Functional Conservation of the Drosophila gooseberry Gene and Its Evolutionary Alleles

The Drosophila Pax gene gooseberry (gsb) is required for development of the larval cuticle and CNS, survival to adulthood, and male fertility. These functions can be rescued in gsb mutants by two gsb evolutionary alleles, gsb-Prd and gsb-Pax3, which express the Drosophila Paired and mouse Pax3 proteins under the control of gooseberry cis-regulatory region. Therefore, both Paired and Pax3 proteins have conserved all the Gsb functions that are required for survival of embryos to fertile adults, despite the divergent primary sequences in their C-terminal halves. As gsb-Prd and gsb-Pax3 uncover a gsb function involved in male fertility, construction of evolutionary alleles may provide a powerful strategy to dissect hitherto unknown gene functions. Our results provide further evidence for the essential role of cis-regulatory regions in the functional diversification of duplicated genes during evolution

The Homeodomain Protein Defective Proventriculus Is Essential for Male Accessory Gland Development to Enhance Fecundity in Drosophila

The Drosophila male accessory gland has functions similar to those of the mammalian prostate gland and the seminal vesicle, and secretes accessory gland proteins into the seminal fluid. Each of the two lobes of the accessory gland is composed of two types of binucleate cell: about 1,000 main cells and 40 secondary cells. A well-known accessory gland protein, sex peptide, is secreted from the main cells and induces female postmating response to increase progeny production, whereas little is known about physiological significance of the secondary cells. The homeodomain transcriptional repressor Defective proventriculus (Dve) is strongly expressed in adult secondary cells, and its mutation resulted in loss of secondary cells, mononucleation of main cells, and reduced size of the accessory gland. dve mutant males had low fecundity despite the presence of sex peptide, and failed to induce the female postmating responses of increased egg laying and reduced sexual receptivity. RNAi-mediated dve knockdown males also had low fecundity with normally binucleate main cells. We provide the first evidence that secondary cells are crucial for male fecundity, and also that Dve activity is required for survival of the secondary cells. These findings provide new insights into a mechanism of fertility/fecundity

Steel components for packaging devices in sliding/rolling contact: Metallurgical failure analysis

This paper presents a case study in sliding/rolling contacts between steel components operating in packaging devices for powder pressing, where the non-conformal contact involving a rotating roller (AISI M2 tool steel) and pins (AISI 440B martensitic stainless steel) led to the formation of macro- and micro-pitting on both mating surfaces. On the basis of metallurgical failure analysis, surface-origin contact fatigue was identified as the main damage mechanism. Microstructural stress raisers such as relatively large carbides, clustered along plastic flow lines, were observed in both steels. A white etching layer (WEL), due to severe sliding/rolling conditions, further enhanced the formation of surface-origin cracks on the roller

Caratterizzazione di un formaggio commerciabile attraverso la definizione del suo profilo sensoriale: l'esempio del Grana Padano.

A methodological approach for characterisation, through the sensory profile, of a standardised product, like the Grana Padano cheese, has been reported. Quantitative Descriptive Analysis was applied by a trained panel of 7 judges to samples of known origin having different ripening times. Generalised Procustes Analysis was utilised to describe the sensory differences between cheeses; in particular the flavour by mouth "milk", "bouillon cube" and "dry mushrooms" resulted typical of Grana Padano at the suitable ripening level. Spider plots reporting the sensory profile of the samples at different ripening times were built on the basis of the sensory attributes selected by the panellists. The sensory profile of Grana Padano aged 15 months (the minimum time required for commercialisation of this product) was utilised as a reference standard and compared with the sensory characteristics of the Grana Padano samples having different ripening time

Indagine sulla composizione in amminoacidi liberi del formaggio Provolone quale possibile elemento caratterizzante

Viene studiata la possibilit\ue0 di creare modelli chemometrica atti a tipizzare il formaggio Provolone, determinandone il quadro in amminoacidi liberi ed elaborando statisticamente I dati. Sono state analizzate complessivamente 53 forme di Provolone, sia di et\ue0 ed origine note che del commercio, e sono stati utilizzati criteri di elaborazione statistica descrittiva ed analisi delle componenti principali. Diversamente a quanto riscontrato per il formaggio Parmigiano-Reggiano, il contenuto quali-quantitativo in amminoacidi liberi del Provolone si dimostra molto variabile anche per forme della medesima et\ue0 e di uguali caratteristiche merceologiche (pezzatura, prodotto dolce o piccante), tanto che non si evidenzia alcun modello chemometrico capace di tipizzare questo formaggio sulla base del suo pattern amminoacidico. S\u2019intravede tuttavia la possibilit\ue0 di valutare il periodo di maturazione di forme della medesima pezzatura e di caratterizzare la produzione di determinati caseifici, sulla base del contenuto totale in amminoacidi liberi espresso sulle proteine totali e del contenuto relativo di alcuni di essi quali Glutammina, Istidine, Arginia e Acido gamma-Amminobutirrico. Analisi statistica descrittiva ed analisi delle componenti principali conducono alle medesin\uecme conclusioni, confermando che la tipizzazione chimico-analitica del formaggio Provolone, e dunque la sua difesa da produzioni similari, sar\ue0 possibile solo quando uno standard di qualit\ue0 preciser\ue0 caratteristiche merceologiche e condizioni di lavorazione di questo tipico formaggio italiano.An attempt was made to create chemometric models characterizing Provolone cheese by determining its free amino acid (aa) pattern and evaluating the data with different statistic criteria. 12 commercial samples sold as \u201cProvolone\u201d and 41 typical Provolone cheeses of known age and origin, obtained from dairies under control of the \u201cConsorzio per la Tutela del Formaggio Provolone\u201d were analyzed for their free aa content. Statistical evaluation of the data and related graphic models are presented Unlike Parmigiano-Reggiano, Provolone cheese, even at a same ripening period, shows great variability both in free aa content and in their relative ratios, due mainly to differences in the commercial quality, but probably also to different processing and ripening conditions. Therefor no analytical models based on free aa composition and capable to characterize Provolone cheese can be presently suggested. Nevertheless, parameters based on the total free aa content, expressed as percentage of total protein, and on the relative contents of single free aa like GLN, HIS, ARG, GABA allow both to estimate approximately the ripening period of Provolone cheeses of the same size and to characterize the production of single dairies

A pilot trial on subjects with lactose and/or oligosaccharides intolerance treated with a fixed mixture of pure and enteric-coated α- and ß-galactosidase

Francesco Di Pierro,1 Alexander Bertuccioli,2 Eleonora Marini,3 Leandro Ivaldi4 1Velleja Research, Milan, Italy; 2Italian Association Fitness and Medicine, Fano, PU, Italy; 3Pharmextracta, Pontenure, Piacenza, Italy; 4Digestive Endoscopic Department, Ceva Hospital, Ceva, Cuneo, Italy Aim: Lactose and complex carbohydrates maldigestion, common food intolerances due to low gut content of α- and ß-galactosidase, lead to abdominal symptoms including pain, diarrhea, bloating, flatulence, and cramping. Commonly, intolerant patients are advised by physicians to avoid the offending foods (dairy foods, cereals, beans, etc). This food-limiting option, however, has possible nutritional risks. We have therefore evaluated the impact of using pure, enteric-coated α- plus ß-galactosidase on gut symptoms in intolerant subjects instead of avoidance of the offending foods. Methods: Sixteen subjects intolerant to lactose and/or complex carbohydrates were enrolled and evaluated in terms of gut symptoms with 1) uncontrolled diet, 2) diet devoid of offending foods, and 3) uncontrolled diet along with pure, enteric-coated α- and ß-galactosidase (DDM Galactosidase®). Results: Even with the uncontrolled diet, intolerant subjects treated with DDM Galactosidase® exhibited reduced gut symptoms (bloating, flatulence, diarrhea, and constipation) significantly better than the control treatment as well as having a diet devoid of offending foods. Conclusion: DDM Galactosidase® is a valid and safe optional treatment to counteract lactose and complex carbohydrate intolerance in subjects who prefer not to avoid, at least partially, offending foods. Keywords: lactase, lactose intolerance, complex carbohydrate intoleranc

Optimization of Virgin Olive Oil Quality in Relation to Fruit Ripening and Storage

The paper shows a procedure to explore and optimize the relationship between raw material characteristics (fruit ripening and storage grade) and a multidimensional index representing virgin olive oil quality. The utilized procedure has required five different steps: a) flavour profile evaluation of several commercial olive oil samples; b) perceived quality evaluation by COI method; c) selection of sensory variables related to perceived quality; d) identification of chemical markers related to selected sensory variables, e) combination of chemical markers into an olive oil quality index (overall desirability function-D). Utilizing the Central Composite Design, nine oil extractions were made in order to obtain a model able to relate oil quality to olive fruit characteristics (ripening and storage). The procedure proposed, in attaining quality index (desirability function-D), allows to optimize the extraction yield (amount of oil), the oil stability (amount of phenols), and the consumer oil perception related to the amount of trans-2-hexenal and phenols

Optimization of Virgin Olive Oil Quality in Relation to Fruit Ripening and Storage

The paper shows a procedure to explore and optimize the relationship between raw material characteristics (fruit ripening and storage grade) and a multidimensional index representing virgin olive oil quality. The utilized procedure has required five different steps: a) flavour profile evaluation of several commercial olive oil samples; b) perceived quality evaluation by COI method; c) selection of sensory variables related to perceived quality; d) identification of chemical markers related to selected sensory variables, e) combination of chemical markers into an olive oil quality index (overall desirability function-D). Utilizing the Central Composite Design, nine oil extractions were made in order to obtain a model able to relate oil quality to olive fruit characteristics (ripening and storage). The procedure proposed, in attaining quality index (desirability function-D), allows to optimize the extraction yield (amount of oil), the oil stability (amount of phenols), and the consumer oil perception related to the amount of trans-2-hexenal and phenols