Polymerase chain reaction detection of rabbit DNA in food and animal feed

[EN] A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based on oligonucleotide primers targeting the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene was developed for the specific identification of rabbit DNA (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in food and feedstuffs. The specificity of the primers was verified by PCR analysis of DNA from 32 non-target species including mammals, birds, fish, and plant species. Analysis of experimental mixtures demonstrated the presence of rabbit-derived materials in the range of 0.1-100%. Prolonged heat treatment (up to 133ºC for 20 min at 300 kPa) applied to rabbit muscle/oats binary mixtures did not affect the performance of the method, which could therefore be said to be very useful for the accurate identification of rabbit materials in products submitted to denaturing technologies when other methods are not suitable.This study was supported by Grant Nº. AGL 2007-60077 from the Spanish Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia and the Programa de Vigilancia Sanitaria S-0505/AGR/000265 of the Comunidad de Madrid (Spain). Irene Martín is the recipient of a fellowship from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain). Violeta Fajardo and María Rojas are recipients of fellowships from the Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (Spain).Martín, I.; García, T.; Fajardo, V.; Rojas, M.; Pegels, N.; Hernández, P.; González, I.... (2009). Polymerase chain reaction detection of rabbit DNA in food and animal feed. World Rabbit Science. 17(1):27-34. doi:10.4995/wrs.2009.667273417

Validation of high-pressure homogenization process to pasteurize Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa) beverages: Sensorial and quality characteristics during cold storage

The effect of high-pressure homogenization (HPH) on the inactivation of Escherichia coli and the stability of the quality properties of Brazil nut beverages were studied. E. coli was used as target microorganism to validate the HPH process (pressures from 50 to 180 MPa and inlet temperatures (Ti) from 25 to 75 °C). Cold storage (5 °C) for 21 days was conducted to establish the shelf-life of BN beverages, in terms of their microbiological, physical, physicochemical, and sensorial stability. HPH-treated samples were compared to pasteurized BN beverages (63 °C for 20 min). The combination of Ti and the pressure of the HPH process (50 to 150 MPa/75 °C and 180 MPa/25 °C) had a significant effect on E. coli inactivation (8.2 log CFU/mL). During storage at 5 °C, the growth of mesophilic aerobes in processed BN beverages was controlled by the HPH process. Oxidative stability (TBAR assay) and physicochemical properties (pH, acidity, and °Brix) were evaluated during cold storage, showing good stability. Additionally, HPH-treated beverages showed a reduction in their particle size and the formation of more stable protein aggregates, which favored the beverages’ whiteness (color). The HPH process could be an alternative to pasteurization to obtain Brazil nut beverages with an acceptable microbiological shelf life (≥21 days at 5 °C) and high-quality characteristics without the use of any additivesThe authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from PID2020-118300RB-C21 project from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (ALIBIRD, project: P2013/ABI2728) and Wilson V. Vasquez thanks the scholarship “Presidente de la Republica” postgrad program (RJ 4285-2018/MINEDU/VMGI-PRONABEC-OBE) from the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Per

Properties of the ionized gas in HH202. I: Results from integral field spectroscopy with PMAS

We present results from integral field spectroscopy with the Potsdam multi-Aperture Spectrograph of the head of the Herbig-Haro object HH 202 with a spatial sampling of 1"x1". We have obtained maps of different emission lines, physical conditions --such as electron temperature and density-- and ionic abundances from recombination and collisionally excited lines. We present the first map of the Balmer temperature and of the temperature fluctuation parameter, t^2. We have calculated the t^2 in the plane of the sky, which is substantially smaller than that determined along the line of sight. We have mapped the abundance discrepancy factor of O^{2+}, ADF(O^{2+}), finding its maximum value at the HH 202-S position. We have explored the relations between the ADF(O^{2+}) and the electron density, the Balmer and [O III] temperatures, the ionization degree as well as the t^2 parameter. We do not find clear correlations between these properties and the results seem to support that the ADF and t^2 are independent phenomena. We have found a weak negative correlation between the O^{2+} abundance determined from recombination lines and the temperature, which is the expected behaviour in an ionized nebula, hence it seems that there is not evidence for the presence of super-metal rich droplets in H II regions.Comment: 12 pages, 11 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA

Properties of the ionized gas in HH202. II: Results from echelle spectrophotometry with UVES

We present results of deep echelle spectrophotometry of the brightest knot of the HH202 in the Orion Nebula --HH202-S-- using the ultraviolet Visual Echelle Spectrograph (UVES). The high spectral resolution has permitted to separate the component associated with the ambient gas from that associated with the gas flow. We derive electron densities and temperatures for both components, as well as the chemical abundances of several ions and elements from collisionally excited lines, including the first determinations of Ca^{+} and Cr^{+} abundances in the Orion Nebula. We also calculate the He^{+}, C^{2+}, O^{+} and O^{2+} abundances from recombination lines. The difference between the O^{2+} abundances determined from collisionally excited and recombination lines --the so-called abundance discrepancy factor-- is 0.35 dex and 0.11 dex for the shock and nebular components, respectively. Assuming that the abundance discrepancy is produced by spatial variations in the electron temperature, we derive values of the temperature fluctuation parameter, t^2, of 0.050 and 0.016, for the shock and nebular components, respectively. Interestingly, we obtain almost coincident t^2 values for both components from the analysis of the intensity ratios of He I lines. We find significant departures from case B predictions in the Balmer and Paschen flux ratios of lines of high principal quantum number n. We analyze the ionization structure of HH202-S, finding enough evidence to conclude that the flow of HH202-S has compressed the ambient gas inside the nebula trapping the ionization front. We measure a strong increase of the total abundances of nickel and iron in the shock component, the abundance pattern and the results of photoionization models for both components are consistent with the partial destruction of dust after the passage of the shock wave in HH202-S.Comment: 23 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA

Aumento de producción de líneas de trigo panadero con los genes H27 y H30 que confieren resistencia a Mayetiola destructor Say., transferidos desde Aegilops spp

Los resultados obtenidos en un ensayo de campo de una colección de líneas avanzadas de trigo con introgresión de los genes H27 y H30, que confieren resistencia frente al Mosquito del trigo (Mayetiola destructor), evidenciaron que alguna de estas líneas mejoraban significativamente la producción (142%) respecto al testigo susceptible, indicando su posible utilidad como variedades capaces de dar buen rendimiento en ausencia de tratamientos químicos (insecticidas) contra la plaga del mosquit

Widespread loss of the silencing epigenetic mark H3K9me3 in astrocytes and neurons along with hippocampal-dependent cognitive impairment in C9orf72 BAC transgenic mice

Background: Hexanucleotide repeat expansions of the G4C2 motif in a non-coding region of the C9ORF72 gene are the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Tissues from C9ALS/FTD patients and from mouse models of ALS show RNA foci, dipeptide-repeat proteins, and notably, widespread alterations in the transcriptome. Epigenetic processes regulate gene expression without changing DNA sequences and therefore could account for the altered transcriptome profiles in C9ALS/FTD; here, we explore whether the critical repressive marks H3K9me2 and H3K9me3 are altered in a recently developed C9ALS/FTD BAC mouse model (C9BAC). Results: Chromocenters that constitute pericentric constitutive heterochromatin were visualized as DAPI- or Nucblue-dense foci in nuclei. Cultured C9BAC astrocytes exhibited a reduced staining signal for H3K9me3 (but not for H3K9me2) at chromocenters that was accompanied by a marked decline in the global nuclear level of this mark. Similar depletion of H3K9me3 at chromocenters was detected in astrocytes and neurons of the spinal cord, motor cortex, and hippocampus of C9BAC mice. The alterations of H3K9me3 in the hippocampus of C9BAC mice led us to identify previously undetected neuronal loss in CA1, CA3, and dentate gyrus, as well as hippocampal-dependent cognitive deficits. Conclusions: Our data indicate that a loss of the repressive mark H3K9me3 in astrocytes and neurons in the central nervous system of C9BAC mice represents a signature during neurodegeneration and memory deficit of C9ALS/FTD. © 2020 The Author(s).Indexación: Scopu

Plasma extracellular vesicles reveal early molecular differences in amyloid positive patients with early-onset mild cognitive impairment

In the clinical course of Alzheimer's disease (AD) development, the dementia phase is commonly preceded by a prodromal AD phase, which is mainly characterized by reaching the highest levels of Aβ and p-tau-mediated neuronal injury and a mild cognitive impairment (MCI) clinical status. Because of that, most AD cases are diagnosed when neuronal damage is already established and irreversible. Therefore, a differential diagnosis of MCI causes in these prodromal stages is one of the greatest challenges for clinicians. Blood biomarkers are emerging as desirable tools for pre-screening purposes, but the current results are still being analyzed and much more data is needed to be implemented in clinical practice. Because of that, plasma extracellular vesicles (pEVs) are gaining popularity as a new source of biomarkers for the early stages of AD development. To identify an exosome proteomics signature linked to prodromal AD, we performed a cross-sectional study in a cohort of early-onset MCI (EOMCI) patients in which 184 biomarkers were measured in pEVs, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and plasma samples using multiplex PEA technology of Olink© proteomics. The obtained results showed that proteins measured in pEVs from EOMCI patients with established amyloidosis correlated with CSF p-tau181 levels, brain ventricle volume changes, brain hyperintensities, and MMSE scores. In addition, the correlations of pEVs proteins with different parameters distinguished between EOMCI Aβ( +) and Aβ(-) patients, whereas the CSF or plasma proteome did not. In conclusion, our findings suggest that pEVs may be able to provide information regarding the initial amyloidotic changes of AD. Circulating exosomes may acquire a pathological protein signature of AD before raw plasma, becoming potential biomarkers for identifying subjects at the earliest stages of AD development

Exploring the effects of high-velocity flows in abundance determinations in H II regions. Bidimensional spectroscopy of HH 204 in the Orion Nebula

We present results from integral field optical spectroscopy with the Potsdam Multi-Aperture Spectrograph of the Herbig-Haro (HH) object HH 204, with a spatial sampling of 1 x 1 arcsec^2. We have obtained maps of different emission lines, physical conditions and ionic abundances from collisionally excited lines. The ionization structure of the object indicates that the head of the bow shock is optically thick and has developed a trapped ionization front. The density at the head is at least five times larger than in the background ionized gas. We discover a narrow arc of high T_e([N II]) values delineating the southeast edge of the head. The temperature in this zone is about 1,000 K higher than in the rest of the field and should correspond to a shock-heated zone at the leading working surface of the gas flow. This is the first time this kind of feature is observed in a photoionized HH object. We find that the O^+ and O abundance maps show anomalous values at separate areas of the bow shock probably due to: a) overestimation of the collisional de-excitation effects of the [O II] lines in the compressed gas at the head of the bow shock, and b) the use of a too high T_e([N II]) at the area of the leading working surface of the flow.Comment: 12 pages, 7 Postscript figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

Predicción de la Composición Química y Fibra Detergente Neutro de Rye Grass Italiano (Lolium multiflorum Lam) mediante Espectroscopía de Reflectancia en Infrarrojo Cercano (NIRS)

The aim of this study was to generate calibration equations to predict the nutritional chemical composition of the Italian rye grass (RG) (Lolium multiflorum Lam) by near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). A total of 75 samples of RG of different harvesting weeks were collected from the IVITA Research Center in Huancayo (Peru). Spectrum capture was performed using NIRS and the chemical analysis was done for reference of the following components: crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), total ash (CZ), crude fibre (CF) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF). A calibration and validation model by partial least squares (PLS) was developed and the correlation coefficient (R), coefficient of determination (R2), root mean square error of calibration (RMSEC), root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP), ratio range with error (RER) and residual predictive deviation (RPD) were used as statistics of accuracy and precision. Proximate analysis means were: PC = 19.02%, EE = 4.53%, CZ = 12.79%, FC = 16.50% and NDF 60.98%. High values of R2 and low values of RMSEC and RMSEP were obtained for PC (0.96, 1.02, 1.19), EE (0.94, 0.29, 1.05), CZ (0.90, 0.57, 0.92) and NDF (0.90, 1.01, 1.25, respectively). The largest RER (22.34) and RPD (4.90) were obtained for EE. It is concluded that the calibration and validation equations obtained by NIRS enable optimal quantitative prediction of PC, EE, CZ and NDF in Italian rye grass (Lolium multiflorum Lam).El objetivo del presente estudio fue generar ecuaciones de calibración que permitan predecir la composición químico nutricional de la especie forrajera rye grass italiano (RG) (Lolium multiflorum Lam) mediante la técnica de Espectroscopía de Reflectancia en Infrarrojo Cercano (NIRS). Se colectaron 75 muestras de RG de diferentes semanas de corte provenientes de los campos experimentales del Centro de Investigacion IVITA-El Mantaro (Huancayo, Perú), a las cuales se les realizó la captura del espectro mediante equipo NIRS y se hizo el análisis químico de referencia para los componentes proteína cruda (PC), extracto etéreo (EE), cenizas totales (CZ), fibra cruda (FC) y fibra detergente neutro (FDN). Se desarrolló un modelo de calibración y validación mediante mínimos cuadrados parciales (PLS) y como estadísticos de exactitud y precisión se utilizaron el coeficiente de correlación (R), coeficiente de determinación (R2), raíz cuadrada media del error de calibración (RMSEC), raíz cuadrada media del error de predicción (RMSEP), proporción del rango con el error (RER) y desviación residual predictiva (RPD). El análisis proximal promedio fue para PC=19.02%, EE=4.53%, CZ=12.79%, FC=16.50% y FDN=60.98%. Altos valores de R2 y bajos RMSEC y RMSEP fueron obtenidos para PC (0.96, 1.02, 1.19), EE (0.94, 0.29, 1.05), CZ (0.90, 0.57, 0.92) y FDN (0.90, 1.01, 1.25, respectivamente). El mayor RER (22.34) y RPD (4.90) se obtuvo para EE. Se concluye que las ecuaciones de calibración y validación NIRS obtenidas permiten una óptima predicción cuantitativa de PC, EE, CZ y FDN en rye grass italiano (Lolium multiflorum Lam)