Comparative changes in color features and pigment composition of red wines aged in oak and cherry wood casks

The color features and the evolution of both the monomeric and the derived pigments of red wines aged in oak and cherry 225 L barriques have been investigated during a four months period. For cherry wood, the utilization of 1000 L casks was tested as well. The use of cherry casks resulted in a faster evolution of pigments with a rapid decline of monomeric anthocyanins and a quick augmentation formation of derived and polymeric compounds. At the end of the aging, wines stored in oak and cherry barriques lost, respectively, about 20% and 80% of the initial pigment amount, while in the 1000 L cherry casks, the same compounds diminished by about 60%. Ethyl-bridged adducts and vitisins were the main class of derivatives formed, representing up to 25% of the total pigment amount in the cherry aged samples. Color density augmented in both the oak and cherry wood aged samples, but the latter had the highest values of this parameter. Because of the highly oxidative behavior of the cherry barriques, the use of larger casks (e.g., 1000 L) is proposed in the case of prolonged aging times.     

Metabolic profiling of potential probiotic or synbiotic cheeses by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy

To assess ripening of potential probiotic cheeses (containing either Lactobacillus casei -01 or Bifidobacterium lactis B94) or synbiotic cheeses with fructooligosaccharides (FOS) or a 50:50 mix of FOS/inulin, metabolic profiles have been obtained via classical biochemical analyses and by NMR spectroscopy. The addition of prebiotics to the cheeses resulted in lower proteolysis indices, especially in those synbiotic cheeses inoculated with B. lactis B94. Among synbiotic cheeses the combination of FOS and inulin resulted in an increase in lipolytic activity. The metabolic profiles of the cheeses analyzed by NMR spectroscopy, combined with multivariate statistics, allowed profiles to be distinguished by maturation time, added probiotic bacteria, or, in the case of B. lactis B94 cheese, added prebiotic. The NMR results are in agreement with the biochemical analyses and demonstrate the potential of NMR for the study of metabolic processes in probiotic/synbiotic food matrices.     

Comparison of Diclofenac Diethylamine Permeation Across Horse Skin from Five Commercial Medical Human Formulations

The aim of this study was to compare the penetration of diclofenac through horse skin in vitro and its efficacy in vivo when applied from five, commercially available, human medical formulations containing 1.16% diclofenac diethylamine. The rate of transdermal penetration of diclofenac varied between formulations. Also, estimated steady-state flux (Jss) was significantly different from that reported for human and rat skin. All the tested formulations produced a very weak and short-lasting antiedematous effect.     

Early Evidence of the Anticipatory Response of Plasma Catecholamine in Equine Exercise

Catecholamines seem to play a role in equine exercise physiology that is somewhat different from their role in human beings. In sport horses, a greater increase in plasma adrenaline (ADR) levels occurs in response to strenuous exercise as compared with human beings. However, it is not known whether this is true for breeds not specifically bred for sport. The aim of this study was to gather data on plasma catecholamine kinetics during exercise in a nonracing breed. We also attempted to evaluate the influence of the phases preceding the start of the exercise on the kinetics of these molecules. Four 2-year-old female Esperia ponies were made to perform a four-step exercise test on a treadmill. Blood samples were collected in the box (basal 1), in the treadmill room (basal 2), and at the conclusion of each step, using an automatic system. ADR and noradrenaline (NOR) levels were determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Results were analyzed using analysis of variance and the Student-Newman-Keuls test. As compared with basal 1, basal 2 showed a significant 19.6-fold increase for ADR and a 6.7-fold increase for NOR. The highest concentration was observed for both molecules at the end of the fourth step, with a significant 1.2-fold increase as compared with blood samples collected at basal 2 for ADR and a 2.4-fold increase for NOR. Therefore, in Esperia ponies, catecholamine showed a trend similar to that of Standardbreds and Thoroughbreds. The results reported in this study also revealed a marked increase in ADR in the phases preceding the beginning of physical activity. Therefore, the greater adrenergic activity in horses in response to exercise could be because of an anticipatory response.     

Cercosporiosis resistance in coffee germplasm collection

Cercosporiosis, or brown eye spot, is currently one of the main diseases of the coffee tree. It is caused by Cercospora coffeicola Berk. & Cooke. Nevertheless, genetic resistance to this disease has not yet been explored in any depth. Our objectives (a) were evaluate the response of 124 accessions from the germplasm collection of the Minas Gerais State (GC), Brazil, and eight commercial cultivars of C. arabica to cercosporiosis and (b) determine the best way to perform early progenies selections via controlled greenhouse experiments. Three controlled greenhouse experiments (1–3) were run in different seasons to determine the best way to proceed the selection. The seedlings were inoculated with a four isolates mixture obtained from different regions. The experimental data were analyzed individually (1–3), in a joint analysis, and as repetitions of a randomized complete block design. In each analysis we estimated genetic parameters and E-BLUP (empirical best linear unbiased predictor) genotypic values of the access. There was genetic variability to C. coffeicola resistance among the coffee tree accessions germplasm collection. Therefore, genetic improvements could be obtained by selection. Experimental repetitions in different seasons increase the selection efficiency and reliability of resistant genotypes with low cercosporiosis severity. The genotype Sarchimor MG 8840 showed the highest resistance level followed by Guatenano and the Timor Hybrid UFV 377-34, Timor Hybrid UFV 376-14 BE 5, and Wush–Wush × Timor Hybrid UFV 366-08.     

Multiresidue method for captan,folpet, captafol,vinclozolin and iprodione on italian apples and pears by capillary gas–liquid chromatography with electron-capture detection

A method is described for the simultaneous determination of residues of five fungicides used for foliar treatment of apple and pear trees, and for postharvest application. After extraction, the mixture of these fungicides is cleaned-up on a ‘SEP PAK C₁₈’ cartridge and the components determined by gas-liquid chromatography with electron-capture detection. The minimum detectable amounts in apples and pears, on a fresh weight basis, were 0.005mg kg⁻¹ for vinclozolin, 0.010mg kg⁻¹ for captan, folpet and iprodione, and 0.020 mg kg⁻¹ for captafol. The percentage recovery for each fungicide (calculated by analysing four samples of untreated apples and pears, to which varying concentrations of each active ingredient had been added) varied for vinclozolin between 70.0 and 89.2, for captan between 72.0 and 83.8, for folpet between 73.0 and 93.0, for captafol between 70.8 and 91.8, and for iprodione between 75.1 and 97.1.     

Somatic embryo,adventitious root and shoot regeneration in in vitro grown quince leaves as influenced by treatments of different length with growth regulators

The purpose of this work was to acquire more information on the capacity of in vitro grown quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.) leaves to simultaneously regenerate somatic embryos, adventitious roots and shoots, and to evaluate the variations induced on regeneration response by treatments of different length with growth regulators. After 2 days of liquid treatment with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, the leaves were cultured for 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 and 21 days on gelled growth medium containing the basal components of Murashige and Skoog and kinetin (Kin) 4.5 μM + naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) 0.5 μM. At the end of each treatment period, the leaves were cultured on a transfer medium in the absence or in the presence of a growth regulator combination represented by N⁶-benzylaminopurine (BA) 2.66 μM + gibberellic acid 0.58 μM + indole-3-butyric acid 0.3 μM. The culture period for all the treatments was fixed to 52 days.     

Electroencephalography findings in healthy and Finnish Spitz dogs with epilepsy: visual and background quantitative analysis

BACKGROUND: Qualitative and quantitative electroencephalography (EEG) parameters of healthy and Finnish Spitz dogs with epilepsy have not been determined. OBJECTIVE: To determine if EEG can provide specific characteristics to distinguish between healthy dogs and dogs with epilepsy. ANIMALS: Sixteen healthy and 15 Finnish Spitz dogs with epilepsy. METHODS: A prospective clinical EEG study performed under medetomidine sedation. Blinded visual and quantitative EEG analyses were performed and results were compared between study groups. RESULTS: Benign epileptiform transients of sleep and sleep spindles were a frequent finding in a majority of animals from both groups. The EEG analysis detected epileptiform activity in 3 Finnish Spitz dogs with epilepsy and in 1 healthy Finnish Spitz dog. Epileptiform activity was characterized by spikes, polyspikes, and spike slow wave complexes in posterior-occipital derivation in dogs with epilepsy and with midline spikes in control dog. The healthy dogs showed significantly less theta and beta activity than did the dogs with epilepsy (P < .01), but the only significant difference between healthy dogs and dogs with untreated epilepsy was in the alpha band (P < .001). Phenobarbital treatment increased alpha, beta (P < .001), and theta (P < .01), and decreased delta (P < .001) frequency bands compared with dogs with untreated epilepsy. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Benign epileptiform transients of sleep could be easily misinterpreted as epileptiform activity. Epileptiform activity in Finnish Spitz dogs with epilepsy seems to originate from a posterior-occipital location. The EEG of dogs with epilepsy exhibited a significant difference in background frequency bands compared with the control dogs. Phenobarbital treatment markedly influenced all background activity bands. Quantitative EEG analysis, in addition to visual analysis, seems to be a useful tool in the examination of patients with epilepsy.     

Primary inoculum of Erwinia amylovora: alternative sources and viable but non-culturable state: A review

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Fire blight is a complex and devastating plant disease caused by the necrotrophic bacterium Erwinia amylovora. One of the main factors that determine the...