granular lymphocyte (LGL) lymphoma was diagnosed on cytology; flow cytometric analysis revealed a γδ T‐cell phenotype (CD3+, CD5+, CD45+, TCRγδ+, CD4?, CD8?, CD34?, CD21?). Chemotherapy was started with a combination of lomustine, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisolone, followed by bleyomicin. Euthanasia was elected by the owners, due to progressive deterioration and lack of quality of life, 28 days after diagnosis. This is the first cytologic and immunophenotypic characterization of a canine γδ T‐cell lymphoma with LGL morphology and probably of mediastinal origin. The role of chemotherapy in delaying the disease progression remains unknown.     

Use of nutraceuticals in the stallion: Effects on semen quality and preservation

Nutritional supplements are widely used in the equine industry with the aim of improving horse health, sports or reproductive performances. Over the years, a number of studies have focused on investigating the effects of several dietary compounds on the quality and preservation of stallion semen. This paper reviews the literature available on the use of nutritional supplementation for the improvement of reproductive performance and semen quality in equine species, critically appraising the benefits and negative effects of several compounds found in complementary feeds such as PUFAs from different sources, vitamins and antioxidants, carnitine and botanical extracts. Different nutraceuticals have been highlighted to improve stallion fertility by providing optimal levels of antioxidants, with the most promising results obtained by the combination of PUFAs and antioxidants that resulted to be essential for the maintenance of normal reproductive functions and the reduction of cryodamage in cooled and frozen equine semen.     

In vitro inhibition of human cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase-5 by polyphenols from red grapes

A moderate consumption of red wine may reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases via wine-derived phenolic compounds. A variety of biological mechanisms have been proposed for wine-derived phenolic compounds including nitric oxide-mediated vasorelaxation. This study examined whether the vasodilating effect of wine-derived phenolic compounds was associated with the inhibition of phosphodiesterases (PDEs) and, in particular, PDE5. For this purpose, human recombinant PDE5A1 isoform was prepared by expression of the full-length cDNA of PDE5A1 into COS-7 cells. Red wine and the extracts from grape skin inhibited PDE5A1 activity, whereas the seed extracts had a negligible effect. The mixture of anthocyanins inhibited the enzyme activity (IC50 = 11.6 microM), with malvidin-3-O-beta-glucoside (IC50 = 35.4 microM) and malvidin (IC50 = 24.9 microM) the most potent among the monoglucosides and aglycons, respectively. trans-Resveratrol and trans-piceid exhibited negligible effects, whereas hydroxycinnamates were completely inactive. These results indicate that polyphenols-induced vasorelaxation may also be sustained by smooth muscle PDE inhibition by anthocyanins present in red wines and grapes.     

Single, rapid coastal settlement of Asia revealed by analysis of complete mitochondrial genomes

A recent dispersal of modern humans out of Africa is now widely accepted, but the routes taken across Eurasia are still disputed. We show that mitochondrial DNA variation in isolated "relict" populations in southeast Asia supports the view that there was only a single dispersal from Africa, most likely via a southern coastal route, through India and onward into southeast Asia and Australasia. There was an early offshoot, leading ultimately to the settlement of the Near East and Europe, but the main dispersal from India to Australia approximately 65,000 years ago was rapid, most likely taking only a few thousand years.     

Detection of St-Valerien-like viruses in swine, Italy

St-Valerien-like viruses are newly recognized porcine caliciviruses recently detected in Canadian swine farms. These viruses that appeared genetically closest to the Tulane non-human primate virus and noroviruses (NoVs), may represent members of a potential new genera within the Caliciviridae family. To date, there are no information on the epidemiology of these novel caliciviruses in other continents. In this study, 264 faecal samples collected from asymptomatic adult pigs were screened by RT-PCR using St-Valerien-like specific primers. Porcine caliciviruses, resembling St-Valerien-like viruses were identified in five animals. The 3' end of the genome of one of these strains, 25A/ITA, was determined, revealing close genetic relatedness to the newly discovered St-Valerien-like caliciviruses, identified in swine in Canada. The findings of this investigation demonstrate that St-Valerien-like viruses are not geographically restricted, since they were identified outside the North American continent where there were first signalled.     

Stilbenes and tyrosol as target compounds in the assessment of antioxidant and hypolipidemic activity of Vitis vinifera red wines from southern Brazil

The contents of stilbene monomers, cis-resveratrol, trans-resveratrol, cis-piceid, trans-piceid, and tyrosol, were quantified in Vitis vinifera red wines, cvs. Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Sangiovese, and Syrah, 2006 and 2007 vintages, from the Sa?o Joaquim region, a new grape-growing region at southern Brazil. Moreover, the effect of chronic consumption of these wines on the antioxidant and hypolipidemic activities was monitored in C57BL6 LDL receptor knockout mice and treated with a hypercholesterolemic diet. Red wines from this region had substantial levels of resveratrols (the predominant forms were glycoside and trans) and tyrosol. Biomonitoring of antioxidant and hypolipidemic activities in vivo revealed that consumption of these wines increased the antioxidant capacity and reduced the hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia promoted by the hypercholesterolemic diet. Significant correlations were found between the increase of antioxidant capacity markers, the decrease of lipid levels promoted by wine consumption, and the contents of stilbenes and tyrosol, supporting the important biological activity of these compounds.