Influence of fertilisation systems on the mechanical damage of apples

Fuji and Gala apples obtained with different fertilisation systems (soil surface application and fertigation) were submitted to drop tests to analyse the possible difference in susceptibility to damage. The tests were carried out by simulating two impacts of different severity that occur in a packing line. For the Fuji apples, a test was also carried out to assess the effect of a long storage period. For the test with the highest impact severity, the apple acceleration was recorded to describe the mechanical behaviour of the fruit and to correlate it with the damage. Logistic and multiple linear regressions were performed to assess the correlations between probability, extent and nature of damage, fertilisation systems and main characteristics of the fruits. The results show that the resistance to damage of Fuji and Gala apples is influenced by the fertilisation system both in probability and in characteristics of damage. Duration of storage can invert the susceptibility to damage, with the apples having a higher resistance to damage after longer period of storage. The conventional fertilisation induced a high susceptibility to darkening and fracturing of the apples tissue. The parameters to describe the mechanical behaviour of apples were often correlated with the fertilisation system. However, their influence on extent and nature of damage was not significant or substantial while they can have a high effect on probability of damage. Fuji apples were found to be more susceptible to damage than Gala apples

Influenza della cultivar sulla composizione chimica e sul valore nutrizionale del gheriglio di noce (Juglans nigra L.) in coltura biologica.

Scopo della presente sperimentazione \ue8 stato quello di confrontare, durante la stagione vegeto-produttiva, l\u2019accumulo di acidi grassi nel gheriglio delle seguenti variet\ue0 di noce da agricoltura biologica: Serr, Pedro, Franquette e Sorrento, coltivate a Bologna e Chandler coltivata a Forl\uec. Alla raccolta, oltre ai lipidi anche la composizione in ceneri, proteine, carboidrati, acidi organici ed elementi minerali, di queste noci \ue8 stata confrontata con quelle di una variet\ue0 californiana (Serr) e una campana (Sorrento) reperite sul mercato al dettaglio. Il peso secco del gheriglio \ue8 aumentato in tutte le cv da luglio ad ottobre, con sviluppo pi\uf9 rapido negli ultimi 40 giorni prima della raccolta, quando Pedro e Serr hanno mostrato il gheriglio maggiore (5.7 g) e Sorrento il minore (4.3 g). Serr e Sorrento reperite al dettaglio hanno presentato una concentrazione lipidica maggiore rispetto alle cv provenienti da biologico, tra le quali Serr ha mostrato i risultati maggiori seguita da Sorrento, Franquette e infine Chandler e Pedro. Alla raccolta l\u2019acido linoleico (C18:2) \ue8 risultato quello maggiormente rappresentato. L\u2019acido linolenico (C18:3) \ue8 risultato maggiore in Sorrento reperita al mercato, seguita da Serr (indipendentemente dalla provenienza) e Chandler, che hanno mostrato concentrazioni maggiori di Pedro, Sorrento e Franquette. Alla raccolta le proteine del gheriglio hanno oscillato tra il 17.5% s.s. (in Serr al dettaglio) e il 15.6% s.s. (in Franquette e Sorrento dal noceto biologico). Le ceneri sono risultate maggiori in Pedro e minori in Sorrento reperita sul mercato. Chandler ha mostrato la maggiore concentrazione di saccarosio, fruttosio e acido malico

Diagnostic specificity of autoantibodies to M-type phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) in differentiating idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) from secondary forms and other glomerular diseases

Autoantibody against phospholipase A2 receptor (anti-PLA2R) is a sensitive and specific biomarker of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (iMN), being found in approximately 70% of iMN patients and only occasionally in other glomerular diseases. However, whereas its diagnostic specificity vs. normal controls and other glomerulonephritides (GN) has been firmly established, its specificity vs. membranous nephropathy associated with various diseases (sMN) has given inconsistent results. The aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of anti-PLA2R antibodies in iMN in comparison with various control groups, including sMN. A total of 252 consecutive iMN patients, 184 pathological and 43 healthy controls were tested for anti-PLA2R antibody using indirect immunofluorescence (PLA2R IIFT, Euroimmun). Anti-PLA2R autoantibodies were detectable in 178/252 iMN patients, 1/80 primary GN, 0/72 secondary GN, 9/32 sMN and 0/43 healthy controls, with a diagnostic sensitivity of 70.6%. The diagnostic specificity of anti-PLA2R antibody vs. normal and pathological controls was 100 and 94.6% respectively. However, when the diagnostic specificity was calculated only vs. secondary forms of MN, it decreased considerably to 71.9%. Interestingly enough, 9 out of 10 anti-PLA2R positive patients in the disease control groups had membranous nephropathy associated with various diseases (7 cancer, 1 Crohn\ue2\u80\u99s disease, 1 scleroderma). In conclusion, anti-PLA2R positivity in a patient with MN, should not be considered sufficient to abstain from seeking a secondary cause, especially in patients with risk factors for neoplasia. The causal relationship between tumors and anti-PLA2R-induced MN remains to be established, as well as the possible mechanisms through which malignancies provoke autoimmunity