Genetic variability of meat quality traits in Chianina beef cattle

The heritability of quality traits (chemical composition, colour, tenderness and water-holding capacity) of the meat derivingfrom three muscles (Triceps brachii, Longissimus dorsi and Semitendinosus) was evaluated in 92 young Chianinabulls. The animals were raised on two farms with different feeding programs, and were slaughtered at approximately 19months of age. Single pair correlations were considered in order to evidence the relationships between the same traitsdetected in the three muscles and between all the traits of the same muscle.The h2 values range from 0.00 to 0.24 for the chemical composition, from 0.00 to 0.19 for colour parameters, from 0.03to 0.31 for those observed after 48 h, and from 0.00 to 0.08 for tenderness and water-holding capacity. The values werenot homogeneous for the three muscles. The most heritable trait was yellowness (b*48) in all three muscles, with valuesof 0.11 in the Longissimus dorsi, 0.23 in the Semitendinosus, and 0.31 in the Triceps brachii. Conversely, tendernessappeared to have a low heritability, as did the parameters relating to the water-holding capacity. Colour traitsobserved before and after 48 h of storage generally were significantly and positively correlated, indicating that certaincolour characteristics are maintained even after 48 h of storage. There was not always a close relationship between thetraits of each muscles: significant correlations existed between the Triceps brachii and the Longissimus dorsi muscles,confirming the similar quality traits of their meat, while there were considerable differences between these muscles andthe Semitendinosus

Carcass traits and meat quality of two different rabbit genotypes

To evaluate the effect of genotype on carcass traits and meat quality, thirty-two rabbits for two genotypes (local population – LP; commercial hybrids – HY) were used. Rabbits were weaned at 35 days old and slaughtered at 103 days of age for LP and 87 days of age for HY. Comparing the slaughtering traits of two genotypes, LP provided higher dressing out (59.4% vs 56.2%, P<0.01) and skin percentage (16.0% vs 14.2%, P<0.05), lower incidence of full gastrointestinal tract (18.5% vs 22.3, P<0.01) and higher incidence of head (9.5% vs 8,9%, P<0.05) and kidneys (0.99 vs 0.86%, P<0.05) than HY. Reference carcasses from LP had greater incidence of perirenal fat (2.04% vs 1.12%; P<0.01), loin (21.5% vs 19.2%; P<0.01) and hind leg (34.4% vs 31.6%; P<0.01) than HY. Hind leg meat-to-bone ratio was significantly higher in HY than LP (4.7% vs 3.8%; P<0.01). The comparison between the variances of slaughter weight, chilled carcass weight, kidneys percentage, reference carcass weight, perirenal fat and hind leg percentage showed the great variability in the local population. Meat derived from LP showed lower lightness (L*), higher redness (a*), yellowness (b*) and C* value than HY (P<0.01). In conclusion, LP showed good slaughter traits and favourable meat quality and the great variability observed in the local population could allow to improve the productive performances without loss the rusticity and the capacity to fit to different local environmental conditions

In vivo real-time recording of UV-induced changes in the autofluorescence of a melanin-containing fungus using a micro-spectrofluorimeter and a low-cost webcam.

An optical epifluorescence microscope, coupled to a CCD camera, a standard webcam and a microspectrofluorimeter, are used to record in vivo real-time changes in the autofluorescence of spores and hyphae in Aspergillus niger, a fungus containing melanin, while exposed to UV irradiation. The results point out major changes in both signal intensity and the spectral shape of the autofluorescence signal after only few minutes of exposure, and can contribute to the interpretation of data obtained with other fluorescence techniques, including those, such as GPF labeling, in which endogenous fluorophores constitute a major disturbance

A fluorescence LIDAR sensor for hyper-spectral time-resolved remote sensing and mapping

In this work we present a LIDAR sensor devised for the acquisition of time resolved laser induced fluorescence spectra. The gating time for the acquisition of the fluorescence spectra can be sequentially delayed in order to achieve fluorescence data that are resolved both in the spectral and temporal domains. The sensor can provide sub-nanometric spectral resolution and nanosecond time resolution. The sensor has also imaging capabilities by means of a computer-controlled motorized steering mirror featuring a biaxial angular scanning with 200 mu radiant angular resolution. The measurement can be repeated for each point of a geometric grid in order to collect a hyper-spectral time-resolved map of an extended target. (C)2013 Optical Society of Americ

The impact of cold on the respiratory tract and its consequences to respiratory health

Abstract The increasing use, and sometimes the abuse, particularly in industrialized countries of air conditioning at home, in car, hotel and shopping centres has highlighted new emerging public health issues, resulting from exposure of the airways to cool air or, more properly, resulting from sudden temperature changes. This is part of a wider problem, relating to air quality in indoor environment, such as homes or offices, where people spend more than 90% of their time. In particular, if indoor exposure occurs quickly and without any gradual adaptation to a temperature 2°–3° lower than the external temperature and especially with a 5° difference (avoiding indoor temperature below 24°) and an humidity between 40 and 60%, there is a risk of negative consequences on the respiratory tract and the patient risks to be in a clinical condition characterized by an exacerbation of the respiratory symptoms of his chronic respiratory disease (asthma and COPD) within a few hours or days. Surprisingly, these effects of cold climate remain out of the focus of the media unless spells of unusually cold weather sweep through a local area or unstable weather conditions associated with extremely cold periods of increasing frequency and duration. Moreover, the energy consumed by air conditioning induces an increase of CO2 in atmosphere with increase of global warming. There is a need to better define the consequences of repeated exposure to cold air and the mechanisms by which such exposure could modify airway function and affect the outcomes of patients with pre-existing airway disease. This could help to promote adequate policy and public health actions to face the incoming challenges induced by climate change and global warming

Binding affinity of amyloid oligomers to cellular membranes is a generic indicator of cellular dysfunction in protein misfolding diseases

The conversion of peptides or proteins from their soluble native states into intractable amyloid deposits is associated with a wide range of human disorders. Misfolded protein oligomers formed during the process of aggregation have been identified as the primary pathogenic agents in many such conditions. Here, we show the existence of a quantitative relationship between the degree of binding to neuronal cells of different types of oligomers formed from a model protein, HypF-N, and the GM1 content of the plasma membranes. In addition, remarkably similar behavior is observed for oligomers of the Aβ(42) peptide associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Further analysis has revealed the existence of a linear correlation between the level of the influx of Ca(2+) across neuronal membranes that triggers cellular damage, and the fraction of oligomeric species bound to the membrane. Our findings indicate that the susceptibility of neuronal cells to different types of misfolded oligomeric assemblies is directly related to the extent of binding of such oligomers to the cellular membrane