Analysis of virgin olive oil volatiles by a novel electronic nose based on a miniaturized SAW sensor array coupled with SPME enhanced headspace enrichment

A novel electronic nose based on solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with a surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor array has been used to analyze different quality virgin olive oils. A mathematical model was designed with 37 samples to distinguish lampante from the other virgin olive oils categories (extra-virgin and virgin), because lampante-virgin olive oils cannot be consumed without a previous refining process. The model, successfully validated with a test set of 16 samples, was able to classify 90% of the samples correctly. Misclassifications were explained by SPME-HRGC analyses and a second sensory evaluation.     

Correction to: Individual based modelling of fish migration in a 2-D river system: model description and case study

Landscape Ecology - In the original publication of the article, the third author name has been misspelt. The correct name is given in this Correction. The original version of this article was revised.     

Variance in leaf spot susceptibility in chestnut trees of different species and hybrids

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Prior to the first occurrence of chestnut blight in 1976, leaf spot caused by Cylindrosporium castaneae was one of the most important diseases of European...     

Serogroups of Campylobacter fetus and Campylobacter jejuni isolated in cases of ovine abortion

Of 38 aborted ovine fetuses from 23 sheep flocks 29 C. fetus subsp. fetus and 22 C. jejuni were isolated and examined biochemically and serologically for heat-stable antigens. Serologic examinations were carried out by passive haemagglutination test. In case of C. fetus subsp. fetus strains alkaline antigen extraction was used. Antisera to two serogroups of C. fetus and to Penner serotype reference strains 1 to 60 were produced in rabbits. Abortion was caused in 18 (78.3%) flocks by C. fetus subsp. fetus and in 5 (21.7%) flocks by C. jejuni. Six C. fetus subsp. fetus strains grew well at both 43 and 25 degrees C. With one exception all C. fetus subsp. fetus were resistant, whereas all 29 C. fetus subsp. venerealis strains were sensitive to 30 micrograms/ml cefoxitin and cefamandole. These two cephalosporins can be used to differentiate the two subspecies of C. fetus. Passive haemagglutination test using alkaline antigen extraction is a proper method for the examination of heat-stable antigens of both C. fetus subspecies. Out of 24 C. fetus subsp. fetus strains 13 belonged to serogroup A(01), and 11 to serogroup B(02). C. jejuni strains examined belonged to Penner serogroup 1 (6 strains), to serogroup 5 (4 strains) and to serogroup 8 (4 strains).     

Major outer membrane proteins of Brucella spp.: past,present and future

The major outer membrane proteins (OMPs) of Brucella spp. were initially identified in the early 1980s and characterised as potential immunogenic and protective antigens. They were classified according to their apparent molecular mass as 36–38 kDa OMPs or group 2 porin proteins and 31–34 and 25–27 kDa OMPs which belong to the group 3 proteins. The genes encoding the group 2 porin proteins were identified in the late 1980s and consist of two genes, omp2a and omp2b, which are closely linked in the Brucella genome, and which share a great degree of identity (>85%). In the 1990s, two genes were identified coding for the group 3 proteins and were named omp25 and omp31. The predicted amino acid sequences of omp25 and omp31 share 34% identity. The recent release of the genome sequence of B. melitensis 16 M has revealed the presence of five additional gene products homologous to Omp25 and Omp31. The use of recombinant protein technology and monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) has shown that the major OMPs appear to be of little relevance as antigens in smooth (S) B. abortus or B. melitensis infections i.e. low or no protective activity in the mouse model of infection and low or no immunogenicity during host infection. However, group 3 proteins, in particular Omp31, appear as immunodominant antigen in the course of rough (R) B. ovis infection in rams and as important protective antigen in the B. ovis mouse model of infection. The major OMP genes display diversity and specific markers have been identified for Brucella species, biovars, and strains, including the recent marine mammal Brucella isolates for which new species names have been proposed. Recently, Omp25 has been shown to be involved in virulence of B. melitensis, B. abortus and B. ovis. Mutants lacking Omp25 are indeed attenuated in animal models of infection, and moreover provide levels of protection similar or better than currently used attenuated vaccine strain B. melitensis Rev.1. Therefore, these mutant strains appear interesting vaccine candidates for the future. The other group 3 proteins identified in the genome merit also further investigation related to the development of new vaccines.     

Body development, carcass, and meat quality of confined lambs fed increasing levels of whole rice meal

The objective of this trial was to evaluate the effect of whole rice meal (WRM) inclusion in the concentrate upon body development, carcass traits, and meat quality of lambs. Twenty-four castrated lambs with an average initial body weight of 17.90?±?2.72 kg were randomly blocked according to two genetic groups (Corriedale and Texel by Corriedale crossbreds). Three isocaloric (11.3 MJ/kg of metabolizable energy) and isonitrogenous (17 % crude protein) diets were offered to the animals for 74 days. Diets consisted of 40 % forage and 60 % concentrate diet, on a dry matter basis, with 0, 15, or 30 % of WRM inclusion into the concentrate. Body growth (after slaughter), carcass, and meat traits were evaluated on each animal. Results obtained indicated that genotype did not affect body growth, carcass, and meat traits except for yellowness. No significant interaction between diet and genotype were detected. Inclusion of up to 30 % WRM did not significantly (P?>?0.05) affect body growth, carcass, and meat traits, except for meat color. Meat luminosity progressively increased (36.32?+?0.055X) while redness (15.13???0.03X) decreased with the inclusion of WRM in the diet, but still remained within acceptable values. The study indicates that WRM may be included up to 30 % in the concentrate replacing corn without adverse effects upon body development, carcass traits, and meat quality of lambs.     

Serotypes of Pasteurella haemolytica and Pasteurella trehalosi isolated from farm animals in Hungary.

The biochemical and serological characteristics of 486 P. haemolytica and 31 P. trehalosi strains (517 in total) isolated from different lesions of cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and poultry were examined. A total of 476 P. haemolytica strains (97.9%) showed the characteristics typical of the former biotype A of P. haemolytica, while 10 isolates (2.1%), all from poultry, could not be biotyped. A total of 481 strains (93.0%) could be assigned to one of the 17 serotypes of P. haemolytica-P. trehalosi and 36 strains (7.0%) could not. The majority (83.6%) of the cattle isolates were serotypes A1 and A2. Among strains isolated from sheep all serotypes of P. haemolytica could be identified with the exception of A14, but serotypes A1, A2, A6, A8 and A5 were the most frequent. The overwhelming majority (94%) of the caprine isolates were A2, other serotypes occurred only sporadically. The pig isolates, which could be isolated only very rarely, represented different serotypes, while none of the 10 strains isolated from poultry could be biotyped or serotyped.     

Performance and carcass characteristics of lambs fed diets with increasing levels of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mimosa tenuiflora</Emphasis> (Willd.) hay replacing Buffel grass hay

This study evaluated the performance and carcass characteristics of lambs fed diets with increasing levels of Mimosa tenuiflora (Willd.) hay replacing Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris). Twenty-eight Santa Inês male lambs with an average body weight (BW) of 20.3 ± 1.49 kg(mean ± SD) were allocated in individual stalls and distributed in a completely random design with four treatments (0, 20, 40, and 60 g/100 g total DM M. tenuiflora hay replacing Buffel grass hay in diet) with seven replications. M. tenuiflora hay at the level of 20% dry matter (DM) total replacing Buffel grass hay increased final weight (P = 0.006), total weight gain (P < 0.001), average daily weight gain (ADWG; P < 0.001), DM intake (P < 0.001), and feed efficiency (P < 0.001). Intake of crude protein, NDF_ap, ADF_ap, ash, ether extract, total and non-fibrous carbohydrates, and total digestible nutrients presented a positive quadratic effect with M. tenuiflora hay replacing Buffel grass hay and 40 g/100 g total DM level presented greater intake. There were positive quadratic effects by M. tenuiflora hay inclusion at 20 g/100 g total DM level on slaughtering weight (P = 0.005), hot carcass weight (P = 0.002), cold carcass weight (P = 0.002), empty body weight (P = 0.001), hot carcass yield (P = 0.002), cold carcass yield (P = 0.003), and increase linear on biological yield (P = 0.003). There was no influence on cooling weight loss (P = 0.284). M. tenuiflora hay may be included in lamb diets at amounts up to 20 g/100 g total DM substitution of Buffel grass hay because increase in the nutrients intake, growth performance, and carcass characteristics.     

Immunohistochemical study of the inflammatory infiltrate associated with feline cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas and precancerous lesions (actinic keratosis).

The distribution of T lymphocytes (CD3+), B lymphocytes (CD79+), immunoglobulin-containing plasma cells (IgG, IgM and IgA), macrophages (Mac387+) and MHC Class II antigen was analysed in the inflammatory infiltrate associated with cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) from 23 cats. Peri-tumoural skin (12 cases) and precancerous lesions of actinic keratosis (nine cases) were also evaluated for the expression of MHC Class II. The results revealed that an abundant inflammatory infiltrate was associated with the majority of SCC. This infiltrate was composed mainly of CD3+ T lymphocytes, B cells (CD79+) and IgG-bearing plasma cells, and the intensity of infiltration increased with the degree of invasiveness of the tumour. The number of CD3+ T cells and CD79+ cells was significantly increased in well-differentiated SCC compared with moderately differentiated tumours, whereas the number of IgM+, IgA+ plasma cells and Mac387+ macrophages was low or moderate and did not change significantly with histologic grade or invasiveness. MHC Class II antigen was expressed by infiltrating lymphocytes and macrophages, and by fibroblasts. A variable number of neoplastic cells (10% to 80%) in 10 SCC, and keratinocytes of basal layers in seven of nine cases of actinic keratosis also expressed MHC Class II, whereas keratinocytes of normal skin were always negative for this antigen. These results suggest that CD3+ T lymphocytes, CD79+ B cells and IgG-bearing plasma cells may participate in down-regulation of tumour growth, since these cell types were particularly numerous in well-differentiated and mildly invasive SCC, as well as in actinic keratosis. The expression of MHC Class II by neoplastic cells could enhance this local anti-tumour immune response.