Analysis of volatile compounds by GC-MS of a dry fermented sausage: chorizo de Pamplona

The profile of volatile compounds of a typical Spanish dry fermented sausage, chorizo de Pamplona, has been analyzed by GC-MS, using a simultaneous distillation-extraction (SDE) system. Qualitative and quantitative differences were found in the volatile profiles obtained in the five analyzed commercial brands. One hundred and ninety three different substances were isolated, the group of acids being the most important from a quantitative point of view in all brands, accounting at least for the 60% of the total area. Aldehydes, basically from lipid oxidation, contributed between 7.72% and 13.97% to the total amount. Acids and aldehydes were the chemical families that showed the lowest variability among brands. In contrast, esters showed the highest coefficient of variation among brands (111%), followed by phenols (82%) and terpenes (76%). The variability observed in these three families could be attributed respectively to the different starter cultures, smoking process and spices employed in their production. Butylated hydroxytoluene (added as an antioxidant, E-321) was the third most abundant compound in 3 of the 5 brands

Discovery of carotenoid red-shift in endolithic cyanobacteria from the Atacama Desert

Las respuestas bioquímicas de las cianobacterias que habitan en las rocas hacia el estrés ambiental nativo se observaron in vivo en uno de los entornos climáticos extremos más desafiantes de la Tierra. La colonización criptoendolítica de cianobacterias, dominada por Chroococcidiopsis sp., Se estudió en una ignimbrita en un área volcánica de gran altitud en el desierto de Atacama, Chile. El cambio en la composición de carotenoides (desplazamiento al rojo) dentro de un transecto a través de la comunidad microbiana dominante de cianobacterias (grosor promedio de ~ 1 mm) se reveló inequívocamente en su microhábitat endolítico natural. La cantidad de carotenoides desplazados al rojo, observada por primera vez en un ecosistema microbiano natural, depende de la profundidad y se incrementa a medida que aumenta la proximidad a la superficie de la roca, como lo demuestra la resonancia Raman y la resonancia puntual del perfil Raman. Se atribuye a un cambio dependiente de la luz en la conjugación de carotenoides, asociado con la estrategia de adaptación a la luz de las cianobacterias. Se propone una hipótesis para el posible papel de un mecanismo de extinción no fotoquímica (NPQ) mediado por la proteína carotenoide naranja (OCP) que influye en el comportamiento espectral observado. Simultáneamente, se obtuvo información sobre la distribución de scytonemin y phycobiliproteins. Scytonemin fue detectado en los agregados de cianobacterias superiores. Se registró un gradiente de intensidad de señal inverso de las ficobiliproteínas, que aumenta con las posiciones más profundas como respuesta del complejo de captura de luz de cianobacterias a condiciones de poca luz.The biochemical responses of rock-inhabiting cyanobacteria towards native environmental stresses were observed in vivo in one of the Earth’s most challenging extreme climatic environments. The cryptoendolithic cyanobacterial colonization, dominated by Chroococcidiopsis sp., was studied in an ignimbrite at a high altitude volcanic area in the Atacama Desert, Chile. Change in the carotenoid composition (red-shift) within a transect through the cyanobacteria dominant microbial community (average thickness ~1 mm) was unambiguously revealed in their natural endolithic microhabitat. The amount of red shifted carotenoid, observed for the first time in a natural microbial ecosystem, is depth dependent, and increased with increasing proximity to the rock surface, as proven by resonance Raman imaging and point resonance Raman profiling. It is attributed to a light-dependent change in carotenoid conjugation, associated with the light-adaptation strategy of cyanobacteria. A hypothesis is proposed for the possible role of an orange carotenoid protein (OCP) mediated non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) mechanism that influences the observed spectral behavior. Simultaneously, information about the distribution of scytonemin and phycobiliproteins was obtained. Scytonemin was detected in the uppermost cyanobacteria aggregates. A reverse signal intensity gradient of phycobiliproteins was registered, increasing with deeper positions as a response of the cyanobacterial light harvesting complex to low-light conditions.• Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (República Checa) y el National Sustainability Program I (NPU I). Beca LO1415 • CzeCOS ProCES. Proyecto CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_013/0001609 • Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad. Proyecto CGL2013-42509P, para Jaket Wierzchos, Octavio Artieda, Carmen Ascaso, María Cristina CaseropeerReviewe

New formulations for healthier dry fermented sausages: a review.

An excessive intake of meat products, particularly dryfermented sausages, is not recommended from a health point of view, at least for some population groups, due to their high level of sodium and animal fat. Many efforts of the meat industry are focused on the development of new products with better nutritional properties than traditional ones. KCl, CaCl2, and/or calcium ascorbate, among others, have been assessed as partial substitutes of NaCl, giving products with acceptable sensory quality, smaller amounts of sodium and being sometimes a significant source of potassium or calcium. In relation to fat, recent research has focused on the use of different types of fibres and vegetable oils as partial substitutes of pork backfat. The use of fibres results in low-fat and low-energy products. The use of vegetable oils results in products with healthier fatty acid profiles. Aspects related to improving sensory properties and control of oxidation should be taken into account in future research

Chemical composition, mineral content and antioxidant activity of Verbena officinalis L.

Aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts from Verbena officinalis L. were obtained and characterised. The analysis by HPLC-DAD and LC–MS allowed the detection and identification of three iridoids, fifteen flavonoids and four phenolic acid derivatives. Four flavonoids, scutellarein 7-diglucuronide (9), scutellarein 7-glucuronide (13), pedalitin 6-galactoside (15) and scutellarein 7-glucoside (19) are reported for the first time from this plant. In addition, three new flavonoids have been isolated: scutellarein 7-O-(2-O-feruloyl)-diglucuronide (5), pedalitin 6-O-diglucuronide (6) and pedalitin 6-O-(2-O-feruloyl)-diglucuronide (13). To our knowledge, these flavonoids have not been reported as natural products. Both extracts showed significant antioxidant activity using three in vitro model systems and the results have been correlated with total phenolic and total flavonoid contents. The results have allowed establishing an important relation structure–activity and significant correlations have also been found between the mineralcontent and the flavonoids present in both extracts

Injectable alginate hydrogel loaded with GDNF promotes functional recovery in a hemisection model of spinal cord injury

We hypothesized that local delivery of GDNF in spinal cord lesion via an injectable alginate hydrogel gelifying in situ would support spinal cord plasticity and functional recovery. The GDNF release from the hydrogel was slowed by GDNF encapsulation in microspheres compared to non-formulated GDNF (free GDNF). When injected in a rat spinal cord hemisection model, more neurofilaments were observed in the lesion when the rats were treated with free GDNF-loaded hydrogels. More growing neurites were detected in the tissues surrounding the lesion when the animals were treated with GDNF microsphere-loaded hydrogels. Intense GFAP (astrocytes), low III tubulin (neural cells) and RECA-1 (endothelial cells) stainings were observed for non-treated lesions while GDNF-treated spinal cords presented less GFAP staining and more endothelial and nerve fiber infiltration in the lesion site. The animals treated with free GDNF-loaded hydrogel presented superior functional recovery compared with the animals treated with the GDNF microsphere-loaded hydrogels and non-treated animals

Senior Recital: Christian Fabrizio Artieda, jazz guitar

This recital is presented in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree Bachelor of Music in Music Education. Mr. Artieda studies jazz guitar with Trey Wright.https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/musicprograms/1137/thumbnail.jp

PROPUESTA METODOLÓGICA DE EVALUACIÓN DEL TERRITORIO PARA SU USO PASCÍCOLA. PARQUE NATURAL DE AIAKO HARRIA

El Parque Natural de Aiako Harria se encuentra situado en el extremo nororiental del País Vasco, y el uso es mayoritariamente forestal. La transformación de áreas de argomal-helechal y helechal en pastos garantizaría las necesidades alimenticias del ganado de la zona, aumentando, además, la diversidad biológica y paisajística. El presente trabajo describe la metodología utilizada para elegir las áreas a transformar en pasto, basada en la aplicación de la Ecuación Universal de Pérdida de Suelo (USLE), a través de un Sistema de Información Geográfica (SIG), y para ello fue necesario cartografiar los suelos y la vegetación de la zona. Se valoraron los recursos pascícolas, apreciándose la escasez de éstos para cubrir las necesidades alimenticias del ganado existente, proponiéndose la ampliación de la superficie dedicada a pastos. La elección de estas nuevas superficies se estableció teniendo en cuenta, entre otros factores: el uso actual (argomal-helechal, helechal y plantaciones de Pinus radiata D. Don, Pinus nigra J.F. Arnold y Larix kaempferi (Lam.) Carr.), la tasa de erosión potencial tras la implantación del pasto (inferior a 10 Tm/ha/año), y que las áreas a transformar perteneciesen a zonas en las que el Plan de Ordenación de los Recursos Naturales (PORN) permitiese el uso y potenciación ganadero

Silt-sized sediments and gypsum on surface formations in the Ebro Basin: a disambiguation of the term “gypsiferous silts

The term “gypsiferous silts” has been used since the 1960s by many authors, but it has relied on unclear, am-biguous criteria that attributed aeolian, colluvial or alluvial origins to these materials. The aim of this paper is to clarify the use of the term “gypsiferous silts” applied to silt-sized, gypsum-bearing sediments on surface forma-tions in the Ebro Basin, using published and unpublished information. We distinguished three types of materials with very different characteristics that had all been attributed to the general term “gypsiferous silts” in previously published work: i) gypsiferous silts sensu stricto, ii) loess and iii) flour-like gypsum. The recommendations of our study are that the first two terms should be applied to gypsum-containing sediments located in varied topographic positions with calcium carbonate contents up to 40-50% and coarse silty to fine sandy textures. Loess normally appears as thick outcrops (up to 12m) on slopes leeward from the main wind direction, with a limited pedogenesis consisting of a partial carbonate mobilisation and gypsum contents between 0 and 30%. Loess is the only category with an aeolian origin. The materials in the category “gypsiferous silts” sensu stricto are mainly colluvial-alluvial. The third term (flour-like gypsum) should be used to refer to materials on surface formations consisting of almost 100% silt- to fine sand size lenticular gypsum. These materials derive from on-site weathering of gyprock or by precipitation from calcium- and sulphate-saturated groundwater and surficial waters and show a variable spatial distribution: along footslopes, outcropping as metric surface formations, interstratified between limestone layers or as generalized karstified subsurface accumulations.The proposed classification, based on morphological and physico-chemical characteristics, establishes a neces-sary distinction among the three types of materials, since they differ in their properties and geotechnical behaviour relevant for soil management and land use. Using the proposed classification will allow their distinct characteristics can be taken into account when performing geological or soil surveys in this and similar arid regions