Thinning around old oaks in spruce production forests: current practices show no positive effect on oak growth rates and need fine tuning

The expansion of spruce-dominated forestry in Southern Sweden during the twentieth century has led to a considerable amount of oak (Quercus robur L.) woodlands being converted into stands dominated by planted spruce. The thinning of spruces around oak trees is currently done in Sweden to improve local diversity of insects, oak growing conditions and eventually decrease their mortality. To evaluate the effect of these treatments, we dendrochronologically studied growth of old (100–200 years old) oaks subjected to thinning of different intensity at nine locations in southern Sweden, and compared them to oaks located in nearby pastures. The overall pattern suggests that commonly adopted thinning intensities do not significantly affect oak growth. Oak growth was positively related to oak age and negatively to the amount of dead oak crown. Analyses of correlations between oak growth and summer drought conditions, as reflected by location-specific chronologies of the Monthly Drought Code (MDC), indicated that older trees exhibited generally negative correlations, whereas the correlation remained generally positive for the younger trees, both inside and outside forest stands. We propose that removal of spruces should be primarily done around older and healthier-looking trees.     

Climate change and the probability of wind damage in two Swedish forests

We simulated how possible changes in wind and ground-frost climate and state of the forest due to changes in the future climate may affect the probability of exceeding critical wind speeds expected to cause wind damage within one northern and one southern study area in Sweden, respectively. The topography of the study areas was relatively gentle and the forests were dominated by Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.). Using estimated changes in the net primary production (NPP) due to climate change and assuming a relative change in the site productivity equal to a relative change in NPP, we simulated possible future states of the forest under gradual adjustment of the site index in response to climate change using the model The Forest Time Machine. Global climate change scenarios based on two emission scenarios and one general circulation model were downscaled to the regional level. The modified WINDA model was used to calculate the sensitivity of the forest to wind and the probability of wind damage for individual forest stands for the periods 2011–2041 and 2071–2100 and for a control period 1961–1990. This was done while taking into account effects on stability of the forest from expected changes in the occurrence of ground frost. Increasing sensitivity of the forest to wind was indicated for both study areas when adhering to recommended management rules of today. Adding also a changed wind climate further increased the probability of wind damage. Calculated probabilities of wind damage were generally higher in the southern study area than in the northern one and were explained by differences in wind climate and the state of the forests, for example with respect to tree species composition. The indicated increase in sensitivity of the forest to wind under the current management regime, and possibly increasing windiness, motivate further analysis of the effects of different management options on the probability of wind damage and what modifications of Swedish forest management are possibly warranted.     

Genetic Variation of An Esterase System in Sera of Dogs

Sera from 7 dog families comprising 20 parents with 48 offspring and 70 unrelated dogs of various breeds have been studied with regard to polymorphism of esterases. Isoelectric focusing in Polyacrylamide gels of pH ranges 4.2–4.9 and 4–6 revealed great variation of phenotypes. These appeared as complex band patterns always with more than 8 zones. Treatment with an organophosphorous compound and ions of heavy metals strongly indicate that the majority of zones represent arylesterase (ArE) whereas some of the bands are Cholinesterase. ArE phenotypes in families together with the appearances of band patterns in the 70 unrelated dogs are in agreement with a genetic theory of 1 locus with 5 codominant alleles. These have temporarily been named ArE^D, ArE^H, ArE^K, ArE^Q and ArE^W with ArED being the most anodal phenotype and the others in logical order. The ArE^K and ArE^Q were most common but phenotypes representing the ArE^D, ArE^H and ArE^W alleles were each observed in several animals.     

Changes in flavor-affecting aroma compounds during potato storage are not associated with lipoxygenase activity

When potatoes are boiled and then chill-stored they rapidly develop off-flavor. This is a result of lipoxygenase activity, and is a serious problem in food-service systems. Lipoxygenase activity may vary during winterstorage of potatoes. Raw potatoes of the variety ‘Bintje’ were therefore analyzed for lipoxygenase activity during winter storage. Furthermore, content of potential offflavors and typical potato aroma compounds were determined in raw, boiled, and in boiled/chill-stored potatoes. Four months after harvest the lipoxygenase activity started to increase, both when linoleic and linolenic acid were used as substrates. Production of typical oxidation products (aldehydes) of these fatty acids that earlier have been shown to cause off-flavor in boiled/chillstored potatoes did, however, decrease. It is therefore concluded that this was not due to changes in lipoxygenase activity     

REVIEW: Aroma of Wheat Bread Crumb

Bread aroma is an important parameter for bread quality, and this review aims to provide an overview of aroma compounds identified in bread crumb and how these compounds are formed. More than 150 volatile compounds were identified in bread crumb, and they mainly originated from the fermentative activity of yeast, from oxidation of flour lipids, and to a lower extent from Maillard reactions. Of those volatile compounds, 45 compounds can be characterized as aroma compounds, because they most likely can be sensed when the bread is eaten because of their high odor activity values and flavor dilution factors. The influence of ingredients and mixing conditions on bread aroma has scarcely been investigated. The fermentation conditions (yeast level and strain as well as fermentation temperature and time) were found to significantly influence the aroma of bread crumb. Yeast level and strain mainly influence formation of compounds directly related to the fermentative activity of yeast, whereas fermentation temperature and time also influence formation of compounds from oxidation of flour lipids.     

Innovation diffusion of new wood-based materials – reducing the “time to market”

The purpose of this study is to understand the innovation diffusion of new wood-based materials, “from lab to market,” to identify the success factors and barriers to market introduction, and to reveal important factors for the success of commercialization. Examples are given from target markets in the furniture, appliance, and automotive sectors. This study is based on three qualitative interview studies in Sweden from 2010 to 2012. The analysis showed that the diffusion process of a new bio-based material normally takes up to 10 years or even more. There are only a few companies along the supply chain whose specialized function is finding new materials. However, the automotive industry regularly monitors the development of new materials. Industrial customers of materials generally obtain information about biobased materials from suppliers, exhibitions, conferences, professional contacts, industry magazines, digital media, customers, and partners in development projects. Different industry sectors apply specific material requirements. Regulations regarding safety issues have a high priority, and the interviewees believed that environmental considerations will increase with time. If the materials are equal in other quality dimensions, environmental performance may cast the deciding vote. Recommendations for a faster diffusion cover the right mix of competences, financing, regulations, creativity, and support from the leadership.     

Investigation of T-cell responses and viral mRNA persistence in lymph nodes of pigs infected with porcine rubulavirus

Selected lymphocyte subpopulations were studied and the distribution of viral mRNA were investigated during acute and persistent porcine rubulavirus (PoRV-LPMV) infection in Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs. Six pigs infected with PoRV-LPMV at 17 days of age exhibited clinical signs 7-10 days post-inoculation (pi). One infected piglet died 11 days pi while the other five recovered around day 13 pi and survived until euthanasia on day 277 pi. Increased numbers of CD8+, CD4+ and CD2+ T cells were detected during the acute phase of infection while CD8+ cells were elevated throughout the infection, including during the persistent stage. Specific antibodies against the haemagglutinin-neuraminidase protein of PoRV-LPMV were detected during persistent infection. Although infectious virus could not be recovered from tissues from any of the infected pigs at necropsy 277 days pi, PoRV-LPMV mRNA was detected in lymph nodes, pancreas and central nervous system using a nested polymerase chain reaction technique. Continued lymphocyte interaction with viral RNA may be an important factor in promoting cellular and humoral responses during persistent PoRV-LPMV infection.     

Tissue factor activated thromboelastography correlates to clinical signs of bleeding in dogs

The ability of a laboratory assay to correlate to clinical phenotype is crucial for the accurate diagnosis and monitoring of haemostasis and is therefore challenging with currently used routine haemostasis assays. Thromboelastography (TEG) is increasingly used to evaluate haemostasis in humans and may well be of value in the workup of dogs suspected of having a haemostatic disorder. This study was undertaken to evaluate prospectively how tissue factor (TF) activated TEG correlated to clinical signs of bleeding in dogs, compared to a routine coagulation profile. A prospective case-control study was performed over a 2 year period from 2004-2006. Eligible dogs were those where the primary clinician requested a coagulation profile to evaluate haemostasis. The dogs were simultaneously evaluated with a TF-activated TEG assay. Twenty-seven dogs, characterised as hypo-coagulable based on the TEG parameter G (<3.2 Kdyn/cm(2)), were included in the study as cases. Size matched control groups of TEG normo- (G=3.2K-7.2 Kdyn/cm(2)) and hyper-coagulable (G>7.2 Kdyn/cm(2)) dogs were selected retrospectively from the eligible dogs. For all dogs, clinical signs of bleeding were noted at time of analysis. There were statistically significant differences between all TEG values of hypo- and normo- and hyper-coagulable dogs. Thromboelastography correctly identified dogs with clinical signs of bleeding with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 89% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 98% based on G alone. In comparison, the coagulation profile had a PPV between 50-81% and a NPV between 92-93% for detection of bleeding, depending on the observer. In conclusion, a TF-activated TEG G value<3.2K dyn/cm(2) correctly identified dogs with clinical signs of bleeding with very high PPV and NPV, irrespective of observer. The findings strongly suggest that TF- activated TEG may be of value in the workup of dogs suspected of having a haemostatic disorder.