Influence of the distillation step on the ratios of stable isotopes of ethanol in cherry brandies

Isotope ratio mass spectrometry and site-specific natural isotope fractionation-nuclear magnetic resonance were applied to determine the overall carbon isotope ratio (delta13C) and the hydrogen isotope ratios [(D/H)I and (D/H)II] of ethanol, respectively. Ethanol was obtained by distillation of fermented cherry mash from a pot still commonly used in fruit brandy production. Analyses of distillate fractions revealed that the distillation proceeds with a fractionation of ethanol isotopologues. The inverse vapor pressure isotope effect (VPIE) observed for the carbon isotopologues is in accordance with the data reported for distillation of ethanol in spinning band columns. In contrast, the inverse VPIE for hydrogen isotopologues of ethanol observed in spinning band columns could not be confirmed. To investigate whether the observed isotope fractionations might influence the applicability of stable isotope analysis for quality and authenticity assessment of fruit brandies, the collected distillate fractions were recombined to cuts, as is common practice in commercial fruit brandy production. Taking into consideration the limits of repeatability of the method, it could be demonstrated that the isotope fractionations observed do not impair the applicability of stable isotope analysis of the carbon and hydrogen isotopes of ethanol for the authenticity assessment of cherry brandies if the cuts are placed in accordance with common distillers' practice.     

Water absorption of freeze-dried meat at different water activities: a multianalytical approach using sorption isotherm, differential scanning calorimetry, and nuclear magnetic resonance

Hydration of freeze-dried chicken breast meat was followed in the water activity range of aw=0.12-0.99 by a multianalytical approach comprising of sorption isotherm, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The amount of frozen water and the shape of the T2-relaxogram were evaluated at each water content by DSC and NMR, respectively. Data revealed an agreement between sorption isotherm and DSC experiments about the onset of bulk water (aw=0.83-0.86), and NMR detected mobile water starting at aw=0.75. The origin of the short-transverse relaxation time part of the meat NMR signal was also reinvestigated through deuteration experiments and proposed to arise from protons belonging to plasticized matrix structures. It is proved both by D2O experiments and by gravimetry that the extra protons not contributing to the water content in the NMR experiments are about 6.4% of the total proton NMR CPMG signal of meat.     

Juice quality of two new mandarin-like hybrids (Citrus clementina Hort. ex Tan x Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) containing anthocyanins

Tacle and Clara [Monreal clementine (Citrus clementina Hort. ex Tan) x Tarocco orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck)] are two new triploid citrus hybrids developed by the CRA-Istituto Sperimentale per l'Agrumicoltura (Acireale, Italy). The fruits are easy-peeling and juicy, have a pleasant taste like the Tarocco orange, and are sweet like the Monreal clementine. In addition, a distinctively attractive characteristic of these mandarin-like fruits is the red-pigmented flesh caused by the presence of anthocyanins. This study reports the juice quality attributes of fresh fruits harvested at different ripening stages and of cold-stored fruits kept for 104 days at 6+/-1 degrees C and 90-95% relative humidity. Physico-chemical analyses showed that the fresh-fruit juice yield ranged between 39 (Tacle) and 41% (Clara); these values were 11-14% lower after 104 days of storage. Vitamin C content in the Clara juice was decisively higher than that in the Tacle juice. Juice anthocyanins and other polyphenols increased during cold storage. These results show that low-temperature storage enhances the functional attributes of Tacle and Clara fruit juices.     

Enhancement of alkalinity tolerance in two cucumber genotypes inoculated with an arbuscular mycorrhizal biofertilizer containing Glomus intraradices

The aim of the present study was to determine whether arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) inoculation with a biofertilizer containing clays as granular carriers, leek root pieces and Glomus intraradices spores could improve alkalinity tolerance of two cucumber genotypes, and to study the changes induced by AM at agronomical and physiological level. A greenhouse experiment was carried out to determine yield, growth, fruit quality, net photosynthesis (A_CO2), electrolyte leakage, and mineral composition of two cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) genotypes (hybrid “Ekron” or open-pollinated variety “Marketmore”) with inoculated and noninoculated arbuscular mycorrhizal biofertilizer. Plants were supplied with nutrient solutions at two pH values (6.0 or 8.1). The high pH nutrient solution had the same basic composition with an additional 10 mM NaHCO₃ and 0.5 g l⁻¹ CaCO₃. The percentage root colonization was higher in “Marketmore” (21.8%) than “Ekron” (12.7%). Total and marketable yield and total biomass were significantly higher by 189%, 213%, and 77%, respectively, with Ekron in comparison to those recorded with Marketmore. The highest crop performance with Ekron in comparison to Marketmore was due to the improved nutritional status (higher N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, and B), higher leaf area, and net photosynthesis. Increasing the concentration of NaHCO₃ from 0 to 10 mM in the nutrient solution significantly decreased yield, plant growth, A_CO2, N, P, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, and B concentration in leaf tissue, whereas the electrolyte leakage increased. The inoculated plants under alkaline conditions had higher total, marketable yield, and total biomass than noninoculated plant. Mycorrhizal cucumber plants grown under alkaline conditions had a higher macronutrient concentration in leaf tissue compared to noninoculated plants. The highest yield and biomass production in inoculated plants seems to be related to the capacity of maintaining higher net A_CO2 and to a better nutritional status (high P, K, Mg, Fe, Zn, and Mn and low Na accumulation) in response to bicarbonate stress with respect to −AM plants.     

Molecular markers for improving control of soil-borne pathogen <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium oxysporum</Emphasis> in sugar beet

Fusarium spp. cause severe damage in many agricultural crops, including sugar beet, with Fusarium oxysporum historically being considered as the most damaging of all species. Sugar beet needs to be protected from this class of soil-borne pathogens in order to ensure an optimal sugar yield in the field. Genetic control of the disease is crucial in managing these pathogens. Identification of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers linked to resistance can be a powerful tool for the introgression of valuable genes needed to develop Fusarium-resistant varieties. A candidate gene approach was carried out to identify SNP markers linked to putative Fusarium resistance sources in sugar beet. Five resistant analogue genes (RGAs) were screened by means of high resolution melting (HRM) analysis in a set of sugar beet lines, considered as resistant and susceptible to Fusarium oxysporum. HRM polymorphisms were observed in 80% of amplicons. Two HRM polymorphisms were significantly associated with Fusarium resistance (P < 0.05). The amplicons that showed association were sequenced and two SNPs were identified. The association was further validated on 96 susceptible and 96 resistant plants using competitive allele-specific PCR (KASPar) technology. The selected SNPs could be used for marker-assisted breeding of Fusarium resistance in sugar beet.     

Genomic prediction for yields,processing and nutritional quality traits in cultivated potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

Current potato breeding approaches are hampered by several factors including costly seed tubers, tetrasomic inheritance and inbreeding depression. Genomic selection (GS) demonstrated interesting results regardless of the ploidy level, and can be harnessed to circumvent these problems. In this work, three GS models were evaluated using 50,107 informative SilicoDArT markers and 11 traits in two values for cultivation and use (VCU) potato trials. Two key breeding problems modelled included predicting the performance of (i) new and unphenotyped clones (cross‐validation) and (ii) a VCU using another as training set (TS). GS models performed comparably. Cross‐validation accuracy was high for D35, D45, DMW and BVAL, in ascending order. Prediction accuracies of the VCUs were highly correlated, but the best prediction was obtained for the smaller VCU using the bigger as TS. Cross‐validation and VCU prediction accuracies were higher when bigger TSs were used. The findings herein indicate that GS can be attractively integrated in potato breeding, particularly in early clonal generations to predict and select for traits with low heritability which would otherwise require more testing years, environments and resources.     

Firm Demography and Regional Development: Evidence from Italy

This article contributes to the literature on firm demography and regional development in at least three different ways. First, consumption, rather than employment, which is the most common variable seen in literature, is used to measure the impact of firm demography on regional development. Second, while the literature is mainly focused on the relationship between new business formation and regional development, we investigate both entry and exit flows of firms. Third, we decompose each of these flows into spatial and sectoral components. The empirical investigation looks at the Italian regions with reference to the period 2004–2009. Results seem to be substantially divergent between the South and the rest of Italy.     

New biomarkers of the extinct speciesTaxodioxylori gypsaceum

Summary The occurrence of layers of wood material beneath the soil of the fossil forest of Dunarobba (Italy) has provided the opportunity to study a differently degraded wood formed in the same environment of the fossil forest. The samples of subsoil have almost completely lost their polyose and cellulose fractions and, moreover, were deprived of most of their low and medium MW terpenes so that some phenolic diterpenes were revealed. The identified ones were ferruginol, podocarpodiol, traces of sugiol and a compound whose mass spectrum shows some similarities with that of sugiol. A family of compounds with ketonic structure was also detected: in particular tridecanone, pentadecanone and heptadecanone.Dr. G. Scarascia Mugnozza and Dr. Francesca Bozzano are thanked for fossils donation and Prof. Pasquale Miraglino for mass spectrometry analyses     

Gastric inflammatory pseudotumour secondary to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Actinomyces hordeovulneris</Emphasis> infection in a cat

Background

The authors report the first case of feline gastric actinomycosis associated with infection by Actinomyces hordeovulneris.

Case presentation

A 4-year-old, neutered male, semi-feral European cat, with a 1 year history of chronic vomiting, was referred to the clinic. Abdominal ultrasound examination identified a hypoechoic focal transmural thickening with loss of normal wall layering and hyperechoic speckles at the gastric body. Initial gastroscopic examination showed a tumour-like gastric mass with an ulcerated depression at the level of the greater curvature. Histologic examination of endoscopic biopsy specimens was consistent with a severe lymphoplasmacytic gastritis. After 2 months, due to persistence of abdominal discomfort, surgical exploration and intraoperative sampling of gross abnormalities was recommended. Full thickness gastric wall biopsies, and fine needle aspiration of the gastric thickening and gastric lymph node, were performed. Histopathological examination identified a transmural pyogranulomatous gastritis. Aspirate samples of the gastric wall cultured positive, with colony morphology, biochemical testing and PCR of the 16 s rRNA gene compatible with Actinomyces hordeovulneris. After 4 months of treatment with cefovecin (8 mg/kg subcutaneously every 14 days), the vomiting completely resolved, as well as the ultrasonographic gastric alteration.

Conclusion

This case report of feline gastric actinomycosis, caused by Actinomyces hordeovulneris, suggests that gastric bacterial infection should be considered in cases of focal gastric wall thickening associated with chronic vomiting in the cat, which may otherwise closely resemble neoplastic disease. Once a diagnosis of actinomycosis was obtained, a correct treatment with antibiotic therapy can resolve it.