Abnormalities of the operculum in gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata): morphological description

The authors studied a population of 582 gilthead sea breams (Sparus aurata), aged 25–600 days, in order to describe the abnormalities of the opercular complex.

Particular attention was paid to: (1) the different degrees of abnormality of the opercular complex as a whole and of the individual dermal bones (preopercle, interopercle, subopercle and opercle) that compose it; (2) the ways in which the operculum folds into the gill cavity and the relevant histological characteristics. This study discusses the origin and nature of the abnormalities.

Though these abnormalities have a major impact on market value and product image, and are often linked to other disorders in fish, they are still difficult to eliminate. Gaining a basic understanding of these abnormalities will be a first step towards reducing their occurrence.     

Changes in the concentration of yeast-derived volatile compounds of red wine during malolactic fermentation with four commercial starter cultures of Oenococcus oeni

The effects of malolactic fermentation (MLF) on the concentration of volatile compounds released by yeasts during the production of red wine were investigated by inoculation with four commercial starters of Oenococcus oeni. Volatile compounds in wine at the end of MLF were extracted, analyzed by GC-MS and GC, and compared with those extracted form a noninoculated reference sample. Several esters known to play a role in the aroma profile of red wine, such as C4-C8 ethyl fatty acid esters and 3-methylbutyl acetate, were found to increase with MLF, and their final concentration was dependent on the bacterial starter employed for the induction of MLF. The overall increase of ethyl fatty acid esters was generally larger than the one observed for acetate esters. Ethyl lactate, 3-hydroxybutanoate, 2-phenylethanol, methionol, and gamma-butyrolactone were also increased by bacterial metabolism. The impact of MLF on other volatiles or red wine, including several higher alcohols, fatty acids, and nitrogen compounds, was generally negligible.     

Response of common wheat varieties to organic and conventional production systems across Italian locations,and implications for selection

Specific breeding for organic systems may help reduce their yield gap relative to conventional systems by exploiting genotype × system (GS) interaction. Likewise, specific breeding for distinct subregions within a region could capitalize on genotype × location (GL) interaction. Grain yield and test weight of common wheat varieties were evaluated under organic and conventional systems in ten locations spanning from northern to southern Italy, with the objectives of: (i) comparing production systems; (ii) investigating the extent of GS and GL interactions and their relationship with genotypic and environmental characteristics; and (iii) preliminarily comparing, in terms of predicted selection gains, different strategies to cope with GS and GL effects. These effects were investigated in the 2-year Data set 1 including seven genotypes. GS effects were also assessed in the annual Data sets 2 and 3 including 13 and 11 genotypes, respectively. The yield reduction of organic systems relative to conventional ones averaged 28% in Data set 1, 29% in Data set 2 and 14% in Data set 3. Organic systems also tended to a modest test weight reduction. Genetic correlations between systems ranged from high to very high (0.88 ≤ r_g ≤ 0.98) for yield and test weight, owing to nil or limited GS interaction. Broad-sense heritability tended to be higher in conventional systems than organic ones for yield in two data sets (mainly due to lower experimental error) while being similar in the two systems in the other cases. Predicted selection gains suggested nil (yield) or very modest (test weight) advantage of direct selection in organic systems relative to indirect selection in conventional systems, when targeting organic systems. The scope for selection only in conventional systems was reinforced when comparing predicted gains for selection scenarios which target both systems in relation to their foreseeable marketing importance. GL effects for yield and test weight were significant and were modeled by additive main effects and multiplicative interaction analysis. Site classification based on GL effects for yield revealed a larger subregion A including northern and central Italy and a smaller subregion B comprising southern Italy, accordingly with previous, independent studies. Yield selection only in subregion A (with indirect selection gain for subregion B) implied slightly higher predicted gain for A (+4%) and much lower gain for B (−24%) relative to independent, direct selection in each subregion. Selection for specific geoclimatic subregions may have greater importance than selection for specific production systems.     

The effects of restriction of movement on the reliability of heart rate variability measurements in the horse (Equus caballus)

Analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) is a noninvasive approach for investigating the sympathovagal balance of the autonomic nervous system. In recent years, HRV has been increasingly evaluated in animal research. In horses, it has been suggested that basal resting conditions can be achieved by restraining them. The aim of this study was to verify how restriction of movement influences HRV i2n horses. Ten healthy standardbred mares were used to measure the electrocardiographic signal under 2 conditions: free to move in the stall and restrained in the stock. Results indicate that the restriction of movement is associated with increased nervous system sympathetic activity not consistent with resting conditions.     

Guava (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Psidium guajava L</Emphasis>. cv. Red Suprema) Crude Extract Protect Human Dermal Fibroblasts against Cytotoxic Damage Mediated by Oxidative Stress

We analyzed guava fruits (Psidium guajava L. cv. Red Suprema) from Cuba to determine their chemical composition, total antioxidant capacity, as well as their protective effect against oxidative damage using an in vitro model of human dermal fibroblasts. The guava fruit is a natural source of bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, vitamin C, folates and beta carotenes with proven health benefits. Human dermal fibroblasts were pre-incubated with different concentrations of guava crude extract and then subjected to oxidative stress using the AAPH stressor. The number of apoptotic and dead cells, as well as the markers of oxidative damage such as lipid and protein oxidation significantly decreased when cells were pre-incubated with guava crude extract and then exposed to the stressor. The activity of antioxidant enzymes also improved when cells were pre-incubated with guava crude extract in comparison to cells subjected to stress without prior pre-incubation with the guava extract. The results obtained in this study highlight the health benefits of guava regarding oxidative stress, proving it to be an important source of bioactive compounds associated with important biological properties.     

Testing and statistical analysis of the performance of a pipe drainage system: A case study in north-eastern Italy

A survey program was carried out from June 1988 to august 1989 in North-eastern Italy in a pipe drainage area of 61 ha in order to verify if the year of installation (one part of the system has been installed in 1984 and another one year later) and the cover material of drains (pipes were covered with cocofibre for 2/5 of their length and without envelope for 3/5) could influence the functioning of the system. Collected data of drain discharge and water table depth were subjected to an elaborate statistical analysis.A methodological approach to determine the sample size (how many measurements of discharge and watertable depth are required, in space and time, from a statistical stand-point) in drainage experiment is proposed. For drainage systems similar to the considered one, a sample size of 10–12 drains and 6–8 observation wells can be recommended in order to obtain a standard error lower than 10–15% of the mean.     

Central fatigue and nycthemeral change of serum tryptophan and serotonin in the athletic horse

Background  

The serotonergic system is associated with numerous brain functions, including the resetting of the mammalian circadian clock. The synthesis and metabolism of 5-HT in the brain increases in response to exercise and is correlated with high levels of blood-borne tryptophan (TRP). The present investigation was aimed at testing the existence of a daily rhythm of TRP and 5-HT in the blood of athletic horses.     

Characterization and degradation of lignin from steam explosion of pine and corn stalk of lignin: The role of superoxide ion and ozone

Steam explosion of corn stalk in the presence of 3% sulphuric acid at 200 °C for 5 min gave the highest recovery of lignin. Lignin has M_w = 2640 and M_z = 93,994. In the UV spectrum absorptions at λ = 231 and 280 nm were recorded. ¹H NMR spectrum of lignin showed signals attributable to cinnamaldehyde units, guaiacyl units, and syringyl units. Syringyl and guaiacyl units are in 1:1 ratio. ¹³C NMR spectrum showed signals for guaiacyl, syringyl, and p-hydroxyphenyl units. The spectrum showed a prevalence of guaiacyl units. The ¹³C NMR spectrum is in agreement with the presence of cinnamic units. The same characterization was performed on lignin from pine. The irradiation of lignin from pine from steam explosion process in the presence of oxygen, in conditions described for the formation of superoxide ion, for different irradiation time was followed isolating the lignin and determining the average molecular weight. The experiments showed that, until 8 h irradiation, M_n decreases, while M_w and M_z increases. After 8 h irradiation an inverse behaviour was observed, with an increase of M_n and a decrease of M_w and M_z. These results are in agreement with an initial polymerization process followed by a photoinduced degradation. Ozonization was carried out in acetonitrile–methanol solution. The reaction showed a zero-order kinetics. After 50 min the average molecular weight of lignin is the half. The reaction mixture was analyzed by using GC–MS. Oxalic acid was determined.     

‘Microbigation’: delivery of biological control agents through drip irrigation systems

The uniform and precise application of microbial particles close to the target organism and to the plant to be protected can increase the success of a biological control treatment. The use of systems or technologies which are usually available in agriculture could influence the acceptability of biocontrol agents by farmers, and enlarge the market. A pilot system was realized using dripper lines, drippers, filters and other tools commonly used in irrigation and precision agriculture in the greenhouse to evaluate their suitability for applying and distributing microbial biocontrol agents. Conidial suspensions of marketed or marketable agents were used, i.e. Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani, Trichoderma harzianum and Paecilomyces lilacinus. The experiments carried out demonstrated that conidial suspensions (10⁶ conidia ml⁻¹) can pass through the drippers without causing clogging, regardless of their size, and remained viable. The term ‘microbigation’ is here proposed for this kind of microbial application technique.