Influence of pulsed electric field and ohmic heating pretreatments on enzyme and antioxidant activity of fruit and vegetable juices

The objective of this work was to optimize pulsed electric field (PEF) or ohmic heating (OH) application for carrot and apple mashes treatment at different preheating temperatures (40, 60 or 80 \ub0C). The effect of tissue disintegration on the properties of recovered juices was quantified, taking into account the colour change, the antioxidant activity and the enzyme activity of peroxidase (POD) in both carrot and apple juice and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in apple juice. Lower \u394E and an increase of the antioxidant activity were obtained for juice samples treated with temperature at 80 \ub0C with or without PEF and OH pretreatment compared with those of untreated samples. The inactivation by 90% for POD and PPO was achieved when a temperature of 80 \ub0C was applied for both carrot and apple mash. A better retention of plant secondary metabolites from carrot and apple mashes could be achieved by additional PEF or OH application. Obtained results are the basis for the development of targeted processing concepts considering the release, inactivation and retention of ingredients

The VLBA Imaging and Polarimetry Survey at 5 GHz

We present the first results of the VLBA Imaging and Polarimetry Survey (VIPS), a 5 GHz VLBI survey of 1,127 sources with flat radio spectra. Through automated data reduction and imaging routines, we have produced publicly available I, Q, and U images and have detected polarized flux density from 37% of the sources. We have also developed an algorithm to use each source's I image to automatically classify it as a point-like source, a core-jet, a compact symmetric object (CSO) candidate, or a complex source. The mean ratio of the polarized to total 5 GHz flux density for VIPS sources with detected polarized flux density ranges from 1% to 20% with a median value of about 5%. We have also found significant evidence that the directions of the jets in core-jet systems tend to be perpendicular to the electric vector position angles (EVPAs). The data is consistent with a scenario in which ~24% of the polarized core-jets have EVPAs that are anti-aligned with the directions of their jet components and which have a substantial amount of Faraday rotation. In addition to these initial results, plans for future follow-up observations are discussed.Comment: 36 pages, 3 tables, 13 figures; accepted for publication in Ap

Influence of two different coating application methods on the maintenance of the nutritional quality of fresh‐cut melon during storage

open7noThe authors acknowledge the financial support for this research provided by transnational funding bodies, partners of the H2020 ERA-NETs SUSFOOD2 (727473) and CORE Organic Cofunds (727495), under the Joint SUSFOOD2/CORE Organic Call 2019 (MILDSUSFRUIT).This study aimed at evaluating the effects of two coating application methods, spraying and dipping, on the quality of fresh‐cut melons. An alginate‐based coating containing both ascorbic and citric acid was applied at two concentrations (5% and 10%) with both methods on fresh‐cut melon. The nutritional quality of the products was investigated during 11 days of storage at 10 °C. The suitability and adaptability of the applied coatings on the fruit were evaluated based on rheological and microstructural properties. Moisture, carotenoids, total polyphenols and ascorbic acid content were analyzed on melon samples during storage. Results showed that the coating solution applied by the dipping method and at the highest concentration (10%), allowed to better maintain some quality characteristics of fresh‐cut melon, thanks also to the better coating homogeneity and higher thickness observed through microstructural analysis.openMannozzi C.; Glicerina V.; Tylewicz U.; Castagnini J.M.; Canali G.; Rosa M.D.; Romani S.Mannozzi C.; Glicerina V.; Tylewicz U.; Castagnini J.M.; Canali G.; Rosa M.D.; Romani S

(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate and hydroxytyrosol improved antioxidative and anti-inflammatory responses in bovine mammary epithelial cells

(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate and hydroxytyrosol improved antioxidative and anti-inflammatory responses in bovine mammary epithelial cells L. Basiricò1, P. Morera1, D. Dipasquale1, R. Bernini1, L. Santi1, A. Romani2, N. Lacetera1 and U. Bernabucci1† 1Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Forestali (DAFNE), Università degli Studi della Tuscia, via San Camillo de Lellis, 01100, Viterbo, Italy; 2Dipartimento di Statistica, Informatica, Applicazioni (DiSiA) “Giuseppe Parenti”, Università degli Studi di Firenze, via Morgagni 59, 50134, Firenze, Italy (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the major phenolic compound of green tea, and hydroxytyrosol (HTyr), a phenol found in olive oil, have received attention due to their wide-ranging health benefits. To date, there are no studies that report their effect in bovine mammary gland. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of EGCG and HTyr in bovine mammary epithelial cell line (BME-UV1) and to compare their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory in vitro efficacy. Sample of EGCG was obtained from a commercially available green tea extract while pure HTyr was synthetized in our laboratories. The mammary oxidative stress and inflammatory responses were assessed by measuring the oxidative stress biomarkers and the gene expression of inflammatory cytokines. To evaluate the cellular antioxidant response, glutathione (GSH/ GSSH), γ-glutamylcysteine ligase activity, reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde (MDA) production were measured after 48-h incubation of 50 μM EGCG or 50 μM of HTyr. Reactive oxygen species production after 3 h of hydrogen peroxide (50 μM H2O2) or lipopolysaccharide (20 μM LPS) exposure was quantified to evaluate and to compare the potential protection of EGCG and HTyr against H2O2-induced oxidative stress and LPS-induced inflammation. The anti-inflammatory activity of EGCG and HTyr was investigated by the evaluation of pro and anti-inflammatory interleukins (tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and IL-10) messenger RNA abundance after treatment of cells for 3 h with 20 μM of LPS. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA. (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate or HTyr treatments induced higher concentrations of intracellular GSH compared to control cells, matched by an increase of γ-glutamylcysteine ligase activity mainly in cells treated with HTyr. Interestingly, EGCG and HTyr prevented oxidative lipid damage in the BME-UV1 cells by a reduction of intracellular MDA levels. (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate and HTyr were able to enhance cell resistance against H2O2-induced oxidative stress. It was found that EGCG and HTyr elicited a reduction of the three inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and an increase of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Hydroxytyrosol has proved to be a strong antioxidant compound, and EGCG has shown mainly an anti-inflammatory profile. These results indicated that EGCG and HTyr may provide dual protection because they were able to attenuate oxidative stress and inflammatory responses, suggesting that these phenolic compounds are potential natural alternatives to be used in dairy cattle as feed supplement for reducing the development of oxidative and inflammatory processes related to parturition or as topical treatments for the control of bovine intramammary inflammation. Animal (2019), 13:12, pp 2847–2856Ministry for education, University and Research of Italy (MIUR) for financial support (Law 232/216, Departments of Excellence)

Kiwifruit waste valorisation through innovative snack development

Currently, in the case of kiwifruits, those fruit with a weight lower than 65 g are considered waste. The production of dried snacks with high nutritional functionality could be a valid alternative to use the kiwifruit waste, with positive economic impact on the entire production chain. Therefore, the aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of pulsed electric field – PEF (200 V cm-1) and/or osmotic dehydration – OD (trehalose at 40%) pre-drying treatments on drying kinetics at 50, 60, and 70°C, and on colour and nutritional properties (vitamin C and antioxidant compounds) of ‘Jintao’ (yellow-fleshed) kiwifruit snacks. At every temperature, the PEF treated snacks showed the highest drying rate. Moreover, PEF treatment appeared to be a valid innovative alternative for the production of fruit snacks with high nutritional quality. A better retention of vitamin C and antioxidant compounds was obtained in dried yellow kiwifruit subjected to PEF treatment

GNAO1 encephalopathy: broadening the phenotype and evaluating treatment and outcome

OBJECTIVE: To describe better the motor phenotype, molecular genetic features, and clinical course of GNAO1-related disease. METHODS: We reviewed clinical information, video recordings, and neuroimaging of a newly identified cohort of 7 patients with de novo missense and splice site GNAO1 mutations, detected by next-generation sequencing techniques. RESULTS: Patients first presented in early childhood (median age of presentation 10 months, range 0-48 months), with a wide range of clinical symptoms ranging from severe motor and cognitive impairment with marked choreoathetosis, self-injurious behavior, and epileptic encephalopathy to a milder phenotype, featuring moderate developmental delay associated with complex stereotypies, mainly facial dyskinesia and mild epilepsy. Hyperkinetic movements were often exacerbated by specific triggers, such as voluntary movement, intercurrent illnesses, emotion, and high ambient temperature, leading to hospital admissions. Most patients were resistant to drug intervention, although tetrabenazine was effective in partially controlling dyskinesia for 2/7 patients. Emergency deep brain stimulation (DBS) was life saving in 1 patient, resulting in immediate clinical benefit with complete cessation of violent hyperkinetic movements. Five patients had well-controlled epilepsy and 1 had drug-resistant seizures. Structural brain abnormalities, including mild cerebral atrophy and corpus callosum dysgenesis, were evident in 5 patients. One patient had a diffuse astrocytoma (WHO grade II), surgically removed at age 16. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the causative role of GNAO1 mutations in an expanded spectrum of early-onset epilepsy and movement disorders, frequently exacerbated by specific triggers and at times associated with self-injurious behavior. Tetrabenazine and DBS were the most useful treatments for dyskinesia

Temperature distribution in magnetized neutron star crusts. II. The effect of a strong toroidal component

We continue the study of the effects of a strong magnetic field on the temperature distribution in the crust of a magnetized neutron star (NS) and its impact on the observable surface temperature. Extending the approach initiated in Geppert et al.(2004), we consider more complex and, hence, more realistic, magnetic field structures but still restrict ourselves to axisymmetric configurations. We put special emphasis on the heat blanketing effect of a toroidal field component. We show that asymmetric temperature distributions can occur and a crustal field consisting of dipolar poloidal and toroidal components will cause one polar spot to be larger than the opposing one. These two warm regions can be separated by an extended cold equatorial belt. We present an internal magnetic field structure which can explain both the X-ray and optical spectra of the isolated NS RXJ 1856-3754. We investigate the effects of the resulting surface temperature profiles on the observable lightcurve which an isolated thermally emitting NS would produce for different field geometries. The lightcurves will be both qualitatively (deviations from sinusoidal shape) and quantitatively (larger pulsed fraction for the same observational geometry) different from those of a NS with an isothermal crust. This opens the possibility to determine the interna} magnetic field strengths and structures in NSs by modeling their X-ray lightcurves and spectra. The striking similarities of our model calculations with the observed spectra and pulse profiles of isolated thermally emitting NSs is an indication for the existence of strong magnetic field components maintained by crustal currents.Comment: 9 pages, 10 figures in jpg-forma

Non-hematopoietic cells contribute to protective tolerance to Aspergillus fumigatus via a TRIF pathway converging on IDO

Innate responses combine with adaptive immunity to generate the most effective form of anti-Aspergillus immune resistance. Whereas the pivotal role of dendritic cells in determining the balance between immunopathology and protective immunity to the fungus is well established, we determined that epithelial cells (ECs) also contributes to this balance. Mechanistically, EC-mediated protection occurred through a Toll-like receptor 3/Toll/IL-1 receptor domain-containing adaptor-inducing interferon (TLR3/TRIF)-dependent pathway converging on indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) via non-canonical nuclear factor-?B activation. Consistent with the high susceptibility of TRIF-deficient mice to pulmonary aspergillosis, bone marrow chimeric mice with TRIF unresponsive ECs exhibited higher fungal burdens and inflammatory pathology than control mice, underexpressed the IDO-dependent T helper 1/regulatory T cell (Th1/Treg) pathway and overexpressed the Th17 pathway with massive neutrophilic inflammation in the lungs. Further studies with interferon (IFN)-?, IDO or IL-17R unresponsive cells confirmed the dependency of immune tolerance to the fungus on the IFN-?/IDO/Treg pathway and of immune resistance on the MyD88 pathway controlling the fungal growth. Thus, distinct immune pathways contribute to resistance and tolerance to the fungus, to which the hematopoietic/non-hematopoietic compartments contribute through distinct, yet complementary, roles.We thank Cristina Massi Benedetti for digital art and editing. This work was supported by the Specific Targeted Research Project 'Sybaris' (LSHE-CT-2006), contract number 037899 (FP7) and by the Italian Projects PRIN 2007KLCKP8_004 (to LR) and 2007XYB9T9_001 (to SB). CC and AC were financially supported by fellowships from Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia, Portugal (contracts SFRH/BD/65962/2009 and SFRH/BPD/46292/2008, respectively)

The relative and absolute timing accuracy of the EPIC-pn camera on XMM-Newton, from X-ray pulsations of the Crab and other pulsars

Reliable timing calibration is essential for the accurate comparison of XMM-Newton light curves with those from other observatories, to ultimately use them to derive precise physical quantities. The XMM-Newton timing calibration is based on pulsar analysis. However, as pulsars show both timing noise and glitches, it is essential to monitor these calibration sources regularly. To this end, the XMM-Newton observatory performs observations twice a year of the Crab pulsar to monitor the absolute timing accuracy of the EPIC-pn camera in the fast Timing and Burst modes. We present the results of this monitoring campaign, comparing XMM-Newton data from the Crab pulsar (PSR B0531+21) with radio measurements. In addition, we use five pulsars (PSR J0537-69, PSR B0540-69, PSR B0833-45, PSR B1509-58 and PSR B1055-52) with periods ranging from 16 ms to 197 ms to verify the relative timing accuracy. We analysed 38 XMM-Newton observations (0.2-12.0 keV) of the Crab taken over the first ten years of the mission and 13 observations from the five complementary pulsars. All the data were processed with the SAS, the XMM-Newton Scientific Analysis Software, version 9.0. Epoch folding techniques coupled with \chi^{2} tests were used to derive relative timing accuracies. The absolute timing accuracy was determined using the Crab data and comparing the time shift between the main X-ray and radio peaks in the phase folded light curves. The relative timing accuracy of XMM-Newton is found to be better than 10^{-8}. The strongest X-ray pulse peak precedes the corresponding radio peak by 306\pm9 \mus, which is in agreement with other high energy observatories such as Chandra, INTEGRAL and RXTE. The derived absolute timing accuracy from our analysis is \pm48 \mus.Comment: 16 pages, 9 figures. Accepted for publication on A&

Morganella morganii septicemia and concurrent renal crassicaudiasis in a Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) stranded in Italy

Information regarding bacterial diseases in Cuvier's beaked whale (CBW, Ziphius cavirostris) is scattered and mostly incomplete. This report describes a case of septicemia by Morganella morganii in a juvenile male CBW with concurrent renal crassicaudiasis. The animal stranded along the Ligurian coastline (Italy) and underwent a systematic post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death. Histopathology showed lesions consistent with a septicemic infection, severe meningoencephalitis, and renal crassicaudiasis. An M. morganii alpha-hemolytic strain was isolated in pure culture from liver, lung, prescapular lymph node, spleen, hepatic and renal abscesses, and central nervous system (CNS). The antimicrobial susceptibility profile of the strain was evaluated with the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) method and reduced susceptibility to Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole is reported. Crassicauda sp. nematodes were retrieved from both kidneys. No other pathogens were detected by immunohistochemistry, serology, or biomolecular analyses. Toxicological investigations detected high concentrations of immunosuppressant pollutants in the blubber. The chronic parasitic infestation and the toxic effects of xenobiotics likely compromised the animal's health, predisposing it to an opportunistic bacterial infection. To our knowledge, this is the first description of M. morganii septicemia with CNS involvement in a wild cetacean