Optimization of a viability PCR method for the detection of Listeria monocytogenes in food samples

Postprint (author's final draft

Music and the Spanish Civil War

Producción CientíficaThe Spanish Civil War has been the most important, decisive and traumatic event in contemporary Spain, but also one of the most iconic events in the recent history of the Western world. Since it broke out in 1936, it has conditioned many socio- political processes and has been regularly depicted in literature, cinema, painting and music, both inside and outside Spain. A vast amount of scholarly work has been done on the strife, far beyond that on any other topic in Spanish history and comparable only with that on global conflicts such as the two World Wars or the Cold War. However, musicology has not devoted a great deal of attention to the war of 1936– 1939 until very recently. This volume is the first collective book devoted to music and the Spanish Civil War. It responds to the recent focus on the relations between music and power, propaganda and the construction of identities, particularly in periods of conflict and during dictatorships. The analyses of music in Spain during the early Franco regime have repeatedly shown that it was during the Spanish Civil War that the construction and transformation of the musical discourses and practices of the prewar period took place. Contributions, drawn from musicologists, historians and anthropologists from Spain, Mexico, Australia, and the United States, explore the songs at the front, war soundscapes, propaganda and music policies, censorship, music in prisons, different music genres, exiled composers and critics, musical diplomacy, memory, and the Spanish Civil War as a topic in popular and contemporary music.Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (project HAR2013-48658-C2-1-P

GeNIUL, experts on viability PCR

The standard PCR technique allows the rapid detection of microorganisms, difficult to detect by traditional culture methods. However, the control of samples through PCR has the drawback of false positives due to amplification of DNA/RNA of non-viable cells. This can be overcome by adding intercalating agents (EMA or PMA) to the sample, which selectively penetrates nonviable cells and blocks their DNA/RNA after a photo-activation process, preventing its subsequent amplification by PCR. This process is known as viability PCR (v-PCR). v-PCR has been used as an accurate, reliable and simple method to detect and quantify viable microorganism involved in environmental samples, food production process and clinical samples. GenIUL provides the reagents (EMA and PMA) and the PhAST Blue photo-activation system needed to carry out v-PCR, ensuring optimum and uniform photochemical reaction of intercalating agents prior to PCRPeer Reviewe

Visible light enhances the antimicrobial effect of some essential oils

The photodisinfection is a topical, broad spectrum antimicrobial technology, targeting bacteria, virus, fungi, and protozoa effective for single cells as for biofilms. Natural molecules have been studied less than synthetic agents in the process but they are currently receiving great interest. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate for the first time if non-coherent blue and red light enhances the antimicrobial activity of some essential oils when standard strains for antibiotic or fungicide tests are enlightened in vitro. Staphylococcus epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans collection strains were irradiated with monochromatic visible light from light emitting diodes in the presence of 5% and 0.5% eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus), clove (Eugenia caryophyllata), and thyme (Thymus vulgaris) essential oils. Microbial levels were measured by plate count on culture media. In this preliminary report, the results differ according to the kind and concentration of antimicrobial oils, the wavelength of light, and the prokaryotic or eukaryotic microorganism. The results support the idea that mainly blue light enhances the innate antimicrobial activity of the essential oils, especially phenols, and could offer a very efficient and natural way to combat microorganisms in several industries and medical applications.Postprint (author's final draft

Presence of Waddlia chondrophila in hot water systems from non-domestic buildings in France

Postprint (author's final draft

Performance of an Expert Sensory Panel and Instrumental Measures for Assessing Eating Fruit Quality Attributes in a Pear Breeding Programme

Breeding programmes count on stable trained panels that support breeding evaluation selections. This work aimed to evaluate the performance of a small expert panel in the join IRTA-PFR breeding programme to validate its use in the sensory assessments of fruit pear genotypes during the selection process. A breeding F1 population of 80 pear seedlings from this programme was used. Descriptors and standard references used for sensory evaluations of pear attributes were previously defined by the four members of the expert panel. A General Procrustes Analysis (GPA) was applied to analyse the relations between instrumental and sensory traits. The results showed a good relationship between sensory attributes such as firmness and crispness with penetrometer measures. A high correlation was also found between sensory sourness and titratable acidity (TA). Panel performance was evaluated in terms of reproducibility, homogeneity, and panel consonance. The results indicated that the experts were very consistent and had a good performance. The work demonstrates, for the first time, that a small expert trained panel could be efficiently used in pear breeding programmes and allows for the selection process in a more economical and available way in contrast to the larger sensory panels conventionally used.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Long-term agronomical performance and iron chlorosis susceptibility of several Prunus rootstocks grown under loamy and calcareous soil conditions

The objective of this work was to evaluate the agronomic performance (vigor, yield, yield efficiency, number of root suckers), fruit quality (fruit weight, fruit size, flesh firmness, soluble solids content, and titratable acidity), leaf and fruit mineral nutrition (macro and micro elements), leaf chlorophyll concentration and iron chlorosis susceptibility of ‘Big Top’ nectarine cultivar grafted on 20 Prunus rootstocks and grown in loamy and calcareous soil under the hot climate conditions of the Ebro river basin (Spain). After the 10 years of the study (at 11th leaf), statistical analysis showed significant differences among rootstocks for most of the traits evaluated. Based on vigor and cumulative yield, ‘Big Top’ trees from Padac 04-03 rootstock were found to be the most vigorous and productive, followed by Castore, GF-677, Ishtara®, PS and Rootpac® 70. However, the most efficient rootstocks were Controller 5, Adesoto® 101, Rootpac® 40, Krymsk® 1, Ishtara®, Penta, IRTA-1, Polluce, and Padac-150. ‘Big Top’ fruits from Rootpac® 40 had the highest fruit weight and fruit size (>70 mm), with good soluble solids content and titratable acidity, but less firmness than the other ‘Big Top’ fruits. After 3 months with no application of chelate, chlorosis symptoms were visible in most of the trees, with those from Krymsk® 1 and PS showing the highest susceptibility. In contrast, AD-105, Adesoto® 101, Cadaman®, GF-677, Padac-150, Rootpac® 40 and Tetra were the least susceptible rootstocks. Controller 5, IRTA-1, Padac-04.03 and Penta had moderate susceptibility. In conclusion, Rootpac® 40, Ishtara®, IRTA-1 and Padac-150 may represent a good compromise between canopy size control, yield, yield efficiency, fruit size, and susceptibility to iron chlorosis.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Rootstock affects quality and phytochemical composition of 'Big Top' nectarine fruits grown under hot climatic conditions

This study aimed to evaluate the stability of ‘Big Top’ nectarine fruit quality (fruit weight, fruit mineral elements and fruit phytochemical composition such as soluble solids content, titratable acidity, individual sugars, individual organic acids, total ascorbic acid content, total phenolics content, and antioxidant capacity) when grafted on 20 Prunus rootstocks over two consecutive seasons. For most of the evaluated traits, rootstock was the main source of variability, whereas for Mg, malic and citric acids, and glucose most of the variability was observed among years. Similarly, the interaction year × rootstock was not significant for most traits (14 out of 21), hence highlighting that most rootstocks responded in a similar manner to changes in the weather conditions. Thus said, some important micro- and macro-nutrients such as Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, together with taste- (fructose, glucose and sucrose) or health-related (antioxidant capacity) compounds showed a differential influence of the rootstock depending on the year conditions and thereby suggested that climatic conditions can be a limiting factor in the choice of rootstocks for a given nectarine cultivar. Overall, the results from this study indicated that the cherry-plum hybrid Krimsk-1 and the peach-plum hybrid PS rootstocks are the most suitable rootstocks for ‘Big Top’ under the conditions investigated herein. Both rootstocks induced high values on sugar profile, ascorbic acid, antioxidant activity, and TPC of ‘Big Top’ nectarine being relatively stable regardless of the weather conditions. Finally, the rootstocks IRTA-1 and Rootpac-20 also induced good fruit quality and phytochemical properties to ‘Big Top’ fruit.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio